India Becomes 1^st Country to Land on the Moon’s South Pole

• India has become the fourth country after Russia, the U.S. and China to land on the moon and also the first to land on the moon’s South Pole.
• The entire mission was carried out by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) under the leadership of S Somanath who holds the position of ISRO chief.
• S Somanath is also credited with driving the progress of ISRO's various other missions, including Gaganyaan and the Sun-focused Aditya-L1 mission.

Bharat NCAP

• Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, inaugurated the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP).
• The primary objective of this launch is to enhance road safety standards for motor vehicles categorized as M1, which includes those with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) under 3.5 tons.

‘Mera Bill Mera Adhikar’ GST Reward Scheme

• The Indian government is preparing to introduce the 'Mera Bill Mera Adhikar' invoice incentive program.
• Devised by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), this scheme is designed to encourage the practice of asking for receipts while making purchases, ultimately nurturing a culture of financial consciousness and transparency.

Tejas Successfully Test-Fires ASTRA Beyond Visual Range

• Tejas, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) LSP-7 successfully fired the ASTRA indigenous Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile off the coast of Goa.
• The missile release was successfully carried out from the aircraft at an altitude of about 20,000 ft.
• The trial was overseen by the Test Director and scientists from institutions including the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), as well as representatives from the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) and the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DG-AQA).

Six New Members of BRICS

• During a joint media briefing with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was revealed that Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have been welcomed as new members of the BRICS nations.

BRICS

• Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill coined the term BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) in 2001, claiming that by 2050 the four BRIC economies would come to dominate the global economy.
• The bloc was formed in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India and China. South Africa was added in 2010.
• BRICS headquarter is located in Shanghai, China.

Mumbai opens ‘Jewish Route’

• In collaboration, the Israeli Consulate and the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) are going to introduce specialized tours as a part of the ‘Jewish Route’.
• This route encompasses a series of 26 Jewish heritage spread across diverse cities in Maharashtra, including Mumbai, Pune, and Alibaug.
• Of the 26 structures, 12 sites are in Mumbai and include synagogues, libraries, Jewish cemeteries as well as schools.