Daily news will speed up the preparation for the Civil Services Examination and it also plays a crucial role to grasp the current affairs topic comprehensively. Here we have covered most of the topics related to various categories including National, International, Sports, Science and Technology, and so on.
1. Indian Genome Sequences
– Results from the computation analysis of the 1029 sequenced genomes from India recently published within the scientific journal, Nucleic Acid Research.
– Research by Indian scientists has suggested that thirty-two percent of genetic variations in Indian genome sequences are unique as compared to global genomes.
– The research had been carried out by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi and CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad.
What is genetic variant or variation?
– It is used to refer to a specific region of the genome which differs from another genome.
– In India genome dataset, the computational analysis led to the identification of 55,898,122 single nucleotide variants. When comparisons of the genome datasets had been done at global level then it reveals that 18,016,257 (32.23 per cent) variants were unique and found only in the samples sequenced from India.
– As part of the IndiGen Program of CSIR, the research was carried out. In April 2019, the programme was begun to fill the gap of whole genome sequences from different populations within the country.
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2. Electricity Access & Utility Benchmarking Report
– NITI Aayog, Ministry of Power, Rockefeller Foundation, and Smart Power India launched the ‘Electricity Access in India and Benchmarking Distribution Utilities’.
– The report assesses 25 distribution utilities which are based on a primary survey that was conducted across 10 states––representing about 65% of the total rural population of India and with a sample size of more than 25,000, including households, commercial enterprises and institutions.
– Benchmark utilities’ capacity to provide electricity access and identify the drivers of sustainable access. Also, develop recommendations for enhancing sustainable electricity access.
Key findings of the report:
– About 92% of customers reported the general or overall availability of electricity infrastructure within 50 metres of their premises. However, not all have connections, the first reason being the distance of households from the nearest pole.
– 87% of the overall surveyed customers have access to grid-based electricity. The remaining 13% either use non-grid sources or don’t use any electricity at all.
– The hours of supply have improved significantly across the customer categories to just about 17 hours per day.
– About 85% of customers reported to have a metered electricity connection.
– Access to electricity is observed in 83% of household customers.
– A satisfaction index was created to assess the general satisfaction level of customers with utility services. As per the study, a total of 66% of those surveyed were satisfied, 74% of customers in urban areas and 60% in rural areas.
Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 28 October, 2020
3. Dr. Tulsi Das Chugh Award-2020
– The Orations & Awards Committee of the National Academy of Medical Sciences (India), has selected Dr Satish Mishra, Principal Scientist, Division of Molecular Parasitology and Immunology, CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow for “Dr.Tulsi Das Chugh Award 2020″.
– The award is given in recognition of his research work on Malaria parasite’s life cycle which may be a complex process involving two hosts and three invasive stages. Invasion in both mammals and mosquitoes requires a coordinated sequence of events to be played out successfully.
– His outstanding work focused on “Secreted Protein with Altered Thrombospondin Repeat (SPATR) which is Essential for Asexual Blood Stages but not Required for Hepatocyte Invasion by the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium Berghei”.
– This study focuses on the dispensability of SPATR in P. berghei sporozoites and its importance for the establishment of blood stage infection, further investigation is needed to unravel its precise role during this process.
Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 27 October, 2020
4. 19th Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
– India hosted the 19th Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Ministers responsible for Foreign Economy and Foreign Trade Activities.
– The virtual meeting was attended by the Secretary General of SCO and Ministers from, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Four documents in the meeting were adopted. These were:-
– Statement on the response to Covid-19. It reinforces the necessity for greater cooperation for access to medicines and facilitation of trade.
– Statement on the Multilateral Trading System of Ministers of SCO Countries who are WTO Members. It highlights the importance of the rules based multilateral negotiations.
– Statement on SCO Cooperation on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). It relates to cooperation of intellectual property and include sharing information/experience on legislation and enforcement, cooperation in international organisations and other areas.
– Action Plan for Implementation of MOU to stimulate cooperation within the framework of SCO within the field of MSMEs. It looks at number of areas of cooperation among MSMEs, including exchange of information, organisation of events and collaboration on research and capacity building.
Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 26 October, 2020
5. Yellow Dust
– Recently, Korean Central Television (KCTV) warned that a cloud of yellow dust would blow in from China.
– As per North Korean authorities have warned that this dust could bring Covid-19 with it.
About Yellow Dust
– Actually, it’s sand from deserts in China and Mongolia that high speed surface winds carry into both North and South Korea during specific periods every year.
– The sand particles tend to mix with other toxic substances like industrial pollutants, as a result of which the ‘yellow dust’ is known to cause various respiratory ailments.
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