Recently Reserve Bank of India released the draft Master Directions on Cyber Resilience and Digital Payment Security Controls for Payment System Operators.

Payment System Operator (PSO)

• A payment system operator means a legal entity responsible for operating a payment system.
• The PSO provides services by operating on certain models.
• They largely outsource their payment and settlement-related activities to various other entities.
• Examples of PSOs include Google Pay, Amazon Pay, Paytm etc.

• PSOs in India also includes

• According to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act 2007, Payments Regulatory Board, constituted by the RBI, regulates and supervises the payment systems.

Recently the china sent its first civilian into space intensifying the moon race between USA and china.

• International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) is a joint venture agreement between Russia and china for the peaceful exploration and use of the Moon.

Artemis Accords

• Artemis accords also called as open sky treaty is non-binding in nature which is led by USA.

Recently Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) launched ‘Sagar Samriddhi’.

Sagar Samriddhi

• It is an online dredging monitoring system which helps to accelerate ‘Waste to Wealth’ initiative of the Ministry of shipping.

• Sagar Samriddhi will bring in synergy among multiple input reports and produces real time dredging report.
• Sagar Samriddhi is developed by National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts (NTCPWC).
• Sagar Samriddhi will bring in more transparency and efficiency in the overall dredging system.
• Sagar Samriddhi is in conducive to the mantra ‘ZERO DEFECT and ZERO EFFECT’ said by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts (NTCPWC)

• NTCPWC is a technological arm of Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW).
• NTCPWC was established under the Sagarmala Programme of MoPSW.
• The aim of the centre is to enable research & development for the marine sector, enabling solutions towards achieving the ultimate goal of building a robust marine industry in the country.
• This state-of-the-art centre has world class capabilities for undertaking the 2D & 3D investigations of research.

Recently Indian-origin scientist Joyeeta Gupta was awarded the Spinoza Prize.

• The prize is named after Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677) and is awarded annually since 1995.
• Baruch Spinoza was an internationally renowned Dutch scientist and a clear example of freedom in research.
• Spinoza prize also called as ‘Dutch Nobel Prize’ is the highest award in Dutch academia.
• It is awarded every year to researchers working in the Netherlands who according to international standards belong to the absolutely best researchers worldwide.
• The prize includes 1.5 million euros which should be spend on scientific research and activities related to knowledge utilisation.
• Spinoza prize for the year 2023 was awarded to Joyeeta Gupta for her work on a just and sustainable world.
• Joyeeta Gupta is also co-chair of the Earth Commission founded by Future Earth and supported by the Global Challenges Foundation.
• Core of her research is an attempt to unravel the connections between the climate crisis, global water challenges, possible solutions and justice.
• Justice for both people and the planet is the common thread in Joyeeta’s work.

Recently ‘Agni Prime’ ballistic missile was successfully flight-tested by DRDO.

• The Agni P missile is developed by India's DRDO.
• It is a two-stage ballistic missile that uses solid propellant and is stored in a canister, which means that it can be stored in a canister and transported by road or rail.
• It has a range of 2,000 kilometres and can carry a nuclear warhead.
• It is capable of manoeuvring at the point of entry into the earth's atmosphere, making it more difficult to intercept.
• It is the latest in a series of nuclear missiles developed by India.
• It uses a combination of inertial guidance and GPS guidance.
• It uses advanced ring-laser gyroscopes which are more accurate for detection of location and trajectory tracking of the missile.