TNPSC Current Affairs December 15, 2020

Topic: International Events

Israel-Bhutan Ties

Recently, Israel has established diplomatic ties with Bhutan. The development comes two days after Israel and Morocco agreed to normalize ties in a deal brokered with assistance from the USA.

Morocco became the fourth Arab country, after the UAE, Bahrain (Abraham Accords) and Sudan, to set aside hostilities with Israel in the past four months.

Historical Background:

Israel has supported Bhutanese human resource development since 1982, especially in the area of agriculture development that has benefited hundreds of Bhutanese youths. Both the countries maintained a cordial relation despite a lack of formal ties.

Israel briefly had a non-resident ambassador to Bhutan in 2010. Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation MASHAV has trained hundreds of Bhutanese youth since 2013.

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Topic: Latest inventions on Science and Technology

Mucormycosis Fungal Infection

Recently, doctors have witnessed increased cases of Covid-19 triggered Mucormycosis. The reduced immunity of Covid-19 patients makes them more susceptible to this fungal infection.

Key facts:

Mucormycosis is also called Black Fungus or Zygomycosis and is a serious but rare fungal infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes.

Transmission:

It occurs through inhalation, inoculation, or ingestion of spores from the environment. For example, the lung or sinus forms of the infection can occur after someone inhales the spores from the air. Mucormycosis does not spread between people or between people and animals.

It usually occurs in people who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness.

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Topic: International Events

San Isidro Movement (MSI): Cuba

The Movimiento San Isidro started two years ago and has now become a platform for Cuban dissidents both within and outside the nation.

Key facts:

The Movimiento San Isidro, or the San Isidro Movement (MSI), started two years ago (2018) to protest state censorship of artistic work through Decree 349. Decree 349 is a law that would have given powers to the Cuba’s Government to restrict cultural activity it did not approve of.

To protest against the decree, artists, poets, journalists and activists gathered in San Isidro, a Black-majority locality that is among Havana’s poorest yet most culturally active regions.Current Spark: A member of the MSI, Afro-Cuban rapper Denis Solís, was arrested by the police. This led to widespread protests and strikes.Global View:Various National government and International human rights organisations such as Amnesty International have raised concern for human rights in Cuba. Cuban diaspora in many countries continue to hold rallies in support of the movement.The Cuban Government Stand: The Cuban government alleges that the movement is funded by USA and are being used to subvert the state.

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Topic: Political System in India, Latest Diary of Events

Model code of conduct

The State Election Commission (SEC) has sought an explanation from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the complaint that he had violated the model code of conduct with his announcement that COVID-19 vaccination will be provided free of cost to everyone in the State. A decision will be taken on the matter after studying his explanation.

Model Code of Conduct(MCC):

What is MCC? These are the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India for conduct of political parties and candidates during elections mainly with respect to speeches, polling day, polling booths, election manifestos, processions and general conduct.

This is in keeping with Article 324 of the Constitution, which mandates EC to conduct free and fair elections to the Parliament and State Legislatures.

Aim: To ensure free and fair elections.

When it comes into force?

So far, the Model Code of Conduct came into force immediately on announcement of the election schedule by the commission. The Code remains in force till the end of the electoral process.

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Topic: Latest Diary of Events

What is Enigma?

Recently, the divers discovered an Enigma encryption machine used by Nazis in Baltic sea. The divers discovered the machine while searching the seabed with sonar devices for abandoned fishing nets that might harm the sea life.

Enigma:

Enigma is an encryption device that was used by the German Nazis during the 2nd World Warto encode secret messages.

It was recently discovered by divers in the Baltic Sea. The machine was invented by Arthur Scherbius near the end of the 1st World War.

The use of these machines made it very hard for the Allied Forces to intercept and decode the German’s coded messages. Near the end of the 2nd World War, the Germans destroyed most of these machines to prevent the Allied powers from accessing them.

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Topic: Latest inventions in Science and Technology, Profile of States

Miyawaki Method of Afforestation

The Mansa unit of Punjab state Police is developing Miyawaki forests. Also, the Bengaluru Hennagara Lake is to get a new life with Miyawaki Forests.

Miyawaki forest is a method of afforestation developed in Japan. It involves the planting of saplings in a small area resulting in formation of dense forests in relatively short time periods. The method is specifically used in urban areas to increase green cover.

Some of the advantages of the method include low space requirements and lower chances of weed growth as the dense canopy prevents sunlight from reaching the ground.

About Miyawaki Afforestation Method:

It is also called Potted Seedling Method. The technique is used to create dense multi-layered forests. It is named after a Japanese botanist who developed the method. It involves planting saplings in small areas, making them fight for resources and grow ten times quicker. The Kerala Forest Department has adopted Miyawaki Afforestation Method to be used in government schools, offices and in waste lands.

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Topic: Latest Diary of Events

INS Viraat

INS Viraat is an aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy that is currently being broken apart at Alang ship-breaking yard, Gujarat.

It is noted for its participation in Operation Jupiter and Operation Parakram. It was decommissioned in 2017.

There have been offers to convert it into a maritime museum. But the warship has been sold for scraps as the centre hasn’t issue a ‘no objection certificate’. Recently, the Maharashtra government offered to cooperate with the defence ministry to restore the historic warship.

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Topic: Geographical Landmarks

Geminids Meteor Shower

The Geminids Meteor Showers are to be the strongest between December 4 and December 20. Soon after the Geminids Meteor Shower, the Ursid Meteor showers are to occur between December 17 and December 26. The Geminids are expected at about 60 meteors per hour and the Ursids at five to ten per hour.

Meteor Showers:

The meteors are pieces of rocks and ice that are ejected from comets as they orbit around the sun. The Orionid meteors occur from comet Halley. When a meteor reaches the earth, it is called meteorite. When a series of meteorites are encountered at once, it is called meteor shower.

As the meteors come in close contact to the earth, they are acted upon by its gravity. They thus enter the earth’s atmosphere. The resistance offered by the atmosphere makes the rocks extremely hot. They eventually catch fore and leave behind streaks of glowing gas that are visible as meteor showers.

According to NASA, over 30 meteor showers occur annually. The other meteor showers that occurred in November are Leonids, Northern Taurids and Southern Taurids. When the number of meteors spotted are thousand per hour, it is called meteor storm. When the number of meteors spotted are less than thousand per hour, it is called meteor shower.

About Geminid Meteor Showers:

The Geminid Meteor Showers are unique as they do not originate from a comet but from an asteroid. The Geminid Meteor originate from Phaethon asteroid. The asteroid was discovered in 1983. Phaethon is the son of Sun god Helios in Greek Mythology. The asteroid is five kilometres in diameter.

Why is Geminids best in 2020? The Geminids Shower is to be the best in 2020 as it overlaps the new moon. This means that there will be no moonlight to wash the fainter meteors.

What are Leonid Showers? It occurs from Comet Tempel-Tuttle. The comet takes 33 years to complete one revolution around the sun.

What Are The Differences Between An Asteroid, Comet, Meteoroid, Meteor and Meteorite?

Asteroid: A relatively small, inactive, rocky body orbiting the Sun.

Comet: A relatively small, at times active, object whose ices can vaporize in sunlight forming an atmosphere (coma) of dust and gas and, sometimes, a tail of dust and/or gas.

Meteoroid: A small particle from a comet or asteroid orbiting the Sun.

Meteor: The light phenomena which results when a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere and vaporizes; a shooting star.

Meteorite: A meteoroid that survives its passage through the Earth’s atmosphere and lands upon the Earth’s surface.

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Topic: Latest Diary of Events

KV Kamath Committee

The Reserve Bank of India had constituted a five-member expert committee under KV Kamath. He was the former CEO of ICICI Bank. The apex bank recently notified that it is to cover twenty-six stressed sectors under the TLTRO (Targeted Long-Term Repo Operations) Scheme. These twenty-six stressed sectors were identified by the KV Kamath Committee.

Key facts:

The Reserve Bank of India has directed the banks to avail funds from two schemes namely ECLGS 2.0 (Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme) and TLRO scheme to provide credit support to the stressed sectors.

Under the TLRO scheme, the banks can invest in corporate bonds, non-convertible debentures and commercial papers issued by the entities in specific sectors.

The TLRO scheme was announced to channelize liquidity to small and mid-sized corporates, micro finance institutions and Non-Banking Financial Corporation. The RBI is to conduct on-tap TLRO up to three years at floating rate linked to the policy repo rate.

The Government of India launched the ECLGS 2.0 to provide 100% collateral free additional credit to the twenty-six stressed sectors identified by the KV Kamath Committee.

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Topic: General Administration

Himgiri of Project 17A

The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) recently launched a new Project 17A ship called Himgiri for the Indian Navy. The ship was launched into the waters of Hooghly river. It is a Nilgiri-class Stealth Frigate.

Project 17A:

The project was approved by the Government of India in 2015. Under the project, a total of seven advanced frigates are to be delivered to the Indian Navy. Four of these are to be constructed by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and three are to be launched by GRSE.

The cost of the project was estimated as 7 billion USD. The project led to creation of employment opportunities for more than 2,000 Indian companies and MSMEs.

The Project 17A ships are guided missile frigates. Each of these ships are 149 metres long. They have displacement of approximately 6,670 tonnes and a speed of twenty-eight knots. The ships being built under the project uses the latest integrated construction methodology.

They have reduced build periods and enhanced pre-outfitting to augment quality. The ships are built using indigenously developed steel. They are integrated with indigenous sonar system and weapons such as BrahMos missile, LRSAM.

Himgiri:

It is the first of the three ships built by GRSE. The Project 17A ships are fitted with advanced sensors, indigenous weapons and is equipped with gas turbine propulsion. Earlier Himgiri was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1974 and decommissioned in 2005. A new ship is now being launched in 2020.

In 1976, Himgiri was the first ship of Indian Navy to shoot a pilotless aircraft.

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Topic: Awards and Honours

UNESCO Prize on Creative Economy

UNESCO is to launch an international prize in the creative economy field in the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International prize is to be launched from November 2021.

2021 has been declared as ‘International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development’ by UNESCO. Currently there are only twenty-three UNESCO International Awards in the name of international celebrities and organisations.

For the age of the organizations, the numbers are very few. Thus, the UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International prize has its own significance.

About UNESCO Prize on Creative Economy:

The prize will create knowledge sharing mechanism by capturing, celebrating and communicating the best practice in developing creative entrepreneurship. The prize will be fifty thousand USD and is to be given once in every two years.

The award will recognise exceptional initiatives taken by cultural workers and organizations in the development of creative economy. Also, the prize will create an opportunity to spread the ideology of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and will inspire the cultural workers to develop creative economy.

What is Creative Economy?

Creative economy is an economic system in which value is based on use of creative imagination rather than the traditional factors of land, capital and labor. The concept was given by John Howkins in 2001. This form of economy occurs only when the creativity of the person becomes a major source of value and main cause of transaction.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman:

He is also called the “Father of Bangladesh”. He was the first President of Bangladesh. He also served as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from April 17, 1971 till his assassination on August 15, 1975. Bangabandhu was a leading figure in the Awami League that was founded in 1949. Awami League was a political party in the then East-Pakistan (now Bangladesh). He became the central figure leading the Bangladesh Liberation Movement and the Bangladesh Liberation war in 1971.

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Topic: General Administration, Latest Diary of Events

New Parliament Building

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the New Parliament Building at Sansad Marg in Parliament Complex.

Tata Projects Ltd has been given the contract for the construction of this project. It will come up in an area covering 64,500 sqm at a cost of Rs 971 crore. It is expected to be finished by or before 2022. The country will celebrate its 75th Independence Day in 2022.

The new Parliament building will have a bigger Lok Sabha and Rajya Chamber with the lower house having 888 seats, while the upper house will have 384 seats. It will be able to accommodate 1224 members during a joint session of the parliament. The new Parliament building will not have a central hall unlike the existing one.