News In Short 13-2-2025

Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati

Syllabus :GS 1/History 

In News

• PM paid tributes to Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati on his birth anniversary.

Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati 

• Dayanand Saraswati was born on February 12, 1824, in Gujarat. 
• He founded the Arya Samaj in 1875 to promote social reforms and education, counteracting social inequities and orthodox Hindu practices.
• Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, India’s second President, called Dayanand Saraswati ‘a maker of modern India.
• He published Satyarth Prakash (1875) to promote Vedic teachings and criticized other religions.
• Core Beliefs: Rejected idolatry and ritualistic traditions in Hinduism.
  • Advocated for women’s education and opposed child marriage and untouchability.
  • Emphasized a return to Vedic principles, promoting monotheism and simple rituals.
• Social Impact: He advocated for cow protection, leading to the creation of the Gaurakshini Sabha in 1882.
  • His followers established Dayanand Anglo Vedic (DAV) schools after his death to promote modern education alongside cultural and religious values.
  • Credited with popularizing the term “swaraj” (self-rule) in 1875, later adopted by leaders like Lokmanya Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi.
  • Supported the idea of “shuddhi” to bring back converts to Hinduism.
• Philosophy of Arya Samaj: He advocated for the welfare of all humankind, rejecting idol worship.
  • He believed caste should not be hereditary but based on individual talent and disposition.
  • His vision of social reform is seen in India’s New Education Policy of 2020.

Source: IE

Deepwater ‘Space Station’ in South China Sea

Syllabus: GS 1/Geography 

In News

• China has approved the construction of the first South China Sea deepwater ‘space station’.

About 

• The facility will be a cold seep ecosystem research facility, located 2,000 meters below the surface.
• It will be one of the deepest and most technologically complex underwater installations.
• It is expected to be operational by around 2030.

About the South China Sea

• It is one of the most strategically and economically important waterways in the world, extending from the Strait of Malacca in the southwest, to the Strait of Taiwan in the northeast.
• It is a crucial maritime gateway and junction for shipping between the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
• It is surrounded by several nations, including China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
• Importance:  The region is rich in natural resources, including oil, gas, and fisheries, and serves as a crucial trade route for various economies.
• Dispute:  The South China Sea dispute involves China’s broad claims over the region, contested by ASEAN nations like the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei over islands, reefs, and resources. 
  • These disputes affect freedom of navigation and air traffic.
• India’s Position:  India’s position on the South China Sea has evolved in recent years, shifting from neutrality to more active support for claimant states like the Philippines and Vietnam.
  • India also seeks to secure its energy resources and enhance economic ties through its Look East Policy

Source: AIR

Public Accounts Committee

Syllabus :GS 2/Governance

In News

• Public Accounts Committee led by K.C. Venugopal directed the government to review existing rules regarding toll tax on National Highways (NH).

Public Accounts Committee (PAC)

• Genesis: It  is one of the oldest parliamentary committees, established in 1921 following the Montagu Chelmsford Reforms.
• Composition: It is formed every year under Rule 308 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.
  • It consists of up to 22 members (15 from Lok Sabha, and 7 from Rajya Sabha).
  • A Minister is not elected as a member of a Committee.
• Function: It is responsible for auditing the revenue and the expenditure of the government, examines various government accounts, & reviews income and expenditure statements of autonomous bodies audited by the CAG. 

Source :TH

Avian Influenza

Syllabus: GS2/Health

Context

• The Andhra Pradesh Government has declared four areas as Biosecurity Zones, in view of the identification of the avian influenza (bird flu) cases in the State. 

Avian Influenza

• Depending on the origin host, influenza A viruses can be classified as avian influenza (bird flu, subtypes A H5N1 and A H9N2), swine influenza (swine flu, subtypes A H1N1 and AH3N2).
• Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is a viral infection that primarily affects birds.
  • It is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can spread from animals to humans. 
  • The H5N1 subtype has been responsible for numerous human infections and fatalities in the past.
• Symptoms: Fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, and severe respiratory distress in advanced cases
• Prevention: Avoiding contact with sick or dead birds; ensuring poultry products are thoroughly cooked; and implementing robust surveillance systems to detect and respond to new cases promptly.
• There is no vaccination available for the Avian Influenza.

Source: TH

India’s Palm Oil Imports Plunge

Syllabus: GS3/ Agriculture

In News

• India’s palm oil imports dropped 65% year-on-year in January 2025, reaching a 13-year low.

About Palm Oil

• Definition: Palm oil is extracted from the fruit of the African oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis) and is one of the most widely used vegetable oils in the world.
• Types of Palm Oil
  • Crude Palm Oil (CPO): Extracted from the fruit pulp, used mainly for cooking and food processing.
  • Palm Kernel Oil: Extracted from the seed, primarily used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and industrial applications.
• Global Palm Oil Production: 
  • Indonesia & Malaysia together produce over 85% of the global supply.
  • Other significant producers: Thailand, Colombia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea.
• Palm Oil Production in India 
  • Major Producing States: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala (accounting for 98% of total production).
  • India still relies heavily on imports to meet domestic demand.

National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) (launched in 2021)

• Goal: Promote domestic oil palm cultivation and reduce dependence on imports.
• Targets: Increase oil palm cultivation to 10 lakh hectares by 2025-26.
  • Support farmers with financial incentives & subsidies.

Source: TH

Einstein Ring

Syllabus: GS3/ Science and technology

Context

• The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Euclid space telescope has discovered an Einstein ring, around a galaxy nearly 590 million light-years away from Earth.

What is an Einstein Ring?

• An Einstein ring is a circular formation of light caused by gravitational lensing, where a massive celestial object bends and magnifies light from a more distant object behind it.
  • Gravitational lensing is an example of Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
• Lensing Effect:  If the alignment between the observer, the foreground lens, and the background source is nearly perfect, the light from the background galaxy can be smeared into a ring.
  • In the recently observed Einstein ring, the galaxy NGC 6505 acted as the gravitational lens.

Significance of Einstein Rings

• Probing Dark Matter: Dark matter, which makes up 85% of the universe’s total matter, does not emit or absorb light, making it difficult to observe directly.
  • Einstein rings provide indirect evidence of dark matter’s gravitational influence.
• Understanding Distant Galaxies: These rings help scientists study galaxies that would otherwise be too faint or distant to observe.
• Insights into Cosmic Expansion: The bending of light provides crucial data about the expansion of the universe, as the space between celestial bodies is continuously stretching.

Source: IE

BrahMos NG

Syllabus: GS3/ Defence

In News

• The development in the BrahMos NG (Next Generation) missile system represents a significant leap in India’s defense capabilities and international outreach.

About BrahMos NG

• BrahMos NG is an advanced supersonic cruise missile developed under the India-Russia joint venture.
• The BrahMos NG will retain the same 290 km range and Mach 3.5 speed as its predecessor.
• It is lighter (1.6 tonnes vs. 3 tonnes) and smaller (6m vs. 9m), making it more adaptable for various platforms, including the Sukhoi-30MKI and Tejas fighter aircraft.
• It will feature a homemade AESA radar.
• The first test flight is expected by next year (2025-26).

Strategic Importance & Export Potential 

• India delivered the first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines in 2024, under a $375 million deal signed in 2022.
• Advanced negotiations with Indonesia for a $450 million deal.
• Several nations in Africa and West Asia have shown interest in acquiring BrahMos NG.

Source IE

Hyderabad Bird Atlas

Syllabus: GS3/Environment and Ecology

Context

• Hyderabad is developing a Bird Atlas.

About

• It is a three-year project and will be conducted in February (Winter) and July (Summer) to know about the migratory birds. 
• Aim: To understand bird distribution in the city, monitor changes in their population, identify important bird areas and inform authorities about land use planning. 
• Pune, Mysore and Coimbatore are some of the cities in India that have developed bird atlases.
• As of now, 51 out of 180 regions were surveyed and 170 bird species were recorded. 

Source: TH