Current Affairs – December 15-16, 2024

{GS1 – Geo – Solar System} Daylight Saving Time in US

Context (TH): The US President wants to end daylight saving time in the U.S.

Daylight saving time (DST) or summer time is the practice of advancing clocks by one hour during summer months in the US. In DST, evening time is increased by sacrificing the morning hours.
Typically, users in regions with summer time (some countries in the extreme north and south) adjust clocks forward one hour close to the start of spring and backwards in the autumn to standard time.
DST aims to improve energy efficiency by reducing the need for artificial lighting, making it relevant to climate change and energy overconsumption. It is considered an environmentally sustainable concept.

History and Adoption of Daylight Saving Time (DST)

The practice was first suggested in a whimsical essay by Benjamin Franklin in 1784. Australia, Great Britain, Germany, and the US adopted summer Daylight Saving Time during World War I to conserve fuel by reducing the need for artificial lighting.
Current Practice: Today, DST is practised in around 70 countries, including the European Union.
India’s case: India does not observe DST, primarily because countries near the Equator do not experience variations in daylight hours between seasons.

Problems with Daylight Saving Time

Operational and Communication Issues: It can cause problems for businesses, travel, and communication as coordinating activities across regions with different time observances becomes more complex.
Health Consequences: These disruptions can lead to negative health effects, including increased risk of sleep disorders, reduced cognitive function, and higher incidence of heart attacks and strokes.
Sleep Disturbance: The time change can disrupt people’s sleep patterns and circadian rhythms.
Possible Surge in Energy Demand: In certain regions, time change can actually lead to increased energy consumption due to greater reliance on heating & cooling systems during extended daylight hours.
Time Zone Disparities: Not adopted universally confusion and inconsistencies across different zones.

{GS2 – Polity – IC – Parliament} Presidential Impeachment in South Korea **

Context (TH | TH | TH): South Korea’s lawmakers impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol after his failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024, while South Africa’s opposition seeks to revive impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa over the “Farmgate” scandal.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s game farm in 2020 allegedly had millions of foreign currency in cash. It was disclosed during a theft. The issue came to be known as the “Farmgate Scandal”.

Need for Impeachment Procedures and Advantages

Ensures Accountability: Impeachment holds public officials accountable for misconduct, prevents abuse of Presidential powers, and protects democracy by enforcing constitutional limits.
Deterrent for Misconduct: Impeachment acts as a deterrent against future misconduct by public officials, promoting integrity within government.
Public Participation: Involves the public in decision-making processes through protests, rallies, and electoral influence, as seen in South Korea.

Comparison of Impeachment Procedures

Criteria	South Korea	South Africa	India
Triggering Mechanism	Parliamentary vote based on allegations of insurrection	Parliamentary vote based on misconduct, such as corruption	Impeachment by Parliament on grounds of violation of Constitution
Voting Requirement	Two-thirds majority in the National Assembly	Two-thirds majority in the National Assembly	Two-thirds majority of total membership in both Houses of Parliament
During proceedings	President is suspended pending Constitutional Court ruling	President continues in office pending legal proceedings	President remains in office during proceedings
Time for Final Decision	180 days for Constitutional Court ruling	Upon Constitutional Court review	No set time, as the process can be lengthy
Political Influence	Majority party’s influence critical in determining outcome	Opposition parties drive the push for impeachment	Requires a cross-party consensus for success

Also refer to Comparative Procedures of Impeachment of Presidents of USA and India

Negative Impact of Impeachment Proceedings

Political Instability: In both South Korea and South Africa, impeachment proceedings often deepen political polarisation, as witnessed in South Korea’s divided rallies, impacting national unity.
Legal Hurdles: Both countries face significant legal complexities, such as lengthy constitutional court proceedings and conflicting political interests that delay or prevent action.
Weakening of Governance: Suspension of the president can lead to a power vacuum, hampering effective governance and policymaking.
Erodes Public Trust: Allegations of misconduct, such as in South Africa’s “Farmgate” scandal, risk eroding public trust in governmental institutions if not properly addressed.

Way Forward

Strengthen Legal Frameworks: Countries should ensure transparent and consistent legal procedures for impeachment to avoid political manipulation.
Ensure Independent Oversight: Bodies like South Africa’s Constitutional Court must ensure impartial investigation of allegations to prevent political bias.

Also read about Martial laws in India.

Context (IE | TH | LL): SC sought replies from the Centre & states on a plea addressing the urgent need for anti-venom availability & snakebite treatment infrastructure to tackle India’s high mortality rate.

Need for Action

Global Leader in Snakebite Deaths: India records approximately 58,000 deaths annually, contributing to nearly 50% of global snakebite fatalities.
Critical Public Health Issue: High mortality is particularly concentrated in rural areas due to delayed treatment and inadequate resources.
Snakebite ‘Hotspots’: UP, West Bengal, Odisha & AP face disproportionately high incidences.

Challenges in Snakebite Management

Scarcity of Anti-Venom: Limited production, inconsistent supply and inadequate stockpiles in primary and secondary health centres delay effective treatment.
Lack of Awareness and Training: Reliance on harmful traditional practices and untrained healthcare workers in rural areas hampers WHO-recommended snakebite management.
Infrastructure Deficits: Poor anti-venom distribution and the absence of specialised care units leave rural regions underserved.
Policy Gaps: No dedicated budget or national-level program exists for snakebite treatment.
Inadequate Schemes: Ayushman Bharat and NHM (National Health Mission) fail to comprehensively address snakebite-related issues.

Measures for Enhancing Snakebite Prevention and Management

Nationwide Awareness Campaigns: Conduct large-scale campaigns focusing on prevention and first aid for snakebites, targeting high-risk areas. Incorporate WHO’s five-pillar framework on snakebite management into medical curricula.
Training Community Health Workers: Equip ASHAs and health workers with knowledge to educate communities on snakebite treatment & emergency care.
Integrate Snakebite Care in Healthcare System: Integrate services under Ayushman Bharat and NHM with mobile snakebite care units.
Real-Time Supply Chain Management: Ensure anti-venom stocks with cold-chain and maintain systems for efficient anti-venom distribution to address supply-demand gaps effectively.
Region-Specific Anti-Venom Production: Collaborate with pharmaceutical companies to scale up the production of region-specific anti-venoms and implement real-time supply tracking.
Strengthen Monitoring and Oversight: Create a central nodal agency for program management and implement regular audits with feedback mechanisms.
Policy-Level Interventions: Introduce a National Snakebite Prevention and Management Mission under NHM and allocate dedicated funds for snakebite initiatives.
Community awareness: Implement community awareness programs and standardised anti-venom distribution to reduce snakebite mortality rates effectively, like the Sri Lanka model.
Use Technology for Resource Allocation: Employ GIS to map high-risk zones and optimise resource distribution effectively.
Focus on Research: Invest in advanced, low-cost anti-venoms tailored to India’s diverse snake species.

Also, read about Snakebite Envenoming.

{GS3 – DM – Laws} Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024 **

Context (IE | TH): LS passed the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill 2024 to enhance disaster management frameworks and improve coordination. The Bill now awaits RS approval for enactment.

Need for the Bill

Increasing Disasters: Rising frequency of natural and climate-induced disasters.
Urbanization Risks: Unique vulnerabilities in areas of dense populations and infrastructure issues.
Improved Coordination: Clarifies institutional roles for better disaster response.

Provisions of the Bill

Plan Preparation Responsibility: NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) and SDMA to prepare, update and assess disaster management plans instead of Executive Committees.
Enhanced Powers and Functions: NDMA and SDMA are authorised to periodically assess risks, assist lower authorities, and recommend uniform relief standards. NDMA is authorised to appoint officers and consultants and issue disaster management regulations.
Disaster Databases: National & state-level databases mandated for risk assessment & resource planning.
Urban Disaster Management Authorities: UDMAs to be established for major cities and state capitals under municipal commissioners.
Statutory Committees: NCMC (National Crisis Management Committee) and HLC (High-Level Committee) for crisis management and financial assistance have been made statutory.
State Disaster Response Forces: States empowered to form SDRFs for effective disaster responses.

Also read about NDRF and SDRF (National Disaster Response Fund).

Anticipated Benefits

Enhanced Preparedness: Improves coordination across national, state and local levels.
Urban Focus: UDMAs address specific risks in urban areas.
Data-Driven Decision-Making: Disaster databases enable efficient planning and mitigation.
State Empowerment: SDRFs (State Disaster Response Force) and UDMAs strengthen state-level response mechanisms.

Concerns Regarding the Bill

Centralisation of Power: States fear reduced autonomy in disaster management.
Implementation Overlaps: Potential conflicts between institutions during emergencies.
Delay in Reforms: Amendments overdue despite earlier expert recommendations.
Focus Limitations: Lacks strong integration of climate change adaptation measures.
Inadequate Victim Support: Replacing “compensation” with “relief” is seen as insufficient.

Way Forward

Collaborative Implementation: Ensure balance between central and state roles.
Capacity Building: Train SDRFs and UDMAs for efficient operations.
Climate Resilience: Integrate climate change mitigation into disaster management plans.
Technological Investments: Enhance early warning systems and risk prediction.
Financial Support: Provide adequate funding as per 15th Finance Commission’s recommendations.

{GS3 – S&T – BioTech} Mirror Life Bacteria *

Context (TH | FP): Scientists are increasingly concerned about the potential risks posed by ‘mirror life bacteria’, synthetic microbes created from mirror images of naturally occurring molecules.

Life on Earth is built from biomolecules like DNA, proteins, and carbohydrates, which possess a unique property called chirality or structural asymmetry.

Chirality refers to molecules existing in left- and right-handed versions, similar to human hands, which are mirror images of each other.

How Mirror Bacteria Created?

Mirror bacteria are synthesised in labs using molecules with reversed chirality.
The concept is derived from existing pharmaceutical applications, where mirror-image molecules prolong drug activity by resisting natural enzymatic breakdown.

Potential Benefits

Industrial Use: Mirror bacteria could be employed in industrial processes such as decomposition, fermentation, and speeding up chemical reactions due to their resilience.
Therapeutic Uses: It can be developed into therapies for treating chronic and hard-to-treat diseases.
Bioproduction: It can produce chemicals through biological processes involving synthetic bacteria.

Risks and Concerns

Evasion of Natural Predators: Mirror bacteria could evade natural immune responses and predators, including viruses and microbes that usually keep bacterial populations in check.
Human and Animal Health: These bacteria could cause lethal infections that spread unchecked in humans, animals, and plants.
Ecological Impact: Their resilience could lead to uncontrolled spread across ecosystems, potentially contaminating various environments.

{GS3 – S&T – Space} Firefly Sparkle Galaxy

Context (IE): The James Webb Space Telescope found a rare Firefly Sparkle galaxy. It is one of the earliest low-mass galaxies ever discovered and offers invaluable insights into early galaxy formation.

Named so because its star clusters shine brightly in images captured by the JWST.
JWST used gravitational lensing to magnify the galaxy’s light, allowing for detailed observations.
Mass: This galaxy has a mass equivalent to 10 million suns, categorising it as a relatively low mass.
Size: Its visible portion spans just 1,000 light-years, contrasting the Milky Way’s 100,000 light-years.
Star Clusters: It contains 10 distinct star clusters, each representing different stages of star formation.
Companions: Accompanied by 2 smaller galaxies named Firefly-Best Friend & Firefly-New Best Friend.
Shape: Its elongated raindrop shape indicates that it is still in the process of formation.

Source: NASA

Gravitational Lensing

Gravitational lensing happens when a huge celestial body, like a galaxy cluster, bends the path of light around it. This effect makes the light curve as if passing through a lens.
The object causing the light to bend is called a gravitational lens. This bending effect magnifies the light, allowing us to see distant objects that would otherwise be too faint and far away.
In 1915, Albert Einstein first predicted gravitational lensing. According to his general theory of relativity, time and space are combined into a single entity called spacetime. Massive objects cause spacetime to curve, and gravity is this curvature.
Light Bending: When light from a distant object passes by a gravitational lens, its path curves, creating a distorted image. This image might look like a ring or halo around the lensing object.

Source: esahubble

{Prelims – PIN World – Europe} Our Living Islands campaign by Ireland

Context (IE): Ireland’s government has announced the launch of its “Our Living Islands policy”, which is an effort to revive Ireland’s island communities that aren’t connected to the mainland.

It aims to improve infrastructure and increase job opportunities, including the option for remote work.
The policy plan raised concerns about the declining youth population. It showed that from 1996 to 2016, the population on the islands in the policy fell by 12.8%.

About Republic of Ireland

Located on Ireland (island) in the North Atlantic Ocean, the second-largest island in the British Isles and the third-largest in Europe. The island is politically divided into the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom.
Language: Irish (or Gaelic) is the official first language of the Republic of Ireland, although English is more commonly spoken. Dublin is a UNESCO City of Literature.
Bordering Countries: It shares its only land border with Northern Ireland.

Ireland, Spain and Norway announced the recognition of a Palestinian state.

{Prelims – PIN} Ustad Zakir Hussain died due to IPF Disease

Context (IE): Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain passes away from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis disease.

Contribution and awards

Grammy Awards: Won his first Grammy in 2009 & made history at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, becoming the first Indian musician to win three Grammys.
Indian Honours: Padma Shri (1988), Padma Bhushan (2002), Padma Vibhushan (2023), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship.
International Recognition: USA’s National Heritage Fellowship, SFJazz’s Lifetime Achievement Award and Aga Khan Award.
Academic Contributions: Served as a professor at Princeton University and Stanford University.

About idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) Disease

It is a chronic and progressive lung disease characterised by the thickening and stiffening lung tissue, leading to irreversible scarring (fibrosis).
The term “idiopathic” means that the cause of the condition is unknown.
Symptoms: Common symptoms include shortness of breath (dyspnea), a persistent dry cough, fatigue, and weight loss. Over time, oxygen levels in the blood may drop, leading to complications such as pulmonary hypertension and respiratory failure.
Risk Factors: Ageing, particularly in individuals over 50 years old. Smoking, a family history of the condition, and prolonged exposure to dust or certain chemicals can also increase the risk.
Treatment: While there is no cure for IPF, treatments can help manage symptoms and slow disease progression. These may include pulmonary rehabilitation, supplemental oxygen, and medications like pirfenidone or nintedanib. In severe cases, lung transplantation may be considered.