News In Short – 23-08-2024

Gumti River

Syllabus: GS1/ Geography

In Context

• India strongly denied claims of Bangladesh that flooding of eastern borders of Bangladesh had been caused by the opening of Dumbur dam upstream of the Gumti river in Tripura.

About Gumti River

• The Gumti River is a transboundary river that originates from a range connecting the Longtharai and Atharamura hills in the Indian state of Tripura.
• The river has a total length of 167.4 kilometers from its origin to the Indo-Bangladesh border. 
• After entering Bangladesh, the Gumti flows through the plains and eventually merges with the Meghna River system near Daudkandi.
• The river is fed by several right bank tributaries, including: Kanchi Gang, Pitra Gang, San Gang.
• The left bank tributaries of the Gumti River includes: Ek Chhari, Maharani Chhara, Ganga

Source: IE

Ukraine votes to join ICC

Syllabus: GS2/ International Relations

Context

• Ukraine’s parliament voted to join the International Criminal Court, as it seeks to bring Russia on charges over war crimes. 

The International Criminal Court (ICC)

• ICC investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. 
  • As a court of last resort, it seeks to complement, not replace, national Courts.
• History: Impetus for the court came from the ad hoc international tribunals set up in the 1990s to address the atrocity crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.
  • The Rome Statute laid the foundation for the establishment of the International Criminal Court in 2002. 
• Rome Statute:  The Rome Statute was adopted in 1998 by the United Nations.
  • It gives legal authority to investigate alleged crimes on the territory of its members or by their nationals, when domestic authorities are “unwilling or unable” to do so.
• Members: 124 countries are States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
  • However many countries never signed the treaty, including China, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. 
  • The countries which signed the statute, but never ratified it are Egypt, Iran, Israel, Russia, Sudan, Syria, and the United States. 
  • In February 2024, Armenia became the latest country to join the ICC after ratifying the Rome Statute in 2023.

Source: TOI

Eri silk 

Syllabus: Miscellaneous

Context

• The North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation (NEHHDC) under the Indian ministry of development of North Eastern region (DoNER) recently received the OEKO-TEX certification from Germany for its Eri silk.

Eri silk 

• Eri silk is known as the world’s only vegan silk, where, unlike other silks, the moth inside the cocoon is not killed. Instead, the moth naturally exits the cocoon, leaving it behind for use.
  • Hence it is also known as Ahimsa silk.
• The product is found mainly in North East India and some parts of China and Japan.
  • It is a Geographical Indication (GI) product of Assam.

Properties

• Eri silk is a protein fiber derived from cocoons made by the Samia Cynthia Ricini moth or Philosamia Ricini moth. 
• The texture of the fabric is coarse, fine, and dense. It is very strong, durable, and elastic.
• The Isothermal properties of Eri silk makes it cool in summer and its thermal properties make it warm in winter. 

Oeko-Tex certification

• It is recognised as a stringent standard for ensuring textiles that are free from harmful substances and produced under environmentally friendly conditions.

Source: TOI

Glass Ceiling

Syllabus: Miscellaneous

Context

• Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Vice President Kamala Harris’ confirmation as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate will help break through the “highest, hardest glass ceiling”.

About

• The term “glass ceiling” has long been invoked as a shorthand for the barriers women face in advancing to senior professional positions. 
• To say that the ceiling is glass suggests that, although it is very real, it is transparent and not obvious to the casual observer.
  • It also implies that what is on the other side is both visible yet inaccessible to those facing it.
• The term glass ceiling was first used in 1978 by writer and consultant Marilyn Loden at a panelist discussion about women in the workplace.
• The term came as American society witnessed the Second Wave of Feminism in the 1960s and ’70s. 
  • Women demanded equality across fields, including in the workplace. 
  • Laws were then introduced to deal with these issues, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, 1964, which prohibited employers from discriminating on the basis of sex.
  • US President George HW Bush established a Glass Ceiling Commission in 1991 to investigate these issues.

Source: IE

Terahertz

Syllabus: GS 3 / Science and Technology 

In News 

• TRAI recommended establishing a Terahertz Experimental Authorisation (THEA) for research and development in the 95 GHz – 3 THz frequency bands.

About 

• Indian entities including academia, research labs, government bodies, telecom providers, and manufacturers can apply for THEA.
• THEA aims to foster innovation in next-generation wireless technologies, enhancing capacity and reliability for various applications

About Terahertz (THz)

• Terahertz (THz) waves are ranged between microwave and infrared regions in the electromagnetic spectrum.
• THz technology has demonstrated promising potential for biomedical applications.
• Application Exploration of biological effects of THz waves has emerged as a critical new area in life sciences. It is critical to uncover the effects of THz waves on complex biological systems in order to lay out the framework for THz technology development and future applications.
  • Specifically, THz radiation has been shown to affect the nervous system, including the structure of nerve cell membranes, genes expressions, and cytokines level

Source : ET

Central Banker Report Cards 2024

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das has been ranked among the top three central bankers globally for the second consecutive year by US-based Global Finance magazine.

About

• Global Finance magazine in its Central Banker Report Cards 2024, newly announced the names of central bank governors from 100 countries across the globe.
• They received top grades, based on an “A+” to “F” scale for success in areas such as inflation control, economic growth goals, currency stability, and interest rate management.
  • An ‘A’ represents excellent performance, while an ‘F’ for outright failure.
• Denmark’s Christian Kettel Thomsen, India’s Shaktikanta Das and Switzerland’s Thomas Jordan have been ranked under the ‘A+’ category of central bankers.

About Annual Central Banker Report Cards

• It honour those bank leaders whose strategies outperformed their peers through originality, creativity and tenacity.
• It has been published annually by Global Finance since 1994 and ranks central bank governors of nearly 100 countries.

Source: IE

Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar

Syllabus: GS3/ S&T, Miscellaneous

Context

• Recently, the President of India presented the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar-2024 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

About the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2024

• It is a prestigious award that honours outstanding contributions to science and technology, and recognises exceptional scientists across various categories.
• Eligibility: There are no age limits for any prizes under the award categories.
  • These are open to Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) (maximum one for Vigyan Ratna; three for the Vigyan Shri and the VY-SSB; and no award for the Vigyan Team awards).
• These awards do not include any cash component; instead, they bestow a certificate and a medallion on the awardee.
• A committee (constituted annually) under the chairmanship of the principal scientific adviser selects the awardees.
  • However, the members of the committee are ineligible for the award during their tenure.

Award Categories and Awardees

• Vigyan Ratna Award: It celebrates lifetime contributions in any field of Science and Technology.
  • Recipient: Prof. Govindarajan Padmanabhan, a pioneer in molecular biology and biotechnology research in India. His work has significantly advanced our understanding of life sciences.
• Vigyan Shri Awards: These acknowledge distinguished contributions to Science and Technology.
  • Recipients: Thirteen scientists who have made path-breaking research in their respective domains. Their work spans a wide range of scientific disciplines.
• Vigyan Yuva-SSB Award: It recognises exceptional contributions by young scientists.
  • Recipients: Eighteen scientists who have significantly impacted fields such as Indian Ocean Warming; Indigenous 5G Base Station Development; Quantum Mechanics Precision Tests
• Vigyan Team Award: Given to teams of three or more scientists for groundbreaking research.
  • Recipient: Chandrayaan-3 Team

Source: PIB

Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES)

Syllabus: GS3/Agriculture

Context

• Ahead of the nationwide implementation of the Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES), the Centre has convened a national conference with the States to discuss the improvement in crop production statistics.

About

• DGCES aims to enhance the accuracy, reliability and transparency of agricultural statistics — which will help in policy formulation, trade decisions and agricultural planning.
• The conference discussed the need for integrating cutting-edge technologies like remote sensing, geospatial analysis and artificial intelligence in generating crop production statistics through revamped FASAL (Forecasting Agricultural output using Space, Agro-meteorology, and Land-based observations).
• The Digital Crop Survey is designed to provide plot-level data with geotagged areas of crops, serving as a single source of truth for accurate crop area estimation.
• Significance: The adoption of digital surveys and advanced technologies will lead to more efficient data collection, reduce discrepancies, and ultimately contribute to better policymaking in the agricultural sector.

Methodology of Crop Estimation

• The Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES) releases estimates of area, production and yield in respect of principal crops of foodgrains, oilseeds, sugarcane, fibers and important commercial and horticulture crops. 
• The estimates of crop production are obtained by multiplication of area estimates by corresponding yield estimates. 
• The estimates of area and yield rates assume prime importance in the entire gamut of agricultural statistics. 

Source: TH