{"id":15336,"date":"2021-05-22T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-05-22T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/22-05-2021\/facts-in-news-158\/"},"modified":"2024-07-04T18:19:17","modified_gmt":"2024-07-04T12:49:17","slug":"facts-in-news-158","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/22-05-2021\/facts-in-news-158","title":{"rendered":"Facts in News"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Facts In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Western Disturbance (Geography)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

Recently, the northern parts of the country have faced light rain due to <\/span><\/span><\/span>Western Disturbance<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Western Disturbance (WD)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • It is an <\/span><\/span><\/span>extra-tropical storm<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> that originates in the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Mediterranean region.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
      \n
    • The disturbance travels from the \u201cwestern\u201d to the eastern direction.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
        \n
      • Disturbance means an area of \u201cdisturbed\u201d or reduced air pressure.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
      • Equilibrium exists in nature due to which the air in a region tries to normalize its pressure.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
      • The WD is <\/span><\/span><\/span>not always the harbinger of good weather<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • In the term <\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201cextra-tropical storm\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>, storm refers to low pressure.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
          \n
        • \u201cExtra-tropical” means outside the tropics (as WD originates outside the tropical region).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • It brings <\/span><\/span><\/span>rainfall, snowfall, and fog in northern India<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
        • If winds <\/span><\/span><\/span>(jet stream)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> flow from the <\/span><\/span><\/span>west to east <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>direction at an altitude of 30,000 feet then the weather will be stable in that region.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
            \n
          • A jet stream is a river-like current of air circulating across the globe at upper levels of the troposphere.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
          • WD is important for the agriculture of the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Rabi crop<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> in the Northern subcontinent.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
          • Sometimes WDs can cause <\/span><\/span><\/span>extreme weather events<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> like floods, flash floods, landslides, dust storms, hail storms, and cold waves killing people, destroying infrastructure, and impacting livelihoods.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

            Image Courtesy: Lotus Arise<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Tripura Jackfruits Exported to London (Agriculture)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

Recently, around 1.2 tonnes of jackfruit from Tripura was exported to London (United Kingdom) by <\/span><\/span><\/span>the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
    \n
  • This would boost exports of <\/span><\/span><\/span>agricultural and processed food products from the northeast<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Key Points<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    • Jackfruit is the <\/span><\/span><\/span>state fruit of Kerala <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>and<\/span><\/span><\/span> Tamil Nadu,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and also the national<\/span><\/span><\/span> fruit of Bangladesh <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>and<\/span><\/span><\/span> Sri Lanka.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
        \n
      • It is well-suited to tropical lowlands and is widely cultivated throughout tropical regions of the world.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
      • Native Areas:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Originally Western Ghats of Southern India thereafter spread to other parts of the world e.g; the rainforests of Malaysia, Sri Lanka, etc.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
      • Soil:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Laterite Soil.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
      • It can be harvested in <\/span><\/span><\/span>less rainfall<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>, also can <\/span><\/span><\/span>survive drought, frost, pests, and high temperatures<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
      • Characteristics:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
          \n
        • Tall tree,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
        • Belongs to the mulberry family,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
        • Largest edible fruit,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
        • Also called poor man\u2019s fruit<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
        • Jackfruit is a dicot plant and a unisexual plant.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
        • It is rich in <\/span><\/span><\/span>potassium, calcium, and iron.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

          Image Courtesy: Npr.org<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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International Tea Day (Geography)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

Every year, International Tea Day is celebrated on <\/span><\/span><\/span>May 21<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Key Points<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Theme- 2021:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Harnessing Benefits for All, from field to cup.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Aim:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> To draw global attention to the impact of the global tea trade and promote sustainable production & consumption of tea, and raise awareness of its importance in fighting hunger and poverty.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Background:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
      \n
    • In 2019, the United Nations body <\/span><\/span><\/span>Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> moved a resolution to celebrate International Tea Day every year throughout the world.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
    • Since 2005, the day has been celebrated only in <\/span><\/span><\/span>tea-producing countries<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> like India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Uganda, and Tanzania.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Climatic Conditions:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
        \n
      • It is a plantation crop in which black tea leaves are fermented whereas green tea leaves are unfermented.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
      • Tea leaves have a rich content of caffeine and tannin.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
      • It originated from the hills of Northern China.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
      • It is grown in hilly areas and well-drained soils in humid and sub-humid tropics and sub-tropics.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
          \n
        • Frost-free climate.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
        • Rainfall:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> 1200 mm<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Major countries:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Sri Lanka (leading producer), China, India, and Indonesia.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Tea Cultivation in India<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
            \n
          • Major areas:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Assam, West Bengal (hills of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts), Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh, and Tripura.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
              \n
            • Assam accounts for about <\/span><\/span><\/span>53.2 percent of the total cropped area<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and contributes <\/span><\/span><\/span>more than half of the total production of tea<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> in the country.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
            • West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are the other leading producers of tea.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Sick-Building Syndrome (Health)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

Recently, in a scientific study, it was found that <\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201csick-building syndrome\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> is spreading novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Sick-Building Syndrome (SBS)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • SBS is the situation in which building occupants experience <\/span><\/span><\/span>acute health<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building (particular room or zone), but <\/span><\/span><\/span>no specific illness<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> or cause can be identified.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
      \n
    • In contrast, the term <\/span><\/span><\/span>“building-related illness” (BRI)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> is used when symptoms of <\/span><\/span><\/span>diagnosable illness<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> are identified and can be attributed directly to airborne building contaminants.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Reasons:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Closed, un-ventilated indoor spaces,<\/span><\/span><\/span> droplets, and aerosols <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>become quickly concentrated and greatly increase the risk of transmission to people in the area.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
    • Measures to be taken:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Proper ventilation through mechanical or natural methods.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
        \n
      • Recently, the government has made an advisory on stopping the spread of COVID-19 in indoor spaces.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        Image Courtesy: The Hindu<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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International Day of Biodiversity (Environment)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

Every year, the International Day of Biodiversity is celebrated on <\/span><\/span><\/span>May 22<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Key Points<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Theme-2021:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> We\u2019re part of the solution #ForNature.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Objective:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> To draw people\u2019s attention towards the fact that biodiversity continues to be the answer for a significant number of sustainable development challenges.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Aim:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> To convey to people that <\/span><\/span><\/span>conservation and rebuilding of biodiversity<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> can help mankind find solutions to things as serious as climate change, health issues.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • The <\/span><\/span><\/span>United Nations General Assembly<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> in December 2000, adopted May 22 as International Day for Biodiversity.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Global Initiatives<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
      \n
    • Convention on Biological Diversity<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
    • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Biodiversity in India<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      • India has just <\/span><\/span><\/span>2.4% of the land area<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and supports nearly <\/span><\/span><\/span>7% of the recorded species<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and <\/span><\/span><\/span>18% of the human population<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
      • India has <\/span><\/span><\/span>23.39% of its geographical area<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> under forest and tree cover.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
      • India\u2019s position in terms of species:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
          \n
        • 7th in mammals,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
        • 9th in birds<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
        • 5th in reptiles.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Biomes in India:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
            \n
          • Tropical Humid Forests<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
          • Tropical Dry or Deciduous Forests (including Monsoon Forests)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
          • Warm deserts and semi-deserts<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
          • Coniferous forests and<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
          • Alpine meadows.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
          • Biodiversity hotspots in India:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
              \n
            • Himalayan region:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Indian Himalayan region (and that falling in Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, China, and Myanmar).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
            • Indo-Burma:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Entire North-eastern India, except Assam and Andaman group of Islands (and Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and southern China)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
            • Western Ghats and Sri Lanka:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Entire Western Ghats (and Sri Lanka).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
            • Sundaland:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Nicobar group of Islands (and Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Philippines).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
            • Indian initiatives for Biodiversity conservation:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
                \n
              • National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
              • Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
              • The Biological Diversity Act, 2002<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
              • Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

Shangri-La Dialogue (IR)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

Recently, Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Key Points<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • It is a “Track One” inter-governmental security forum.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Organized at:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Shangri-La Hotel (Singapore) since 2002.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Organized by:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) which is attended by <\/span><\/span><\/span>defense ministers and military chiefs<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> of <\/span><\/span><\/span>28 Asia-Pacific countries<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Objective:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Building confidence and fostering practical security cooperation in the Asia-pacific region.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

INS Rajput decommissioned (Defence)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

Recently, the Indian Navy has decommissioned Destroyer INS Rajput.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Key Points<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • It was built by the erstwhile USSR, which remained in service for around 41 years.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Motto:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Raj Karega Rajput\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Achievements:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
      \n
    • Operation Aman<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
    • Operation Pawan<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
    • Operation Cactus<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
    • Operation Crowsnest<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • The ship was also the <\/span><\/span><\/span>first Indian Naval Ship<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> to be affiliated with an Indian Army regiment, the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Rajput Regiment<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
        \n
      • INS Rajput was also the <\/span><\/span><\/span>first ship in the Navy to get the first version of the BrahMos<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> anti-ship supersonic cruise missile in 2005.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
      • Project 15:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Under this project, the Indian Navy is developing a class of <\/span><\/span><\/span>stealth-guided missile destroyers<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> e.g; Rajput class, Delhi class, and Kolkata class.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • The Indian Navy inducted its <\/span><\/span><\/span>first destroyer<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> (INS Ranjit) in 1949 from the UK.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        Image Courtesy: Indian Navy<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Facts In News Western Disturbance (Geography) Recently, the northern parts of the country have faced light rain due to Western Disturbance. Western Disturbance (WD) It is an extra-tropical storm that originates in the Mediterranean region. The disturbance travels from the \u201cwestern\u201d to the eastern direction.\u00a0 Disturbance means an area of \u201cdisturbed\u201d or reduced air pressure.\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15337,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[30,26,25],"class_list":["post-15336","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs","tag-gs-2","tag-gs-3","tag-gs1"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/07\/5105229current-affairs.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15336","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=15336"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15336\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26215,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15336\/revisions\/26215"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15336"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15336"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15336"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}