19th October, 2024 Current Affairs

International

Yahya Sinwar

• On the evening of October 17, 2024, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas in Gaza, was killed during a targeted ground operation in Rafah, located in southern Gaza.

THAAD missile defense system 

• The United States has announced plans to send the advanced THAAD missile defense system to Israel. THAAD, or Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, is a state-of-the-art anti-ballistic missile defense system developed by Lockheed Martin. It is designed to intercept and destroy enemy missiles during their terminal phase, making it crucial for defense against missile threats. 
• The system is highly mobile, allowing for quick deployment against short-range, medium-range, and limited intermediate-range ballistic missile threats, with effective ranges from 1,000 km to 5,000 km.

National

Mera Hou Chongba

• The “Mera Hou Chongba” festival took place in Manipur even amid ongoing ethnic tensions between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. This yearly event plays a crucial role in fostering brotherhood and unity among the indigenous populations of the state, emphasizing the diverse cultural heritage of Manipur.

Sanskrit

• The Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Board (UMEB) has proposed making Sanskrit a compulsory subject in 416 madrassas across the state.

Maharishi Valmiki

• Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that all Scheduled Tribe (ST) residential schools in the state and Raichur University will be named after Maharishi Valmiki.

Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955

• On October 17, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955, with a 4-1 majority, affirming the Assam Accord. The bench, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, deemed the provision constitutional, acknowledging its role in addressing illegal immigration from Bangladesh into Assam. Justice JB Pardiwala dissented, describing Section 6A as unconstitutional.
• Section 6A, introduced in 1985 following the Assam Accord, grants citizenship to individuals who entered Assam before January 1, 1966, and permits others who arrived by March 24, 1971, to register after a 10-year waiting period. Those who entered after this cut-off are subject to detection and deportation.

Raising Day of the National Security Guard

• On October 16, 2024, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, commemorated the 40th Raising Day of the National Security Guard (NSG), applauding the bravery and dedication of its personnel.

Capt. Amit Bhardwaj Setu 

• Kaksar Bridge has been renamed Capt. Amit Bhardwaj Setu to honor the sacrifice of Capt. Amit Bhardwaj during the Kargil War.

Supreme Court Lady of Justice

• The traditional Lady of Justice, typically shown blindfolded with scales and a sword, has undergone a symbolic transformation in the Supreme Court of India. Under Chief Justice DY Chandrachud's guidance, the newly commissioned statue removes the blindfold and replaces the sword with the Constitution.

AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) Pharmacy

• South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), a Chhattisgarh-based subsidiary of Coal India, has launched its fourth AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) Pharmacy, becoming the first coal company to do so. This 216th AMRIT pharmacy is located at SECL’s Health Centre in Indira Vihar Colony, Bilaspur, and will offer generic and life-saving medicines at highly subsidized rates, benefiting SECL employees, the general public, and underserved tribal and rural communities.

Very Low Frequency (VLF) Station for the Indian Navy 

• On October 15, 2024, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for a new Very Low Frequency (VLF) Station for the Indian Navy in Vikarabad, Telangana. Spanning 2,900 acres and costing Rs 3,200 crore, the facility will boost the Navy's communication capabilities, enabling secure and reliable long-distance transmissions critical for command and control in maritime operations.

Samarthak

• The Indian Navy reached a major milestone with the launch of its first ship, 'Samarthak,' under the Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV) project at L&T Shipyard in Kattupalli, Chennai. The vessel, measuring 106 meters in length and 16.8 meters in width, is capable of reaching a top speed of 15 knots.

eMigrate V2.0

• External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar inaugurated the upgraded eMigrate V2.0 web portal and mobile app in Delhi, aimed at improving the facilitation of safe and legal migration for Indian citizens.

Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024

• The Kerala Assembly unanimously passed a resolution calling on the BJP-led central government to withdraw the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. The bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha in August, has since been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further review.

Project to revitalize 129 beels (wetlands) 

• The Assam government has initiated an ambitious project to revitalize 129 beels (wetlands) covering 3,800 hectares, aiming to mitigate flooding and enhance fish production in the state. These wetlands are crucial water and fishery resources, providing essential hydrological services such as flood mitigation, groundwater recharge, river flow regulation, and erosion control.

National Skill Training Institute 

• Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, inaugurated a new National Skill Training Institute (NSTI) extension center at the Andhra Medical Tech Zone (AMTZ) campus in Visakhapatnam.

Economy

Indoor air quality monitoring facility

• Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, has inaugurated Pavana Chitra, India’s first self-powered indoor air quality monitoring facility, at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. This innovative facility is powered by indigenous indoor solar cells developed by CSIR-NIIST, utilizing locally available materials.

International Methanol Seminar

• NITI Aayog is preparing to host the Second International Methanol Seminar and Expo 2024 on October 17-18, 2024, at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi.

India’s first indigenously built bullet trains

• BEML has been awarded a contract worth ₹866.87 crore by Integral Coach Factory (ICF) to design, manufacture, and commission India’s first indigenously built bullet trains. This project marks a significant milestone in India’s high-speed rail journey, as it will feature two high-speed trainsets, each comprising eight cars, with a test speed of 280 km/h and an operational speed of 250 km/h. The trains are set to roll out by late 2026, produced at BEML’s Bengaluru facility, as part of the broader initiative to enhance India’s rail infrastructure.

Sports

Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games

• Cricket is poised to make a comeback at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games (LA28), pending approval from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This inclusion will mark the sport’s second appearance at the Olympics, following its debut in Paris in 1900. However, unlike its traditional two-innings format, cricket at LA28 will be played in the Twenty20 (T20) format.
• Sourav Ganguly, former Indian cricket captain and ex-BCCI President, has been appointed as the Director of Cricket for JSW Sports. In this role, Ganguly will oversee all cricket operations for the organization, including key franchises such as the Delhi Capitals' men's and women's IPL and WPL teams, as well as Pretoria Capitals in the SA20 League.

ISSF World Cup Final

• India’s Akhil Sheoran won the bronze medal in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions event at the ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi.
• Vivaan Kapoor secured a silver medal in the men’s trap event, while Anant Jeet Singh Naruka claimed a bronze in the men’s skeet competition.

Jannik Sinner

• At the Shanghai Masters, world number one Jannik Sinner triumphed over Novak Djokovic, winning the title with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 victory.

Bilateral

India and Mauritania 

• They have made a significant advancement in their bilateral relations by signing four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) during Indian President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to the North African country.

These MoUs focus on:

• Training of Diplomats
• Cultural Exchange
• Visa Exemption
• Foreign Office Consultations

Indo-Turkiye Friendship Association

• The Indo-Turkiye Friendship Association (ITFA) was inaugurated in Hyderabad on October 16, 2024. The initiative aims to strengthen cooperation between India and Turkiye in key areas such as economy and trade, culture and tourism, science and technology, and education.

Vikash Yadav 

• The US Justice Department has charged former Indian intelligence officer Vikash Yadav with orchestrating a plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani terrorist residing in New York. Yadav, along with his co-conspirator Nikhil Gupta, allegedly hired an individual to carry out the assassination for $100,000 in 2023. However, the hired assassin was an FBI informant.

Honorary Doctorate 

• During her three-nation tour, President Droupadi Murmu was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Political Science from Sidi Abdellah Science and Technology Pole University in Algiers.

Aishath Azeema

• A week after Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu's first official visit to India, which emphasized his "India out" policy, senior diplomat Aishath Azeema is set to become the Maldives' new ambassador to India, succeeding Ibrahim Shaheeb.

Persons

Nayab Singh Saini 

• Nayab Singh Saini was sworn in as Haryana’s Chief Minister for the second time, marking the BJP’s third consecutive term in power in the state. Governor Bandaru Dattatreya administered the oath at a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers, and NDA leaders.

Special Secretary for Internal Security

• Senior IPS officer Praveen Vashista has been appointed as the new Special Secretary for Internal Security.

New Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir

• Omar Abdullah, a prominent leader of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), has been sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Previously, he served as the Union Minister of State for External Affairs in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s NDA government from 2001 to 2002. The current Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir is Manoj Sinha.

Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre

• Rashmika Mandanna, the popular film actor, has been appointed as the national brand ambassador for the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). This initiative, launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), aims to address and combat the growing threats of cyber crimes across the country.

51st Chief Justice of India

• Justice Sanjiv Khanna is poised to become the 51st Chief Justice of India (CJI) following a recommendation from current CJI DY Chandrachud in a letter to the Union law ministry. As the second-most senior judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Khanna will assume the role after Justice Chandrachud's retirement on November 10, 2024.

Awards
National Kishore Kumar Award

• Renowned filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani was honored with the prestigious National Kishore Kumar Award for 2023. The award ceremony took place in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, the birthplace of Kishore Kumar, coinciding with the 37th death anniversary of the iconic singer. This award was established by the Madhya Pradesh Government’s Department of Culture.

V&A Illustration Awards

• Aditi Anand, a 25-year-old graduate from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), has won the prestigious Emerging Illustrator category at the V&A Illustration Awards. Her artwork, Marigolds, is set in India and focuses on the theme of child labor and lost childhoods.

Femina Miss India 2024

• Nikita Porwal from Madhya Pradesh has won the Femina Miss India 2024 title. The prestigious event took place at Famous Studios in Mumbai, marking the 60th edition of India’s iconic beauty pageant. Hailing from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, she is currently pursuing higher education at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.

Science & Technology
Sagar Kavach

• The Indian Coast Guard successfully conducted the coastal security exercise ‘Sagar Kavach’ on October 16-17, covering Gujarat, Daman & Diu, Goa, and Maharashtra. The exercise saw active participation from agencies such as the Navy, Border Security Force (BSF), National Security Guard (NSG), and Intelligence Bureau (IB), utilizing ships, boats, drones, and aircraft for surveillance.

Scam se Bacho

• In a significant effort to address the increasing prevalence of online scams and cyber frauds, Sh. Sanjay Jaju, Secretary of Information and Broadcasting, delivered the keynote address at the launch of the “Scam se Bacho” campaign in New Delhi. This initiative was developed by Meta in collaboration with key government ministries.

Butterfly diversity

• Kaziranga National Park, famous for its iconic one-horned rhinoceros, has now been recognized as India’s second-largest hub for butterfly diversity. Following Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh, Kaziranga is home to an impressive 446 butterfly species.

Europa Clipper spacecraft

• NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft has begun its groundbreaking mission to explore Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons believed to contain a vast subsurface ocean beneath its icy crust. Launched on October 14, 2024, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, this mission embarks on an exciting scientific journey to investigate whether Europa’s hidden ocean could potentially support life.

Important Days

• World Statistics Day is an international celebration held every five years to highlight the importance of statistics in shaping societies and improving lives. In 2024, it will be observed on October 20th. The first World Statistics Day was celebrated on October 20, 2010, following a resolution by the United Nations General Assembly.
• International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is an important global observance held annually on October 17th, with the goal of raising awareness about the need to eliminate poverty in all its forms. This day highlights the critical importance of global efforts to create a more just, inclusive, and equitable world, particularly for those living in extreme poverty.
• The theme for 2024 is “Ending Social and Institutional Maltreatment: Acting Together for Just, Peaceful, and Inclusive Societies.” It emphasizes the necessity of addressing both social and institutional injustices that perpetuate poverty and inequality. The focus is on encouraging collective action to build societies where every individual has equal opportunities and access to resources, fostering peace and inclusivity for sustainable development.
• World Anaesthesia Day is observed each year on October 16 to highlight the essential role of anaesthesia in contemporary medicine. The theme for 2024 is “Workforce Well Being.”
• The International Abhidhamma Divas, celebrated on October 17, honors this rich philosophical tradition. It underscores the relevance of Abhidhamma teachings in guiding mental and ethical discipline and highlights India's important role in preserving and promoting the Buddhist legacy worldwide.