theIASHub | 20 Jun, 2025 | 21
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Indus Valley Script: Recently, in a major effort to solve one of the oldest mysteries of ancient civilization, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) announced a three-day international conclave.
o The event will bring together global experts to focus on deciphering the Indus Valley script.
o Un-deciphered Script: The greatest obstacle to understanding this civilization is its script, which remains un-deciphered to this day.
o Documented Signs: Over 400 unique symbols have been recorded, primarily on seals, terracotta tablets, copper tools, and pottery.
o Key Challenges to Decipherment: Absence of bilingual inscriptions, such as a Rosetta Stone equivalent. Extremely short texts, often comprising only a handful of characters, limiting linguistic analysis.
o The event, titled ‘Decipherment of the Indus Script: Current Status and the Way Forward’, will be conducted in both online and offline modes to ensure wide participation.
World Investment Report 2025 : Recently, the World Investment Report 2025 released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) revealed that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows into India declined by 1.8% in 2024, dropping to $27 billion — less than half the amount received in 2020.
o Role of FDI: It fosters stable and enduring connections between economies, serving as a fundamental element in international economic integration.
o Indicators and Measurements : Inward and outward values for stocks, flows, and income, delineated by partner countries and industries, as well as FDI restrictiveness measures.
o It also provides analysis on global value chains and the operations of multinational enterprises, with special attention to their development implications.
o Established: 1964 ; HQ: Geneva, Switzerland
o Objective: Supports developing and least developed countries in integrating into the global economy
o Focus Areas: →Trade & development →Investment & enterprise →Technology & innovation
→Macroeconomics & development policies
One-Stop Centres (OSCs) : Recently, a total of 802 One-Stop Centres (OSCs) have become operational across India, reflecting the steady expansion of this initiative over the past decade.
o Main Objectives: To provide integrated support and services to women facing violence in both private and public spaces.
ü To ensure immediate and easy access to medical, legal, psychological, and counselling services — all under one roof.
o For whom: Women and girls of all ages, regardless of caste, class, religion, region, marital status, or sexual orientation.
ü Girls under 18 are supported in coordination with agencies under the Juvenile Justice Act and POCSO Act.
o Implementation: Managed locally by the District Collector or District Magistrate, who oversees daily operations
o Funding: Fully funded by the Central Government through the Nirbhaya Fund.
o Services Offered at OSCs: Emergency response and rescue, Medical aid, Assistance in filing FIRs/NCRs/DIRs, Legal aid and counselling, Psycho-social support, Temporary shelter and Video conferencing for legal proceedings and police interaction.
Rice Yellow Mottle Virus (RYMV) : Recently, a new genomic study published in PLOS Pathogens has raised concerns about the rapid spread of Rice Yellow Mottle Virus (RYMV) across large parts of East and West Africa.
o Historical Spread: The virus has been silently spreading across Africa for over a century, with its origins traced back to the mid-1800s in the Eastern Arc Mountains (now part of Tanzania).
o Initial Ecosystem: It likely originated from wild grasslands where rice was grown using slash-and-burn agriculture before spilling into cultivated rice fields.
o Geographic Spread: RYMV has spread from the Indian Ocean coast to Lake Victoria and reached Madagascar by the 1970s, following human movement through trade, colonial routes, and wartime transport.
o Impact: RYMV poses a severe threat to food security, rural economies, and farmer livelihoods, especially in regions where rice has replaced maize as a staple.
o Contributing Factors to Spread: Unregulated seed movement , Weak or collapsing farming biosecurity systems, Conflict zones and unstable governance and Unpredictable weather patterns and shifting farming seasons.
Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy: Recently, the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) in Nainital hosted a major international gathering of atmospheric scientists.
o The meeting focused on tracking changes in atmospheric composition, with a special emphasis on the use of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to enhance understanding of climate change.
o How It Works: Uses infrared (IR) light to scan a sample.
ü Analyzes how molecules vibrate to identify chemical bonds and functional groups.
ü Provides detailed information about molecular composition and structure.
o Sample Suitability: Effective for analyzing both small particles (10–50 microns) and larger surface areas.
o Applications: Industrial Use: Widely used in quality control of manufactured materials.
ü Environmental Monitoring: Helps assess air, water, and soil quality, especially in the context of pollution.
ü Material Identification: Used to detect organic, polymeric, and sometimes inorganic materials.
o Climate Relevance: Plays an important role in atmospheric studies by helping track changes in air composition and pollutants, aiding climate change research.
o Ecological Sensitivity: The Himalayas are a climate-sensitive and ecologically fragile region, making them vital for climate monitoring efforts.
o Lack of Ground-Based Data: Despite their importance, the region has limited ground-based atmospheric monitoring systems, creating major data gaps.
Rinderpest Holding Facility (RHF) : Recently India has achieved a major milestone in global animal health with the ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal being designated as a Category A Rinderpest Holding Facility (RHF).
o This recognition was granted by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
o Caused by a virus from the Paramyxoviridae family (genus Morbillivirus).
While wild species (like antelopes and giraffes) may show mild symptoms, it can cause up to 100% mortality in unprotected cattle and buffalo herds.o Symptoms include fever, mouth lesions, nasal and eye discharge, severe diarrhea, and dehydration — often leading to death within 10–15 days.
o No risk to humans; the virus does not infect people.
o Historically present in Europe, Africa, and Asia, rinderpest was officially eradicated in 2011.
o The virus spreads through direct contact — mainly via nasal secretions and body fluids of infected animals, even before visible symptoms appear.
o Released its Annual Report on Antimicrobial Agents Intended for Use in Animals.
o Headquarters: Paris, France
Established in : 1924 as the Office International des Epizooties (OIE); renamed WOAH in 2003.
Spartaeus Karigiri: Recently, a fascinating discovery has added to India's growing list of spider species — a new jumping spider named Spartaeus karigiri has been identified in southern India by a team of researchers.
o Scientific Significance: This marks the first time that the spider genera Spartaeus and Sonoita, previously known only from Southeast Asia and Africa, have been found in India.
ü Another species, Sonoita cf. lightfooti, earlier thought to exist only in Africa, has also been identified in Karnataka.
o Unique Traits: These spiders are part of the Spartaeinae subfamily, known for their sharp eyesight and clever hunting techniques.
ü Spartaeus karigiri uses smart tactics to invade webs and mimic prey to deceive other spiders.
o Broader Impact: With this discovery, India now has 15 known species of jumping spiders in the Spartaeinae subfamily, spread across 10 different genera.
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