News In Short 19-12-2024

Annual Sahitya Akademi Awards

Syllabus: GS1/Culture

Context

• Hindi poet Gagan Gill and English writer Easterine Kire are among the 21 recipients of the annual Sahitya Akademi Awards.

Sahitya Akademi Awards

• Every year since its inception in 1954, the Sahitya Akademi Award prizes the most outstanding books of literary merit published in any of the 24 major Indian languages. 
• The first Awards were given in 1955.
• The award includes an engraved copper plaque, a shawl, and a cash prize.
  • The plaque was designed by the Indian film-maker Satyajit Ray.

Sahitya Akademi

• It is India’s national academy of letters, established in 1954 by the Government of India. 
• It is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture, and its headquarters are located in New Delhi.
• Its primary role is to promote Indian literature in various languages, preserve the nation’s literary heritage, and foster literary activities in the country. 

Source: TH

IMD’s Initiatives For Weather Forcasting

Syllabus: GS1/ Geography

In Context

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has taken a lot of steps to address the growing challenges posed by climate change, including rising global temperatures and extreme weather events.

IMD’s Initiatives For Weather Forcasting

• Impact-Based Forecasts (IBF): IMD has shifted to Impact-Based Forecasting, focusing on what the weather will do rather than what it will be (Potential Impacts & guidelines)
• Climate Hazard & Vulnerability Atlas: Developed an online atlas for 13 hazardous meteorological events, aiding in planning and disaster risk reduction.
• Mobile App Services: IMD has introduced user-friendly mobile applications for disseminating weather-related information:
  • UMANG App: Provides seven IMD services, including current weather, city forecasts, and cyclone alerts.
  • MAUSAM App: Offers weather forecasts for the general public.
  • Meghdoot App: Specializes in agromet advisories for farmers.
  • Damini App: Sends lightning alerts to reduce lightning-related casualties.
• Collaboration with NDMA: Guidelines for preparedness were created in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and state governments.
  • Common Alert Protocol (CAP) is developed by NDMA and implemented by IMD to disseminate real-time warnings for extreme weather events.

Source: PIB

Henderson Doctrine

Syllabus: GS2/ Polity and Governance

Context

• In a recent case, the Supreme Court explained Henderson doctrine, a natural corollary of the Indian doctrine of constructive Res-judicata codified in Explanation IV of Section 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC).

About

• The Henderson Doctrine, originating from the 1843 English case Henderson v. Henderson, asserts that once a matter has been litigated, it should not be revisited in subsequent proceedings. 
• It prevents the re-litigation of issues that were or could have been addressed in the original proceedings. 
• This principle aims to instill a sense of sanctity toward judicial determinations and prevent the exploitation of procedural rules to fragment disputes or prolong litigation. 

Source: LiveLaw

India Sets up its First Diabetes Biobank

Syllabus: GS2/ Health

Context

• India has established its first biobank for diabetes in Chennai.

About

• A biobank is a facility that collects, processes, stores, and distributes biological samples, such as blood, tissues, and DNA.
• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), in collaboration with the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF), has launched this diabetes biobank.
• This initiative aims to advance scientific studies on diabetes, focusing on its causes, variations, and complications in the Indian population.

Significance of the Biobank

• Support for Scientific Research: It will enable researchers to access a diverse range of biospecimens from individuals with various types of diabetes, including Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes.
• Identification of Biomarkers: The biobank can help in the discovery of novel biomarkers for early diagnosis of diabetes.
  • Biomarkers are critical for developing personalized treatment and management strategies.
• India is known as the diabetes capital of the world, with over 10 crore diabetes cases and around 13.6 crore pre-diabetes cases.

Types of diabetes – Type 1 diabetes: The body does not make insulin since the immune system attacks and destroys the cells in your pancreas that make insulin. 1. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, although it can appear at any age. 2. People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day to stay alive. – Type 2 diabetes: The body does not make or use insulin well. 1. One can develop type 2 diabetes at any age, even during childhood. However, this type of diabetes occurs most often in middle-aged and older people. 2. Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes.

Source: TH

Varmam Therapy

Syllabus: GS2/ Health 

Context

• The National Institute of Siddha (NIS) has set a Guinness World Record for providing Varmam therapy to 567 individuals simultaneously. 

What is Varmam therapy?

• Varmam therapy, a unique and traditional healing modality within the Siddha system of medicine, has long been revered for its effectiveness in treating various health conditions. 
• It is particularly renowned for its ability to provide rapid relief for musculoskeletal pain, injuries, and neurological disorders. 
• The Varmakalai (the martial art form associated with Varmam) in Siddha medicine, is a scientifically grounded therapeutic practice used to treat acute and chronic diseases, including stroke, arthritis, and trauma-related injuries. 

National Institute of Siddha (NIS)  – National Institute of Siddha is an institute for study and research of Siddha medicine operating under the Ministry of AYUSH. – It was established in 2005 at Tambaram, Chennai, India.

Source: PIB

Golan Heights

Syllabus :GS 2/IR

 In News

• The Israeli government decided to double its population on the occupied Golan Heights, citing continued threats from Syria despite the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.

About Golan Heights

• The Golan is a fertile, 1,200-square-kilometer plateau, important for its water resources, fertile soil, and strategic position overlooking Israel, Lebanon, and Jordan.
• Historical Context: Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed it in 1981, a move not recognized internationally.
  • In 2019, former President Donald Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, though most countries have not supported the annexation.
• Current Population: About 31,000 Israelis live in the Golan, mostly involved in farming and tourism. The region also has a Druze population of 24,000, many of whom identify as Syrian.

• Significance:
  • Strategic Overlook: Dominates northern Israel, crucial for military observation and defense.
  • Water Security: Vital source of freshwater for Israel.
  • Defensive Barrier: Natural barrier protecting Israel.
  • Agriculture: Fertile land for crops and vineyards.

Sources : DD News 

Milkweed Fiber

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy and Environment

Context

• The Ministry of Textiles has urged Japanese brand Uniqlo to expand its R&D into new natural fibers, including milkweed. 

About: Milkweed

• Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L) belongs to the genus Asclepias of the family Aselepiadaceae and is also known as stubborn weed. 
• In India, it is found as a wild plant in the states of Rajasthan, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
• It tolerates light shade but thrives in full sun, growing up to 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall.
• Its use as a milkweed fibre was found in Europe during the 18th century and was also used as a filling for life jackets during World War II. 
• In more recent years, the insulation, floatation, and absorption qualities of the fibers have gained recognition for their market potential. 

Do you know?

• Milkweed is the only food source for the monarch butterfly caterpillar, an iconic but declining species of North America.
• Native Americans, in the 1880’s, used this plant as a contraceptive and snakebite remedy.

Source: PIB

Synthetic Mirror Bacteria

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• The international group of Nobel laureates and other experts warn that mirror bacteria would present an “unprecedented risk” to life on Earth.

About

• Synthetic mirror bacteria is a concept where synthetic biology tools are used to engineer bacteria that exhibit mirrored or chiral behaviors, structures, or molecular products.
  • They are constructed from mirror images of molecules found in nature.
• Application: In drug development, materials science, and environmental remediation. 
• Concerns Raised:
  • They can cause lethal infections.
  • The researchers doubt the microbes could be safely contained or kept in check by natural competitors and predators. 
  • Existing antibiotics are unlikely to be effective on them.
• The scientists  recommend that research with the goal of creating mirror bacteria not be permitted.

Source: TG

Kisan Kavach

Syllabus: GS 3/Science and Tech /Economy 

In News

• The Union Minister of State for Science and Technology launched “Kisan Kavach”.

About “Kisan Kavach”

• It is India’s first anti-pesticide bodysuit designed to protect farmers from harmful pesticide exposure.
• Development: Kisan Kavach was developed by BRIC-inStem, Bangalore, in collaboration with Sepio Health Pvt. Ltd.
• Technology: The suit uses advanced fabric technology that deactivates harmful pesticides upon contact through nucleophilic mediated hydrolysis, providing protection against pesticide toxicity.
• Affordability: The bodysuit is priced at ₹4,000, lasts up to a year, and is washable and reusable.
• Significance: To safeguard farmers from pesticide-induced toxicity, which can lead to serious health issues such as breathing disorders, vision loss, and even death.

Source: IE

Bharatgen

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• BharatGen is a multimodal multilingual large language model initiative, developing advanced generative AI models tailored to India’s linguistic, cultural, and socio-economic diversity.

About

• It is the first Government-funded Multimodal Large Language Model Initiative.
• Aim: To ensure that generative AI models adequately represent India’s diverse linguistic landscape.
  • It reduces reliance on foreign technologies and strengthens the domestic AI ecosystem for startups, industries, and government agencies.
• The four key distinguishing features of BharatGen are:
  • the multilingual and multimodal nature of foundation models; 
  • bhartiya data set based building, and training; 
  • open-source platform and 
  • development of an ecosystem of generative AI research in the country. 
• BharatGen has launched an initiative called “Bharat Data Sagar”, focusing on primary data collection.
  • This data collection attempts to meet the requirement that training data is available for Indian languages that are less represented.

Source: PIB

Sugar Production Down by 17%

Syllabus: GS3/ Agriculture

Context

• Sugar production in the current 2024-25 marketing year (October-September) reached 61.39 lakh tonnes as against 74.05 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period of the preceding year.

Sugar Production in India

• India has been the largest consumer and second largest producer of sugar in the world.
• Production process: Sugar is produced from sugarcane by crushing the crop, extracting the juice, boiling it to form a syrup, crystallizing it, and centrifuging the raw sugar crystals.
• Location of Sugar Industry in India: Sugar industry is broadly distributed over two major areas of production:
  • Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana and Punjab in the north and 
  • Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in the south.

Geographical Conditions for Sugarcane Growth

• Climate: Requires hot (21°-27°C) and humid (75-150 cm) conditions.
  • Excess rainfall reduces sugar content; insufficient rain produces fibrous crops. Cool, dry winters aid ripening.
  • South India has tropical climate which is suitable for higher sucrose content giving higher yield per unit area as compared to north India.
• Temperature: Above 20°C with clear skies thickens juice.
• Soil: Prefers moisture-retentive soil but depletes fertility over time.

Source: TH

Jetson Orin Nano Super

Syllabus :GS 3/Science and Tech 

In News

• Leading graphic processing units (GPUs) maker Nvidia  introduced the Jetson Orin Nano Super.

Jetson Orin Nano Super

• It is  a compact generative AI supercomputer with improved performance and a software upgrade.
• It fits in the palm of hand, offers powerful AI capabilities for developers and students to create AI tools.
• It is designed to make AI more accessible for businesses of all sizes, enabling small businesses to deploy AI solutions efficiently.
• It is suitable for a variety of applications including smart surveillance, robotics, smart retail, healthcare, AI-powered smart homes, autonomous vehicles, research, content creation, and more.

Source :IE

Dark Comets

Syllabus: GS3/ S&T, Space

In News

• NASA researchers have identified additional dark comets and Oumuamua-like objects (these objects are believed to be messengers from afar), expanding our understanding of these intriguing celestial phenomena.
• What are Dark Comets?
  Dark comets are celestial objects that:
  • Resemble asteroids but behave like comets. They spin rapidly, dispersing escaping gas and dust in multiple directions.
  • Have limited surface material to form visible tails, making them harder to detect.
  • Unlike typical comets or asteroids, dark comets exhibit deviations in their orbit. These deviations cannot be attributed to the Yarkovsky effect, a phenomenon where the uneven emission of heat energy alters the path of celestial objects.

Source: IndiaToday