UNHRC Resolution on Intersex People

• Recently, the UN Human Rights Council took a historic step forward by passing a resolution intended to end discrimination and harmful practices against people who identify as intersex.

Who are Intersex people?

• People who are born with sex traits (reproductive organs, sexual anatomy, hormone patterns, and/or chromosomal patterns) that deviate from conventional binary ideas of male or female bodies are known as intersex individuals. They are free to identify as any gender or sexual orientation. According to experts, 1.7% of people are born with intersex characteristics. People who identify as intersex are different from people who identify as transgender since their physical attributes may not correspond with their gender identification.
• The resolution asks member states to guarantee intersex people’s rights to physical integrity and autonomy as well as to address the core causes of discrimination, such as stereotypes and false information.
• The resolution on intersex rights advances moral principles such eliminating discrimination, guaranteeing the best possible level of physical and mental well-being, and tackling the underlying causes of human rights abuses.

Total solar eclipse

• There will be a total solar eclipse that crosses Canada, the United States, and Mexico in North America. For any given location, this kind of solar eclipse is an uncommon occurrence.
• As per Royal Museums Greenwich, after a location on Earth experiences a total solar eclipse, it will take around 400 years for that area to view another one.
• Because it happens when the Moon passes exactly between the Earth and the Sun, creating a shadow on the surface of the Earth, a total solar eclipse is an uncommon occurrence.
• Because of how the Moon’s orbit is tipped in relation to Earth’s orbit around the Sun, the Moon’s shadow typically passes above or below Earth, making total solar eclipses rare.
• Furthermore, only a tiny area of the Earth’s surface is covered by the umbra, or the deepest zone of the Moon’s shadow where a total eclipse is seen, during each event.
• As a result, a total solar eclipse may occur at a particular spot on Earth only once every 400 years.

India has eliminated Kala-azar

• The National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC) reports that India has effectively eliminated visceral leishmaniasis, also referred to as kala-azar.

About Kala-azar:

• The protozoan parasite Leishmania, which is spread by sandfly bites, is the cause of this illness. It mostly affects the liver, bone marrow, and spleen as it advances slowly. The name “kala-azar” refers to the discolored skin and indicates “black disease” in India, where Leishmania donovani is the source of the condition. Dermal lesions caused by the parasite’s impact on skin cells are known as Post-Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL).
• India achieved its elimination target, originally scheduled for 2010 but extended until 2023, in spite of ongoing difficulties. In states like West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Bihar, kala-azar has long been a health concern. Just 520 instances of kala-azar were reported in India in 2023, which satisfied the World Health Organization’s (WHO) eradication requirements.
• In order to prevent and manage diseases like Japanese encephalitis (JE), dengue, kala-azar, lymphatic filariasis, malaria, and chikungunya, the National Vector Borne Disease manage Programme (NVBDCP) was established in 2003–04.

Criollo

• According to a recent study, Criollo cattle, a breed that originated in the New World from Iberian forebears, have a number of climate-adaptive features that will help them endure and prosper in a warming planet.
• These characteristics include genes linked to reproduction, fertility, and immunity to disease, as well as a short, slick-haired coat for enhanced thermotolerance.
• The resilience of Criollo cattle to heat results in increased body weight, more effective food production, and enhanced animal wellbeing.

Venomous jellyfish blooms

• Recently, reports of venomous jellyfish blooms, specifically Pelagia noctiluca, were received around the Visakhapatnam coast in Andhra Pradesh. This is an unusual occurrence.
• Seldom found in India’s east coast, Pelagia noctiluca is known to cause vomiting, diarrhoea, severe discomfort, and anaphylactic shock, among other ailments.
• Rising ocean temperatures are thought to be the cause of the blooms, which might be dangerous for the fishing and tourism sectors.
• The mauve stinger, or Pelagia noctiluca, is a type of jellyfish that glows in the dark.
• The German translation of its name, “night light,” alludes to its bioluminescence and reddish coloring. Other names for the jellyfish include “oceanic jelly” and “mauve jelly.”

Artificial reefs

• Mumbai, Maharashtra, is getting ready to erect 210 artificial reefs close to Worli Koliwada as part of a ground-breaking project.
• Each module of the artificial reefs, which are made of recycled steel and cement, will add 50–60 square feet to the sea surface area.
• They will serve as a habitat and breeding ground for both large and small native animals.
• A man-made structure intended to mimic some features of a natural reef is called an artificial reef. Submerged shipwrecks, oil and gas platforms, bridges, and other offshore installations are examples of these constructions.
• Their construction was done using a variety of materials, including limestone, steel, concrete, and even rocks and cinder blocks.
• Fish, invertebrates, and other reef animals have better habitat thanks to artificial reefs.

‘Akashteer Command and Control Systems’

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) created the “Akashteer Command and Control Systems,” a new project of the Indian Army, as a component of the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative.

About the project:

• Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) is the developer of Project Akashteer, a cutting-edge project that allows automation of India’s air defense system and surveillance of low-level airspace in Indian Army conflict regions. It gives Air Defense units the ability to conduct coordinated operations by efficiently controlling Ground-Based Air Defense Weapon Systems.
• Significance: By enhancing productivity, situation awareness, and automation, it would considerably strengthen India’s air defense capabilities, guaranteeing a safer and more secure future for the nation.
• In keeping with the current modern era, the Army has proclaimed 2024 the “Year of Technological Absorption.” The introduction of particular technologies and systems is being expedited by the Indian Army.