Supreme Court stated that the State Can't Alter the Schedule Caste (SC) List Published Under Article 341.

• The Court struck down Bihar govt resolution to merge Economically Backward Class Community in SC List.

About Article 341

• President can officially designate certain groups as Scheduled Castes for specific States or Union Territories. 
  • For States, this is done after consulting the Governor. The designation may include entire castes, races, tribes, or subgroups within these categories.
• Parliament may by law include in or exclude from the list of Scheduled Castes.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has announced the implementation of a uniform Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) rate of 5% on all aircraft and aircraft engine parts.

Significance

• Boost domestic Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) industry
• Help in making India Global Aviation Hub
• Simplifies tax structure
• Reduce operational costs, resolve tax credit issues and attract investment

MV Sea Change, world’s first commercial passenger ferry powered by 100% zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells was launched in San Francisco.

• It can travel about 300 nautical miles and operate for 16 hours before needing to refuel.

About Hydrogen Fuel Cells (HFC)

• It produces electricity by combining oxygen and hydrogen in an electrochemical reaction.
• HFC vehicles are completely free from tailpipe pollutant emissions, including particulates, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide.

As per IUCN, Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is suspected to have declined by 24.5% over the last three generations.

About Indian Leopard

• Habitat Distribution: India, Nepal, Bhutan, and parts of Pakistan, excluding mangrove forests and deserts.
• Characteristics: Nocturnal animal, Skilled climbers, Solitary predators etc.
• Status of Leopard in India (2022)
  • Leopard population is estimated at 13,874.
  • Top 3 states having largest population of leopards are Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
• Protection Status: 
  • IUCN- Vulnerable
  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule 1
• Threats: Habitat loss, fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict, poaching, and illegal trade.

Inland Waterways Authority of India and Transport Department of Government of Nagaland to conduct detailed feasibility study for development of Tizu and Zungki River (National Waterways 101).

About Tizu and Zungki River

• Tizu originates near Longkhim, Tuensang district, of Nagaland and falls into Chinwin River (one of the largest Tributary of river Irrawaddy river), also known as Ningthi river in Myanmar.
• Main tributaries of Tizu River are river Zungki, Lanye and Likimro. 
  • Zungki is biggest tributary of Tizu in Nagaland.

BRIC- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute hosted an industry meet ‘SYNCHN 2024’ (Synergy in science built through elements of collaboration for high quality data & expertise in NCR Biotech Cluster).

About BRIC

• BRIC has been created as a registered society by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology by subsuming various Autonomous Institutions.
• It integrates multi-disciplinary research, training, and innovation programs.
• BRIC-THSTI acts as a catalyst to translate fundamental discoveries by building rigorous clinical research capacity.
  • THSTI is housed within the NCR Biotech Science Cluster in Faridabad.

A pilot project by Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) - Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) deploys AI powered Pheromone traps, to protect cotton crops from Pink Bollworm pest infestation. 

About Pheromone Traps 

• They uses chemical signals (pheromones) emitted by female moth to attract mate (hence catches only males of that species). 
• Traps can be used to monitor target pests in agriculture or in residential areas. 
• By constantly monitoring for insects, it may be possible to detect an infestation before it occurs.

2024 marks the 100th  year of electroencephalography(EEG)

About EEG

• It is a medical test which measures brain electrical activity generated by neurons.
• It uses small, metal discs called electrodes that attach to the scalp. 
• Brain cells communicate via electrical impulses, and this activity shows up as wavy lines on an EEG recording.
• Uses: Detecting epilepsy, neurological disorders, or any other brain related tumors, damage, etc.