Shi Yan 6

The Chinese research vessel Shi Yan 6 just made landfall at the port of Columbo.

An Overview:

• Due to its visit to Sri Lanka, the Chinese research vessel “Shi Yan 6” has raised worries; the US and India have also expressed disapproval.
• Permission was granted for Shi Yan 6 to resupply at the port at Colombo.
• USA It was claimed that Under Secretary Victoria Nuland expressed concerns on the visit of “SHI YAN 6” when she visited with Ali Sabry, the foreign minister of Sri Lanka, in New York during the UN General Assembly session.

India opposes Chinese vessels docking in Sri Lanka for the following reasons:

• India has security worries, which is why it is against Chinese ships landing in Sri Lanka. (Relations between India and Lanka)
• Chinese ships operating near the Indian mainland are seen as possible security risks by India, which suspects espionage even in cases where the ships claim to be doing scientific study.
• There are concerns about Chinese ships docking in Sri Lankan ports as a result of this fear.

China’s Statement:

• China has argued that the marine scientific research being conducted by Yuan Wang 5 and comparable vessels does not pose a threat to any nation’s economic or security interests and is in compliance with international law and customary practice.

Sri Lanka Reaction:

• The foreign minister of Sri Lanka reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to neutrality in response to US concerns.

Regarding Shi Yan 6:

• The Chinese research/survey vessel is called Shi Yan 6.
• It is capable of transporting 1115 deadweight tons (DWT).
• There is a 5.3 meter reported draught at the moment.
• It measures 17 meters in breadth and 90.6 meters in total length.
• The goal of this three-month journey is to collect a large amount of basic data.
• Its goal is to investigate and learn more about the ways in which dynamic activities affect the region’s ecosystems, sedimentary processes, and biogeochemical cycles.
• It seeks to clarify the regional distribution of biodiversity, comprehend how biological communities react to physical processes, and learn more about paleoclimate shifts.

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope

According to recent rumors, NASA is getting ready to use the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope to go on an amazing expedition into the heart of our Milky Way Galaxy.

An Overview:

• It will scour the vastness of space in search of faint signals and telltale flickers that might hold the key to discovering mysteries about the universe.

Regarding the Roman Space Telescope of NASA:

• Launch date planned: 2027.
• Company: NASA.
• US is the nation.
• The Roman Space Telescope is a NASA observatory that aims to investigate a wide range of infrared astrophysics subjects, find and picture exoplanets, and unlock the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter.
• Its 2.4-meter telescope is identical to Hubble’s, but it can see 100 times farther.
• According to the 2010 Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics, it was the most highly ranked major space project.
• It is planned to go live in the middle of 2020.
• With a field of view 100 times larger than that of the Hubble infrared sensor, it can observe more sky in less time.
• Its five-year primary mission lifespan can be extended by a further five years.

Operation Chakra II

Operation Chakra II was just initiated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

An Overview:

• “Operation Chakra-2” was launched after to the filing of five distinct cases of financial crime enabled by cyberspace, one of which involved a cryptocurrency scheme for ₹100 crore.

Concerning Operation Chakra II:

• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched it.
• Goal: To combat financially motivated cybercrimes that are transnationally organized in India.
• Its goal is to combat organized transnational financial crimes in India that are enabled by cyberspace. (The CBI and its issues)
• Fraudulent actions carried out online are frequently involved in these crimes.
• The CBI has collaborated with national and international law enforcement organizations in addition to internet behemoths Microsoft and Amazon.
• INTERPOL’s Cyber Crime Directorate and IFCACC, the National Crime Agency (NCA) in the United Kingdom, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States are a few of the organizations engaged.
• The goal of these partnerships is to attack and destroy the infrastructure of the illicit call centers that are responsible for these crimes.

Infantile Hypophosphatasia

In India recently, a child was found to have Infantile Hypophosphatasia, one of the rarest of the rare disorders.

An Overview:

• Aged 16 months The only case of infantile hypophosphatasia known to exist in India is Sera Nile Fay.

About Infantile Hypophosphatasia:

• It is an uncommon hereditary illness. (Rare Disease) In which the patient becomes brittle and prone to fractures due to the demineralization of her teeth and bones.
• The ALPL gene mutations are the cause of it.
• The only gene that causes HPP is this one.
• The instructions needed to make proteins with vital roles in the body are found in genes.
• A mutation can result in a defective, ineffective, or nonexistent protein, as in HPP.

Symptoms:

• Even though there may not be any obvious defects at birth, problems show up throughout the first six months of life.
• A head deformity can result from craniosynostosis, a rare fusion of the skull bones.
• Babies affected have weaker, mushy, and malformed bones, which are typical of rickets.

Treatment:-

• Patients with hypophosphatasia of pediatric onset are eligible to receive enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) using asfotase alfa in both Europe and the USA.
• It is linked to better respiratory and motor function as well as the repair of the hypophosphatasia’s skeletal symptoms.

Air Quality in India

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in Delhi issued data showing that the air quality in a number of regions was classified as “moderate.” Meanwhile, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar) reports that for the previous three days, the air quality index of India’s financial center stayed “poor.” India’s air pollution levels have risen to dangerous levels, endangering both the environment and public health.

India’s primary cause of air pollution

• Vehicle Emissions: Especially in urban areas, vehicles are a major source of air pollution in India. In Delhi, 30% in Mumbai, 28% in Kolkata, and 20% in Bengaluru, cars are responsible for 40% of PM2.5 emissions, per a study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
• Industrial Chimney Wastes: Especially in the north and east of the country, industries constitute a significant source of air pollution in India. Acid rain, smog, climate change, lead, mercury, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are among the pollutants released by these plants.
• Burning Fossil Fuels: By releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, power plants, factories, and homes that rely on coal, oil, or natural gas as fuel also contribute to air pollution in India. India is the world’s third-largest carbon dioxide emitter, behind the United States and China, according to the World Bank Group.
• Agricultural Activities: Burning crop leftovers, applying pesticides and fertilizers, and keeping animals are some of the farming methods that contribute to air pollution in India. A study conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi found that during the peak pollution season in November 2019, 44% of Delhi’s PM2.5 concentration was caused by agricultural burning.
• Burning of Garbage Waste: Burning of home waste is a common way of getting rid of rubbish in India. This procedure exposes people to airborne dioxins and hazardous chemicals, which can lead to cancer and other illnesses. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) study states that during the winter of 2018, garbage burning was responsible for 29% of Delhi’s PM10 concentration.

In India, the fight against air pollution is about more than just making our air better to breathe; it’s also about protecting public health, the environment, and the welfare of coming generations. To significantly reduce air pollution and the negative effects it has on human health and the environment, cooperation at the local, national, and international levels is vital.