Ten relevant news updates from across the world, useful for examinations
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Headlines - 12 - 07 - 2021
- Environment Ecology and Climate Change - India's first cryptogamic garden - India's first cryptogamic garden with nearly 50 different species was inaugurated in Deoban area of Dehradun district in Uttarakhand on 11th July. The garden is situated at an altitude of 9,000 feet and is spread over an area of three acres. Cryptogams are primitive plants that do not reproduce through seeds and include algae, mosses, ferns, fungi, and lichens. Cryptogams and phanerogams are two sub-kingdoms of the kingdom Plantae. Cryptogams consist of seedless plants and plant-like organisms whereas phanerogams consist of seed-bearing plants, with two classes - gymnosperms and angiosperms. Cryptogams do not develop flowers and fruits as well, and are named "cryptogams" as it is difficult to see their reproductive organs.
- Environment Ecology and Climate Change - Salt-secreting mangrove species - For the first time, a reference-grade whole genome sequence of a highly salt-tolerant and salt-secreting true-mangrove species, Avicennia marina, was reported in India,. The Avicennia marina is one of the most prominent mangroves species found in all mangrove formations, and is a salt-secreting and extraordinarily salt-tolerant mangrove species that grows optimally in 75% seawater and tolerates >250% seawater. It is among the rare plant species, which can excrete 40% of the salt through the salt glands in the leaves, besides its extraordinary capacity to exclude salt entry to the roots. As agriculture productivity globally gets affected due to abiotic stress factors such as limited water availability and salinization of soil and water, this information assumes importance. Availability of water is a significant challenge to crop production in dryland areas. Salinity is prevalent in ~900 million hectares globally and it is estimated to cause an annual loss of $ 27 billion USD. The genomic resources can help reach the identified genes for developing drought and salinity tolerant varieties of important crop species in coastal regions.
- Social Issues - Reducing the fertility rate in 2021-2030 - Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath launched the State’s population policy for 2021-2030. The new policy aims at decreasing the total fertility rate from 2.7 to 2.1 by 2026 and 1.7 by 2030, increase modern contraceptive prevalence rate from 31.7% to 45% by 2026 and 52% by 2030, increase male methods of contraception use from 10.8% to 15.1% by 2026 and 16.4% by 2030, decrease maternal mortality rate from 197 to 150 to 98, and infant mortality rate from 43 to 32 to 22, and under 5 infant mortality rate from 47 to 35 to 25. Targeting stabilisation, the draft of the policy also said the State would attempt to maintain a balance of population among the various communities. It is worth noting that 83% of Indian families with more than two children are Hindu families, and that overall fertility rate of India is now 2.1, or even lower (in 2021).
- World Politics - FATF lists countries with deficiencies - The Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) plenary session ended its five-day deliberation and put out the list of countries that it identified to have “strategic deficiencies”. The Paris based UN watchdog that looks after issues like terrorism financing, money laundering and the flow of black money at the global level has retained Pakistan in the list of countries with “strategic deficiencies”. The list is generally referred to as the “grey list”. The grey listing by FATF shows that the issue of money laundering and consequent funding of illicit activities is fast spreading to other countries as well. The latest grey list includes countries like the Philippines, Malta, South Sudan and Haiti. The 39 member grouping works in close coordination with the UN Security Council which evaluates countries for commitment to anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT).
- Healthcare and Medicine - Cuba's Covid vaccine Soberana 2 - Cuba said its homegrown Covid-19 vaccine Soberana 2 (Sovereign 2), when delivered with a booster shot of Soberana Plus, is about 91 percent effective against symptomatic Covid-19 cases as demonstrated in its late stage clinical trials. If approved, Cuba will become the first Latin American country to manufacture and produce a vaccine against Covid-19. The Soberana 2 is delivered through a three dose regimen. Two shots of Soberana 2 and one of Soberana Plus, when taken in a 0-28-56 day regimen, have an efficacy of 91.2 percent, the Cuban government’s Covid-19 task force announced. It is a protein vaccine, which is to say that these vaccines are made up of a protein derived from the virus, which then binds to human cells to trigger an immune response.
- Environment Ecology and Climate Change - Abundant flora of Sikkim - Sikkim, the smallest State with less than 1% of India’s landmass, is home to 27% of all flowering plants found in the country, reveals a Botanical Survey of India (BSI) publication. "Flora of Sikkim – A Pictorial Guide", released July 2021, lists 4,912 naturally occurring flowering plants in the tiny Himalayan State. The total number of naturally occurring flowering plants in the country is about 18,004 species, and with 4,912 species, the diversity of flowering plants in Sikkim, spread over an area of 7,096 sq. km, is very unique. The State, which is a part of the Kanchenjunga biosphere landscape, has different altitudinal ecosystems, which provide opportunity for herbs and trees to grow and thrive. The publication details 532 species of wild orchids (which is more than 40% of all orchid species found in India), 36 species of rhododendron and 20 species of oak, and more than 30 species of high-value medicinal plants, among other species.
- Science and Technology - Plutocrats reach space, finally - Virgin Group founder and billionaire Richard Branson and five others undertook a brief trip to the “edge of space”, taking off on the VSS Unity spaceship from New Mexico and reaching an altitude of 85 km from Earth before returning. Such a trip is called a “suborbital flight”. 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. Satellites need to reach that threshold speed in order to do orbit Earth. Such a satellite accelerates toward the Earth due to gravity. However, it moves fast enough that the Earth curves out from under it as fast as it falls, giving it a circular path. Any object travelling slower than 28,000 km/hr must return to Earth. Branson’s spacecraft travelled fast enough to reach a point far enough to be considered outer space. Such a trip allows space travellers to experience a few minutes of “weightlessness”. If an object travels at 40,000 km/hr, it will achieve what is known as “escape velocity”, and never return to Earth. The era of space tourism has indeed commenced.
- People and Persoalities - Aeronautical engineer Sirisha Bandla on 11th July became the third Indian-origin woman to fly into space when she joined British billionaire Richard Branson on Virgin Galactic's first fully crewed suborbital test flight from New Mexico. Ms Bandla was born in Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh and brought up in Houston, and was astronaut No 004 and her flight role was Researcher Experience. The other crew members were two pilots and three other crewmates, including billionaire Branson. She became the third Indian-origin woman (not Indian citizen) to fly into space after Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams. Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma is the only Indian citizen to travel in space. The former Indian Air Force pilot flew aboard Soyuz T-11 on April 3, 1984, part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme.
- Environment Ecology and Climate Change - Chhattisgarh's Lemru Elephant Reserve - The proposed Lemru Elephant Reserve in Chhattisgarh, in the pipeline for 20 years, has become the subject of yet another controversy. The state Forest and Environment Department asked the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) to make a presentation for decreasing the area of the proposed reserve from 1,995 sq km to 450 sq km. Lemru is one of two elephant reserves planned to prevent human-animal conflict in the region, with elephants moving into Chhattisgarh from Odisha and Jharkhand. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) described the reserve as part of an elephant corridor that connects Lemru (Korba), Badalkhol (Jashpur), Tamorpingla (Surguja). Why does the government want to reduce the size of the reserve? The area proposed under the reserve is part of the Hasdeo Aranya forests, a very diverse biozone that is also rich in coal deposits.
- Entertainment Games and Sports - Copa America and Wimbledon updates - (a) Copa America Final 2021, Argentina vs Brazil Highlights: Lionel Messi’s Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 in the Copa America final to secure the national team’s first title in 28 years and the superstar’s first major international trophy. Argentina’s winning goal at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro came in the 22nd minute after Rodrigo de Paul made a long pass to Angel di Maria. It was only the third goal Brazil conceded in the tournament. (b) Novak Djokovic said he considered himself the "best player" after winning a record-equalling 20th Grand Slam title but refused to anoint himself as the "greatest of all time". The 34-year-old went to 20 majors alongside Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal courtesy of a sixth Wimbledon title secured by a 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Italy's Matteo Berrettini. If he wins a fourth US Open in September, he will become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to complete the calendar Grand Slam and just the third in history. At 34, he is a year younger than Nadal and has the best part of six years on Federer who turns 40 in four weeks' time.
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