Art and Culture 

Story, history of exposition of sacred relics of St Francis Xavier in Goa - Indian Express

The decennial exposition of the sacred relics of Saint Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Goa have begun.

St. Francis Xavier ("Goencho Saib")

• About: A Spanish Jesuit missionary who arrived in Goa in 1542 when it was a Portuguese colony.
• Mission: To restore Christianity among Portuguese settlers under the directive of King John III.
• Death: Died in 1552 on Shangchuan Island, off China's coast.
• Burial and Transfers:

• Initially buried on the island.
• Exhumed in 1553 and taken to Malacca, housed in the Church of St. Paul.
• Shipped to Goa in 1554, kept at St. Paul’s College.
• Moved to Casa Professa near the Basilica in 1613.
• Placed in the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa, in 1624.

Society 

Planetary crisis puts children at risk: UNICEF report - The Hindu

The world is facing an unprecedented planetary crisis with nearly half the world’s children — about one billion — living in countries that face high risk of climate and environmental hazards, said the UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children 2024 (SOWC-2024) report.

How does PM Vidyalaxmi differ from other schemes? - The Hindu

Recently, the Union Cabinet approved a new Central Sector Scheme, PM Vidyalaxmi.

PM Vidyalaxmi Scheme

• Objective: Provides financial support to meritorious students for higher education through collateral-free, guarantor-free loans.
• Coverage:
  • Eligible Institutions: Students admitted to 860 quality higher education institutions as defined by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).
  • Beneficiaries: Covers approximately 22 lakh students with annual family income limit of ₹8 lakh.
  • Loan Features:
    • Covers full tuition fees and related expenses.
    • Loans up to ₹10 lakh eligible for a 3% interest subvention during the moratorium period.
  • Priority: Preference for students from government institutions pursuing technical or professional courses.
• Financial Allocation:
  • ₹3,600 crore outlay for 2024-25 to 2030-31.
  • Supports 7 lakh fresh students with interest subvention over the period.
  • One lakh students to benefit annually from the subvention.

DIfference from past schemes 

India's undertrial prisoners - Indian Express

Union Home Minister recently said that undertrials who have spent more than a third of the maximum prescribed sentence for the crime they are accused of committing should be released before Constitution Day (November 26).

World Affairs 

Prime Minister proposes seven key pillars to strengthen ties between India, ‘CARICOM’ - The Hindu

The Indian Prime Minister recently proposed seven key pillars to strengthen ties between India and ‘CARICOM’ as he held talks with the Caribbean partner countries focusing on areas such as trade, technology and tourism among others.

CARICOM (Caribbean Community)

About: The oldest integration movement in the developing world established in 1973 by the Treaty of Chaguaramas as the Caribbean Community and Common Market.

• Objectives:
  • Promote economic integration and cooperation among members.
  • Ensure equitable sharing of integration benefits.
  • Coordinate foreign policy.
• 15 members: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago.
• Associate members: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands.
• Observers: Aruba, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela.
• Administration:
  • Chairmanship: Rotated every six months among Heads of Member States.
  • Secretariat: Located in Georgetown, Guyana, headed by a Secretary General as the Chief Executive Officer.
• Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ):
  • Established in 2007.
  • Functions as the final court of appeal for members and resolves regional trade disputes.
• Economic Integration: Involves reducing trade barriers and coordinating monetary and fiscal policies among nations..

WHAT IS RUSSIA'S NUCLEAR DOCTRINE, NEWLY UPDATED BY PUTIN?  - Indian Express

President Vladimir Putin has approved changes to Russia’s nuclear weapons policy, and Moscow has urged the West to study them closely.

Economy 

Should packaged food content be labelled? - The Hindu

A new report published by Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNi) a non-profit global foundation, has found that leading food and beverage (F&B) companies, on average, sell products that are less healthy in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs) compared to what they sell in high-income countries (HICs). This report, which is the fifth edition of the ‘Global Access to Nutrition Index’, states that it assessed 30 of the world’s largest F&B manufacturers — 23% of the global F&B market — on their performance to improve access to nutritious foods.

Environment 

What to know about indoor air quality and purification - Indian Express

The more privileged among us spend most of the day indoors — in homes, offices, gyms, and air-conditioned vehicles — where air quality can be controlled. Outdoor exposure is typically limited to commutes or errands, during which a properly fitted N95 mask is the only reliable way to reduce exposure to harmful pollutants.

Improving Indoor Air Quality

• Addressing PM2.5 Exposure:
  • PM2.5 is linked to respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological disorders.
  • Levels exceed WHO limits year-round in many parts of India.
• Limiting Outdoor Pollutants Indoors:
  • Keep windows and doors closed.
  • Seal gaps around windows, doors, and vents to reduce air leaks.
• Use of Air Purifiers:
  • Essential in frequently used spaces like bedrooms.
  • Improve efficiency by limiting the air volume the purifier needs to clean, such as by closing doors.

INDIAN ARMY SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDES MULTI AGENCY DISASTER RELIEF EXERCISE 'SANYUKT VIMOCHAN 2024' - PIB 

The Indian Army successfully conducted the Multilateral Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise, 'Sanyukt Vimochan 2024' at Ahmedabad and Porbandar on 18-19 November 2024. 

Evening coaching classes enhance skills of tribal students in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve - The Hindu 

An initiative taken by the Forest Department to conduct evening coaching classes for school children in 10 tribal hamlets located within the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) has significantly enhanced their learning skills, while also providing them with livelihood opportunities and reducing their dependence on the forest in the long term.

Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve

• About: Situated at the junction of the Eastern and Western Ghats within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Erode District, Tamil Nadu contiguous with Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Bandipur Tiger Reserve, and BRT Wildlife Sanctuary (Karnataka).

• Terrain: Hilly and undulated; altitudes range from 750 m to 1,649 m.
• Vegetation: Includes southern tropical dry thorn forests, mixed deciduous forests, semi-evergreen forests, and riparian forests.
• Climate: Subtropical and dry climate.
• Summers: Hot and dry.
• Monsoons: Wet, cooler, with river flooding.
• Prominent rivers: Bhavani, Moyar, and Noyyal.
• Tribal Communities: Home to indigenous tribes such as the Irula and Kurumba.
• Flora: Albizia amara, Chloroxylon swietenia, Neem, Tamarind, Sandalwood, and Zizyphus.
• Mammals: Tiger, Elephant, Panther, Sloth bear, Gaur, Black Buck, Spotted deer, Wild boar.
• Primates: Common langur, Nilgiri langur, Bonnet macaque.
• Others: Black naped hare, Striped neck mongoose

Science and Technology 

As sun nears peak of solar cycle, small satellites are paying the price - The Hindu 

Recently, three tiny Australian satellites from Curtin University’s Binar Space Program burned up in Earth’s atmosphere. These cube satellites (CubeSats), known as Binar-2, 3 and 4, entered the atmosphere much sooner than originally planned. They only lasted for two months – a third of what was expected. This significantly reduced valuable time for science and testing new systems.

Solar Activity

• Definition: Includes sunspots, solar flares, and solar wind (stream of charged particles toward Earth).
• Cause: Driven by the Sun’s magnetic field, which flips approximately every 11 years, peaking in activity midway through the cycle.
• Impacts
  • Satellite and Space Technology:
    • Increased solar flares and stronger solar wind can damage or disrupt satellite electrical components.
    • Higher atmospheric drag impacts satellites below 1,000 km, requiring costly orbit corrections.
  • Radiation Risks:
    • Elevated ionising radiation exposure for astronauts and pilots.
    • Disruptions to long-distance radio communications.
  • Atmospheric Expansion:
    • Outer atmosphere absorbs extra energy, expanding outward and increasing drag on low Earth orbit satellites (e.g., ISS, Starlink).

Binar Space Program

• Overview: Satellite research initiative at Curtin University aimed at studying the Solar System and reducing barriers to space operations.
• Missions:
  • Binar-1 (September 2021)
    • Launched during low solar activity (solar cycle 25).
    • Operated for 364 days in orbit starting at 420 km altitude.
  • Binar-2, 3, and 4
    • CubeSats with deployable solar arrays, launched during increased solar activity.
    • Expected lifespan: ~6 months, but burned up sooner due to higher atmospheric drag caused by intensified solar activity.