Current Affairs – 26 Feb 2024
Ribosomes
Using electron microscopy, scientists have recently managed to produce a 3D model of a part of the human cell, the ribosome.
About Ribosomes:
- Ribosomes are non-membrane-bound cell organelles made of RNA and proteins.
- They are found in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
- In eukaryotic organisms, ribosomes are found in the cytoplasm, mitochondria, and chloroplast.
- All prokaryotic ribosomes are found free in the cytoplasm of the cell.
- Ribosomal structure and function are strikingly similar in all organisms and organelles.
- They are made of two subunits, the large and the small subunit which comprises ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and proteins.
- Primary Function:
- They are complex molecular machines that make proteins from amino acids in a process called protein synthesis, or translation.
- Every cell needs ribosomes to manufacture proteins.
- The ribosome reads the messenger RNA (mRNA) sequence and translates that genetic code into a specified string of amino acids, which grow into long chains that fold to form proteins.
- The newly formed proteins detach themselves from the ribosome site and migrate to other parts of the cell for use.
What is mRNA?
- mRNA is a type of single-stranded RNA involved in protein synthesis.
- mRNA is made from a DNA template during the process of transcription.
- The role of mRNA is to carry protein information from the DNA in a cell’s nucleus to the cell’s cytoplasm(watery interior), where the protein-making machinery reads the mRNA sequence and translates each three-base codon into its corresponding amino acid in a growing protein chain.
- So, mRNA really is a form of nucleic acid which helps the human genome, which is coded in DNA, to be read by the cellular machinery.
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
UNCTAD recently raised an alarm over escalating disruptions in shipping routes for global trade in a new report.
About the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD):
- It is the UN’s leading institution dealing with trade and development.
- It is a permanent intergovernmental body established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1964.
- Its objective is to assist developing countries, especially the least developed countries, and countries with economies in transition, to integrate beneficially into the global economy.
- It also seeks to help the international community promote a global partnership for development, increase coherence in global economic policy-making, and assure development gains for all from trade.
- It provides economic and trade analysis, facilitates consensus-building, and offers technical assistance to help developing countries use trade, investment, finance, and technology for inclusive and sustainable development.
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
- UNCTAD membership consists of 195 states.
- Its activities are advisory by nature.
- Reports published by UNCTAD:
- Trade and Development Report
- World Investment Report
- The Least Developed Countries Report
Loss and Damage Board
Developed countries have delayed nominating members to the Loss and Damage Board, hampering efforts to fully operationalise the fund to developing countries in time.
About Loss and Damage Board:
- Background:
- At the 27th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) held in Egypt, Parties reached an agreement on providing loss and damage funding to nations most vulnerable and impacted by the effects of climate change.
- At COP28, the fund was formally established and a decision text stated that the fund would be governed and supervised by a board, a decision-making body.
- The board is tasked with setting up a strategic direction for the Fund as well as its governance and operational modalities, policies, frameworks and work programme, including relevant funding decisions.
- The Board will comprise 26 members, 12 members from developed countries and 14 from developing nations.
What is the Loss and Damage Fund?
- It is a global financial package to ensure the rescue and rehabilitation of countries facing the cascading effects of climate change.
- The term refers to the compensation that rich nations, whose industrial growth has resulted in global warming and driven the planet into a climate crisis, must pay to poor nations, whose carbon footprint is low but are facing the brunt of rising sea levels, floods, crippling droughts, and intense cyclones, among others.
- It is often categorised as economic or non-economic.
- Economic loss and damage are negative impacts that we can assign a monetary value to.
- These are things such as the costs of rebuilding infrastructure that has been damaged due to a flood, or the loss of revenue from agricultural crops that were destroyed due to drought.
- Non-economic loss and damage are negative impacts where it is difficult or infeasible to assign a monetary value.
- These are things such as trauma from experiencing a tropical cyclone, loss of community due to displacement of people, or loss of biodiversity,”
‘Sudarshan Setu’ Bridge
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated the ‘Sudarshan Setu’ bridge connecting Beyt Dwarka island to mainland Okha in Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district.
About ‘Sudarshan Setu’ Bridge:
- It is India’s longest cable-stayed bridge, at 2.32 km, on the Arabian Sea, connecting Beyt Dwarka island to mainland Okha in Gujarat‘s Devbhumi Dwarka district.
- It boasts a unique design, featuring a footpath adorned with verses from the Bhagavad Gita and images of Lord Krishna on both sides.
- It also has solar panels installed on the upper portions of the footpath, generating one megawatt of electricity.
- The 2.32 km bridge, including 900 metres of a central double-span cable-stayed portion and a 2.45 km long approach road, has been constructed at a cost of Rs 979 crore.
Key Facts about Beyt Dwarka:
- Beyt Island (also called Bet Dwarka or Shankodhar) is a small island off the coast of Dwarka, Gujarat.
- Located at the mouth of the Gulf of Kutch, the island is enclosed by a few temples, white sand beaches, and coral reefs.
- History:
- It is believed to be the home of Lord Krishna when he was the king of Dwarka.
- It derives its name from the word ‘bet’, which translates to ‘gift’, and it is believed that Lord Krishna received it from his friend Sudama.
- Explorations and excavations carried out under the sea have revealed the presence of settlements whose age can be traced back to the era of the Harappan civilisation and that of the Mauryan rule.
- In the later years, the region was under the administration of the Gaekwad clan of the state of Baroda.
- Shri Keshavraj Ji Temple:
- It is a Lord Krishna temple located on the island. It is an important site for Hindu pilgrimage.
- The temple is 500 years old and was built by Vallabhacharya.
Exercise Dharma Guardian 2024
Recently, India and Japan kicked off a two-week military exercise ‘Dharma Guardian’ in Rajasthan’s Mahajan field firing range to foster deeper cooperation in confronting common security challenges.
About Exercise Dharma Guardian:
- It is an annual exercise and is conducted alternatively in India and Japan.
- It is the 5th edition of joint military exercise between India and Japan.
- The aim of the Exercise is to foster Military Cooperation and enhance combined capabilities to execute joint operations in the semi-urban environment under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.
- The Exercise would focus on a high degree of physical fitness, joint planning, joint tactical drills and basics of special arms skills.
- Significance
- It will enable the two sides to share their best practices in Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for conducting tactical operations.
- The Exercise will also facilitate developing interoperability, bonhomie and camaraderie between troops of both sides.
- This will enhance the level of defence cooperation, further fostering bilateral relations between the two friendly nations.
Other Exercises between India and Japan:
- Malabar: It is a multinational naval exercise in which India, Japan, the United States and Australia participate.
- JIMEX(naval)
- SHINYUU Maitri (Air Force)
Edwards syndrome
Researchers have reported chromosomal disorders discovered from prehistoric skeletal remains, dating up to approximately 5,500 years old — including six cases of Down syndrome and one case of Edwards syndrome.
About Edwards syndrome:
- It is also known as trisomy 18.
- It is an autosomal chromosomal disorder due to an extra copy of chromosome 18.
- It is a very severe genetic condition that affects a child’s body development and growth.
- Symptoms: Children diagnosed with trisomy 18 have a low birth weight, multiple birth defects and defining physical characteristics.
- There are three types of Edwards syndrome
- Complete trisomy 18:
- It is the most common form (94%).
- In this type, every cell contains three complete copies of chromosome 18.
- The extra chromosome is most often of maternal origin.
- Mosaic trisomy 18:
- It is the second most common type (less than 5%).
- In this type, both a complete trisomy 18 and a normal cell line exist.
- Partial trisomy 18:
- In this type, only a partial segment of chromosome 18 is present in triplicate.
- The partial triplicate often results from a balanced translocation or inversion carried by one of the parents.
- Treatment: There are no specific treatments for trisomy 18. Treatment will focus on the symptoms of the condition, such as heart conditions, breathing difficulties and infections.
G-33
Ahead of the 13th ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), a majority of the G-33 countries have called for a permanent solution to public stockholding for food security.
About G-33:
- The G33 (or the Friends of Special Products in Agriculture) is a coalition of developing and least-developed countries.
- Despite the name, there are currently 47 member nations. Some of the main countries include India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Philippines, Turkey, Tanzania, Kenya, and South Korea.
- It was established prior to the 2003 Cancun ministerial conference that was coordinated during the Doha Round of World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations, specifically in regard to agriculture.
- Dominated by India, the group has “defensive” concerns regarding agriculture in relation to WTO negotiations, and seeks to limit the degree of market opening required of developing countries.
- The group has advocated the creation of a “special products” exemption, which would allow developing countries to exempt certain products from tariff exemptions, and also a “special safeguard mechanism” which would permit tariff increases in response to import surges.
SAMAR Assessment Certificates
Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) handed over SAMAR assessment certificates to nine Industry Partners.
About SAMAR Assessment Certificates:
- System for Advance Manufacturing Assessment and Rating (SAMAR) certificateis a benchmark to measure the competency of defence manufacturing enterprises.
- It is an outcome of the collaboration between DRDO and the Quality Council of India (QCI) to strengthen the defence manufacturing ecosystem in the country to further the vision of making India self-reliant in defence manufacturing.
- Objective:
- Provide an objective assessment of the manufacturing capability of Defence Manufacturing Enterprises
- Enable enterprises to benchmark their performance across a range of business capabilities to enhance quality, reliability and competitiveness
- Create a credible database of Defence manufacturers for ease in vendor selection and development
- Strengthen the Defence manufacturing ecosystem in the country with an objective to realise the vision of making India self-reliant in Defence manufacturing
- Eligibility: All defence manufacturing enterprises, both MSME and Large enterprises, are eligible to apply for this certification.
- Validity: It is valid for a period of 2 years from the date of issuance of the certificate.
- The certification is based on a maturity assessment model developed by QCI and is applicable to all defence manufacturing enterprises i.e., micro, small, medium and large enterprises.
Ken River
The Prime Minister in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ recently cited crocodiles in Ken River to hail how technology is being used extensively for the conservation of wildlife in different parts of the country.
About Ken River:
- It is one of the major rivers of the Bundelkhand region of central India.
- It flows through two states, namely Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
- It is a tributary of the Yamuna River. The river is the last tributary of the Yamuna before the Yamuna joins the Ganga.
- Course:
- The river originates near the village of Ahirgawan on the northwest slopes of the Kaimur Range in the district of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
- Crossing the Bijawar-Panna hills, the river cuts a 60 km long, and 150- 180 m deep gorge. It is joined by several streams in this gorge, making waterfalls.
- It travels a distance of 427 km and then merges with the Yamuna at Chilla village, near Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh.
- It is known for its rare Sajhar or Dendritic Agate stone.
- Tributaries: The major tributaries of the Ken River are Bawas, Dewar, Kaith, Baink, Kopra, and Bearma.
Island On The Air (IOTA) Programme
A dedicated team of amateur radio operators (HAMs) embarked on a significant journey from the cyclone shelters of Nachugunta Island, Andhra Pradesh, to participate in the Island on the Air (IOTA) expedition Programme.
About Island On The Air (IOTA) Programme:
- It is a pioneering programme that connects radio amateurs worldwide with stations on islands.
- It was established in 1964.
- It is managed by IOTA Ltd in collaboration with the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), categorising islands into groups for communication.
Key Facts about Amateur Radio (HAM Radio)
- Amateur radio is a popular hobby involving the use of radio frequency spectrum for non-commercial purposes.
- HAM radio operators communicate using designated radio frequencies, engaging in diverse activities like contests, emergency communication support, experimentation, technical learning, and community engagement.
- The hobby offers a unique blend of technical learning, community engagement, and global connectivity through radio waves, emphasising innovation and service.
- In India, as per the Indian Wireless Telegraphs (Amateur Service) Amendment Rules, 1984
- ‘Amateur service’ means a service of self-training intercommunications and technical investigation carried on by Amateurs that is, by persons duly authorised under these rules interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.”
- Any citizen of India who is above 12 years of age can become a ham by qualifying in the Amateurs Station Operators’ examination (ASO) and obtaining a valid Amateur wireless telegraph station licence.
Shahpur Kandi Barrage
The flow of water from River Ravi to Pakistan has been completely halted with the completion of the Shahpur Kandi barrage as per the media reports.
- Foundation – The foundation stone for the Shahpur Kandi Barrage Project was laid by former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao in 1995.
- Location – Shahpur Kandi barrage is situated on the Ravi River in the border of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.
- Purpose – Shahpur Kandi barrage allows India to ensure that the water previously flowing towards Pakistan will now be utilized for Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab regions.
- The newly-built barrage will help India fully exploit the allocated water resources.
- The Indus Water Treaty, 1960, facilitates the usage of the Rivers flowing in India and Pakistan for both the countries.
|
Indus Waters Treaty |
|
- Other projects – India has already constructed several storage works, including the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej, Pong and Pandoh Dam on the Beas, and Thein (Ranjitsagar) on the Ravi.
- These projects, along with others like the Beas-Sutlej link and the Indira Gandhi Nahar Project, have allowed India to utilize nearly its entire share (95%) of the waters from the eastern rivers.
Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP)
RBI has asked the National Payment Council of India (NCPI) to examine the request of Paytm, to become a Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP) for continued Unified Payments Interface operation.
- TPAP – A Third-Party Application Provider is an entity that provides the UPI compliant app(s) to the end-user customers to facilitate UPI-based payment transactions.
- Applications – These applications could be mobile wallets, merchant apps, or any other platform that utilizes UPI for payments.
- NPCI – NPCI is the umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India, owns and operates the UPI platform.
- Working of TPAP – TPAPs leverage the UPI infrastructure provided by NPCI and work with payment service providers (PSPs) and banks to facilitate transactions.
- They are responsible for ensuring that their applications adhere to security standards and compliance guidelines set by NPCI.
- Payment service providers (PSPs) need to obtain a TPAP license from NPCI to run UPI services and facilitate merchant transactions through partner banks, as per the current regulations.
- Currently, there are 22 NPCI-approved 3rd party Unified Payments Interface (UPI) apps that can be used to send and receive money from other UPI users by using UPI IDs.
- They include Amazon Pay, Google Pay, Groww, Jupiter Money, Mobikwik, Phonepe, Samsung Pay, TataNeu and Whatsapp.
RBI barred Paytm Payments Bank from accepting deposits or top-ups in any customer account, prepaid instruments, wallets, FASTags and NCMC card after February 29, 2024, in the wake of persistent non-compliances.
|
Quick Facts |
| National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) |
|
Tangail Saree
West Bengal gets GI Tag for Tangail Saree.
- Tangail sarees named after the place called Tangail, located in Bangladesh.
- Weavers from Tangail region of then East Bengal, migrated to different parts of West Bengal and continued their weaving profession for production of Tangail Sarees.
- The Tangail saree is a simplification of Jamdani cotton saree but with minimal designs in body portion, thereby minimizing the labour and price.
The traditional tangail borders had a ‘paddo’ or lotus pattern, pradeep or lamp pattern apart from popular ‘ans par’ that was common in Shantipur region.
- Materials used – Tangail weavers normally used cotton and the texture is usually high and compact.
- Tassar silk yarn, Mercerized cotton yarn, dyed twisted cotton yarn are used as extra warp for making designs in the borders of the sarees.
- Jacquards fabrics are used for making designs in the borders.
- Coloured yarns are used for both warp and weft and in extra warp also.
Tangail sarees are often highlighted with gold or silver thread, which heightens their elegance.
- Weaving technique – Tangail sarees have an unusually fine and smooth texture with a pattern running through every alternate or every two weft threads apart.
- Tangail cotton saree is woven with figured motifs, in transparent plain ground, with designs of extra warp in borders and extra weft in the body portion.
West Bengal bagged the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag for Tangail Saree in January 2024.
|
Quick Facts |
| Geographical Indication (GI) Tag |
|
|
Other Important Topics |
| Vimarsh 2023 |
|
| Ayutthaya |
|
| DHARMA GUARDIAN |
The 5th edition of EXERCISE ‘DHARMA GUARDIAN’ commenced recently in Rajasthan.
|
| Nisarg Gram |
PM Modi recently inaugurates National Institute of Naturopathy (NIN) named ‘Nisarg Gram’ in Pune.
|
| Right to Adopt Child |
|
| KALIA Scheme |
The Odisha state cabinet recently extended the KALIA scheme for 3 more years.
|
| India’s largest Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) |
|
| Purple Fest |
|
| Meow Meow, White Magic, M-Cat and Drone |
|
| Language Atlas |
|