Today Current Affairs - 9 Nov 2022

1. 09 NOVEMBER, 2022 www.iasscore.in GS ANALYST CURRENT AFFAIRS DAILY NEWS HEADLINE •PM unveils G20 logo signifying India’s agenda for Global Order and Peace •Proposed Megaproject in Great Nicobar Could Spell Trouble for the Island Ecosystem •New species of estuarine crab discovered in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu •CSIR-NGRI working on early warning systems in the Himalayan State •India to launch its First Private Rocket EDITORIAL ‘Noconsensus’ is derailing counter-terror diplomacy

3. CURRENT AFFAIRS DAILY NOVEMBER, 2022 PM UNVEILS G20 LOGO SIGNIFYING INDIA’S AGENDA FOR GLOBAL ORDER AND PEACE CONTEXT: India has unveiled the logo, theme and website for its presidency of the G20, which reflects the country’s message and overarching priorities to the world. About the logo: oThe G20 logo, created with the four colours of India’s national flag, comprises of earth sitting atop a lotus. ➤The seven petals in the logo signify the seven seas and the coming together of seven continents at G20 India 2023. oTheme: The earth reflects India’s pro-planet approach to life and from this and derives the theme of G20 India 2023 –‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: One Earth, One Family, and One Future’. Significance of the Logo: oIn Indian culture, both the goddesses of knowledge and prosperity are seated on a lotus. This is what the world needs the most today. oShared knowledge that helps us overcome our circumstances and shared prosperity that reaches the last person at the last mile. This is why the earth is place on lotus too. oThe seven petals on the lotus in the logo represent the seven continents. oSeven is also the number of notes in the universal language of music. In music, when the seven notes come together, they create perfect harmony. The G20 working: •G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation representing around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population. •The presidency of the G20 rotates every year among members, and the country holding the presidency, together with the previous and next presidency-holder, forms the ‘Troika’. •During India’s presidency, India, Indonesia and Brazil will form the troika. This would be the first time when the troika would consist of three developing countries and emerging economies. Syllabus Mapping o Subject: International Relations (GS II) ➤Sub-topic: India and the World PROPOSED MEGAPROJECT IN GREAT NICOBAR COULD SPELL TROUBLE FOR THE ISLAND ECOSYSTEM CONTEXT: Recently, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has granted an in-principle (Stage 1) clearance for the diversion of 130.75 sq. km of forest in Great Nicobar Island for the mega Rs. ₹72,000- crore Infrastructure project. www.iasscore.in 3

4. CURRENT AFFAIRS DAILY NOVEMBER, 2022 ⦿ABOUT The Proposed Project: oThe proposed mega infrastructure project involves the construction of; ➤A trans-shipment hub (the International Container Trans-shipment Terminal or ICTT) and, ➤Three other interlinked projects: a Greenfield international airport, a township and associated infrastructure, and a gas-diesel-solar power plant. oThese will come up on the eastern side of the Great Nicobar Island, including Galathea Bay. What were the Concerns associated with the Project? oIt has been found that 8, 52,245 trees will be cut for the project and about 130 square kilometres forest land will be diverted. oFurther, almost 300 hectares of land will be reclaimed by dredging the ocean. oThe wildlife, including the giant leatherback turtle and the Nicobar megapode, a flightless bird endemic to the Nicobar Islands, will lose critical nesting grounds along the shores of Galathea Bay. Do you know? •Galathea Bay – the proposed site of the project – is a critical leatherback turtle nesting site. •Biologists who surveyed 15 islands in the Nicobar complex for turtle nesting sites in 2016 found leatherback turtle nests in only five islands. •Out of the 1,068 leatherback nests on these five islands, a majority (775) were on Great Nicobar. oAlong with more than 1,700 people will be affected due to the project, mostly of the indigenous Nicobari and Shompen communities. 4 www.iasscore.in

5. CURRENT AFFAIRS DAILY NOVEMBER, 2022 ⦿IMPACTS: oLoss of Biodiversity oHuman habitat destruction (Indigenous Tribes of Nicobar) oMarine flora and fauna population reduction Steps taken to mitigate the Losses: oBuilding measures to compensate for these damages include coral translocation and reef restoration in Galathea Bay. oVia Compensatory Afforestation: Authorities plan to balance the loss of 12-20 hectares of mangroves here by ‘re-densifying’ existing mangrove patches and planting mangroves in non-forest areas. oDeclaring Protected areas: Mitigation measures also include intent to declare new protected areas, as well as the drawing up of monitoring and action plans to study threatened wildlife. ➤For example, the administration has envisaged a Megapode sanctuary on Menchal Island (1.29 square kilometres), a Coral wildlife sanctuary near Meroe Island (around 2.73 sq km) and a 13.75 sq. km leatherback turtle sanctuary at Little Nicobar Island. Coral population: Proposed mitigation Syllabus Mapping o Subject: Environment (GS III) ➤Sub-topic: Environmental Conservation NEW SPECIES OF ESTUARINE CRAB DISCOVERED IN CUDDALORE, TAMIL NADU CONTEXT: Researchers of Annamalai University have discovered a new species of estuarine crab at the mangroves of Parangipettai near the Vellar River estuary in Cuddalore district. About the Species: What is an Estuary? •An estuary is an area where a freshwater river or stream meets the ocean. In estuaries, the salty ocean mixes with a freshwater river, resulting in brackish water. oThe species has been named Pseudohelice annamalai in recognition of Annamalai University’s100 years of service in education and research. oThis is the first ever record of this genus, Pseudohelice, collected from high intertidal areas in front of the CAS. oSo far, only two species — Pseudohelice subquadrata and Pseudohelice latreilli. www.iasscore.in 5

6. CURRENT AFFAIRS DAILY NOVEMBER, 2022 oFeatures: ➤Pseudohelice annamalai is distinguished by dark purple to dark grey colouring, with irregular light brown, yellowish brown or white patches on the posterior carapace with light brown chelipeds. ➤The new species is small and has a maximum width of up to 20 mm. ➤The species inhabits muddy banks of mangroves, and the burrows were located near the pneumatophores of Avicennia mangroves. ➤Burrows have a depth of 25-30 cm and are branched, with larger pellets around the entrance. ➤This species is not aggressive and can move fast like other intertidal crabs. ➤As many as 17 species of intertidal crabs have been recorded in the same region. Significance of the Species: oThe occurrence of Pseudohelice in India links the distribution gap between the western Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. oThe new species provides additional evidence of the geographic isolation of the eastern Indian Ocean for some marine organisms. Location: The Vellar River Estuary 6 www.iasscore.in

7. CURRENT AFFAIRS DAILY NOVEMBER, 2022 Syllabus Mapping o Subject: Environment (GS III) ➤Sub-topic: Biodiversity CSIR-NGRI WORKING ON EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS IN THE HIMALAYAN STATES CONTEXT: The National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) of CSIR has begun field studies to put in place an early- warning system in the Himalayan States. ⦿DETAILS: oProblem statement: The smaller number of seismometers makes it difficult to demonstrate the minimum threshold or the maximum distance from which early warning of natural disasters can be provided. oIn this regard, a few locations in Uttarakhand have been identified for the “densification” of seismometers and river gauges to take the total number to 100 from 60. Technique: NGRI is utilizing Machine Learning to detect the observations faster because time becomes crucial during a warning. oObjective: To closely monitor the river flows in specific areas along the catchment to detect any sudden rise in water levels or flooding threshold that can lead to a hazard. oThe new system will take cognizance of the vibrations or “noise” recorded by the seismometers, which need not be due to earthquakes. The isolation of the noise from the required signal would increase the sensitivity of the early warning system. Significance: oReduction of economic losses oMitigating the number of injuries or deaths from a disaster oProtecting lives and property oSafety of large infrastructure projects and hydroelectric power plants Important measures taken to reduce Himalayas’ vulnerability oThe National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) is India’s domestic plan for ecologically sustainable development to be implemented with its own resources. oNational Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Eco-system: Eco-systems have an inherent capacity to withstand incremental changes in climate and landscape, leading to a natural carrying capacity of eco- system. oThe National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Eco-system (NMSHE) aims to understand scientifically the complex processes affecting this ecosystem. oThe National Water Policy highlights the provisions for project planning, surface- and groundwater development, irrigation, and flood control. oThe work of flood forecasting and warning in India is entrusted with the Central Water Commission (CWC). www.iasscore.in 7

8. CURRENT AFFAIRS DAILY NOVEMBER, 2022 Syllabus Mapping o Subject: Science and Technology (GS-III) ➤Sub-topic: Indigenization of Technology INDIA TO LAUNCH ITS FIRST PRIVATE ROCKET CONTEXT: India’s first privately developed rocket “Vikram-S” is set for launch. ⦿DETAILS: oThe maiden mission of Skyroot Aerospace, named ‘Prarambh’, will be launched from ISRO’s launchpad at Sriharikota. oCollaborative support of ISRO and IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre) has made this mission ready in a short span of time. Skyroot Aerospace Private Limited is an Indian private aerospace manufacturer and commercial launch service provider headquartered in Hyderabad. Vikram-S rocket: oIt is a single-stage sub-orbital launch vehicle. oIt will be carrying three customer payloads and help test and validate the majority of the technologies in the Vikram series of space launch vehicles. oSkyroot’s launch vehicles are named ‘Vikram’as a tribute to the founder of the Indian space programme and renowned scientist Vikram Sarabhai. Significance: oSkyroot Aerospace is set to become the first private space company in India to launch a rocket into space. oIt will herald a new era for the space sector which was opened up in 2020 to facilitate private sector participation. Private Players in Space Sector: oResearch and Development Activities: It will allow ISRO to focus more on new technologies, exploration missions and human spaceflight programmes. oFruitful Dissemination of Space Technologies: Allowing industries and others like students, researchers or academic bodies greater access to space assets would lead to much better utilization of India’s space resources. oGlobal Technology Powerhouse: It will enable Indian Industry to be an important player in the global space economy. oCost-effective: The operating costs of setting up a base and launching space vehicles in India are comparatively much less compared to its counterparts like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). 8 www.iasscore.in

9. CURRENT AFFAIRS DAILY NOVEMBER, 2022 Government’s Initiatives: oNew Space India Limited (NSIL): Announced in Budget 2019, it aims to use research and development carried out by ISRO over the years for commercial purposes through Indian industry partners oIN-SPACE: ➤IN-SPACe was launched to provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure. ➤It acts as a single-point interface between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and everyone who wants to participate in space-related activities or use India’s space resources. oIndian Space Association (ISpA): ISpA aspires to be the collective voice of the Indian Space industry. ISpA will be represented by leading domestic and global corporations that have advanced capabilities in space and satellite technologies. Syllabus Mapping Subject: Science and Technology (GS-III)  Sub-topic: Space Short News Uttar Pradesh has announced that Mathura-Vrindavan is aiming to become a “net zero carbon emission”. This will be the first such carbon neutral master plan for a tourist destination in India. •Mathura-Vrindavan is one of India’s largest pilgrimage centres. The region aims to become a “net zero carbon emission” tourist destination by 2041. •This means that tourist vehicles will be banned from the entire Braj region, which includes famous pilgrim centres such as Vrindavan and Krishna Janmabhoomi. •Instead, only electric vehicles used as public transport will be allowed into the area. •All 252 water bodies and 24 forests in the area will also be revived. The government has amended the Electoral Bond Scheme 2018 to provide “an additional period of 15 days” for their sale “in the year of general elections to the Legislative Assembly of States and Union Territories with Legislature”. •Electoral bonds have been pitched as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties as part of efforts to bring transparency in political funding. •The State Bank of India (SBI) is the only authorized bank to issue and redeem electoral bonds. •Political parties registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act of 1951 and those who have received at least one per cent of the votes polled in the last Lok Sabha or legislative assembly election are eligible to receive funding through electoral bonds. •Electoral bonds can be purchased by Indian citizens or entities incorporated or established in the country. www.iasscore.in 9

10. CURRENT AFFAIRS DAILY NOVEMBER, 2022 Chiefs of Indian, French Air Forces join ongoing Garuda-VII air exercise at Jodhpur. •The bilateral air exercise has been ongoing since 2003. •This is the seventh edition of the bilateral air exercise between India and France. •IAF contingent: Exercise Garuda VII is also the first occasion for the LCA Tejas and the recently inducted LCH Prachand to participate in any international exercise. ➤Apart from the LCA and LCH, the IAF contingent consists of Su-30 MKI, Rafale and Jaguar fighter aircrafts, as well as Mi-17 helicopters, combat enabling assets like flight refuelling aircraft, early warning aircraft, and Garud Special Forces. •French side: The exercise included four Rafale fighters and one A-330 multi role tanker transport aircraft ********** 10 www.iasscore.in

11. CURRENT AFFAIRS DAILY NOVEMBER, 2022 EDITORIAL ‘NOCONSENSUS’ IS DERAILING COUNTER- TERROR DIPLOMACY CONTEXT: For India, the future of counter-terrorism cooperation appears to be less cooperative, due to a lack of synergy among counter-terror regimes. Fight against Terrorism- An unequal campaign: oEnd of “Global War on Terrorism” (GWOT): The war on global terrorism has seemingly ended with the US withdrawing from Afghanistan, after negotiating with the Taliban. oIndia Experience: Maximum India received in terms of global cooperation was placing Pakistan on the grey list by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), but it was cleared last October. oSilence over Taliban’s takeover of Kabul: The weak international interaction over this issue demonstrates the lack of cooperation while dealing with “anothercountry’sproblem’. The drivers of strife: oLack of consensus: The absence of global consensus on regulating the use of emergent technologies makes it difficult to differentiate the usage by responsible states and terror entities. oFuture drivers: Global inequity, food and energy shortages, climate change and pandemics are going to be the next big drivers of strife and violence in the world. Challenges: oUse of technology for Terrorism Purposes: The use of Artificial Intelligence, robotic soldiers, the dark web, and cryptocurrency in terror financing has emerged as new challenges. oComprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT): The negotiations of the CCIT are deadlocked because of differences in the definition of terrorism. Question In order to create an effective mechanism to counter terrorism countries must agree upon a definition of terrorism. Discuss India’s role in steering the global narrative from self-interest toward the broader question of global terrorism. o Subject: Internal Security (GS-III) ********** www.iasscore.in 11