Grants of ₹50 Lakh Approved by 8th EPC

• The Ministry of Textiles granted around ₹50 lakh each to four start-ups at the 8th Empowered Programme Committee meeting under the National Technical Textiles Mission in New Delhi on August 27, 2024.
•  These start-ups are focused on key areas such as composites, sustainable textiles, and smart textiles.
• The committee approved approximately twenty crore rupees for five educational institutions to establish courses in technical textiles, as part of the ‘General Guidelines for Enabling of Academic Institutes in Technical Textiles’.
• These funds will support the introduction of new B.Tech programs in various technical textile fields, including geotextiles, geosynthetics, composites, and civil structures.

Restriction on Enrollment of International Students in Australia

• Australia announced a restriction on international student enrollments for 2025, capping the number at 270000 on August 27, 2024.
•  This limit applies to both higher education and vocational education and training courses.
• The restriction is expected to affect Indian students, particularly from Punjab, a major source of overseas students.
• Education Minister Jason Clare explained that the government aims to address record migration levels that have driven up home rental prices.
• Currently, there are about 10% more international students in Australian universities compared to before the pandemic and 50% more in private vocational and training institutions.
• This decision is part of a broader effort to reverse COVID-era concessions for foreign students and workers.

Announcement of Future Launch of the Unified Lending Interface

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced the launch of the Unified Lending Interface (ULI) on August 27, 2024.
•  It is aimed at simplifying and accelerating loan processing, particularly for those in rural areas.
• The ULI platform will address inefficiencies in the current loan process, where credit information is scattered across various government and financial systems, by consolidating this data into a single, accessible system.
• ULI will enable easy, consent-based sharing of digital information from sources like land records and employ standardized APIs to ensure seamless interaction between systems.
• This will cut down on paperwork and expedite loan approvals.
• The platform is anticipated to meet high credit demands in sectors like agriculture and MSMEs and is a significant advancement in India's digital infrastructure, akin to JAM and UPI.

Single Strain Oral Cholera Vaccine Introduced (Health)

• Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) launched a new single-strain Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) named HILLCHOL® in Hyderabad on August 27, 2024.
•  Developed under license from Hilleman Laboratories and funded by Merck, USA, and Wellcome Trust, UK, this vaccine represents a successful collaboration aimed at improving public health.
•  Dr. Krishna Ella, Executive Director of BBIL, emphasized that new production facilities in Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar will significantly boost the vaccine's availability.
• Despite cholera being preventable and treatable, a global deficit of 40 million OCV doses exists, with only one manufacturer supplying them.
• The vaccine, suitable for children over one year, is given in two oral doses on Day 0 and Day 14 and must be stored between 2°C and 8°C.

RT-PCR Testing Kit for M-pox Developed by India (Health)

• India has introduced its own indigenous RT-PCR testing kit for Mpox on August 27, 2024.
•  The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has approved Siemens Healthineer’s IMDX Mpox Detection RT-PCR test, which provides results in just 40 minutes, a significant improvement over the 1-2 hours required by traditional methods.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern due to its widespread occurrence across Africa.
• Since 2022, the WHO has reported over 99000 cases and 208 deaths from Mpox in 116 countries.

Indian Scientists Developed Smart Sensor for Adjusting Parkinson’s Drug Dosage (Health)

• Indian medical scientists have created a new smart sensor for adjusting drug doses in the management of Parkinson’s disease as of August 27, 2024.
•  This sensor, a smartphone-based fluorescence turn-on system, is designed to be both affordable and user-friendly.
• Developed by the Institute of Advanced Studies in Science and Technology, it accurately measures the concentration of L-dopa in the body, which is crucial for determining the appropriate dosage for effective disease control.
• L-dopa, a chemical converted into dopamine, is used as an anti-Parkinson's drug to manage symptoms.

Perseverance Rover of NASA began to climb to Jezero Crater Rim (Space)

• NASA's Perseverance rover began a crucial new phase of its mission on Mars by starting its ascent to the top of Jezero Crater Rim on August 27, 2024.
• After spending over 3 years exploring the crater's floor, the rover is now climbing 1000 feet (305m) to the crater’s rim.
• This mission is significant because the rock samples Perseverance collects could offer insights into Mars' climate history and the possibility of past life on the planet.
•  Since landing in 2021, the rover has gathered 22 rock core samples from the base of Jezero Crater, which was once a lakebed.
• These rocks may reveal how Mars’ environment has changed over billions of years, helping scientists understand the planet's history and its potential to support life.

Jay Shah

• Jay Shah, the current honorary secretary of the BCCI, was elected unopposed as the Independent Chair of the ICC on August 27, 2024.
• Jay Shah was the only nominee for this role and will take up the position starting December 1, 2024.
• At 35, he becomes the youngest person to ever hold the ICC Chairmanship.
• This change comes after Greg Barclay, the current ICC Chair, announced on August 20, 2024, that he would not seek a third term and would step down at the end of his current tenure in November.

B. Srinivasan

• B. Srinivasan, a senior IPS officer from the 1992 batch of the Bihar cadre, was appointed as the Director General (DG) of the National Security Guard (NSG) on August 27, 2024.
•  The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment, which will begin immediately and continue until his retirement on August 31, 2027.
•  Before this role, Srinivasan was serving as the Director of the Bihar Police Academy in Rajgir.

GST Bhawan at Udaipur Launched

• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on August 27, 2024 inaugurated the new GST Bhawan in Udaipur, which will cater to 13 districts.
• The facility is equipped with key amenities, including a conference hall, meeting hall, data analytics cell, library, interrogation cell, and a guest house.
• She emphasized the building's role in improving GST processes and reducing grievances through enhanced information sharing.
• She also launched ICETAB 2.0 to boost customs operations. The new GST Bhawan is designed to support the growth of small businesses and is strategically located near major transport hubs for easy access.