CURRENT-AFFAIRS

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• Researchers have recently found living microbes in a 2-billion-year-old rock from the Bushveld Igneous Complex in South Africa, shedding light on early life on Earth and possibly assisting in the search for life on Mars.
• About the Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC):
  • The BIC is the largest layered igneous intrusion in the Earth's crust.
  • Located in northern South Africa, it is exposed at the edge of the Transvaal Basin.
  • It spans a pear-shaped area of over 66,000 square kilometers.
  • The complex can reach a thickness of up to 9 kilometers (5.6 miles).
  • It is famous for its rich mineral deposits.
  • The BIC holds the world’s largest reserves of platinum-group metals (PGMs), including platinum, palladium, osmium, iridium, rhodium, and ruthenium, along with significant quantities of iron, tin, chromium, titanium, and vanadium.
  • The complex is divided into eastern and western lobes, with an additional northern extension, all formed around 2 billion years ago.
• Formation:
  • Massive amounts of molten rock from the Earth's mantle were forced to the surface through vertical fissures in the crust, creating the geological intrusion known as the BIC. Over time, these injections of molten rock, combined with the crystallization of various minerals at different temperatures, led to a layered structure resembling a cake, with distinct rock strata, including three PGM-rich layers called reefs.

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• To commemorate the 62nd anniversary of the historic Battle of Walong during the 1962 Sino-Indian War, the Army is organizing a month-long series of remembrance events.
• About the Battle of Walong:
  • The battle took place during the 1962 Sino-Indian War at the easternmost edge of Arunachal Pradesh, near the tri-junction of India, China, and Myanmar.
  • As Chinese forces launched a major offensive, Indian troops were assigned to defend Walong, the region's only advanced landing ground, crucial for maintaining supply routes to remote border posts.
  • Following Tawang, Walong represented China's primary offensive in the eastern sector of the war.
  • The Chinese forces enjoyed a significant numerical advantage, with approximately 15,000 troops compared to India’s 2,500, bolstered by superior weaponry and artillery.
  • Despite being heavily outnumbered and outgunned, Indian soldiers demonstrated extraordinary bravery and determination.
  • The Indian Army units involved included battalions from the Kumaon Regiment, Sikh Regiment, Gorkha Rifles, Assam Rifles, and Dogra Regiment.
  • Their tenacity allowed them to resist the Chinese advance for nearly three weeks, despite facing severe shortages of ammunition and supplies.
  • The battle resulted in considerable losses for India, with around 830 soldiers killed, wounded, or captured.
  • Nevertheless, their defense remains a powerful symbol of the valor and sacrifice of the Indian Army and is noted as the only Indian counterattack during the 1962 war.

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• The concept of Third-Party Litigation Funding (TPLF) has rapidly emerged as a transformative solution, potentially granting access to the courtroom for many individuals who previously felt excluded.
• About Third-Party Litigation Funding (TPLF):
  • TPLF, commonly known as litigation finance, is a financial arrangement where an unrelated third party provides funding to support a plaintiff's legal claim in exchange for a portion of the proceeds if the case is successful.
  • If the lawsuit does not succeed, the plaintiff is not obligated to repay the funding.
  • This model enables parties to pursue lawsuits without bearing the financial risks typically associated with litigation.
  • The rise of TPLF has been fueled by several factors, including the increasing costs of legal battles, the complexities of modern litigation, and the need to balance the scales between parties with differing financial resources.
  • Disputes typically attracting TPLF include commercial contracts, international commercial arbitration, class action lawsuits, tort claims such as medical malpractice and personal injury, anti-trust cases, insolvency proceedings, and other claims with a calculated chance of yielding significant monetary awards.
  • In India, TPLF is not explicitly prohibited, and several court rulings have acknowledged its advantages, highlighting a need for regulatory frameworks to govern its use.

• The month-long strike at Samsung’s manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu has highlighted the challenging working conditions in these factories, influenced by a management philosophy rooted in the Japanese production method known as Kaizen.
• About Kaizen:
  • Kaizen is derived from two Japanese words that mean "good change" or "improvement."
  • This Japanese business philosophy promotes continuous improvement by involving employees at all levels of an organization.
  • The concept of Kaizen includes various strategies aimed at enhancing the workplace, fostering a collaborative team environment, streamlining processes, ensuring employee engagement, and making jobs more rewarding, less strenuous, and safer.
  • The goal of Kaizen is to implement small changes gradually to achieve ongoing improvement within a company.
  • It emphasizes that incremental changes can lead to significant long-term benefits.
  • Ultimately, this approach can enhance quality control, improve efficiency, and reduce waste, among other advantages.
  • Under the Kaizen philosophy, any employee can initiate improvements at any time, fostering a sense of shared responsibility for the company’s success and encouraging everyone to contribute to making the business better.

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• The Centre's air pollution control panel for Delhi-NCR has recently instructed state governments in the area to activate the initial stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
• About the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP):
  • GRAP is a structured framework aimed at addressing air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region.
  • It was established as an emergency response system that is activated when the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches "poor" levels.
  • This plan is especially crucial during the winter months when air quality typically deteriorates significantly.
• Implementation of GRAP:
  • The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and surrounding areas is responsible for overseeing the implementation of GRAP.
  • The CAQM works in conjunction with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
  • A sub-committee has been formed by the CAQM to operationalize GRAP, which includes officials from the CAQM, member secretaries of the pollution control boards from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, representatives from the Central Pollution Control Board, and scientists from IMD and IITM, as well as a Health Advisor.
  • This sub-committee is tasked with frequent meetings to issue orders for activating GRAP.
  • In case of any discrepancies between directives from state governments and the CAQM, the orders of the CAQM take precedence.
• Different Stages of GRAP:
  • GRAP comprises four stages, each with specific actions mandated for relevant authorities and agencies:
    • Stage I: "Poor" air quality (Delhi AQI: 201-300)
    • Stage II: "Very Poor" air quality (Delhi AQI: 301-400)
    • Stage III: "Severe" air quality (Delhi AQI: 401-450)
    • Stage IV: "Severe+" air quality (Delhi AQI > 450)

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• Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in Assam is home to over 446 butterfly species, making it the second most biodiverse butterfly habitat in India, following Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Location and Significance:
  • KNP is located in northeastern India, spanning the districts of Golaghat and Nagaon in Assam.
  • It is recognized as the largest undisturbed and representative area within the Brahmaputra Valley floodplain.
  • In 1985, UNESCO designated the park as a World Heritage Site.
• Rivers:
  • The Diffalu River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, traverses the core area of the National Park, while the Moradifalu River flows along its southern boundary.
• Landscape:
  • The park features a diverse landscape of dense forests, tall elephant grass, rugged reeds, marshes, and shallow pools.
• Flora:
  • Kaziranga is renowned for its dense, towering elephant grasses interspersed with small swamps.
  • The park also boasts a rich variety of water lilies, water hyacinths, and lotus flowers.
  • Additionally, Rattan Cane, a type of climbing palm, can be found in the area.
• Fauna:
  • The park is home to numerous endangered and threatened species, including the Indian rhinoceros, Bengal tiger, Eastern swamp deer, Asian elephant, Indian buffalo, Hoolock gibbon, Capped langur, and Gangetic river dolphin.
  • Notably, Kaziranga harbors the world’s largest population of one-horned rhinoceroses, along with a diverse array of other mammals.