Daily Prelims Notes 4 April 2023

April 4, 2023
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

Daily Prelims Notes

4 April 2023

Table Of Contents

1. Evolutionary lineages of the banded krait discovered through molecular methods

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Context: A recent study finds that the highly venomous banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus) is likely to be an assemblage of different species across Asia.

More on the News:

In recent years, genetic analysis methods have been increasingly used to identify cryptic species (species that may look identical but are evolutionarily distinct lineages) in vertebrates. These methods have been employed to identify genetically different species in reptiles and snakes.
Studies have noted the possibility of differences within species using methods such as genetic barcoding. And studies are necessary to accurately identify and delineate snake species, especially those that are venomous, because of the implications of the composition of snake venom and what this means for developing efficient anti-venom.
Using a combination of genetic and physical structure analyses, identified three distinct evolutionary groups of the banded krait occupying non-overlapping regions – Indo-Myanmar (east and north-east India and Myanmar), Sundaic (Greater Sunda islands), and east Asian (mainland Sundaland including southern China).
An interesting finding from the analyses of one common gene across the three groups revealed that the Indo-Myanmar and Sundaic lineages had negligible genetic differences within themselves whereas the east Asian lineage contained a wider range of genetic differences.
The study goes on to state that if these three different groups are accepted as independent species, that the Indo-Myanmar group is the original banded krait species that was first described in 1794; however, more generally, the east Asian and Sundaic groups may be referred to as banded kraits as well.

Banded krait:

Banded krait, also known as the common krait, is a venomous snake species found in South and Southeast Asia.
It belongs to the family Elapidae, which also includes cobras and coral snakes.
The banded krait is easily recognized by its black and white bands, which run the length of its body and are broader than the intervals between them. Adults can grow up to 1.8 meters in length.
The venom of the banded krait is highly toxic and can cause respiratory paralysis, which can be fatal if left untreated.
Despite its venomous nature, the banded krait is relatively shy and non-aggressive towards humans, and is usually active at night.
It primarily feeds on other snakes, including cobras and other venomous species.
Snake that inhabits different landscapes like agricultural lands, forests, and home gardens up to specific elevations.
The banded krait is listed as a “Least Concern” species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to its widespread distribution and relatively stable population.

2. Triple trouble for Gulf of Mannar islands, study finds

Subject: Environment

Section: Places in news

Context: An invasive plant from South America is threatening to pulverise indigenous plants across the 21 islands where 96 species of birds have been recorded.

More on the News:

An alien invasive plant is threatening to pulverise native vegetation across 21 islands in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve (GoMBR), an avian distribution study has revealed.
Prosopis chilensis, a drought-resistant plant native to the arid regions of four South American countries — Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru — is not the only trouble for these islands divided into the Tuticorin, Vembar, Kilakkarai, and Mandapam groups.
The coral reef has been destroyed in several places near these islands although coral quarrying for industrial purposes has been outlawed, the study published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa said.

Prosopis chilensis:

The Prosopis chilensis is also known as Chilean mesquite.
It is a small to medium-sized legume tree that grows up to 12 m in height and 1 m in diameter.
It is a drought-resistant plant native to the arid regions of four South American countries namely Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.
The tree has a deep root system, which enables it to access water from underground aquifers and makes it resistant to drought.
Prosopis chilensis is used for several purposes, including as a source of firewood, charcoal, and tanni Its wood is also used for making furniture and as a material for construction.
The tree is known for its ability to fix nitrogen from the air, which makes it useful for improving soil fertility.
In some regions, the pods of Prosopis chilensis are used as a food source for humans and livestock. The pods are rich in protein and have a sweet flavor.
Prosopis chilensis is also considered an invasive species in some parts of the world, including Australia and South Africa, where it has displaced native vegetation and altered ecosystem dynamics.

Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve (GoMBR):

Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve is a protected area located in the southeastern coast of India, in the state of Tamil Nadu. It was established in 1989.
The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve includes a marine national park, 21 islands, and the adjacent coral reefs.
The area is known for its high marine biodiversity and is home to many threatened species, including the sea cow (dugong) and various species of sea turtles.
Apart from the marine ecosystem, the reserve also includes several terrestrial ecosystems such as mangroves, forests, and grasslands. The reserve is home to many endemic plant species, including the mangrove palm and the sea hibiscus.
The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve has been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage Site, and a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance.
It is the first Marine Biosphere Reserve in South and South East Asia.

3. The war on Tigray wiped out decades of environmental progress

Subject: Environment

Section: Places in news

Context: Two-year war and siege on Tigray region has set Tigray’s restoration back by decades. The conflict has had a devastating impact on both people and the environment.

More on the News:

As many as 600,000 people have died, mainly due to man-made starvation.
The environment has been destroyed by aerial and ground bombardment, the use of dangerous chemicals and vehicle and army movement. Forests and conservation and restoration structures were destroyed by military activity. The landscape is littered with waste and abandoned military material.
According to World Peace Foundation, the destruction of the environment was also a tool of war. Tigrayan communities are highly dependent on natural resources for food, fuel and feed. Agriculture contributes 42.7 per cent to GDP, about 85 per cent of employment and 70 per cent of export earnings. Armies deliberately destroyed fruit trees, forests, soil conservation structures and nursery structures. Grass harvests used for animal feed were burned. The destruction of the ecosystems will in turn affect food security and the climate for a long time to come.
Restoring the environment also needs urgent attention so that societies can produce food and goods to rebuild their lives.
Environmental restoration plan to ensure Tigray’s recovery is green and sustainable:
- Ecosystems contaminated by shelling and bombardments, destroyed industrial, agricultural and health facilities and military waste should be dealt with as hotspots.
- A thorough assessment of the direct and indirect impacts and losses is needed.
- The post-war environment recovery must put the needs of the community at the centre.
- Farm households and farmlands should get priority. Farmers should be provided with oxen and improved agricultural farm goods, to improve their subsistence farming and to scale up agroforestry practices.
- Introduce urban farming practices to bring greenery and a sustainable lifestyle closer to home.
- Rehabilitating research facilities

Ethiopia:

It is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa, officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
The country lies completely within the tropical latitudes and is relatively compact, with similar north-south and east-west dimensions.
The capital is Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia is located from Sudan in the southeast, Eritrea to the south, Djibouti and Somalia to the west, Kenya to the north, and South Sudan to the east.
It is the most populous landlocked country in the world.

4. International Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence

Subject: Environment

Section: International Convention

Context: International Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence is being held in Oxford, the United Kingdom.

More on the News:

The International Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence being held in Oxford, the United Kingdom from March 30-April 1, 2023 has brought together hundreds of representatives f rom conservation organisations, academia, governments, businesses and indigenous as well as local communities from six continents and 70 countries to discuss solutions.
The first conference of this scale is being organised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the UN Development Programme and several more.
The new IUCN Guidelines provide a clear steer on how to go about managing complex situations, and will inform the formulation of new policies and community-led action strategies for achieving coexistence with wildlife in any context.

International Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence

IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Human-Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence Specialist Group, the Global Environment Facility-funded and World Bank-led Global Wildlife Program and the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit at Oxford University’s Department of Biology are co-hosting this International Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence in Oxford, UK, on 30th March-1st April 2023.
The conference is organised in collaboration with the IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and several more organisations.
The International Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence aims to
- Facilitate dialogue and peer-to-peer learning across sectors and actors on the topic for partnerships and collaboration across people and institutions working on human-wildlife conflict.
- Generate interdisciplinary and shared understanding of the latest insights, technologies, methods, ideas, and information from the field of human-wildlife conflict, coexistence and interactions.
- Mainstream human-wildlife conflict as one of the top global priorities in biodiversity conservation and the Sustainable Development Goals for the next decade, catalysing opportunities for working together on national, regional or global policies and initiatives.
- Identify and develop a collective way forward for addressing knowledge and implementation gaps for effective efforts to reduce and manage human-wildlife conflict.

5. Ban on pesticides

Subject: Environment

Section: Pollution

Context: Plea in Supreme Court alleges restriction on reduced number of chemicals to protect companies

More on the News:

A recent notification by the central government going back on its decision to ban 27 pesticides identified as health hazards by an expert committee has been flagged in the Supreme Court of India. A petition has sought a ban on all 27 pesticides, not just three, as proposed by a February 16, 2023 notification.
The central government in May 2020 had proposed banning 27 harmful pesticides identified as health hazards by an expert committee.
However, a draft notification by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare published on February 16 went back on the proposal, claiming just three of the 27 were “fit to be banned”.
The list of 27 was carved out of a more extensive set of 66 suggested to be banned to protect the farmers and consumers of the country.
On January 23, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to file an updated status report on the actions taken to regulate the ban on hazardous pesticides.

More details on Pesticide Ban https://optimizeias.com/decision-on-pesticide-ban-likely-this-week/

6. Time to put a price on carbon emissions

Subject : Environment

Section: Climate Change

Concept :

Seeing the increase in carbon emission, it is time, starting with the biggest economies of the G20, to agree on valuing nature, including by pricing carbon events.
India can take the lead, as president of the G20 this year, in carbon pricing, which will open unexpected avenues of decarbonisation.

Carbon Pricing Mechanisms:

Three major carbon pricing mechanisms are as follows:
A carbon tax can be established domestically, like in Singapore and Korea.
The European Union (EU) and China use emissions trading system (ETS).
The EU has also proposed the application of an import tariff on carbon content.
Around 46 countries price carbon. However, it covers only 30% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at an average price of only $6 per ton of carbon.
The International Monetary Fund has proposed price floors of $75, $50, and $25 a ton of carbon for the United States, China, and India, respectively. It can help in achieving a 23% reduction in global emissions by 2030.
It should be noted that carbon pricing encourages investment in renewable energy like solar and wind energy.

Carbon Pricing

Carbon pricing is the value ascribed to the external costs – usually social costs – of pollution emitted by an industry.
Carbon pricing is done either through a carbon tax or an emission trading system.

Ways of pricing

Defining rate: A carbon tax directly sets a price on carbon by defining an explicit tax rate on GHG emissions or—more commonly—on the carbon content of fossil fuels.
Market price for GHG emissions: An emissions trading system (ETS) is a system where emitters can trade emission units to meet their emission targets. To comply with their emission targets at least cost, regulated entities can either implement internal abatement measures or acquire emission units in the carbon market, depending on the relative costs of these options. By creating supply and demand for emissions units, an ETS establishes a market price for GHG emissions
Carbon credits: Crediting Mechanisms issue carbon credits, these credits can be used to meet compliance under an international agreement, domestic policies or corporate citizenship objectives related to GHG mitigation.

Understanding carbon pricing

Captures the external costs of GHG: Carbon pricing captures the external costs of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—the costs of emissions that the public pays for (crop damage, health care costs from heat waves and droughts, and property loss from flooding and sea level rise) and ties them to their sources through a price, usually in the form of a price on the carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted.
Shifting the burden of damage: It helps shift the burden for the damage from GHG emissions back to those who are responsible for it and who can avoid it.
Economic signal- Instead of dictating who should reduce emissions where and how, a carbon price provides an economic signal to emitters, and allows them to decide to either transform their activities and lower their emissions, or continue emitting and paying for their emissions.

Impact on India:

Benefits of a carbon tax in India:
It is more appealing as it discourages fossil fuels.
It will raise revenue which can be further invested in cleaner sources of energy.
It would replace the inefficient scheme of petroleum taxes which are not directly aimed at emissions.
Many countries including India have established the basic structure needed to implement a carbon tax in their fiscal policy.
However, policymakers should choose the tax rate which can range from $2.65 a ton of CO2 (in Japan) to $165 a ton (set by Denmark for 2030).
India can start with the IMF-prescribed figure of $25 a ton.

Associated Concerns:

It should be noted that carbon pricing faces stiff political opposition. For instance:
Australia repealed the 2012 tax just two years after it was introduced.
Rising energy prices in the EU led to the selling of millions of emission permits. It caused a 10% fall in carbon prices.
One of the major issues in this regard is that industrial firms might lose their competitive advantage to exporters from countries with lower carbon prices.

For further notes on Carbon Pricing, refer – https://optimizeias.com/carbon-pricing/

7. Demand for Scottish Independence

Subject : International Relations

Section: Msc

Concept :

Recently, the British Prime Minister rejected a call from the new First Minister of Scotland, Humza Yousaf, to hold a second referendum for Scotland’s independence from the U.K.

Historical background

The independent Kingdom of Scotland was formed in the 9th century and it indulged in various wars to remain independent from the Kingdom of England.
The two kingdoms, however in 1603, signed a personal union agreement and were ruled by the same monarchs.
Further, in 1707, both British as well as Scottish Parliaments enacted the Acts of Union to enter into a political union under the name of Great Britain on account of various economic and political vulnerabilities prevailing on both sides.
Despite Scotland retaining some of its decision-making powers, it however failed to get equal representation in the united Parliament which gave rise to various cultural and political differences.
Also, the demands for self-governance started to become more prevalent which led to two referendums in 1979 and 1997 and the subsequent formation of a Parliament of Scotland in 1999.
This newly devolved Parliament of Scotland was empowered to formulate legislations on issues like health, transport, education, etc. whereas the powers to legislate on issues such as defence, currency, trade, and foreign policy were reserved.
The latest referendum for Scottish independence was held in 2014, wherein 55% of the Scottish population voted in favour of the union whereas 45% voted to walk out.

What is the main case for independence?

Those who support independence believe Scotland “would be richer” if it breaks from England.
Proponents of independence want Scotland to make its own decisions about how resources are controlled and money is invested.
Rather than investing billions of pounds in nuclear weapons, for example, they would focus on things like childcare or programs to retain talent and encourage young Scots to stay.
Brexit :
In Brexit referendum a clear majority of Scots voted ‘Remain’. Yet they were forced to leave.
So the issue of self-determination has been brought back to the political agenda.

Tools of Direct Democracy

Referendum – procedure in which a proposed legislation is referred to the electorate for acceptance through direct voting.
Initiative – method by means of which the people can propose a bill to the legislature for enactment.
Recall – way for voters to remove a representative or an officer before the expiry of his/her term, when he fails to discharge his duties properly.
Plebiscite – method of obtaining the opinion of people on any issue of public importance. It is generally used to solve territorial disputes.

8. Centre ‘appropriate’ party to respond to plea on disqualified lawmakers, says EC

Subject : Polity

Section: Elections

Concept :

The Election commission said it would be “appropriate” to have the Union government deal with the disqualification issue.
A petition has been filed in SC that an MP or an MLA who has either been disqualified from the House under the Tenth Schedule (anti-defection law) or under Article 191(1)(e) of the Constitution should be barred from contesting elections for five years.
This is to discourage MP/MLAs from switching the political party to gain political favour.

Details

The Election Commission in the Supreme Court has chosen to maintain a distance on the question whether a disqualified lawmaker should be banned from contesting elections for five years.
The commission said it would be “appropriate” to have the Union government deal with the issue.
Election commission stated that the issue involved in this matter pertains to the interpretation of Article 191(1)(e) of the Constitution.
It relates to matters that do not have a nexus with the conduct of elections in terms of the remit of the Commission under Article 324.
Therefore Union government is the appropriate party for the adjudication of the prayers made in the petition

Article 191(1)(e) of Indian Constitution:

Article 191(1)(e) gives the various grounds of disqualification “for being chosen as, and for being a member of the Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council of a State” on:
Holding an office of profit
Being of unsound mind or undischarged solvent
Being a non-citizen or voluntarily acquiring the citizenship of a foreign state
Being under any acknowledgement of allegiance or adherence to a foreign state.
If an MLA or an MLC is “disqualified by or under any law made by Parliament”

Powers of EC for disqualification

Under the Constitution, the Commission has advisory jurisdiction in the matter of post-election disqualification of sitting members of Parliament and State Legislatures.
The opinion of the Commission in all such matters is binding on the President or, as the case may be, the Governor to whom such opinion is tendered.
Further, the cases of persons found guilty of corrupt practices at elections which come before the SC and High Courts are also referred to the Commission for its opinionon the question as to whether such person shall be disqualified and, if so, for what period.
The Commission has the power to disqualify a candidate who has failed to lodge an account of his election expenses within the time and in the manner prescribed by law.

Other powers of EC

To determine the territorial areas of the electoral constituencies throughout the country on the basis of the Delimitation Commission Act of Parliament.
To prepare and periodically revise electoral rolls and to register all eligible voters.
To grant recognition to political parties and allot election symbols to them.
Election Commission ensures a level playing field for the political parties in election fray, through strict observance by them of a Model Code of Conduct evolved with the consensus of political parties.

9. Cope India Exercise

Subject : Defence

Concept :

The `Cope India’ exercise between India and US from April 10 to 21 will “further enhance operational capability and interoperability between the two air forces”.

Background

Cope India began in 2004 as a fighter training exercise held at Air Station Gwalior, India.
The exercise has evolved to incorporate subject matter expert exchanges, air mobility training, airdrop training and large-force exercises, in addition to fighter-training exercises.
The exercise showcases U.S. and India’s efforts and commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

About the exercise

It is a bilateral exercise between the air forces of the two countries.
The exercise comes amid India’s continuing three-year-long military confrontation with China in eastern Ladakh as well as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which has seen Beijing and Moscow get into a tighter strategic clinch.

Aircrafts :

The IAF will be fielding the French-origin Rafale, Russian-origin Sukhoi-30MKI and indigenous Tejas fighters as well as AEW&C (airborne early-warning and control) planes, C-17 Globemaster-III strategic airlift aircraft and IL-78 mid-air refuellers for the exercise.
The US, in turn, will deploy F-15 Strike Eagle jets.

10. Price of 651 essential drugs down by 6.73 percent

Subject : Polity

Section: Msc

Concept :

According to Health Ministry sources, India has been taking steps to ensure the availability of affordable medicines for the masses, with a significant reduction of 6.73% in essential medicines’ pricing.

Details

In 2022, after a gap of five years, the government prepared a new Essential Medicine list.
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) had been able to fix the ceiling prices of 651 medicines so far out of the over 870 scheduled drugs listed under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM).

National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM).

It is one of the key instruments in a balanced healthcare delivery system of a country which inter alia includes accessible, affordable quality medicine at all the primary, secondary, tertiary levels of healthcare.
The first National List of Essential Medicines of India was prepared and released in 1996.
It focuses on three aspects – cost, safety and efficacyAims and objectives-
Its primary aim is to promote the rational use of medicines considering three important aspects — cost, safety and efficacy.
“The concept is based on the premise that a limited list of carefully selected medicines will improve quality of healthcare, provide cost-effective healthcare and better management of medicines.”

Types of drugs included are-

Typically, once NLEM is released, the department of pharmaceuticals under the ministry of chemicals and fertilizers adds them to the Drug Price Control Order, after which NPPA fixes the price.
However, this year a standing committee was put in place to ensure some essential medicines are “adequately available at lower prices”.
The list includes anti-infective medicines to treat diabetes such as insulin — HIV, tuberculosis, cancer, contraceptives, hormonal medicines and anesthetics.

Factors for inclusion of a drug in the list-

Several factors influence the decision to include a drug in the NLEM.

As per the 2015 regulations, “every medicine may be necessary or even critical for specific disease conditions for which it is indicated. But in the context of NLEM, a medicine may be essential considering the population at large and should fit into the definition mentioned earlier.”
A changing disease burden also impacted the decision-making process. Other factors include efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness.
A drug is removed from NLEM if another medicine performs better in terms of these above-mentioned factors.

Need for the NLEM-

Drugs listed under NLEM — also known as scheduled drugs — will be cheaper because the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) caps medicine prices and changes only based on wholesale price index-based inflation.
They account for 17-18 per cent of the estimated Rs 1.6-trillion domestic pharmaceutical market. Companies selling non-scheduled drugs can hike prices by up to 10 per cent every year.

Importance of NLEM-

NLEM plays an important role in ensuring the accessibility of affordable quality medicines at all levels of healthcare.
This will give a boost to cost-effective, quality medicines and contribute towards a reduction inOut of Pocket Expenditure on healthcare for the citizens.
This is critical because the recently released National Health Accounts Estimates 2018-19 point to a high burden on households to pay for healthcare, which is a key reason pushing Indians into poverty.
In Uttar Pradesh for example, out-of-pocket health expenditure accounts for 71.3 per cent of the state’s total health expenditure. For India, the figure was 48.2 per cent.

For further notes on NPPA and Drug Pricing, refer – https://optimizeias.com/national-pharmaceutical-pricing-authority-nppa-2/

11. NASA announced the astronauts for ARTEMIS Mission

Subject : Science and technology

Section: Space Technology

Concept :

NASA has announced the four astronauts that will go to the lunar orbit and come back with the Artemis 2 mission—mission commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen and NASA mission specialist Christina Koch.

Artemis II:

It will take off in 2024.
Artemis II will have a crew aboard Orion and will be a test mission to confirm that all of the spacecraft’s systems will operate as designed when it has humans on board.
But the Artemis II launch will be similar to that of Artemis I. A crew of four astronauts will be aboard Orion as it and ICPS orbit the Earth twice before moving to the direction of the Moon.
The Artemis 1 mission allowed NASA to test the foundations of its latest human space exploration capabilities. This included the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, Orion spacecraft, and all associated ground systems.
Artemis 2 will be the first crewed mission to test all this.
The 10-day-long mission will have the four astronauts flying around the Moon to test Orion and its life-support missions to ensure that it can provide a safe habitat that will allow astronauts to live and work during deep space missions.

What will happen during the Artemis 2 mission?

The initial launch will be similar to what happened during the Artemis 1 mission.
After that, the Orion spacecraft and the SLS’s upper stage (ICPS or the interim cryogenic propulsion stage) will orbit Earth twice.
They do this to ensure that all of Orion’s systems are working fine while it is still close to our planet.
After this, the Orion spacecraft will travel to about 10,300 kilometres past the far side of the Moon. From this vantage point, the astronauts will be able to see both the Moon in the foreground and the Earth in the distant background.
Orion will take advantage of the Earth-Moon gravity field to bring itself back to our planet without any propulsion at all. This is possible because the spacecraft is taking a “lunar free return trajectory.”

For further notes on Artemis Mission, refer – https://optimizeias.com/nasa-unveils-new-space-suits-for-moon-missions/

12. Arctic scientists race to preserve ‘ice memory’

Subject : Environment

Section: Msc

Concept :

Arctic scientists are set to start drilling to save samples of ancient ice for analysis before the frozen layers melt away due to climate change, mission organizers said.
They will extract ice in a series of tubes from as far as 125 metres (137 yards) below the surface, containing frozen geochemical traces dating back three centuries.

Why preserve ancient ice?

Analysis of chemicals in deep “ice cores” provides scientists with valuable data about past environmental conditions.
Studies indicate that the Arctic is warming between two and four times faster than the global average.

How will it be preserved?

One set of ice tubes will be used for immediate analysis while a second set will be sent to Antarctica for storage in an “ice memory sanctuary” under the snow, where the samples will be preserved for future generations of scientists.

13. Europe’s droughts are affecting tourism

Subject : Environment

Section: Places in news

Concept :

Much of Europe is experiencing persistent drought. From Italy to Spain, holiday makers face restrictions as a result.
Sever tourist attractions like Lake Garda in Italy, North of the Alps in Switzerland and Germany, Rhine River, Font Magica fountain spectacle in Barcelona, island of Mallorca in spain are facing severe crisis.

Lake Garda

It is the largest lake in Italy.
It is known for its crystal-clear water.
The lake and its shoreline are divided between the provinces of Brescia (to the south-west), Verona (south-east) and Trentino (north).
Lake Garda has been reduced to its lowest level ever recorded in decades.
Reason- River Po, Italy’s longest reiver, have dried up due to scarcity of rainfall in northern Italy.
To compensate, authorities allowed more water from Lake Garda to flow out to local rivers. This resulted in drying of the lake.

About Alps:

The Alps emerged during the Alpine orogeny (mountain-building event), an event that began about 65 million years ago as the Mesozoic Era was drawing to a close.
Alps are young fold mountains with rugged relief and high conical peaks.
They are the most prominent of western Europe’s physiographic regions. Some 750 miles long and more than 125 miles wide at their broadest point between Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, and Verona, Italy, the Alps cover more than 80,000 square miles.
The Alps extend north from the subtropical Mediterranean coast near Nice, France, to Lake Geneva before trending east-northeast to Vienna, Austria.
There they touch the Danube River and meld with the adjacent plain.
Because of their arc like shape, the Alps separate the marine west-coast climates of Europe from the Mediterranean areas of France, Italy, and the Balkan region.
Countries Covered:
The Alps form part of France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and Albania.
Only Switzerland and Austria can be considered true Alpine countries.

Important Peaks:

Mont Blanc is the highest peak in the Alps and in Europe, reaching a lofty 4,804 meters above sea level.
It is located in the Graian Alps and lies within France, Switzerland, and Italy.
Monte Rosa is a massif (a compact group of mountains) consisting of several peaks.
The highest peak in this range (Dufourspitze) has an elevation of 4,634 meters, claiming the title of Switzerland’s highest peak.
Dom, which is located near Monte Rosa, Dom stands at 4,545 meters and is known as one of the “easier” tall peaks in the Alps to summit because of it’s straightforward routes.
Other major peaks are Liskamm, Weisshorn, Matterhorn, Dent Blanche, Grand Combin etc.

Belaric Islands, Spain

The Balearic Islands is an archipelago located in the Mediterranean Sea that forms an autonomous community and province of Spain.
The archipelago is composed of four major islands, Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera, as well as smaller islands and inlets.
Mallorca or Majorca is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain, and the seventh largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.

Rhine River

The Rhine River has a length of about 1,230 km and originates from the southeastern part of the Swiss Alps in the Canton of Grisons, Switzerland.
The river then flows northwards through the large Rhine Valley and forms the international boundary between Switzerland and Liechtenstein and later the boundary between Switzerland and Austria.
In Austria, the river flows into Lake Constance. The river then flows westwards out of the lake as High Rhine and forms Switzerland’s northeastern border with Germany.
The river then falls over 22 m and is then known as the Rhine Falls.
In the city of Basel in Switzerland, the river turns in the northward direction and is referred to as the Upper Rhine.
This part of the river forms the boundary between Germany and France.
Then, the Rhine flows into the Netherlands where it is divided into three branches (Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt).
The river then finally empties into the North Sea.
Some of the notable tributaries of the Rhine River include Aare, Tamina, Moselle, Erft, Rein da Tuma, Plessur, Rotach, and Wiese.
The principal cities that are located along the Rhine River include Düsseldorf, Basel, Rotterdam, Cologne, and Strasbourg.

14. How IOC decision on army-linked athletes cripples Russia Olympic hopes

Subject : International Relations

Section: International Organization

Context: The International Olympic Committee recommended individual athletes from Russia and Belarus should be allowed to return to competition under a neutral status as long as they have no military incantational Olympic Committee Concept :

IOC was created on 23 June 1894. The first Olympic Games of the modern era opened in Athens on 6 April 1896.
It is a not-for-profit independent international organisation.
HQ: Lausanne, Switzerland.

Mandate:

The IOC is the supreme authority of the Olympic Movement and is responsible for organising the modern Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
The IOC is the governing body of the National Olympic Committees (NOCs), which are the national constituents of the worldwide Olympic Movement. As of 2016, there are 206 NOCs officially recognised by the IOC.