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2nd Nov Current Affairs News Analysis | Prelims & Mains 2021
Today's Must Read Articles :Spiral galaxy bars may prevent new stars
HEADLINES:
Spiral galaxy bars may prevent new stars
WHY IN NEWS:
- There is a cavity formed in the central region with no gas and stars
- This study has been a part of publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics.
- The work is done in collaboration with scientists from Indian Institute of Astrophysics and Christ University, Bengaluru.
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Space
ISSUE:
SPIRAL GALAXY BARS
- Stars are fundamental building blocks of galaxies.
- Galaxies themselves are of different types: star-forming spiral galaxies and non-star-forming lenticular and elliptical galaxies.
- Nearly two-thirds of the disc galaxies in the local universe are found to have this bar structure.
- Stellar bars in galaxies are clearly visible in early images taken by photographic plates, and are known from early observations.
ROLE OF BARS
- The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy.
- Since not all spiral galaxies have bars, the role of bars – why they exist, what triggers their formation and whether they foster star formation are interesting questions.
- Scientists studied four such barred galaxies out of which three, in fact, appear to prevent stars from forming at their central region covered by the length of the bar.
- What causes a galaxy to be star-forming or not is a puzzle, with the prevailing idea being that star-forming galaxies are converted into non-star-forming galaxies through some mechanism.
- In three of the four galaxies, they find that the region covered by the length of the bar does not have enough gas.
- This observation serves as an evidence for the bar redistributing the gas in the central region of these spiral galaxies.
- This is almost like the whirlpool we see in rivers.
- There is a cavity formed in the central region with no gas and stars.
TOO YOUNG
- The researchers do not see the same depletion of gas and stars in the fourth galaxy.
- The reason, they believe is that this galaxy does not have an old enough bar.
- Scientist believe it will take a few million years for the bar to evacuate the gas that forms stars.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- Scientists presented this as a case for the first time in an evolutionary sequence of four barred galaxies.
- More statistical samples are needed (which is currently lacking) with new observations from radio to ultraviolet wavelength for more galaxies.
SOURCES: THE HINDU | 2nd Nov Current Affairs News Analysis
Water bears Vs lethal UV radiation
HEADLINES:
How water bears survive lethal UV radiation
WHY IN NEWS:
Paramacrobiotushas a fluorescent shield which helps it survive UV radiation
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Science
ISSUE:
WATER BEAR
- This animal can live in boiling water or in solid ice ! It can go 10 years without a drop of water – the tardigrade or water bear.
- They have survived all five mass extinctions.
- These tiny creatures that are less than 1 millimetre long.
HUNTING FOR TARDIGRADES
- About 1,300 species have been reported worldwide.
- They are found on algae and similar vegetation, so we scraped off moss from the campus’ concrete walls and trees and tried to isolate the tardigrades.
- When a four times higher radiation was given, about 60% of the Paramacrobiotus sp. survived beyond 30 days.
- Animals with the fluorescent coat were found to survive longer than the control animals without.
WHY DOES THIS PROTECTIVE COAT SHOW FLUORESCENCE?
- The fluorescence might serve as a signal to other organisms around — like an indication: To get away.
- It provides a survival advantage to these tardigrades by reducing competition.
IASbhai WINDUP:
EVOLVED FLUORESCENCE
- Paramacrobiotus could have probably evolved this fluorescence mechanism to counter the high UV radiation of tropical southern India.
- The UV dose, where it was isolated, could go up to 4 kilojoule per square meter on a typical summer day.
SOURCES: THE HINDU | 2nd Nov Current Affairs News Analysis
India’s potential participation in COVAX
HEADLINES:
‘India’s potential participation in COVAX advance market commitment is under way’
WHY IN NEWS:
Has India agreed to purchase vaccine doses through the COVAX facility?
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:Health:Diseases
ISSUE:
COVAX AND VACCINE IN INDIA
- Gates Foundation has committed over $650 million towards tackling COVID-19.
- The foundation has signed an agreement with Serum Institute to facilitate vaccine production.
- In which the foundation will provide at-risk funding of $300 million to manufacture up to 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for India and low- and middle-income countries.
- The funding is being provided through GAVI.
HOW MANY DOSES OF VACCINE WILL INDIA GET THROUGH COVAX?
- India is among the 92 countries that are eligible to access COVID-19 vaccines through GAVI’s COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC).
- The foundation is working on multiple fronts to help ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.
WILL COUNTRIES HAVE TO WAIT EVEN AFTER PAYING UP-FRONT?
- The Gates Foundation envisions an equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
- The efforts are focused on helping improve the chances that low- and middle-income countries have access to doses at the same time as wealthier countries.
HOW SAFE WILL COVID-19 VACCINES BE ?
- COVID-19 vaccines are based on the results from rigorously conducted clinical studies.
- The Foundation is committed to ensuring the safety of individuals who will be receiving products that we have funded.
- Additionally, 16 life sciences companies have all committed to adhere to strict scientific and ethical standards in product development and manufacture.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- GAVI is also funding research and development of vaccines that could be less expensive to produce or easier to distribute in low- and middle-income countries.
- Such as those that only need one dose or do not require extreme refrigeration or freezing.
SOURCES: THE HINDU | 2nd Nov Current Affairs News Analysis
The road to economic recovery
HEADLINES:
The road to economic recovery
WHY IN NEWS:
Yet a second wave in Europe and US raise concerns.
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Economy
ISSUE:
FACTORS DETERMINING THE RECOVERY PATH
- Firms with less leverage, good governance, and the ability to raise capital, cut costs with the precision of a surgeon‘s knife will prosper .
- They need to innovate and adapt in the current situation .
- Our economic recovery will be a function of top-down factors like fiscal and monetary stimulus as well as bottom-up entrepreneurial efforts.
WHAT FACTORS RAISE HOPES OF RECOVERY?
- Active cases are coming down despite normalisation of economic activities.
- A vaccine breakthrough seems to be on the horizon.
- Lower oil, gold and Chinese goods imports have made India current account-surplus.
- Foreign exchange reserves are about to exceed foreign exchange debt.
- Agriculture reforms will materially benefit a large rural population.
- Labour reforms and postal life insurance schemes are steps in the right direction for India becoming a manufacturing hub.
- In sectors like auto and consumer durables, volumes are ahead of expectations. Many attribute it to pent-up demand.
WHERE IS POLICY FOCUS NEEDED?
- The monetary policy is accommodative but credit transmission needs to improve further.
- Policy rates are at lifetime low levels but the cost of borrowing needs to be lowered for below-AA rated borrowers.
- The path of fiscal prudence is important but it needs to be achieved by raising non-tax resources .
- Ease of doing business has improved but rule of law needs to be improved.
- Commercial disputes are getting addressed like the never-ending trial of the 1992 security scam rather than the quick, everyone-wins solution of Satyam.
- Our laws are being made for the lowest common denominator as crooks escape without adequate punishment.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- Sustainable long-term growth is visible in sectors where India is becoming part of the global supply chain.
- Sectors like contract manufacturing and chemicals are at a take-off stage, like the IT sector at the beginning of the century, albeit with high valuations.
- Sector where PSUs dominate, such as banking and insurance, will provide long-term growth opportunities to private firms.
SOURCES: THE IE | 2nd Nov Current Affairs News Analysis
Sichuan-Tibet Railway
HEADLINES:
China to begin construction of Ya’an-Linzhi section of Sichuan-Tibet Railway close to India’s border
WHY IN NEWS:
China Railway announced on Saturday the bidding results for the construction of two tunnels and one bridge, as well as the power supply project for the Ya’an-Linzhi section of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway, indicating that construction of the project is about to begin.
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 2 : IR
ISSUE:
SICHUAN-TIBET RAILWAY
- China is all set to begin the construction of the strategic Sichuan-Tibet Railway between Ya’an in southwest Sichuan province and Linzhi in Tibet.
- It is close to the Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh.
- China Railway announced the bidding results for the construction of two tunnels and one bridge.
- Also the power supply project for the Ya’an-Linzhi section of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway, indicating that construction of the project is about to begin.
CONCERNS
- The Sichuan-Tibet Railway starts from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, and travels through Ya’an and enters Tibet via Qamdo.
- It shortening the journey from Chengdu to Lhasa from 48 hours to 13 hours.
- China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet while India contests it.
- Linzhi also has an airport, one of the five built by China in the Himalayan region.
- The newly-built Ya’an-Linzhi section runs 1,011 kilometres and includes 26 stations.
- The total cost of the entire Sichuan-Tibet Railway project is around 319.8 billion yuan (USD 47.8 billion).
- The Sichuan-Tibet railway is also of great significance in safeguarding national unity and maintaining border stability.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- Strategically, China’s Tibetan region will have much stronger capabilities in material transportation and logistical supplies.
- Sichuan-Tibet Railway, it is expected to greatly boost local tourism all along the line.
- Both Sichuan and Tibet are rich in resources with their unique natural landscapes, huge mineral reserves, and a wide variety of medicinal herbs.
SOURCES: THE IE | 2nd Nov Current Affairs News Analysis
Inventory Gains
HEADLINES:
Why inventory gains are helping oil companies
WHY IN NEWS:
Explained : What causes inventory gains and how they impact the financial performance of oil marketing companies.
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Energy : Economy
ISSUE:
INVENTORY GAINS
- The key item driving profits for both companies in the quarter were “inventory gains”.
- Let us examine what causes inventory gains and how they impact the financial performance of oil marketing companies.
WHAT ARE INVENTORY GAINS?
- Inventory gains are registered from an appreciation in the value of inventory held by a company.
- Alternatively an appreciation in the price of products such as petrol and diesel classified as marketing inventory gains.
- OMCs purchased crude oil in April when the price of Brent crude hit a low of $19.33 per barrel.
- The price of Brent crude oil recovered to around $40- 45 $ per barrel in mid-June though a recent fall has pushed it to $38 per barrel in late October.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- The rise in prices of brent crude allowed IOC to register a gain of Rs 5,829 crore on crude alone.
- It allowed a total inventory gain of Rs 7,400 crore including marketing inventory gain on end products such as petrol and diesel.
- The net profit for the quarter was Rs 6,227 crore.
- BPCL similarly saw a refining inventory gain of Rs 1,303 crore and and marketing inventory gain of Rs 1,200 crore .
- Notably, All three state-owned OMCs registered major inventory losses in the previous financial year due to a sharp fall in the international price of crude oil.
SOURCES: THE IE | 2nd Nov Current Affairs News Analysis
National Cybercrime Reporting Portal
HEADLINES:
File FIRs for cybercrime
WHY IN NEWS:
States told 2 lakh complaints received on national portal, but only 5,000 cases registered
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Cybercrimes
ISSUE:
- MHA has written to all States to examine and register FIRs based on the complaints received on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, www.cybercrime.gov.in.
- As per data , only 2.5% of total complaints registered on the portal are converted into First Information Reports (FIRs).
- Ministry aims to raise a group of “cybercrime volunteers” to flag “unlawful content” on the Internet.
- Good Samaritans are welcome to register as Cybercrime Volunteers .
- The volunteers will have to submit photograph, name and address proof to be enlisted as a volunteer.
- Since its launch last year, the portal has received over 2 lakh complaints, but FIRs have been registered only in 5,000 cases.
- A senior government official said on an average, around 1,000 cybercrime complaints were received every month from across the country.
THE UNLAWFUL CONTENT IS CATEGORISED AS
- Content against the sovereignty and integrity of India
- Against defence of India
- Against security of the state
- Against friendly relations with foreign states
- Content aimed at disturbing public order
- Disturbing communal harmony and child sex abuse material.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- The rate of conversion of complaints to FIRs is very low.
- In July, of the over 30,000 complaints registered, only 273 FIRs were registered, the data show.
- The portal was launched on August 30, 2019 to help people report all kinds of cybercrimes on a centralised platform.
SOURCES: THE IE | 2nd Nov Current Affairs News Analysis
GST Gross Collections
HEADLINES:
GST inflows cross ₹1 lakh cr. in October
WHY IN NEWS:
Govt. flags clear signs of recovery, but experts voice caution about the sustainability of trend
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3 : Taxation
ISSUE:
GST INFLOWS
- The government cited the GST inflows that crossed the ₹1 lakh crore mark for the first time in this financial year as a ‘clear’ sign of a recovery in the economy.
- It had a 23.9% contraction in the first quarter of this year.
- However, economists and businesses are cautious about the sustainability of this trend.
- Tax experts said the expected shortfall in GST compensation for the States could be lower than the current estimate of ₹2.35 lakh crore if this revenue momentum is maintained through the rest of 2020-21.
- As per data released by the Finance Ministry on Sunday, the gross GST revenue collected in October was ₹1,05,155 crore, 10.25% higher than a year ago.
IASbhai WINDUP:
The growth in GST revenue as compared to that in the months of July, August and September 2020, of -14%, -8% and 5% respectively.
SOURCES: THE HINDU | 2nd Nov Current Affairs News Analysis
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