Brief Summary
This YouTube video by SSC Wallah provides a comprehensive overview of current affairs, health sector updates, labor law changes in India, China's artificial island project, and various national and international news. It also covers important facts about geography, history, and awards.
- India will host the second Regional Open Digital Health Summit in Delhi in 2025.
- India has compressed 29 labor laws into four labor codes.
- China is building a nuclear-resistant artificial island in the South China Sea.
- India has reopened visa services for Chinese tourists.
- Lakshya Sen won the Australian Open 2024 badminton tournament.
Picture of the Day: G20 Summit
The picture of the day features the meeting between Italian Prime Minister Meloni and Indian Prime Minister Modi at the G20 summit. The summit's outcomes will be discussed later.
India to Host Regional Digital Health Summit
India will host the second Regional Open Digital Health Summit (RODHS) in Delhi in 2025, focusing on the digitalization of the health sector in the South East Asia region. The summit, organized by the Ministry of Electronics in collaboration with UNICEF, aims to improve healthcare through digital solutions like telemedicine and UPI payments. The first edition of the RODHS took place in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2024. UNICEF, founded in 1946 and headquartered in New York, has appointed Keerthy Suresh as a Child Right Advocate, with Ayushmann Khurrana and Kareena Kapoor Khan also serving as advocates. India's health sector falls under the State List, and the country is leveraging digital initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat Yojana and the CoWIN app to enhance healthcare services.
Labor Law Changes in India
The Indian government has compressed 29 labor laws into four codes: the Code on Wages (2019), the Industrial Relations Code (2020), the Code on Social Security (2020), and the Occupational Safety and Health Working Conditions Code (2020). The Code on Wages ensures basic needs are met, while the Industrial Relations Code now allows companies to lay off up to 300 employees without government permission. The Social Security Code covers gig workers, ensuring they receive social security benefits, and the Occupational Safety and Health Code focuses on workers' health. These changes are aimed at updating labor laws from the 1930s to better suit modern needs, covering both private companies and gig workers.
India's First CRISPR-Based Gene Therapy
India has developed its first CRISPR-based gene therapy, named Birsa 1001, for sickle cell anemia, a chronic genetic disorder. The therapy, launched on November 15th by the Ministry of Earth and Sciences and dedicated to Birsa Munda, aims to eliminate sickle cell anemia by 2047. The process involves introducing RNA with CRISPR into the body to identify and cut out affected cells using a molecular scissor called Cas9, replacing them with healthy cells. Developed by CSIR and the Institute of Genomics, with contributions from the Serum Institute, this therapy marks a significant advancement in genetic medicine.
China Building Nuclear-Resistant Artificial Island
China is constructing a nuclear-resistant artificial island in the South China Sea, amid ongoing disputes with countries like Vietnam and the Philippines. This island is designed to withstand nuclear attacks, Category 17 typhoons, and waves up to 9 meters high, with a weight of thousands of tons. It will house a significant number of people and have a four-month supply storage capacity. The island is part of China's strategy to assert its claims in the South China Sea, with existing islands like the Paracel and Spratly Islands already present. The project is expected to be operational by 2028, following China's creation of artificial moons and suns.
India Reopens Visa Services for Chinese Tourists
India has reopened visa services for Chinese tourists, which had been suspended following the 2020 Galwan Valley conflict. The Galwan Valley, located near the Galwan River (a tributary of the Indus), was the site of a military stand-off. Relations between India and China deteriorated, leading to bans on Chinese apps and the suspension of trade and joint military exercises like "Hand in Hand." However, efforts to improve relations began in July 2025, with defense minister visits and participation in SCO summits. The reopening of visa services may lead to the resumption of joint military exercises. India and China have a history of conflict, including the 1962 war. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, located in Tibet (under Chinese rule), has also recently been reopened after a five-year hiatus.
Operation Sambhav Launched Against Naxalism
Operation Sambhav has been launched in Andhra Pradesh against Naxalites, who are prevalent in the "Red Zone" or "Red Corridor" areas of India. Bihar has been declared a Naxalite-free state. The operation, initiated in the Alluri Sitharama Raju district, aims to capture and facilitate the surrender of Naxalites, who include doctors and engineers. Previous operations include Green Hunt, Operation Kagar, and Operation Black Forest. Other notable operations by India include Operation Sindhu (Iran), Operation Devi Shakti (Afghanistan), Operation Ganga (Ukraine), Operation Pawan (Sri Lanka), and Operation Meghdoot (Siachen Glacier). A fire has been reported in the Papikonda National Park in Andhra Pradesh.
Ramakrishna Mission College Inaugurated in Meghalaya
The first North East college of the Ramakrishna Mission has been inaugurated in Meghalaya by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma. Meghalaya, established on January 21, 1972, after separating from Assam, has its capital in Shillong. The Ramakrishna Mission, founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1897 with its main center at Belur Math in West Bengal, focuses on Vedanta theory and the principle of karma. The college was inaugurated in Sohra, where the Sohra Corridor was recently inaugurated by Jyotiraditya Scindia. Meghalaya, meaning "Abode of the Clouds," is home to Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia hills, as well as Mawsynram and Cherrapunji, the wettest places in the world.
Azim Premji Receives Research Catalyst Award
Azim Premji, the founder of Wipro, has been awarded the Research Catalyst Award by the Indian School of Business (ISB). The award will be presented at the third edition of the Inside Forum in Mohali, Punjab. Premji is recognized for his contributions to business, technology, society, and research, particularly in enhancing business knowledge.
Launch of "Hamara Shauchalaya, Hamara Bhavishya" Campaign
The Ministry of Jal Shakti launched the "Hamara Shauchalaya, Hamara Bhavishya" campaign on World Toilet Day (November 19th) to promote sanitation and eliminate open defecation. The campaign aims to develop toilets in villages where open defecation is still prevalent. The Ministry of Jal Shakti was formed in 2019.
Appointments and Commercial Launches
Sandeep Pradhan has been appointed as a whole-time member of SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India), which was formed in 1992 and is headquartered in Mumbai. The current head of SEBI is Tuhin Kanta Pandey. India is set to launch Oceansat using a commercial PSLV, which will gather information about the ocean.
Lakshya Sen Wins Australian Open 2024
Lakshya Sen won the Australian Open 2024 badminton tournament in Sydney, defeating Japan's Ushi Tanaka. He is the second Indian player to win this tournament, following Kidambi Srikanth, who won in 2017. Sen won in straight sets (21-15, 21-13). This is the first badminton tournament won by India this year.
Review Questions: Indian Coast Guard and ISRO
The Indian Coast Guard was established in 1978 under the Ministry of Defence, with the motto "Vayam Rakshamah" (We Protect). ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) was established in 1969, with Vikram Sarabhai as its founder, and is headquartered in Bengaluru.
