Daily Current Affairs 3 March 2020 | UPSC Current Affairs 2020

Current Affairs Of Today Are

1)  Kr00k vulnerability

• ESET, a Slovak cybersecurity firm, has for the last year been working in collaboration with manufacturers of two specific WiFi chips, which were found to have been vulnerable to attack by hostile parties. 
• The manufacturers have since released for all the vulnerable devices security patches that users can install to address the vulnerability.  ESET discovered that WiFI chips manufactured by Broadcom ad Cypress had the Kr00k vulnerability
• The devices that tested positive for the vulnerability include the Amazon Echo (2nd generation), Amazon Kindle (8th generation), Apple iPad mini 2, Apple iPhone 6, 6s, 8 and XR, Apple MacBook Air Retina 13­inch 2018, Google Nexus 5, 6, and 6s, Samsung Galaxy S4 GT­19505, Samsung Galaxy S8, and Xiaomi Redmi 3s, as well as some WiFi access points by Huawei and Asus.

How does it work?

• Simply put, any device with a WiFi chip manufactured by these two companies is vulnerable to attack, as long as the device is connected to a WiFi network and the hacker is within the range of the same network
• Once a hacker gets access to any device for even a short period of time, they can do anything, including planting malware or intercepting sensitive information that is being sent or received via the Internet

What is Kr00k?

Kr00k – formally known as CVE-2019-15126 – is a vulnerability in Broadcom and Cypress Wi-Fi chips that allows unauthorized decryption of some WPA2-encrypted traffic.

Source: The Hindu

2) Swathi Weapon Locating Radars (WLR)

• In a boost to defense exports, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) won a $40 mn order for supplying four Weapon Locating Radars (WLR) to Armenia beating firms from Russia and Poland in the competition
• We won a competitive bid for supplying four Swathi WLR worth $40 mn to Armenia and the deal has been signed, a defense source said. 

About Swathi

• Swathi WLR was indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by BEL.
• It is an electronically scanned phased array radar and automatically locates hostile artillery, mortars and rocket launchers. 
• It can also track friendly fire to locate the impact point of friendly artillery fire to issue necessary corrections.
• The Swathi Weapon Locating Radar (WLR) is a mobile artillery-locating phased array radar developed by India. This counter-battery radar is designed to detect and track incoming artillery and rocket fire to determine the point of origin for counter-battery fire.
• The WLR has been jointly developed by the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), a lab of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). The sub-systems have been fabricated by BEL based on the DRDO designs and delivered to LRDE for integration.

Source: The Hindu

3) Black carbon from agricultural burning & forest fire may influence the melting of Gangotri Glacier

• The already receding Gangotri glacier seems to have more bad news in store.  Black carbon concentration in the region increases by 400 times during summer, according to a study. The study suggests agricultural burning and forest fire as the reason behind this seasonal increase. This can trigger glacial melt because of the light-absorbing nature of black carbon.
• Scientists from Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, (WIHG), an autonomous institution under the Department of Science & Technology, in a study conducted at Chirbasa station near Gangotri Glacier, for the Year 2016, found that black carbon (BC) concentration in this region has changed drastically during summer.
• It was revealed by investigating the occasional high values of black carbon extricated, that the seasonal cycle of increase was significantly influenced by the emissions resulting from agriculture burning (in western part of the country), forest fires (along the Himalayan slopes) in summer, and to some extent by the contribution from long-range transport of pollutants in winter, depending the prevailing meteorological conditions.
• The research led by Dr. P.S. Negi from WIHG was published in the scientific journal Atmospheric Environment.  
• The Equivalent Black Carbon (EBC) aerosols contribute significantly to global warming due to its light-absorbing nature. Their presence in the eco-sensitive zone, such as the Himalayan glacier valleys, is a matter of serious concern and needs to be meticulously monitored. However, baseline data on BC is rarely available from most of the glaciated Himalayan region.
• For the first time, the team of Scientists from WIHG carried out measurements on ambient EBC mass concentration at a high altitude site Chirbasa (3600 m), near Gangotri Glacier in the Indian Himalaya, during the year 2016. The monthly mean concentration of EBC was found to be minimum in August and maximum in the month of May. The observed seasonal mean concentrations of EBC indicated a pristine glacial source and absence of EBC sources in the locality.

Source: PIB

4) World Heritage List for the year 2020

• The government of India has submitted two nomination dossiers namely ‘Dholavira: A Harappan City’ and ‘Monuments and Forts of Deccan Sultanate’ for inclusion in the World Heritage List for the year 2020. Govt. of Madhya Pradesh has submitted the proposal of ‘Group of Monuments at Mandu’ in the year 2019. The dossier was further forwarded to the World Heritage Centre (WHC) for completeness check.  Inputs received from WHC have been conveyed to the State Government for further incorporation.
• A consultation workshop was organized by the Wild Life Institute of India and State Govt. of Madhya Pradesh to inventories and prioritize the potential World Heritage Sites of M.P. The workshop has proposed Bhedaghat (Narmada Valley) as one of the recommended potential site subject to criteria set by UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Dholavira

• Dholavira is an archaeological site at Khadirbet in Bhachau Taluka of Kutch District, in the state of Gujarat in western India, which has taken its name from a modern-day village 1 kilometer (0.62 mi) south of it. This village is 165 km (103 mi) from Radhanpur. Also known locally as Kotada timba, the site contains ruins of an ancient Indus Valley Civilization/Harappan city. Dholavira’s location is on the Tropic of Cancer. It is one of the five largest Harappan sites and most prominent archaeological sites in India belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization. It is also considered as having been the grandest of cities[4] of its time. It is located on Khadir bet island in the Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary in the Great Rann of Kutch. The 47 ha (120 acres) quadrangular city lay between two seasonal streams, the Mansar in the north and Manhar in the south. The site was thought to be occupied from c.2650 BCE, declining slowly after about 2100 BCE, and that it was briefly abandoned then reoccupied until c.1450 BCE, however recent research suggests the beginning of occupation around 3500 BCE (pre-Harappan) and continuity until around 1800 BCE (early part of Late Harappan period).
• The site was discovered in 1967-68 by J. P. Joshi, of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and is the fifth largest of eight major Harappan sites. It has been under excavation since 1990 by the ASI, which opined that "Dholavira has indeed added new dimensions to the personality of Indus Valley Civilisation." The other major Harappan sites discovered so far are Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Ganeriwala, Rakhigarhi, Kalibangan, Rupnagar and Lothal.

Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate

• The Deccan sultanates were five dynasties that ruled late medieval kingdoms, namely, Bijapur, Golkonda, Ahmadnagar, Bidar, and Berar in south-western India. The Deccan sultanates were located on the Deccan Plateau. Their architecture was a regional variant of Indo-Islamic architecture, heavily influenced by the styles of the Delhi Sultanate and later Mughal architecture, but sometimes also directly from Persia and Central Asia.
• The rulers of five Deccan sultanates had a number of cultural contributions to their credit in the fields of art, music, literature, and architecture. Deccan sultanates have constructed many grand and impregnable forts. Bidar and Golconda forts are classic examples of military planning of Deccan sultanates. Apart from forts, they have constructed many tombs, mosques, and madrasas. Gol Gumbaz (tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah), was the second-largest dome in the world.

Source: PIB 

5) OECD lowers India’s  FY21 GDP growth

• Global agency OECD lowered its India’s GDP growth forecast to 5.1% from the earlier projection of 6.2% for 2020 on concerns of the impact of the deadly COVID­19 on the domestic as well as the global economy.
• The OECD lowered its global GDP forecast by half a percentage point to 2.4%, the lowest rate since the 2008­-09 financial crisis.
• The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said the adverse impact on confidence, financial markets, travel sector and disruption to supply chains contributes to the downward revisions in all G20 economies in 2020, particularly ones strongly interconnected to China. According to the latest OECD Interim Economic Outlook Forecasts, India’s real GDP growth is expected at 5.1% during the fiscal year starting April 1, 2020, and improve to 5.6% in the following year. The latest projection for 2020­21 is 1.1 percentage points lower than the November 2019 forecast. The Economic Survey tabled by the government in Parliament has projected India’s economic growth at 6-6.5% in the next financial year starting April 1. 
• The National Statistical Office (NSO) estimates India’s GDP growth at 5% during 2019-­20. OECD has projected the growth at 4.9% for the financial year ending March 2020.  
• The report said the coronavirus (COVID­19) outbreak had already brought considerable human suffering and major economic disruption. 
• Output contractions in China are being felt around the world, reflecting the key and the rising role China has in global supply chains, travel and commodity markets. Subsequent outbreaks in other economies are having similar effects, albeit on a smaller scale.

OECD

• The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 36 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade. It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy, providing a platform to compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members. Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries. As of 2017, the OECD member countries collectively comprised 62.2% of global nominal GDP (US$49.6 trillion) and 42.8% of global GDP (Int$54.2 trillion) at purchasing power parity. The OECD is an official United Nations observer.
• In 1948, the OECD originated as the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC), led by Robert Marjolin of France, to help administer the Marshall Plan (which was rejected by the Soviet Union and its satellite states). This would be achieved by allocating United States financial aid and implementing economic programs for the reconstruction of Europe after World War II. (Similar reconstruction aid was sent to the war-torn Republic of China and post-war Korea, but not under the name "Marshall Plan".)
• In 1961, the OEEC was reformed into the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development by the Convention on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and membership was extended to non-European states. The OECD's headquarters are at the Château de la Muette in Paris, France. The OECD is funded by contributions from member countries at varying rates and had a total budget of €386 million in 2019.

Source: The Hindu

6) Climate Change and Water Contamination

• Climate model simulation studies done by various agencies including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) project possible linkages of climate change with frequency and intensity of weather-related events. However, any direct link between climate change and flooding resulting in water contamination has not been established.
• The flow in rivers is dynamic and depends on many parameters such as rainfall, its distribution and intensity in the catchment, catchment characteristics and withdrawals/utilisations of water basins. Central Water Commission (CWC), Ministry of Jal Shakti monitors important/major rivers. Considering the annual average flow of the last 20 years of terminal sites of major rivers, no appreciable increasing/decreasing trend in total water availability in the country including the State of Bihar has been observed.
• Ministry of Jal Shakti has drafted bills namely the National Water Framework Bill, River Basin Management (RBM) Bill and Model Bill to ‘Regulate and Control the Development and Management of Ground Water’ for bringing reforms in the water sector.
• The draft RBM Bill proposes optimum development of inter-State rivers by facilitating inter-State coordination ensuring scientific planning of land and water resources taking basin/sub-basin as a unit with unified perspectives of water in all its forms (including soil moisture, ground and surface water). The draft RBM Bill has been circulated to all States/Union Territories concerned Central Government’s Ministries/Departments for pre-legislative consultations.
• The National Water Framework Bill provides an overarching national legal framework based on principles for protection, conservation, regulation and management of water as a vital and stressed natural resource, under which legislation and executive action on the water can take place at all levels of governance. The draft National Water Framework Bill has been circulated to States/UTs and the concerned Central Ministries for obtaining their views/comments.
• Ministry has also circulated a Model Bill to ‘Regulate and Control the Development and Management of Ground Water’ to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact suitable groundwater legislation for regulation for its development which includes the provision of rainwater harvesting. So far, 15 States/UTs have adopted and implemented the groundwater legislation on the lines of Model Bill.

Source: PIB

7) SCTIMST develops Flow Diverter Stents Technology for the treatment of Aneurysms of brain

• The research team of Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Science and Technology (SCTIMST), Thiruvanthapuram,  an Institute of National Importance under the Department of Science and Technology has developed an innovative intracranial flow diverter stent for the treatment of aneurysms of the blood vessels of the brain. It is ready for transfer and further testing in animals, followed by human trials.
• Flow diverters stents when deployed in the artery in the brain bearing the aneurysms, divert blood flow away from the aneurysm, thus reducing the chances of its rupture from the pressure of blood flow.
• Intracranial aneurysm is a localized ballooning, bulging or dilation of arteries in the brain caused by progressive weakening of the inner muscles of the wall of the blood vessels.
• Spontaneous rupture of the aneurysm can result in bleeding into the space around the brain resulting condition called a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Subarachnoid hemorrhage can lead to paralysis, coma or death.
  
• The Surgical treatment of an aneurysm involves opening the skull and a clip on the neck of an aneurysm, so that it is cut off from the path of blood flow.
• There are three nonsurgical, minimally invasive endovascular treatments of aneurysms of the brain. In two of these procedures, the aneurismal sacis filled with platinum coils or occluded using high viscosity liquid polymer which solidifies when released into the sac thus sealing the sac. All these techniques have some limitations or the other.
• A more attractive third minimally invasive option is deploying a flow diverter stent to bypass the segment of the blood vessel which has the aneurysm. Flow diverters have the advantages of being flexible and adaptable to the shape and course of the vessel. Also, flow diverters promote healing of the vessel wall by removing the constant stress of blood flow on it.
• The Chitra flow diverter is designed to have a better grip on the walls of arteries of complex shapes in order to reduce the risk of migration of the device. The unique design is in its weave also makes this stent resistant to kinking or twisting, when it is placed in tortuous arteries and those with complex shapes. Even a 180 degrees bend does not occlude the lumen of the stent. A portion of the wires is made radio-opaque for better visibility in X –Rays and fluoroscopy thus aiding accurate delivery of the diverter in the blood vessel.
• Nitinol, a superelastic alloy with shape memory was acquired from National Aero Space Laboratories, Bengaluru (CSIR-NAL). When the device is deployed at the site, it is released from its crimped locked position and assumes the desired and originally designed shape because of the
• shape memory property of Nitinol. The flow diverter is delivered to the aneurysm in the brain using a delivery system. The delivery system has also been developed by the team
• The imported flow diverter stents cost Rs 7-8 lakhs and are not manufactured in India. With the availability of the indigenous technology from SCTIMST and Nitinol from NAL, a well-established industry should be able to manufacture and sell at a much lower price. The device is expected to be transferred to the Industry very soon and will subsequently undergo testing in animal and human clinical trials before commercialization.

Source: PIB

8) RaIDer-X

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore have developed a new bomb detection device called Raider-X.

What is RaIDer-X?

• It is an explosives detection device. It can detect up to 20 explosives from a stand-off distance of two meters.  Developed by the High Energy Material Research Laboratory (HEMRL) — an arm of the DRDO — in Pune and the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. It can also discern bulk explosives even if they have been concealed.

Applications:

• The device has various applications including narcotics, for local police, for customs and other detection agencies who need to detect various elements that may be explosive or non-explosive in nature.

Significance:

• Most of the recent terrorist attacks had explosives that were made from easily available ingredients like petrol and gelatin sticks rather than high-end materials. And devices like RaIDer-X are incremental to thwarting the threat from homemade explosives.

Source: PIB

9) Inner Line Permit (ILP)

Tribal organizations in Meghalaya have been demanding the ILP system for restricting the entry of outsiders into the State. These demands have turned into violent protests across the state in the past few days.

What is an ILP?

• It is a document required by non- natives to visit or stay in a state that is protected under the ILP system.
• At present, four Northeastern states are covered, namely, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland.
• Both the duration of stay and the areas allowed to be accessed for any nonnative are determined by the ILP.
• The ILP is issued by the concerned state government and can be availed both by applying online or in person.

HISTORY:

• The Inner Line Permit is an extension of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act 1873. The Britishers framed regulations restricting entry in certain designated areas. This was done to protect the Crown’s interest in certain states by preventing “British subjects” (Indians) from trading within these regions.
• In 1950, the term ‘British subjects’ was replaced with ‘Citizens of India’. Today, all nonnatives require the permit. This was done to protect the indigenous tribal communities of these states from exploitation.

What about foreigners?

• An ILP is only valid for domestic tourists. For foreign tourists in:
• Manipur: No permit is required. But, have to register themselves.
• Mizoram: No permit is required. But, need to register.
• Nagaland: No permit is required. However, they need to register.
• Arunachal Pradesh: Tourists need a Protected Area Permit (PAP) or Restricted Area Permit (RAP) from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

Need for ILP:

• Preservation of indigenous culture and tradition.
• Prevents illegal migrants and encroachment by outsiders.

Should Meghalaya be brought under ILP?

• The ILP is considered the only mechanism to contain influx in the state. Influx is perceived as dangerous because it could upset the fragile demographic balance of the tribals of Meghalaya.
• Influx definitely is a matter of concern but it requires better solutions than the ILP, not instant solutions demanded by pressure groups. Indeed, how can such a far-reaching policy be decided by one or two groups?

Source: The Hindu

10) National Sports Development Fund

Under CSR initiative, Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India (SPMCIL) contributes Rs 1 crore towards the National Sports Development Fund.

What is NSDF?

• Established in 1998 under the Charitable Endowments Act 1890 and notified by the Government of India in November 1998.
• The purpose of creation is to impart momentum and flexibility to assist the cause of sports. The role of the Fund is supplementary to the overall policy and activities of the Department of Sports in achieving excellence in sports.

OBJECTIVES OF NSDF:

• To administer and apply the money of the Fund for promotion of sports in general and specific sports disciplines and individual sportspersons in particular for achieving excellence at the National and of International level;
• To impart special training and coaching in relevant sports disciplines to sportspersons, coaches and sports specialists;
• To construct and maintain infrastructure for the promotion of sports and games;
• To supply sports equipment to organizations and individuals for the promotion of sports and games;
• To identify problems and take up research and development studies for providing support to excellence in sports;
• To promote international cooperation, in particular, exchanges which may promote the development of sports;
• To provide low-interest or interest-free loans for projects and activities related to any of the aforesaid objects.

MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF NSDF:

• Council of NSDF: The Fund is managed by a Council constituted by the Central Government. Union Minister in charge of Youth Affairs and Sports is the Chairperson of the Council. Members of the Council include senior Officers of the Department of Sports, Chairman & Managing Directors of Private and Public Sector Companies / Corporations, representatives of Sports Promotion Boards, etc.

Source: PIB