Daily Prelims Notes 12 September 2023

Daily Prelims Notes

12 September 2023

Table Of Contents

1. What are Picoflare Jets?
2. The physics of letting waves go one way but not the other
3. New Alzheimer’s Drugs Don’t Deserve the Hype – Here’s Why
4. How the G20 declaration on health includes India’s three priorities and gives a digital push
5. India and UK announce Infrastructure Financing Bridge
6. LSE listing for Indian firms only after norm for listing in IFSC finalised
7. Disaster Relief in India
8. IISc scientists develop novel approach to detect and kill cancer cells
9. President Murmu to inaugurate global meet to discuss future of farmers rights on September 12
10. Small island nations seek protection from ocean pollution, climate change
11. Winners of India’s top science award announced, no women on the list
12. HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
13. The ancient history behind the maritime trade route between India and Europe
14. India and Saudi Arabia to expedite $50-billion west coast refinery project
15. Kulasekarapattinam nervous about ISRO’s rocket launch station project
16. Lula rows back from comments that Brazil would not arrest Putin

1. What are Picoflare Jets?

Subject: Science and technology

Section: Space technology

Introduction

• Researchers from the joint Solar Orbiter mission (ESA and NASA) have detected intermittent jets of charged particles in the sun’s outer atmosphere.

Picoflare Jets

• Picoflare jets are high-speed charged particle emissions from the sun’s outer atmosphere.
• The term “picoflare” is derived from the fact that these jets carry energy approximately equivalent to one trillionth of the sun’s largest flares.
• ‘Pico’ is an order of magnitude that denotes 10^-12, or one trillionth of a unit.
• These jets emanate from coronal holes, relatively small regions in the sun’s corona.

Their Role in Solar Wind

• Emerging research suggests that picoflare jets may serve as a significant source of mass and energy contributing to the solar wind.
• The solar wind primarily consists of ionized gas, with ionized hydrogen being the predominant component.
• Unlike Earth’s atmospheric circulation, which circulates around the planet, the solar wind is continuously ejected outward into interplanetary space.
• This outward propagation creates a plasma bubble known as the heliosphere, which encompasses the planets in the solar system.

Coronal Holes

• Coronal holes are dark regions in the sun’s outer atmosphere where magnetic field lines extend into space.
• They appear dark due to lower temperature and density compared to the surrounding corona.
• Coronal holes are primary sources of the solar wind, a high-speed stream of charged particles from the sun.
• They vary in size and location over time, influencing space weather.
• Their activity is linked to the 11-year solar cycle, with a more prominent presence during solar minimum.

2. The physics of letting waves go one way but not the other

Subject: Science and technology

Section: Space technology

Introduction

• Non-reciprocity is a phenomenon essential to many technological advancements, from quantum computing to autonomous vehicles.

Reciprocity Principle

• Reciprocity is a fundamental physics principle where if a signal can be sent from Point A to Point B, it can also be sent from Point B to Point A by simply reversing the direction.
• Everyday examples include shining a torchlight at someone; they can shine it back.
• Counterintuitive examples like a one-way window in police interrogation.

Applications of Reciprocity

• Engineers use reciprocity in testing antennas that receive signals from various directions.
• Reciprocity is employed in the operation of radars, sonar, seismic surveys, and MRI scanners.
• Reciprocity can create issues in scenarios like espionage and laser transmission.

One-Way Traffic

• In non-reciprocal wave transmission, “One-Way Traffic” involves three components:
  • Component A: Selectively allows specific-direction waves.
  • Component B: Rotates the wave’s direction.
  • Component C: Permits waves of a particular angle.
• When a wave goes left to right, it passes through all components.
• In the reverse direction, it’s blocked because of polarization changes.

Magnet-Based Non-Reciprocity

• This method uses magnetic materials and components A, B (wave plates), and C (Faraday rotator).
• Component A allows specific polarization waves.
• Component B adjusts polarization.
• Component C (Faraday Rotator), with magnetic properties, lets waves pass in one direction, blocking them in reverse.

Applications in Technology

• Quantum computing benefits from non-reciprocal devices, especially in low-temperature environments.
• Qubits in quantum computers require non-reciprocal devices for signal amplification.
• Other methods to break reciprocity include modulation and nonlinearity, each with unique advantages.
  • Modulation: Modulation is the process of altering a carrier signal’s properties to encode information for transmission, used in telecommunications and broadcasting.
  • Nonlinearity: Nonlinearity refers to systems where the output does not have a proportional relationship with the input, often leading to complex behaviors or interactions.

3. New Alzheimer’s Drugs Don’t Deserve the Hype – Here’s Why

Subject: Science and technology

Section: Health

Introduction

• Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that causes cognitive decline, memory loss, and behavioral changes, primarily affecting older adults.
• Introduction to three drugs (aducanumab, lecanemab, and donanemab) that target amyloid, the protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
• The breakthrough in slowing cognitive decline.

Four Key Shortcomings of New Alzheimer’s Drugs

1. Tiny Benefits

• In the donanemab trial, drug-treated patients declined by an average of ten points on a 144-point cognitive scale.
• The placebo group declined by 13 points, indicating cognitive decline in all groups.
• The small difference in cognitive decline reduction may not be noticeable to doctors.

2. Side-Effects

• Regular MRI scans found evidence of brain bleeding in one in six lecanemab-treated individuals and brain swelling in one in eight.
• The long-term effects of these brain changes are unknown, and there have been a few deaths attributed to these drugs.

3. Very Expensive

• Aducanumab was initially marketed in the US for $45,000 per patient per year (later reduced to $20,000).
• Lecanemab costs $26,500 per patient per year.
• Additional costs include scans for eligibility, side-effect monitoring, infusion clinic staff, and ongoing amyloid clearance monitoring.
• Patients also face regular clinic visits and concerns about side effects.

4. Highly Selective Trials

• The trials were highly selective, excluding patients with conditions other than amyloid-related pathology and significant medical problems.
• The narrow eligibility criteria raise concerns about translating trial efficacy into real-world clinical effectiveness.

Additional Concerns

• The trials targeted patients at the earliest disease stages, but even with successful amyloid clearance, cognitive decline persisted.
• Participants in the trials were younger on average than typical Alzheimer’s patients.
• Advocates exploring alternative treatment options beyond anti-amyloid drugs.

4. How the G20 declaration on health includes India’s three priorities and gives a digital push

Subject: IR

Section: Groupings

Introduction:

• The G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration, released during India’s G20 presidency, prominently features India’s three health priorities and emphasizes digital health innovation.

Three Priorities for India’s G20 Presidency:

• India’s priorities aimed to address the economic and social disruptions caused by COVID-19 and prevent future losses.
• The priorities include:
  • Building resilient systems for health emergency prevention, preparedness, and response.
  • Strengthening pharmaceutical cooperation to ensure equitable availability of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics during pandemics.
  • Creating a platform for sharing digital health innovations and solutions, such as CoWIN and e-Sanjeevani, to achieve universal health coverage.

Digital Health Programme:

• India launched the Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH) under the World Health Organization (WHO) to share scalable digital health solutions.
• GIDH comprises four main pillars: 
  • An investment tracker
  • A repository of digital health solutions
  • Knowledge sharing for implementation
  • Monitoring country-specific needs
• $200 million fund proposal lacked consensus, but non-profits pledged support.
• India provided digital platforms (CoWIN, e-Sanjeevani, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission) as global public goods.
• Aimed at preventing uncoordinated proliferation of similar initiatives.

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission:

• A World Bank report recognized its efforts to bridge health information gaps and connect health services.
• As of August 2023, 44.2 crore unique IDs have been created, and 110 digital health services have been integrated into the mission.
• Concerns persist regarding data protection and privacy in the mission.

Interim Medical Countermeasure Platform:

• No consensus on a permanent platform for equitable access.
• Proposal for an interim platform.
• Interim platform’s purpose: Support research and manufacturing.
• Temporary measure until a legally binding pandemic treaty is established.
• Concerns:
  • Opposition driven by G7’s patent dominance.
  • Concerns of replicating ACT accelerator’s failures.
  • Risk of delaying a binding pandemic treaty.
  • Resulting burden on poorer nations with high vaccination costs.

Role of Traditional Medicine:

• India’s G20 presidency advocated traditional medicine integration.
• A global summit on this was held alongside the health ministers’ meeting.
• Outcome: Emphasis on rigorous scientific validation for traditional medicine in public health systems.

5. India and UK announce Infrastructure Financing Bridge

Subject: IR

Section: Groupings

Key Points:

• India and UK on Monday announced the launch of the Infrastructure Financing Bridge during 12th Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD),
• EFD is a collaborative initiative which signifies the continuing commitment of both nations to work in close cooperation towards unlock substantial infrastructure investment opportunities in India.
• The UK-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB), is a collaborative initiative led jointly by Niti Aayog and the City of London.
• The primary objective of this collaboration is aimed at unlocking infrastructure investment and leveraging the City of London’s expertise in structuring and phasing major infrastructure projects.
• This partnership seeks to secure long-term investment for vital infrastructure sectors in India.
• UKIIFB Stakeholders will seek to jointly build a diverse investment and financing system that is long-term, stable and sustainable with manageable risks, it added
• The collaboration is committed to sustainable/infrastructure development, prioritising environmentally friendly projects that are aligned with the core principles of the Sustainable Development Goals.

6. LSE listing for Indian firms only after norm for listing in IFSC finalised

Subject: Economy

Section: Capital Market

Context:: Government to explore direct overseas listing of Indian firms on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) only after GIFT IFSC listing of domestic firms.

Key Points:

• The government will explore direct overseas listing of Indian firms on the London Stock Exchange (LSE)  only after a plan for overseas listing of domestic firms in the GIFT International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in Gujarat is implemented

 What are likely benefits of LSE/international listing?

• Cross-border listing is expected to help Indian firms gain access to a larger base of investors,
• Bring their corporate governance standards to the best global practices.
• Indian entities, to get better access to international markets

What are the current international listing scenario for Indian companies? 

• Currently, Indian companies are not allowed to list directly on overseas exchanges as per regulations. However, listed Indian companies can use American Depository Receipts (ADR) or Global Depository Receipts (GDR) to make their shares accessible to overseas investors or list debt instruments on overseas exchanges.
• Overseas listing treatment to firms listing in GIFT IFSC would help the Indian firms take advantage of lenient tax rules for the offshore facility.
• The IFSC is being groomed by the government to make it an international financial hub on the lines of London that could act as a catalyst in attracting foreign investors to Indian corporates which are gaining global prominence and need a large pool of capital from the worldwide.

7. Disaster Relief in India

Subject: Polity

Section: Msc

Context: Uttarakhand asks Centre for declaration of ‘national disaster’ after major floods.

Key Points:

What qualifies as “national disaster”?

• There is no official or defined category of “national disasters”. Disasters of this nature come under the 2005 Disaster Management Act, which defines a “disaster” as “a catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave occurrence in any area, arising from natural or man made causes, or by accident or negligence which results in substantial loss of life or human suffering or damage to, and destruction of, property, or damage to, or degradation of, environment, and is of such a nature or magnitude as to be beyond the coping capacity of the community of the affected area”.

The setup:

• The Act saw the creation of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), to be headed by the Prime Minister, and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) headed by respective Chief Ministers.
• Together with district-level authorities, an integrated Disaster Management setup was to be created in India.
• The Act also led to the National Disaster Response Force. It has several battalions or teams, which are responsible for on-ground relief and rescue work in several states.

How is disaster relief funded ?

• The National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) is mentioned in the 2005 Disaster Management Act. Similarly, SDRFs exist for the states and are the primary funds available to state governments for responses to notified disasters. The Central Government contributes 75% to the SDRF in general states and 90% in northeastern and Himalayan states.
• Successive Finance commission (set-up under the Article 280 of the Constitution from time-to-time), determines the allocation of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) of each State for each of the financial years for entire Award period.
• The 15th Finance Commission had adopted a new methodology for state-wise allocations which is a combination of capacity (as reflected through expenditure), risk exposure (area and population) hazard and vulnerably (risk index), instead of existing methodology of expenditure based.
• The 15th Finance Commission has allocated a total corpus of Rs. 1,28,122.40 crore in SDRF to all States for the Award Period (2021-22 to 2025-2026), of which Central Share is Rs. 98,080.80 crore and State Government’s share is Rs. 30,041.60 crore.

Who finances when and what ?

• The SDRF is to be used only for meeting the expenditure for providing immediate relief to the victims of notified calamities like cyclones, droughts, earthquakes, fires, floods, tsunamis, hailstorms, landslides, avalanches, cloud bursts, pest attacks and frost/cold waves.
• The state government is primarily responsible for undertaking rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures in the event of a disaster. But these can be supplemented with Central assistance.
• In the event of a calamity of a severe nature, where the requirement of funds for relief operations is beyond the funds available in the State’s Disaster Response Fund account, additional Central assistance is provided from National Disaster Response Fund, after following the laid down procedure.
• Rs. 54,770 crore has been allocated by the 15th Finance Commission under National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
• In addition, an amount of Rs 32,030 crore has been allocated by the commission under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF), which is for carrying out works such as restoration of forests, raising public awareness, etc. and Rs. 13,693 crore for the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) for the Award Period (2021-22 to 2025-26).

8. IISc scientists develop novel approach to detect and kill cancer cells

Subject: Science and technology

Section: Msc

In the news:

• Indian Institute of Science (IISc) scientists have developed a new approach to potentially detect and kill cancer cells, especially those which form a solid tumour mass.

Hybrid nanoparticles to detect and kill cancer cells:

• Hybrid nanoparticles made of gold and copper sulphide, which can kill cancer cells using heat, and enable their detection using sound waves.
• These hybrid nanoparticles have photothermal, oxidative stress, and photoacoustic properties.
  • Gold nanoparticles, which can be chemically modified to target cancer cells, have shown anticancer effects.
• When light is shined on these hybrid nanoparticles, they absorb the light and generate heat, which can kill cancer cells. These nanoparticles also produce singlet oxygen atoms that are toxic for the cells.
• The nanoparticles can also help diagnose certain cancers.
  • Existing methods such as standalone CT and MRI scans require trained radiology professionals to decipher the images.
  • The photoacoustic property of the nanoparticles allows them to absorb light and generate ultrasound waves, which can be used to detect cancer cells with high contrast once the particles reach them.
  • The ultrasound waves generated from the particles allow for a more accurate image resolution as sound waves scatter less when they pass through tissues compared to light.
  • Scans created from the generated ultrasound waves can also provide better clarity and can be used to measure the oxygen saturation in the tumour, boosting their detection.
• Earlier nanoparticles are not small enough to show these properties, the IISc team used a novel reduction method to deposit tiny seeds of gold onto the copper sulphide surface (< 8mm).
• The small size of nanoparticles will allow them to leave the body naturally without getting accumulated in the tissues.

Cancer status in India: https://optimizeias.com/cancer-in-india-a-status-report/

9. President Murmu to inaugurate global meet to discuss future of farmers rights on September 12

Subject: Environment

Section: International conventions

In the news:

• President Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate the global symposium on farmers’ rights organized by the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) in New Delhi.

About the Global Symposium on Farmers’ Rights:

• Organized by: Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the Indian Agricultural Research Institute and the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources.
• Organised at: ICAR Convention Centre, NASC Complex, New Delhi.
• Main aim of the symposium: Participating countries to deliberate upon the pivotal issues related to Farmers’ Rights as enshrined in Article 9 of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
  • Article 9 of the International Treaty on farmers’ rights provides for the recognition, realization, and promotion of farmers’ rights relating to plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.
• Objective:
  • Increased knowledge and awareness of farmers’ rights, shared and disseminated measures, best practices, experiences and lessons learned.
  • To enhance the understanding of the “interconnectedness of farmers’ rights and human rights”
• Expected to contribute to understanding the challenges and opportunities of implementing farmers’ rights around the globe.
• A proposal for future work on farmers’ rights, including improving the inventory and charting the possible work to be done, is expected to be considered at the symposium.
• Discussions on the possible impact of digital sequence information and genetic sequence data on farmers’ rights.

Digital sequence information (DSI):

• Digital sequence information (DSI) is a placeholder term used in international policy fora, particularly the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to refer to data derived from de-materialized genetic resources.
• The 2018 Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on DSI reached consensus that the term was “not appropriate”.
• Nevertheless, the term is generally agreed to include nucleic acid sequence data, and may be construed to include other data types derived from or linked to dematerialized genetic resources, including, for example, protein sequence data.
• DSI is crucial to research in a wide range of contexts, including public health, medicine, biodiversity, plant and animal breeding, and evolution research.

For details of PPVFR Act 2001: https://optimizeias.com/protection-of-plant-varieties-farmers-rights-ppvfr-authority/

10. Small island nations seek protection from ocean pollution, climate change

Subject: Environment

Section: Climate change

Context:

• A landmark climate justice case will start its hearing in the United Nations maritime tribunal in Hamburg, Germany, on September 11, 2023.

About the case:

• Regarded as the first climate justice case aimed at saving the ocean.
• The small island nations that have been disproportionately harmed by the climate crisis will go up against high-emitting nations.
• Basis of the case: A group of nine SIDS countries will urge the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) to rule on whether greenhouse gas emissions absorbed by the marine environment should be considered pollution. It will also seek the tribunal’s advisory opinion on the obligations countries have to prevent it.
• The Law of the Sea, ratified by 169 parties, mandates that countries take measures to prevent, reduce and control marine pollution.
  • Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are a group of low-lying island nations that are home to approximately 65 million people and extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change — despite being responsible for less than 1 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Participants in the case:
  • Some 35 countries and three intergovernmental organisations: African Union, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and Pacific Community and the Commission of Small Islands States on Climate Change and International Law (COSIS).

Commission of Small Islands States on Climate Change and International Law (COSIS):

• Formed in: 2021.
• Tuvalu, Antigua and Barbuda have established COSIS to seek advisory opinions from the International Tribunal for the law of the sea, particularly on their endeavors to clarify states’ international legal obligations to combat climate change effects.
• Antigua and Barbuda and Tuvalu are the co-chairs of the COSIS.
• 6 members: Antigua, Barbuda, Tuvalu, Niue, Vanuatu, and St Lucia.

11. Winners of India’s top science award announced, no women on the list

Subject: Science and technology

Section: Msc

Context:

• Twelve “male” scientists have been awarded India’s top Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize (SSB) for Science and Technology, 2022.

About the SSB Award:

• Annual award named after Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, the founder-director of CSIR.
• Announcement made at the inaugural session of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) — National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research’s (NIScPR) One Week One Lab Programme (a theme-based campaign of the CSIR).
• Since its inception in 1958, only 19 women scientists have been the recipients of the SSB award.

About Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar:

• He was an Indian colloid chemist, academic and scientific administrator.
• The first director-general of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), he is revered as the “father of research laboratories” in India.
• He was also the first Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
• He wrote the ‘Kulgeet’, or University anthem.

12. HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY

Subject: Geography

Section: Physical geography

Context:

• The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory observed eruptive activity in Kīlauea summit.

Details:

• An eruption has commenced within Halemaʻumaʻu crater and on the down dropped block to the east in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Kīlauea:

• Location: Island of Hawaii (Southern part of the island)
• Elevation: 1,222 (m) 4,009 (f)
• Volcano type: Shield volcano
• Composition: Basalt
• Nearby towns: Volcano, Pāhoa, Kalapana, Mountain View
• Kilauea is among the world’s most active volcanoes.
• Geography of Kīlauea:
  • Topographically Kīlauea appears as only a bulge on the southeastern flank of Mauna Loa.
  • Study finds that Kīlauea has its own magma-plumbing system, extending to the surface from more than 60 km deep in the earth.
• Other volcanoes on the island: Mauna Kea, Kohala, Kama‘ehuakanaloa (formerly Lō‘ihi) and Mauna Loa.

What are shield volcanoes?

• A shield volcano is a type of volcano named for its low profile, resembling a warrior’s shield lying on the ground.
• It is formed by the eruption of highly fluid (low viscosity) lava, which travels farther and forms thinner flows than the more viscous lava erupted from a stratovolcano.
• Repeated eruptions result in the steady accumulation of broad sheets of lava, building up the shield volcano’s distinctive form.
• Shield volcanoes are found wherever fluid low-silica lava reaches the surface of a rocky planet.
• However, they are most characteristic of ocean island volcanism associated with hot spots or with continental rift volcanism.
• They include the largest volcanoes on earth, such asTamu Massif and Mauna Loa.
• Giant shield volcanoes are found on other planets of the Solar System, including Olympus Mons on Mars and Sapas Mons on Venus.

For details of Volcanoes: https://optimizeias.com/where-mauna-loa-hawaiis-biggest-volcano-will-erupt-from/

13. The ancient history behind the maritime trade route between India and Europe

Subject: IR

Section: Place in news

Context:

• The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor announced at the G20 Summit.

Details:

• This corridor resembles an ancient trade route between the subcontinent and the Roman Empire.
• The existence of this trade, which peaked in the early centuries of the common era, has been known for a long time.
• The head and torso of a magnificent Buddha, the first ever found to the west of Afghanistan, was discovered at the site in Berenike along with a triad of early Vaishnav deities

What do we know about the ancient Red Sea trade route?

• There was flourishing trade between Rome and India during ancient times.
• Sir Mortimer Wheeler established the existence of Indo-Roman trade in the 1st century CE.
• Estimates from a source document, Muziris papyrus, shows that the trade between India and Rome is enormous and the custom taxes on the Red Sea trade with India, Persia and Ethiopia may have generated as much as one-third of the income of the Roman exchequers.
• Papyrus also provided the precise details of one cargo sent to the Egyptian port of Berenike from Muziris aboard the ship Harmapollon.
• Oxyrhynchus is an Egyptian archaeological site on the Nile.
• Arikamedu: ancient archaeological site in Kerala.
• Euripides’ play, Iphegenia Among the Taurians– mentions India and the language of people of India.

And how much would the Roman Empire earn from such a cargo?

• According to the Muziris Papyrus, the import tax paid on the cargo of almost nine million sesterces was over two million sesterces.
• These vast revenues surpassed those of entire subject countries: Julius Caesar imposed tribute of 40 million sesterces after his conquests in Gaul while the vital Rhineland frontier was defended by eight legions at an annual cost of 88 million sesterces.
• The estimates suggests that one-third of total revenue of the Roman empire was coming from the Red Sea trade.

What was being traded on this route?

• Trade from India includes: Cinnamon-like plant called malabathrum whose leaves were pressed to create perfume, ivory, pearls, precious gemstones, wild animals like elephants and tigers, spices (mainly pepper).
• Trade from Rome to India includes: Gold (mainly in the form of payments and not as an imported goods), roman wine, olive oil and Garum.

Was there trade on this route before the Common Era?

• Yes, we have evidence of an Indian diaspora in the Middle East even at the time of Meluha (the Indus Valley Civilisation, c. 3300-1300 BCE).
• But it seems to have been more coastal and involved small quantities of goods.

How organised was the trade, and how long did a typical journey take?

• The evidence points to the trade being highly organised.
• Contracts were written between merchants in Kerala and shippers in Alexandria.
• Goods were shipped in containers just like today.
• There are even references to insurance. It was a highly sophisticated trade network.
• With the help of monsoon winds one could reach Egypt in about six to eight weeks, and back again in about the same time at that time.

Role of Indians in this trade:

• Of the 219 inscriptions here, dating from the second to the fifth century CE, 192 are in the Indian Brahmi script, and one each in Bactrian and Kharosthi. They give names that are unquestionably Indian: “Vishnu, son of the merchant Ganja”, “Skandabhuti, the Sea Captain”, or the nicely laconic, “Bhadra arrived”.
• There are also images of Buddhist stupas, Shaivite tridents, swastikas, Syrian Christian crosses, and pictures of large three-masted Indian ships, as well as prayers to Krishna and Radha, and invocations to the Buddha.

How does this route compare with the Silk Road?

• The centrality of the Indian subcontinent as the ancient economic and cultural hub of Asia, and its ports as the place of maritime East-West exchange.
• Silk Road — an overland trade route supposedly stretching all the way across Asia from Xian in China to Antioch in Turkey — was completely unknown in ancient: not a single ancient record, either Chinese or Western, refers to its existence.
• Though it existed during the Mongol period (13th and 14th centuries CE) when the whole area between China and the Mediterranean was under one Mongol Empire.
• Marco Polo, the man now most closely associated with the Silk Road, never once mentions it.
• The term (Silk route) was first coined in 1877 by the Prussian geographer Baron von Richthofen.

14. India and Saudi Arabia to expedite $50-billion west coast refinery project

Subject: Geography

Section: Economic geography

Context:

• India and Saudi Arabia will set up a joint task force to explore early implementation of the west coast refinery project for which the Arabian nation will invest $50 billion. A monitoring committee will also be created to ensure that the progress is as per plans.

India- Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council:

• India-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council was formed to coordinate on strategically important issues. The council will be headed by the Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed and will meet every two years.
• India is the fourth country with which Saudi Arabia has formed such a strategic partnership, after the UK, France and China.
• Recent outcome: Agreement to diversify their hydrocarbons relationship into a comprehensive energy partnership.

West Coast Refinery Projects:

• The west coast refinery project is a trilateral partnership between Saudi oil giant Aramco and Indian Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).
• India is setting up the Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemicals (RRPCL) project, which is a joint venture company formed by Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL).

Refineries in India:

• Assam: Numaligarh refinery, Bongaigaon refinery, Guwahati refinery, Digboi refinery
• Gujrat: Jamnagar refinery, Vadinar refinery, Gujarat refinery (vadodara),
• Uttar Pradesh: Mathura refinery
• Haryana: Panipat refinery
• Punjab: Guru Gobind Singh refinery
• Madhya Pradesh: Bina refinery
• Bihar: Barauni refinery
• Maharashtra: Mumbai refinery
• Odisha: Paradip refinery
• West Bengal: Haldia refinery
• Tamil Nadu: Manali refinery (Chennai), Nagapattnam Refinery
• Andhra Pradesh: Visakhapatnam refinery, Tatipaka Refinery
• Kerala: Kochi refinery
• Karnataka: Mangalore refinery

15. Kulasekarapattinam nervous about ISRO’s rocket launch station project

Subject: Geography

Section: Economic geography

Context:

• The Indian space agency, ISRO, is all set to begin work on building the ₹950-crore greenfield rocket launch facility near the township of Kulasekarapattinam, 50 km south of Tuticorin, with the land acquisition process being almost complete.

Kulasekarapattinam (Thoothukudi):

• Udangudi thermal power project of the Tamil Nadu government at Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu.
• Kulasekarapattinam is famous for its Mutharamman temple.
• The famous Murugan temple at Tiruchendur is14 km away.

Why is Kulasekarapattinam being chosen as a launching site by ISRO?

• Proximity to the seashore makes Thoothukudi ideal for “straight southward” launches. From Sriharikota, such southward-bound launches are not possible as the rockets have to fly around Sri Lanka.
• When rockets are launched from kulasekarapattinam, the Dogleg maneuver will not be required, as there is no landmass along the flightpath in the southward direction.
  • Dogleg maneuver is a sharp turn that causes a rocket to deviate from a straight flight path.
  • This maneuver requires more fuel in the rocket which eats into the payload capacity of the launcher.
• Nearness to the equator: Like the Sriharikota spaceport in the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Thoothukudi was selected as a spaceport due to its nearness to the equator. A rocket launch site should be on the east coast and near the equator.
• Logistical ease: ISRO has its Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) at Mahendragiri in Tirunelveli district, where it assembles the second and fourth-stage engines for the PSLV. Instead of transporting the second and fourth stages to Sriharikota from Mahendragiri, it would be easier to shift them to the launch pad if it is built in Kulasekarapattinam, which is around 100 km away.

Concerns of the inhabitants of Kulasekarapattinam:

• Land encroachment
• Forceful migration
• Fear of radioactive emissions
• Increases in the prices of rent and other commodities

For details of the ISRO launch pad: https://optimizeias.com/chandrayaan-3-mission-how-sriharikota-became-isros-ideal-launchpad/

16. Lula rows back from comments that Brazil would not arrest Putin

Subject :IR

Section: International Organisation

Context: President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva rowed back on Monday from saying Brazil would ignore a war crimes arrest warrant for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, while saying he would review Brazil’s membership in the International Criminal Court.

• Brazil is a signatory to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which obliges members to comply with its arrest warrants. The court issued a warrant for Putin’s arrest in March, accusing him of the war crime of deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine.
• Russia has denied its forces have engaged in war crimes or forcibly taken Ukrainian children.
• Putin has yet to travel abroad since the ICC sought his arrest, notably missing a summit of the BRICS group in South Africa last month as well as this month’s G20 summit in India. He also skipped the G20 summit in Bali last year.
• Lula said he would review why Brazil had signed up to the ICC treaty. He added he wanted to want to know why the U.S, India and China didn’t sign the ICC treaty and why our country signed it.

International Criminal Court  (ICC):

• ​The International Criminal Court (ICC) investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.
• It is the first permanent, treaty based, international criminal court established to help end impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community.
• The Court is participating in a global fight to end impunity, and through international criminal justice, the Court aims to hold those responsible accountable for their crimes and to help prevent these crimes from happening again.
• ​​The Court cannot reach these goals alone. As a court of last resort, it seeks to complement, not replace, national Courts. Governed by an international treaty called the Rome Statute, the ICC is the world’s first permanent international criminal court.
• Funding: Although the Court’s expenses are funded primarily by States Parties, it also receives voluntary contributions from governments, international organisations, individuals, corporations and other entities.

Composition and voting power:

• The Court’s management oversight and legislative body, the Assembly of States Parties, consists of one representative from each state party.
• Each state party has one vote and “every effort” has to be made to reach decisions by consensus. If consensus cannot be reached, decisions are made by vote.
• The Assembly is presided over by a president and two vice-presidents, who are elected by the members to three-year terms.

Crimes:

The Court’s founding treaty, called the Rome Statute, grants the ICC jurisdiction over four main crimes.

First, the crime of genocide is characterised by the specific intent to destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial or religious group by killing its members or by other means: causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; or forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

Second, the ICC can prosecute crimes against humanity, which are serious violations committed as part of a large-scale attack against any civilian population. The 15 forms of crimes against humanity listed in the Rome Statute include offences such as murder, rape, imprisonment, enforced disappearances, enslavement – particularly of women and children, sexual slavery, torture, apartheid and deportation.

Third, war crimes which are grave breaches of the Geneva conventions in the context of armed conflict and include, for instance, the use of child soldiers; the killing or torture of persons such as civilians or prisoners of war; intentionally directing attacks against hospitals, historic monuments, or buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes.

Finally, the fourth crime falling within the ICC’s jurisdiction is the crime of aggression. It is the use of armed force by a State against the sovereignty, integrity or independence of another State. The definition of this crime was adopted through amending the Rome Statute at the first Review Conference of the Statute in Kampala, Uganda, in 2010.

On 15 December 2017, the Assembly of States Parties adopted by consensus a resolution on the activation of the jurisdiction of the Court over the crime of aggression as of 17 July 2018.

Jurisdiction

The Court may exercise jurisdiction in a situation where genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes were committed on or after 1 July 2002 and:

• the crimes were committed by a State Party national, or in the territory of a State Party, or in a State that has accepted the jurisdiction of the Court; or
• the crimes were referred to the ICC Prosecutor by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) pursuant to a resolution adopted under chapter VII of the UN charter.

As of 17 July 2018, a situation in which an act of aggression would appear to have occurred could be referred to the Court by the Security Council, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, irrespective as to whether it involves States Parties or non-States Parties.

In the absence of a UNSC referral of an act of aggression, the Prosecutor may initiate an investigation on her own initiative or upon request from a State Party. The Prosecutor shall first ascertain whether the Security Council has made a determination of an act of aggression committed by the State concerned. Where no such determination has been made within six months after the date of notification to the UNSC by the Prosecutor of the situation, the Prosecutor may nonetheless proceed with the investigation, provided that the Pre-Trial Division has authorized the commencement of the investigation. Also, under these circumstances, the Court shall not exercise its jurisdiction regarding a crime of aggression when committed by a national or on the territory of a State Party that has not ratified or accepted these amendments.

Trust Fund for Victims

Though the Trust Fund for Victims is separate from the Court, it was created in 2004 by the Assembly of States Parties, in accordance with article 79 of the Rome Statute. The Fund’s mission is to support and implement programmes that address harms resulting from genocide, crimes of humanity, war crimes and aggression. To achieve this mission, the TFV has a two-fold mandate: (i) to implement Court-Ordered reparations and (ii) to provide physical, psychological, and material support to victims and their families. By assisting victims to return to a dignified and contributory life within their communities, the TFV contributes to realizing sustainable and long-lasting peace by promoting restorative justice and reconciliation.

Ten key facts about the legal process

Further to the Key Features listed above, here are some of the basics you may want to know:

• The ICC does not prosecute those under the age of 18 when a crime was committed.
• Before the Prosecutor can investigate, she must conduct a preliminary examination considering such matters as sufficient evidence, jurisdiction, gravity, complementarity, and the interests of justice.
• When investigating, the Prosecutor must collect and disclose both incriminating and exonerating evidence.
• The defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty. The burden of proof lies with the Prosecutor.
• During all stages of proceedings (Pre-Trial, Trial and Appeals), the defendant has the right to information in a language he or she fully understands, thus the ICC proceedings are conducted in multiple languages, with teams of interpreters and translators at work.
• Pre-Trial judges issue warrants of arrest and ensure there is enough evidence before a case can go to trial.
• Before a case is committed to trial (during the Pre-Trial phase), the defendant is referred to as a suspect. Once the case is committed to trial, since at that point the charges have been confirmed, the defendant is referred to as the accused.
• Trial judges hear the evidence from the Prosecutor, Defence, and the Victims’ lawyers, render a verdict, and if a person is found guilty, the sentence and decision on reparations.
• Appeals judges render decisions on appeals from the Prosecutor or Defence.
• If a case is closed without a verdict of guilt, it can be reopened if the Prosecutor presents new evidence.