Daily Current Affairs
To The Point Notes
1.Chile’s Atacama Salt Flat Sinking Due to Lithium Mining
Overview:
- Atacama salt flat in Chile is sinking due to lithium mining.
- Lithium is a crucial mineral for rechargeable batteries.
- Lithium Triangle: Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia have significant lithium reserves.
- India imports all its lithium needs.
- Lithium extraction involves pumping salt-rich water and using evaporation ponds.
Study Details:
- Researchers from the University of Chile used satellite data to observe deformations.
- Sinking primarily affects a specific area in the southwest.
- Environmental impact includes water depletion, soil and water contamination, and negative effects on local flamingo populations.
Additional Information:
- Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on Earth.
- Salar de Atacama is a major source of lithium.
2.Mass Wasting in Sedongpu Gully, Tibetan Plateau
Overview:
- High frequency of mass wasting events observed in Sedongpu Gully since 2017.
- Mass wasting refers to the movement of soil, rock, and debris down slopes.
Sedongpu Gully:
- 11 km long and covers 66.8 sq. km.
- Drains into the Yarlung Zangbo River near the Great Bend.
- Located near Mt. Namcha Barwa and Mt. Gyala Peri.
- Creates a gorge 505 km long and 6,009 meters deep.
- Close to Tibet’s border with Arunachal Pradesh.
- Yarlung Zangbo River becomes the Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh and the Brahmaputra in Assam and Bangladesh.
3.Lakhpati Didi Sammelan
Overview:
- Recognizes and celebrates women who earn an annual sustainable income of at least ₹1 lakh.
- Organized under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
- Aims to uplift women in rural areas through skill development, training, and financial support.
Lakhpati Didi Yojana:
- Facilitates diversified livelihood activities.
- Ensures convergence across government departments, private sector, and market players.
- Government disburses funds to self-help groups (SHGs) through a revolving fund.
- Target of three crore Lakhpati Didis set by the government.
Achievements:
- One crore women have already achieved Lakhpati status.
4.Plea Bargaining
Context
- According to the Ministry of Law and Justice, only 0.11% of cases were resolved through plea bargaining in 2022.
About Plea Bargaining
- A “plea bargain” is a practice whereby the accused forgoes his right to plead not guilty and demand a full trial and instead uses a right to bargain for a benefit.
- Plea bargaining was incorporated into the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in 2005 with the expectation that it would streamline the judicial process by allowing accused persons to admit guilt in exchange for leniency in sentencing.
- It applies only to offences punishable by up to seven years of imprisonment, with further restrictions excluding cases involving crimes against women, children, or socio-economic offences.
5.FSSAI Retracts Directive on A1 and A2 Milk Labeling
Overview:
- FSSAI withdrew its advisory on labeling A1 and A2 milk types.
- FSSAI previously directed food businesses to remove such claims.
- A1 and A2 milk differ in their beta-casein protein composition.
A1 vs. A2 Milk:
- Both A1 and A2 are common in cow milk.
- A1 and A2 differ by one amino acid at position 67.
Impact of A1 Beta-Casein:
- Research suggests A1 beta-casein may be linked to health issues like gut problems, heart disease, and autism.
- A1 beta-casein releases beta-casomorphin 7 (BCM-7) during digestion.
6.Rs 23,000 Crore Pull Out by FPIs in Financial Sector
Overview:
- Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) pulled out Rs 23,000 crore from the financial services sector between July 16 and August 15.
- Selling was driven by concerns over slower deposit growth compared to loan growth.
- Other sectors affected include automobile, capital goods, construction materials, oil, gas, and consumables.
Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI):
- Investment in securities and financial assets in another country.
- Does not provide direct ownership of company assets.
- Includes stocks, ADRs, GDRs, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs.
- Different from Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), which involves ownership stake in a foreign company.
7.Sonoluminescence
In Context
- Pistol shrimp (family Alpheidae) possess a specialised claw that can snap shut with incredible speed causing Sonoluminescence.
About
- The human eye is highly sensitive to light, able to detect even the faintest glimmers, but light pollution often obstructs this ability. This fascination with light led to the discovery of sonoluminescence in 1934 by two German engineers studying sonar.
- They observed that a small bubble in liquid, when struck by powerful sound waves, emits a brief flash of light.
- This occurs as the bubble rapidly expands and collapses due to sound waves, creating extreme temperatures that ionize gases inside, producing light.
- The alternating high and low pressure of sound waves leads to rapid expansion and contraction of bubbles.
8.Tanager-1 Satellite
Overview:
- Launched by NASA to track methane emissions.
- Uses imaging spectrometer technology to measure wavelengths of light reflected by Earth’s surface.
- Identifies spectral fingerprints of methane and carbon dioxide.
Importance of Tracking Methane Emissions:
- Methane is a strong greenhouse gas.
- Second largest contributor to global warming after carbon dioxide.
- 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over 20 years.
- Contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone.
9.India’s Import of LNG Increased
Context
- According to energy intelligence firm Vortexa, India’s monthly liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports in May – July 2024 hit a four year record, averaging 2.57 million tonnes (MT).
About
- LNG stands for liquefied natural gas.
- It’s natural gas that has been cooled down to about -260°F (-162°C) to turn it into a liquid form.
- LNG is primarily composed of methane (CH4), but it can contain small amounts of other hydrocarbons.
- It is used just like conventional natural gas for heating, electricity generation, and as a fuel for vehicles.
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