06 April 2024 Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CDS, CAPF, NDA & SSB

1. Key Facts about Gulf of Khambhat

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) recently evacuated a fisherman from a fishing boat 50 kilometres away from the coast in the Gulf of Khambat.

About Gulf of Khambhat:

The Gulf of Khambhat (also known as the Gulf of Cambay) is an inlet of the Arabian Sea along the west coast of India, in the state of Gujarat. It divides the Kathiawar Peninsula from the south-eastern part of Gujarat.
Geography:
- The periphery of the Gulf of Khambhat is an extensive area of estuarine habitats.
- The Narmada, Tapti, Mahi and Sabarmati rivers drain into it.
- These rivers have deposited alluvium over large areas as the marine recession has united Saurashtra with the mainland of Gujarat.
- The Gulf is not very deep and has abundant shoals and sandbanks.
- There are extensive areas of intertidal mud and sand flats in the deltas of the Mahi and Sabarmati rivers.
- There are some coral reefs around small inlets in the western part of the Gulf.
Its shape and its orientation in relation to the southwest monsoon winds account for its high tidal range (12 metres) and the high velocity of the entering tides.
On the eastern side of the gulf are Bharuch, one of the oldest Indian ports, and Surat, identified with early European commercial contacts with India.
The town of Khambhat is at the head of the gulf.

Source : Indian Coast Guard rescues injured fisherman in Gulf of Khambhat

2. What are Shallowfakes?

With the Lok Sabha elections scheduled, social media platforms are abuzz with misinformation, mostly in the form of shallow fakes.

About Shallowfakes:

Like deepfake, shallowfake is also an act of morphing people’s pictures and using them for malicious activities. But unlike deepfake, which is created by using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) software, shallowfake can be created by simply using basic editing software.
They are made with existing technologies—for example, a conventional edit on a photo, slowing-down a video to change the speech patterns of an individual or more often, relying on mis-captioning or mis-contextualising an existing image or video, claiming it is from a time or place which it is not from.
And precisely because of this easier way to create them, many experts consider shallowfakes to be bigger threats than deepfakes.
Why are they called shallow? The term ‘shallow’ implies the quality of such fakes, which are lower in quality compared to deepfakes.
They are used to create a false proof of identity or address, including photo ID documents like passports, driving licences etc.
It is also used to create fake supporting evidence to support a claim or transaction, like contracts, agreements and invoices for services, no claims discount certificates, etc.

What are Deepfakes?

Deepfakes are a compilation of artificial images and audio put together with machine-learning algorithms to spread misinformation and replace a real person’s appearance, voice, or both with similar artificial likenesses or voices. The term "deepfake" combines the deep learning concept with something fake.
It can create people who do not exist and it can fake real people saying and doing things they did not say or do.
Working:
- They are created by machine learning models, which use neural networks to manipulate images and videos.
- To make a deepfake video of someone, a creator would first train a neural network on many hours of real video footage of the person to give it a realistic “understanding" of what he or she looks like from many angles and under different lighting.
- Then they'd combine the trained network with computer-graphics techniques to superimpose a copy of the person onto a different actor.
Deep fakes differ from other forms of false information by being very difficult to identify as false.

Source : More than deepfakes, shallow fakes should worry everyone

3. What are Microplastics?

Researchers recently created a plant-based polymer that biodegrades at microplastic level.

About Microplastics:

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that result from both commercial product development and the breakdown of larger plastics. Officially, they are defined as plastics less than five millimeters (0.2 inches) in diameter.
- The name is used to differentiate them from “macroplastics”, such as bottles and bags made of plastic.
They are present in a variety of products, from cosmetics to synthetic clothing to plastic bags and bottles. Many of these products readily enter the environment as waste.
They consist of carbon and hydrogen atoms bound together in polymer chains. Other chemicals, such as phthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), are typically also present in microplastics.
There are two categories of microplastics: primary and secondary.
- Primary microplastics are tiny particles designed for commercial use, such as cosmetics, as well as microfibers shed from clothing and other textiles, such as fishing nets.
- Secondary microplastics are particles that result from the breakdown of larger plastic items, such as water bottles. This breakdown is caused by exposure to environmental factors, mainly the sun’s radiation and ocean waves.
Environmental Impacts:
- The problem with microplastics is that, like plastic items of any size, they do not readily break down into harmless molecules.
- Thus, once in the environment, primary and secondary microplastics accumulate and persist.
- Microplastics in the ocean can bind with other harmful chemicals before being ingested by marine organisms. Standard water treatment facilities cannot remove all traces of microplastics.
- Microplastics are also a source of air pollution, occurring in dust and airborne fibrous particles.

What are Polymers?

Polymers are materials made of long, repeating chains of molecules. The materials have unique properties, depending on the type of molecules being bonded and how they are bonded.
Some polymers bend and stretch, like rubber and polyester. Others are hard and tough, like epoxies and glass.
The term polymer is often used to describe plastics, which are synthetic polymers. However, natural polymers also exist; rubber and wood, for example, are natural polymers that consist of a simple hydrocarbon, isoprene.

Source : "Monumental Step": Scientists Create Biodegradable Microplasti

4. What is the National Medical Commission (NMC)?

The Supreme Court recently issued a clear directive to the National Medical Commission (NMC) to submit details regarding the stipend status of medical colleges across all States.

About National Medical Commission (NMC):

It has been constituted by the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, which came into force on September 25, 2020.
It replaced the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI). It regulates medical education and medical professionals in the country.
It grants recognition of medical qualifications, gives accreditation to medical schools, grants registration to medical practitioners, monitors medical practice, and assesses the medical infrastructure in India.
Headquarters: New Delhi
Functions:
- lay down policies for maintaining high quality and high standards in medical education and make necessary regulations on this behalf;
- lay down policies for regulating medical institutions, medical researches and medical professionals and make necessary regulations in this behalf;
- assess the requirements in healthcare, including human resources for health and healthcare infrastructure
- take such measures, as may be necessary, to ensure compliance by the State Medical Councils of the guidelines framed
- exercise appellate jurisdiction with respect to the decisions of the Autonomous Boards;
- lay down policies and codes to ensure observance of professional ethics in the medical profession and to promote ethical conduct during the provision of care by medical practitioners;
- frame guidelines for determination of fees and all other charges in respect of fifty percent of seats in private medical institutions and deemed to be universities which are governed under the provisions of this Act;
Composition:
- It consists of 33 members, including the Chairperson (medical professionals only), 10 ex-officio members and 22 part-time members.
- Medical Advisory Council: It provides the platform through which the States or UTs can put forth their views and concerns before the NMC and advises the NMC on measures to determine and maintain minimum standards of medical education.
- Four autonomous boards:
  - Under-Graduate Medical Education Board
  - Post-Graduate Medical Education Board
  - Medical Assessment and Rating Board
  - Ethics and Medical Registration Board

Source : MBBS Internship : Supreme Court Directs NMC To Submit Details Of Stipend Paid To Interns By Medical Colleges In All States

5. What are Derivatives?

The RBI delays enforcement of regulations on exchange-traded currency derivatives by one month, prompting traders to close positions.

What are Derivatives?

The term derivative refers to a type of financial contract whose value is dependent on an underlying asset, group of assets, or benchmark. These contracts can be used to trade any number of assets and carry their own risks.
Common derivatives include futures contracts, forwards, options, and swaps. Prices for derivatives derive from fluctuations in the underlying asset.
The most common underlying assets for derivatives are stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies, interest rates and market indexes.
- They are used for various purposes, including speculation, hedging and getting access to additional assets or markets.
The basic principle behind entering into derivative contracts is to earn profits by speculating on the value of the underlying asset in the future.
There are mainly two types of derivatives: one that is subject to standardized terms and conditions, and thus being traded on stock exchanges, and the other being traded between private counter-parties in the absence of a formal intermediary.
- While the first type is known as exchange-traded derivatives, the other is over-the-counter derivatives.
What are Exchange Traded Currency Derivatives (ETCDs)?
- They are financial contracts that allow traders and investors to speculate on the future price movements of various currency pairs.
- These derivatives are traded on exchanges, and their value is based on the underlying currency exchange rate.
Common Derivatives:
- Futures Contracts: It is an agreement between two parties to buy or sell an asset at a predetermined price on a specific future date. The underlying asset can be commodities, financial instruments, or indices.
- Options Contracts: It gives the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy (call option) or sell (put option) an underlying asset at a specified price (strike price) on or before a predetermined expiration date.
- Swaps: They are agreements between two parties to exchange cash flows based on specific financial variables. Common types of swaps include interest rate swaps, currency swaps, and commodity swaps. Swaps are often used to manage interest rate risks, currency risks, or to change the nature of a debt obligation.
- Forwards: They are similar to futures contracts but are not standardized or traded on exchanges. They are customized agreements between two parties to buy or sell an asset at a specified price on a future date.

Source : RBI defers exchange-traded currency derivatives rules

6. Sannati Buddhist site

The Sannati Buddhist site, left neglected for many years after it came to light through the ASI excavations in the 1990s, got a restoration project in 2022.

About Sannati Buddhist site:

It is the ancient Buddhist site on the bank of Bhima river near Kanaganahalli (forming part of Sannati site) in Kalaburagi district, Karnataka. It is also popular among tourists for the Chandrala Parameshwari Temple.
Major findings in this site:
- It is believed to have been developed in three constructional phases – Maurya, Early Satavahana and Later Satavahana periods stretching from 3rd Century B.C. to 3rd Century A.D.
- Ranamandala area of Sannati offers a unique chronological scale from prehistoric to early historic times.
- An inscription written in the Prakrit language using the Brahmi script is also found here.
- The excavation also recovered another precious stone of historical importance – a stone sculpture portraying Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. The emperor is seen surrounded by his queens and female attendants in this rare sculpture. The sculpture had the words “Raya Asoko” etched on it in Brahmi script leaving little scope for mistaking the identity of the man featured in it.
- The recoveries included around 60 dome slabs with sculptural renderings of selected Jataka stories, main events in the life of the Master, portraits of Shatavahana monarchs and certain unique depictions of Buddhist missionaries sent by Ashoka to different parts
The site of ancient Nagavi Ghatikasthana, which was often termed the Takshashila of the South by historians, is around 40 km away from Sannati.
The Ghatikasthana, which had the status of a present-day university, was a major education hub during rulers of the Rashtrakuta and Kalyana Chalukya dynasties between the 10th and 12th Centuries.

Source : Nuggets of history from Sannati village in Kalaburagi district

7. Paira cropping system

A unique conservation agricultural practice called Paira cropping system has lost its importance in recent years due to climate change.

About Paira cropping system:

The utera/paira is a type of cropping which is commonly practiced in Bihar, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
It is a kind of relay method of sowing in which lentil/ lathyrus/ urdbean/ mungbean seeds are broadcast in the standing crop of rice about 2 weeks before its harvest.
This system does not allow agronomic intervention such as tillage, weeding, irrigation and fertilizer However, rice variety decides the productivity of pulses in this system.
Advantages:
- This practice enables us to use better soil moisture available at the time of harvesting of rice crops, which could otherwise be lost quickly.
- Experimental evidence showed that paira cropping produced more yield of lentil than planting with tillage after harvesting of the rice crop.
- This is an efficient way of utilising resources for sustainable crop intensification and boosting land productivity.

What is the Relay cropping method?

It is a method of multiple cropping where one crop is seeded into standing second crop well before harvesting of second crop.
It can solve a number of conflicts such as inefficient use of available resources, controversies in sowing time, fertilizer application and soil degradation.

Source : How Odisha is promoting climate-resilient agriculture through rice fallow initiative

8. What is S.A.R.A.H.?

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the launch of S.A.R.A.H., a digital health promoter prototype.

About S.A.R.A.H.:

Smart AI Resource Assistant for Health (S.A.R.A.H.) is a digital health promoter prototype with enhanced empathetic response powered by generative artificial intelligence (AI).
It is launched by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It aims to provide an additional tool for people to realize their rights to health, wherever they are.
Features:
- It is trained to provide information across major health topics, including healthy habits and mental health
- It has the ability to support people in developing better understanding of risk factors for some of the leading causes of death in the world, including cancer, heart disease
- It can help people access up-to-date information on quitting tobacco, being active, eating a healthy diet and de-stressing among other things.
- It can engage users 24 hours a day in 8 languages on multiple health topics, on any device. It is now powered by generative AI rather than a pre-set algorithm or script helping her to provide more accurate responses in real-time.

Source : WHO launches gen-AI powered digital health promoter S.A.R.A.H. for public health

9. Agni-Prime Missile

The new generation ballistic missile Agni-Prime was successfully flight-tested by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) along with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.

About Agni-Prime Missile:

It is a nuclear-capable new-generation advanced variant of the Agni class of missiles. It is a two-stage canisterised missile with a maximum range of 1,000 to 2,000 km.
It is lighter than all the earlier Agni series of missiles. It weighs at least 50 per cent less than the Agni 3 missile and has new guidance and propulsion systems.
It can be transported by road and rail and stored for longer periods, significantly reducing the time required for preparation and launch. The missile uses a cold launch mechanism and can be fired in salvo mode.

What are Ballistic Missiles?

These are launched directly into the upper layers of the earth’s atmosphere. They can travel outside the atmosphere, where the warhead detaches from the missile and falls towards a predetermined target.
They are rocket-propelled self-guided weapons systems which can carry conventional or nuclear munitions. They can be launched from aircraft, ships and submarines and land.

Source : New generation ballistic missile Agni-Prime successfully flight-tested

10. Purple-striped jellyfish

Recently, a bloom of venomous mauve stinger or purple-striped jellyfish was reported by marine researchers across the Visakhapatnam coast.

About Purple-striped jellyfish:

Appearance: It usually appears a blue purple (mauve) colour with a globe shaped umbrella covered in orangey brown warts.
Habitat: It is primarily pelagic or in the open ocean. However, this species can survive in benthic and temperate coastal habitats.
Distribution: It is found worldwide in tropical and warm-temperature seas. It is mainly found in the Indo-Pacific, Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Unique feature: Unlike other jellyfish species, it has stingers not just on the tentacles, but on the bell too. These are bioluminescent, having an ability to produce light in the dark.
It is venomous and causes varying degrees of illness such as diarrhoea, extreme pain, vomiting and anaphylactic shock.
A jellyfish bloom is when the population of the species increases dramatically within a short period of time, usually due to a higher reproduction rate.
- According to marine biologists, jellyfish blooms are reported frequently as a result of rising ocean temperatures, one of the main causes of substantial population growth.

Source : Venomous jellyfish blooms spotted along Visakhapatnam coast in Andhra Pradesh

06 April 2024 Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CDS, CAPF, NDA & SSB

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