July 24th Current Affairs

1. AKAMAI.

IN NEWS:

Global internet infrastructure company Akamai suffered an outage that lasted over an hour, taking down several online applications across India and overseas.

KEY POINTS:

• Akamai is a global content delivery network (CDN) and cloud services platform that is rented by online content and commerce services apps.
• Akamai faced a disruption on its Edge DNS service that took down platforms such as Zomato, Paytm, parts of Amazon, Airbnb, PlayStation Network, Steam, Disney+Hotstar, etc for a short while.
• Edge DNS as a technology provides a shorter route for DNS, or domain name services, between a company’s servers and its users, thereby drastically decreasing resolution times and providing low latencies.

Important Information :

What happened in the earlier global internet outage?

• This was the second major outage involving a delivery network in as many months that affected internet usage on a global scale.
• In June, a major issue with the content delivery network of American cloud computing services provider Fastly caused several large websites to go down globally for about half an hour.

SOURCE:IE

2. Chandra Shekahr Azad.

IN NEWS:

On 23rd July, India paid tribute to the freedom fighter Chandra Shekahr Azad on his birth anniversary.

KEY POINTS:

• Birth: Azad was born on 23rd July 1906 in the Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh.
• Early Life: Chandra Shekhar, then a 15-year-old student, joined a Non-Cooperation Movement in December 1921. As a result, he was arrested.
• On being presented before a magistrate, he gave his name as “Azad” (The Free), his father’s name as “Swatantrata” (Independence) and his residence as “Jail”.
• Therefore, he came to be known as Chandra Shekhar Azad.

Contribution to Freedom Movement:

• Hindustan Republican Association: After the suspension of the non-cooperation movement in 1922 by Gandhi, Azad joined Hindustan Republican Association (HRA).
• HRA was a revolutionary organization of India established in 1924 in East Bengal by Sachindra Nath Sanyal, Narendra Mohan Sen and Pratul Ganguly as an offshoot of Anushilan Samiti.
• Members: Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Sukhdev, Ram Prasad Bismil, Roshan Singh, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajendra Lahiri.
• Kakori Conspiracy: Most of the fund collection for revolutionary activities was done through robberies of government property. In line with the same, Kakori Train Robbery near Kakori, Lucknow was done in 1925 by HRA.
• The plan was executed by Chandrashekhar Azad, Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajendra Lahiri, and Manmathnath Gupta.
• Hindustan Socialist Republican Association: HRA was later reorganised as the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA).
• It was established in 1928 at Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi by Chandrasekhar Azad, Ashfaqulla Khan, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar and Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee.
• HSRA planned the shooting of J. P. Saunders, a British Policeman at Lahore in 1928 to avenge the killing of Lala Lajpat Rai.
• Death: He died at Azad Park in Allahabad on 27th February 1931.

SOURCE:PIB

3. Genetically modified ‘Golden Rice.

IN NEWS:

“Golden Rice” which is genetically modified has been given approval for commercial production by Philippines. Health experts believe that this decision will save lives and combat childhood blindness in the developing regions of the world.

IN NEWS:

• The government issued a bio safety permit which paves way for this rice which is enriched with beta-carotene the vitamin A-precursor and makes this rice more nutritional.
• International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) along with the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute has spent two decades to develop the golden rice which is named so due to its bright yellow hue.
• This is the first kind of genetically modified rice which has been approved for commercial usage in the South and Southeast Asia region.

When will the Golden Rice be available for consumption?

• Despite having passed the final regulatory hurdles this rice variety is still way off from appearing in the food bowls of the people.
• Limited quantities of Golden Rice seeds will be distributed to the Filipino farmers in selected provinces in the year 2022.

Difference between ordinary and golden rice?

• Ordinary rice produces beta-carotene in the plant, but this is not found in the grain whereas golden rice will produce beta-carotene in the grain itself.
• The farmers will be able to grow Golden rice in similar way to that of the ordinary rice varieties.

SOURCE:IE

4. NBCC (INDIA) LIMITED.

IN NEWS:

NBCC (India) Limited has provided CSR funding to set up a lab space at the Thaiyur campus (called the Discovery campus) of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras).

KEY POINTS:

• NBCC (India) Limited is a Government of India Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) in the category Navaratna.
• The new lab space, funded by NBCC (India) Limited, will enable the setting up of 12 additional labs of 10×5 sq. metres.
• The partnership was facilitated by the Strategic Alliances division of the Office of Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India.

Important Information :

NBCC (India)

• NBCC (India) Limited (formerly National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited) is a government enterprise under the ownership of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs , Government of India.
• NBCC is headquartered in New Delhi and was founded in 1960.

SOURCE:PIB