NCPOR signed a contract with a Defence PSU for constructing Indigenous Ocean Research Vessel to unravel deep oceans.

About NCPOR (HQ: Goa)

• Genesis: Established as an autonomous Research and Development Institution of Ministry of Earth Sciences (formerly Department of Ocean Development) in 1998.
• Composition: Governing Body comprising 13 members.
  • Chairman (ex-officio) of governing body is Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences.

• Mandate:
  • Facilitatory role in scientific research activities being undertaken in Antarctica, Arctic and in Indian Ocean sector of Southern Ocean.
  • Management of Indian Antarctic Research Bases “Maitri” and “Bharati”, and Indian Arctic base “Himadri”.

Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to launch second phase of KIRTI Program in New Delhi.  

About KIRTI Program

• Objective: Streamline whole process of grassroots talent identification (age-group between 9 - 18 years) on a single platform. 
  • Achieve 20 Lakh assessments in 2024-25 by onboarding all state to identify talent through notified Talent Assessment Centre.
• Approach: Based on an Athlete-centric approach, process of talent Identification has been made more broad-based, transparent and accessible.
• Significance: Help achieve twin objectives of Khelo India Scheme i.e. excellence in sports, and mass participation in sports.

Recently, uncontacted indigenous Mashco Piro tribe was located in remote Peruvian Amazon, in Peru.

About Mascho Piro Tribe

• Numbering more than 750, they are believed to be largest uncontacted tribes living in jungles of Amazon and Southeast Asia.
• They are nomadic hunter-gatherers.
• Contact with them is prohibited fearing the spread of a disease among population to which it has no immunity. 
• Madre de Dios Territorial Reserve was notified in 2002 to protect their territory. However, large parts of land have been sold to companies for timber and other produce.

Supreme Court recently overturned the decision of Assam Foreigners’ Tribunal and declared a resident of the State as Indian citizen. 

Foreigners Tribunals 

• Establishment: These are quasi-judicial bodies established under the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order, 1964 by the Central Government, according to Section 3 of The Foreigners Act, 1946. 
• Authority: Foreigners Tribunals have the power to declare a person as a foreigner. 
  • Thus, being excluded from the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam does not automatically classify a person as a foreigner.
• Power: Powers of a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908. 
• Set up by: State government

Ivory Coast joined the United Nations Water Convention (Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes). 

 United Nations Water Convention

• Genesis: Adopted in Helsinki (Finland) in 1992 and entered into force in 1996.
• Legally binding: Requires Parties to use transboundary waters reasonably and equitably and ensure their sustainable management.
• Members: India is not a party

NOTE: UN Watercourses Convention (UN Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses) was adopted in 1997. Indus Waters Treaty (1960) aligns with it.

Gevra and Kusmunda coal mines (Chhattisgarh) have secured 2nd and 4th spot in list of world’s 10 largest coal mines released by WorldAtlas.com.

Coal in India:

• Status: World’s second largest coal producer and 5th largest country in terms of coal deposits.
• Type of coal: About 80% of coal deposits are bituminous type and are of non-coking grade.
• Characteristics of coal: High in ash content but low in sulfur content with high ash fusion temperature.
• Import: India imports coal particularly coking coal. 

A new study based on TESS observation has discovered smaller black hole orbiting large black hole at the center of the galaxy OJ 287 (located four billion light years away) 

• Scientists from 10 countries including India were involved in the study. 
• A black hole is a space region with such strong gravity that not even light can escape. 

About TESS

• Launch: Launched in 2018 by NASA 
• Objective: To discover exoplanets in orbit around the brightest dwarf stars in the sky.
• Significance: Data from TESS will be used to study formation and evolution of habitable worlds.

China has unveiled the world’s first dual-tower solar thermal power plant (TPP), which boosts energy efficiency by 24%. 

Features of the Solar TPP

• Tracking of Sunlight: The plant features two 200-meter tall towers, each surrounded by thousands of mirrors which automatically track the sun’s movement and achieve 94% reflection efficiency. 
• Storage of excess heat: The plant utilises molten salt storage as a thermal battery, allowing it to store excess heat collected during the day for continuous power generation at night.