< Daily Current Affairs & Important Editorials

Kalbeliya Dance

GS- I >> Art & Culture>> Folk Dance

Context: Recently, during the Rajasthan International Folk Festival artists performed Kalbeliya dance.

About Kalbeliya Dance:

• It is a folk dance of Rajasthan state of India.
• It is well known by other names like ‘Sapera Dance’ or ‘Snake Charmer Dance’.
• It is particularly performed by a Rajasthani tribe called ‘Kalbelia’.
• The popularity of this dance is so much worldwide that Rajasthan’s Kalbelia dance and songs are now in UNESCO’s representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity from the year 2010.
• In Kalbelia dance, males play various traditional instruments and females perform the dance.
• It is one of the most sensuous dances among all Rajasthani dances.
• In this dance form the main performers are females’ dancers who dance and swirl, replicating the movements of a serpent.
• The dancers wear brightly colored skirts, blouses, and heavy jewelry.
• Instruments: The male musicians typically play the dhol (a drum), the pungi (a snake charmer’s pipe), and the khanjari (a tambourine).

Source: www.thehindu.com

Amyloidosis

GS- II >> Social Justice>> Health

Context: A 2D protein monolayer was fabricated by scientists by assembling lysozyme molecules viz. model protein in studying diseases like Amyloidosis.

About Amyloidosis:

• Amyloidosis is a disease in which there is a build-up of protein, called amyloid, around organs.
• The protein synthesis in this disease is abnormal. The proteins are misfolded and misaligned because of that they cannot be cleared by the normal mechanisms of the body.
• This amyloid buildup can affect the working of organs like heart, kidneys, liver, spleen, nervous system and digestive tract.
• Lysozyme, a protein present in mucosal secretions and a principal component of airway fluid can be regarded as a model protein in studying diseases like Amyloidosis which ultimately leads to multi-organ dysfunction.

Source: dst.gov.in

XPoSat Satellite

GS- III >> Science & Technology>> Space

Context: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has unveiled plans for its maiden X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat), aiming to explore the polarization of intense X-ray sources.

About the XPoSat satellite:

• The XPoSat is scheduled for launch via the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, although the specific date remains undisclosed.
• This initiative signifies a significant advancement in India’s space-based X-ray astronomy capabilities, introducing a novel dimension to the study of X-ray sources.
• Designed for observation from a low Earth orbit, the satellite will orbit at an altitude of 650 km with a low inclination of approximately six degrees.

Features of the satellite:

• Scientific payloads: The XPoSat carries two scientific payloads for simultaneous studies of temporal, spectral, and polarization features of bright X-ray sources.
• Mission objectives:
• Measurement of X-ray polarization in the 8-30 keV energy band.
• Long-term spectral and temporal studies of cosmic X-ray sources in the 0.8-15 keV energy band.
• Mission life: Anticipated mission life is approximately five years.
• Primary Payload (POLIX): Measures polarimetry parameters, specifically the degree and angle of polarization.
• Operates in the medium X-ray energy range of 8-30 keV photons.
• Developed by the Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru, with ISRO support.
• Secondary Payload (XSPECT): Provides spectroscopic information within the energy range of 0.8-15 keV.
• Developed by the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre, ISRO.

Source: www.thehindu.com

Loss and Damage Fund

GS- III >> Environment>> Climate Change

Context: COP-28 witnessed a historic moment as member countries unanimously agreed to operationalize a Loss and Damage (L&D) Fund, addressing the impacts of climate change.

About Loss and Damage (L&D) Fund: 

• Structural framework: Loss and Damage Fund based at the World Bank, managed independently, agreed upon after transitional committee meetings.
• Financial commitments: Pledges total nearly $250 million, including significant contributions from the UAE, Germany, U.S., U.K., Japan, and the European Union.
• Interim host and eligibility: World Bank serves as interim host for four years; open to applications from all developing countries, with voluntary contributions encouraged.
• Allocations for specific categories: Designated percentage for Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.

Recent actions on Loss & Damage Fund in COP-28:

• Positive start and momentum: Initiation of fund on COP-28’s first day seen as positive, setting a favourable tone for conference discussions.
• Climate change cost insights: University of Delaware study reveals $1.5 trillion cost of climate change in 2022, impacting developing nations.
• Sustainability concerns: While a milestone, concerns raised about long-term sustainability without a defined replenishment cycle.
• Acknowledgment from India: India acknowledges UN Presidency’s role, expresses gratitude for facilitating fund initiation, and highlights its contributions during committee meetings.

Source: www.thehindu.com

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

GS- III >> Environment>> Climate Change

Context: The United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has declared 2023 as the hottest year ever recorded, sounding an urgent alarm for immediate action to combat global warming and its catastrophic consequences.

• The WMO highlighted a multitude of shattered climate records in 2023, accompanied by extreme weather events that have left a ‘trail of devastation and despair.’

About World Meteorological Organization (WMO):

• The WMO is an intergovernmental organization comprising 192 member states and territories.
• Originated from the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), established after the 1873 Vienna International Meteorological Congress.
• Formally established by the ratification of the WMO Convention on March 23, 1950.
• Recognized as the specialized agency of the United Nations for meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology, and related geophysical sciences.
• India holds membership in the WMO as one of its 192 member states and territories.
• The WMO is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

Key highlights of the report:

• Greenhouse Gas Levels: Reached record-high levels, contributing to the intensification of the greenhouse effect.
• Global Temperatures: Marked as record-high, indicating a sustained and worrisome trend of rising temperatures worldwide.
• Sea Level Rise: Recorded at an all-time high, posing threats to coastal areas and vulnerable communities.
• Antarctic Sea Ice: Plummeted to a record low, signifying alarming changes in polar ice dynamics.

Source: www.thehindu.com