The upper stage of rocket returns to earth after 7 years: ISRO

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said that the upper stage of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C-37 (PSLV C-37 mission) re-entered the earth's atmosphere on October 6.

The PSLV-C37 mission was launched from Sriharikota on February 15, 2017, with Cartosat-2D as the main payload, and another 103 satellites as co-passengers. 

The space agency created history as it was the first mission to launch 104 satellites with a single vehicle.

Hopfield and Hinton, machine learning pioneers, win the Nobel Prize in Physics

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton "for foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks", the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced. 

While many research areas have used machine learning models and artificial neural networks (ANNs) to process data, these terms have entered the household, thanks to the explosion of chat AI apps, including ChatGPT.

ANNs are collections of neurons, or more broadly nodes capable of processing data, connected in specific ways. A connection between two neurons allows information to flow between them. In a recurrent neural network, information can flow both ways. 

The upper stage of PSLV C-37 returns to earth, says ISRO

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said that the upper stage of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C-37 (PSLV C-37 mission) re-entered the Earth's atmosphere.

The PSLV-C37 mission was launched on February 15, 2017, with Cartosat-2D as the main payload along with another 103 satellites as co-passengers, namely INS-1A, INS- 1B, Al-Farabi 1, BGUSAT, DIDO-2, Nayif 1, PEASS, 88 Flock-3p satellites, and 8 Lemur-2 satellites. 

The space agency created history as it was the first mission to launch 104 satellites with a single vehicle. After injecting the satellites and passivation, the upper stage (PS4) was left at an orbit of approximately 470x494 km.

"It was regularly tracked by U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM) as an object with NORAD id 42052. Its orbital altitude slowly decayed, primarily due to atmospheric drag effects," ISRO said. 

What does the USCIRF report say about India?

The USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government agency created under the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). It monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in countries other than the U.S. 

Its reports are backed by research and numerous citations sourced from credible domestic and international media, besides direct testimonies. 

Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal rejected the report, stating, "Our views on the USCIRF are well known. It is a biased organisation with a political agenda". 

Why is the textile industry struggling to perform better?

The size of the Indian textile and apparel industry was estimated to be $153 billion in 2021, with almost $110 billion contributed by domestic business. 

However, slowdown in demand that started in 2022-2023 only worsened in FY24 with a slump in exports and domestic demand. 

Apart from policy issues, the industry is also staring at disruptions in its traditional business systems. 

Direct retailing to customers through e-commerce is a trend that is catching on among garment and home textile manufacturers, with more startups entering this space. 

Global Digital Compact: advancing digital innovation in a sustainable fashion

In the recently concluded 'Summit of the Future' organised by the United Nations, member countries adopted the 'Global Digital Compact' (GDC). 

This ambitious instrument is perhaps the first of its kind in the international arena focusing on the potential of digital technologies, with the specific intention to harness and regulate them for the common good.

The GDC is not a binding law but a diplomatic instrument with a set of shared goals for governments, institutions, firms, and other stakeholders to bear in mind. 

Once there is greater adherence, the terms of the compact may become soft laws in each country. 

India has eliminated trachoma, says WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has now recognised that India has successfully eliminated trachoma, a bacterial infection that affects the eyes, as a public health problem. 

In a citation shared by Saima Wazed, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia, on Tuesday, the UN health body announced that India is the third country in the Southeast Asia Region to reach this public health milestone. - 

Rajnath, German counterpart discusses defence trade ties

Ahead of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit to India, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius discussed ways to further strengthen defence industrial collaboration and supply chain resilience

Mr Scholz's visit for inter-governmental consultations, scheduled in the second half of this month, comes amid the much-awaited decision on the qualifying bids in the Indian Navy's multibillion-dollar deal for six conventional submarines in which German company TKMS (Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems) is competing with Navantia of Spain. 

For gig workers, fair play, pay are still a work in progress

Major e-commerce platforms whose frontline operations are driven by gig workers are still noncommittal about ensuring local living wages for them and recognising their right to collective representation through bodies like trade unions, as per a report on their working conditions. 

The report, 'Fairwork India Ratings 2024: Labour Standards in the Platform Economy', assessed 11 firms' gig-work platforms against five principles: fair pay, fair conditions, fair contracts, fair management, and fair representation. 

Each principle is broken down into two points: the second point can only be awarded if the first point is achieved, to arrive at a platform's score.