DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 17th July 2024

Syllabus

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: India will host the second Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on civil aviation on September 11 and 12.

Background:-

• As many as 39 Member States of U.N. aviation safety body International Civil Aviation Organisation fall in the Asia Pacific region and are expected to participate.

About INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION (ICAO)

• The International Civil Aviation Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations.
• Convention on International Civil Aviation, also known as the Chicago Convention established the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
• ICAO coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth.
• The ICAO headquarters are located in the Quartier international de Montréal of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
• The ICAO Council adopts standards and recommended practices concerning air navigation, its infrastructure, flight inspection, prevention of unlawful interference, and facilitation of border-crossing procedures for international civil aviation.
• ICAO is distinct from other international air transport organisations, particularly because it alone is vested with international authority (among signatory states).

Source: Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims – SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Context: Improved testing has led to the detection of over 6,000 cases of syphilis, according to data from the Mumbai AIDS Control Society (MDACS) between 2018-19 and 2022-23.

Background:

• The antibiotic penicillin is effective in eradicating the disease completely.

What is syphilis?

• Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
• It is caused by a bacteria called Treponema pallidum
• Syphilis is transmitted during oral, vaginal and anal sex, in pregnancy and through blood transfusion.
• Syphilis in pregnancy may lead to stillbirth, newborn death and babies born with syphilis (congenital syphilis).
• Antibiotic medication treats syphilis.
• Untreated syphilis can lead to serious health problems, including blindness and damage to your brain, heart, eyes and nervous system.

Who might get syphilis?

• Anyone who’s sexually active can get syphilis, but your risk is higher if you:
  • Have unprotected sex, especially if you have several partners.
  • Are a man who has sex with men (MSM).
  • Have HIV.
  • Have had sex with someone who’s tested positive for syphilis.
  • Tested positive for another STI, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea or herpes.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus

• Prelims – ART & CULTURE

Context: A geospatial analysis utilising satellite images and ground surveys has found evidence of the presence of “huge architectural wealth” buried in the Mahabodhi temple complex and its surroundings in Bihar’s Bodh Gaya.

Background:

• In the context of philosophical and cultural history, Mahabodhi Temple Complex is of great relevance as it marks the most important event in the life of Lord Buddha, the moment when Prince Siddhartha attained Enlightenment and became Buddha, an event that shaped human thought and belief.

About Mahabodhi Temple Complex:

• It is one of the four holy sites related to the life of the Lord Buddha, and particularly to the attainment of Enlightenment.
• The Mahabodhi Temple Complex is the first temple built by Emperor Asoka in the 3rd century B.C., and the present temple dates from the 5th–6th centuries.
• It is one of the earliest Buddhist temples built entirely in brick, still standing, from the late Gupta period and it is considered to have had significant influence in the development of brick architecture over the centuries.
• The present Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya comprises the 50 m high grand Temple, the Vajrasana, sacred Bodhi Tree and other six sacred sites of Buddha’s enlightenment, surrounded by numerous ancient Votive stupas, well maintained and protected by inner, middle and outer circular boundaries.
• A seventh sacred place, the Lotus Pond, is located outside the enclosure to the south.
• The most important of the sacred places is the giant Bodhi Tree, to the west of the main temple, a supposed direct descendant of the original Bodhi Tree under which Buddha spent his First Week and had his enlightment.
• To the north of the central path, on a raised area, is the Animeshlochan Chaitya (prayer hall) where Buddha is believed to have spent the Second Week.
• Buddha spent the Third Week walking eighteen paces back and forth in an area called Ratnachakrama (the Jewelled Ambulatory), which lies near the north wall of the main temple. Raised stone lotuses carved on a platform mark his steps.
• The spot where he spent the Fourth Week is Ratnaghar Chaitya.
• Immediately after the steps of the east entrance on the central path there is a pillar which marks the site of the Ajapala Nigrodh Tree, under which Buddha meditated during his Fifth Week, answering the queries of Brahmans.
• He spent the Sixth Week next to the Lotus Pond and the Seventh Week was spent under the Rajyatana Tree, to the south-east of the main temple, currently marked by a tree.
• Next to the Bodhi Tree there is a platform attached to the main temple made of polished sandstone known as Vajrasana (the Diamond Throne), originally installed by Emperor Asoka to mark the spot where Buddha sat and meditated.

Source: Economic Times

Syllabus

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: The Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is suspected to have declined 24.5 per cent over the last three generations, according to the latest assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Background:

• The decline is suspected from range loss and inferred based on actual or potential levels of exploitation.

About Indian Leopard :

• The Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is a subspecies of the leopard (P. pardus) widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent.
• Nine subspecies of the leopard have been recognized, and they are distributed across Africa and Asia.
• The leopard is the smallest of the big cats, and known for its ability to adapt in a variety of habitats.
• Melanism is a common occurrence in leopards, wherein the entire skin of the animal is black in colour, including its spots. A melanistic leopard is often called black panther or jaguar, and mistakenly thought to be a different species.
• A nocturnal animal, the leopard hunts by night. It feeds on smaller species of herbivores found in its range, such as the chital, hog deer and wild boar.
• An extremely agile creature, it spends most of its resting time on top of trees, using land only to move locations, but rarely to rest or nap.
• It is classified as Near Threatened by IUCN.
• It is Listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and included in Appendix I of CITES.

Source: Down To Earth

Syllabus

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: UK recently announced second ballot for India Young Professional Scheme 2024.

Background:

• In 2024, the UK has allocated 3,000 places under this scheme, with most spots already filled during the February 2024 ballot. The second ballot period opened on July 16, 2024, at 13:30 Indian Standard Time and closes on July 18, 2024, at the same time.

About India Young Professional Scheme 2024  :

• The India Young Professional Scheme is a youth mobility scheme that allows Indian nationals to live, work, and study in the United Kingdom for up to two years.
• This scheme was announced at the G20 summit in Bali in November 2022.
• It was formally launched in February 2023.
• It allows up to 3,000 degree-holding citizens aged between 18 and 30 from each country to live and work in the other country for two years.
• Interested applicants, aged between 18-30 years old or turning 18 by the travel date, with a bachelor’s degree or higher, savings of GBP 2,530, and no dependent children under 18, are eligible to apply.
• India is the first visa-national country to benefit from this scheme.

Source: Economic Times

Syllabus

• Prelims – ART & CULTURE

Context: With the south-west monsoon gradually setting in, nouka baich boat races will soon begin in several rural pockets of West Bengal.

Background:

• Boat racing is an exhilarating and diverse water-based sport that involves racing boats or yachts over a set course or distance. This sport encompasses a wide range of boat types and categories, each offering unique challenges and requiring specific skills.

About Nouka Baich :

• Nouka Baich is the traditional boat race of Bengal, predominantly held in rural pockets of West Bengal, including Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24 Parganas, and South 24 Parganas.
• Historically male-dominated, recent years have seen increasing participation by women.
• The races commence with the onset of the south-west monsoon, usually starting in the middle of the rainy season.
• The events continue until September, with some races extending into October and November, depending on the region.

Types of Boats Used:

• Unlike Kerala’s boat races, which typically feature a single type of boat, Bengal’s races use various traditional boats.
• Chhip, Kaile Bachhari, Chande Bachhari, Chitoi, Sorpi, and Sorengi are commonly used boats in the races.
• Each boat type has unique design features and historical significance. For example, the Sorengi boat is over 90 feet long and designed to mimic natural forms.

Similar Festivals in India:

• Other regions in India also celebrate boat races with cultural significance. Some examples include:
  • Nehru Trophy Boat Race (Kerala)
  • Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkali (Kerala)
  • Payippad Jalotsavam (Kerala)
  • Indira Gandhi Boat Race (Kerala)
  • Pongal Boat Race (Tamil Nadu)
  • Sithargal Boat Race (Tamil Nadu)
  • Hiyang Tannaba (Manipur)

Source: Hindu

Q1.) Consider the following statements about International Civil Aviation Organization

1. It is a specialized agency of the United Nations.
2. It was established by the Chicago Convention.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q2.) Nouka Baich recently seen in news is the traditional boat race of

1. Manipur
2. West Bengal
3. Tamil Nadu
4. Kerala

Q3.) With reference to the India Young Professional Scheme, consider the following statements:

1. It is a youth mobility scheme that allows Indian nationals to live, work, and study in the United States for up to two years.
2. This was scheme announced at the G20 summit in Bali in 2022.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  17th July 2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) –  c

Q.2) – d

Q.3) – b