{"id":14296,"date":"2021-03-10T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-10T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/10-03-2021\/facts-in-news-96\/"},"modified":"2025-07-11T18:02:25","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T12:32:25","slug":"facts-in-news-96","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/10-03-2021\/facts-in-news-96","title":{"rendered":"Facts in News"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Diphtheria<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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  • Cause:<\/strong> Infectious disease caused by the bacterium <\/strong>Corynebacterium diphtheriae<\/em>.\n
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    • It is an aerobic gram-positive bacillus<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    • Toxin production (toxigenicity) occurs only when the bacillus is itself infected (lysogenized) by a specific virus (bacteriophage) carrying the genetic information for the toxin (tox gene).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Effects:<\/strong> Infects the throat and upper airways<\/strong>, and produces a toxin<\/strong> affecting other organs.<\/li>\n
    • Symptoms: <\/strong>Acute onset with a sore throat, low fever and swollen glands in the neck.\n
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      • The toxin causes a membrane of dead tissue to build up over the throat and tonsils, making breathing and swallowing difficult<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • Transmission:<\/strong> Through direct physical contact<\/strong> or from breathing in the aerosolized secretions from coughs or sneezes of infected individuals.\n
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        • In countries endemic for diphtheria, the disease occurs mostly in sporadic cases<\/strong> or in small outbreaks<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Fatality: <\/strong>It is fatal in 5-10%<\/strong> of cases, with a higher mortality<\/strong> rate in young children<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
        • Treatment:<\/strong> Involves administering diphtheria antitoxin<\/strong> to neutralize the effects of the toxin, as well as antibiotics<\/strong> to kill the bacteria.<\/li>\n
        • Vaccination: <\/strong>The vaccine is a bacterial toxoid<\/strong> (a toxin whose toxicity has been inactivated).\n
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          • Vaccination has reduced the mortality and morbidity of diphtheria dramatically<\/strong>, however, diphtheria is still a significant child health problem<\/strong> in countries with poor immunization <\/strong>coverage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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            (Image Courtesy: CDC)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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DRDO Develops Air Independent Propulsion (AIP)<\/h3>\n

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  • Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)<\/strong> successfully completed the trial of the land-based prototype test of the \u201cAir Independent Propulsion (AIP)\u201d technology.<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Air Independent Propulsion (AIP):<\/strong> Allows the submarine to be submerged for a long period underwater.\n
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    • As it is based on the Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell. <\/strong>Thus, the AIP fitted submarine does not require a surface for charging its batteries and this way it can remain underwater for long periods.<\/li>\n
    • AIP has a force multiplier effect on the lethality of a diesel-electric submarine as it raises the submerged endur\u00adance of the boat, several-fold.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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      • This was built on the line of Atmanirbhar Bharat,<\/strong> as apart from India, the countries to have AIP technology are China, Germany, Sweden, France, Spain and Russia.\n
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        • The US has not focused on AIP since they operate nuclear submarines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Agri-voltaic Systems<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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  • Agri-voltaic Systems<\/strong> (AVS) comprise installing solar panels<\/strong> and undertaking farming<\/strong> at the same time on the same land.<\/li>\n
  • It serves two major purposes of electricity generation<\/strong> and crop cultivation<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  • The uniqueness of the AVS system is that it has the provision of harvesting rainwater falling on solar panels<\/strong> that can be reused for supplemental irrigation<\/strong> during the period of water shortages.<\/li>\n
  • AVS has special relevance in arid areas of the north-western region<\/strong> as these regions receive more sunlight.<\/li>\n
  • The income from selling Photovoltaics (PV) generated electricity<\/strong> will be in addition<\/strong> to the income from farming.<\/li>\n
  • Under component-I of the KUSUM<\/strong> (Kisan Urja Suraksha Utthan Mahabhiyan<\/strong>) scheme, there is a provision for installation of the agri-voltaic system in farmers\u2019 fields with a capacity ranging from 500 KW to 2 MW<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  • The Indian Council of Agricultural Research<\/strong> (ICAR) Central Arid Zone Research Institute<\/strong>, Jodhpur <\/strong>has developed an Agri-voltaic system of 105 KW<\/strong> capacity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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  • It is the National Standard Body<\/strong> of India established under the BIS Act 2016<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  • Aim:<\/strong> Harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.<\/li>\n
  • It has been providing traceability and tangibility benefits to the national econom<\/strong>y in a number of ways, by\n
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    • Providing safe reliable quality goods.<\/li>\n
    • Minimizing health hazards to consumers.<\/li>\n
    • Promoting exports and imports substitute.<\/li>\n
    • Control over the proliferation of varieties etc. through standardization, certification and testing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Headquarters:<\/strong> New Delhi<\/li>\n
    • Regional Offices:<\/strong> Kolkata (Eastern), Chennai (Southern), Mumbai (Western), Chandigarh (Northern) and Delhi (Central).<\/li>\n
    • Activities:<\/strong> Standards Formulation, Product Certification Scheme, Compulsory Registration Scheme, Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme, Hall Marking Scheme, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Swachhta Pakhwada<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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  • It started in April 2016<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  • Objective: <\/strong>To bring a fortnight of intense focus on the issues and practices of Swachhata by engaging Ministries\/Departments in their jurisdictions.<\/li>\n
  • An annual calendar is pre-circulated<\/strong> to help plan for the Pakhwada activities.<\/li>\n
  • The Ministries observing Swachhata Pakhwada are monitored closely using the online monitoring system of Swachhata Samiksha<\/strong> where action plans, images, videos related to Swachhata activities are uploaded and shared<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  • Observing ministries are considered as Swachhata Ministries<\/strong> and are expected to bring qualitative Swachhata improvements<\/strong> in their jurisdictions.<\/li>\n
  • After observation, Ministries\/Departments announce their achievements through a press conference<\/strong> and other communication tools.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Exercise Dustlik-II<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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  • The first-ever India-Uzbekistan<\/strong> joint military exercise Dustlik <\/strong>was held in 2019.<\/li>\n
  • The second edition of joint military exercise Dustlik-II<\/strong> will be held from March 10 to 19.<\/li>\n
  • The focus will be on people-centric intelligence-based surgical operations<\/strong>, incorporating technological advancements<\/strong> to minimize collateral damage.<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • The Indian Army will showcase its Counter Insurgency (CI) and Counter-Terrorism (CT) <\/strong>skills.<\/li>\n
  • The Indian Army will share the experiences and lessons it has gained in Kashmir.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    <\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Mahila Mohalla Clinics<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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  • Special mohalla clinics <\/strong>for women <\/strong>will be set up in the next financial year.<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • \u00a0The \u2018Mahila mohalla clinics will function along the lines of Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics.<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • They will offer free gynaecological <\/strong>and other medical services <\/strong>to women <\/strong>within walking distance from their homes<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Mohalla clinics <\/strong>\n
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    • Delhi is the first city to introduce the concept of mohalla clinics or neighbourhood health centres in 2015.<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • The mohalla or community clinics in Delhi aims to provide basic health services <\/strong>to the underserved population<\/strong> in urban settings<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • It is meant to provide affordable healthcare facilities. <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Economic Freedom Index<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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  • Economic Freedom Index<\/strong> published last week by US conservative think-tank, The Heritage Foundation.<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • This is the first time the index <\/strong>has been published since the COVID-19 pandemic.\n
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    • 184 countries were covered in the study this time and the period of study is July 2019 to June 2020.<\/li>\n
    • Globally, the Foundation rates India’s economy as the 121st freest. <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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      • The Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom<\/strong> is an annual guide p<\/strong>ublished to measure the progress made in advancing<\/strong> economic freedom<\/strong> which it claims brings greater prosperity<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
      • The index ranks 12 indicators from property rights to financial freedom <\/strong>under four categories: rule of law, size of government, regulatory efficiency and open markets.<\/strong><\/li>\n
      • Economic Freedom<\/strong>\n
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        • It is the fundamental right of every human to control<\/strong> his or her own labour and property.<\/strong><\/li>\n
        • In an economically free society, individuals are free to work, produce, consume, and invest in any way they please. <\/strong><\/li>\n
        • In economically free societies, governments allow labour, capital<\/strong>, and goods to move freely and refrain<\/strong> from coercion or constraint<\/strong> of liberty beyond<\/strong> the extent necessary to protect and maintain liberty itself.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Facts in News Diphtheria Cause: Infectious disease caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae. It is an aerobic gram-positive bacillus. Toxin production (toxigenicity) occurs only when the bacillus is itself infected (lysogenized) by a specific virus (bacteriophage) carrying the genetic information for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14297,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[76],"class_list":["post-14296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs","tag-gs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/07\/978561current-affairs (1).jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14296","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14296"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14296\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14296"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}