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- India's Deep Ocean Mission recently achieved a significant milestone by capturing high-resolution images of an active hydrothermal vent located 4,500 meters beneath the surface of the Indian Ocean.
- This discovery holds great promise for advancing mineral exploration, deep-sea research, and supporting India's Samudrayaan mission, which operates under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
- About Hydrothermal Vents
- Definition: Hydrothermal vents are underwater hot springs situated near tectonic plate boundaries, releasing hot water and minerals from below the Earth's crust into the surrounding ocean.
- Discovery: Hydrothermal vents were first discovered in 1977 near the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.
- Formation:
- Cold seawater (around 2°C) infiltrates cracks in the oceanic crust near tectonic plate movements.
- The water then interacts with hot magma, reaching temperatures of up to 370°C or more.
- This superheated water rises to the surface, bringing minerals with it and creating vents and plumes.
- Types:
- Black Smokers: Emit dark, particle-filled fluids primarily containing iron sulfides, creating towering black chimneys.
- White Smokers: Release fluids rich in barium, calcium, and silicon, resulting in white chimneys.
- Significance of the Discovery for India:
- Mineral Exploration: This discovery enhances India’s ability to explore and tap into deep-sea hydrothermal sulfide fields, which are crucial for accessing valuable mineral resources.
- Support for Samudrayaan Mission: The findings provide a significant boost to India’s Samudrayaan Mission, aimed at extracting minerals from the ocean’s depths.
- Microbial Research: The discovery also opens up new avenues for studying chemosynthetic organisms, expanding our understanding of deep-sea biology and its potential applications in biotechnology.
- India and Kuwait have solidified their ties into a strategic partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s landmark visit, the second by an Indian Prime Minister since 1981. This visit marks a renewed commitment to enhancing trade, defense, and cooperation between the two nations.
- About the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC):
- Definition: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a regional political and economic organization formed in 1981.
- Member Countries: The GCC includes six Arab nations: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
- Objective: The GCC aims to promote economic, security, cultural, and social collaboration among its member states.
- Historical Context: The GCC was created in response to growing regional instability, particularly following the Iranian Revolution (1979) and the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988).
- Key Features of the GCC:
- Global Significance: The GCC countries control nearly half of the world's oil reserves, making them influential players in the global energy market.
- Annual Summits: The GCC holds annual summits to discuss strategies for fostering cooperation and ensuring regional stability.
- Organizational Structure of the GCC:
- Supreme Council:
- Highest Authority: The heads of state from all member nations form the Supreme Council.
- Decision-making: Decisions are made through unanimous consent.
- Presidency Rotation: The presidency rotates annually, determined alphabetically by member states.
- Ministerial Council:
- Composed of foreign ministers or their representatives from each member country.
- Role: This council proposes policies and implements the decisions made by the Supreme Council.
- Meetings: Held quarterly.
- Secretariat General:
- Serves as the administrative body of the GCC.
- Functions: Responsible for monitoring the execution of policies and organizing meetings.
- Headquarters: Based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- India and the GCC:
- Largest Regional Trading Partner: The GCC is India’s most significant regional trading bloc. Bilateral trade in FY 2023-24 reached:
- Total Trade: USD 161.59 billion
- India's Exports: USD 56.3 billion
- India's Imports: USD 105.3 billion
- Largest Regional Trading Partner: The GCC is India’s most significant regional trading bloc. Bilateral trade in FY 2023-24 reached:
- Rwanda has successfully managed and declared its first-ever outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) officially over after a 42-day period with no new cases. This milestone was confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
- About Marburg Virus Disease (MVD):
- Definition: MVD is a severe, often fatal hemorrhagic fever caused by the Marburg virus, for which no approved vaccines or treatments are currently available.
- History and Origin: The virus was first identified in 1967 in Marburg, Germany, following an outbreak linked to laboratory workers who were exposed to infected green monkeys imported from Uganda.
- Geographical Spread: Most outbreaks have occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, with cases reported in countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Angola, Ghana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.
- Transmission: The virus is initially transmitted from fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) to humans. Spread occurs through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces.
- Symptoms:
- Early Signs: High fever, severe headache, and general malaise.
- Advanced Stage: Severe bleeding, liver failure, multi-organ dysfunction, shock, and death within 8-9 days of symptom onset.
- Fatality Rate: The case fatality rate averages around 50%, though it can range from 24% to 88%, depending on the strain and quality of medical care.
- Diagnosis: MVD is diagnosed through RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests and virus isolation, which require maximum biohazard containment due to the virus's contagious nature.
- Treatment: There is no specific treatment for MVD. Supportive care, including rehydration, electrolyte replacement, and symptom management, is essential to improving survival chances.
- Vaccine Development: Promising vaccine candidates, such as the Sabin Vaccine Institute’s single-dose vaccine, are currently undergoing Phase 2 trials in Uganda and Kenya. Rwanda has also received investigational vaccines to assist with controlling the outbreak.
- Key Facts About Rwanda:
- Geography: Rwanda is a landlocked country in East-Central Africa, often referred to as the "Land of a Thousand Hills."
- Borders: It shares borders with Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Rivers: The Nile and Congo rivers flow through Rwanda.
- Capital City: Kigali.