News In Short 23-10-2024

Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)

Syllabus: GS1/ Physical Geography

In News

• Scientists have issued a stark warning about the potential collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).

About

• The collapse of the AMOC could have “devastating and irreversible” impacts, particularly on Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Finland, and Sweden). 
• These regions would experience extreme weather changes, including significant cooling and southward shift of tropical monsoon systems, disrupting agriculture and ecosystems globally.

Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)

• The AMOC is a large system of ocean currents. 
• It is the Atlantic branch of the ocean conveyor belt or Thermohaline circulation (THC).
• THC is a part of the large-scale ocean circulation that is driven by global density gradients created by surface heat and freshwater fluxes.
• AMOC distributes heat and nutrients throughout the world’s ocean basins.
• It carries warm surface waters from the tropics towards the Northern Hemisphere, where it cools and sinks. 

Source: Livescience

75 years of Bharatiya Adim Jati Sevak Sangh

Syllabus: GS1/ History

Context

• President Droupadi Murmu attended an event on the completion of 75 years of the Bharatiya Adim Jati Sevak Sangh in New Delhi.

Bharatiya Adim Jati Sevak Sangh

• It was established on October 24th, 1948 in Delhi by Thakkar Bapa (Amritlal Vithaldas Thakkar), with the objective of promoting the welfare of the tribal and marginalized communities in India. 
• Dr. Rajendra Prasad, was designated as the Founder-President of BAJSS. 
• It works on issues like poverty, illiteracy and poor health prevalent in the tribal society. 

Thakkar Bapa

• Amritlal Vithaldas Thakkar, also known as Thakkar Bapa, was born on 29 November 1869 in Bhavnagar, Gujarat.
• He was a prominent social reformer, freedom fighter, and humanitarian, renowned for his dedication to the upliftment of tribal and marginalized communities in India.
• Early life: He worked as an engineer for several years in India and abroad. Later he was  inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and the values of truth and non-violence.
• Contribution to freedom struggle: Thakkar Bappa joined India’s freedom struggle and became an ardent advocate for the welfare of underprivileged communities.
  • In 1918, he played a crucial role in presenting the Compulsory Primary Education Bill to the Bombay Legislative Council. 
  • Thakkar Bappa was actively involved in setting up the Harijan Sevak Sangh in 1932.
• Literary work: He authored the book, Tribes of India, published in 1950. 

Source: PIB

Kartarpur Corridor

Syllabus: GS2/IR

Context

• India and Pakistan agreed to renew their agreement to operate the Kartarpur Corridor to facilitate pilgrims from India to visit the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara for another five years.

About

• The agreement was signed in 2019 and was operationalised for the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus.
• It provides for visa-free travel of Indian pilgrims, as well as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders, from India on a daily basis, throughout the year, however, all pilgrims are required to return the same day.
• There is no restriction on the faith of the pilgrims who travel through the corridor.

What is the Kartarpur Corridor?

• It serves as a visa-free border crossing and religious corridor, linking the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan to Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab.
• The Indian part of the corridor involves a 4.1-km-long, four-lane highway from Dera Baba Nanak to the international border.
• Pakistani Sikhs do not have access to this corridor and cannot visit Dera Baba Nanak in India without first obtaining an Indian visa.

Source: TH

Third Phase of the Amazon Future Engineer Program

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance

Context

• National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) launched the Third Phase of the ‘Amazon Future Engineer Program’.

About

• The Future Engineer Programme serves as a stepping stone in creating Computer awareness for the tribal students of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS). 
• The Program was launched in 50 EMRSs spread across Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana and Tripura. 
• The third phase would include an orientation on blockchain, artificial intelligence, coding, block programming and AI sessions.

National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS)

• NESTS fosters technological literacy and modernizing education for tribal students across the nation. 
• Through the capacity-building programs, NESTS aims to ensure that tribal students are well-prepared for future careers in STEM fields, contributing to India’s technological advancement.

Source: PIB

Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 

Syllabus :GS 2/Governance 

In News

• The Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955.

Section 6A

• It originates from the Assam Accord signed in 1985, establishing a framework for citizenship based on the cut-off date of March 25, 1971, which marked the onset of the Bangladesh Liberation War.
• Under it, Migrants of Indian origin entering Assam before January 1, 1966, are granted citizenship, while those arriving between January 1, 1966, and March 24, 1971, receive citizenship rights except voting for ten years.
  • Individuals entering after March 25, 1971, are classified as foreigners and subject to deportation.

Challenge to Section 6A

• Petitioners argued that the cut-off date is discriminatory, violating Article 14 (right to equality) and inconsistent with Articles 6 and 7, which govern citizenship related to Partition-era migration.
• They claimed it disrupts the demographic balance and infringes on the cultural and linguistic rights of indigenous populations, invoking Article 29.

Majority Ruling

• The majority upheld the differentiated treatment for Assam, citing its unique historical context.
• Justices stated that the provision does not violate Article 14, balancing humanitarian considerations with the impact of mass migration on Assam’s resources.
• They clarified that Section 6A is not inconsistent with Articles 6 and 7, as it addresses individuals not covered by those provisions.
• The majority interpreted Article 29 to allow coexistence of cultures and noted grievances may stem from inadequate enforcement of deportation of illegal immigrants.

Dissenting Opinion

• Justice Pardiwala found Section 6A unconstitutional, arguing it has failed to curb illegal migration and lacks a sunset clause, leading to demographic imbalances.
• He criticized the provision for not allowing self-identification as a foreigner, making detection reliant on state intervention, which deviates from the principles of the Citizenship Act.

Source: TH

Cobenfy: New drug for Schizophrenia

Syllabus :GS 3/Science and Technology

In News

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Cobenfy, a new drug for treating schizophrenia, which combines xanomeline and trospium chloride. 

Schizophrenia 

• Schizophrenia is a serious psychiatric disorder affecting about 1% of the population, often leading to social isolation and a significantly reduced life expectancy.
• Causes : The disorder is multifactorial, with strong genetic links and environmental factors. Key points include:
  • Genetic risk factors identified through genome-wide association studies.
  • Neurodevelopmental influences, such as prenatal complications, can significantly increase risk.
• Symptoms typically begin in late adolescence or early adulthood, and include:
  • Prodromal Symptoms: Feelings of change, anxiety, social withdrawal.
  • Clinical Symptoms: Divided into positive symptoms (delusions, hallucinations), negative symptoms (apathy, reduced emotional expression), and disorganization (thought disorder, inappropriate behavior).
• Effect:  Cognitive Impairments: 
• Treatment : The approval of Cobenfy marks a significant development in schizophrenia treatment, providing a new option with a different mechanism of action.
  • Cobenfy  is a combination of xanomeline and trospium chloride.

• Xanomeline: A muscarinic receptor agonist potentially beneficial for all schizophrenia symptoms.
• Trospium Chloride: An antimuscarinic agent that helps mitigate xanomeline’s side effects.
• Cobenfy’s common side effects include nausea, indigestion, hypertension, tachycardia, and dizziness

Source :TH

Fourth nuclear-powered Ballistic Missile Submarine 

Syllabus: G3/Defence

Context

• India’s fourth nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), referred to as S4* was launched in Visakhapatnam.

About

• India currently has two SSBNs operational. 
• INS Arihant was commissioned into service in 2016. 
• The second SSBN, INS Arighaat (S3) was commissioned in August 2024.
• The 3rd SSBN Aridhman (S4) is currently undergoing sea trials and is expected to be commissioned into service next year.

Aridhman (S4)

• It has nearly 75% indigenous content and is equipped only with 3,500 km range K-4 nuclear ballistic missiles, which can be fired through vertical launching systems. 
• With unlimited range and endurance, the SSBN is constrained only by food supplies, crew fatigue and maintenance.
• The Indian Navy continues to modernize and expand its submarine fleet to meet evolving security challenges and enhance its maritime capabilities.

Source: TH

Discovery of New Genus of Jumping Spiders ‘Tenkana’

Syllabus :GS 3/Environment 

In News

• A team of arachnologists has identified a new genus of jumping spiders named Tenkana, found across southern India.

Tenkana

• The genus name, derived from the Kannada word for “south,” reflects its geographic range, which spans southern India and northern Sri Lanka.
• Tenkana spiders belong to the Plexippina subtribe and differ from related genera like Hyllus and Telamonia. Unlike their forest-dwelling relatives, Tenkana spiders prefer drier habitats and ground areas, being found in states such as Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
• The new species, Tenkana jayamangali, was discovered in Karnataka and named after the Jayamangali river, its initial sighting location.

• Two speciespreviously categorized under the genus Colopsus—
  • Tenkana manu and Tenkana arkavathi—have now been reclassified into the new genus.
    • The former was named in honor of Dr. Manu Thomas, a retired professor, in 2014.

Source :TH

5th National Water Awards

Syllabus: Miscellaneous

Context

• The President of India, conferred the 5th National Water Awards in New Delhi.

About

• The National Water Awards focus on the good work and efforts made by individuals and organizations across the country in attaining the government’s vision of a Jal Samridh Bharat.
• The Awards were introduced in 2018 by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, and first were given in 2019.
• The awards were presented to 38 winners in nine categories including Best State, Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best Water User Association and Best Civil Society.
• Winners in best District category;
  • Banda (Uttar Pradesh) from North Zone and Ganderbal (J&K) from north zone (joint winner),
  • Indore (Madhya Pradesh) from west zone,
  • Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) from south zone,
  • Balangir (Odisha) from east zone
  • Dhalai (Tripura) from the North East zone.

Source: PIB

Spraying Diamond dust to cool Earth

Syllabus: GS3/Environment/Science and Technology

Context

• A new study has argued that spraying millions of tonnes of diamond dust in the Earth’s upper atmosphere every year could help cool down the Earth and combat global warming.

About

• Several other compounds, such as sulphur, calcium, aluminium, and silicon, have been suggested previously for doing the same job. 
• The central idea here is to scatter material that can reflect solar radiation into Space and prevent it from reaching Earth, thereby cooling down the planet.
  • The installation of space-based mirrors has also been proposed.
• Such solutions, called geo-engineering (more specifically solar radiation management), have been under study for quite some time, though they have never been tried. 

Geoengineering 

• Geoengineering refers to any large-scale attempt to alter the Earth’s natural climate system to counter the adverse impacts of global warming. 
• Solar Radiation Management (SRM), in which materials are proposed to be deployed in Space to reflect incoming solar rays and prevent them from reaching Earth, is one of the two broad geoengineering options being explored.

Source: IE