1. Svante Paabo, the scientist who discovered the genome of primitive humans, won the Nobel Prize for Medicine
Tags: Awards Person in news International News
Swedish geneticist Svante Paabo won the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine on 3 October 2022 for discoveries that help in our understanding of how modern day humans evolved from extinct ancestors.
According to the Nobel Committee, Svante Paabo won the prize for "discoveries concerning the genomes of extinct hominins and human evolution.”
Svante Paabo is currently the director at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.
Svante Paabo is the son of the Swedish biochemist Karl Sune Detlof Bergström who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1982.
His pioneering work
He discovered a new human species called the Denisovans, from a 40,000-year-old fragment of a finger bone discovered in Siberia.
During the discovery of the genome of an extinct species of human named Neanderthal, he developed a technique by which the genome of any fossil could be accessed.
Dr. Pebo's more than 40 years of hard work discovered such a technique, which can be used to analyse the genome of millions of years old. Through this technique, factors such as bacteria, fungus, dust, seasonal changes and external chemical changes are cleaned from DNA. In the last 20 years, this technology has gone so far that now millions of DNA can be analysed simultaneously.
What is Genome
Genome is the set of information about genes within a cell. Within the genome, the complete information of that organism is kept in the form of DNA. This information, called the genome, is made up of DNA molecules. Whenever a cell divides or copies, this information is also copied together.
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prize, which is considered to be the most prestigious prize in the world, was created in the will of Swedish dynamite inventor and wealthy businessman Alfred Nobel. The prizes for achievements in science, literature and peace have been awarded since 1901 and the economics prize was first given in 1969.
The prizes carry a cash award of 10 million Swedish kronor (nearly $900,000) and will be handed out on 10 December 2022. 10 December is the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel.
2. UNESCO launches list documenting 50 iconic Indian heritage textiles
Tags: National National News
UNESCO released a list of 50 exclusive and iconic heritage textile crafts of the country.
Important facts
According to UNESCO, the major challenge to protect the intangible cultural heritage of the South Asian region is the lack of proper inventory and documentation.
UNESCO's publication aims to bridge this gap.
UNESCO lists 50 textiles as Distinctive and Prestigious Heritage Textile Crafts of India after conducting extensive research.
Listed some important textile crafts of India
Toda embroidery and Sungadi of Tamil Nadu
Himroo weaves of Hyderabad in Telangana
Bandha tie and dye weaving of Sambalpur in Odisha
Khes from Panipat in Haryana
Chamba rumals of Himachal Pradesh
Thigma or wool tie and dye of Ladakh
Awadh Jamdani from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh
Ilkal and Lambadi or Banjara embroidery from Karnataka
Sikalnayakanpet Kalamkari from Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu
Kunbi weaves from Goa
Mashru weaves and Patola from Gujarat
Himroo from Maharashtra
Garad-Koirial of West Bengal
3. UNESCO launches list documenting 50 iconic Indian heritage textiles
Tags: National National News
UNESCO released a list of 50 exclusive and iconic heritage textile crafts of the country.
Important facts
According to UNESCO, the major challenge to protect the intangible cultural heritage of the South Asian region is the lack of proper inventory and documentation.
UNESCO's publication aims to bridge this gap.
UNESCO lists 50 textiles as Distinctive and Prestigious Heritage Textile Crafts of India after conducting extensive research.
Listed some important textile crafts of India
Toda embroidery and Sungadi of Tamil Nadu
Himroo weaves of Hyderabad in Telangana
Bandha tie and dye weaving of Sambalpur in Odisha
Khes from Panipat in Haryana
Chamba rumals of Himachal Pradesh
Thigma or wool tie and dye of Ladakh
Awadh Jamdani from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh
Ilkal and Lambadi or Banjara embroidery from Karnataka
Sikalnayakanpet Kalamkari from Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu
Kunbi weaves from Goa
Mashru weaves and Patola from Gujarat
Himroo from Maharashtra
Garad-Koirial of West Bengal
4. Burkina Faso coup: Deposed military leader Damiba 'resigns'
Tags: International News
There has been a military coup in the West African country of Burkina Faso. Deposed military leader Damiba 'resigned' on 2 October. A new military takeover has been announced in Burkina Faso.
Important facts
Paul-Henri Sandogo Damiba offered his resignation, to avoid confrontation with serious human and material consequences.
Nine months ago, the President was removed from office through a military coup in the country, for the first time in 2022.
On 29 September, 2022, an army officer on state television announced the dissolution of the current government and the dismissal of the junta leader, President Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Henri Damiba.
Army Captain Ibrahim Traore will now take over the reins of the country's ruling junta, as president of the Patriotic Movement for Safeguards and Restoration.
About Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa.
It is bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and the Ivory Coast to the southwest.
It was formerly called the Republic of Upper Volta.
Capital - Ouagadougou
Form Of Government - military regime
Official Language - French
Currency - Franc
5. The Indian Army deploys M777 Howitzers
Tags: Defence National News
The Indian Army has deployed the M777 Ultra Light Howitzer (155 mm) in the harsh terrain of the country's northern border.
Important facts
This gun is highly transportable for rapid deployment to meet any operational contingency.
In the next five years, there are plans to induct several guns, including indigenous ones, into the Army's artillery regiments.
India has contracted 145 M777 guns from BAE Systems (British Aerospace) and more than half of them have been inducted.
The Indian Army has also deployed the K9 Vajra-T52-caliber self-propelled artillery gun in Ladakh.
M777 Ultra Light Howitzer
The M777 is a key component of the Army's Field Artillery Rationalization Plan (FARP), which was approved in 1999.
The 155 mm/39-caliber M777 howitzer has a range of up to 30 km, but is capable of striking targets at ranges of more than 40 km in some areas.
Built with titanium and aluminum alloys, the howitzers weigh 4,218 kg.
The Indian Air Force CH-47F Chinook helicopter can carry the howitzer as an underslung load for rapid deployment in high altitude areas.
6. Nord Stream pipeline leakages
Tags: International News
Sweden's coast guard said on 29 September that it had detected a fourth leak in two damaged Nord Stream pipelines.
Important facts
These leaks are occurring in important Nord Stream pipelines (Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2).
These pipelines carry natural gas from Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany.
Earlier this week two other leaks were found near Denmark.
The Danish military released a video saying it had seen gas bubbles on the surface of the sea off the island of Bornholm.
At the time of the leak, both were not supplying gas to Europe. Methane leaks from broken pipelines have also caused serious concern to environmentalists.
Germany is Russia’s biggest European gas consumer, and most of it comes through the Nord Stream.
Nord Stream Pipeline
Nord Stream has two pipelines, each containing two lines.
Nord Stream 1
It was completed in 2011. It runs from Vyborg in northwest Russia to Lubmin in northeastern Germany via the Baltic Sea.
Nord Stream 2
In 2015, Russian energy major Gazprom and five other European firms decided to form Nord Stream 2.
It runs from Ust-Luga in Russia to Greifswald in Germany through the Baltic Sea and was completed in September 2021.
It will carry 55 billion cubic metres of gas every year.
Nord Stream 1 and 2 together will supply an aggregate of 110 billion cubic metres of gas to Germany per year.
The pipeline falls in the territory of EU members Germany and Denmark.
In December 2019, work on the project was suspended due to the threat of US sanctions.
In January 2021, the US sanctioned a Russian ship carrying out pipe laying work for the project.
An agreement was reached between the US and Germany on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
Top 5 Natural Gas producing Countries
United States - 914.6 billion Cubic Meters
Russia - 638.5 billion Cubic Meters
Iran - 250.8 billion Cubic Meters
China - 194 billion Cubic Meters
Qatar 171.3 billion Cubic Meters
Top 5 Countries that Consume the Most Natural Gas
United States
Russia
China
Iran
Canada
Top 5 Countries with the Largest Natural Gas Reserves
Russia
Iran
Qatar
Turkmenistan
United States
7. Election Commission launched Matadata Junction
Tags: National National News
The Election Commission launched Matadata Junction, a year-long voter awareness program on All India Radio on October 3.
Important facts
Matadata Junction was launched in a program organised at Akashvani Rang Bhawan, New Delhi.
Chief Election Commissioner of India Rajiv Kumar inaugurated the program in the presence of Election Commissioner of India Anoop Chandra Pandey, CEO Prasar Bharati Mayank Kumar Agarwal.
DG AIR News Vasudha Gupta and actor Pankaj Tripathi, who is an ECI state icon, were present on the occasion.
About Matadata Junction
Under this, 52 episodes of 15 minutes duration will be telecast every Friday on Vividh Bharati stations, FM Rainbow, FM Gold and primary channels of All India Radio.
Each program will be based on a specific theme on the electoral process.
All 52 themes aim to encourage all eligible citizens, especially young and first-time voters.
Quiz, interviews with experts, and songs produced by EC's SVEEP (Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation) team will be played in every episode.
The program includes a Citizens' Corner where any citizen can ask questions or make suggestions on any aspect of voting.
Matadata Junction will be conducted in 23 languages
23 languages are - Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bodo, Santhali, Maithili & Dogri.
Election Commission of India
It is a permanent and independent body established by the Constitution of India to ensure free and fair elections in India.
It was established as per the Constitution on 25 January 1950.
It administers the elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Assemblies, State Legislative Councils and the President and Vice President of the country.
It has nothing to do with elections to panchayats and municipalities in the states. For this the Constitution of India provides for a separate State Election Commission.
Basically there is only one Chief Election Commissioner in the Election Commission.
Currently it consists of two Election Commissioners.
The President appoints Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.
They have a tenure of six years, or up to the age of 65 years.
8. Election Commission launched Matadata Junction
Tags: National National News
The Election Commission launched Matadata Junction, a year-long voter awareness program on All India Radio on October 3.
Important facts
Matadata Junction was launched in a program organised at Akashvani Rang Bhawan, New Delhi.
Chief Election Commissioner of India Rajiv Kumar inaugurated the program in the presence of Election Commissioner of India Anoop Chandra Pandey, CEO Prasar Bharati Mayank Kumar Agarwal.
DG AIR News Vasudha Gupta and actor Pankaj Tripathi, who is an ECI state icon, were present on the occasion.
About Matadata Junction
Under this, 52 episodes of 15 minutes duration will be telecast every Friday on Vividh Bharati stations, FM Rainbow, FM Gold and primary channels of All India Radio.
Each program will be based on a specific theme on the electoral process.
All 52 themes aim to encourage all eligible citizens, especially young and first-time voters.
Quiz, interviews with experts, and songs produced by EC's SVEEP (Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation) team will be played in every episode.
The program includes a Citizens' Corner where any citizen can ask questions or make suggestions on any aspect of voting.
Matadata Junction will be conducted in 23 languages
23 languages are - Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bodo, Santhali, Maithili & Dogri.
Election Commission of India
It is a permanent and independent body established by the Constitution of India to ensure free and fair elections in India.
It was established as per the Constitution on 25 January 1950.
It administers the elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Assemblies, State Legislative Councils and the President and Vice President of the country.
It has nothing to do with elections to panchayats and municipalities in the states. For this the Constitution of India provides for a separate State Election Commission.
Basically there is only one Chief Election Commissioner in the Election Commission.
Currently it consists of two Election Commissioners.
The President appoints Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.
They have a tenure of six years, or up to the age of 65 years.
9. Government to set up 100 5G labs to boost innovation
Tags: National Economy/Finance National News
Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on 2 October that the government plans to set up 100 labs for 5G technology across India and at least 12 of them will be used to train students and conduct experiments.
Important facts
The minister also asked companies participating in the Indian Mobile Congress to provide their inputs for the new telecom bill, through which the government aims to simplify the licensing regime.
He said that the government is working significantly towards simplifying the licensing regime for all telecom companies.
Indigenous telecom gear maker HFCL announced the launch of 5G Lab-as-a-Service to accelerate the rollout of 5G solutions and services.
It will provide an automated testing environment for the private sector, academia and the government to work together on innovations.
10. Government to set up 100 5G labs to boost innovation
Tags: National Economy/Finance National News
Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on 2 October that the government plans to set up 100 labs for 5G technology across India and at least 12 of them will be used to train students and conduct experiments.
Important facts
The minister also asked companies participating in the Indian Mobile Congress to provide their inputs for the new telecom bill, through which the government aims to simplify the licensing regime.
He said that the government is working significantly towards simplifying the licensing regime for all telecom companies.
Indigenous telecom gear maker HFCL announced the launch of 5G Lab-as-a-Service to accelerate the rollout of 5G solutions and services.
It will provide an automated testing environment for the private sector, academia and the government to work together on innovations.
