1. THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANISATION (NATO)

TAG: PRELIMS: INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION

THE CONTEXT: The US President expresses full support for Sweden’s NATO membership. However, Sweden’s NATO membership is facing opposition from NATO members Turkey and Hungary.

EXPLANATION:

• In May 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Nordic neighbours Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO. This was a change in their long-held policies of not participating in a formal military alliance.
• In May 2022, the Turkish President blocked an early attempt by NATO to fast-track the applications, saying their membership would make the alliance “a place where representatives of terrorist organisations are concentrated.”

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO):

• The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is a 31-member security alliance comprising countries on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, led by the United States.
• NATO was established on 4 April 1949 via the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty (Washington Treaty). The 12 founding members of the Alliance were: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
• In addition to the 12 founding countries, four new members joined during the Cold War: Greece and Turkey, West Germany and Spain.
• In 1990, the territory of the former East Germany was added with the reunification of Germany.
• NATO further expanded after the Cold War, adding the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia, Albania and Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia , and Finland.

Background of the formation:

• It was formed in 1949, in the wake of the Second World War.
• This was a period when the rise of the USA and USSR accompanied the relative decline of erstwhile European powers such as the UK, France and Germany.
• Both countries were in ideological opposition to one another, with the US favouring a capitalistic, liberal democratic model and the USSR moving towards socialism and State control over the economy.
• This led to the ‘Cold’ War, where the battle for dominance manifested itself in the space race, arms race, and shoring up as many allies as possible.
• Consequently, NATO was formed whose centrepiece was the ‘principle of collective defence’, the idea that an attack against one or several of its members is considered as an attack against all.

Process for a country to join NATO:

• According to NATO, countries interested in joining NATO must adhere to certain basic political and military standards:

1. A functioning democratic political system based on a market economy
2. Ability and willingness to make a military contribution to NATO operations.
3. All the governments of NATO member states ratify the ‘accession protocols’ for accession of the new member.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/joe-biden-sweden-nato-membership-turkey-explained-8785873/

2. QUASARS

TAG: GS III: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Scientists observed a ferocious class of black holes called quasars that demonstrate “time dilation” in the early universe. It discovered that certain fluctuations that occur in a specific duration today occurred five times more slowly in the earliest quasars.

EXPLANATION:

• The researchers used the observations involving the brightness of 190 quasars across the universe dating to about 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang event that gave rise to the cosmos.
• The observations stretch back to about 12.3 billion years ago, when the universe was roughly a tenth of its present age.
• They compared the brightness of these quasars at various wavelengths to that of quasars existing today, finding that certain fluctuations that occur in a particular amount of time today did so five times more slowly in the most ancient quasars.
• Einstein, in his general theory of relativity, showed that time and space are intertwined and that the universe has been expanding outward in all directions since the Big Bang.

What are Quasars?

• They are among the brightest objects in the universe and are used as a “clock” in the study to measure time in the deep past.
• They are tremendously active supermassive black holes millions to billions of times more massive than our sun, usually residing at centres of galaxies.
• They devour matter drawn to them by their immense gravitational pull and unleash torrents of radiation, including jets of high-energy particles, while a glowing disk of matter spins around them.
• Their brightness fluctuates up and down, the result of lots of complicated physics in the disk of matter spinning around a black hole at almost light speed.
• The statistical properties of the light variations contain a time scale, a typical time for the fluctuations to possess a particular statistical property which is understood by ticking off each quasar.

Significance of the study:

• This research highlights the intricate nature of time and its interplay with the expansion of the universe.
• This continual expansion explains how time flowed more slowly earlier in the universe’s history relative to today.
• By looking at faraway objects, scientists observe how long it takes for light to travel through space.

Earlier studies:

• Scientists previously documented time dilation dating to roughly 7 billion years ago based on observations of stellar explosions called supernovas.
• By studying these explosions from the past, they found that events unfolded more slowly from the perspective of our present time due to the known time it takes for today’s supernovas to brighten and fade.
• The explosion of individual stars cannot be seen beyond a certain distance away, limiting their use in studying the early universe.
• Quasars are so bright that they can be observed back to the universe’s infant stages.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/ferocious-black-holes-quasar-reveal-time-dilation-in-early-universe/article67040584.ece

3. THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION (IMO)

TAG: GS II: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; PRELIMS: INTERTNATIONAL ORGANISATION

THE CONTEXT: The United Nations International Maritime Organization agrees to reach net zero “by or around” 2050. IPCC Report, 2022 states that maritime shipping is responsible for 3% of global Greenhouse House Gas emissions.

EXPLANATION:

• Maritime countries upgraded their Greenhouse House Gas (GHG) emissions strategy to reach net zero “by or around” 2050 without specifying a definite year.
• It takes into account different national circumstances at the conclusion of the summit of the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London on July 7, 2023.
• This is to limit the global temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius as outlined in the 2015 Paris Agreement, the international treaty on climate change.
• It also urged the industry “to reduce the total annual GHG emissions from international shipping by at least 70%, striving for 80%, by 2040, compared to 2008.”
• The document said near-zero emission technologies, fuels, and energy sources should “represent at least 5%, striving for 10%, of the energy used by international shipping by 2030.”
• The IMO document, for the first time, spoke about implementing measures to enable a just transition for seafarers and other maritime workforce “that leaves no one behind.”
• The adoption of the 2023 IMO Greenhouse Gas Strategy is a monumental development for IMO which opens a new chapter towards maritime decarbonization.
• The 2023 IMO GHG Strategy adopted calls for the international shipping industry “to reduce the total annual GHG emissions from international shipping by at least 20%, striving for 30%, by 2030, compared to 2008.”

International Maritime Organization:

• It is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.
• IMO is the global standard-setting authority for the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping.
• Its main role is to create a regulatory framework for the shipping industry that is fair and effective, universally adopted and universally implemented.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):

• It was created by the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988.
• It’s headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland and it consists of 195 Member countries.
• The IPCC was created to provide policymakers with regular scientific assessments of climate change, its implications and potential future risks, as well as to put forward adaptation and mitigation options.
• The IPCC prepares comprehensive Assessment Reports about knowledge of climate change, its causes, potential impacts and response options.
• The IPCC also produces Special Reports, which are an assessment of a specific issue and Methodology Reports, which provide practical guidelines for the preparation of greenhouse gas inventories.
• The IPCC does not conduct its own research. IPCC reports are neutral, policy-relevant but not policy prescriptive.

Report of IPCC:

• Between 1990 and 2022, the IPCC has published six comprehensive assessment reports reviewing the latest climate science.
• The First Assessment Report: It was completed in 1990. It served as the basis of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The report said that the emissions resulting from human activities are increasing the atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gases.
• The Second Assessment Report: It was published in 1995, is an assessment of the then available scientific and socio-economic information on climate change.
• The IPCC Third Assessment Report: It was published in 2001. It is an assessment of available scientific and socio-economic information on climate change by the IPCC.
• The Fourth Assessment Report (AR4): It was published in 2007 and is the fourth in a series of reports intended to assess scientific, technical and socio-economic information concerning climate change, its potential effects, and options for adaptation and mitigation.
• The Fifth Assessment Report (AR5): It was completed in 2014. Projections in AR5 are based on “Representative Concentration Pathways” (RCPs). The RCPs are consistent with a wide range of possible changes in future anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Projected changes in global mean surface temperature and sea level are given in the main RCP article.
• The Sixth Assessment Report (AR6): It covered the following topics: The Physical Science Basis (WGI); Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability (WGII); Mitigation of Climate Change (WGIII). The final synthesis report was finished in March 2023.

Some special and methodology reports published by IPCC:

• Global Warming of 1.5 ºC: The key finding of the report is that meeting a 1.5 °C (2.7 °F) target is possible but would require deep emissions reductions and far-reaching and changes in all aspects of society. The report states that 2 °C temperature increase would exacerbate extreme weather, rising sea levels among other impacts.
• Climate Change and Land: This report is also known as the “Special Report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems”. It provides a comprehensive overview of the entire land-climate system for the first time and decided to enlist land as a critical resource.
• Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate: It is a report about the effects of climate change on the world’s seas, sea ice, icecaps and glaciers. The report said that, since 1970, the global ocean has warmed unabated and has taken up more than 90% of the excess heat in the climate system. Marine heatwaves are increasing in intensity and since 1982, they have very likely doubled in frequency.

Environmental effects of shipping:

• The International Maritime Organization (IMO) calculated that ocean-going vessels released 1.12 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2007.
• The environmental effects of shipping include air pollution, water pollution, acoustic, and oil pollution.
• Ships are responsible for more than 18% of nitrogen oxides pollution and 3% of global anthropogenic Greenhouse House Gas emissions.

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/world/united-nations-international-maritime-organization-agrees-to-reach-net-zero-by-or-around-2050-90476

4. LASER INTERFEROMETER GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE OBSERVATORY

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) is a colossal physics experiment designed to detect gravitational waves. Studying gravitational waves can help in a deeper understanding of the history of the Universe.

EXPLANATION:

Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO):

• LIGO is a network of laboratories spread around the world designed to detect gravitational waves.
• Currently, there are three operational gravitational wave observatories around the world – two in the United States (Hanford and Livingston), one in Italy (Virgo), and one in Japan (Kagra).
• It is the world’s most powerful observatory that exploits the physical properties of light and of space itself to detect and understand the origins of gravitational waves.
• The essential arrangement consists of two large interferometers, each about 4 km long, arranged in an ‘L’ shape.
• An interferometer is a device that causes two light waves to intersect each other and studies the resulting interference pattern.
• The L-shaped arrangement of interferometers effectively behaves like a high-precision antenna that detects gravitational waves.

Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) –India:

• It is set to come up in India and will operate in collaboration with the LIGO Laboratory, operated by the California Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
• It will be built in the Hingoli district of Maharashtra, which is about 450 km east of Mumbai, at an estimated cost of ₹2,600 crore.
• LIGO-India is scheduled to begin scientific runs in 2030, the estimated year of completion of its construction.
• The LIGO-India project will be built by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Science Foundation (NSF), USA, along with several national and international research and academic institutions.
• It will be run by three premier institutes of India: the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology in Indore, the Institute for Plasma Research in Ahmedabad, and the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics in Pune.
• It is an initiative aimed at detecting gravitational waves from the universe, waves travelling in the vastness of space from some of the most violent and energetic processes in the Universe and hitting Earth.
• It involves the construction of two vacuum chambers that are perpendicular to each other and 4 kilometres long each, making them the most sensitive interferometers in the world.

IndIGO (Indian Initiative in Gravitational-wave Observations):

• It is a consortium of Indian gravitational-wave physicists.
• It is an initiative to set up advanced experimental facilities for a multi-institutional observatory project in gravitational-wave astronomy to be located in Hingoli District, Maharashtra, India.
• The major purpose of IndIGO is to set up the LIGO-India detector, which would help enhance the network of gravitational wave detectors worldwide.

Gravitational waves:

• Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves in 1916 in his general theory of relativity.
• These waves are incredibly weak, making their detection very challenging.
• It is said when two massive objects collide, they create a ripple in space and time in such a way that “waves of undulating space-time would propagate in all directions away from the source.”
• Gravitational waves are ‘ripples’ in space-time caused by some of the most violent and energetic processes in the Universe.
• These cosmic ripples would travel at the speed of light, carrying with them information about their origins, as well as clues to the nature of gravity itself.
• The strongest gravitational waves are produced by cataclysmic events such as colliding black holes, supernovae (massive stars exploding at the end of their lifetimes), and colliding neutron stars.
• Other gravitational waves are predicted to be caused by the rotation of neutron stars that are not perfect spheres and possibly even by the remnants of gravitational radiation created by the Big Bang.

Source:  https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/ligo-india-research-curiosity/article67052912.ece

5. THE PROTECTION OF PLANT VARIETIES AND FARMERS’ RIGHTS (PPV&FR) ACT, 2001

TAG: GS III: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: The Delhi High Court dismissed an appeal filed against the revocation order passed by the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPV&FRA) in December 2021. This is probably the first time that revocation-related litigation was being adjudicated in India’s courts under the PPV&FR Act 2001.

EXPLANATION:

The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPV&FR) Act, 2001:

• It is a unique legislation in the country to comply with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement.
• The provisions in the PPV&FRA Act offer seed freedoms for farmers, entitling them to save, using, sowing, resowing, exchanging, sharing or sell the farm produce, including a particular variety of seed protected under the act in an unbranded manner.
• It established an effective system for the protection of plant varieties, the rights of farmers and plant breeders, and encouraged the development of new varieties of plants
• Indian legislation is not only in conformity with International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), 1978, but also has sufficient provisions to protect the interests of public sector breeding institutions and the farmers.
• The legislation recognizes the contributions of both commercial plant breeders and farmers in plant breeding activity.

Objectives of the PPV & FR Act, 2001:

1. To establish an effective system for the protection of plant varieties, the rights of farmers and plant breeders, and to encourage the development of new varieties of plants.
2. To recognize and protect the rights of farmers in respect of their contributions to conserving, improving and making available plant genetic resources for the development of new plant varieties.
3. To accelerate agricultural development in the country, protect plant breeders’ rights.
4. To stimulate investment for research and development both in the public & private sectors for the development of new plant varieties.
5. To facilitate the growth of the seed industry in the country, which will ensure the availability of high-quality seeds and planting material to the farmers.

Rights under the Act:

1. Breeders’ Rights: Breeders will have exclusive rights to produce, sell, market, distribute, import or export the protected variety. A breeder can appoint an agent/ licensee and may exercise civil remedy in case of infringement of rights.
2. Researchers’ Rights: Researchers can use any of the registered varieties under the Act for conducting experiments or research.
3. Farmers’ Rights: A farmer who has evolved or developed a new variety is entitled to registration and protection in like manner as a breeder of a variety. Farmers’ variety can also be registered as an extant variety.

Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPV&FRA):

• To implement the provisions of the Act, the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare established the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority.
• The Chairperson is the Chief Executive of the Authority. Besides the Chairperson, the authority has 15 members, as notified by the Government of India (GOI).
• Eight of them are ex-officio members representing various Departments/ Ministries, three from SAUs and the State Governments, and one representative each for farmers, tribal organizations, seed industry and women’s organizations associated with agricultural activities are nominated by the Central Government.
• The Registrar General is the ex-officio Member Secretary of the Authority.

Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement:

• It is crucial for promoting trade in knowledge and innovation, resolving intellectual property trade disputes, and ensuring World Trade Organization (WTO) members’ freedom to pursue their domestic goals.
• The agreement is a formal acknowledgement of the importance of intellectual property and trade relations.

International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), 1978:

• The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) is an intergovernmental organization with headquarters in Geneva (Switzerland).
• UPOV was established by the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants. The Convention was adopted in Paris in 1961, and it was revised in 1972, 1978 and 1991.
• UPOV’s mission is to provide and promote an effective system of plant variety protection, with the aim of encouraging the development of new varieties of plants, for the benefit of society.

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/agriculture/delhi-hc-dismisses-pepsico-plea-against-revocation-order-on-its-ipr-certificate-for-potato-variety-90478

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. MHA RECOMMENDS CBI PROBE AGAINST OXFAM INDIA FOR FCRA VIOLATIONS

TAGS: GS-II & III- GOVERNANCE AND ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The Union Home Ministry recommended an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged violation of FCRA provisions by Oxfam India, one of the largest NGOs working on food, shelter and education of vulnerable groups.

THE EXPLANATION:

• According to Government Officials, that the NGO was registered under the FCRA for undertaking “social” activities and its registration was valid till December 31, 2021.
• The official said that Oxfam continued to transfer foreign funds to various other entities even after the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2020, which prohibits such transfers, came into force. “The amendment came in force on September 29, 2020. The Oxfam India transferred funds to other NGOs, violating provisions of the FCRA”.
• The recommendation for a CBI investigation comes after Income Tax authorities on September 7, 2022 searched the offices of Oxfam India and Centre for Policy Research (CPR), one of the leading public policy think tanks.

Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act:

• It is an act of Parliament enacted in 1976 and amended in 2010. It was to regulate foreign donations and to ensure that such contributions do not adversely affect internal security.
• Coverage: It is applicable to all associations, groups, and NGOs which intend to receive foreign donations.
• Registration: It is mandatory for all such NGOs to register themselves under the FCRA. The registration is initially valid for five years. Further, it can be renewed subsequently if they comply with all norms.
• Registered NGOs can receive foreign contributions for five purposes — social, educational, religious, economic, and cultural. There are 22,591 FCRA registered NGOs.

Foreign Contribution Regulation (Amendment) Rules 2020:

• New rules require any organization that wants to register itself under the FCRA to have existed for at least three years. Further, it should have spent a minimum of Rs. 15 lakh on its core activities during the last three financial years for the benefit of society.
• Office bearers of the NGOs seeking registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act must submit a specific commitment letter from the donor. It should indicate the amount of foreign contribution and the purpose for which it is proposed to be given.
• Any NGO or person making an application for obtaining prior permission to receive foreign funds shall have an FCRA Account.

2. CENTRE NOTIFIES CHANGES TO IT RULES, 2021

TAGS: GS-II-GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT:The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) notified amendments to the contentious IT rules, 2021 inserting a clause that will need intermediaries — social media companies such as Twitter and Facebook — to ensure users do not post content about the Union government that has been “fact checked” by an approved body.

THE EXPLANATION:

• While the Government said the measure on fact-checking was meant to combat misinformation, experts raised concerns about the government assuming a role in doing this. Recently, the Supreme Court, as it struck down a ban on a media channel, said restrictions to free speech cannot be applied to criticism of government policy. “Criticism of governmental policy can by no stretch of imagination be brought within the fold of any of the grounds stipulated in Article 19(2)”.
• Section 79 of the IT Act gives social media companies legal immunity from liability of what their users post as long as they carry out the necessary due diligence outlined by the government.
• In an earlier version, the rules put the onus on intermediaries to ensure users do not “host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, store, update or share any information” that “is identified as fake or false by the fact check unit at the Press Information Bureau of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting or other agency authorised by the central government.”
• The latest version does not mention the PIB fact-check unit. “There is a possibility that the organisation will be the Press Information Bureau fact-check unit, so that it is notified under the government’s rules so that they can use the power of the IT rules”.
• PIB on several occasions has sought to rebut media reporting with its fact-check. When the first version of the rules were released, experts said it fell afoul of Article 19(2) of the Constitution, which deals with reasonable restrictions on free speech.

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

3. SEA LAMPREY: A GREAT LAKES INVADER

TAGS:GS-III- ENVIRONMENT-SPECIES IN NEWS- PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, a parasitic Sea Lamprey, believed to have gone extinct, spotted on Netherlands beach, which is infamous for sucking and consuming the blood of its prey.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The sea lamprey—an ancient Atlantic fish that wreaked havoc on the Great Lakes—may be America’s first destructive invasive species.
• They are unique from many other fish species in that they do not have jaws or other bony structures. Instead, they possess a cartilaginous skeleton and a large oral disk filled with sharp, horn-shaped teeth that surround a toothed tongue.
• They have remained largely unchanged for more than 340 million years, since the Paleozoic Era, and survived through at least four major extinction events, as noted by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission in 2021.
• Sea lampreys have had an enormous, negative impact on the Great Lakes fishery, inflicting considerable damage.

• Before the sea lamprey invasion, Canada and the United States harvested about 15 million pounds of lake trout in the upper Great Lakes each year. By the late 1940s, sea lamprey populations had exploded.
• During the time of highest sea lamprey abundance, up to 85% of fish that were not killed by sea lampreys were marked with sea lamprey attack wounds.
• IUCN Status: Least Concern.

4. CHONDROSTEREUM PURPUREUM

AGS:GS-III- ENVIRONMENT-SPECIES IN NEWS- PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT: A recent case report published in Medical Mycology Case Reports revealed that a man in Kolkata, was infected with Chondrostereum purpureum, a plant fungus. This discovery has raised concerns about the potential risks of fungal infections in humans, especially in the context of global warming.

THE EXPLANATION:

The Case of Chondrostereum Purpureum Infection in a Man

• The infected man exhibited symptoms such as hoarse voice, cough, fatigue, and difficulties swallowing. These symptoms were caused by the fungus invading the man’s larynx, which made it difficult for him to speak and swallow.
• The doctors who treated the patient noted that this was a rare case and that there are only a few fungal species that cause infections in humans.

Chondrostereum Purpureum and Silver Leaf Disease in Plants

• Chondrostereum purpureum is a fungus that causes silver leaf disease in plants, especially in species of rose families. The fungus enters the plant through a wound and then colonizes the xylem tissue, leading to leaf discoloration and leaf death.
• The silver leaf disease can be detrimental to the growth and health of plants, and can also cause economic losses for farmers.

The Vulnerability of Humans to Fungal Infections

• Human beings having compromised immune system are most susceptible to fungal infection. Fungal infections can also occur in healthy individuals, but they are generally less severe.
• The recent case of Chondrostereum purpureum infection in a man highlights the potential risks of fungal infections in humans, especially in the context of rising atmospheric temperature.

Global Warming and Fungal Infections

• Global warming is expected to increase the prevalence of fungal diseases in humans. Most fungi thrive in a temperature range of 12°C to 30°C, and rising temperatures can change the distribution of heat-tolerant and susceptible species by favouring those that are more thermotolerant.
• This narrowing of the thermal difference between the human body and its surroundings increases the chance of the prevalence of fungal diseases.

MISCELLANEOUS

5. WORLD HEALTH DAY 2023

TAGS: MISCELLANEOUS- PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT: World Health Day is celebrated on the 7th of April every year to raise awareness about global health and work towards improving it. It is an opportunity to focus on a specific health issue that affects people worldwide.

THE EXPLANATION:

• This year, 7 April marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of WHO. In 1948, countries of the world came together to establish the United Nations specialized agency to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable – so that everyone, everywhere can attain the highest level of health and well-being.

World Health Day 2023: Theme of the day

• The World Health Organisation also shared some ideas to mark this day. WHO said that people around the world could organize a World Health Day event for their communities.
• “Work with health champions and influencers to mobilize your community to demand your right to access quality health service without falling into financial hardship”.
• Collaborating with artists, musicians, influencers, social workers, celebrities and other influencing personalities around the world to spread the message behind “Health For All” was also an idea given by WHO to mark the day.
• Schools, colleges and other educational institutions can also organise activities to educate students about healthy practices that can be followed on a daily basis.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. UNITED NATIONS HIGH SEAS TREATY

TAGS: PRELIMS-GS-II- INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, a new round of negotiations on the United Nations High Seas Treaty began in New York.

THE EXPLANATION:

About United Nations High Seas Treaty:

• It is known as the ‘Paris Agreement for the Ocean’, and the treaty to deal with Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction has been under discussion for several years.
• The proposed treaty concerns the ocean existing beyond the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) that lie from the coast of a country to about 200 nautical miles into the sea (Countries have special rights for exploration till 200 nautical miles).
• The treaty was to be negotiated under the United Nations Convention on Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982.

About the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

• UNCLOS became effective on 16th November 1982.
• It superseded the four Geneva Conventions of April 1958, which respectively concerned the territorial sea and the contiguous zone, the continental shelf, the high seas, fishing and conservation of living resources on the high seas.
• As per UNCLOS, the sea is divided into 4 parts:

• Territorial waters
• Contiguous Zone
• Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
• Continental Shelf

2. WHAT IS NEW START TREATY?

TAGS: PRELIMS-GS-II- INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Russian President announced that Moscow was suspending its participation in the New START treaty with the United States.

THE EXPLANATION:

About New START Treaty:

• It is known as The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START).
• It is the last remaining nuclear arms deal between Russia and the United States of America, and it was extended for five years in 2021.
• Objective: The New START caps the number of nuclear warheads well below Cold War limits.

What is the timeline of this treaty?

• New START continues the bipartisan process of verifiably reducing U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear arsenals begun by former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
• The treaty was signed by US President Barack Obama and Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in Prague in 2010.
• New START replaced the 1991 START I treaty, which expired in December 2009, and superseded the 2002 Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT), which terminated when New START entered into force.
• Both Russia and the United States announced that they met New START limitations by Feb. 5, 2018.
• Importance: New START is the first verifiable U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control treaty to take effect since START I in 1994.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

3. WHAT IS ASTROSAT?

TAGS: PRELIMS-SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has recently made an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) to allow scientists and researchers to analyze data from the first dedicated Indian astronomy mission, AstroSat.

THE EXPLANATION:

About AstroSat:

• It is India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory.
• It is the first dedicated Indian astronomy mission aimed at studying celestial sources in X-ray, optical, and UV spectral bands simultaneously.
• AstroSat, with a lift-off mass of 1515 kg, was launched by the Indian launch vehicle PSLV from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, on September 28, 2015, into a 650 km orbit inclined at an angle of 6 degrees to the equator.
• The spacecraft control center at Mission Operations Complex (MOX) of ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bengaluru, manages the satellite during its entire mission life.
• The minimum useful life of the AstroSat mission is around 5 years.

Scientific Objectives:

• To understand high energy processes in binary star systems containing neutron stars and black holes.
• Estimate magnetic fields of neutron stars.
• Study star birth regions and high energy processes in star systems lying beyond our galaxy.
• Detect new briefly bright X-ray sources in the sky.
• Perform a limited deep-field survey of the Universe in the Ultraviolet region.

4. WHAT IS ULTRASAT?

TAGS: PRELIMS-SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: NASA will launch Israel’s first space telescope mission, the Ultraviolet Transient Astronomy Satellite (ULTRASAT) in early 2026.

THE EXPLANATION:

About ULTRASAT:

• ULTRASAT is an ultraviolet observatory with a large field of view, that will investigate the secrets of short-duration events in the universe, such as supernova explosions and mergers of neutron stars.
• It is planned to launch into a geostationary orbit around Earth
• NASA will provide the launch opportunity, Flight Payload Adapter, and other launch-related responsibilities for ULTRASAT.

What is a geostationary orbit?

• Satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO) circle Earth above the equator from west to east following Earth’s rotation – taking 23 hours 56 minutes and 4 seconds – by travelling at the same rate as Earth.
• This makes satellites in GEO appear to be ‘stationary’ over a fixed position.
• To perfectly match Earth’s rotation, the speed of GEO satellites should be about 3 km per second at an altitude of 35 786 km. This is much farther from Earth’s surface compared to many satellites.
• This particular orbit is used for meteorological and communications satellites.
• The geostationary orbit is a special case of the geosynchronous orbit, which is any orbit with a period equal to Earth’s rotation period.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. WHAT IS MULETHI?

TAGS: PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT: Himachal Pradesh has recently begun the commercial cultivation of licorice (Mulethi) to become the first state in India to have organized cultivation of Mulethi.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Mulethi:

• Mulethi,  commonly known as licorice, is a sweet-tasting perennial shrub.
• Scientific name: Glycyrrhiza glabra
• The roots have a sweet taste due to the presence of glycyrrhizin, which is 50 times sweeter than sucrose.
• It has been traditionally known and used as medicine in Ayurveda (known in Ayurveda as ‘Yashtimadhu’) for rejuvenation.

Uses:

• Herbal medicines use Mulethi for its natural sweetness.
• It is also used in traditional medicines against chest and lung diseases.
• It is used to flavor candies, tobacco, and alcohol, artificial and natural sweeteners.

Health Benefits:

• It has anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-bacterial
• It is known to boost immunity due to the increase in the production of macrophage and lymphocytes.
• Mulethi herb can treat asthma, cough, cold, sore throat, and other respiratory ailments.
• It helps in weight loss as it contains flavonoids that help to reduce excessive fats accumulated in the body.
• It helps improve the digestive system, lessens the acidic level in the intestines, and also helps to detox our body.

Distribution:

• The plant thrives in a dry and sunny climate and is cultivated in subtropical and warm temperate regions.
• Countries producing licorice include Iran, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Turkey.
• It is also cultivated in Punjab and Sub Himalayan tracts in India.