Art and Culture 

Over 1.76 crore school students from all 36 States and UTs participate in Project Veer Gatha 4.0 - PIB 

More than 1.76 crore school students from all 36 States and UTs have participated enthusiastically in Project Veer Gatha 4.0. The students have sent poems, paintings, essays, videos, etc. in honour of the acts of bravery and sacrifice of the officers/personnel of the Armed Forces.

Project Veer Gatha

• About: Launched in 2021 to share inspiring stories of gallantry awardees and their sacrifices.
• Aim: To instill patriotism among students.
• Features
  • Provides a platform for students to undertake creative projects based on heroic deeds of gallantry award winners.
  • Conducted in three editions: 2021, 2022, and 2023.
• Collaboration: Joint initiative by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education.

Economy 

Why India’s 6Ghz spectrum dilemma is affecting PS5 Pro console launch in India? - The Hindu

Recently, the PlayStation 5 Pro console was released in key markets around the world, but no announcement was made regarding India. 

Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) - The Hindu

• Definition: Products sold quickly and at relatively low cost.
• Characteristics:
  • High-volume sales and quick inventory turnover.
  • Includes essentials like food, beverages, toiletries, cleaning supplies, and low-cost household items.
  • Short shelf life due to high demand or perishability (e.g., dairy, meat, baked goods).
• FMCG Industry in India
  • Economic Role: Fourth-largest sector in the Indian economy.
  • Sales Distribution (2022):
    • Urban sector: 65% of total sales.
    • Rural sector: 35% contribution.
  • Product Categories:
    • Household and personal care: 50% of sales.
    • Healthcare: 31-32%.
    • Food and beverages: 18-19%.
  • Employment: Provides jobs to around 3 million people, constituting 5% of total factory employment.

 ‘Jobs at Your Doorstep’ Report by World Bank - PIB 

Union Minister for Education recently launched a report titled Jobs at Your Doorstep: A Jobs Diagnostics for Young People in Six States, at an event in New Delhi today. 

STARS Scheme

• Overview: Effective from 2021 for a period of five years (up to FY 2024-25).
• Implementation: Implemented by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education with World Bank financial support.
• Coverage: Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Kerala.
• Objective: To improve the quality of school education through targeted interventions.
• Framework: Derived from Samagra Shiksha, emphasizing components that directly enhance school education.

Environment 

Treaty to tackle plastic pollution - Indian Express

More than 170 countries will converge in Busan, Republic of Korea, to negotiate a new legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution, including marine pollution today. This is the fifth (and final) round of talks since 2022, when the UN Environmental Assembly (UNEA) agreed to develop such a by the end of 2024.

Gwalior houses India's first modern, self-sufficient gaushala with a state-of-the-art Compressed Biogas (CBG) plant - PIB 

Recently, the Prime Minister inaugurated Gwalior’s new 100 TPD cattle dung-based Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) plant, exemplifying his vision for a "Waste to Wealth" initiative.

Hearing tests show that minke whales can hear high-frequency sounds - The Hindu 

For the first time, scientists have directly measured the hearing range of minke whales, discovering that the species can detect high-frequency sounds as high as 90 kilohertz (kHz), according to a new study, demonstrating hearing sensitivity far greater than previously believed.

Minke Whales

• Overview: Smallest members of the baleen whale family and rorquals.
• Two recognized species:
  • Common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata).
  • Antarctic minke whale (B. bonaerensis).
• Dwarf minke whales: A subspecies of the common minke whale, found mostly in the Southern Hemisphere.
• Subspecies
  • North Atlantic common minke whale: B. a. acutorostrata.
  • North Pacific common minke whale: B. a. scammoni.
• Distribution: Found in tropical, temperate, and polar regions from 65°S to 80°N.
• Habitat: Prefer cooler, high-latitude waters, found in both coastal and offshore areas.
• IUCN Status:
• Common minke whale: Least Concern.

• Antarctic minke whale: Data Deficient.

Science and Technology 

India’s First Indigenous Antibiotic, Nafithromycin - PIB 

In a ground breaking step for India’s biotechnology sector, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh today formally launched the first indigenous antibiotic "Nafithromycin" for resistant infections.

Chagas Disease - The Hindu 

Dead kissing bugs could spell trouble for dogs in Texas. A study published in October in the Journal of Medical Entomology shows that Trypanosoma cruzi—the parasite that causes Chagas disease—can survive in dead kissing bugs (Triatominae) even within insecticide-treated dog kennels.

Chagas Disease