• Eight countries named in NASA's 'Artemis Accords' that aims to send humans back to Moon in 2024.
• It outlines the principles of future exploration of the Moon and beyond.
• It has emphasized the need for international partnerships in building up a sustainable presence on the Moon.
• The treaty paves the way for its founding members, Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, United Arab Emirates, Britain and the United States, to participate in NASA's Artemis program.
• It also aims to return humans to Earth's nearest neighbour, Moon.
• India is not a founding member.

• The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Mohali, develops technology for Aquaponic cultivation of plants.
• It is not only environment-friendly but also has high socio-economic benefits for the farming community.
• Aquaponics is a method of raising both fish and vegetables in one integrated ecosystem.
• It is a ecologically sustainable model, which is a soil-less growing of plants.
• The fish waste provides organic food for plants and plants naturally filter the water, which is used to replenish the fish tank.
• There is no requirement for the use of soil and fertilisers.     

• Recently, New Shephard rocket system meant to take tourists to space successfully completed its seventh test launch.
• The system is built by the Blue Origin space company and will eventually allow space tourists to experience microgravity.
• It has been designed to take astronauts and research payloads past the Karman line.
• The Karman line is the boundary between the Earth’s atmosphere and outer space at an altitude of 100km above sea level.
• It is an internationally recognised boundary of space.       

• The World Energy Outlook, is the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) flagship publication.
• It  provides a comprehensive view of how the global energy system could develop in the coming decades.
• The assessment of the effects of pandemic on the energy system shows expected falls in 2020 of 5% in global energy demand.
• Oil consumption is anticipated to decline by 8% in 2020 and coal use by 7%.
• Renewables, especially those in the power sector, are less affected than other fuels by the pandemic and its aftermath.  

• Recently, China, Pakistan, Russia win seats on U.N. Human Rights Council.
• The Council is made of 47 Member States, which are elected by the majority of members of the UNGA through direct and secret ballot.
• The General Assembly takes into account the candidate States' contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights, as well as their voluntary pledges and commitments in this regard.
• It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year.
• The Council's Membership is based on equitable geographical distribution.
• Members of the Council serve for a period of 3 years and are not eligible for immediate re-election after serving 2 consecutive terms.  

• Encouraged by the response to Gaumaya Ganesha Campaign which encouraged usage of eco-friendly material in manufacture of idols for the Ganesha Festival, Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog (RKA) has started a nation- wide campaign to celebrate “Kamdhenu Deepawali Abhiyan” this year on the occasion of Deepawali festival.
• Through this campaign, the RKA is promoting extensive use of cow-dung/ Panchgavya products during this Diwali Festival.

Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog

• The Government of India has constituted the “Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog (RKA)” to organize animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and to take steps for preserving and improving breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle.
• It is a high powered permanent apex advisory body with mandate to help the Central Government to develop appropriate programmes for conservation, sustainable development and genetic upgradation of Indigenous breeds of cows.
• The Aayog will review existing laws, policies as well as suggest measures for optimum economic utilization of cow wealth for enhanced production and productivity, leading to higher farm income and better quality of life for the dairy farmers.
• It also aims at transmission and application of improved technology and management practices at the farmers’ doorstep through coordination with dairy cooperatives, farmer producer companies and dairy industry as well as research institutions.
• It will function as an integral part of Rashtriya Gokul Mission.
• The Government of India has constituted the “Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog” to organize animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and to take steps for preserving and improving breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter, of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle.

• Indian PM recently pays tributes to Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia on his death anniversary.

Ram Manohar Lohia

• He joined the Congress Socialist Party (CSP), the left wing of the Indian National Congress, when it was founded in 1934.
• Lohia worked as a member of the executive committee and also edited the weekly journal.
• His vehement protests against enrollment of Indians in the Royal Army during World War II which landed him in jail in 1939 and again in 1940.
• During Gandhi's call of Quit India Movement, Lohia and his fellow CSP members, including Jayaprakash Narayan, put up resistance in stealth. For this, he was again jailed in 1944.
• Lohia studied at Berlin University in Germany. During this time, he organised the Association of European Indians that would raise voice against British oppression in India.
• He was jailed for writing an article 'Satyagraha Now' in Gandhi's newspaper Harijan.
• After Independence, Lohia founded an organisation called Hind Kisan Panchayat to help farmers with agricultural solutions.
• He had also protested against the Portuguese government's policy of restricted speech and movement of natives in Goa.
• Lohia made Hindi the official language of India after Independence. He had said, "The use of English is a hindrance to original thinking, progenitor of inferiority feelings and a gap between the educated and uneducated public. Come, let us unite to restore Hindi to its original glory."
• Lohia is also famous for his remark against the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
• He wrote a pamphlet named '25000 rupees in a day' where he had said that the amount of money spent on the Prime Minister for a single day is much more than the poor country could afford.

The President is elected not directly by the people but by members of Electoral College consisting of:

1. The elected members of both the Houses of Parliament
2. The elected members of the legislative assemblies of the states
3. The elected members of the legislative assemblies of the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry

• Thus, the nominated members of both of Houses of Parliament, the nominated members of the state legislative assemblies, the members (both elected and nominated) of the state legislative councils (in case of the bicameral legislature) and the nominated members of the Legislative Assemblies of Delhi and Puducherry do not participate in the election of the President.
• Where an assembly is dissolved, the members cease to be qualified to vote in presidential election, even if fresh elections to the dissolved assembly are not held before the presidential election.

• Arunachal Pradesh, whose name means Land of the Dawn-Lit Mountains in Sanskrit, is also known as the Orchid State of India or the Paradise of the Botanists.
• It is also known as "Land of the Rising Sun" due to its locality.
• Dong valley in Arunachal witnesses the first sunrise in India.