Daily Current Affairs
To the Point Notes
1.Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Bill, 2024
Key Provisions:
- Compulsory Registration: Mandates registration of all Muslim marriages and divorces with the government.
- Replacement of Old Act: Replaces the British-era Assam Moslem Marriages and Divorces Act of 1935.
- Key Reforms: Aims to prevent child marriages, ensure consent, protect women’s rights, and curb polygamy.
- Validation of Existing Registrations: Recognizes previous registrations conducted by Qazis.
- Conditions for Registration:
- Couple must have been living together as husband and wife.
- Both parties must reside within the district for at least 30 days before marriage.
- Both parties must be of legal age (18 for girls, 21 for boys).
- Consent must be freely given.
- Both parties must be of sound mind and not incompetent or insane.
- Marriage must not violate prohibited degrees of relationship according to Shariat.
- Application must include relevant identity and residence documents.
2.SHe-Box
Context
- The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched SHe-Box, a centralised portal for registering and monitoring complaints of sexual harassment of women at the workplace.
About
- It serves as a centralized repository of information related to Internal Committees (ICs) and Local Committees (LCs) formed, encompassing both the government and private sectors.
- It offers a common platform to file complaints, track their status, and ensure a time-bound processing of complaints by ICs.
- It also provides assured redressal of complaints and a streamlined process for all stakeholders.
- The portal through a designated nodal officer will enable real-time monitoring of complaints.
3.SCO Meet in Islamabad
Key Points:
- Pakistan’s Invitation: Pakistan has invited PM Modi to the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in Islamabad in October 2024.
- Previous Engagements: India hosted the SCO Summit virtually in 2023. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister visited India for the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Goa in May 2023.
- Pakistan’s Chairmanship: Pakistan currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of Government.
- Strained Relations: Relations between Pakistan and India remain tense due to the Kashmir issue and terrorism.
- India’s Stance: India desires normal relations with Pakistan but requires a terrorism-free environment.
- Downgraded Ties: Pakistan downgraded its ties with India after Article 370 was abrogated in 2019.
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO):
- Establishment: Founded on June 15, 2001, in Shanghai.
- Founding Members: Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan.
- Current Member States: India, Pakistan, Iran.
- Official Languages: Russian and Chinese.
- Decision-Making Bodies: Council of Heads of States (CHS) and Council of Heads of Government (CHG).
- Goals: Strengthen mutual trust, encourage cooperation in various fields, ensure regional peace and security, and promote a fair international order.
4.Quasar J0529-4351: The Brightest Black Hole
Key Points:
- Discovery: Astronomers using ESO’s VLT discovered the brightest known black hole, a quasar named J0529-4351.
- Mass and Consumption: J0529-4351 has a mass of 17 billion Suns and consumes about one Sun’s worth of matter per day.
- Extreme Luminosity: It’s the most luminous object ever observed, emitting over 500 trillion times more light than the Sun.
- Distance: The light from J0529-4351 took over 12 billion years to reach Earth, indicating its great distance.
Quasars:
- Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs): Quasars are a subclass of AGNs.
- Extreme Luminosity: They are highly luminous galactic cores powered by supermassive black holes.
- Emission: Quasars emit radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum.
- Distance: They are typically observed at great distances from Earth, providing insights into the early universe.
- Hubble Discoveries: The Hubble Space Telescope has captured images of distant quasars, including one 9 billion light-years away.
- Scientific Significance: The study of quasars helps understand the birth of galaxies and the expansion rate of the universe.
5.Northern Bald Ibis
Context
- The northern bald ibis, also known as the Waldrapp, hunted to extinction by the 17th century, was revived by breeding and rewilding efforts over the last two decades.
About
- Characteristics: The Northern Bald Ibis has a long, under-curved beak. They are characterized by their black plumage, iridescent green, and bald red head, with individual black markings.
- Distribution: The bird used to be common across North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and much of Europe. However, it became extinct in central Europe for over 300 years due to hunting and habitat destruction.
- Northern Bald Ibises hunt with the help of their sense of touch to poke in the ground for insect larvae, earthworms, and other invertebrates.
- Conservation Status: The IUCN Status of the species is “Endangered”. (Earlier it was “critically endangered”).
- Conservation efforts: It is making a comeback as scientists guide 36 of these birds on their ancient migration route from Austria to Spain using an ultralight aircraft.
6.Chandipura Virus
Context
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently identified the current Chandipura virus outbreak in India as the largest in 20 years.
Chandipura Virus
- Chandipura virus, aka Chandipura vesiculovirus (CHPV), is an RNA virus belonging to the Rhabdoviridae family, which also includes the rabies virus.
- It was first identified in 1965 in Chandipura, a village in Maharashtra.
- Spread: It occurs by the sting of a vector-infected species of sandflies like Phlebotomine sandflies and Phlebotomus papatasi, and some mosquito species such as Aedes aegypti (which is also the vector for dengue).
- The virus resides in the salivary gland of these insects, and can be transmitted to humans or other vertebrates like domestic animals through bites.
- Symptoms: It mainly affects children aged 9 months-14 years. Fever, vomiting, loose motion and headache are the main symptoms.
- The infection can reach the central nervous system which can lead to encephalitis — inflammation of the active tissues of the brain.
- Treatment: There is no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine for Chandipura virus infection.
7.Bonda Tribe
Context
- An Odisha tribal boy from the Bonda tribe becomes the first from the community to clear NEET exam set to pursue MBBS programme.
About the Bonda tribe (aka Remo people)
- It inhabits the wild and secluded Malkangiri district in Odisha, near the river Machkund. Their distinctiveness lies not only in their geographical isolation but also in their unwavering spirit and ancient cultural practices.
- Their self-identification as ‘Remo’ reflects this spirit of Independence and Freedom.
- Bonda men are known for their bravery and boldness. They carry traditional weapons like bows and arrows.
- The Bonda language belongs to the Austro-Asiatic language group.
Dormitory Organisation
- The Bonda tribe practises a dormitory system. Men and women have separate living spaces.
- These dormitories serve as communal areas for socialising, rituals, and discussions.
8.Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)
Key Points:
- Annual Meeting: The annual meeting of the PIF began in Nuku’alofa, Tonga.
- Delegates: Over 1,500 delegates from 40 countries are attending.
- Key Agenda: Climate change is a major focus due to rising sea levels affecting many PIF members.
Pacific Islands Forum (PIF):
- Formation: Established in 1971.
- Member States: 18 member states located in the Pacific region.
- Goals: Promotes economic growth, political governance, security, and regional cooperation.
- Annual Meetings: Chaired by the Head of Government of the Host Country.
- Decision-Making: Decisions are made by consensus among member states.
- Implementation: Decisions are implemented by the PIF Secretariat.
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