{"id":126111,"date":"2024-08-13T19:35:53","date_gmt":"2024-08-13T14:05:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&p=126111"},"modified":"2024-08-14T14:52:49","modified_gmt":"2024-08-14T09:22:49","slug":"news-in-shorts-13-august-2024","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/news-in-shorts-13-august-2024","title":{"rendered":"News in Shorts: 13 August 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

St Martin’s Island<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"St<\/td>\n

Reports claimed Sheikh Hasina alleged the US was eyeing <\/span>St Martin’s Island<\/b> to build military base<\/span><\/p>\n

About St Martin’s Island:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Location:<\/b> St Martin’s Island, located in the <\/span>northeastern part <\/b>of the <\/span>Bay of Bengal,<\/b> is a <\/span>small coral island<\/b> approximately <\/span>nine kilometers<\/b> south of the <\/span>tip of Bangladesh’s southernmost peninsula<\/b>, <\/span>Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf<\/b>, near <\/span>Myanmar<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • It is <\/span>Bangladesh’s<\/b> sole<\/span> coral island<\/b>.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Also Known as:<\/b> The island is also known as ‘<\/span>Narikel Jinjira<\/b>‘ or <\/span>Coconut Island <\/b>in Bengali, due to the abundance of <\/span>coconut trees there<\/b>. It is also known as <\/span>‘Daruchini Dwip’<\/b> or <\/span>Cinnamon Island.<\/b><\/li>\n
  • History: <\/b>\u00a0The island was <\/span>first settled back<\/b> in the <\/span>18th century <\/b>by <\/span>Arabian merchants<\/b> and was called \u201c<\/span>Jazira<\/b>\u201d during their <\/span>occupation<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span>\n
      \n
    • British: <\/b>When the<\/span> British colonised the island<\/b>, it was named after the then-<\/span>Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong.<\/b><\/li>\n
    • Pakistan: <\/b>In 1937, the island remained a part of <\/span>British India <\/b>after Myanmar was separated from it. It remained so<\/span> until the Partition of 1947<\/b>, when it went into <\/span>Pakistan’s control.<\/b><\/li>\n
    • Bangladesh & Myanmar: <\/b>Later on, the coral island <\/span>became a part of Bangladesh<\/b> after the <\/span>Liberation War of 1971<\/b>, Bangladesh’s Daily Star reported.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • In 1974: <\/b>Bangladesh and Myanmar reached an <\/span>agreement<\/b> that the coral island <\/span>would be a part of Bangladeshi territory.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • St Martin’s Island Geopolitical Significance:\u00a0<\/b>\n
        \n
      • US & China Interest: <\/b>\u00a0Its proximity to the <\/span>Bay of Bengal <\/b>and the <\/span>maritime boundary with Myanma<\/b>r have led to international interest, particularly from the <\/span>US and China<\/b>, in using the island to <\/span>strengthen their presence in the region.<\/b><\/li>\n
      • Near the Strait of Malacca: <\/b>If a country set up a military base in St Martin\u2019s they would automatically have a <\/span>presence near the Strait of Malacc<\/b>a, which China has been using <\/span>majorly for their transportation.<\/b><\/li>\n
      • Conduct surveillance:<\/b> It provides a country to conduct <\/span>surveillance<\/b> over not just<\/span> China\u2019s and Myanmar\u2019s <\/b>activities, but also <\/span>look into what India is up to.<\/b><\/li>\n
      • Countering Beijing\u2019s presence:<\/b> With China asserting its dominance in several areas of the<\/span> Indo-Pacific region<\/b>, the island provides a strong base to<\/span> counter Beijing\u2019s presence<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Russia\u2019s Kursk region<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Russia\u2019s<\/td>\n

Ukrainian troops have advanced<\/span> around 30 km into the Russian territory of the Kursk region<\/b>, in what has been Kyiv\u2019s largest incursion on M<\/span>oscow\u2019s territory since the start of the war in 2022<\/b><\/p>\n

About Russia\u2019s Kursk region:<\/b><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Location:<\/b> Kursk is a city and <\/span>administrative centre of Kursk oblast <\/b>(region) located on the <\/span>south-western border of Russia.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
  • The Kursk Region is located in the <\/span>central part of the Eastern European Plain<\/b>. The Region borders on the Bryansk, Orlov, Lipetsk, Voronezh, and Belgorod regions, as well as Ukraine.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Rivers:<\/b> The basins of the <\/span>Dnieper (Seim, Psel)<\/b> and <\/span>Don rivers<\/b> are located on its territory. The main type of soil is chernozem.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Soil:<\/b> It is located in the area known as the <\/span>Black Earth territory due to its fertile soil.<\/b>\n
      \n
    • The main type of soil is<\/span> chernozem <\/b>which contain <\/span>high percentage<\/b> of<\/span> humus <\/b>and<\/span> high percentages of phosphorus and ammonia compounds<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Environmental Richness:<\/b> The Kursk Region is home to<\/span> eight specially protected natural areas<\/b>, including the <\/span>Alyokhin Central Chernozem State Biosphere Reserve<\/b> and s<\/span>even natural landmarks.<\/b><\/li>\n
    • Economy and natural resources: <\/b>The region lies at the center of the<\/span> world\u2019s largest Precambrian iron-ore-rich megastructure<\/b> known as the <\/span>Kursk Magnetic Anomaly.<\/b>\n
        \n
      • The region has prospective deposits of <\/span>iron ore<\/b>, <\/span>phosphorites<\/b>, <\/span>peat<\/b>, and <\/span>building materials<\/b>: chalk, fusible and refractory clays and loams, quartz sands. It is also <\/span>rich in mineral waters.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC)\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/td>\n

Congress threatened to launch a <\/span>nationwide protes<\/b>t if its demand for a JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee) probe into the\u00a0 Hindenburg Research’s allegations is not accepted.<\/span><\/p>\n

About Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC):<\/b><\/p>\n

    \n
  • A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is an <\/span>ad-hoc body.<\/b><\/li>\n
  • It is set up for a<\/span> specific object and duration<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Members: <\/b>It has members from <\/span>both the Houses<\/b> and from <\/span>both the ruling parties and the opposition<\/b>.<\/span>\n
      \n
    • There is no fixed number of members in the committee. It is dissolved after its term ends or its task has been completed.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Formation:<\/b> Joint committees are set up by a motion <\/span>passed in one house of Parliament<\/b> and agreed to <\/span>by the other.<\/b> The details regarding <\/span>membership and subjects<\/b> are also decided by <\/span>Parliament<\/b><\/li>\n
    • Recommendation:<\/b> The committee’s recommendations are <\/span>advisory<\/b> and <\/span>not binding<\/b> on the government\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Mandate: <\/b>The mandate of a JPC depends on <\/span>the motion constituting it.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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AUKUS Submarine<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"AUKUS<\/td>\n

Australia said it had signed a <\/span>deal to allow the exchange of nuclear secrets and material <\/b>with the <\/span>United States and Britain<\/b>, a key step toward equipping <\/span>its navy with nuclear-powered submarines.<\/b><\/p>\n

AUKUS Agreement:<\/b><\/p>\n

    \n
  • In 2021: Australia<\/b>, the<\/span> United Kingdom,<\/b> and the<\/span> United States <\/b>have formed a significant<\/span> trilateral security partnership<\/b> named AUKUS for the Indo-Pacific.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Motive: <\/b>To Bolster the <\/span>Collective industrial base capacity<\/b> and <\/span>Stimulate economic growth <\/b>within the defense and national security sectors of the involved nations.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Pivotal features :<\/b> Transfer of <\/span>US nuclear submarine <\/b>technology to <\/span>Australia<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Strategic orientation towards the Indo-Pacific: <\/b>Position the alliance as a <\/span>countermeasure to China\u2019s increasingly assertive manoeuvres<\/b> in the <\/span>South China Sea.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    AUKUS Submarine (SSN-A) Programme<\/b><\/p>\n

      \n
    • SSN-AUKUS will be a t<\/span>rilaterally developed vessel <\/b>based on<\/span> Britain\u2019s next-generation design.<\/b><\/li>\n
    • Submarine Construction:<\/b>\n
        \n
      • Nuclear reactors<\/b> for the vessels will be built in<\/span> Derby,UK<\/b>.<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Submarines will be <\/span>constructed<\/b> in Adelaide,Australia.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
      • The <\/span>Virginia-class submarines<\/b> are a British design but will have a <\/span>US weapons system on board.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • Features:\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
      • \n
          \n
        • Possess Diverse functionalities: <\/b>intelligence gathering, surveillance, undersea warfare, and strike missions.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
        • Enhanced Stealth and Silence Capability will ensure optimal interoperability among AUKUS partners: <\/b>It will surpass Australia\u2019s current diesel-powered fleet in stealth and silence, enabling prolonged deployments without surfacing.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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DDoS Attack<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"DDoS<\/td>\n

Elon Musk<\/b> said that the <\/span>social media platform <\/b>was going through a <\/span>massive DDOS attack <\/b>that could lead to <\/span>limited live listeners during the Trump interview.<\/b><\/p>\n

About Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks<\/b> are a subclass of <\/span>denial of service (DoS) attacks.<\/b> A DDoS attack involves <\/span>multiple connected online devices<\/b>, collectively known as a <\/span>botnet<\/b>, which are used to overwhelm a <\/span>target website with fake traffic.<\/b><\/li>\n
  • Distributed denial of service attacks are<\/span> malicious attempts to make the services of an online service unavailable<\/b> by disrupting or suspending the<\/span> services of its online servers.<\/b><\/li>\n
  • Concerns:<\/b><\/li>\n
  • \n
      \n
    • Unlike other kinds of cyberattacks, <\/span>DDoS assaults don\u2019t attempt to breach your security perimeter<\/b>. Rather, a DDoS attack aims to <\/span>make your website and servers unavailable to legitimate users<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • DDoS can also be used as a <\/span>smokescreen for other malicious activitie<\/b>s and to take <\/span>down security appliances,<\/b> breaching the <\/span>target\u2019s security perimeter.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • In a Denial of service (DoS) attack: <\/b>\u00a0A perpetrator uses a <\/span>single Internet connection <\/b>to either<\/span> exploit a software vulnerability or flood a targe<\/b>t with<\/span> fake requests\u2014<\/b>usually in an attempt to<\/span> exhaust server resources<\/b> (e.g., RAM and CPU).<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks: <\/b>They are launched from <\/span>multiple connected devices<\/b> that are <\/span>distributed<\/b> across the <\/span>Internet<\/b>.\u00a0 These <\/span>multi-person, multi-device barrages<\/b> are generally harder to deflect, mostly <\/span>due to the sheer volume of devices involved.\u00a0<\/b>\n
        \n
      • Unlike s<\/span>ingle-source DoS assaults<\/b>, DDoS attacks tend to target the network <\/span>infrastructure in an attemp<\/b>t to saturate it with huge volumes of traffic.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Collision Avoidance System (CAS) & Kavach<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Collision<\/td>\n

In India, where railways are the lifeline for mass transportation, recent<\/span> train accidents emphasise a harsh and concerning truth. <\/b>Indian Railways announces plans to <\/span>prioritize Kavach deployment on key rail corridors<\/b><\/p>\n

About Collision avoidance system (CAS):\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Collision avoidance system (CAS) is a<\/span> collection of technologies <\/b>to help a <\/span>vehicle steer clear of another vehicle <\/b>or obstacle.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • For example, a CAS device <\/span>fit on a train<\/b> will be designed to help that<\/span> train avoid colliding with another train<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Most CAS devices require<\/span> two pieces of information<\/b>, preferably in<\/span> real-time:<\/b> the locations of all the other vehicles and the<\/span> location of this vehicle relative <\/b>to those vehicles.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    About Kavach:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

      \n
    • It is an indigenously developed <\/span>Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system <\/b>by the <\/span>Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO)<\/b> in collaboration with the <\/span>Indian industry.<\/b><\/li>\n
    • Features<\/b>:\u00a0<\/span>\n
        \n
      • It is a state–the\u00ad-art electronic system with<\/span> Safety Integrity Level\u00ad4 (SIL\u00ad4) standards.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
      • It is one of the cheape<\/span>st, SIL\u00ad4 certified technologies<\/b> where the probability of <\/span>error is 1 in 10,000 years.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • Purpose<\/b>: It is meant\u00a0<\/span>\n
          \n
        • To provide p<\/span>rotection by preventing trains to pass the signal at Red<\/b> (which marks danger)<\/span><\/li>\n
        • To avoid collision<\/b> between two locomotives<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Working:\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
        • \n
            \n
          • It <\/span>activates the train\u2019s braking system automatically<\/b> if the driver fails to control the train as per speed restrictions.<\/span><\/li>\n
          • The s<\/span>ystem also relays SoS messages <\/b>during <\/span>emergency situations.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
          • It enables the<\/span> centralised live monitoring of train movements<\/b> through the Network Monitor System.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Asceua Tertia<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Asceua<\/td>\n

Recently, A new species of ground-dwelling <\/span>spider, Asceua tertia,<\/b> was discovered in\u00a0 <\/span>Western Ghats.<\/b><\/p>\n

About Asceua tertia:<\/b><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Location:<\/b> It has been discovered in the verdant terrain of <\/span>Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary,<\/b> which forms part of the W<\/span>estern Ghats.<\/b><\/li>\n
  • Genus: <\/b>Asceua tertia is the <\/span>third species <\/b>of the genus<\/span> Asceua<\/b> to be documented in<\/span> India<\/b>\n
      \n
    • The others being <\/span>Asceua cingulata (Simon, 1905) <\/b>and <\/span>Asceua thrippalurensis (Sankaran, 2023).\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
    • This genus belongs to the<\/span> ant-eating spider family Zodariidae <\/b>and is distinguished by its<\/span> small size, laterally compressed bulbs, well-developed cymbial folds, long and convoluted copulatory ducts, and dual femoral glands.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Size: <\/b>Asceua tertia ranges from<\/span> 2.54 mm in males to 3.2 mm in females<\/b><\/li>\n
    • Features: <\/b>The males of the species have a<\/span> yellow-brown prosom<\/b>a with<\/span> creamy white to yellow-brown leg <\/b>and <\/span>palp segments <\/b>featuring broad brown patches and narrow longitudinal stripes.\u00a0<\/span>\n
        \n
      • The abdomen displays <\/span>three pairs of narrow, creamy white stripes arranged obliquely<\/b>, a <\/span>white dot near the rear<\/b>, and numerous <\/span>tiny creamy white spots on the sides.<\/b><\/li>\n
      • Females: <\/b>They have a <\/span>dark brown prosoma and a wide, oval abdomen with four pairs of creamy white stripes, <\/b>along with s<\/span>mall anterior <\/b>and<\/span> broad posterior creamy white patches on the sides.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        About Shendurney wildlife sanctuary.<\/b><\/p>\n

          \n
        • It is a protected area located in the<\/span> Western Ghats of India, <\/b>in the <\/span>Kollam district of Kerala.<\/b><\/li>\n
        • It comes under the control of<\/span> Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve.<\/b><\/li>\n
        • Irrigation<\/span> in Kollam and Pathanamthitta <\/b>districts is taken care of by the<\/span> Parappar Dam <\/b>that was built across the<\/span> Shendurney River.<\/b><\/li>\n
        • Rare tree species called<\/span> Chenkurunji (Glutatravancorica)<\/b> found here<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

Udara Shakti 2024\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Udara<\/td>\n

After successful participation in <\/span>Exercise Udara Shakti 2024 at Malaysia<\/b>, the Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent returned to India<\/span><\/p>\n

About Udara Shakti 2024:<\/b><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Location: <\/b>Exercise Udara Shakti 2024 was a<\/span> joint air exercise<\/b> conducted in <\/span>Kuantan, Malaysia.<\/b><\/li>\n
  • It was between the<\/span> Indian Air Force (IAF)<\/b> and the <\/span>Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).<\/b><\/li>\n
  • AIM: <\/b>Aimed at bolstering <\/span>operational efficiency, technical experts of both Air Forces <\/b>engaged in exchange of their <\/span>maintenance practices.<\/b><\/li>\n
  • Fighter Jets: IAF’s Su-30MKI fighter jets<\/b> engaged in air combat missions alongside the R<\/span>MAF’s Su-30MKM fighters, <\/b>enabling the crew of both air forces to <\/span>familiarize with each other’s operational protocols,<\/b> thereby enhancing <\/span>interoperability<\/b>, <\/span>commonality<\/b> and <\/span>overall effectiveness<\/b> in Su-30 aircraft operation<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

Utkrisht- 3 Star Rating<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/td>\n

National Institute for MSME (NI-MSME) has been awarded with an Accreditation Certificate with the grading of UTKRISHT, a 3 Star Rating <\/b>by the Capacity Building Commission (CBC)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n