Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 13th August 2024

Centre Forms Committee to Monitor Bangladesh Border Situation:

In response to the volatile situation in Bangladesh, the Indian government has established a committee to monitor the Indo-Bangladesh border and ensure the safety of Indian nationals and minority communities in the neighboring country. The committee will maintain communication with Bangladeshi authorities and oversee security measures at the border.

Sreejesh and Bhaker to Co-Flag Bear for India at Paris 2024 Closing Ceremony:

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has announced that hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and pistol shooter Manu Bhaker will be the co-flag bearers for India at the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Fast Tracking BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreement:

BIMSTEC members should re-examine the priorities of member nations with regards to trade negotiations so that the delayed Free Trade Agreement can be finalized. This was stated by Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal while delivering his speech at the inaugural edition of the Bay of Bengal Initiative

Maharashtra Government Approves Logistics Policy 2024:

The Maharashtra government has approved the Logistics Policy 2024, aimed at revolutionizing the state’s logistics infrastructure and generating approximately 500,000 job opportunities. The policy includes the development of over 200 logistics parks, complexes, and truck terminals equipped with advanced facilities.

Punjab Help Centre Launched at IGI Airport to Assist NRIs:

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann inaugurated the ‘Punjab Help Centre’ at Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. This makes Punjab the first state in India to establish a dedicated NRI Facilitation Centre, underscoring its commitment to supporting its overseas community.

International Youth Day 2024:

International Youth Day, observed annually on August 12th, is a global celebration that recognizes the contributions of young people to society and addresses the challenges they face. The day serves as a platform to raise awareness about socio-economic and socio-political issues affecting youth worldwide. Theme for 2024: From Clicks to Progress Digital Pathways for Sustainable

Implementation of RTE and Budget Allocation for Education:

As of August 7, 2024, Punjab, Telangana, Kerala, and West Bengal have yet to implement the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009. Union Minister of State for Education, Jayant Chowdhary, disclosed this in the Rajya Sabha.

UPI Merchant Transactions In Nepal Cross 100000 Milestone:

NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) has achieved a major milestone by surpassing 100,000 cross-border Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Person-to-Merchant (P2M) transactions in Nepal, the NIPL said in a statement. NIPL is an international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

Juanga Tribe : In News

The District Level Committee of Keonjhar in Odisha cleared the hurdle for habitat rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) to the Juanga, a particularly vulnerable tribal group, by approving the claim recently.

• Juanga Tribe is an indigenous community in India concentrated in Odisha’s Keonjhar district.
• It is one of the 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) of the total 62 tribes found in Odisha.
• Originally known as Patuas because of their traditional attire of leaf skirts, the Juang now prefer clothing bought from local markets.
• Originally practitioners of shifting cultivation, some of them are now moving to settled agriculture.
• Hunting is done occasionally, and Juangs of Pallahara are skilled basket weavers also.
• They are skilled in the making of decorative combs and tobacco cases and have also taken to domesticating fowl, pigs, goats and cows to supplement their income.
• They have retained their effective traditional political council.
• Pradhan is the formal headman of the political council, the post of which is not hereditary, and any senior person having manoeuvring capacity can be selected by the villagers.
• Pradhan is expected to offer the final decision in aII secular matters.
• Odisha has a 47,095 Juang population as per the Census 2011.

Hoverflies : New Species

Three Kashmiri scientists recently discovered a new species of hoverfly that mimics the wasp in the high-altitude alpine forests.

• Hoverflies sometimes called ‘flower flies’ or ‘syrphid flies’, are any member of a family that contains about 6,000 species of insects in the fly order, Diptera.
• Their various common names refer to the behaviour of hovering around flowers.
• They are found worldwide, from temperate regions to tropical environments.
• Hoverflies, with their yellow markings, resemble wasps or bees but do not bite or sting.
• They can be readily distinguished from wasps and bees by their single pair of wings.
• They are distinguished from other flies by a false (spurious) vein that closely parallels the fourth longitudinal wing vein.
• The species vary from small, elongated, and slender to large, hairy and yellow and black.
• They also have a typical fly head with short antennae and bulbous eyes.
• Beneficial Insect : Adults feed on nectar and pollen, making them important pollinators in a variety of habitats.
• The larvae of many species feed on aphids (soft-bodied insects that use their piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap), mites and small insects helping to control populations of these pests.

Overnight Index Swap:

The Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said that RBI has been reviewing the investment limit for foreign investors in the Overnight Index Swap (OIS) market.

• Overnight Index Swap (OIS) is a derivative instrumentwhere returns under a fixed rate asset are swapped against a pre-determined published index of a daily overnight reference rate for an agreed period of time.
• The primary purpose of an OIS is to manage interest rate risk, particularly the risk associated with fluctuations in the overnight lending rate.
• It is calculated each day.
• This interest rate is based on the average interest rate institutions with loans based on the overnight rate have paid for that day.
• These are instruments that allow financial institutions to swap the interest rates they are paying without having to refinance or change the terms of their existing loan.
• When two financial institutions create an overnight index swap, one of the institutions is swapping an overnight (floating) interest rate and the other institution is swapping a fixed short-term interest rate.
• To get the swap rolling, both the firms would agree to continue servicing their loans, but at the end of a specified time period whoever ends up paying less interest will make up the difference to the other firm.

Perseid Meteor Shower : In News

Perseid meteor shower which is this year’s most-awaited meteor shower is set to peak 

• The name Perseid is believed to be derived from the Perseus constellation.
• It peaks during mid-August each year and is considered to be among the best meteor showers. Perseids, usually swift and bright, leave a trail of light and colour behind them as they traverse through the night sky.
• It is also one of the most plentiful showers with nearly 100 meteors seen per hour.
• The Perseids are special because they often generate fireballs.
• Fireballs are big bursts of light and color that last longer than a regular shooting star.
• This happens because fireballs come from larger pieces of material from comets.
• Meteor Shower is a space rock that comes into Earth’s atmosphere.
• As it falls, the air makes it really hot because of the friction.
• The bright streak we see is not the rock itself, but the hot air around it.
• When many space rocks hit the atmosphere over Earth together, we call it a meteor shower.

Seaweed Value Chain Development : NITI Aayog Report

NITI Aayog has laid down a comprehensive roadmap to promote seaweed cultivation in India in its report published titled “Strategy for the development of Seaweed Value Chain”.

• This includes steps for research, investment, training, infrastructure development, and market promotion toincrease seaweed production, which can benefit the environment, economy, and local communities.
• Seaweeds are the primitive, marine non-flowering algae without root, stem and leaves and play a major role inmarine ecosystems.
• Large seaweeds form dense underwater forests known as kelp forests, which act as underwater nurseriesfor fish, snails and sea urchins.
• Some species of seaweeds are Gelidiella acerosa, Gracilaria edulis, Gracilaria crassa, Gracilaria verrucosa,Sargassum spp. and Turbinaria spp.
• It is classified into green (Chlorophyta), brown (Phaeophyta), and red (Rhodophyta) groups.
• Global Seaweed production (cultivation+collection) amounted to around 35.8 million tonnes in 2019, of which wild collection remained at 1.1 million tonnes.
• Eastern and Southeastern Asia regions dominated the cultivation landscape with 97.4% of globalproduction, while Americas and Europe primarily depend on wild collection. Indonesia is a major producer of seaweed.
• Globally, the species Kappaphycus alvarezii and Eucheuma denticulatum account for 27.8% of totalseaweed production through farming.
• The seaweed industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 2.3% from 2022 to 2030.
• India harvests approximately 33,345 tonnes (wet weight) of seaweeds annually from natural beds,primarily in Tamil Nadu, involving 5,000 families.
• India’s annual seaweed revenue, around Rs 200 crores, contributes less than 1% of global production.
• The government aims to increase the allied sector’s share of gross value added in agriculture to 9% in 2024-25 from 7.28% in 2018-19.
• In 2021, the global seaweed market stood at USD 9.9 billion.
• Major trading countries included China, Indonesia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, and Malaysia.
• Korea leads in seaweed exports with over 30% market share, while China holds a similar share in seaweed- based hydrocolloids (thickening and gelling agents derived from various types of seaweed).

Forest Clearance For Non-Foresting Activities In Wildlife Sanctuaries:

The MoEFCC told the NGT that the Assam government did not obtain necessary forest clearance for non-forestry activities in the Sonai-Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary. The Ministry highlighted that such activitiesrequire approval from central govt, which was not sought.

• Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Assam, India, is known for its diverse flora and fauna, includingthe endangered one-horned rhinoceros.
• It serves as a critical habitat for various wildlife species and ispart of the larger Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong landscape.
• The Ministry advised the NGT to pass suitable orders on encroachment issues, noting that stategovernments can address unauthorised construction or illegal settlements.
• NGT is a specialised body set up under the National Green Tribunal Act (2010) for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.
• The Ministry’s counter-affidavit, highlighted that non-forestry activities on forest land need central
  approval under Section 2(1)(ii) of the Forest Conservation Act 1980. No such proposal was received.
• The Forest Conservation Act of 1980 regulates the diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes in India, requiring prior approval from the central government.
• It aims to preserve and protect forest land by controlling deforestation and promoting sustainable forest management.

Microwave Ovens : Microorganism Study

Microorganisms thriving in extreme environments like microwave ovens have been studied to understand their evolutionary adaptations.

• The dominant ones belonged to the Bacillus, Micrococcus and Staphylococcus genera, which commonly live on human skin and surfaces that people frequently touch.
• A few bacteria types associated with food-borne illnesses, including Klebsiella and Brevundimonas, also grew in household microwaves.
• Laboratory microwave ovens contained the greatest genetic diversity (variation in genes within a species) of bacteria.
• Microwave heating uses electromagnetic waves (300 MHz to 300 GHz) to generate heat and inactivate most microorganisms in food.

Deep Winter Heatwaves:

Antarctica has been experiencing a significant deep-winter heatwave, marking the second instance of record-breaking temperatures in two years.

• Ground temperatures have risen by an average of 10 degrees Celsius above normal since mid-July 2024, with some areas experiencing increases of up to 28 degrees Celsius.
• The polar vortex (also known as polar pig) is a large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding both of the Earth’s poles.
• The term “vortex” refers to the counterclockwise flow of air that helps keep the colder air near the Poles. It always exists near the poles, but weakens in summer and strengthens in winter.
• Higher temperatures and powerful atmospheric waves (periodic disturbances in the fields of atmospheric variables) disrupted the vortex.
• This allowed cold air to escape and warm air from above to descend.
• The arrival of this warm air led to a rise in temperatures in the region.
• Antarctic sea ice has reached historically low levels, reducing its ability to reflect solar energy and act as a barrier between cold air and warmer waters. This loss contributes to rising global temperatures.
• Antarctica is experiencing warming at a rate nearly double that of the global average, estimated at 0.22 to 0.32 degrees Celsius per decade.
• As per IPCC estimates Earth as a whole is warming at the rate of 0.14-0.18 degrees Celsius per decade.
• This accelerated warming is primarily driven by anthropogenic climate change, which exacerbates the effects of natural climate variability.

Google Violate Anti-Trust Laws:

On August 5, US District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google violated antitrust laws by maintaining a monopoly in “general search services” and “search text ads” through exclusive deals with companies like Apple and Samsung.

• Antitrust laws and regulations are designed to promote fair competition and prevent anti-competitive practices in the marketplace.
• “Anti-trust” issues refer to situations where companies or organizations engage in activities that hinder competition, limit consumer choice, or create monopolies or dominant market positions.
• Google violated antitrust laws by maintaining its search engine monopoly through exclusive agreements. Google invests over USD 26 billion annually to maintain its default search status, holding over 89% share in general search and about 95% on mobile.
• It paid billions to companies like Apple and Samsung to ensure Google was the default search engine on their devices and browsers.
• This practice prevented competitors from gaining market share and stifled competition in search and advertising markets.
• In India, the Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) has accused Google of stifling competition and harming businesses, highlighting concerns over Google’s Privacy Sandbox initiative.

Movie Laapataa Ladies Screened At Supreme Court:

Kiran Rao’s film Laapataa Ladies was screened at the Supreme Court of India recently.

• Laapataa Ladies, set in 2001, follows the story of two brides swapped in a train.
• Laapataa Ladies explores several ethical aspects through its narrative, including:
• The film addresses the issues of gender roles and expectations in society, challenging traditional norms and advocating for equality between men and women.
• The storyline highlights the basic rights of individuals, particularly women, emphasizing their right to make choices about their lives and bodies.
• The film sheds light on the marginalization and exploitation of women, urging for a more just and fair society where everyone has equal opportunities.
• By setting the story in a fictitious state, the film draws attention to the cultural nuances and the ethical treatment of individuals within different societal structures.
• The characters in the film face moral dilemmas, particularly in dealing with the consequences of the bride swap, raising questions about responsibility and ethical decision-making.
• The narrative encourages viewers to empathize with the characters’ situations, promoting understanding and compassion for those facing challenging circumstances.
• The film touches on the importance of personal autonomy and the right to self-determination, especially for women in a patriarchal society.