Daily Current Affairs UPSC 13 April 2024

Kuchipudi Dance

Struggles of Kuchipudi Artists

• Reports indicate that artists of Kuchipudi dance are facing challenges in terms of survival and recognition.
• Kuchipudi is a classical Indian dance form that originated in the village of Kuchipudi in Andhra Pradesh.
• Key features of Kuchipudi include quick movements, lively eye expressions, and the unique dance move called Trangam performed on a brass plate with the feet.
• Kuchipudi has two forms: traditional musical dance-drama and solo dance.

Siddhendra Yogi and Kuchipudi

• Siddhendra Yogi, a Vaishnava poet and visionary, is credited with conceiving the Kuchipudi style of Yakshagaana, a folk dance of Karnataka, in the 17th century.

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

• ADB's Asian Development Outlook (ADO) report predicts India's growth to be 7.0% this year and 7.2% next year.
• ADO is an annual report by ADB that examines economic and development issues in developing countries in Asia and the Pacific region.
• ADB was established in 1966 and is headquartered in Manila, Philippines.
• ADB has 68 members, including India, and provides loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity investments for social and economic development projects.
• Japan and the United States are the largest shareholders of ADB.
• ADB also publishes other notable reports such as the Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Report and the Asia Bond Monitor.

Doxxing

Doxxing on the Rise

Definition of Doxxing

• Derived from "dropping dox"
• Involves collecting private information of a user
• Information is then published to shame or embarrass the user
• Can be done through public databases, hacking, or social engineering

Prevention of Doxxing

• Adjust social media settings
• Use strong passwords
• Report incidents through National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal

Plankton, Aerosol, Climate, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Satellite

• PACE data on ocean, atmosphere, and climate is now accessible to the public.
• PACE is in a Sun-synchronous orbit, ensuring it remains in the same position relative to the Sun.
• PACE is equipped with sensors such as OCI, HARP-2, and SPEXone.
• Key objectives of PACE include understanding the exchange of carbon dioxide between the ocean and atmosphere, as well as investigating how aerosols may contribute to phytoplankton growth in the surface ocean.

Sudan Conflict

• Sudan Conflict: A year-long dispute in Sudan has led to widespread ethnic violence, severe hunger, and a significant displacement crisis.
• Conflict in Libya: Various forces are engaged in battles to control valuable oil fields in Libya.
• Tigray War in Ethiopia: Ethiopia is currently facing a conflict in the Tigray region.
• Somalia Conflict: Somalia is dealing with ongoing conflict with the militant group Al-Shabaab.
• Democratic Republic of Congo Conflict: The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing unrest from a rebel group known as the March 23 Movement (M23).

Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC)

Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) has issued a drug safety alert regarding the use of Nimesulide, an anti-inflammatory drug.

• IPC is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• Its main function is to regularly update drug standards.
• IPC publishes the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP).
• The IP sets standards for the identity, purity, and strength of drugs necessary for human and animal health.
• IPC also promotes the rational use of generic medicines by publishing the National Formulary of India.

Renewable Energy Technology Action (RETAP)

Virtual Joint Working Group Meeting of RETAP

• The first virtual meeting of the Renewable Energy Technology Accelerator Program (RETAP) was held between representatives of India and the USA.
• RETAP was established in 2023 as part of the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP) between the two countries.
• SCEP, which was launched in 2021, aims to collaborate on accelerating clean energy innovation and deployment.
• RETAP's initial focus areas include green/clean hydrogen, wind energy, and ocean/tidal energy.
• The work of RETAP is guided by five themes: Research & Development, Piloting & Testing of Innovative Technologies, etc.

Whooping cough

Rising Cases of Whooping Cough in China

• Whooping cough cases are increasing in China.
• The respiratory tract infection is highly contagious.
• It is caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacteria.
• The bacteria attaches to cilia in the upper respiratory system.
• It is a human-specific infection.
• It spreads easily through the air from person to person.
• Symptoms include a runny nose, nasal congestion, red watery eyes, and fever.
• In India, Mission Indradhanush offers immunization protection against Whooping Cough.

Mali (Capital: Bamako)

The media in Mali is not allowed to report on the activities of political parties and associations.

Political Boundaries in Mali

• Mali is a landlocked country located in western Africa.
• It is situated in the Sahel region, which acts as a transition zone between the Sahara desert to the north and humid savannas to the south.
• Mali shares borders with Algeria to the north, Niger and Burkina Faso to the east, Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea to the south, and Senegal and Mauritania to the west.

Geographical Features of Mali

• The major rivers in Mali are the Niger and Sénégal.
• The highest point in Mali is Hombori Tondo.

"Groundbreaking Discovery: Neutron Star Merger with Mystery Object Detected by Gravitational Waves"

• The merger detected by the LIGO-Virgo-Kagra collaboration in 2023 is officially named GW230529.
• It involved the merging of a neutron star, which forms when a massive star collapses after running out of fuel, and a mystery object with a mass within the 'mass gap' range.
• The mass gap refers to the range of mass between the heaviest known neutron star and the lightest known black hole.
• Gravitational waves are disturbances in the fabric of space-time created by extremely powerful and energetic events in the Universe, spreading outwards from their origin. They were first theorized by Albert Einstein in his General Theory of Relativity in 1916.

Key Features Overview:

• Speed of light travel
• Generated by cataclysmic events like black hole collisions and exploding stars
• First detected in 2015 at LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory)

The Significance of GWs: GWs are important because they provide information about the origins of the waves, insights into the nature of gravity, and details about the universe that cannot be detected using electromagnetic waves.

LIGO:

• LIGO consists of two interferometers, each with two 4 km long arms arranged in an "L" shape, used to detect gravitational waves.
• It includes high-power lasers, precise mirrors, vibration isolation systems, and feedback systems.
• LIGO-India will be constructed in Maharashtra by the Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Science and Technology.

Supreme Court's Concern Over Social Media Content Misuse

The Supreme Court condemned the dissemination of inaccurate and baseless statements about ongoing cases on social media platforms.

The Dark Side of Social Media: Understanding Misuse:

• The growth of the internet, along with the ability for users to remain anonymous, has led to an increase in the number of people using online platforms.
• There is a lack of clarity in laws regarding the responsibilities of social media companies.
• Other challenges include the rise of artificial intelligence, such as deepfake technology, and the absence of effective mechanisms for addressing grievances.

The Consequences of Misuse:

• Prejudiced Narratives: Spreading biased or inaccurate information.
• Excessive Trolling: Unjustified and harmful public opinions.
• Defamation and Invasion of Privacy: Sharing morphed images, revenge porn, or disrespecting religious beliefs.
• Fear of bias in Judicial Decisions: Concerns about pressure to follow public sentiment.
• Other issues: Promoting disharmony, committing financial fraud, inciting violence, etc.

Government Measures to Curb Misuse

• The IT Rules 2021 include guidelines for Information Technology and Digital Media Ethics.
• The PIB's Fact Check Unit is established under these rules to address misinformation.
• The government has issued an advisory requiring intermediaries to report prohibited content.
• OTT platforms are being blocked for publishing inappropriate content.

Way Ahead:

• Allocate resources to research and develop better deep fake detection methods
• Foster partnerships between governments, tech companies, and civil society groups
• Work together to enhance the ability to identify and combat deep fake technology

"Indian Expatriates Set to Make History as First Indian Space Tourists"

• Blue Origin's NS-25 mission by the American space startup will carry six passengers for space tourism.
• Space tourism involves traveling to space for leisure and enjoyment.

Exploring the Types of Space Tourism:

• Suborbital space flights reach an altitude of 100 km, known as the Karman Line.
• Orbital space flights reach altitudes over 400 kilometers.
• Lunar space tourism involves full trips to the moon.

The global space tourism market is projected to experience a significant increase in size, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 44.8% expected from 2024 to 2030.

Key Growth Drivers:

• Technology has advanced with the development of reusable rockets and improved spacecraft.
• There is increased public interest and awareness due to media coverage and documentaries.
• Diverse offerings such as space hotels and leisure time in space are becoming more common.
• Costs have been reduced through economies of scale.
• Innovative business models like partnerships and crowdfunding are being utilized.
• Government support includes incentives and regulatory frameworks.

Issues: Debris in space is contaminating Earth's atmosphere, ethical concerns about accessibility only for the wealthy, regulatory challenges regarding liability in the event of accidents, health risks from effects of microgravity and radiation exposure.

Current legal regulations include the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 and the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects.

Moving forward, it is important to encourage inclusive and environmentally friendly space tourism, as well as establish a thorough regulatory framework.

IISc develops hydrogel to remove Microplastics from water

• Hydrogel has a special polymer network that can trap and break down microplastics using UV light.
• The polymer network is made up of chitosan, polyvinyl alcohol, and polyaniline.
• Nanoclusters, specifically Cu-POM, are added to the polymers to act as a catalyst for degradation.
• The nanoclusters can utilize UV light to break down the microplastics effectively.
  Tiny pieces of plastic that are usually smaller than 5 millimeters in size.

Categories of microplastics:

• Primary microplastics: Small particles intentionally created for commercial use, like microbeads and microfibers
• Secondary microplastics: Fragments that result from the degradation of larger plastic items, such as water bottles, due to environmental factors like sunlight and ocean waves

Impacts:

• Environmental Impact:
• Plastic microbeads can be ingested by marine organisms, causing toxicity and disrupting the food chain.
• Microbeads have even been found in remote areas like Antarctica.

Human Health Impact:

• Ingesting microbeads can lead to gastrointestinal issues, respiratory problems, and allergies.
• Microbeads can also disrupt the endocrine system in humans.

Initiatives Taken:

Global Initiatives:

• Global Partnership on Plastic Pollution and Marine Litter (GPML) was established at the Rio+20 Summit in 2012.
• International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) was adopted by the International Maritime Organization in 1973.

India Initiatives:

• India has implemented a ban on single-use plastics starting in 2022.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic is included in the Plastic Waste Management Rules of 2016.
• The Un-Plastic Collective, co-founded by the Confederation of Indian Industry (ClI), UNEP, and WWF-India, is working towards reducing plastic pollution.

Mount Etna's Volcanic Vortex Rings: A Natural Phenomenon

• VVR, or volcanic smoke rings, are created when gas, mainly water vapor, is quickly released through a circular vent in a volcano's crater.
• Mt Etna, situated on the east coast of Sicily in Italy, is the most active volcano in the world and the largest in Europe.
• It is located in the highly active tectonic zone of the Mediterranean Sea region, which is part of the Mid-continental Volcanic Belt.
• Other important volcanic belts include the Circum Pacific (Ring of Fire) and Mid-Atlantic belts.

The Tectonic Activity of the Mediterranean Sea Region:

• The Mediterranean Sea is located at the meeting point of the Eurasian and African continental plates, as well as other smaller plates.
• The convergence of these plates has formed a subduction zone in the western part of the sea, leading to the creation of volcanoes.
• A subduction zone occurs when one tectonic plate moves beneath another plate.
• The sea is home to chains of underwater volcanoes that have been formed as a result of this geological activity.
• Some of the notable volcanoes in the region include Mt Vesuvius and Stromboli.

"ECI Introduces Home Voting for 2024 Elections"

Steps taken by the Election Commission to ensure inclusive voting:

1. Home Voting Facility: 

• Allows voting from home with full polling staff and security personnel.
• Beneficiaries include persons with disabilities meeting 40% benchmark and senior citizens above 85 years.

2. Abolishing Form-M for Kashmiri migrants in Jammu and Udhampur.

3. SVEEP to engage PwDs and educate friends, families, and polling officials.

4. Proposed Multi-Constituency Remote Electronic Voting Machine (RVM) for migrant voters.

5. Postal ballot for special voters, service voters, voters on election duty, and electors in preventive detention.

6. Proxy voting for registered electors to delegate voting rights, available for service voters.

Service voters include members of armed forces, police serving outside their state, government employees serving outside India, and members of forces under the Army Act, 1950.