{"id":36553,"date":"2025-01-31T18:57:27","date_gmt":"2025-01-31T13:27:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=36553"},"modified":"2025-02-01T11:14:28","modified_gmt":"2025-02-01T05:44:28","slug":"news-in-short-31-january-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/31-01-2025\/news-in-short-31-january-2025","title":{"rendered":"News In Short 31-1-2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Muhammad Iqbal<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus :GS 1\/History&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>Beating Retreat Ceremony<\/strong> at Vijay Chowk concluded with <strong>Muhammad Iqbal&#8217;s \u2018Saare Jahan Se Achha\u2019.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Muhammad Iqbal<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>He is also known as <strong>Allama Iqbal (a title given to Islamic scholars).<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Born in Sialkot, he was an <strong>influential philosopher, poet, and politician.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He studied in Europe and later became a prominent figure in<strong> Indian and Muslim philosophy.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>He is regarded as the ideological father of Pakistan, his work gained prominence in both India and Pakistan.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sarojini Naidu had called Iqbal the<strong> \u2018poet laureate of Asia\u2019.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Literary works <\/strong>: His work, particularly <strong>\u2018Saare Jahan Se Achha\u2019<\/strong>, was adopted as a symbol of unity during India\u2019s independence struggle.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>He is awarded a knighthood for works like <strong>Bang-e-Dara and Rumuz-e-Bekhudi.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Javidnama <\/strong>is a spiritual journey under the guidance of Rumi.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u2018Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua\u2019<\/strong> continues to be popular in schools.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Controversy Around Legacy: <\/strong>Iqbal\u2019s 1930 speech on the two-nation theory and his support for Muhammad Ali Jinnah has led to mixed perceptions, especially in India.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Some controversies have arisen, such as recent protests over students reciting Iqbal&#8217;s poems, with some groups calling them &#8220;anti-national.&#8221;\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Despite this, Iqbal remains an influential figure in both Indian and Pakistani thought.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/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; <strong>Saare Jahan Se Achha<\/strong>\u2019 is a patriotic poem originally written by Iqbal in 1904 as Tarana-e-Hindi (Urdu poem).&nbsp;<br>&#8211; It eulogizes Hindustan (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh), with the famous lines &#8220;Saare jahan se achha, Hindustan hamara&#8221; meaning &#8220;Better than the entire world is our Hindustan.&#8221;&nbsp;<br>&#8211; The poem became a symbol of resistance during British rule and was later set to a faster tune by<strong> Pandit Ravi Shankar.<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Source :IE<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Kurdistan Region<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS1\/ Places In News<\/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 has sent a shipment of medical supplies, including bronchodilators, inhalers, and ventilators, to support the residents of the Kurdistan region in Iraq.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Strategic Importance of India\u2019s Aid<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Enhances India&#8217;s humanitarian <strong>outreach in West Asia.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strengthens healthcare diplomacy<\/strong> and goodwill in a geopolitically sensitive region.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reinforces India\u2019s commitment to global disaster relief and medical support.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Example of India being as a \u2018<strong>Vishwabandhu Bharat\u2019, or a global friend<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Kurdistan Region<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"d7cac0\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"608\" height=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Kurdistan-Region.webp\" alt=\"Kurdistan-Region\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-36554\" style=\"--dominant-color: #d7cac0; width:378px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Kurdistan-Region.webp 608w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Kurdistan-Region-283x300.webp 283w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 608px) 100vw, 608px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Country:<\/strong> Iraq (semi-autonomous region).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Capital<\/strong>: Erbil.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Governorates: <\/strong>Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Dohuk, Halabja.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Neighbouring Nations: <\/strong>Shares borders with Turkey, Iran, Syria, and Iraq-controlled territories.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Political Structure: <\/strong>The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) operates autonomously.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tensions exist with Iraq\u2019s central government over resource control and autonomy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mountains:<\/strong> Zagros Mountains dominate the landscape, forming natural borders with Iran and Turkey.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rivers: <\/strong>The Tigris and Greater Zab Rivers support agriculture and settlements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ddnews.gov.in\/en\/india-sends-humanitarian-aid-to-kurdistan-region-of-iraq\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>DD News<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Human African Trypanosomiasis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Health<\/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 World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that<strong> Guinea<\/strong> has successfully eliminated the<strong> Gambiense form<\/strong> of <strong>Human African Trypanosomiasis<\/strong> (HAT).<\/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 is\u00a0 also known as<strong> sleeping sickness,<\/strong> and has become the <strong>first neglected tropical disease<\/strong> to be eliminated in the country.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Neglected tropical diseases are a group of mostly infectious diseases that thrive among <strong>resource-poor populations<\/strong>, especially in <strong>tropical climates.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The announcement was made on the<strong> global observance of Neglected Tropical Diseases Day<\/strong> which is marked on <strong>January 30.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>So far, seven countries<\/strong> have been validated by WHO for eliminating the<strong> gambiense form of HAT: <\/strong>Togo (2020), Benin (2021), C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire (2021), Uganda (2022), Equatorial Guinea (2022), Ghana (2023), and Chad (2024).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The rhodesiense form of the disease<\/strong> has been eliminated in one country only, <strong>Rwanda<\/strong>, in 2022.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Human African Trypanosomiasis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>HAT is caused by <strong>trypanosome parasites <\/strong>that are transmitted by <strong>tsetse flies<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>HAT is found only in <strong>sub-Saharan Africa.\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Two subspecies of Trypanosoma brucei cause disease: T. b. gambiense in West and Central Africa, and T. b. rhodesiense in East Africa.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Symptoms: <\/strong>Fever, headaches, and joint pain, confusion, disrupted sleep, and behavioural changes.\u00a0\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If left untreated it can be fatal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Transmission can be interrupted by <strong>depleting the parasite reservoirs<\/strong> through detection and <strong>treatment of infected people and\/or domestic animals.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There is<strong> no vaccine for African trypanosomiasis.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.downtoearth.org.in\/health\/guinea-successfully-eradicates-sleeping-sickness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>DTE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Leprosy Elimination&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Health<\/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 Union Health Ministry is looking at a <strong>more targeted approach to containing leprosy in India.<\/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>The five states in <\/strong>India with the highest prevalence of leprosy are <strong>Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Odisha.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Union Health Ministry launched the <strong>National Strategic Plan (NSP) and Roadmap for Leprosy (2023-27) in 2023<\/strong>, to achieve zero transmission of leprosy by <strong>2027<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.3 aims to end leprosy by<strong> 2030.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The World Health Organization (WHO) declared<strong> Jordan<\/strong> as the first country in the world to eliminate leprosy in 2024.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Leprosy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Leprosy is also known as <strong>Hansen\u2019s disease<\/strong>, it is a chronic infectious disease caused by a type of <strong>bacteria<\/strong>, <strong>Mycobacterium leprae.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is known to occur at <strong>all ages<\/strong> ranging from early childhood to old age.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Symptoms:<\/strong> The disease predominantly affects the skin and peripheral nerves.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Loss of sensation in affected areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Left untreated, the disease may cause <strong>progressive and permanent disabilities.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Transmission: <\/strong>Through droplets from the nose and mouth.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The disease is<strong> not spread through casual contact<\/strong> with an infected person.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Treatment: <\/strong>Leprosy is a <strong>curable <\/strong>disease through the multi-drug therapy (MDT).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/health\/govt-to-employ-targeted-containment-to-stop-transmission-of-leprosy\/article69158608.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Teesta Bridge<\/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 West Bengal government has approved the <strong>Teesta bridge project<\/strong> after over 10 years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Teesta Bridge<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>After the state government gave its nod, the Centre has approved Rs 1,100 crore for the project and will link<strong> Sikkim and West Bengal.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Coronation Bridge, the existing bridge over the Teesta, was built in the memory of <strong>King George VI and Queen Elizabeth<\/strong> from 1937 to 1941. At that time, its construction cost over Rs 1 lakh. Its foundation stone was laid by then Bengal Governor John Anderson.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>but it was damaged in the 2011 earthquake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Now the new bridge <\/strong>will boost tourism and serve strategic purposes, particularly for military connectivity to the <strong>China and Bhutan borders.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>Doklam standoff in 2017<\/strong> highlighted the need for a new bridge to secure the route for military operations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Do you know ?<\/strong><br>&#8211; The <strong>Teesta river<\/strong> originates from <strong>Tso Lhamo Lake in north Sikkim <\/strong>at an elevation of about 5,280 meters.<br>&#8211; The river travels through Sikkim, West Bengal, then enters Bangladesh at Mekhligunj.&nbsp;<br>&#8211; It flows another 140 km in Bangladesh before joining the Bay of Bengal.&nbsp;<br>1. 83% of the Teesta&#8217;s catchment area lies in India, and the remaining 17% is in Bangladesh.<br>&#8211; It is a <strong>tributary of the Brahmaputra river.<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source :TH<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Tannery Pollution in Palar River<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ 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 Supreme Court has strongly condemned the unregulated discharge of untreated effluents <strong>from tanneries in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, into the Palar river,<\/strong> likening the environmental damage to an <strong>&#8220;ecocide.&#8221;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Supreme Court&#8217;s Directives<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Compensation to affected families: <\/strong>The Tamil Nadu government must distribute compensation fixed in 2001 by the Loss of Ecology Authority to over 29,000 affected families in Vellore.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u2018Polluter Pays\u2019 Principle:<\/strong> The government and tannery owners are held responsible for the damage caused.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Formation of an Expert Committee:<\/strong> For conducting audit and maintaining a healthy environment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tannery Pollution &amp; Its Impact<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tamil Nadu houses <strong>45% of India&#8217;s tanneries<\/strong>. 50% of chemicals in leather processing turn into wastewater or sludge.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India produces 13% of global leather <\/strong>and Tannery wastewater contains harmful pollutants like Suspended solids, nitrogen, sulphate, sulphide, chloride.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pollutants further increase the <strong>Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)<\/strong> in Palar River.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>BOD measures the amount of oxygen required by microorganisms to decompose organic matter in water.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/sc-judgment-compares-tannery-pollution-in-palar-river-to-an-ecocide\/article69160464.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Axiom Mission 4<\/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>ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as a pilot on the A<strong>xiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station (ISS).<\/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>He will be the <strong>first Indian astronaut <\/strong>to reach the<strong> International Space Station (ISS) on a private mission.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He became<strong> only the second Indian to go to space<\/strong> after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in <strong>1984<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He is elected as an astronaut-designate for<strong> India\u2019s Gaganyaan mission <\/strong>(tentatively scheduled for 2026).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Axiom Mission 4<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Axiom Mission 4 (or Ax-4) is a <strong>private spaceflight to the International Space Station to be launched in April 2025.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Duration:<\/strong> Up to 14 days.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Countries:<\/strong> USA, India, Poland, and Hungary.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is the first government-sponsored spaceflight in over 40 years for Poland &amp; Hungary.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Objectives:<\/strong> The astronauts will execute a mission that includes outreach, scientific, and commercial operations during their 14-day stay in orbit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Significance:&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Each participating country can build on this experience for future missions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It will create new pathways for low-Earth orbit missions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strengthens global partnerships in space research and exploration.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is a valuable experience for Gaganyaan.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strengthens ISRO\u2019s collaboration with NASA and private space entities.<\/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><em>Note: For Detailed Analysis about this you can refer our Daily News Decoded Video on <\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/playlist?list=PL1sgm5x8M9FAIX1lbd9Ddm88Ei4ebMHB6&amp;si=9HH5azS9JzZcNO-p\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>NEXTIAS Youtube Channel<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.business-standard.com\/technology\/tech-news\/meet-crew-members-of-axiom-4-mission-shubhanshu-slawosz-tibor-and-peggy-nc-125013100882_1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>BS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Atmospheric River<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ 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 Atmospheric River named <strong>&#8220;Pineapple Express&#8221;<\/strong> heads for North America. Pineapple Express is a type of atmospheric river that transports warm, humid air from Hawaii to the U.S. West Coast.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are Atmospheric Rivers (ARs) (also called Flying Rivers)?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Definition (NOAA):<\/strong> Long, narrow corridors in the atmosphere that transport large amounts of water vapor outside the tropics\u2014like rivers in the sky.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Formation: <\/strong>ARs are part of the larger extratropical cyclone system, moving heat and moisture from the tropics toward the poles.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Typically found within low-level jets (strong winds in the lower atmosphere).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Freshwater Transport: <\/strong>ARs are the largest transport mechanisms of freshwater on Earth.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They account for 90% of moisture transfer from the tropics to higher latitudes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Impact of Atmospheric Rivers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Weak ARs: <\/strong>Bring much-needed rain and snow, replenishing water sources.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strong ARs: <\/strong>Can cause extreme rainfall, floods, mudslides, and destruction.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Example of Destructive ARs: California&#8217;s &#8220;Pineapple Express&#8221; brings torrential rain and flooding.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2013 Uttarakhand floods and 2018 Kerala floods in India were linked to AR activity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: BBC<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Polar Bear Fur &amp; Forever Chemicals<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus :GS3\/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>A recent study revealed&nbsp; that polar bear fur contains an<strong> oily substance (sebum<\/strong>) that helps them stay dry despite sliding on ice and diving into water.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About sebum<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sebum is similar to the fluorinated coatings used on skis, which help them glide on ice but contain harmful <strong>&#8220;forever chemicals&#8221; (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs).&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sebum&nbsp; could potentially be used to develop environmentally friendly alternatives to PFAs in coatings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Polar Bears<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They are the largest bears in the world and top predators of the Arctic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Their Latin name,<strong> Ursus maritimus<\/strong>, meaning &#8220;sea bear,&#8221; reflects their life spent predominantly on sea ice in the Arctic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Characteristics&nbsp; : <\/strong>Polar bears are skilled swimmers, capable of reaching speeds of six miles per hour, and have thick fat layers and water-repellent fur to insulate them from the cold.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They spend over 50% of their time hunting, primarily for seals, as they require large amounts of fat for survival.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Habitat<\/strong>: Polar Bears occur at low densities throughout the circumpolar Arctic and are more abundant in shallower, ice-covered waters associated with the continental shelf&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Distribution <\/strong>&nbsp;: The species is found in Canada, Greenland\/Denmark, Norway, Russian ,United States (Alaska).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Importance&nbsp; : <\/strong>&nbsp;Polar bears are at the top of the food chain and have an important role in the overall health of the marine environment.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The loss of sea ice habitat is the biggest threat to the survival of polar bears.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>IUCN Status :&nbsp; Vulnerable&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Note<\/strong>:&nbsp; India has four species of bears : Asiatic Black, Sloth, Sun and Himalayan Brown Bear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Do you know ?<\/strong><br>&#8211; Forever chemicals, scientifically known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are a group of synthetic chemicals that have been widely used in various industrial and consumer products due to their resistance to water, oil, and heat.<br>&#8211; These chemicals are found in items such as non-stick cookware, water-repellent clothing, stain-resistant fabrics, and firefighting foams.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source :IE<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Beating Retreat Ceremony at Vijay Chowk concluded with Muhammad Iqbal&#8217;s \u2018Saare Jahan Se Achha\u2019.<\/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-36553","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\/36553","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=36553"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36553\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36568,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36553\/revisions\/36568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36553"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36553"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}