Daily Current Affairs UPSC 09 April 2024

GPS Jamming

•    Cargo ships in the Mediterranean and Black Sea are experiencing increased incidents of GPS jamming near conflict zones.
•    About GPS Jamming:
o    GPS jamming involves using a device to block or interfere with GPS signals used for navigation.
o    GPS jammers emit radio frequency signals to disrupt GPS signals.

Credit Deposit Ratio (CDR)

•    Indian banks are facing a severe deposit shortage, with a credit-deposit ratio at its highest since 2005.
•    About CDR:
o    CDR is the ratio of how much a bank lends compared to the deposits it has collected.
o    A high CDR indicates a significant portion of the bank's resources are being used for loans.
o    While a high CDR can boost economic growth, it also poses higher risks.
o    Regulators monitor CDR to ensure banks maintain a balance between lending and risk management.

UN Membership Procedure

•    Referral to Committee: Palestinian application for full UN membership sent to committee by UNSC.
•    About UN Membership procedure:
o    Application Submission: States must accept Charter commitments by submitting application to Secretary-General.
o    Approval Process: UNSC requires 9 affirmative votes and no vetoes from 5 permanent members.
o    General Assembly Vote: If recommended, application presented to General Assembly for two-thirds majority vote.
o    Effective Membership: Membership becomes effective upon adoption of resolution.

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)

•    Revision of Ceiling Prices: NPPA revises prices of over 900 scheduled drug formulations.
•    NPPA:
o    Establishment: NPPA established in 1997 as an independent regulator for drug pricing.
o    Ministry Attachment: NPPA is an attached office of the Department of Pharmaceuticals under the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers.
o    Role: NPPA fixes and revises prices of controlled bulk drugs and formulations.
o    Enforcement: NPPA enforces prices and availability of medicines under Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.
o    Monitoring: NPPA monitors prices of decontrolled drugs to maintain them at reasonable levels.

Suvidha Portal

•    Over 73,000 applications received on Suvidha portal since the announcement of Lok Sabha elections.
•    Suvidha Portal: 
o    Developed by Election Commission of India to ensure fair elections.
o    Streamlines process for political parties and candidates to request permissions and facilities.
o    Permissions include organizing rallies, helicopters, vehicle permits, temporary party offices.
o    Helps scrutinize election expenditures for greater accountability and integrity.

Gudi Padwa

•    The President sent her best wishes for Gudi Padwa and other spring festivals marking the Indian New Year.
•    Gudi Padwa is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra month, symbolizing the arrival of spring and the beginning of the new year in Maharashtra.
•    Spring Festivals Across India:
o    Ugadi: Celebrated in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana.
o    Cheti Chand: Observed by the Sindhi community.
o    Navreh: Celebrated in Jammu and Kashmir.
o    Sajibu Cheiraoba: Festivity in Manipur.

Mg-Cu/CuO Fuel Cell

•    Researchers at the University of Kerala have created an Air-breathing Magnesium-Copper / Cupric Oxide (Mg-Cu/CuO) Fuel Cell.
•    About Mg-Cu/CuO fuel cell:
o    Variation of Mg-C fuel cell with a copper-based cathode that can be reused, unlike carbon-based cathodes in Mg-C fuel cell.
o    More operationally stable than Mg-C fuel cell.
o    Eco-friendly fuel cell that generates power using air and seawater.
o    Produces only electricity and heat during operation, emitting water.
•    Technology expected to be as disruptive as Lithium-ion batteries.

Ural River

•    The rise in water level of the Ural River due to snow melting has affected over 10,000 homes across Russia.
•    About Ural River:
o    The Ural River is 2,428 km long and flows through Russia and Kazakhstan.
o    It originates in the Ural Mountains and empties into the Caspian Sea.
o    It is Europe's third-longest river after the Volga and Danube rivers.
o    Melting snow contributes to 60% to 70% of the river's water source.

Mozambique (Capital: Moputo)

•    Over 94 people died in ferry capsizing off Mozambique coast.
•    Political features:
o    Bordering countries: Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Eswatini.
o    Surrounding water bodies: Indian Ocean, Lake Malawi, Nyasa, Chiuta, Chilwa.
o    Mozambique Channel separates it from Madagascar.
•    Geographical features:
o    Highest Peak: Mount Binga.
o    Major rivers: Zambezi, Limpopo, Ruvuma (all empty into Indian Ocean).

Global Leaders Group (GLG) on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) released a report “Towards Specific Commitments and Action in Response to AMR”

•    Report aims to inform outcomes of the 2024 UNGA High-level Meeting on AMR.
•    Recommendations for UNGA meeting:
o    Convene an Independent Panel on Evidence for Action against AMR by 2025.
o    Expand financing instruments to include AMR.
o    Update the 2015 Global Action Plan on AMR.
o    Ensure quality assured AMR surveillance data through global systems.
•    Proposed targets by 2030:
o    10% reduction in global deaths caused by bacterial AMR.
o    Access group antibiotics to comprise at least 80% of overall human antibiotic consumption.
o    Reduce antimicrobial use in agri-food system globally by at least 30-5%.
•    GLG on AMR established in 2020 to advocate for political action for mitigation of drug-resistant infections.

Escalating impact of AMR:

•    Increasing global mortality rates: AMR is becoming the leading cause of death worldwide and is projected to reduce life expectancy by 1.8 years by 2035.
•    Threat to food security: AMR is impacting livestock production and the global food chain, compromising food security.
•    Connection to planetary crises: AMR is closely linked to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.
•    Rising health expenditures: Treatment expenses for AMR are expected to reach US$ 412 billion annually by 2035, leading to greater health expenditures.

World Economic Forum (WEF) report title ‘Space: The $1.8 Trillion Opportunity for Global Economic Growth’ released

•    Key Findings:
o    The space economy is projected to grow to $1.8 trillion by 2035 from $630 billion in 2023.
o    Space's impact will extend beyond traditional players to benefit non-traditional industries like ride-hailing apps.
o    Five industries, including supply chain, food and beverage, and digital communications, will drive over 60% of the increase in the space economy by 2035.
o    Space investments will have returns beyond financial gains, such as improving disaster warning systems and humanitarian response.
•    Main Drivers of Increasing Space Prevalence:
o    Decrease in launch costs by over 10-fold in the last 20 years.
o    Commercial innovation in components and software.
o    Diversification of investment and applications with private sector involvement.
o    Cultural awareness and enthusiasm for space exploration.
•    Key Recommendations:
o    Non-space industry leaders should partner and invest in tech innovators.
o    Space industry leaders should consider a "space for non-space" approach and co-create protocols and standards.
o    State-sponsored leaders should enact legislation, standardization, and policies, and build partnerships across agencies.

India’s Space economy:

•    Current size of India's space economy is approximately $8.4 billion, which is around 2-3% of the global space economy.
•    The target for India's space economy is to reach about $44 billion by 2033.
•    Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of 100% is allowed in India's space sector.
•    Recent initiatives:
o    Include the announcement of the Indian Space Policy 2023 and the creation of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) as an independent nodal agency under the Department of Space.
o    New Space India Limited has been created to facilitate private sector participation in India's space industry.

MNRE’s Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) comes into effect after being held up for a year

•    The Approved Models and Manufacturers of Solar Photovoltaic Modules Order, 2019 by MNRE is now in effect after being delayed for a year.
o    Solar module makers must undergo inspection by the National Institute of Solar Energy to be included in the approved list.
•    Being on the approved list certifies a company as a legitimate manufacturer of solar panels, not just an importer or assembler.
•    Benefits of ALMM Implementation:
o    Only models and manufacturers on the list can be used in Government Projects and Schemes.
o    Reduces dependency on imports from China, which controls 80% of global supply.
o    Promotes local manufacturing and livelihood generation.
•    India's solar modules manufacturing capacity is around 50 GW, with an installed capacity of solar cell manufacturing at 6 GW.
o    India has imported around 11.17 billion USD worth of solar cells and modules in the last five years, with China being the main supplier.
•    Reasons for import dependence include insufficient domestic manufacturing capacity and high costs of domestic solar PV panels.
•    India has limited production of wafers and polysilicon, contributing to import dependence.

Initiatives facilitating domestic solar module Manufacturing:

•    Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for High Efficiency Solar PV Modules: This initiative provides incentives to manufacturers producing high efficiency solar PV modules in India, encouraging domestic production.
•    Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) under some MNRE schemes: This requirement mandates that a certain percentage of components used in solar projects must be sourced domestically, promoting local manufacturing and reducing dependence on imports.
•    Customs duty on solar modules and cells: The imposition of customs duty on solar modules and cells from 2022 aims to make imports more expensive, incentivizing domestic manufacturing and boosting the local solar industry.

‘Iseult’ the World's most powerful MRI scans the first images of the human brain

•    Iseult’ can help refine our understanding of anatomy of brain.
•    It could also shed light on diseases like Alzheimer's or psychological conditions like depression or schizophrenia.
•    Iseult's Capabilities:
o    Iseult has a power of 11.7 teslas, allowing for scans with 10 times more precision than standard MRIs.
o    Tesla is a measure of the strength of the magnetic field in an MRI machine.
•    MRI Technology:
o    MRI is a non-invasive medical imaging test that produces detailed images of internal structures in the body.
o    It uses a large magnet and radio waves, without producing ionizing radiation like X-rays.
o    The magnetic field and radio waves work with hydrogen atoms in the body to create images.
•    Applications of MRI:
o    MRI scans can show organs, bones, muscles, and blood vessels.
o    Widely used in medical diagnosis and treatment planning for various conditions like brain disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.
o    Functional MRI (fMRI) can produce images of blood flow in the brain, aiding in brain surgery.

Research papers Published by Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) reveals the most precise measurement of the universe's expansion

•    DESI Research Papers on Universe Expansion:
o    Most precise measurement of universe's expansion.
o    Universe expanding at a rate of 68.5 km/s per megaparsec.
o    Expansion history of young universe measured with precision better than 1%.
o    DESI created largest 3D map of the universe to study dark energy's effects over past 11 billion years.
•    Lambda CDM Model and Universe Expansion:
o    Matter and dark energy shape universe expansion in opposing ways.
o    Matter and dark matter slow down expansion, while dark energy speeds it up.
•    Dark Energy and Dark Matter in the Universe:
o    Dark Energy and Dark Matter make up majority of universe (around 95%).
o    Dark Energy (68% of universe) is unknown form of energy causing accelerated expansion.
o    Dark Matter (27% of universe) is hypothetical form of matter inferred from gravitational effects on visible matter and background radiation.

Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI):

•    DESI is a collaborative project involving researchers from over 70 institutions worldwide, including those from India.
o    It is a ground-based experiment focused on studying dark energy's impact on the expansion of the universe.
•    DESI is situated at the Mayall 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory in the USA.

Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactor damaged following drone attack, raising questions on nuclear security

•    Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Reactor Damaged by Drone Attack.
•    Largest nuclear plant in Europe located in southeast Ukraine.
o    Currently under Russian control.
•    Prevention, detection, and response to unauthorized acts involving nuclear material.
o    International Atomic Energy Agency's seven pillars of nuclear safety and security.
•    International Regulations for Nuclear Security:
o    1979 Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and Nuclear Facilities.
o    United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540.
o    2005 International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.
•    Elements of India's Nuclear Security:
o    Governance: Atomic Energy Act 1962, Rules on Safe Disposal of Radioactive Waste, Radiation Protection.
o    Institutions: Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.
o    Nuclear Security Practice & Culture: National Design Basis Threat Document, Central Industrial Security Force.
o    Technology: Closed fuel cycle with 'reprocess to reuse' of plutonium.
o    International cooperation: Party to all 13 anti-terrorism conventions including CPPNM and ICSANT.

The seven indispensable pillars of nuclear safety and security:

•    Facility Integrity: Ensuring the physical integrity of all nuclear facilities, including reactors, fuel ponds, and waste stores, is crucial for safety and security.
•    Functional Systems: All safety and security systems and equipment must be operational at all times to prevent any potential risks.
•    Competent Staff: Operating staff must be capable of fulfilling their safety duties and making decisions without any undue pressure.
•    Off-Site Power Supply: Secure off-site power supply from the grid is necessary for all nuclear sites to ensure continuous operation.
•    Logistics and Transportation: Uninterrupted logistical supply chains and transportation to and from the sites are essential for maintaining safety and security.
•    Radiation Monitoring and Emergency Preparedness: Effective on-site and off-site radiation monitoring systems, as well as emergency preparedness and response measures, must be in place.
•    Communication: Reliable communication with regulators and other stakeholders is vital for ensuring transparency and accountability in nuclear safety and security.