Current Affairs

AXIOM-4 MISSION

Why in the News?

India has selected Group Captains Shubhanshu Shukla and Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair for the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). This mission is part of a joint ISRO-NASA effort. Group Captain Shukla will serve as the prime mission pilot, with Group Captain Nair as the backup.

Group Captains Shubhanshu Shukla and Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair

About Axiom-4 Mission

• Axiom Mission 4 or Ax-4 is a private spaceflight to the International Space Station.
• It is operated by Axiom Space and uses a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.
• The flight is in collaboration with NASA and will be the fourth flight of Axiom Space after Axiom Mission 1, Axiom Mission 2 and Axiom Mission 3.
• It was scheduled to launch in 2024 and will continue the company's pioneering efforts to establish a sustainable human presence in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
• Objectives
  
  • It aims to facilitate commercial activities in space, including scientific research, technological development, and space tourism.
  • It is set to carry a diverse crew of astronauts from different countries, reflecting the growing international interest in space exploration.
  • The mission will support various scientific experiments and technological tests in the unique microgravity environment of space.

About International Space Station (ISS)

• ISS is a modular space station launched in 1998 and is the largest artificial object in space.
• It is a large laboratory in space that allows astronauts to come aboard and stay for weeks or months to carry out experiments in microgravity.
  • The first crew on the ISS arrived on November 2, 2000.
  • Objective: To conduct scientific research in astrobiology, astronomy, meteorology, physics, and other fields.
  • It circles the Earth in roughly 93 minutes, completing 15.5 orbits per day.
  • Currently, the ISS has eight solar arrays generating about 160 kilowatts of power total.
  • Altitude: 400 km

Note: Modular stations can allow modules to be added to or removed from the existing structure, allowing greater flexibility.

ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN)-INDIA TRADE IN GOODS AGREEMENT (AITIGA)

Why in the News?

The 5th AITIGA Joint Committee were held in ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, Indonesia to enhance economic cooperation between ASEAN and India. ASEAN is an important trade partner of India with about 11% share in India’s global trade. The review of AITIGA, signed in 2009 will help create further opportunities for businesses on both sides to enhance the level of India-ASEAN trade. The next meeting of AITIGA Joint Committee will be held in India in November 2024.

About Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

• Founded: 8th August 1967, Bangkok, Thailand
• Founders: Abdul Razak Hussein, Narciso Ramos, Adam Malik, Sinnathamby Rajaratnam, Thanat Khoman
• Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia
• Motto: One Vision, One Identity, One Community
  
• Member Nations: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia
• It is a political and economic union of 10 states in Southeast Asia.
• India began formal engagement with ASEAN in 1992 as a Sectoral Dialogue Partner (Secretary level interaction) and subsequently as a Dialogue Partner in 1995.
• Objectives
  
  • To accelerate economic growth, social progress, and cultural development for a prosperous, peaceful Southeast Asian community.
  • To promote regional peace and stability through respect for justice, the rule of law, and adherence to UN principles.
  • To encourage active collaboration and mutual assistance in economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific, and administrative fields.
  • To enhance collaboration for better utilization of agriculture and industries, trade expansion, improved transportation and communication, and higher living standards.
  • To promote Southeast Asian studies.
  • To maintain close and beneficial cooperation with existing international and regional organisations.

Logo of ASEAN

WAYANAD LANDSLIDE

Why in the News?

Wayanad district of Kerala has witnessed one of the most devastating landslide-related disasters due to extreme rainfall and fragile ecological conditions. The district received over 140 mm of rain in 24 hours, surpassing expectations and recalling the devastating 2018 floods.

About Landslides

• A landslide is the downward movement of rock, soil, and debris on a slope, ranging from small shifts to large, destructive events.
• It can occur on natural or man-made slopes and is triggered by factors like heavy rainfall, earthquakes, volcanic activity, human activities, and changes in groundwater levels.
• Types
  
  • Slides: Movement along a ruptured surface, including rotational and translational slides.
  • Flows: Soil or rock mixed with water moving like a fluid, such as earth flows, debris flows, mudflows and creep.
  • Spreads: Lateral extension and cracking of the mass, often due to liquefaction.
  • Topples: Forward rotation and free-fall from a vertical or near-vertical slope.
  • Falls: Detachment from a steep slope or cliff, descending by free-fall, bouncing, or rolling.

• Causes
  
  • Heavy Rainfall: Saturates soil, reducing its stability.
  • Earthquakes: Shaking destabilizes slopes and triggers landslides.
  • Volcanic Activity: Eruptions and magma movement can cause landslides.
  • Slope Saturation: Over-irrigation or broken pipes can saturate slopes.
  • Deforestation: Removal of trees reduces root support and soil stability.
  • Soil Erosion: Natural or human activities that erode soil can trigger landslides.
  • Human Activities: Construction, mining, and road building can destabilize slopes.
  • Weathering: Breakdown of rocks and soil over time weakens slopes.
  • Slope Angle: Steeper slopes are more prone to landslides.
  • Groundwater Pressure: Increased groundwater pressure can reduce soil stability.

Major Landslide-Prone Areas in India

• The Northeastern Region (comprising about 50% of the total landslide-prone areas)
• Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir along the Himalayas.
• Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu along the Western Ghats
• The Araku region in Andhra Pradesh along the Eastern Ghats.
• Nearly 17,000 sq km of area in Kerala, mostly on the western side of the Western Ghats is mapped as landslide prone.

Major Landslides in India

• Kedarnath, Uttarakhand in 2013
• Pettimudi, Kerala in 2020
• Mumbai, Maharashtra in 2021
• Tupal, Manipur in 2022
• Raigarh, Maharashtra in 2023
• Aizawl, Mizoram in 2024
• Shirur, Karnataka in 2024

SCHEMES IMPLEMENTED BY THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Why in the News?

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has restructured its main programs into three comprehensive umbrella schemes: Mission Shakti, Mission POSHAN 2.0 and Mission Vatsalya. This reclassification aims to enhance the focus and effectiveness of initiatives supporting women and children.

Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0

• Objective: To address the nutritional needs of children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers, and to strengthen the Anganwadi system.
• Under this Programme, Anganwadi Services Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyaan and Scheme for Adolescent Girls have been reorganized into 3 primary sub-verticals:
  
  • (i) Nutrition Support for POSHAN and for Adolescent Girls
  • (ii) Early Childhood Care and Education [3-6 years] and
  • (iii) Anganwadi Infrastructure including modern, upgraded Saksham Anganwadis.

Mission Shakti

• Objective: To ensure the safety, security, and empowerment of women.
• It will cover schemes under two categories: Sambal for safety and security of women and Samarthya for empowerment of women.
  
  • Sambal: it Includes schemes like One Stop Centres (OSC), Women Helpline (181-WHL), and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP).
  • Samarthya: It includes schemes like Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Ujjwala, Swadhar Greh (renamed as Shakti Sadan), Working Women Hostel (renamed as Sakhi Niwas), National Hub for Empowerment of Women (NHEW), and National Creche Scheme (renamed as Palna).

Mission Vatsalya

• Objective: To ensure the well-being, protection, and development of children.
• It has subsumed the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) for better outreach and protection for children in need and care in a mission mode with the objective to:
  
  • (i) Support and sustain Children in difficult circumstances.
  • (ii) Develop context-based solutions for holistic development of children from varied backgrounds.
  • (iii) Provide scope for green field projects for encouraging innovative solutions.
  • (iv) Cement convergent action by gap funding, if required.

MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT Establishment: 30th January 2006 Head: Annpurna Devi Aim: To provide a conducive environment for the holistic development of women and children by offering educational programs, healthcare services, and opportunities for skill development.

PARIS OLYMPICS 2024

Why in the News?

Covering the list of winners in the last three days.

• Novak Djokovic
  
  • He is a Serbian professional tennis player.
  • He secured his first Olympic gold medal by overcoming Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in a gripping men’s singles final at Roland Garros on Sunday.
• Noah Lyles
  
  • He is an American sprinter known for 100 meters and 200 meters events.
  • He won gold medal by completing the thrilling men's 100m final in 9.784 seconds to become the fastest man on the planet.
• Bobby Finke
  
  • He is an American swimmer known for his achievements in distance freestyle events.
  • He breaks 12-year-old record to win second straight Olympic gold medal in the men’s 1,500m freestyle.
• Kristen Faulkner
  
  • She is a professional cyclist from the United States.
  • She became the first American to win gold in the women’s road race since Connie Carpenter in1984.

Novak Djokovic

Noah Lyles

Bobby Finke

Kristen Faulkner

General Knowledge

LEBANON

• Location: Eastern Mediterranean, bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west.
• Capital: Beirut
• Currency: Lebanese Pound (LBP)
• It gained independence from French mandate in 1943.
• Official language: Arabic
• Government: Parliamentary democracy with a unique confessionalist system.
• Prime Minister: Najib Mikati
• Key parties: Hezbollah, the Future Movement, the Free Patriotic Movement, and the Amal Movement.
• It experienced a civil war from 1975 to 1990.
• Disputed Regions
  
  • Shebaa Farms: A small strip of land at the intersection of the Lebanese - Syrian border and the Golan Heights.
  • Ghajar Village: A village that straddles the border between Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
    

Location of Lebanon

Hezbollah

• It is a Shia Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon.
• Founded: 1982 during the Lebanese Civil War.
• Leadership: Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah
• Goals: Resist Israeli occupation, promote Shia political power, and establish an Islamic state in Lebanon.
• It receives support from Iran, which views the group as a strategic ally in the region.
• It has participated in Lebanese elections since the early 1990s.
• Military Operations
  
  • 1980s-2000: Engaged in guerrilla warfare against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, culminating in Israel’s withdrawal in 2000.
  • 2006 Lebanon War: Fought a month-long war with Israel, marked by heavy casualties, rocket attacks, and significant destruction.
  • Syrian Civil War: Actively involved in supporting the Assad regime, providing fighters, and conducting military operations against rebel groups.
• It is designated as a terrorist organization by several countries.

Logo of Hezbollah