Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 12th October 2024

TDP1 : Cancer Treatment

Recent research by scientists at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), Kolkata, has identified a new approach for cancer treatment by targeting a DNA repair enzyme called TDP1.

• Tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1 (TDP1) is a DNA repair enzyme that plays a crucial role in fixing DNA damage induced by Topoisomerase 1 (Top1) inhibitors during cell division.
• TDP1 becomes particularly active during the mitotic phase, helping repair drug-induced DNA damage, allowing cancer cells to survive chemotherapy.
• The enzyme’s activity is regulated by Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), which enhances TDP1’s ability to resolve DNA damage through phosphorylation.

USCIRF International Religious Freedom Report:

India rejected the International Religious Freedom Report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF), labeling it a biased organization with a political agenda.

Highlights of the USCIRF Report (2024):

• The report called for India to be designated as a “Country of Particular Concern”(CPC).
• Countries that commit systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom are designated as a CPC by the US State Department.
• The report states that vigilante groups killed, assaulted, and lynched individuals, while religious leaders were unjustly arrested, and homes and places of worship were destroyed.
• It also criticised the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, Uniform Civil Code, and state-level anti-conversion and cow slaughter laws.
• USCIRF is a US federal commission established in 1998 under the International Religious Freedom Act, with commissioners appointed by the President and congressional leaders from both parties.
• It is based on international human rights standards, especially Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that ensured freedom of religion.
• It monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in countries other than the US.

Yuva Sangam:

The Ministry of Education today launched the registration portal for the fifth phase of Yuva Sangam under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.

• Yuva Sangam is an initiative under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB) program launched by the Government of India.
• Its primary goal is to foster cultural exchange and strengthen people-to-people connections among youth from different states and union territories of India.
• Youth aged 18-30, including students, National Service Scheme (NSS) and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) volunteers, and employed/self-employed individuals, are eligible to participate by registering on the Yuva Sangam portal.

IBSAMAR VIII:

Indian Navy’s frontline stealth frigate, INS Talwar arrived at Simon’s Town, South Africa to participate in the eighth edition of exercise IBSAMAR.

• IBSAMAR VIII is a joint multinational maritime exercise among the Indian, Brazilian and South African Navy.
• The exercise aims to enhance interoperability and strengthen cohesion between the three navies. The broad concept is based on Blue Water Naval Warfare, encompassing the dimensions of Surface and Anti-Air Warfare.
• The harbour phase of IBSAMAR VIII will include professional exchanges, Damage Control & Firefighting drills, Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure drills, cross-boarding, aviation safety lectures, joint diving operations, an Ocean Governance seminar, sports interactions, cross-deck visits, and interaction among Special Forces and Junior Officers.
• Multilateral interactions are crucial bridges of friendship that increase mutual trust and enhance interoperability among navies of like-minded littoral nations, with the common goal of a peaceful maritime domain and positive maritime environment.

Ratan Naval Tata : 28 December 1937 – 9 October 2024

Ratan Naval Tata, the former chairman of Tata Group who became a symbol of India’s economic resurgence in the 21st century, passed away at a Mumbai hospital at the age of 86.

• Ratan Naval Tata was a respected Indian businessman and former chairman of Tata Group, one of India’s largest conglomerates.
• He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008.
• He graduated in architecture from Cornell University before returning to India in 1962 to join the Tata Group, founded by his great-grandfather, Jamsetji Tata.
• He was a licensed pilot, known for his quiet demeanour, relatively modest lifestyle and philanthropic initiatives.
• Ratan Tata remained a visionary leader and a compassionate figure, earning widespread respect in both business and social circles.
• Ratan Tata played a key role in transforming Tata Group into a global powerhouse, with ventures spanning industries such as steel, automobiles, software, and telecommunications.
• Early in his career, he worked with several Tata companies, including Tata Motors (formerly Telco) and Tata Steel, and revitalised the National Radio & Electronics Company.
• In 1991, he succeeded J.R.D. Tata as chairman of Tata Group.
• He implemented significant organizational reforms such as enforcing retirement ages and promoting young talent to leadership roles.
• Tata set up Tata Teleservices in 1996 and took Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) public in 2004, capitalising on the IT boom.

Weed-Induced Crop Losses:

According to a study by the Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII), weeds are causing Rs 92000 crore (USD 11 billion) worth of loss in crop productivity each year. The report highlights the need for technology-led weed control strategies to mitigate this growing problem.

Colombo Security Conclave Charter:

The members of Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Mauritius signed a Charter and a memorandum of understanding, for the establishment of the CSC secretariat in Colombo. Bangladesh was absent and Seychelles participated as an observer state.

Civil War in Sudan:

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) launched a significant offensive against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum and Bahri, reigniting a conflict that had quieted for several months. This renewed offensive comes amid a civil war that has persisted for over 18 months, with more than 20,000 deaths reported and nearly 11 million people displaced as of October 2024.

India Launches ‘Study in India’ Campaign at UAE Education Show:

India has officially launched its ‘Study in India’ campaign at the 20th International Education Show in Sharjah, aiming to attract international students to its universities. The initiative, organized by EdCIL under the Ministry of Education, is a significant step in positioning India as a global education hub.

Rare Rain in the Sahara Desert:

A rare deluge of rainfall has flooded palm trees and sand dunes of the Sahara desert in Morocco.The rain was triggered by the northward shift of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which has moved further north than usual, resulting in equatorial-like downpours in the Sahara.ITCZ has produced a powerful extratropical cyclone that swept through northwestern Africa.
An extra-tropical cyclone is a low-pressure system which develops in latitudes outside the tropics which can bring heavy rainfall.