theIASHub | 31 Jul, 2025 | 5
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Kamchatka Peninsula : Recently, a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Russia’s remote Kamchatka Peninsula, marking one of the strongest quakes in recent history.
o The tremor triggered widespread tsunami warnings across the northern Pacific, leading to alerts in Hawaii, Alaska, Japan, and several other coastal regions.
o Geological Significance: One of the world’s most concentrated areas of geothermal activity.
o Volcanic Zone: Located on the Pacific Ring of Fire; home to over 150 volcanoes, including 29 active ones.
o Administrative Region: Part of Kamchatka Krai.
o Nickname: Known as the "land of fire and ice" due to its volcanic and glacial landscape.
o Population: One of the world’s lowest population densities (less than 1 person per sq. km)
o Climate: Very harsh, with long, cold winters that have a lot of snow, and cool, wet summers.
o Highest Point: Klyuchevskaya Sopka (a stratovolcano in the Eastern Range).
o Regional Capital: Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
o Kuril Islands: The Kuril Island chain extends from the southern tip of Kamchatka toward Japan’s northern Hokkaido Island.
Divya Drishti Exercise : Recently, the Indian Army conducted a high-altitude technology demonstration exercise called “Divya Drishti” in East Sikkim.
o Technologies Demonstrated: AI-enabled sensor networks for real-time threat detection and situational awareness.
ü Integration of drones and UAVs with ground-based platforms for advanced surveillance and targeting.
ü Sensor-to-shooter systems to ensure swift and precise battlefield responses.
ü Secure communication networks enabling seamless, encrypted data flow between troops and command centres.
o Participants: Executed by troops from the Trishakti Corps, headquartered in Sukna, West Bengal.
o Significance: Part of the Indian Army’s “Decade of Transformation” roadmap.
ü Supports the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative (indigenous technology).
ü Reinforces India’s readiness for future warfare and operations in complex terrains.
Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report: Recently, the World Bank’s 2025 Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report raised concerns over a sharp rise in global emissions from gas flaring.
o Of this, 46 MtCO₂e came from unburnt methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas.
o The flare volume rose to 151 billion cubic metres (bcm) in 2024, up from 148 bcm in 2023.
o This gas loss is nearly equal to Africa’s total annual gas consumption (162 bcm).
o The top nine flaring countries (Russia, Iran, Iraq, US, Venezuela, Algeria, Libya, Mexico, Nigeria) accounted for 76% of global flaring in 2024 (up from 65% in 2012).
o Iran, Nigeria, US, Iraq, and Russia saw the largest volume increases, together contributing an extra 4.6 bcm in 2024.
o It is commonly carried out in oil fields, especially remote or offshore sites where infrastructure to capture, store, or transport the gas is unavailable.
o Despite being wasteful and polluting, flaring continues because it is a relatively safe disposal method for excess gas.
Study on Respiratory Infections : Recently published in Nature, a groundbreaking study has revealed that common respiratory infections like COVID-19 and influenza can awaken dormant breast cancer cells lodged in the lungs.
o Caused by uncontrolled growth of cancerous cells in the breast.
o About 80% of cases are invasive, meaning the cancer can spread to other parts of the body.
o This reactivation led to rapid development of aggressive metastatic tumors within days.
o Molecular Trigger: Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pro-inflammatory molecule released during infections, was identified as the key driver of DCC reactivation.
ü Blocking IL-6 could potentially prevent metastasis following respiratory infections.
o Human Data Reinforces the Risk: Among cancer survivors (in remission ≥5 years), those infected with COVID-19 had nearly twice the risk of cancer-related death (excluding COVID fatalities).
ü Among 36,000+ breast cancer patients, those with COVID-19 were 50% more likely to develop lung metastases compared to uninfected peers.
o The study highlights the importance of vaccinations and continued medical follow-up for cancer survivors.
o The research deepens awareness of how post-viral effects extend beyond the acute illness.
NISAR : Recently, the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite was successfully launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota aboard the GSLV-F16 rocket.
o The launch marks a major milestone in Indo-US space collaboration and global Earth observation efforts.
o World’s first Earth observation satellite with dual-frequency SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar).
ü L-band radar (1.257 GHz) from NASA: Penetrates forests and soil layers to detect ground deformation and subsurface movement.
ü S-band radar (3.2 GHz) from ISRO: Optimised to detect surface-level changes like crop growth, biomass, and water levels.
o Enables all-weather, day-and-night imaging, even through clouds, smoke, or vegetation.
o Mission lifespan: 5 years.
o About Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) : A launch vehicle developed and operated by ISRO to place satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits (GTO).
ü GSLV is larger and more powerful than ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
ü GSLV-F16 is the 18th launch of India’s GSLV and 12th launch using India’s own cryogenic upper stage, which helps carry heavier satellites.
ü The rocket used a 4-metre wide, dome-shaped (ogive) nose cone to protect the NISAR satellite during launch.
ü This is the first time a GSLV rocket has placed a satellite (NISAR) into a Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbit, instead of its usual Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.
CRIB Blood Group: Recently, a new blood group called as CRIB previously unidentified anywhere in the world, has been discovered in a South Indian woman from Kolar district, Karnataka.
o The name CRIB stands for ‘Cromer India Bangalore’, acknowledging its discovery in India.
o This is the first time this blood group has been identified anywhere in the world.
o The discovery was officially announced at the 35th Regional Congress of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) in Milan, Italy.
o After 10 months of molecular testing and research, international experts confirmed the presence of a new antigen within the Cromer system.
o The naming and classification of new blood antigens are governed by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT).
o Identifying new antigens like CRIB improves: Global transfusion safety, Compatibility testing and Donor-recipient matching in critical situations such as surgeries, organ transplants, and emergencies.
Scheme for Women Cooperatives: Recently, the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) has launched dedicated schemes to advance women-led development and cooperative entrepreneurship, aligning with the broader vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
o Swayamshakti Sahakar Yojana: Aimed at enhancing access to affordable and reliable financial services for poor women, this scheme:
ü Enables Self Help Groups (SHGs) and federated cooperatives to access bank credit
ü Supports collective economic activities and sustainable livelihoods
ü Eligible institutions include Primary Agricultural Credit Societies, District Central Cooperative Banks, State Cooperative Banks, and SHG Federations
o Nandini Sahakar Scheme: Designed as a women-focused entrepreneurial support framework, this scheme provides:
ü Financial assistance, interest subvention, and credit support
ü Guidance on business model development, enterprise planning, and capacity building
ü Support for women cooperatives in all sectors except urban housing
Right to Information (RTI) : Recently, civil society groups and media organizations have raised serious concerns over the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, claiming that it undermines India’s Right to Information (RTI) framework.
o Introduced through the RTI Act, 2005, it ensures transparent and responsible governance.
o It ensures that personal data is processed only with the individual’s consent, safeguarding privacy and data rights.
o Key Objectives: To regulate the processing of digital personal data.
ü To establish provisions ensuring privacy, consent, and data protection for individuals.
o Applicable to the processing of digital personal data: Within India, whether collected online or offline (and later digitized).
ü Outside India, if related to offering goods or services to individuals in India (data principals).
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