CURRENT-AFFAIRS

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• A devastating attack on a sports ground in the Israeli-held Golan Heights has heightened concerns of escalating conflict in the region.
• The Golan Heights, situated in southwestern Syria approximately 60km southwest of Damascus, is internationally recognized as occupied territory under UN Security Council resolutions. Covering an area of 1,000 sq km, it is surrounded by significant geographical landmarks including the Sea of Galilee, Mount Hermon, and the Yarmuk River.
• Following its capture by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War, the Golan Heights saw most Syrian Arab residents displaced. Despite Syria's efforts to reclaim the territory in the 1973 Middle East war, Israel maintained control and subsequently annexed the region in 1981, a move not endorsed by the international community.
• Today, the Golan Heights hosts approximately 20,000 Jewish settlers alongside a significant Syrian population, primarily Druze Arabs. Its strategic significance lies in its commanding views of Damascus and its vital role as a water source for the region, feeding into the Jordan River.
• The recent violence underscores persistent tensions in this disputed area, underscoring fears of broader regional conflict.

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• The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare recently announced that the Indian government has devised a strategy to address the Zika virus outbreak.
• Zika virus, a mosquito-borne illness akin to dengue fever, yellow fever, and West Nile virus, is caused by a single-strand RNA virus. Named after Uganda's Zika Forest where it was first identified in 1947, the virus was first documented in humans in 1952. It predominantly affects regions in Africa, the Americas, Southern Asia, and the Western Pacific.
• Transmission occurs primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito, though it can also spread through sexual contact, blood transfusion, and from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth. Symptoms are often mild or absent, but may include fever, rash, headache, joint and muscle pain, and red eyes. In pregnant women, Zika virus can lead to severe birth defects such as microcephaly and other neurological complications in infants. It has also been linked to Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder.
• Currently, there is no vaccine or specific treatment available for Zika virus infection. The government's action plan aims to manage and mitigate the impact of the disease in India, emphasizing prevention and public health measures.

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• Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released draft guidelines for banks concerning the Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR), directing them to hold a larger reserve of liquid assets to safeguard against potential liquidity strains.
• The Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) measures the percentage of highly liquid assets that financial institutions must maintain to ensure they can meet short-term obligations, typically within a 30-day horizon. This timeframe is significant because it aligns with the period during which financial markets may experience disruptions before intervention from authorities.
• Introduced under the Basel III framework by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS), LCR aims to bolster banks' resilience by ensuring they possess adequate capital to weather short-term liquidity disruptions. In India, RBI first outlined Basel III liquidity guidelines in 2012 and formally implemented LCR in January 2015. A subsequent circular in 2020 mandated banks to always hold sufficient High Quality Liquid Assets (HQLA) to cover unexpected cash outflows.
• HQLA includes assets like cash, reserves held with central banks, and easily convertible government bonds. Notably, in India, assets eligible under the Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR), as required by the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, can also count towards HQLA if they exceed regulatory thresholds, thereby optimizing liquidity management for banks.

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• Archaeologists recently unearthed Vattezhuthu scripts along with eight Tamil inscriptions at the ancient Thalikiswarar temple, which dates back over 1100 years in Tirupur district, Tamil Nadu.
• Vattezhuthu, also known as Vatteluttu, was a prominent syllabic script used in southern India (Tamil Nadu and Kerala) and Sri Lanka for writing Tamil and Malayalam languages. The term Vatteluttu is believed to denote meanings such as 'rounded script', 'northern script', or 'chiseled script'. It emerged in stone inscriptions across southern India around the 4th century AD and likely evolved from the Tamil-Brahmi script, a variant of Brahmi used for Old Tamil from the 3rd century BC to the 1st century AD.
• In Tamil Nadu, Vatteluttu was prevalent until the 9th century, while in Kerala, its usage extended until the 15th century. Over time, Vatteluttu transformed into the Malayalam script, incorporating elements from the Grantha script. Additionally, it gave rise to the Koleluttu script, which persisted in Kerala until the 19th century, notably among Christian and Muslim communities.
• This discovery at the Thalikiswarar temple provides valuable insights into the linguistic and cultural history of the region, shedding light on the evolution of writing systems in ancient South India.

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• Recently, the Indian Army approved the procurement of the Advanced Land Navigation System (ALNS) Mk-II for its Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs), marking a significant advancement in their navigational capabilities.
• ALNS Mk-II utilizes Ring Laser Gyro (RLG) technology and is designed to navigate military maps in ESM format by providing Inertial, GPS, and Hybrid Navigation data. Notably, it features robust spoof-proofing mechanisms with high encryption levels, ensuring operational security in various environments.
• Operational flexibility is a key feature of ALNS Mk-II, offering three distinct modes:
• Inertial Mode, relying solely on inertial sensor inputs.
• Hybrid Mode, integrating inertial sensor and GPS receiver data to optimize accuracy.
• GPS Mode, functioning independently of inertial sensor inputs.
• The system supports Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS, NavIC), alongside GPS and GLONASS, enhancing its adaptability to regional navigational requirements. Furthermore, its compatibility with Defence Series Maps ensures exceptionally precise navigational capabilities tailored for AFVs.
• Procurement of ALNS Mk-II will be conducted through Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Chennai, under the Buy [Indian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured (IDDM)] category, reinforcing India's commitment to enhancing indigenous defence capabilities. This acquisition underscores the Indian Army's ongoing efforts to modernize its equipment with cutting-edge technology, thereby bolstering national defence readiness.

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• Recently, the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change inaugurated Ideas4LiFE at IIT Delhi, a platform aimed at soliciting innovative ideas for products and services that promote environmentally friendly behaviors.
• Ideas4LiFE invites participation from students, faculty, and research scholars, encouraging them to contribute their creative solutions to the global initiative known as Mission LiFE. This initiative, launched at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow in November 2021, is a pioneering effort led by India to foster a global movement towards sustainable lifestyles.
• Mission LiFE aims to mobilize one billion individuals in India and beyond, empowering them to adopt sustainable practices through the principles of the P3 model—Pro Planet People. The mission is structured around a comprehensive strategy:
• Encouraging individuals to adopt simple yet impactful eco-friendly actions in their daily lives (demand).
• Facilitating swift responses from industries and markets to meet the growing demand for sustainable products and services (supply).
• Influencing government and industrial policies to support sustainable consumption and production practices (policy).
• Ideas4LiFE at IIT Delhi represents a significant opportunity for enthusiastic minds to contribute to this transformative agenda, aligning with India's commitment to environmental stewardship and global sustainability goals.

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• Recently, the Union Minister for Culture and Tourism presented details about the National Culture Fund (NCF) to the Lok Sabha, highlighting its role in mobilizing additional resources through Public Private Partnerships (PPP) to safeguard and promote India’s rich cultural heritage.
• Established as a Trust on 28th November 1996 under the Charitable Endowment Act, 1890, the NCF focuses on several key objectives:
  • Administration of funds for the conservation, maintenance, promotion, protection, preservation, and enhancement of monuments, whether protected or otherwise.
  • Development of specialized training programs and capacity-building initiatives for cultural administrators and experts.
  • Expansion of museum infrastructure to create new galleries and accommodate cultural artifacts.
  • Documentation of cultural expressions and traditions at risk of fading out or facing extinction in contemporary contexts.
  • The NCF operates under the guidance of a Governing Council chaired by the Minister of Culture, with a maximum of 25 members setting policies. An Executive Committee, led by the Secretary (Culture) and comprising up to 11 members, is responsible for executing these policies.
  • Donations to the National Culture Fund are eligible for 100% tax benefits under Section 80G (ii) of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Moreover, the NCF’s activities are recognized under Schedule VII No. (v) of the Companies Act, 2013, making it a legitimate recipient of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contributions towards the protection and promotion of national heritage, art, and culture.
  • The Comptroller and Auditor General of India audits the NCF’s annual accounts to ensure transparency and accountability. The fund accepts contributions from corporations, PSUs, trusts, and individuals for the maintenance and preservation of centrally significant monuments and cultural projects. All donors and sponsors must adhere to the terms and conditions outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for each specific project.