14th MAY, 2024

India and Iran signed Long Term Bilateral Contract for operation of terminal at Chabahar Port

10 year contract was signed for development of Shahid Beheshti Port Terminal at Chabahar Port.
This will enhance regional connectivity; facilitate trade and investment opportunities between India, Iran and Afghanistan.
Chabahar is one of the overseas ports that will be managed by India. The other is Sittwe port in Myanmar.
About Chabahar Port
It is located in Sistan and Baluchestan province on the Makran coast in South-eastern part of Iran, on the Gulf of Oman and
outside Strait of Hormuz.
It is the only deep-sea port in Iran with direct ocean access.
There are two terminals in Chabahar Port project i.e. Shahid Beheshti and Shahid Kalantari.
Port is part of proposed International North-South Transport Corridor
(INSTC).
INSTC is a 7,200-km-long multi-mode transport project linking Indian
Ocean and Persian Gulf to Caspian Sea via Iran and onward to northern
Europe via Saint Petersburg in Russia.
Significance of Chabahar Port for India
Counter- balance Pakistan’s Gwadar Port and China’s Belt and Road Initiative
and provide access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Easy access from India’s west coast i.e. Kandla Port (Gujarat) are only 550
Nautical Miles from Chabahar.
Shorter route will aid to unlock India’s trade potential with European countries.
Challenges in execution of Chabahar Project
US Sanctions on Iran impacts equipment suppliers and partners for completion of project.
Proposed China’s involvement in Chabahar’s duty-free zone hampers India’s interests.

Venezuela may be the first nation to lose all its glaciers

According to the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI), the Humboldt (or La Corona) - Venezuela’s last standing gla-
cier in the Andes, has shrunk to a size that no longer qualifies it as a glacier.
ICCI is a network of experts and researchers collaborating with governments and organizations to preserve the Earth’s
cryosphere.
Cryosphere includes snow and ice on land, ice caps, glaciers, permafrost, and sea ice.
A glacier is an accumulation of ice and snow that slowly flows over land.
Glaciers are melting at a fast rate mainly due to global warming, warming of ocean water etc.
Both Alpine (e.g. Hindu Kush Himalaya) and Ice sheets (e.g.
Antarctica) have been impacted. Steps Taken to protect Glaciers’
Impacts of Glacier Melting Global
Sea Level Rise: As per NASA, if all glaciers and ice sheets Hindu Kush Himalayan Monitoring and Assessment
melted, global sea level would rise by more than 60 meters. Programme (HIMAP) launched by the International Centre
It will increase coastal erosion and elevate storm surge. for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).
UNESCO’s World Glacier Monitoring Services.
Biodiversity Loss: Walrus are losing their home and polar Year 2025 has been declared as International Year of
bears are spending more time on land, causing higher rates of Glacier Preservation by the United Nations.
conflict between people and bears. India
Disasters: Frequency of Glacial lake outbursts (GLOFs) in National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem.
♦ It is part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change
regions like Himalayas will increase. (NAPCC), launched in 2008.
Other: Reduction in water availability in rivers like Ganges, Research station ‘Himansh’ was established in the Chandra
economic activities like fishing and navigation will be impacted basin (Himachal Pradesh) in 2016.
etc.
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 First Human recipient of a Genetically Modified Pig Kidney Transplant has died

Xenotransplantation is any procedure that involves transplantation, implantation, or infusion of live non-human animal cells,
tissues, or organs into a human recipient.
Need for such procedure was felt because of gap between number of transplantations needed by patients and availability of
donor organs.
Why are Pigs often used for Xenotransplantation?
Pig’s organ size, physiological metabolism and immune system are similar to those of human beings.
Organs that can be used for xenotransplantation includes Heart, Liver, Lungs, etc.
In 2022, the first xenotransplantation of a genetically-modified pig heart was done.
Breeding pigs on farms is widespread and cost-effective.
Varieties of pig breeds are farmed, providing an opportunity for harvested organs to be matched with specific needs of human
recipient.
Process of Xenotransplantation
Gene Editing Technology CRISPR-Cas9 was utilized to eliminate specific pig genes responsible for producing sugars triggering
immune responses.
It introduces specific human genes to enhance
organ (kidney, heart) compatibility with
humans.
Benefits of Xenotransplantation
Alternative supply of organs to those with
life-threatening diseases.
Reduce shortage of transplantable organs.
Concerns
High Organ rejection rate; Risk of infection
from an animal organ; Animal welfare, etc.

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released World Wildlife Crime Report
2024
Key findings
During 2015-2021, rhinoceroses and cedars were most impacted animal and plant species respectively.
Largest numbers of seizures reported during 2015- 2021 involved corals, followed by crocodilians and elephants.
For seizures of animal species, there is gradual increase from 2015–2019 and then decline in 2020 and 2021.
For seizures of plant species, there is sharp increase in 2020 and 2021.
Wildlife crime
It can be defined as taking, possession, trade or movement, consumption of wild animals and plants or their derivatives in
contravention of any international, regional, or national legislation(s).
Factors driving wildlife crime
Demand for medicine, pets, bushmeat, ornamental plants etc. Steps taken to combat Wildlife Crime
Huge profits earned by illegal traders by selling exotic animals, Global
plants, and their parts. Eg. Rhinoceros horn, etc. UNODC’s Global Programme for Combating Wildlife and
Forest Crime, 2014.
Corruption undermines government restrictions on wildlife
♦ UNODC was established in 1997 in Vienna (Austria), to
harvest, trade and use, thus enabling wildlife crime. fight against illicit drugs and organised crime.
Impact of Wildlife Crime Wildlife Crime Initiative to respond to global poaching
Environmental: Overexploitation and reduced populations of crisis.
wildlife species; Increasing invasive alien species etc. ♦ It is a strategic partnership between TRAFFIC, wildlife
trade monitoring network and World Wildlife Fund.
Out of all seized fauna, 40% were either threatened or
near-threatened on red list. India
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 provides for forfeiture of any
Economical: Money-laundering and illegal cross-border equipment, vehicle or weapon that is used for committing
financial flows. wildlife offence(s).
Social: Risks of disease transmission to people from live Wildlife Crime Control Bureau was established under
animals, plants, wildlife meat; Degradation of services like Ministry of Environment and Forests to combat organized
food, medicines, energy, etc. wildlife crime.

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 China becomes India's top trading partner UNESCO's MOW Asia-Pacific Regional
in FY 2024 Register includes Indian literary Works

According to the think tank Global Trade Research Initiative Manuscript of three Indian literary works namely
(GTRI), India's bilateral trade with China reached at $118.4 Ramcharitmanas, Panchatantra and Sahrdayāloka-Locana
billion in the fiscal year 2024. have been included in Memory of the World (MOW) Asia-
China replaced the United States (US) which was India’s Pacific Regional Register along with 17 other works from
top trading partner during FY22 and FY23. region.
GTRI’s Report also highlighted that Between FY19 and
The decision was taken at the 10th meeting of the Memory of
FY24, India’s exports to China witnessed a marginal decline
in exports by 0.6%, while imports from China surged by the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP),
44.7%. held at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Concerns related to rising import Dependency on China About Literary Works
National Security: Trade can be used as a tool to exert Ramcharitmanas
political pressure on India or advance its strategic interests. Written in the 16th Century by Goswami Tulsidas.
It complicates efforts to address border disputes An epic poem written in Awadhi language and consists
effectively.
of Seven Kāndas.
Reliance on Chinese technology and equipment in
critical sectors such as telecom will make more Poetic retelling of the events of Ramayana.
vulnerable to cyber warfare. Panchatantra
♦ China’s share in India's electronics sector import Written by Pt. Vishnu Sharma in Sanskrit.
(including telecom) is about 43.9%.
One of the oldest collection of surviving Indian Fables
Strategic autonomy: Constrains India’s ability to counter
Chinese influence in neighbourhood (e.g. South Asia Consists of five parts and its most distinguishing
and Indian Ocean region). feature is the 'Story within story' structure.
Supply chain vulnerability: India’s pharmaceutical sector Sahrdayāloka-Locana
is highly dependent on China’s Active Pharmaceutical Written by Acharya Anandvardhan in Sanskrit and is a
Ingredients (APIs). text of Indian Poetics.
Other: Stifle the growth of domestic industries as they
are not able to compete with low-cost import, etc. Philosopher Abinava Gupta has written a commentary
on it.
Initiatives taken to reduce Dependency on China
Make in India initiative
About MoW Programme
Launched in 1992.
Production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes for domestic
manufacturing capacities in critical sectors like Medical It consists of three Registers namely, International, Regional and
devices, electronic components, etc. National Register.
International Register consists of several Indian entries
Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks, reducing import dependency for namely Tamil Medical Manuscript Collection, Saiva
APIs manuscripts Rig Veda etc.
Imposing Anti-dumping duties It aims to
Preserve world’s documentary heritage
To read more about India and China’s Trade Relations kindly
Enable universal access to documentary heritage and
refer to the News Today article ‘Trade gap between India and Enhance public awareness about documentary heritages
China continues to widen’ of 23rd April, 2024

Also in News

Leopard Cat High Energy Photon Source (HEPS)

Leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) is sighted in Maharashtra’s China is planning to construct a High Energy Photon Source (HEPS).
Pench Tiger Reserve for the first time. This will put China among the few countries that have fourth-
About Leopard cat generation synchrotron light sources.
Currently around 70 synchrotrons are scattered across the world.
Forest-dwelling cat belongs to the family Felidae, noted for its But only a few countries have fourth-generation synchrotrons
leopard-like colouring. such as Sweden, Brazil, France etc.
Distribution: Found across India, Southeast Asia, and nearby About HEPS
islands. First Brightest Synchrotron X-Rays in Asia.
Characteristics: Coat is yellowish or reddish brown above, white Synchrotrons use electricity to produce intense beams of
below, and heavily marked with dark spots and streaks. It is a light more than a million times brighter than the sun.
Nocturnal animal. Rely on an array of magnets called a multi-bend achromat lattice
Habitat: tropical rainforest to temperate broadleaf forest, to generate X-ray beams that are narrower and therefore brighter.
coniferous forest, shrub forest, grasslands. Benefits: Will help researchers' to understand matter in the
dimensions of space, time, and energy, as well as at the level of
Conservation status molecules, atoms, electrons, and spin.
IUCN: Least Concern Indus-1 was India’s synchrotron.
CITES: Appendix I India is also an associate member of the European Synchrotron
Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I Radiation Facility (ESRF) based in Grenoble, France.
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 India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX) PM Gati Shakti

State Bank of India has become the first trading-cum-clearing mem- Ministry of Labour and Employment has boarded the PM Gati Shakti
ber at IIBX. portal to identify and bridge gaps in social security coverage.
About IIBX About PM Gati Shakti
Established at GIFT International Financial Services Centre Also known as National Master Plan for Multimodal Connectivity
(IFSC), Gandhinagar, Gujarat in 2022. launched in 2021.
Regulated by IFSC Authority (IFSCA). It is a digital platform to bring 16 ministries including railways
Promoted by India’s leading market infrastructure institutions and roadways together.
like National Stock Exchange, Multi Commodity Exchange of India Purpose:
etc. Integrated planning and coordinated implementation of
infrastructure connectivity projects.
Benefits
Provide connectivity for movement of people, goods, and
Gateway to import bullion into India.
services from one mode of transport to another.
Provide world class bullion exchange ecosystem to promote Reduce travel time for people.
bullion trading, investment in bullion financial products and
vaulting facilities in IFSCs. It is based on 6 pillars i.e. Comprehensiveness, Prioritization,
Optimization, Synchronization, Analytical, and Dynamic.
Bullion refers to physical gold and silver of high purity that is
often kept in form of bars, ingots, or coins.
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

Semal Trees (Silk Cotton Tree) NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope aims to explore ev-
erything from our outer solar system to the edge of the observable
Disappearance of Semal trees from Southern Rajasthan is creating universe.
adverse effects on the forests and people. About Telescope
About Semal Trees Objective: Focus on dark energy and dark matter, exoplanets,
It is a large deciduous tree, known for its Crimson red flowers. and a wide range of infrared astrophysics and planetary science
Ayurvedic medicines can be are prepared from every part of the topics.
tree. Key instruments: Wide Field and Coronagraph Instrument
For instance, roots are used for treating ailments such as It will use microlensing to study exoplanets.
diabetes, etc. Microlensing is a form of gravitational lensing in which the
It is worshipped by many tribal communities in Rajasthan and light from a background source is bent by the gravitational
Madhya Pradesh. field of a foreground lens to create distorted, multiple and/or
Its seed produces edible oil, used in making soaps. brightened images.
It will have a field of view at least 100 times larger than Hubble
telescope.
Keeling Curve

Aurora
Global average concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) was 4.7 parts
per million (ppm) in March 2024 (higher than March 2023), signifying
large spike in Keeling Curve. The night sky over Hanle village in Ladakh was illuminated by
It is the largest ever recorded leap in CO2 concentration at 425.22 northern lights as an intense solar storm hit the Earth.
ppm. About Aurora
About Keeling Curve Multi-coloured lights appear in upper atmosphere (ionosphere)
It is the record of atmospheric CO2 from Mauna Loa Observatory over the Polar Regions and are visible from locations in the middle
(MLO), since 1958. and high latitudes.
MLO is a station that measures the elements in atmosphere Colours can be blue, red, yellow, green, and orange.
that contribute to climate change. Aurora in Northern Hemisphere is called aurora borealis and
It is located in Hawaii on the side of Mauna Loa, the world’s aurora australis in Southern Hemisphere.
largest active volcano. Caused by the interaction of solar wind with oxygen and nitrogen
It is named after Dr. Charles David Keeling. gas in atmosphere.

Places in News Croatia (Capital: Zagreb)

Incumbent Croatian Prime Minister has secured office for third consecutive time
Political Features
Located in South Eastern Europe and is a part of Balkan Peninsula.
Bounded by Hungary and Slovenia (North), Serbia (East), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Both in South and
East) and Adriatic Sea (West).
Geographical Features
Major Mountain Range: Dinaric Alps, known for Karst (limestone) topography.
Highest Point: Dinara
Major Rivers: Sava and Drava

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