CURRENT-AFFAIRS

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• Kandukuri Veeresalingam was a prominent social reformer and writer in 19th-century India, particularly known for his contributions to Telugu literature.
• Born on April 16, 1848, in Andhra Pradesh, he played a pivotal role in advocating for social reforms, especially in the areas of women's rights and education.
• Veeresalingam initiated the widow remarriage movement in Telugu-speaking regions, challenging social norms and advocating for the rights of widows to remarry.
• He founded the first widow remarriage association in 1874, called the "Hitakarini Sabha," which worked to promote education and social upliftment for women.
• As a prolific writer, he authored numerous literary works, including novels, plays, essays, and poetry, addressing various social issues and advocating for progressive ideas.
• His notable works include "Rajasekhara Charitramu," "Chintamani," and "Ratnamala," which not only entertained but also enlightened readers about societal issues.
• Veeresalingam's efforts significantly influenced the cultural and intellectual landscape of Andhra Pradesh, leaving a lasting impact on the region's literature and social reform movements.

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• The Electoral Bond Scheme was introduced in India in 2018 as a way to cleanse political funding.
• It allows individuals and companies to buy bonds from authorized banks and donate them to political parties.
• These bonds are like promissory notes and can only be encashed by registered political parties within a specified timeframe.
• The scheme aims to promote transparency in political funding by making donations traceable through banks.
• However, critics argue that it lacks transparency as the identity of donors remains anonymous.
• There are concerns about the potential misuse of the scheme by corporates to influence political decisions.
• The Supreme Court of India has upheld the scheme, but some political parties and activists continue to challenge its legality.
• The scheme has undergone some amendments over the years to address various concerns raised by stakeholders.
• Despite the debates surrounding it, the Electoral Bond Scheme remains a significant aspect of political financing in India.

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• Hydrocarbons are organic compounds composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms.
• They are the simplest form of organic compounds and are found abundantly in nature, primarily in fossil fuels like petroleum, natural gas, and coal.
• Hydrocarbons are classified into two main types: aliphatic and aromatic.
• Aliphatic hydrocarbons include straight-chain alkanes, branched-chain alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes.
• Aromatic hydrocarbons contain one or more benzene rings and include compounds like benzene, toluene, and xylene.
• Hydrocarbons are important as fuels for vehicles, heating, and electricity generation.
• They are also used as raw materials in the production of plastics, solvents, lubricants, and various chemicals.
• Hydrocarbon combustion is a major contributor to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, leading to environmental concerns such as climate change and air quality deterioration.
• Research and development efforts are underway to find cleaner and more sustainable alternatives to traditional hydrocarbon-based fuels and chemicals.

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• Heat islands are areas within cities or urban environments that experience significantly higher temperatures than their surrounding rural areas.
• They are primarily caused by human activities such as urbanization, deforestation, and the construction of buildings and roads, which absorb and retain heat.
• The urban heat island effect exacerbates temperature extremes, especially during heatwaves, leading to health risks such as heat-related illnesses and increased energy demands for cooling.
• Factors contributing to heat islands include the lack of vegetation, increased concrete and asphalt surfaces, and reduced green spaces, which limit cooling through evapotranspiration and shade.
• Strategies to mitigate heat islands include increasing green spaces like parks and urban forests, implementing cool roofing and pavement technologies, and promoting sustainable urban planning and design practices.
• Addressing heat islands is crucial for enhancing urban livability, improving public health, and minimizing the environmental impacts of cities on local ecosystems.

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• The universe is expanding, a concept supported by various astronomical observations and theories.
• Edwin Hubble's observations in the 1920s provided evidence for the expansion of the universe.
• This expansion means that galaxies are moving away from each other over time.
• The expansion rate of the universe is described by the Hubble constant, denoted as H0.
• The expansion of the universe is not like an explosion from a single point, but rather a stretching of space itself.
• The Big Bang theory is the prevailing explanation for the origin of the universe, suggesting that it began as an infinitely hot and dense point and has been expanding ever since.
• The expansion of the universe has several implications, including the increasing distance between galaxies and the cooling of cosmic background radiation.
• Dark energy is believed to be driving the accelerated expansion of the universe, although its nature remains one of the biggest mysteries in cosmology.

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• The Angara-A5 is a heavy-lift space launch vehicle developed by the Russian space agency, Roscosmos.
• It is part of the Angara rocket family, designed to replace the older Proton and Rokot launch systems.
• The Angara-A5 is capable of lifting payloads of up to 24.5 metric tons to low Earth orbit (LEO).
• It features a modular design, using common core stages with different configurations of additional boosters depending on payload requirements.
• The first successful test launch of the Angara-A5 occurred in December 2014 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia.
• Its development aims to reduce Russia's dependency on foreign launch vehicles for heavy payloads.
• The Angara-A5 is designed to be more cost-effective, reliable, and environmentally friendly compared to its predecessors.
• It utilizes a combination of liquid oxygen and kerosene (RP-1) as propellants, which are widely used in Russian rocketry.
• The Angara-A5 is expected to play a significant role in Russia's future space exploration missions, including crewed missions to the Moon and beyond.

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• MSC ARIES is a large container ship operated by Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), one of the world's leading container shipping lines.
• Built in 2021, MSC ARIES is part of the MSC's fleet that serves global trade routes, transporting goods between major ports across continents.
• The vessel has a carrying capacity of over 23,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), making it one of the largest container ships in operation.
• MSC ARIES features modern technology and efficient design to optimize cargo handling and fuel consumption, contributing to environmental sustainability efforts.
• It is equipped with advanced navigation and safety systems to ensure smooth and secure voyages across the oceans.
• MSC ARIES plays a crucial role in facilitating international trade, supporting the movement of goods and commodities essential for global commerce and economic growth.