National Current Affairs – UPSC/KAS Exams- 19th November 2018
Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi
Topic: Modern Indian History
IN NEWS: November 19 is the birth anniversary of Rani Lakshmibai.
More on the Topic:
- Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi (19 November 1828 – 18 June 1858), was the queen of the princely state of Jhansi in North India currently present in Jhansi district in Uttar Pradesh, India.
- She was one of the leading figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and became a symbol of resistance to the British Raj for Indian nationalists.
- In 1842, Lakshmibai got married to Gangadhar Rao Newalkar, the Maharaja of Jhansi and got the name of Rani Lakshmibai. Few years after marriage, in 1851, Manikarnika gave birth to a boy but he couldn’t survive and died after four months.
- Then Lakshmibai and Gangadhar Rao adopted Rao’s cousin’s son, Anand Rao, who was later renamed as Damodar.
- Soon after they adopted Anand, Maharaja died due to an illness in 1853. Rani Lakshmibai was just 18 at that time.
- The East India Company took advantage of the Maharaja’s death and applied the Doctrine of Lapse. The British rulers did not accept little Damodar Rao, as the legal heir of late Maharaja Gangadhar Rao and Rani Lakshmi Bai. Their plan was to annex Jhansi on the ground that it did not have any legal heir.
- In March 1854, Rani of Jhansi was granted an annual pension of 60,000 and was ordered to leave the Jhansi fort. She was firm on the decision not to give up the dominion of Jhansi to the British. She died on June 17, 1958, martyring her life for India’s freedom.
Source:Hindu
Trans fatty acids (TFAs)
Topic: Health Related Issues
IN NEWS: Kerala is planning to launch an initiative to enforce dietary guidelines, involving the reduction of trans fatty acids (TFAs), salt and sugar in commercially available foods in the State.
More on the Topic:
- The initiative, with technical support from the World Bank, WHO and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), is being launched as unhealthy diet is pushing up metabolic syndrome and premature deaths due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among Keralites.
- Latest estimates put the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in Kerala between 24-33%, indicating that one in three or four persons — predominantly women — have this condition.
- Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities — high blood pressure, high blood sugar, abdominal obesity, abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels — that occur together, raising risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
- TFAs pose a higher risk of heart disease than saturated fats. While saturated fats raise total cholesterol levels, TFAs not only raise total cholesterol levels but also reduce the good cholesterol (HDL), which helps to protect us against heart disease. Trans fats consumption increases the risk of developing heart disease and stroke.
- It is also associated with a higher risk of developing obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, infertility, certain types of cancers and can also lead to compromised fetal development causing harm to the yet to be born baby.
Trans fats:
- Trans fatty acids (TFAs) or Trans fats are the most harmful type of fats which can have much more adverse effects on our body than any other dietary constituent. These fats are largely produced artificially but a small amount also occurs naturally. Thus in our diet, these may be present as Artificial TFAs and/ or Natural TFAs.
- Artificial TFAs are formed when hydrogen is made to react with the oil to produce fats resembling pure ghee/butter.
- In our diet the major sources of artificial TFAs are the partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (PHVO)/vanaspati/ margarine while the natural TFAs are present in meats and dairy products, though in small amounts.
Source:The Hindu
Qaumi Ekta Week
Topic: Government Initiatives
In news: The “Qaumi Ekta Week” (National Integration Week) will be observed all over the country, from 20 to 25th November, 2018.
More on the Topic:
- The objective of the celebration is to foster and reinforce the spirit of Communal Harmony, National Integration and pride in vibrant, composite culture and nationhood.
- This occasion also provides an opportunity to reaffirm age old traditions and faith in the values of tolerance, co-existence and brotherhood in a multi-cultural and multi-religious society.
National Foundation for Communal Harmony
- The National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH), an autonomous organisation with the Ministry of Home Affairs, organises Communal Harmony Campaign coinciding with the Qaumi Ekta Week.
- The Foundation promotes Communal Harmony and strengthens National Integration.
- It also provides financial assistance for relief and rehabilitation of children rendered orphan or destitute in communal, caste, ethnic or terrorist violence.
Source: Hindu
GROWTH
Topic: Science and Technology
In news: The 0.7 m GROWTH-India telescope at the Indian Astronomical Observatory located in Hanle, Ladakh, has made its first science observation which is a follow-up study of a nova explosion.
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- The telescope is potentially fully robotic and can operate on its own, and has a field that is five to six times larger.
- It can ‘slew’ or move its focus from one part of the sky to another in just about 10-15 seconds and its camera can view stellar objects that are thousands to millions of light years away.
- Recently the telescope has made its first science observation which is a follow-up study of a nova explosion.
- This recurrent nova, named M31N-2008, has been observed to erupt several times.
Source:The Hindu
Tiger translocation may continue: NTCA
Topic: Environment and Ecology
In news: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has hinted at continuation of the first-ever inter-State tiger translocation project in Odisha’s Satkosia Tiger Reserve despite huge setbacks.
More on the Topic
- A two-member team, comprising an expert each from NTCA and Wildlife Institute of India, was assigned to study if protocols were followed after the death of a tiger. The team completed its probe and met top wildlife officials.
- There was uncertainty over the fate of the reintroduction programme in the Satkosia reserve after the tiger, translocated from Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh marking the first such inter-State transfer, was found dead .
- The post-mortem report indicated that the death was due to infected ante-mortem maggot-infested wound followed by multiple organ failure.
- Initially, the project had run into trouble after the tigress, Sundari, brought from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in M.P., was recaptured following couple of incidents of mauling.
- Odisha had planned to bring three pairs of tiger from Madhya Pradesh to increase their population in One pair of big cats had reached Satkosia as part of the ambitious programme.
National Tiger Conservation Authority
- The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was established in December 2005 following a recommendation of the Tiger Task Force, constituted by the Prime Minister of India for reorganised management of Project Tiger and the many Tiger Reserves in India.
- The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 was amended to provide for constituting the National Tiger Conservation Authority responsible for implementation of the Project Tiger plan to protect endangered tigers.
- The National Tiger Conservation Authority is set up under the Chairmanship of the Minister for Environment and Forests.
- The Authority will have eight experts or professionals having qualifications and experience in wildlife conservation and welfare of people including tribals, apart from three Members of Parliament of whom two will be elected by the House of the People and one by the Council of States.
- The Inspector General of Forests, in charge of project Tiger, will be ex-officio Member Secretary.
Source:Hindu
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
Topic: International Organisations
In news:The 2018 Apec summit was held recently held in Papua New Guinea.
More on The Topic:
- It ended with no joint statement from the leaders – a first in Apec history – and with the fight for dominance in the Pacific region between Australia, the US and Japan on one side and China on the other, coming out into the open.
APEC:
- Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is an inter-governmental forum for 21 Pacific Rim member economies that promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
- Inspired from the success of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s series of post-ministerial conferences launched in the mid-1980s, the APEC was established in 1989 in response to the growing interdependence of Asia-Pacific economies and the advent of regional trade blocs in other parts of the world; and to establish new markets for agricultural products and raw materials beyond Europe.
- Headquartered in Singapore, the APEC is recognized as the oldest forum and highest-level multilateral bloc in the Asia-Pacific region, and exerts a significant global influence.
Pib
World Toilet Day
Topic: Health
In news:In 2013, the United Nations General Assembly officially designated November 19 as World Toilet Day. World Toilet Day is coordinated by UN-Water in collaboration with governments and partners. Previously, World Toilet Day was established by the World Toilet Organization in 2001.
More on The Topic:
- World Toilet Day is a day to raise awareness and inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis – a topic often neglected and shrouded in taboos.
- SDG 6 aims to ensure that everyone has a safe toilet and that no-one practises open defecation by 2030. Failure to achieve this goal risks the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
- 2018 Theme: When Nature Calls.
Parambikulam Tiger Reserve
Topic: Environment and Ecology
In news:Survey spots 221 varieties of butterflies in Parambikulam Tiger Reserve.
More on The Topic:
- The survey, initiated jointly by the Department of Forest and Wildlife, Parambikulam Tiger Conservation Foundation, and the Wayanad-based Ferns Naturalists Society.
- The major species spotted during the four-day initiative include Small Palm Bob, Silverstreak Blue, Orange-tail Awl, and Red-disc Bushbrown. Among them, Orange-tail Awl gets active only during early morning hours and late in the evening.
- The survey was held in different topographies and forest areas, including evergreen forests, dry deciduous forests, moist deciduous forests, shrubs and meadows in the resrved area.
- A pioneer in community-based ecotourism, Parambikulam tries to ensure foolproof conservation with the active involvement of 234 members of six tribal settlements inside its limits.
The Hindu
Exercise INDRA
Topic: International Relations
In news:Opening ceremony for the Tenth Indo-Russian Joint Exercise, INDRA 18 scheduled from 18 November to 28 .
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- The aim of the exercise is to practice joint planning and conduct to enhance interoperability of the two armies in the peace keeping and enforcement environment under the aegis of United Nations. The eleven day exercise focuses upon training on enhancing team building and tactical level operations in a counter insurgency environment in semi urban terrain.
AirSewa 2.0
Topic: E Governance
In news:The Union Minister of Civil Aviationand Commerce & Industry and Minister of State for Civil Aviation launched the upgraded version of AirSewa 2.0 web portal and mobile app in New Delhi.
More on The Topic:
- AirSewa 2.0, the upgraded version of the web portal and mobile app, provides chatbot support for faster resolution and personalised traveller experience. Also, passengers can sign up using their Facebook and Google accounts.
- Generally, chatbots are computer programmes that interacts with people through audio or text messages.
- Besides, passengers can have access to real-time flight status and schedule for both domestic and international flights, according to the Civil Aviation Ministry.
