News In Short 25-1-2025

Kiswah

Syllabus: GS1/ Culture

Context

• The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 will witness the first-ever public display of the entire Kiswah of the Kaaba (Ghilaf-e-Kaaba) outside Makkah.

What is Kiswah?

• The Kiswah, which translates to “robe,” is the elaborately embroidered black cloththat covers the Kaaba, the cubical stone structure located at the center of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. 
  • The Kaaba is considered the holiest site in Islam, and the Kiswah holds profound religious and cultural importance. 
• The Kiswah is adorned with Quranic verses embroidered in gold and silver thread, elevating it to one of the highest forms of creative production in Islamic arts.
• Since AH 1346 (1927), the responsibility for its production has been undertaken by the Kiswah Factory of the Holy Kaaba, now known as the King Abdulaziz Complex. 

Source: IE

Ad-Hoc Judges

Syllabus: GS2/ Polity and Governance

Context

• The Supreme Court has recommended the appointment of ad-hoc judges in High Courts to address the growing pendency of criminal appeals.

Provisions for Ad-Hoc Judges

• Ad-hoc judges are temporary judges appointed to the judiciary for a specific tenure to address issues like case backlogs or vacancies. 
• Article 224A of the Indian Constitution, enables the Chief Justice of a High Court to request retired High Court judges to temporarily perform judicial duties.
  • Such appointments require the President’s approval.
• Memorandum of Procedure (MOP): It outlines the process for appointing ad-hoc judges, introduced after the establishment of the Collegium system in 1998.

Lok Prahari v. Union of India (2021)

• The SC recommended for ad-hoc appointments must be routed through the Supreme Court Collegium, which includes:
  • The Chief Justice of India.
  • The two senior-most judges of the Supreme Court.
• Criteria for Appointment: Ad-hoc judges can be appointed only when recommendations for judicial vacancies remain unfilled for less than 20% of the sanctioned strength.

Source: IE

Sunrise Sector

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• As per the Indo European Business Forum (IEBF), India needs to ‘immediately’ recognise sunrise industries such as e-sports, gaming and music, and develop world-class infrastructure to tap the potential of the Indian youth.

About

• One-fifth of India’s incremental GDP growth is expected to come from gaming and e-sports.
• States such as Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh look to double their GDP in next few years.
  • 20% of this incremental growth will come from the digital economy.

Sunrise Sector

• It refers to a rapidly growing sector in its early stages with high potential for expansion. 
• These industries experience significant growth, a rise in startups, and attract substantial venture capital funding, making them appealing to investors for long-term growth prospects.
• Sunrise Sectors of India: Electronics and Semiconductors, Electric Vehicles (EV), Renewable Energy, Pharmaceuticals, Agro and Food Processing (A&FP) etc.

Source: TH

Forex Reserves

Syllabus: GS 3/Economy 

In News

• India’s foreign exchange reserves dropped by $1.8 billion to $623.98 billion.
  • The recent decline is attributed to revaluation effects and the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) interventions to stabilize the rupee. 

About Forex reserves

• Foreign exchange reserves( FX reserves) are assets held by a nation’s central bank or monetary authority, primarily in reserve currencies such as the US Dollar, with smaller portions in the Euro, Japanese Yen, and Pound Sterling. 
  • These reserves are used to back liabilities and influence monetary policy.
•  Composition  : India’s gross foreign exchange reserves consist of foreign currency assets of the Reserve Bank, gold held by RBI and Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) of the Government of India.
• The RBI closely monitors foreign exchange markets, intervening only to maintain orderly market conditions and curb excessive volatility in the rupee exchange rate, without adhering to any fixed target level or range.
  • The RBI often intervenes by managing liquidity, including selling dollars, to prevent steep rupee depreciation. 

Source: TH

Kodaikanal Solar Observatory 

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• To commemorate the 125th anniversary year of the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), organized the conference on ‘Sun, Space Weather, and Solar-Stellar Connections’.

About

• Establishment: The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KSO) was established on 1 April 1899.
• Location: It is situated near Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, on the southern tip of the Palani Hills.
• The Kodaikanal Tower Tunnel Telescope: It features a 3-mirror Coelostat system comprising:
  • Primary mirror (M1): Tracks the Sun,
  • Secondary mirror (M2): Redirects sunlight downward,
  • Tertiary mirror (M3): Aligns the beam horizontally for solar observation.
• Discovery of the Evershed Effect (1909): KSO first detected the effect, which is  the radial outflow of gas from sunspots, marking a major contribution to solar physics.

Source: PIB

ISRO’s 100th Launch: GSLV-F15 NVS-02

Syllabus: GS3/ Science and Technology

Context

• In its 100th launch, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to send off the NVS-02 satellite aboard the GSLV-F15 mission. 

NVS-02 Satellite

• It is the latest addition to the NavIC constellation with advanced features that aim to enhance the system’s accuracy and reliability. Key features of NVS-02 include:
  • Advanced Navigation Payload: Operating in three frequency bands—L1, L5, and S—to ensure high positional accuracy.
  • Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standard (RAFS): A precise atomic clock that ensures accurate timekeeping, a critical component for navigation services.
• The satellite will serve applications such as navigation, precision agriculture, emergency response, fleet management, and mobile device location services.

Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) – It is India’s autonomous regional navigation satellite system, designed to fulfill both civilian and military navigational needs.  – It provides precise Position, Velocity, and Timing (PVT) services within India and extends up to 1,500 km beyond the country’s borders, forming its primary service area. – NavIC offers two distinct types of services: 1. Standard Positioning Service (SPS): It is designed for all users, it provides a location accuracy better than 20 meters and timing accuracy better than 40 nanoseconds across the core service area. 2. Restricted Service (RS): A secure and encrypted service tailored for authorized users, including defense and strategic applications.

Source: IT

Pralay Missile

Syllabus: GS3/ Defence

Context

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is set to showcase the Pralay missile at the 2025 Republic Day parade. 

About

• Pralay, is an indigenous surface-to-surface short-range quasi-ballistic missile.
• Range and Payload: Pralay has an operational range of approximately 400 km and carries a payload capacity of 500 to 1,000 kg.
• Propulsion: It is powered by a solid-propellant rocket motor.
• The missile is equipped with a state-of-the-art navigation system and integrated avionics, ensuring precision targeting even in challenging terrains.

Source: TH

SEBI’s ‘sachetisation’ Plan 

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

In News

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed promoting financial inclusion through “sachetisation” of mutual fund investments.

About Sachetisation 

• Sachetisation refers to the process of offering financial products and services in smaller, more affordable packages, making them easier to access and manage.
• The initiative proposes offering small-ticket investments, starting at just ₹250, to encourage low-income groups to begin their investment journey in mutual funds.
• Objectives: SEBI aims to make mutual funds accessible by promoting small, periodic investments through Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs), helping individuals develop a habit of systematic savings.
  • The proposal focuses on reaching underserved sections of society, particularly those in rural areas with limited means to invest.

Do you know ? – Mutual Fund is a financial mechanism that accumulates assets from different shareholders and invests the money into a diverse portfolio of securities. – Typically, a mutual fund contains various types of securities like bonds, stocks, money market and other financial instruments. – The mutual fund industry has grown significantly, with Assets Under Management (AUM) rising from ₹10 trillion in 2014 to ₹68.08 trillion in November 2024.

Source :IE 

SANJAY

Syllabus: GS3/Defence

Context

• Defence Minister flagged-off ‘SANJAY – The Battlefield Surveillance System (BSS)’.

About

• It has been indigenously & jointly developed by the Indian Army and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). 
• These systems will be inducted to the Indian Army in three phases in 2025.
  • Year 2025 has been declared as the ‘Year of Reforms’ in the Ministry of Defence (MoD). 
• Features: SANJAY is an automated system which integrates the inputs from all ground and aerial battlefield sensors.
  • The BSS is equipped with state-of-the-art sensors and cutting-edge analytics.
• Significance: It will monitor the vast land borders, prevent intrusions, assess situations with unparalleled accuracy and prove to be a force multiplier in Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance
  • It will enhance battlefield transparency and transform the future battlefield through a Centralised Web Application.
  • It will provide inputs to Command & Army Headquarters, and the Indian Army Decision Support System.

Source: PIB

Coral Bleaching at Great Barrier Reef

Syllabus: GS3/ Biodiversity and Conservation

Context

• The southern Great Barrier Reef (GBR) saw catastrophic coral bleaching in May 2024, with 44% mortality rate, triggered by heat stress during one of the largest bleaching events recorded.

About

• This mass bleaching event was the result of heat stress caused by the fourth global coral bleaching (GCBE4) event, which began in January 2023. 
• It surpassed the 2014-2017 bleaching levels, with 77% of global reefs experiencing heat-induced stress, pushing the GBR into its fifth-largest widespread bleaching event.

What are Corals?

• Corals are invertebrates that belong to a large group of animals called Cnidaria.
  • Corals are formed by multiple small, soft organisms known as polyps. 
  • They secrete a rocky chalk-like (calcium carbonate) exoskeleton around themselves for protection. 
  • Coral reefs are therefore created by millions of tiny polyps forming large carbonate structures.
• Appearance: Corals range in colour from red to purple and even blue, but are most commonly shades of brown and green.
  • Coral are bright and colorful because of microscopic algae called zooxanthellae.
• Significance: They provide food, shelter, resting and breeding grounds to a quarter of all marine life, acting as nurseries and refuges to protect critical biodiversity.
  • They also support more than 1 billion people living in coastal regions around the world by providing food, livelihoods and recreation.

Coral Bleaching

• Coral bleaching occurs when corals expel the colourful algae living in their tissues. 
• Without these helpful algae, the corals become pale and are vulnerable to starvation and disease. 
• A bleached coral is not dead, but ocean temperatures need to cool off for any hope of recovery.
• At least 14% of the world’s remaining corals were estimated to have died in the previous two global bleaching events.
• Scientists had previously projected that coral reefs would cross a tipping point at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 F) of global warming, whereby up to 90% of reefs would be lost.
  • The latest record bleaching adds to growing evidence that reefs have already passed a point of no return at just 1.3 C (2.3 F) of warming.

Can corals recover from bleaching?

• Corals can recover from bleaching over time, but only if temperatures drop and conditions return to normal. 
• When this happens, the algae returns and the corals gradually regain their health.

Source: DTE