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Key Points ¾ About: The Nile, Africa’s longest river, has been at the center of a decade-long complex dispute involving several countries that are dependent on the river’s waters.
Ethiopia began the construction of the GERD in 2011 on the Blue Nile.
z This 145-meter-tall hydropower project is Africa’s biggest dam project and will have lasting impacts on its longest river- Nile. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z Blue Nile is a tributary of the Nile river and it carries about two-thirds of the river’s water volume and most of the silt.
Egypt, which lies downstream, has objected to the construction of the dam and proposed a longer timeline for the project.
58 CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 2021 Note: www.drishtiIAS.com z It does not want the water level of the Nile to dramatically drop as the reservoir fills with water in the initial stages.
Sudan has also been involved due to its location. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
The Nile is an important water source in the region so there are concerns that this dispute may evolve into a full-fledged conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia.
Recently, the USA has stepped in to mediate.
¾ Dam’s Importance for Ethiopia: Ethiopia believes this dam will generate approximately 6,000 megawatts of electricity which will support its industrial growth.
It can also export surplus electricity to neighbouring regions to generate revenue. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z Neighbouring countries like Kenya, Sudan, Eritrea and South Sudan also suffer from electricity shortages and they can also benefit from the hydropower project if Ethiopia decides to sell electricity to them.
¾ Egypt’s Concern: Egypt lies downstream and is concerned that Ethiopia’s control over the water could result in lower water levels within its own borders.
Egypt depends on the Nile for approximately 97% of its drinking water and irrigation supplies. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
The dam would jeopardise food and water security and livelihoods of ordinary Egyptian citizens.
¾ Sudan’s Stand: Sudan too is concerned that if Ethiopia were to gain control over the river, it would affect the water levels Sudan receives.
However, Sudan is likely to benefit from the power generated by the dam.
The regulated flow of the river will save Sudan from serious flooding in August and September.
Thus it has proposed joint management of the dam.
Nile River ¾ The River Nile is in Africa. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Nile River ¾ The River Nile is in Africa.
It originates in Burundi, south of the equator, and flows northward through northeastern Africa, eventually flowing through Egypt and finally draining into the Mediterranean Sea.
¾ The source of the Nile is sometimes considered to be Lake Victoria, but the lake itself has feeder rivers of considerable size like the Kagera River.
¾ The Nile River is considered as one of the longest rivers in the world. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
The Nile is formed by three principal streams: the Blue Nile, the Atbara, and the White Nile.
¾ The Nile basin is huge and includes parts of Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Congo (Kinshasa), Kenya.
¾ The Nile River forms an arcuate delta as it empties into the Mediterranean Sea.
Deltas with triangular or fan-shape are called arcuate (arc-like) deltas. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting Why in News Recently, Italy hosted the G-20 foreign ministers’ meeting to discuss the fight against Covid-19 and how to speed up the recovery of the global economy and boost sustainable development in Africa.
¾ Currently, Italy holds the presidency of G-20.
The G-20 summit is scheduled to be held in Italy in October, 2021.
¾ India is expected to hold the presidency of the G-20 in 2023. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
G-20 ¾ The G20 is an informal group of 19 countries and the European Union, with representatives of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
¾ The G20 membership comprises a mix of the world’s largest advanced and emerging economies, representing about two-thirds of the world’s population, 85% of global gross domestic product, 80% of global investment and over 75% of global trade. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
¾ The members of the G20 are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.
¾ It does not have any permanent secretariat or headquarters.
Key Points ¾ About the Meeting: On Covid-19: z Criticized China and Russia for engaging in vaccine diplomacy. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 2021 59 Note: www.drishtiIAS.com Vaccine diplomacy is the branch of global health diplomacy in which a nation uses the development or delivery of vaccines to strengthen ties with other nations.
z Promoting a science-based holistic One Health approach.
‘One Health’ is an approach to designing and implementing programmes, policies, legislation and research in which multiple sectors communicate and work together to achieve better public health outcomes. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
On Climate Change: z Increased climate variability and extreme weather events impact agriculture output and are among the forces driving the rise in global hunger.
On Africa: z The Covid-19 pandemic, conflict, drought, economic woes, and extreme weather are reversing years of progress.
z In the whole of Africa, 250 million people were experiencing hunger, which is nearly 20% of the population (as of 2019).
¾ India’s Stand: Flagged the issue of “vaccine equity”. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z This came in the wake of the European Union’s (EU) opposition to India’s and South Africa’s proposal to increase large-scale manufacturing of vaccines by waiving some parts of the intellectual property rules under the Agreement on Trade- Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement).
z These rules prevent international firms with the capacity to produce approved vaccinations owing to issues with licencing. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Economy needs decentralised globalisation, including in manufacturing, food and health.
Resilient supply chains must develop in parallel.
z Today, the world is much more interlinked and interdependent.
But it should not be that globalisation should apply only to resources and markets while production centres remain concentrated in the hands of a few. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z Many countries, including India, faced difficulties getting medical equipment during the pandemic and faced disruption in a number of areas - such as a computer chip shortage and stalling automobile production.
¾ Vaccine Equity: About: z It entails both affordability of vaccines and access opportunities for populations across the world, irrespective of geography and geopolitics. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Need: z Inequitable vaccine distribution is not only leaving untold millions of people vulnerable to the virus but also allowing deadly variants to emerge and bounce back across the world.
z As variants continue to spread, even countries with advanced vaccination programs have been forced to reimpose stricter public health measures, and some have implemented travel restrictions. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Initiative to Ensure Vaccine Equity: z COVAX: It is a global initiative aimed at equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines led by UNICEF, Gavi (The Vaccine Alliance) , the World Health Organization, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and others.
z India also began its ‘Vaccine Maitri’ to supply Covid vaccine to different nations. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
India Joins OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework Tax Deal Why in News India and the majority of the members of OECD-G20 Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) have joined a new two-pillar plan to reform international taxation rules.
¾ The two-pillar plan - inclusive framework tax deal on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS)- seeks to reform international tax rules and ensure that multinational enterprises pay their fair share wherever they operate. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Key Points ¾ About: The signatories of the plan amounted to 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing more than 90% of global GDP.
60 CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 2021 Note: www.drishtiIAS.com The new framework seeks to address the tax challenges arising from the digitalisation of economies.
It also seeks to address concerns over cross-border profit shifting and bring in subject-to-tax rule to stop treaty shopping. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z Treaty shopping is an attempt by a person to indirectly access the benefits of a tax treaty between two countries without being a resident of any of those.
¾ Two Pillar Plan: Pillar One: z It will ensure a fairer distribution of profits and taxing rights among countries with respect to the largest MNEs, including digital companies. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z It would re-allocate some taxing rights over MNEs from their home countries to the markets where they have business activities and earn profits, regardless of whether firms have a physical presence there.
z According to OECD, more than USD 100 billion of profit are expected to be reallocated to market jurisdictions each year.
Pillar Two: It is about minimum tax and subject- to-tax rules (All sources of income liable to tax without taking account of tax allowances). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z It seeks to put a minimum standard tax rate among countries through a global minimum corporate tax rate, currently proposed at 15%.
z This is expected to generate an additional USD 150 billion in tax revenues.
¾ Significance: It will ensure that large multinational companies pay their fair share of tax everywhere. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
The two-pillar package will provide much-needed support to governments needing to raise necessary revenues to repair their budgets and their balance sheets while investing in essential public services, infrastructure and the measures necessary to help optimise the strength and the quality of the post-Covid recovery.
¾ India’s Stand: India will have to roll back the equalisation levy that it imposes on companies such as Google, Amazon and Facebook when the global tax regime is implemented. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z It is aimed at taxing foreign companies which have a significant local client base in India but are billing them through their offshore units, effectively escaping the country’s tax system.
z The levy at 6% has been in force since 2016 on payment exceeding Rs 1 lakh a year to a non-resident service provider for online advertisements.
India favours a wider application of the law to ensure that the country won’t collect less under the proposed framework than it gets through the equalisation levy. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
India is in favour of a consensus solution which is simple to implement and simple to comply with.
The solution should result in allocation of meaningful and sustainable revenue to market jurisdictions, particularly for developing and emerging economies.
The Two Pillar Plan justifies India’s stand for a greater share of profits for the markets and consideration of demand side factors in profit allocation. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) ¾ BEPS is a term used to describe tax planning strategies that exploit mismatches and gaps that exist between the tax rules of different jurisdictions.
¾ It is done to minimize the corporation tax that is payable overall, by either making tax profits ‘disappear’ or shift profits to low tax jurisdictions where there is little or no genuine activity. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
¾ In general BEPS strategies are not illegal; rather they take advantage of different tax rules operating in different jurisdictions.
¾ BEPS is of major significance for developing countries due to their heavy reliance on corporate income tax, particularly from multinational enterprises (MNEs).
¾ The BEPS initiative is an OECD initiative, approved by the G20, to identify ways of providing more standardised tax rules globally. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
OECD: It is an intergovernmental economic organisation, founded to stimulate economic progress and world trade.
z Most OECD members are high-income economies and are regarded as developed countries.
CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 2021 61 Note: www.drishtiIAS.com G20: It is the leading international forum for economic, financial and political cooperation of large economies.
India is a member of G20, however, not a member but a key partner of OECD ¾ The OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework was established in 2016. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
India has ratified the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting(“Multilateral Instrument” or “MLI”) - outcome of the OECD / G20 Project to tackle BEPS.
7th Edition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium Why in News Recently, the 7th edition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) was hosted by the French Navy at Réunion island.
¾ It is a biennial event which was conceived by the Indian Navy in 2008. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Key Points ¾ About: The IONS is a voluntary and inclusive initiative that brings together navies of Indian Ocean Region littoral states to increase maritime co-operation and enhance regional security.
It also serves to develop an effective response mechanism and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) against natural disasters. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
The chairmanship of IONS has been held by India (2008-10), UAE (2010-12), South Africa (2012-14), Australia (2014-16), Bangladesh (2016-18) and Islamic Republic of Iran (2018-21).
z France assumed the Chairmanship in June 2021 for a two-year tenure.
¾ Members: IONS includes 24 member nations that touch or lie within the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), and 8 observer nations. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
The members have been geographically grouped into the following four sub-regions: z South Asian Littorals: Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and United Kingdom (British Indian Ocean Territory) z West Asian Littorals: Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates z East African Littorals: France (Reunion), Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa, and Tanzania. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z South East Asian and Australian Littorals: Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Timor-Leste.
¾ Significance For India: IONS fits into India’s three-fold ambitions in the region: z Strengthening and deepening the relations with the Indian Ocean littoral states; z Establishing its leadership potential and aspi rations of being a net-security provider; and z Fulfilling India’s vision of a rules-based and stable maritime order in the IOR. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
It will help India to consolidate its sphere of influence from the Straits of Malacca to Hormuz.
IONS can be used to counter-balance the increasing presence of China in the region.
¾ Other Important Groupings/Initiatives Associated with IOR: Indian Ocean Rim Association: The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) was established in 1997. z It is aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian Ocean region. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
62 CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 2021 Note: www.drishtiIAS.com Indian Ocean Commission: Recently, India has been approved as an observer of the Indian Ocean Commission, the inter-governmental organization that coordinates maritime governance in the south-western Indian Ocean.
Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR): It was launched in 2015. z Through SAGAR, India seeks to deepen economic and security cooperation with its maritime neighbours and assist in building their maritime security capabilities. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Asia Africa Growth Corridor: The idea of Asia Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) emerged in the joint declaration issued by India and Japan in 2016. z The AAGC is raised on four pillars of Development and Cooperation Projects, Quality Infrastructure and Institutional Connectivity, Enhancing Capacities and Skills and People-to-People partnership. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Road Ahead for Afghanistan after US Exit Why in News Recently, the US troops departed from the biggest airbase in Afghanistan after the 20-year-long war, effectively ending their military operations in the country.
Key Points ¾ Background: On 11th September 2001, terrorist attacks in America killed nearly 3,000 people.
z Osama Bin Laden, the head of Islamist terror group al-Qaeda, was quickly identified as the man responsible. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
The Taliban, radical Islamists who ran Afghanistan at that time, protected Bin Laden, and refused to hand him over.
So, a month after 9/11, the US launched airstrikes against Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom).
After the attacks, the NATO coalition troops declared war on Afghanistan.
The US dislodged the Taliban regime and established a transitional government in Afghanistan.
¾ Reason for US Pull Back: The US had reached the conclusion long ago that the war was unwinnable. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
The US administration had sent a representative to the first-ever meeting between the Taliban and the Afghan government that was hosted by Pakistan in Murree in 2015. z However, the Murree talks did not progress.
Doha Talk: The US appointed a special envoy for Afghanistan with a mandate to directly negotiate with the Taliban.
They held talks with Taliban representatives in Doha that led to the February 2020 agreement between the US and the insurgents. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z Before the Doha talks started, the Taliban had maintained that they would hold direct talks only with the US, and not with the Kabul government, which they did not recognise.
z The US effectively accepted this demand when they cut the Afghan government off the process and entered direct talks with the insurgents. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
¾ Terms of Agreement between the US and the Taliban: It dealt with four aspects of the conflict — violence, foreign troops, intra-Afghan peace talks and the use of Afghan soil by terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (the IS has an Afghan unit).
In the agreement, the US administration promised that it would withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan by 1st May, 2021. z The deadline has been pushed to 11th September 2021. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
The Taliban promised to reduce violence, join intra- Afghan peace talks and cut all ties with foreign terrorist groups.
CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 2021 63 Note: www.drishtiIAS.com ¾ India’s reach out to the Taliban: India made contacts with the Taliban in Doha.
z This signals a late but realist acknowledge- ment from the Indian side that the Taliban would play a critical role in Afghanistan in the coming years.
India has three critical areas in dealing with the Taliban. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z Protecting its investments, which run into billions of rupees, in Afghanistan; z Preventing a future Taliban regime from being a pawn of Pakistan; z Making sure that the Pakistan-backed anti- India terrorist groups do not get support from the Taliban.
In the past, India chose not to engage the Taliban (New Delhi had backed the Northern Alliance) and the costs were dear when the Taliban was in power.
z In November 2001, the Northern Alliance took control of the Afghanistan capital Kabul. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
The Northern Alliance fought a defensive war against the Taliban government and were being helped by the US and other countries that agreed with it, including the UK.
¾ Possible Scenarios for Afghanistan: The American withdrawal has turned the balance of power in the battleground in favour of the Taliban.
They are already making rapid advances, and could launch a major offensive targeting the city centres and provincial capitals once the Americans are out. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
There could be three scenarios: z There could be a political settlement in which the Taliban and the government agree to some power-sharing mechanism and jointly shape the future of Afghanistan.
As of now, this looks like a remote possibility.
z An all-out civil war may be possible, in which the government, economically backed and militarily trained by the West, holds on to its positions in key cities and the Taliban expand its reach in the countryside, while other ethnic militias fight for their fiefs. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
This is already unfolding.
z The Taliban taking over the country.
nnn 64 CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 2021 Note: www.drishtiIAS.com Methane in the Moons of Saturn Why in News NASA’s (National Aeronautics and Space Adminis- tration) Cassini spacecraft had detected an unusually high concentration of methane, along with carbon dioxide and dihydrogen, in the moons (Titan and Enceladus) of Saturn by flying through their plumes (in 2017). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
¾ It found that Titan has methane in its atmosphere and Enceladus has a liquid ocean with erupting plumes of gas and water.
¾ An international research team has used new statistical methods to understand if methanogenesis or methane production by microbes could explain the molecular hydrogen and methane.
Key Points ¾ Findings: Cassini found ice particles, salts, hydrogen and organic molecules in the plumes, tentative hints of an ocean that is similar to Earth’s oceans in composition. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
There is also evidence for alkaline hydrothermal vents on Enceladus’ seafloor, similar to those that support methanogens in Earth’s oceans.
¾ About Methanogens: Most of the methane on Earth has a biological origin.
Microorganisms called methanogens are capable of generating methane as a metabolic byproduct.
They do not require oxygen to live and are widely distributed in nature.
They are found in swamps, dead organic matter, and even in the human gut. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
They are known to survive in high temperatures and simulation studies have shown that they can live in Martian conditions.
Methanogens have been widely studied to understand if they can be a contributor to global warming.
¾ Possibility of Methanogens on Enceladus: Methane could be formed by the chemical breakdown of organic matter present in Enceladus’ core.
Hydrothermal processes could help the formation of carbon dioxide and methane. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Enceladus’ hydrothermal vents could be habitable to Earth-like microorganisms (Methanogens).
Titan ¾ Titan is the largest moon of Saturn and the second largest moon in our solar system.
Jupiter’s moon Ganymede is just a little bit larger.
¾ It has liquid rivers, lakes, and seas on its surface (though these contain hydrocarbons like methane and ethane, not water).
¾ Titan’s atmosphere is made mostly of nitrogen, like Earth’s, but is four times denser.
¾ Unlike Earth, it has clouds and methane rain. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
¾ Unlike Earth, it has clouds and methane rain.
¾ Because it is so far from the Sun it’s surface temperature is (–179 degree Celsius). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Science and Technology z Methane in the Moons of Saturn z Suborbital Flight z Discrete Auroras of Mars z Few-Electron Bubbles in Superfluid Helium Gas z New Source of Gravitational Waves Discovered z Acute Encephalitis Syndrome z Lymphatic Filariasis z dbGENVOC z Zika Virus Disease z Covid-19 Vaccine Booster Shots z Lambda Variant of Covid-19 z Kappa Variant: Covid-19 z Fly Ash Highlights CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 2021 65 Note: www.drishtiIAS.com Enceladus ¾ Enceladus is a small, icy moon which has an abundance of hydrogen molecules in water plumes. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
98% of the gas in the plumes was found to be water and 1% is hydrogen and the remaining is a mixture of molecules of carbon dioxide, methane, and ammonia.
¾ Underwater vents present on Enceladus resemble the vents present on Earth’s ocean floors, where microbes and other sea life congregate.
Suborbital Flight Why in News Recently, a six person crew on Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity spaceship undertook a brief trip to the “edge of space” which is known as Suborbital Flight. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
¾ Sirisha Bandla, an astronaut born in India, was a part of the crew.
She was the third woman of Indian origin to go to space after Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams.
¾ Virgin Galactic is a British-American spaceflight company, operating in the United States.
Key Points ¾ Suborbital Flight/Trajectory: When an object travels at a horizontal speed of about 28,000 km/hr or more, it goes into orbit once it is above the atmosphere. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z The satellites need to reach that threshold speed (orbital velocity) in order to orbit Earth.
Such a satellite would be accelerating towards the Earth due to gravity, but its horizontal movement is fast enough to offset the downward motion so that it moves along a circular path.
Any object travelling slower than 28,000 km/hr must eventually return to Earth.
Any object that launches to space but does reach sufficient horizontal velocity to stay in space falls back to Earth. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Hence they fly in a suborbital trajectory.
z It means that while these vehicles will cross the ill-defined boundary of space, they will not be going fast enough to stay in space once they get there.
¾ Significance of Suborbital Flights: Increased Access: z It would provide increased flight access for design innovation and experimental manipulation due to high projected flight rates.
Research: z Suborbital flights will be helpful for microgravity research. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Microgravity is the condition in which people or objects appear to be weightless.
z Suborbital flights could also be an alternative to parabolic flights in aeroplanes that space agencies currently use to simulate zero gravity.
Zero Gravity or Zero-G can simply be defined as the state or condition of weightlessness.
Cost Effective: z They would be far less expensive than carrying experiments and people to the International Space Station. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
¾ Edge of Space/Karman Line: The most widely accepted boundary of space is known as the Karman line.
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) defines Karman 66 CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 2021 Note: www.drishtiIAS.com Line as the altitude of 100 kilometres above Earth’s mean sea level.
z FAI is the world governing body for air sports, and also stewards definitions regarding human spaceflight. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
The Kármán line has been compared to international waters, as there are no national boundaries and human laws in force beyond the line.
It is named after Theodore von Karman (1881– 1963), a Hungarian American engineer and physicist, who was active primarily in aeronautics and astronautics.
z He was the first person to calculate the altitude at which the atmosphere becomes too thin to support aeronautical flight and arrived at 83.6 km himself.
However, other organizations do not use this definition. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
There is no international law defining the edge of space, and therefore the limit of national airspace.
Discrete Auroras of Mars Why in News Recently, the UAE’s Hope spacecraft has captured images of glowing atmospheric lights in the Mars night sky, known as discrete auroras.
¾ The Hope Probe, the Arab world’s first mission to Mars, took off from Earth in July 2020, and has been orbiting the Red Planet (Mars) since February 2021. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
It is expected to create the first complete portrait of the planet’s atmosphere.
Key Points ¾ Auroras: An Aurora is a display of light in the sky predom inantly seen in the high latitude regions (Arctic and Antarctic).
It is also known as a Polar light.
They commonly occur at high northern and southern latitudes, less frequent at mid-latitudes, and seldom seen near the equator.
While usually a milky greenish color, auroras can also show red, blue, violet, pink, and white. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
These colors appear in a variety of continuously changing shapes.
Auroras are not just something that happens on Earth.
If a planet has an atmosphere and magnetic field, they probably have auroras.
¾ Cause of Auroras on Earth: Auroras are caused when charged particles ejected from the Sun’s surface - called the solar wind - enter the Earth’s atmosphere.
The typical aurora is caused by collisions between charged particles from space with the oxygen and nitrogen in Earth’s upper atmosphere. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
The electrons - which come from the Earth’s magnetosphere, the region of space controlled by Earth’s magnetic field - transfer their energy to the oxygen and nitrogen atoms and molecules, making them “excited”.
When a large number of electrons come from the magnetosphere to bombard the atmosphere, the oxygen and nitrogen can emit enough light for the eye to detect, giving us beautiful auroral displays. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 2021 67 Note: www.drishtiIAS.com In the northern part of our globe, the polar lights are called aurora borealis or Northern Lights, and are seen from the US (Alaska), Canada, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, Sweden and Finland.
In the south, they are called aurora australis or southern lights, and are visible from high latitudes in Antarctica, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand and Australia. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
¾ Discrete Auroras of Mars: Unlike auroras on Earth, which are seen only near the north and south poles, Discrete Auroras (DA) on Mars are seen all around the planet at night time.
These DAs are traced out where energetic particles excite the atmosphere after being funneled down by a patchy network of crustal magnetic fields that originate from minerals on the surface of Mars. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
¾ Martian Auroras are Different: Unlike Earth, which has a strong magnetic field, the Martian magnetic field has largely died out.
This is because the molten iron at the interior of the planet - which produces magnetism - has cooled.
However, the Martian crust, which hardened billions of years ago when the magnetic field still existed, retains some magnetism. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
So, in contrast with Earth, which acts like one single bar magnet, magnetism on Mars is unevenly distributed, with fields strewn across the planet and differing in direction and strength.
These disjointed fields channel the solar wind to different parts of the Martian atmosphere, creating “discrete” auroras over the entire surface of the planet as charged particles interact with atoms and molecules in the sky– as they do on Earth. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Few-Electron Bubbles in Superfluid Helium Gas Why in News Recently, Scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Banglore for the first time discovered two species of Few-Electron Bubbles (FEBs) in Superfluid Helium Gas.
Key Points ¾ Electron Bubble: An electron bubble is the empty space created around a free electron in a cryogenic gas or liquid, such as neon or helium.
They are typically very small, about 2 nm in diameter at atmospheric pressure. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Helium ¾ It is a chemical element with the symbol He and atomic number 2.
The British chemist Sir William Ramsay discovered the existence of helium on Earth in 1895.
¾ It is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas, the first in the noble gas group in the periodic table.
¾ Its boiling point is the lowest among all the elements.
Electrons ¾ Matter is made up of atoms, which are the basic units of chemical elements such as hydrogen, helium or oxygen. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
¾ Atoms are made up of three particles: Protons, Neutrons and Electrons.
¾ Hence, electrons are the subatomic particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom.
They are generally negative in charge and are much smaller than the nucleus of the atom.
An electron injected into a superfluid form of helium creates a Single Electron Bubble (SEB) — a cavity that is free of helium atoms and contains only the electron.
The shape of the bubble depends on the energy state of the electron. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z For instance, the bubble is spherical when the electron is in the ground state (i.e.
state of lowest energy).
There are also multiple electron bubbles that contain thousands of electrons.
z Superfluidity is the frictionless flow and other exotic behaviour observed in liquid helium at temperatures near absolute zero (−273.15 °C), and similar frictionless behaviour of electrons in a superconducting solid. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
In each case the 68 CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 2021 Note: www.drishtiIAS.com unusual behaviour arises from quantum mechanical effects.
¾ Few-Electron Bubbles: FEBs, on the other hand, are nanometre-sized cavities in liquid helium containing just a handful of free electrons.
The number, state, and interactions between free electrons dictate the physical and chemical properties of materials.
z FEBs form an interesting system that has both electron-electron interaction and electron- surface interaction. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z FEBs were found to be stable for at least 15 milliseconds (quantum changes typically happen at much shorter time scales) which would enable researchers to trap and study them.
¾ Significance: Study Properties: z FEBs can serve as a useful model to study how the energy states of electrons and interactions between them in a material influence its properties. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Decipher Phenomenons: z There are several phenomena that FEBs can help scientists decipher, such as: Turbulent flows in superfluids and viscous fluids, or the flow of heat in superfluid helium.
Just like how current flows without re sistance in superconducting materials at very low temperatures, superfluid helium also conducts heat efficiently at very low temperatures. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
New Source of Gravitational Waves Discovered Why in News Recently, LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) has made the discovery of gravitational waves from a pair of neutron star-black hole (NS-BH) mergers.
¾ The reverberations from these two objects were picked up using a global network of gravitational wave detectors, the most sensitive scientific instruments ever built.
¾ Until now, the LIGO-Virgo Collaboration (LVC) was only able to observe collisions between pairs of black holes or neutron stars. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
The NS-BH merger is a hybrid collision.
Black Hole ¾ A black hole is a place in space where gravity pulls so much that even light can not get out.
The gravity is so strong because matter has been squeezed into a tiny space.
¾ Gravitational waves are created when two black holes orbit each other and merge.
Neutron Stars ¾ Neutron stars comprise one of the possible evolutionary end-points of high mass stars. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
¾ Once the core of the star has completely burned to iron, energy production stops and the core rapidly collapses, squeezing electrons and protons together to form neutrons and neutrinos.
¾ A star supported by neutron degeneracy pressure is known as a ‘neutron star’, which may be seen as a pulsar if its magnetic field is favourably aligned with its spin axis.
Key Points ¾ About the Gravitational Waves: These are invisible ripples in space that form when: z A star explodes in a supernova. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z Two big stars orbit each other.
z Two black holes merge.
z Neutron star-Black hole (NS-BH) merges.
They travel at the speed of light (1,86,000 miles per second) and squeeze and stretch anything in their path.
z As a gravitational wave travels through space- time, it causes it to stretch in one direction and compress in the other. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z Any object that occupies that region of space- time also stretches and compresses as the wave passes over them, though very slightly, which can only be detected by specialized devices like LIGO.
Theory and Discovery: z These were proposed by Albert Einstein in his General Theory of Relativity, over a century ago.
z However, the first gravitational wave was actually detected by LIGO only in 2015. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
¾ Detection Technique: CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 2021 69 Note: www.drishtiIAS.com As the two compact and massive bodies orbit around each other, they come closer, and finally merge, due to the energy lost in the form of gravitational waves.
The Gravitational Waves signals are buried deep inside a lot of background noise.
To search for the signals, scientists use a method called matched filtering. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
In this method, various expected gravitational waveforms predicted by Einstein’s theory of relativity, are compared with the different chunks of data to produce a quantity that signifies how well the signal in the data (if any) matches with any one of the waveforms.
Whenever this match (in technical terms “signal- to-noise ratio” or SNR) is significant (larger than 8), an event is said to be detected. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Observing an event in multiple detectors separated by thousands of kilometers almost simultaneously gives scientists increased confidence that the signal is of astrophysical origin.
¾ Importance of Discovery: A neutron star has a surface and black hole does not.
A neutron star is about 1.4-2 times the mass of the sun while the other black hole is much more massive.
Widely unequal mergers have very interesting effects that can be detected. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z Inferring from data as to how often they merge will also give us clues about their origin and how they were formed.
These observations help us understand the formation and relative abundance of such binaries.
z Neutron stars are the densest objects in the Universe, so these findings can also help us understand the behaviour of matter at extreme densities.
z Neutron stars are also the most precise ‘clocks’ in the Universe, if they emit extremely periodic pulses. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z The discovery of pulsars going around Black Holes could help scientists probe effects under extreme gravity.
¾ LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC): LSC was founded in 1997 and currently made up of more than 1000 scientists from over 100 institutions and 18 countries worldwide. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
It is a group of scientists focused on the direct detection of gravitational waves, using them to explore the fundamental physics of gravity, and developing the emerging field of gravitational wave science as a tool of astronomical discovery.
LIGO Observatories: The LSC carries out the science of the LIGO Observatories, located in Hanford, Washington and Livingston, Louisiana as well as that of the GEO600 detector in Hannover, Germany. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Other Observatories: z VIRGO: Virgo is located near Pisa in Italy.
The Virgo Collaboration is currently composed of approximately 650 members from 119 institutions in 14 different countries including Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain.
z The Kamioka Gravitational Wave Detector (KAGRA): The KAGRA detector is located in Kamioka, Gifu, Japan.
The host institute is the Institute of Cosmic Ray Researches (ICRR) at the University of Tokyo. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
LIGO-India Project ¾ The LIGO-India observatory is scheduled for completion in 2024, and will be built in the Hingoli District of Maharashtra.
¾ LIGO India is a planned advanced gravitational- wave observatory to be located in India as part of the worldwide network.
The LIGO project operates three gravitational- wave (GW) detectors.
Two are at Hanford in the State of Washington, north-western USA, and one is at Livingston in Louisiana, south-eastern USA. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
¾ The LIGO-India project is an international collaboration between the LIGO Laboratory and three lead institutions in the LIGO-India consortium: Institute of Plasma Research, Gandhinagar; IUCAA, Pune; and Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore.
It will significantly improve the sky localisation of these events. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
This increases the chance of observation of these distant sources using electromagnetic telescopes, which will, in turn, give us a more precise measurement of how fast the universe is expanding.
70 CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 2021 Note: www.drishtiIAS.com This interferometer is underground and uses cryogenic mirrors.
It has 3 km arms. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
It has 3 km arms.
Acute Encephalitis Syndrome Why in News The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) has provided tap water supply to more than 97 lakh households in five JE-AES (Japanese Encephalitis-Acute Encephalitis Syndrome) affected states.
¾ The five states with priority districts are Assam, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
¾ JJM envisages supply of 55 litres of water per person per day to every rural household through Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) by 2024. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
The Jal Shakti Ministry is the nodal ministry for the implementation of the scheme.
Key Points ¾ Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES): About: AES is a severe case of encephalitis transmitted by mosquitoes and is characterized by high fever and inflammation of the brain.
z The World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2006, coined the term AES to signify a group of diseases which seem similar to one another but are difficult to differentiate in the chaotic environment of an outbreak. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Vulnerable Population: The disease most commonly affects children and young adults and can lead to considerable morbidity and mortality.
Causative Agents: Viruses are the main causative agents in AES cases, although other sources such as bacteria, fungi, parasites, spirochetes, chemicals, toxins, and noninfectious agents have also been reported over the past few decades.
It is not vaccine-preventable.
z Japanese Encephalitis virus (JEV) is the major cause of AES in India (ranging from 5%-35%). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z Herpes simplex virus, Nipah virus, Zika virus, Influenza A virus, West Nile virus, Chandipura virus, mumps, measles, dengue, scrub typhus, S.pneumoniae are also found as causative agents for AES.
Symptoms: Confusion, disorientation, coma, or inability to talk, high fever, vomiting, nausea, and unconsciousness. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Diagnosis: The National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) in India has set up countrywide surveillance for AES through sentinel sites with a focus on detecting Japanese Encephalitis (JEV).
z In the sentinel surveillance network, AES/JE is diagnosed by IgM Antibody Capture ELISA, and virus isolation is done in the National Reference Laboratory.
¾ Status of AES in India: According to the NVBDCP, 10,485 AES cases were diagnosed in 2018 with 632 deaths across 17 states. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
India records fatality rate at 6% in AES, but the fatality rises to 25% amongst children.
Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Tripura are worst affected.
Lymphatic Filariasis Why in News Recently, the Maharashtra government has started a drug administration drive for the elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) and become the first State in the country to resume giving rounds of the drug after the second wave of Covid-19. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Key Points ¾ About: LF, commonly known as elephantiasis and is considered as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD).
It is the second most disabling disease after mental health.
It impairs the lymphatic system and can lead to the abnormal enlargement of body parts, causing pain, severe disability and social stigma. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z The lymphatic system is a network of vessels and specialized tissues that are essential to maintaining the overall fluid balance and health of organs and limbs and, importantly, are a major component of the body’s immune defense system.
Lymphatic filariasis is a vector-borne disease, caused by infection with parasites classified as nematodes (roundworms) of the family Filarioidea. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
There are 3 types of thread-like filarial worms which causes lymphatic filariasis: CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 2021 71 Note: www.drishtiIAS.com z Wuchereria Bancrofti is responsible for 90% of the cases.
z Brugia Malayi causes most of the remainder of the cases.
z Brugia Timori also causes the disease.
¾ Drug Treatment: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends three drug treatments to accelerate the global elimination of lymphatic filariasis. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
z The treatment, known as IDA, involves a combination of ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine citrate and albendazole.
z The plan is to administer these drugs for two consecutive years.
The life of the adult worm is hardly four years, so it would die a natural death without causing any harm to the person.
¾ Scenario in India: Lymphatic filariasis poses a grave threat to India.
An estimated 650 million Indians across 21 states and union territories are at risk of lymphatic filariasis. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |
Over 40% of worldwide cases are found in India.
The government launched the Accelerated Plan for Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (APELF) in 2018, and as part of intensifying efforts towards elimination, later rolled out IDA treatment (triple drug therapy) in a phased manner.
¾ Global Initiatives: WHO’s New Roadmap for 2021–2030: To prevent, control, eliminate and eradicate a set of 20 diseases, termed neglected tropical diseases, by 2030. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_2/1721909124088.pdf | https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/Monthly%20Current%20Affairs%20Consolidation%20(July%202021)%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20IF.pdf | Brunei Darussalam |