{"id":30729,"date":"2024-10-11T18:00:34","date_gmt":"2024-10-11T12:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=30729"},"modified":"2024-10-11T18:02:44","modified_gmt":"2024-10-11T12:32:44","slug":"news-in-short-11-10-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/11-10-2024\/news-in-short-11-10-2024","title":{"rendered":"News In Short 11-10-2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Brahmi Inscription<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS1\/ Art &amp; Culture<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A <strong>Brahmi Inscription<\/strong> found from the 2nd century C.E. in Dharanikota village, Amaravathi mandal in Andhra Pradesh.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Engraved on a memorial pillar, the inscription is written in <strong>Prakrit language using Brahmi script.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Brahmi Inscription<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Brahmi is one of the <strong>oldest writing systems of the Indian subcontinent<\/strong>, dating back to the Mauryan<strong> Period.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Early Brahmi inscriptions were typically <strong>written in Prakrit<\/strong>, an ancient language, though later inscriptions were written in Sanskrit.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is the precursor of many modern Indian scripts, including Devanagari, Tamil, Bengali, Kannada, and others.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Brahmi inscriptions have been found in various regions of India, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Brahmi played a key role in spreading Buddhist texts and inscriptions throughout South Asia and beyond, into Southeast Asia and Central Asia.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: TH<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>MLALAD Fund<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus :GS 2\/Governance&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Delhi Cabinet approved a proposal to increase the annual <strong>MLA Local Area Development (MLALAD) fund <\/strong>from \u20b910 crore to \u20b915 crore to accelerate project implementation ahead of the Assembly elections.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About MLALAD fund<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>MLA Local Area Development (MLALAD) fund<\/strong> allows Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to allocate funds for development works within their respective constituencies.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Purpose: These funds are meant to address local needs, promote infrastructure development, and enhance the quality of life for residents.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They are issued to MLAs for local development such as repairing roads, and streetlights, developing parks, and laying sewer lines in colonies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Process: <\/strong>Each MLA has the choice to suggest to the Deputy Commissioner of his\/her district, to the extent of allocations given from year to year, to be taken up by his\/her constituency.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The amount provided under MLALAD Scheme is released in the form of Grant-in-aid for utilisation by the districts or local authorities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The unspent amount from the MLALAD fund does not lapse and is allocated to the MLA in the next financial year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source&nbsp; :TH<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC)\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Indian Polity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC)<\/strong> tenders advice to the Union Government for inclusion of certain Castes\/Communities from Maharashtra, in the Central List of OBCs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>National Commission for Backward Classes&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It was initially constituted by the <strong>Central Govt by the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993 <\/strong>and <strong>so far the Commission had been reconstituted 7 times up to 2016.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The present Commission (8th) has been accorded <strong>Constitutional Status<\/strong> and constituted through<strong> \u201cThe Constitution (One Hundred and Second Amendment) Act, 2018<\/strong>\u201d.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Article 338B<\/strong> has been inserted, forming a Commission for the socially and educationally backward classes to be known as <strong>National Commission for Backward Classes.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It consists of <strong>a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and three other Members in the rank &amp; pay of Secretary to the Govt of India<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Article 340 <\/strong>of the Constitution provides for the <strong>appointment of a Commission<\/strong> to investigate the conditions of and the difficulties faced by the socially and educationally backward classes and to make appropriate recommendations .<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2063661#:~:text=The%20National%20Commission%20for%20Backward,vii)%20Kapewar%2C%20Munnar%20Kapewar%2C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>PIB<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Climate Risk Information System<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus :GS 3\/Economy\/Environment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed the <strong>Reserve Bank \u2013 Climate Risk Information System (RB-CRIS)<\/strong> to address fragmented climate-related data, which poses risks to the financial system.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Reserve Bank \u2013 Climate Risk Information System (RB-CRIS)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It will be&nbsp; in two parts, to bridge the gap in climate-related data that is currently available in a fragmented manner.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Part One<\/strong>: A web-based directory that will list various publicly accessible data sources, including meteorological and geospatial data, on the RBI\u2019s website.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Part Two<\/strong>: A data portal with standardized datasets, accessible only to regulated entities in a phased manner.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Purpose: <\/strong>It aims to support regulated entities in conducting climate risk assessments to maintain the stability of their balance sheets and the overall financial system.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>High-quality data on local climate scenarios, forecasts, and emissions is essential for effective risk assessments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source&nbsp; :TH<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Coastal Slag<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS1\/Geography<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Researchers documented a new kind of <strong>sedimentary rock<\/strong> made from <strong>coastal slag<\/strong> deposits in the U.K.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Slag <\/strong>is a major component of artificial ground. It is a <strong>composite material<\/strong> containing metal oxides and silicon dioxide, and is a by-product of the <strong>steelmaking process<\/strong> in the <strong>iron and steel industries.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This rock follows other formations like molten glass and steel in the refuse of nuclear weapon tests and pieces of plastic pieces floating in oceans that disease-causing bacteria have grabbed hold of.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The lithification process<\/strong> hardens industrial waste, including slag, into sedimentary rocks, creating artificial ground.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>When these sedimentary rocks weather over time, they release sediments into the environment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Because the rocks are infused with industrial waste, their sediments often contain <strong>toxic metals that contaminate soil, water, and air.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/science\/new-sedimentary-rock-made-from-slag-is-a-carbon-trapping-champ\/article68735923.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Anaconda Strategy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Defence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Taiwan\u2019s navy commander recently claimed that the People&#8217;s Liberation Army (PLA) is using an \u2018anaconda strategy\u2019 to squeeze the island nation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is Anaconda Strategy?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It refers to a military strategy aimed at slowly encircling and cutting off an enemy&#8217;s resources, effectively &#8220;squeezing&#8221; them into submission without direct confrontation.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The strategy was proposed by Union General <strong>Winfield Scott<\/strong> during the early stages of the <strong>American Civil War.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The primary objective <\/strong>of this strategy was to suffocate the Confederacy economically and militarily, similar to how an anaconda snake coils around and asphyxiates its prey.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>China&#8217;s &#8216;anaconda strategy\u2019<\/strong> against Taiwan reportedly involves a mix of military maneuvers, psychological tactics, and cyber warfare to eventually weaken Taiwan&#8217;s defenses.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.economist.com\/asia\/2024\/10\/03\/china-is-using-an-anaconda-strategy-to-squeeze-taiwan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Economist<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>150 years of Universal Postal Union<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: Miscellaneous<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Year 2024, commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Universal Postal Union (UPU).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Universal Postal Union<\/strong> is a United Nations specialized agency and the postal sector\u2019s primary forum for international cooperation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Origin:<\/strong> On<strong> 9 October 1874<\/strong>, 22 countries signed the <strong>Treaty of Bern<\/strong>, creating the General Postal Union.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Later it became known as the Universal Postal Union.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Member countries: <\/strong>The UPU has <strong>192 member<\/strong> countries.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Any member country of the United Nations may become a member of the UPU.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Any non-member country of the United Nations may become a UPU member provided that its request is <strong>approved by at least two-thirds of the member <\/strong>countries of the UPU.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Headquarters: <\/strong>The Swiss capital Berne&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Consists of 4 bodies<\/strong>;\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Congress:<\/strong> It is the supreme authority; meets every four years.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Council of Administration:<\/strong> It supervises its activities and studies regulatory, administrative, legislative and legal issues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Postal Operations Council:<\/strong> It is the technical and operational mind of the UPU and consists of 48 member countries, elected during Congress.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The International Bureau:<\/strong> It provides logistical and technical support.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background has-fixed-layout\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>World Post Day<\/strong><br><br>&#8211; World Post Day is annually observed across the globe on 9th October.<br>&#8211; It was <strong>first declared at the UPU Congress in Tokyo in 1969<\/strong> to highlight the essential role of postal services globally.<br>&#8211; <strong>Theme for 2024: <\/strong>150 years of enabling communication and empowering peoples across nations<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.upu.int\/en\/universal-postal-union\/outreach-campaigns\/150-years-of-the-upu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>UPU<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Nobel Prize in Literature<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: Awards\/ Miscellaneous&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The<strong> 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature <\/strong>has been awarded to <strong>South Korean author Han Kang <\/strong>for her &#8220;intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life.&#8221;\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Also, her breakthrough novel, <strong>The Vegetarian (2007)<\/strong>, translated into English in 2015, won the <strong>Man Booker International Prize in 2016.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Nobel Prize<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Established by <strong>Alfred Nobel <\/strong>in his will, which dedicated the bulk of his fortune to the creation of the <strong>Nobel Prizes<\/strong>. Nobel is best known for <strong>inventing dynamite.<\/strong> The first <strong>Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The awards ceremony takes place in <strong>Stockholm, Sweden<\/strong>, for all categories except the Peace Prize, which is<strong> presented in Oslo, Norway.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Nobel Prizes are awarded annually in the following <strong>six categories:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Peace<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Physics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chemistry<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Medicine (Physiology)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Literature<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Economic Sciences: This was added in 1968 by Sweden&#8217;s central bank in Memory of Alfred Nobel.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Since 1974, the Nobel Prizes <strong>cannot be awarded posthumously<\/strong>, except in cases where the recipient dies after the prize has been announced.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: TH<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Horseshoe Crab<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Environment, Species in News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Horseshoe crabs are in demand for the medical industry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Horseshoe Crab<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Horseshoe crabs are<strong> marine and brackish water arthropods <\/strong>of the family<strong> Limulidae<\/strong> and the only living members of the <strong>order Xiphosura<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They have been around for <strong>more than 300 million years,<\/strong> making them even older than dinosaurs.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com\/docsz\/AD_4nXfIyC1qPjkdj643MqTFBQ8Ag8i6lvBDDdFsOe9XrXi_F5c8n3YsErRm_TnP2HzGKUSaeIQ0FLCuFuFakXY6V9bBlR5I8bo2V3vDPyjuWDtaDCO4FM-7H6kBhfnVv8l97mxUMl7w1-vMFQUxfgiNKXrQN3KU?key=KM7xuxEBVh55E-lyYSMXXw\" alt=\"Horseshoe Crab\" style=\"width:482px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Habitat:<\/strong> The eggs are laid on coastal beaches in<strong> late spring and summer.<\/strong> After hatching, the juvenile horseshoe crabs can be found <strong>offshore on the sandy ocean floor of tidal flats. <\/strong>Adult horseshoe crabs feed deeper in the ocean until they return to the <strong>beach to spawn.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Maximum density of Horseshoe crabs is found along the Odisha coast and Balasore used to be the largest spawning ground.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Threats:<\/strong> <strong>Overharvesting<\/strong> for use as food, bait and biomedical testing, and because of habitat loss from coastal reclamation and development.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Medicinal Use:<\/strong> A horseshoe crab\u2019s <strong>bright blue blood<\/strong> is used to <strong>test vaccines,<\/strong> drugs and medical devices to ensure that they aren\u2019t contaminated with dangerous bacterial toxins.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Their blood contains a <strong>special clotting agent limulus amebocyte lysate <\/strong>(LAL) which detects a contaminant called <strong>endotoxin.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Every year, pharmaceutical companies roundup half a million Atlantic horseshoe crabs, bleed them, and return them to the ocean after which many will die.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Conservation Status:<\/strong> The American horseshoe crab is listed as <strong>Vulnerable<\/strong> to extinction and the tri-spine horseshoe crab is classified as <strong>Endangered<\/strong> on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Horseshoe crabs are listed under <strong>Schedule IV of India\u2019s Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/the-blue-blooded-sea-creature-on-odishas-coastline\/article68736825.ece#:~:text=Horseshoe%20crabs%20have%20been%20around,demand%20for%20the%20medical%20industry\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Brahmi Inscription found from the 2nd century C.E. in Dharanikota village, Amaravathi mandal in Andhra Pradesh.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30729","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30729","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\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30729"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30729\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30734,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30729\/revisions\/30734"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}