UPSC Daily Current Affairs- 17th April 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly PDF Download

GS-I

Key facts about Sudan

Why in News?

At least 56 civilians have been killed and 595 people, including combatants, have been wounded in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan.

About Sudan:

• It is located in northeastern Africa.
• It is bounded on the north by Egypt, on the east by the Red Sea, Eritrea, and Ethiopia, on the south by South Sudan, on the west by the Central African Republicand Chad, and on the northwest by Libya.
• Capital: Khartoum
• Sudan is mainly composed of vast plains and plateaus that are drained by the Nile River and its tributaries.
• The country is dominated by Muslims, most of whom speak Arabic and identify themselves as “Arabs.
• Arabic is the primary language of much of the population and is the most common medium for the conduct of government, commerce, and urban life throughout the country.

Source: Indian Express

Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Contribution Towards Women’s Rights

Why in News?

Babasaheb Ambedkar’s contribution towards women’s rights is often overlooked, and he needs to be recognized as a champion of social justice, a visionary, and a philosopher. He advocated for women’s equal participation in both personal and professional spheres, was instrumental in drafting legislation to protect women’s rights, and played a key role in reducing working hours and improving working conditions.

• Equal participation of women: Ambedkar advocated for equal participation of women in both personal and professional spheres. He was the first man to raise his voice against the unequal treatment of women in factories and other workplaces.
• No of legislations: Ambedkar drafted legislation such as the Mines Maternity Benefit Act, which demanded equal pay and equal rights for coal mine workers, ensuring that the question of maternity leave for women was brought up and they were protected under labor laws.
• Improving working conditions: He was instrumental in reducing working hours and improving working conditions.
• Reproductive rights of women: Ambedkar was a strong believer in the reproductive rights of women and urged them to make their own choices about conception.

• Hindu Code Bill: Ambedkar’s most important contribution to the cause of women’s rights was the Hindu Code Bill, which revolutionized property and marriage practices and established laws of maintenance for women.
• Four acts, resulting from the Bill, were passed:
  • The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, which gave women the right to divorce and maintenance;
  • The Hindu Succession Act, 1956, which gave them the legal right to inherit property;
  • The Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956, which allowed women to legally adopt a child; and
  • The Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956, which allowed women to be the natural guardian of their children.

• Pro-women Acts: The influence of these reforms led to other pro-women Acts such as the Equal Remuneration Act of 1976 and the Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961, which brightened the dark roads of women’s struggles.

• Women’s right to education: Ambedkar believed that education was crucial for the country’s progress and regularly spoke up for women’s right to education, defying the Manusmriti and the Dharmashastra.
• Targeted hierarchical social order: He targeted the hierarchical social order and condemned it for degrading women, and believed that endogamy was the root cause of caste consolidation.
• Caste system and atrocities on women: His 1917 paper, titled ‘Castes in India: Their Mechanism, Genesis and Development’ outlines how atrocities on women are rooted in the caste system.
• For instance: He denounced sati, child marriage, and the condemnation of widow remarriage, which were all meant to control women.
• Vision of equality: Ambedkar’s vision of equality despite caste, gender, race, and ethnicity differences is a pioneering thought of social justice.

Source: The Hindu

GS-II

Why in News?

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has come up with a set of guidelines to streamline foundation stone laying ceremonies and inauguration functions of national highway projects.

About National Highways Authority of India (NHAI):

• NHAI is India’s premier highway infrastructure creator entrusted with developing, maintaining, and managing National Highways.
• It is a statutory body under the administrative control of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
• It was constituted under National Highways Authority of India Act, 1998 and made operational in February 1995.
• Composition: It consists of a full time Chairman, and not more than five full time Members and four part time Members who are appointed by the Central Government.
• The part time Members are the Secretary (RT&H), Secretary (Expenditure), Secretary (Planning) and DG (RD) & SS.
• NHAI has technical, Finance, Administrative and Vigilance Wings at its Headquarters. 

Source: Indian Express

Why in News?

The Supreme Court has announced the formation of a new Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud to hear a series of petitions seeking legal recognition of same sex marriages.

• The constitution bench is the name given to the benches of the Supreme Court of India.
• The Chief Justice of India has the power to constitute a Constitution Bench and refer cases to it.

• Interpretation of the Constitution: Article 145(3) provides for the constitution of at least five judges of the court which sit to decide any case “involving a substantial question of law as to the interpretation” of the Constitution of India.
• President of India seeking SC’s opinion: When the President has sought the Supreme Court’s opinion on a question of fact or law under Article 143 of the Constitution. Article 143 of the Constitution provides for Advisory jurisdiction to the SC. As per the provision, the President has the power to address questions to the apex Court, which he deems important for public welfare.
• Conflicting Judgments: When two or more three-judge benches of the Supreme Court have delivered conflicting judgments on the same point of law, necessitating a definite understanding and interpretation of the law by a larger bench.
  • The Constitution benches are set up on ad hoc basis as and when the above-mentioned conditions exist.
  • Constitution benches have decided many of India’s best-known and most important Supreme Court cases, such as:
  • K. Gopalan v. State of Madras (Preventive detention)
  • Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (Basic structure doctrine) and
  • Ashoka Kumar Thakur v. Union of India (OBC reservations) etc.

Source: The Hindu

GS-III

Garra Laishrami

Why in News?

In a significant discovery, researchers from the Central University of Odisha (CUO) and the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have recently found a rare freshwater fish in the Koraput district.

About Garra Laishrami:

• It is a new cyprinid fish species of the Garra genus found in the Kolab River.
• These are characterised by the presence of a gular disc developed from tissues of the gular region that exhibit variation in the size, shape, and arrangement of the snout tubercles.
• It is usually found under rocks, stones and boulders of torrential streams and rivers.
• Geographical distribution: Borneo, southern China and southern Asia through Middle East Asia, Arabian Peninsula and East Africa to West Africa.

Key facts about Kolab River

• It is also known as the Sabari River.
• It is one of the main tributaries of Godavari.
• It originates from the western slopes of Eastern Ghats in Odisha state from the Sinkaram hill ranges
• It forms the common boundary between Chhattisgarh and Odisha states and later enters Andhra Pradesh to merge with River Godavari. 

Source: Indian Express

SpaceX Starship: World’s biggest rocket set for first test flight

Why in News?

SpaceX is preparing for the first test flight of Starship, which is the most powerful rocket ever built.

• Starship is a fully reusable spacecraft designed and built by SpaceX with the primary goal of sending humans to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

• SpaceX aims to use Starship to establish a self-sustaining human settlement on Mars.
• The ultimate goal is to enable humans to become a multi-planetary species.
• It also aims to make Starship reusable, reducing the cost of spaceflight and bringing down the price to a few million dollars per flight.
• In the long run, the company aims to achieve full and rapid reusability of the spacecraft.

Source: Indian Express

Why in News?

The SARS-CoV-2 virus has the ability to evade CD8 T cells, which are important in reducing the viral load and clearing the infection by detecting and killing infected cells.

• A recent study has revealed that the SARS-CoV-2 virus has the ability to modulate MHC I expression in host cells.
• MHC I is crucial in alerting the immune system to virally infected cells.
• The virus has evolved multiple strategies to inhibit MHC I expression, which is not seen in the case of the influenza virus.

• Like B cells, which produce antibodies, T cells are central players in the immune response to viral infection.
• For your immune system to fight off any kind of invader, such as a virus, you need a kind of white blood cell called a B cell, which makes antibodies, and a similar-looking white blood cell called a T cell.
• T cells can play different roles altogether.
• They can act as “killer cells”, attacking cells which have been infected with a virus or another kind of pathogen, or they can act as “helper cells” by supporting B cells to produce antibodies.

• Alongside antibodies, the immune system produces a battalion of T cells that can target viruses.
• Some of these, known as killer T cells (or CD8⁺T cells), seek out and destroy cells that are infected with the virus.
• Others, called helper T cells (or CD4⁺T cells) are important for various immune functions, including stimulating the production of antibodies and killer T cells.
• T cells do not prevent infection, because they kick into action only after a virus has infiltrated the body. But they are important for clearing an infection that has already started.
• In the case of COVID-19, killer T cells could mean the difference between a mild infection and a severe one that requires hospital treatment.

Source: The Hindu

Barnawapara wildlife sanctuary

Why in News?

Recently, the Chhattisgarh forest department has carried out a successful translocation of four sub-adult wild buffaloes from Assam to Barnawapara wildlife sanctuary.

Key Facts about Barnawapara wildlife sanctuary

• It is located in the district of Raipur in Chhattisgarh.
• The rivers Balmedhi, Jonk and Mahanadi are the lifeline river which runs along the sanctuary.
• River Balamdehi forms the western boundary and Jonk River forms the northeastern boundary of the Sanctuary.
• Flora: The sanctuary contains major vegetation of Teak, Sal and Mixed forest.
• Fauna: Cheetal, Sambhar, Nilgai and Wild Boar, Sloth Bear, Wild Dog, are commonly seen.

About Wild buffalo

• The Indian Wild Buffalo is the state animal of Chhattisgarh (India) and is a large species of bovine native to the Indian Sub-continent and South East Asia. 
• Habitat:  is mainly found in the alluvial grasslands, marshes, swamps and river valleys.
• In India, they are generally concentrated in North East India in Kaziranga National Park, Manas and Dibru-Saikhowa National Parks, Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary and Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary, D’Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh. 
• Conservation Status
  • IUCN: Endangered
  • Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule 1 

Source: Times of India