Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 26th December 2024

Lesotho:

India dispatched a consignment of 1000 metric tonnes of rice as part of its humanitarian assistance to Lesotho.

• Lesotho is an enclaved nation located within the territory of South Africa.
• It has a population of about 2.3 million and a per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $878.0 in 2023. It is classified as a lower middle-income country.
• It is primarily highlands, with its lowest point 1,400 meters above sea level. It is the only independent state in the world that lies entirely above 1,400 m in elevation.
• Thabana Ntlenyana, at 3,482 metres, is the highest mountain of Lesotho and the southern Africa.
• The Orange River at about 2,100 km in length is one of the longest rivers in Africa. It rises in the Lesotho Highlands as the Sinqu River.
• Previously a British protectorate, it gained its independence in 1966.
• It is a constitutional monarchy, ruled by a King as Head of State, and governed by a 33-member Senate and a 120-member National Assembly.
• Maseruis the capital and largest city of Lesotho.

Golden Visa Programme:

The Spain’s Congress has approved the termination of the controversial Golden Visa programme.

• It is a residence by investment plan, which grants temporary residency to foreign nationals in exchange for a significant donation or investment in real estate, business, or other fields is known as a “Golden Visa.”
• High-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) often physically relocate to favorable jurisdictions through golden visa schemes, granting them complete legal residency rights, including the facility to live, work, study, and receive healthcare in that nation.
• Spain’s Golden Visa programme Introduced in 2013, it allowed non-European Union citizens to obtain residency permits by investing a minimum of €500,000 in Spanish real estate.
• It cited the need to address rising property prices and ensure housing availability for local citizens, particularly in major cities.
• The programme was used for money laundering and tax evasion.

Mammoth : Recent Study

Researchers in Siberia are conducting tests on a juvenile mammoth whose remarkably well-preserved remains were discovered in thawing permafrost after more than 50,000 years.

• Mammoths are member of an extinct species belongs to elephantid genus Mammuthus.
• They lived from the Pliocene epoch (from around 5 million years ago) into the Holocene at about 4,000 years ago.
• They existed in Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America.
• The various species of mammoth were commonly equipped with long, curved tusks.
• They evolved a suite of adaptations for arctic life, including morphological traits such as small ears and tails to minimize heat loss, a thick layer of subcutaneous fat, long thick fur, and numerous sebaceous glands for insulation.
• They also had large brown-fat hump like deposit behind the neck that may have functioned as a heat source and fat reservoir during winter.
• Mammoths are more closely related to living Asian elephants than African elephants.
• IUCN Status: Extinct

Red Panda : Brought To Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park

Two red pandas from Rotterdam Zoo, Netherlands are being brought to Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNZP) in Darjeeling for conservation breeding purposes.

Red Panda:

• Scientific Name: Ailurus fulgens
• It is a small arboreal mammal found in the forests of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and the northern mountains of Myanmar and southern China.
• It thrives best at 2,200-4,800 m in mixed deciduous and conifer forests with dense understories of bamboo, though red panda evidences have also been found at 1800 m.
• In India, it is found in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts of West Bengal.
• Almost 50% of the red panda’s habitat is in the Eastern Himalayas.
• It is the state animal of Sikkim.
• It uses its long, bushy tails for balance and to cover them in winter, presumably for warmth.
• It is considered an indicator speciesfor ecological change.
• It is the size of a house cat and is famous for its cute face and adorable defense stance.
• The loss of nesting trees and bamboo is causing a decline in red panda populations across much of their range because their forest home is being cleared.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red list: Endangered
  • CITES:Appendix I
  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule I

Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park:

• It is located West Bengal.
• It hosts the country’s most successful conservative breeding programme for red pandas.

Imaging Active Hydrothermal Vents:

India’s Deep Ocean Mission recently achieved a landmark by capturing high-resolution images of an active hydrothermal vent 4,500 meters below the Indian Ocean’s surface.

• Hydrothermal vents are underwater hot springs near tectonic plate boundaries, expelling hot water and minerals from beneath the Earth’s crust into the ocean.
• They were first identified in 1977 near the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.
• Cold seawater (around 2°C) seeps through fissures in the oceanic crust near tectonic activity,
• The water then contacts hot magma, heating to temperatures up to 370°C or higher,
• Superheated water then resurfaces as mineral-rich hydrothermal fluids, forming vents and plumes.
• Black Smokers: Emit particle-laden fluids, primarily containing iron sulfides, forming black chimney-like structures
• White Smokers: Emit fluids rich in barium, calcium, and silicon, forming white chimneys

Mitochondrial DNA Mutations : Study

A recent study published in Genome Research highlights that deletion mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) play a significant role in age-related muscle loss.

Findings on the mtDNA Mutations:

• Deletion mutations in mtDNA reduce its size and functionality, gradually eroding mitochondrial efficiency.
• These mutated mtDNA molecules outcompete healthy ones, leading to a decline in ATP production.
• Deletion mutations create chimeric genes by fusing different mitochondrial genes, forming abnormal sequences.
• Chimeric genes disrupt mtDNA expression, accelerating mitochondrial dysfunction and muscle degradation.
• Older individuals exhibit a two-fold increase in chimeric mitochondrial mRNA, correlating with biological aging.
• Mutations also affect brain and muscle tissues, emphasizing their systemic impact on aging.
• mtDNA deletion mutations and chimeric mRNA are key indicators of biological aging.
• Understanding these markers could pave the way for therapies to prevent or repair mutations, delaying age-related muscle loss.

Indore Airport Launches Waste Processing Unit In Green Initiative:

IndiGo’s CSR initiative, IndiGoReach, has launched the Zero Waste Airport Project at Indore Airport, in partnership with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and AAS Foundation, Indore. This project aims to create a sustainable and eco-friendly airport by utilizing the 4R strategy: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Recover. By reducing the environmental impact of airport operations, the initiative sets a new benchmark for waste management in aviation, focusing on behavioral change, stakeholder engagement, and training.

Marburg Virus Disease : Outbreak

Rwanda has successfully contained and declared its first-ever outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) officially over after a 42-day period without new cases. This achievement was confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

• MVD is a severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever caused by the Marburg virus, with no approved vaccines or treatments currently available.
• It was first identified in 1967 in the German city of Marburg. It is named after an outbreak linked to laboratory workers exposed to infected green monkeys imported from Uganda.
• Most outbreaks have occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, including countries like Tanzania, Uganda, Angola, Ghana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.
• Initially transmitted from fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) to humans. It can spread occurs through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces.
• Symptoms:
  • Early signs: High fever, severe headache, and malaise.
  • Advanced stage: Severe bleeding, liver failure, multi-organ dysfunction, shock, and death within 8-9 days of symptom onset.
  • Fatality rate: The average case fatality rate is approximately 50%, varying from 24% to 88% depending on the virus strain and case management.
• Diagnosis: Confirmed through RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests and virus isolation procedures that require maximum biohazard containment.
• Treatment: No specific treatment exists. Supportive care includes rehydration, electrolyte replacement, and symptom management, improving survival chances.
• Promising vaccines, such as the Sabin Vaccine Institute’s single-dose vaccine, are under Phase 2 trials in Uganda and Kenya. Rwanda also received investigational vaccines to support outbreak control.

RBI Sets Up Panel for Ethical AI Framework in Financial Sector:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted an eight-member committee to develop the Framework for Responsible and Ethical Enablement of Artificial Intelligence (FREE-AI) in the financial sector. Announced during the RBI’s December monetary policy meeting, this initiative focuses on guiding the adoption of AI technologies responsibly in financial services such as banks, NBFCs, FinTechs, and payment system operators

China Approves $137-Billion Mega Dam on Brahmaputra Near Indian Border:

China has approved the construction of the world’s largest dam on the Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra) in Tibet, close to the Indian border. Estimated at $137 billion, this project raises strategic and environmental concerns for India and Bangladesh. The massive hydropower dam, located at a tectonic boundary prone to earthquakes, has been touted as safe by Chinese authorities, who emphasize ecological protection and advanced engineering techniques.

RINL Wins Gold at AP State Energy Conservation Awards 2024:

Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), has won the prestigious Gold Award at the Andhra Pradesh State Energy Conservation Award 2024. The award, presented by the State Energy Conservation Mission of Andhra Pradesh, recognizes RINL’s impactful initiatives in energy conservation in the iron and steel sector. This achievement highlights the company’s commitment to sustainability and innovation in harnessing waste energy over the past three years.

UP CM Inaugurates Atal Yuva Maha Kumbh:

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the ‘Atal Yuva Maha Kumbh’ in Lucknow to honor the birth centenary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The event, aimed at celebrating Vajpayee’s legacy, included the recognition of meritorious students, cultural tributes, and discussions on Vajpayee’s contributions. December 25 marks Vajpayee’s 100th birth anniversary, which is also observed as ‘Good Governance Day’ across India.