{"id":36210,"date":"2025-01-25T19:50:05","date_gmt":"2025-01-25T14:20:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=36210"},"modified":"2025-01-25T19:50:07","modified_gmt":"2025-01-25T14:20:07","slug":"news-in-short-25-january-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/25-01-2025\/news-in-short-25-january-2025","title":{"rendered":"News In Short 25-1-2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Kiswah<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS1\/ Culture<\/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>The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia\u2019s Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 will witness the first-ever public display of the entire Kiswah of the Kaaba (Ghilaf-e-Kaaba) outside Makkah.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is Kiswah?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Kiswah, which translates to <strong>\u201crobe,<\/strong>\u201d is the elaborately embroidered <strong>black cloth<\/strong><strong>that covers the Kaaba,<\/strong> the cubical stone structure located at the center of the <strong>Masjid al-Haram in Mecca.\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Kaaba is considered the holiest site in Islam, and the Kiswah holds profound religious and cultural importance.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Kiswah is adorned with <strong>Quranic verses<\/strong> embroidered in <strong>gold and silver thread,<\/strong> elevating it to one of the highest forms of creative production in Islamic arts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Since AH 1346 (1927)<\/strong>, the responsibility for its production has been undertaken by the <strong>Kiswah Factory of the Holy Kaaba<\/strong>, now known as the <strong>King Abdulaziz Complex.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-culture\/kiswah-sacred-cloth-covers-holy-kaaba-mecca-9797209\/lite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Ad-Hoc Judges<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/ Polity and Governance<\/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>The Supreme Court has recommended the appointment of ad-hoc judges in High Courts to address the growing pendency of criminal appeals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Provisions for Ad-Hoc Judges<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ad-hoc judges are temporary judges appointed to the judiciary for a specific tenure to address issues like case backlogs or vacancies.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Article 224A of the Indian Constitution<\/strong>, enables the Chief Justice of a High Court to request retired High Court judges to temporarily perform judicial duties.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Such appointments require the <strong>President\u2019s approval.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Memorandum of Procedure (MOP):<\/strong> It outlines the process for appointing ad-hoc judges, introduced after the establishment of the <strong>Collegium system in 1998.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Lok Prahari v. Union of India (2021)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The SC recommended for <strong>ad-hoc appointments<\/strong> must be routed through the Supreme Court Collegium, which includes:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Chief Justice of India.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The two senior-most judges of the Supreme Court.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Criteria for Appointment: <\/strong>Ad-hoc judges can be appointed only when recommendations for judicial vacancies remain unfilled for less than <strong>20%<\/strong> of the sanctioned strength.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-law\/supreme-court-ad-ho-judge-appointment-need-9795039\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Sunrise Sector<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Economy<\/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>As per the Indo European Business Forum (IEBF), India needs to \u2018immediately\u2019 recognise<strong> sunrise industries such as e-sports, gaming and music, and develop world-class infrastructure <\/strong>to tap the potential of the Indian youth.<\/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>One-fifth of India\u2019s incremental GDP growth<\/strong> is expected to come from gaming and e-sports.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>States such as Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh<strong> look to double their GDP in next few years.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>20%<\/strong> of this <strong>incremental growth<\/strong> will come from the <strong>digital economy.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sunrise Sector<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It refers to a <strong>rapidly growing sector <\/strong>in its early stages with high potential for expansion.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>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.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sunrise Sectors of India: <\/strong>Electronics and Semiconductors, Electric Vehicles (EV), Renewable Energy, Pharmaceuticals, Agro and Food Processing (A&amp;FP) etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_international\/issues\/117099\/OPS\/GTVDS1FNN.1+G2QDT3V1M.1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Forex Reserves<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS 3\/Economy&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>India&#8217;s foreign exchange reserves dropped by $1.8 billion to $623.98 billion.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The recent decline is attributed to revaluation effects and the Reserve Bank of India&#8217;s (RBI) interventions to stabilize the rupee.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Forex reserves<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Foreign exchange reserves( FX reserves) are <strong>assets <\/strong>held by a <strong>nation&#8217;s central bank or monetary authority,<\/strong> primarily in reserve currencies such as the<strong> US Dollar, with smaller portions in the Euro, Japanese Yen, and Pound Sterling.\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These reserves are used to back liabilities and influence monetary policy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u00a0Composition\u00a0 : <\/strong>India\u2019s gross foreign exchange reserves consist of <strong>foreign currency assets of the Reserve Bank, gold <\/strong>held by <strong>RBI <\/strong>and<strong> Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) of the Government of India.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The<strong> RBI closely monitors foreign exchange markets,<\/strong> 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.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The RBI often intervenes by managing liquidity, including selling dollars, to prevent steep rupee depreciation.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/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>Kodaikanal Solar Observatory\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Science and Technology<\/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>To commemorate the 125th anniversary year of the<strong> Kodaikanal Solar Observatory<\/strong>, the <strong>Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA),<\/strong> organized the conference on <strong>\u2018Sun, Space Weather, and Solar-Stellar Connections\u2019.<\/strong><\/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>Establishment: <\/strong>The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KSO) was established on <strong>1 April 1899.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Location:<\/strong> It is situated near <strong>Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu<\/strong>, on the southern tip of the <strong>Palani Hills.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Kodaikanal Tower Tunnel Telescope:<\/strong> It features a 3-mirror Coelostat system comprising:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Primary mirror (M1): <\/strong>Tracks the Sun,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Secondary mirror (M2): <\/strong>Redirects sunlight downward,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tertiary mirror (M3):<\/strong> Aligns the beam horizontally for solar observation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Discovery of the Evershed Effect (1909):<\/strong> KSO first detected the effect, which is\u00a0 the radial outflow of gas from sunspots, marking a major contribution to solar physics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2095690#:~:text=The%20conference%20on%20&#039;Sun%2C%20Space,of%20the%20Kodaikanal%20Solar%20Observatory.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>PIB<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>ISRO\u2019s 100th Launch: GSLV-F15 NVS-02<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Science and Technology<\/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>In its 100th launch, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to send off the NVS-02 satellite aboard the GSLV-F15 mission.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>NVS-02 Satellite<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is the latest addition to the NavIC constellation with advanced features that aim to enhance the system\u2019s accuracy and reliability. Key features of NVS-02 include:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Advanced Navigation Payload:<\/strong> Operating in three frequency bands\u2014L1, L5, and S\u2014to ensure high positional accuracy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standard (RAFS):<\/strong> A precise atomic clock that ensures accurate timekeeping, a critical component for navigation services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The satellite will serve applications such as navigation, precision agriculture, emergency response, fleet management, and mobile device location services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC)<\/strong><br>&#8211; It is India\u2019s <strong>autonomous regional navigation satellite system<\/strong>, designed to fulfill both civilian and military navigational needs.\u00a0<br>&#8211; <strong>It provides precise Position, Velocity, and Timing (PVT) services<\/strong> within India and extends up to <strong>1,500 km<\/strong> beyond the country&#8217;s borders, forming its primary service area.<br>&#8211; NavIC offers two distinct types of services:<br>1. <strong>Standard Positioning Service (SPS):<\/strong> 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.<br>2. <strong>Restricted Service (RS):<\/strong> A secure and encrypted service tailored for authorized users, including defense and strategic applications.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.indiatoday.in\/science\/story\/isro-to-launch-nvs-02-on-gslv-f15-to-boost-indian-constellation-what-is-navic-2669714-2025-01-25\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>IT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Pralay Missile<\/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>The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is set to showcase the Pralay missile at the 2025 Republic Day parade.\u00a0<\/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>Pralay,<\/strong> is an indigenous <strong>surface-to-surface<\/strong> short-range quasi-ballistic missile.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Range and Payload:<\/strong> Pralay has an operational range of approximately <strong>400 km<\/strong> and carries a payload capacity of <strong>500 to 1,000 kg.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Propulsion:<\/strong> It is powered by a<strong> solid-propellant<\/strong> rocket motor.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The missile is equipped with a <strong>state-of-the-art navigation system<\/strong> and<strong> integrated avionics,<\/strong> ensuring precision targeting even in challenging terrains.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/pralay-indias-first-ballistic-missile-for-conventional-strikes-to-be-showcased-at-republic-day-parade\/article69136778.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>SEBI\u2019s \u2018sachetisation\u2019 Plan\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Economy<\/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 Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed promoting financial inclusion through <strong>&#8220;sachetisation&#8221;<\/strong> of mutual fund investments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Sachetisation\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sachetisation refers to the process of offering financial products and services in smaller, more affordable packages, making them easier to access and manage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The initiative proposes offering small-ticket investments, starting at just \u20b9250, to encourage low-income groups to begin their investment journey in mutual funds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Objectives:<\/strong> 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<strong>.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The proposal focuses on reaching underserved sections of society, particularly those in rural areas with limited means to invest.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Do you know ?<\/strong><br>&#8211; Mutual Fund is a financial mechanism that accumulates assets from different shareholders and invests the money into a diverse portfolio of securities.<br>&#8211; Typically, a mutual fund contains various types of securities like bonds, stocks, money market and other financial instruments.<br>&#8211; The mutual fund industry has grown significantly, with Assets Under Management (AUM) rising from \u20b910 trillion in 2014 to \u20b968.08 trillion in November 2024.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source :IE&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>SANJAY<\/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>Defence Minister flagged-off \u2018SANJAY &#8211; The Battlefield Surveillance System (BSS)\u2019.<\/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>It has been indigenously &amp; jointly developed by the <strong>Indian Army and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These systems will be inducted to the Indian Army in three phases in <strong>2025<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Year 2025 has been declared as the \u2018<strong>Year of Reforms\u2019 in the Ministry of Defence (MoD).\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Features: <\/strong>SANJAY is an automated system which<strong> integrates the inputs from all ground and aerial battlefield sensors.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The BSS is equipped with<strong> state-of-the-art sensors and cutting-edge analytics.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Significance:<\/strong> It will <strong>monitor the vast land borders<\/strong>, prevent intrusions, assess situations with unparalleled accuracy and prove to be a force multiplier in Intelligence, Surveillance &amp; Reconnaissance\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It will enhance battlefield transparency and transform the future battlefield through a Centralised Web Application.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It will provide inputs to Command &amp; Army Headquarters, and the Indian Army Decision Support System.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2095712\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>PIB<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Coral Bleaching at Great Barrier Reef<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Biodiversity and Conservation<\/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>The<strong> southern Great Barrier Reef (GBR) <\/strong>saw <strong>catastrophic coral bleaching<\/strong> in May 2024, with <strong>44% mortality rate<\/strong>, triggered by heat stress during one of the largest bleaching events recorded.<\/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>This mass bleaching event was the <strong>result of heat stress<\/strong> caused by the fourth global coral bleaching (GCBE4) event, which began in January 2023.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It surpassed the 2014-2017 bleaching levels, with 77% of global reefs experiencing heat-induced stress, pushing the GBR into its <strong>fifth-largest widespread bleaching event.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"cecbcf\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"536\" height=\"603\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Fourth-Global-Coral-Bleaching-Event.webp\" alt=\"Fourth-Global-Coral-Bleaching-Event\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-36211\" style=\"--dominant-color: #cecbcf; width:362px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Fourth-Global-Coral-Bleaching-Event.webp 536w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Fourth-Global-Coral-Bleaching-Event-267x300.webp 267w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 536px) 100vw, 536px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are Corals?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Corals are <strong>invertebrates <\/strong>that belong to a large group of animals called <strong>Cnidaria<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Corals are formed by <strong>multiple small, soft organisms known as polyps.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They secrete a<strong> rocky chalk-like (calcium carbonate) exoskeleton<\/strong> around themselves for protection.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Coral reefs<\/strong> are therefore created by <strong>millions of tiny polyps forming large carbonate structures.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Appearance: <\/strong>Corals range in colour from <strong>red to purple and even blue,<\/strong> but are most commonly shades of<strong> brown and green.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Coral are bright and colorful because of microscopic algae called <strong>zooxanthellae<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Significance:<\/strong> They provide food, shelter, resting and breeding grounds to a quarter of all marine life, acting as nurseries and refuges to protect critical biodiversity.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They also support more than 1 billion people living in coastal regions around the world by providing food, livelihoods and recreation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Coral Bleaching<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Coral bleaching occurs when<strong> corals expel the colourful algae<\/strong> living in their tissues.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Without these helpful algae, the<strong> corals become pale<\/strong> and are vulnerable to <strong>starvation and disease.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A bleached coral is not dead, but<strong> ocean temperatures need to cool off for any hope of recovery.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>At least 1<strong>4% of the world\u2019s <\/strong>remaining corals were estimated to have died in the previous two global bleaching events.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scientists had previously projected that coral reefs would cross a <strong>tipping point at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 F) of global warming<\/strong>, whereby up to<strong> 90% of reefs <\/strong>would be lost.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The latest record bleaching <strong>adds to growing evidence that reefs have already passed a point of no return at just 1.3 C (2.3 F) of warming.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Can corals recover from bleaching?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Corals can recover from bleaching over time, but<strong> only if temperatures drop and conditions return to normal.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When this happens, the <strong>algae returns<\/strong> and the corals gradually regain their health.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.downtoearth.org.in\/wildlife-biodiversity\/catastrophic-coral-bleaching-strikes-southern-great-barrier-reef-44-of-corals-lost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>DTE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia\u2019s Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 will witness the first-ever public display of the entire Kiswah of the Kaaba (Ghilaf-e-Kaaba) outside Makkah.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36210","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\/36210","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\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36210"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36210\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36212,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36210\/revisions\/36212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}