• Supreme Court (SC) using Article 142 quashed Chandigarh’s Mayor election. 

• Article 142
  • Empower SC to pass a decree or order for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it.
  • Such decree or order is enforceable throughout India in such manner as may be prescribed by any law made by Parliament (or by President’s order until such provision is made). 
    • Also Subject to such law, SC has power to make any order to secure attendance of any person, discovery or production of any documents, investigation or punishment of any contempt of itself. 

• FSDC has asked financial sector regulators to take further measures to check the spread of unauthorized lending through online apps.

• About FSDC
  • It was set up by the Government as the apex-level forum in 2010 (Not a statutory body).
  • Chairmen: Union Finance Minister.
  • Members: Heads of financial sector Regulators (RBI, SEBI, PFRDA, IRDA & FMC), Finance Secretary, etc.
  • In 2018, FSDC was reconstituted to include more members
  • The Council deals, inter-alia, with issues relating to financial stability, financial sector development, and inter–regulatory coordination, etc.
  • No funds are separately allocated to it for undertaking its activities.

• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved FRP of sugarcane payable by sugar factories for sugar season 2024-25.

• About FRP:
  • FRP is the price declared by central government, at which mills are bound to procure sugarcane from farmers.
    • Sugarcane (Control) Order 1966 issued under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955 gives powers to fix FRP.
  • Based on recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices. 
  • Linked to a basic recovery rate of sugar, with a premium payable to farmers for higher recoveries.

• Some states announce State Advised Price (SAP) to procure sugarcane in their respective states.
  • SAP is normally higher than FRP.

• Ministry of Corporate Affairs issued a notification to enforce Section 33 of the Competition (Amendment) Act 2023. 
  • Section 33 empowers the to impose a lesser penalty on any producer, seller, distributor, trader or service provider which is alleged to have violated the provision on Anti-competitive agreements.
  • A lesser penalty could be imposed if such entities make a full and true disclosure in respect of the alleged violations and such disclosure is vital. 

• NTPC’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Score has ascended by two levels in the CDP Water Security Rating.
  • Ratings improved due to NTPC’s efforts to enhance water reuse and recycling.

• About CDP
  • It is a not-for-profit charity that runs the global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states, and regions to manage their environmental impacts.
  • Founded in 2000, CDP was the first platform to leverage investor pressure to influence corporate disclosure on environmental impact.

• Recently, a significant rise has been witnessed in the cases of ‘Zombie Deer Disease’ In USA.

• About Zombie Deer Disease
  • It is also known as Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
  • Caused by: Misfolded proteins known as prions and affects species in the cervid family i.e., deer, elk, reindeer, sika deer, and moose.
  • It is a contagious neurological condition fatal to animals and there are no treatments or vaccines.
  • Till now, no direct evidence of its human transmission has been found.
  • Symptoms: Drastic weight loss (wasting), stumbling, listlessness, and other neurologic symptoms.

• The longest transportation tunnel of the country opened on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) known as T-50.
• The tunnel is 12.77 km long. 
• It falls between the Khari-Sumber section.

• Prime Minister extends greetings for Sammakka-Sarakka festival. 

• About festival
  • Also known as Medaram Jatara is a biennial tribal festival celebrated in Telangana by Koya tribe (the second-largest Tribal Community of Telangana). 
  • Largest tribal fair in Asia, and the second-largest fair in India, after the Kumbh Mela
  • Commemorates the fight of a mother and daughter, Sammakka and Saralamma, with reigning rulers against an unjust law.
  • Tribal take a holy dip in the red water of Jampanna Vagu (a tributary to River Godavari).  

Greece (Capital-Athens)

• India and Greece agree to expand cooperation in diverse areas. 

• Political Boundaries
  • Southernmost of countries of Balkan Peninsula.
  • Surrounding seas: Aegean Sea (east), Mediterranean Sea (south), and Ionian Sea (west).
  • Land borders: Albania, Bulgaria, Turkey (east), Republic of Macedonia.

• Geographical features
  • Highest Peak: Mount Olympus.
  • Major Rivers: Haliacmon, Marista, etc.
  • Climate Type: Mediterranean climate.