Published on: October 14, 2024
Snippets : 14 OCTBER 2024
Snippets : 14 OCTBER 2024
- The National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) reported a decline in child marriages across India, with cases dropping from 1,050 in 2021 to 1,002 in 2022. Karnataka recorded the highest cases (215), followed by Assam (163) and Tamil Nadu (155). Despite progress, out of 784 districts, only 596 held meetings on child marriages, and many failed to involve key stakeholders such as gram pradhans and priests. NCPCR urged states to map school dropouts and missing children as per Child Labour Amendment Rules, 2017. Although awareness has improved, further actions are needed to tackle child marriages effectively.
- The Union Ministry of Earth Sciences has approved the installation of an X-band radar in Wayanad, Kerala, following the devastating floods and landslides in July 2024. This radar will enhance disaster warning capabilities by monitoring particle movements for early landslide detection. X-band radar operates in the 8-12 GHz range, providing high-resolution images effective for tracking small particles. Its rapid sampling abilities will allow for timely warnings, which are crucial in the region prone to landslides. India’s radar infrastructure, initiated by the IMD in the 1950s, includes various radar types, and under the ‘Mission Mausam,’ 56 new Doppler radars are set to be installed by 2026. Future plans also include additional X-band radars in Mangaluru and other regions like the Northeast and Himachal Pradesh. Furthermore, the upcoming NISAR project, a collaboration between NASA and ISRO launching in 2025, will utilize advanced radar technology to map Earth’s landmasses and monitor natural processes.
- Murine Typhus is an infectious disease caused by the flea-borne bacteria Rickettsia typhi, recently highlighted by a reported case of infection in Kerala. The disease spreads when flea feces contact cuts or mucous membranes and is not transmitted from person to person. It is commonly found in coastal tropical and subtropical regions with a prevalence of rodents, including areas in Northeast India, Madhya Pradesh, and Kashmir. Symptoms typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure, including fever, headaches, body and joint aches, nausea, vomiting, and stomach aches, often followed by rashes. The illness lasts up to two weeks, and untreated cases can lead to complications lasting for months. Currently, no vaccine exists for Murine Typhus, but the antibiotic doxycycline is the recommended treatment, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis to prevent severe outcomes. Prevention strategies include regular washing of pets to eliminate fleas and administering flea treatments as necessary.
- The Indian Army has unveiled its first overhauled T-90 Bhishma tank to enhance operational readiness. The T-90 Bhishma, which has been the main battle tank of the Indian Army since 2003, is renowned for its firepower, speed, and protection. Weighing 47 tonnes and measuring 9.6 meters in length and 2.8 meters in width, it can maneuver at speeds of up to 60 km/h across diverse terrains, including forests, mountains, and marshy areas. The overhaul was carried out at the 505 Army Base Workshop in Delhi Cantonment, involving disassembly and replacement of damaged parts, showcasing India’s indigenous technical skills and commitment to self-reliance in defense. The tank is armed with a 125 mm smoothbore gun, capable of firing various shells, along with an anti-aircraft gun that can target objects within a two-kilometer range, firing up to 800 shells per minute. It is operated by a three-member crew consisting of a commander, gunner, and driver, ensuring efficient operation.
- The 2024 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, an organization representing survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, known as “Hibakusha.” Founded on August 10, 1956, Nihon Hidankyo advocates for the welfare of Hibakusha, seeks the elimination of nuclear weapons, and demands compensation for victims. Their testimonies have heightened global awareness of the humanitarian consequences of nuclear warfare. The Norwegian Nobel Committee emphasized the significance of upholding the “nuclear taboo” amid increasing global conflicts, a norm established by the efforts of Nihon Hidankyo since 1945. This recognition follows the legacy of other Nobel laureates advocating for nuclear disarmament, underscoring the ongoing threat to this global standard. Notably, the committee acknowledged past laureates, including ICAN in 2017, and highlighted the historical context of the bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which left devastating impacts on human life and ethics regarding nuclear weapon use.
- SpaceX achieved a historic milestone by successfully “catching” the first-stage booster of its Starship megarocket after a test flight, marking a world first in the pursuit of rapid reusability. The Super Heavy booster launched with the Starship rocket and returned to the Texas launch pad, where mechanical “chopsticks” from the tower safely halted its descent.
- Researchers at Bengaluru’s NIMHANS are developing a precision treatment for neuropsychiatric disorders using a tailored dose of electric current to stimulate specific brain regions through a software they created. This method, described as a synergy of AI and medicine by Dr. Sagarika Bhattacharjee, is being funded by the Centre’s Department of Biotechnology. Dr. Bhattacharjee and Dr. P. T. Sivakumar are conducting clinical trials on personalised transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a noninvasive technique using low electrical current, for patients with the language variant subtype of dementia.
- World number one Jannik Sinner defeated 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 to win the Shanghai Masters.
- Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya demolished the women’s world record by almost two minutes Sunday as she won the Chicago Marathon in 2 hours 9 minutes 56 seconds, inspired by the late Kelvin Kiptum.
- Justice Shameem Akhtar (retd), former High Court judge, has been appointed the one-man commission to study and suggest ways to implement the sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes for various purposes, including education and employment, in Telangana.
- Ladakh recently witnessed aurora sightings, marked by reddish and greenish light, a rare event outside far-northern regions. The Indian Institute of Astrophysics captured these occurrences on October 10-11, following similar sightings in May and November 2023. Astrophysicists from CESSI had predicted the event 48-72 hours prior, attributing it to heightened solar activity from coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These aurorae, caused by solar storms, highlight increased solar activity, which CESSI predicted would peak in 2024, and underline the potential risks of space weather on satellite-based systems.
- India’s Surya Aditya and Avik Bhatia secured the silver and bronze respectively while Iran’s Yazdan Mollaafzal won the gold at the Asian Equestrian Federation Cup (AEF Cup CSIY-B) in Bengaluru
