News In Short-10-05-2025

164th Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore

Syllabus: GS1/ History and Culture

Context

• PM Modi paid tributes to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore on his Jayanti.

About

• Rabindranath Tagore was an Indian polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter of the Bengal Renaissance.
  • He founded Visva-Bharati University in 1921.
• Literary Contributions: Tagore reshaped Bengali literature and music by incorporating Contextual Modernism, blending tradition with contemporary themes.
  • Gitanjali: A collection of devotional poems.
  • Gora: A philosophical novel reflecting ideas of nationalism and identity.
  • Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World): A critique of aggressive nationalism.
• Musical Legacy: His lyrical compositions became the national anthems of:
  • India: “Jana Gana Mana”
  • Bangladesh: “Amar Shonar Bangla”
  • His song “Banglar Mati Banglar Jol” has been adopted as the state anthem of West Bengal.

Legacy

• In 1913, Tagore became the first non-European to win a Nobel Prize in any category (for Gitanjali), and also the first lyricist to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
• Tagore was known by the sobriquets Gurudeb, Kobiguru, and Biswokobi.

Source: PIB

Maharana Pratap

Syllabus: GS1/Medieval History

Context

• The Prime Minister paid tributes to the valiant warrior, Maharana Pratap on the occasion of his Jayanti.

About

• Maharana Pratap was born on May 9th 1540 in Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan. 
• He was the 54th ruler of Mewar in present-day Rajasthan in the line of the Sisodiya Rajputs.
• Battle of Haldighati (1576): Fought between Maharana Pratap and the Mughal forces led by Raja Man Singh I of Amber.
  • The battle is famous for heroic Rajput resistance against heavy odds.
  • The Battle of Haldighati failed to break the stalemate between Akbar and Rana Pratap, with the latter retreating into the hills of southern Mewar.
  • His horse Chetak is also legendary for its loyalty and bravery.
• Legacy:
  • Refused to accept Mughal supremacy, unlike many other Rajput rulers.
  • Regained much of his lost territory except for Chittorgarh.
  • Remains a symbol of Rajput pride, valor, and resistance.

Source: PIB

World Press Freedom Index

Syllabus: GS2/Governance

Context

• Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has released the World Press Freedom Index.

About

• The Index is based on a score ranging from 0 to 100 that is assigned to each country or territory, with 100 being the best possible score (the highest possible level of press freedom) and 0 the worst.
• It is to compare the level of freedom enjoyed by journalists and media in 180 countries and territories.

Findings

• India ranked 151st with a total score of 32.96 in 2025, moving up 8 places from 159th last year.
• Top-ranked: Norway retained the 1st position, followed by other Scandinavian and European nations, benefiting from strong legal protections and diverse media ecosystems.
• Bottom-ranked: Eritrea ranked 180th (last), followed by countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and East Asia.
• Challenges to Media Freedom: Financial instability of media is a major issue in 160 of 180 countries.
  • Notably affected countries: United States: Rank 57 (↓ 2 places), Tunisia: Rank 129 (↓ 11 places), Argentina: Rank 87 (↓ 21 places).
  • Political instability worsens media conditions: Palestine: Rank 163, Israel: Rank 112 (↓ 11 places).
  • Media Ownership & Self-Censorship: Concentration of media ownership endangers media diversity and promotes self-censorship in 46 countries.
  • Includes high-ranking democracies like: Australia (29th), Canada (21st), Czechia (10th), France (25th, ↓ 4 places)
  • State-controlled media: Russia: Rank 171st (↓ 9 places), where the media landscape is heavily state-owned.

Source: IE

‘UP AGREES’ and ‘AI Pragya’ Initiatives

Syllabus :GS3/Economy 

In News

• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met with World Bank President Ajay Banga in Lucknow to launch two major initiatives: ‘UP AGREES’ and ‘AI Pragya’

About the initiatives

• UP AGREES stand for Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Growth and Rural Enterprise Ecosystem Strengthening(UP AGREES).
  • It will revolutionize agriculture in 28 districts of Bundelkhand and Purvanchal by promoting tech-driven farming and boosting productivity.
• AI Pragya seeks to train 10 lakh youth in artificial intelligence and digital skills, creating a strong talent pool for emerging tech sectors.
  • It will provide certification in key domains like AI, machine learning, data analytics, and cybersecurity — paving the way for more employment opportunities and a thriving startup ecosystem in the state.
  • It will be implemented with the support of various state departments, including Education, Health, Agriculture, Rural Development, Revenue, and Secretariat Administration

Importance 

• These initiatives are vital steps toward making Uttar Pradesh a $1 trillion economy and a national growth engine. 
• The projects aim to transform farming, improve government services, and open new employment opportunities in technology.

Source :TH

France-Poland Treaty

Syllabus: GS2/ International Relations

Context

• France and Poland have signed a landmark cooperation and friendship treaty, including a mutual defence clause, aimed at reinforcing bilateral ties amid heightened security threats in Europe.

About

• Mutual Defence Clause: The treaty states that “in the event of armed aggression on their territories, the parties shall provide mutual assistance, including by military means.”
• The treaty is in addition to, and not a substitute for, NATO and EU defence commitments.
• The treaty is the first that France has signed with a central European country after a series of pacts with Italy, Spain and Germany.

Source: TH

Expansion of Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS)

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry has notified the expansion of the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS).

About

• The government initiative aimed at improving credit access for startups in India, particularly those aligned with the ‘Make in India’ initiative and the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India).
• Increased Guarantee Coverage:
  • Ceiling on guarantee cover per borrower under the Scheme from Rs. 10 crore to Rs. 20 crore.
  • 85% guarantee on the default amount for loans up to Rs. 10 crore.
  • 75% guarantee for loans above Rs. 10 crore.
• Reduction in Annual Guarantee Fee (AGF): For startups in 27 Champion Sectors, AGF has been reduced from 2% to 1% p.a.
  • This aims to boost innovation in priority manufacturing and service sectors.
• Operational Reforms: Based on startup ecosystem feedback, several reforms have been introduced to make CGSS more accessible and attractive to both lenders and startups.
• Increased Lending Confidence: The scheme’s expansion reduces risk perception among lenders, encouraging more financial institutions to provide credit, especially early-stage debt.
• Implications:
  • Startups benefit from easier access to collateral-free loans.
  • Financial institutions are more likely to participate in startup funding due to reduced risk.
  • Champion sectors will likely see a surge in innovation and investment.
  • This is a strategic push toward making India a global innovation hub.

Source: PIB

India and Chile Sign Terms of Reference for Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement  Negotiations

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• India and Chile signed the Terms of Reference (ToR) for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), marking a significant advancement in their bilateral trade relations.

About

• Purpose of CEPA: To build upon the existing Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).
  • To enhance cooperation in digital services, investment promotion, MSMEs, critical minerals, and more.
  • Aimed at deepening economic integration and fostering mutual economic growth.
• Background of Bilateral Trade Relations: Framework Agreement on Economic Cooperation signed in 2005.
  • PTA signed in 2006, expanded in 2016, and effective from 2017.
  • Further PTA expansion discussions held from 2019–2021 in three negotiation rounds.
• Significance: India and Chile maintain warm, cordial, and steadily strengthening relations.
  • CEPA reflects a shared vision for a balanced, ambitious, and mutually beneficial economic partnership.

Source: PIB

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Cyberattack

Syllabus: GS3/Cyber Security

Context

• In a recent high-level meeting with the Finance Minister, major banks have informed that anti-DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service) systems have been implemented to protect against massive cyber-attacks.

About DDoS Cyberattack

• It is a malicious attempt to disrupt the normal functioning of a targeted server, service, or network by flooding it with excessive internet traffic.
• It leverages multiple compromised systems — often infected with malware — to generate traffic, unlike a Denial of Service (DoS) attack, which originates from a single source.

Types of DDoS Attacks

• Volumetric Attacks: Flood the network with excessive data to consume bandwidth.
• Protocol Attacks: Exploit vulnerabilities in network protocols to disrupt communication.
• Application Layer Attacks: Target specific applications, such as web servers, to exhaust system resources.

How DDoS Attacks Work?

• Botnet Deployment: Attackers infect multiple devices with malware, turning them into bots that can be remotely controlled.
  • These bots are then used to send massive amounts of traffic to the target system.
• Traffic Overload: The target server receives an overwhelming number of requests, exceeding its capacity to process legitimate traffic.
  • It results in slowdowns, crashes, or complete service outages.

Preventing DDoS Attacks

• Deploying Firewalls and Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) to filter malicious traffic.
• Using Load Balancers to distribute traffic and prevent overload.
• Implementing Rate Limiting to restrict excessive requests from a single source.
• Monitoring Network Traffic for unusual patterns and early threat detection.

Source: New IE

Coal Gasification Plant Development and Production Agreement (CGPDPA)

Syllabus: GS3/ Energy

Context

• The Ministry of Coal has signed the Coal Gasification Plant Development and Production Agreement (CGPDPA) with selected applicants under Category II of the Coal Gasification Financial Incentive Scheme.
  • This category includes projects under both private sector companies and government PSUs.

What is Coal Gasification?

• Coal gasification enables conversion of coal into syngas (synthetic gas), which comprises hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and CO₂.
• The syngas can be used to produce Methanol, Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG), Ammonium nitrate, Fertilizers and Petrochemicals and power.

Financial Incentive Scheme for Coal Gasification

• The scheme was launched in 2024 and has a total outlay of ₹8,500 crore. 
• The scheme aims to achieve 100 million tonnes of coal gasification by 2030, leveraging India’s abundant domestic coal reserves to promote sustainable industrial development. 
• It encourages participation from both public and private sector players to establish coal gasification projects across the country.

Source: PIB