Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 28th August 2024

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome : Surged In Gujrat

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) cases surged in Gujarat, leading to a significant health crisis that predominantly affected children and resulted in multiple fatalities.

• Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) is characterized by a sudden onset of high-grade fever, convulsions, altered sensorium, and multi-organ dysfunction. Other common symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, and in severe cases, respiratory failure with nasal bleeding.
• AES can be caused by a variety of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites, as well as toxins and chemicals.
• The diagnosis of AES can be challenging due to the similarity of symptoms with other viral infections like Chandipura Vesiculovirus (CHPV), Enterovirus, Meningitis, and Japanese Encephalitis.

Specifics of the Gujarat outbreak:

• The outbreak spread over 26 of the 33 districts in Gujarat, affecting both rural and urban areas.
• Six major cities in the state reported cases, with some patients from neighbouring states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra also admitted to Gujarat hospitals.

Alpkarakush kyrgyzicus : Discovery

A new dinosaur species named Alpkarakush kyrgyzicus has been recently discovered, which walked the region of Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia around 165 million years ago.

• Alpkarakush kyrgyzicus is a new species of large theropod dinosaur discovered in the Middle Jurassic Balabansai formation in the northern part of the Fergana Depression, Kyrgyzstan.
• It roamed our planet during the Callovian age of the Jurassic period between 165 and 161 million years ago.
• The ancient predator was 7 to 8 m in body length, and had an extremely protruding ‘eyebrow’ on the so-called postorbital bone, a skull bone behind the eye opening, which indicates the presence of a horn at this point.
• It belongs to Metriacanthosauridae, a group of medium-to large-sized allosauroid theropod dinosaurs that are characterized by high arched skulls, plate-like elongate neural spines, and slender hindlimbs.
• Theropod dinosaurs are one of the most important large groups of dinosaurs, including well-known predators such as Tyrannosaurus and Allosaurus, as well as modern birds.
• Alpkarakush kyrgyzicus is also the first large Jurassic predatory dinosaur ever unearthed between central Europe and East Asia.

INS Mumbai:

The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mumbai will arrive at the port of Colombo for a three-day maiden visit to Sri Lanka.

• INS Mumbai is the third of the Delhi-class guided missile destroyers, indigenously built and commissioned into the Indian Navy on 22 January 2001.
• It was constructed at Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai.
• She was adjudged the ‘Best Ship’ thrice and the ‘Most Spirited Ship’ twice, which is a rare feat for any warship.
• The ship has been at the forefront of major Naval Operations like Op Parakram (2002), Op Sukoon (2006: evacuation of Indian, Nepalese, and Sri Lankan citizens from Lebanon), and Op Rahat (2015: evacuation of Indian and foreign nationals from Yemen).
• The ship completed its mid-life upgrade and joined the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam on 8 December 2023.
• With a displacement of over 6500 tons, the ship is manned by 350 sailors and 40 officers.
• The ship, spanning 163 metres in length and 17 metres at the beam, propelled by four gas turbines, is capable of achieving speeds in excess of 32 knots.
• Fitted with an enviable, state-of-the-art weapons suite, which includes Surface to Surface Missiles, Surface to Air Missiles,
• Anti-Submarine rockets, and torpedoes, the ship can unleash lethal firepower upon the enemy.
• The ship also operates all kinds of helicopters in the naval inventory, which are its extended eyes and ears.

19th India-Africa Business Conclave:

At the 19th India-Africa Business Conclave, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in New Delhi India has unveiled an ambitious plan to double its exports to African countries to USD 200 billion by 2030.

• This strategic push is aimed at bolstering economic ties and addressing mutual challenges and opportunities.
• Indian companies are poised to help Africa enhance its food production capacity by sharing advanced seed technologies, agro-processing methods, and setting up incubation centers.
• India can significantly enhance Africa’s food security by technology transfer, and expanding bilateral trade which reached USD 100 billion in 2022.

8th Dharma Dhamma Conference 2024:

The 8th Dharma Dhamma conference was organised by the India Foundation in collaboration with Gujarat University in Ahmedabad.

• Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar was the chief guest for the event.
• The theme for the 2024 conference is “Cosmology in Dharma and Dhamma.”
• Dharmic cosmology, unique to Indian traditions, frees people from the fear of death. It highlights the perspective that life is brief and may not have a definitive meaning.
• The roots of Dharmic cosmology are found in the Vedas and further developed in texts like the Itihasa-Purana and Brahmanas, as well as the Buddhist Nikayas and Sutras, and Jain Karikas and Sutras.
• The conference is an initiative of India Foundation, aiming to highlight the essential identity between the Dharma (Hindu) and Dhamma (Buddhist) viewpoints.
• India Foundation is an independent research centre focussed on the issues, challenges and opportunities of the Indian polity
• The conference seeks to facilitate the exchange of ideas and foster harmony between Hindu and Buddhist civilisations, emphasising their relevance over millennia.

Lando Norris Wins Dutch Grand Prix 2024:

The Dutch Grand Prix witnessed a spectacular display of skill and determination as Lando Norris secured his second career win, outpacing championship leader Max Verstappen in a thrilling race.

Chirag Paswan Re-Elected As President Of LJP For 5 years:

Union Minister Chirag Paswan was on August 25 re-elected as the national president of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) for the next five years. The decision was taken unanimously during the LJP(RV) national executive meeting held in Ranchi.

First Edition of E-Magazine ‘Sapno ki Udaan’:

On India’s National Space Day, marking the 1st anniversary of Chandrayaan-3’s landing on the lunar South Pole, the Department of School Education & Literacy, in collaboration with NCERT, launched the e-magazine ‘Sapno ki Udaan.’

‘Suicide Drones’:

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently unveiled a new type of “suicide drone,” with state media reporting that he personally oversaw a performance test of the weaponry. These drones, designed to carry explosives and crash into enemy targets like guided missiles, were showcased during a test conducted on August 24, 2024.

Congress Leader Vasantrao Chavan Passes Away at 70:

Veteran Congress leader and recently elected Nanded MP, Vasantrao Chavan, passed away at 4 a.m. on August 26, 2024, at KIMS Hospital in Hyderabad. Chavan, who was 70 years old, had been battling a prolonged illness and had been undergoing treatment for renal issues.

Chairman of Texas Economic Development Corporation:

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Arun Agarwal, a Dallas-based Indian-American entrepreneur, as the Chairman of the Texas Economic Development Corporation (TEDC) Board of Directors.

Certificates to 11 Lakh New ‘Lakhpati Didis’:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed certificates to 11 lakh new Lakhpati Didis in a function organised at Jalgaon in Maharashtra. The Prime Minister also felicitated Lakhpati Didis and discussed with them about their businesses.

India Welcomes First Civilian Space Tourist Gopichand Thotakura:

Gopichand Thotakura, India’s first civilian space tourist, received a warm welcome in Delhi upon his return on August 26, 2024. Thotakura made history by joining Blue Origin’s New Shepard-25 (NS-25) mission, founded by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, becoming the second Indian citizen to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission.