Current Affairs Capsule for 5th October 2024

 1. Monkeypox Virus

Introduction:

• An infectious disease arising from orthopoxvirus, related to the virus that leads to smallpox.
•  Mainly affects Central and West Africa but due to travel the disease has been noticed in other parts of the world.           

Transmission:

• Transmitted through contact with infected animals including squirrels, Gambien rats, dormice and monkeys.
• Chimpanzee-to-human transmission involves physical contact with the lesion, body fluids, mouth and respiratory droplets, and contaminated fomites.

Symptoms:

• Fever, rash, enlarged nodes, and respiratory signs.
• Generally milder than smallpox, though, patients, particularly immunocompressed ones, may develop complications.

Preventive Measures:

• Do not come in contact with animals in the affected areas of the world.
• Maintain cleanliness by washing hands, wearing masks and practicing other appropriate measures.

2. About Five Year Cruise Bharat Mission

Overview:

• Organized by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Wateries for developing a cruise tourism industry in India.
• The mission to be accomplished for improving tourism includes the development of India’s long coastal line and the inland waterways.

Objectives:

• Raise the sea cruise tourist arrival from half a million to one million per annum, river cruise from half a million to 1.5 million per annum by 2029.
• Current and future investments should create 10 sea cruise terminals, 100 river cruise terminals, and 5 marinas.

Key Segments of Cruise Tourism:

• Ocean & Harbour Cruises: Cruises, boat tour and yachting.
• River & Inland Cruises: Cruising rivers, canals, backwaters and lake.
• Island Cruises: Honeymoon holidays; exotic holidays to remote places/touring the islands.

Significance:

• Tourism Growth: Implements Cruises India to popularize cruise tourism in India.
• Economic Boost: Expected to deliver about 400,000 employment opportunities by 2029.
• Sustainability: The four areas of concentration should specialize in green cruise structures.

3. Changes in the Alpine French Border: Italy Switzerland

Background:

Switzerland and Italy have decided to shift boundaries caused by glacier melting as it shifted the traditional borderlines dividing the two countries.

Affected Areas:

These are the Plateau de Rosa slopes, the Carrel hut, and Gobba di Rollin which are both located on the Zermatt side of Switzerland, and the Italian side in Aosta valley.

Geopolitical Significance:

Several ski resorts that are very crucial to both nation’s economies are found in the region.

Geological Context:

•  The Alps which is one of the Europe’s ranges of mountains was formed about millions of years back through the formation of a collision between the African and Eurasian plates.
• Many continental water systems like Rhine, Rhône, the Po and others start from the region.

Impacts of Climate Change:

Glacial calving is a good example of the importance of resolving the issue of climate change.

4. Akashteer Air Defence Systems

Overview:

• India has purchased 100 Akashteer Air Defence Control and Reporting Systems (ADCRS) to increase air defense.
• Available in two variants – Tactical and Battlespace – these systems have been designed and developed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and includes radars, sensors, and communication platforms to give a dynamic picture of a battleground to anybody using it.

Purpose:

Defend against missile and rocket threats, improve the ability of the military more effectively to uncover and eliminate aerial threat faster.

Strategic Importance:

This increases readiness of India’s defense systems with the increasing insecurity in the world today.

5. Calling off Tram transport in Kolkata

History of Trams:

• Till the early part of the twentieth century, the horse-drawn trams plied the roads of the city and the modern form of the trams began in 1902 with the electric tram services.
• Kolkata caters transport history by crossing the first tram across Howrah Bridge in the year 1946.

Decline:

• Trams started becoming obsolete due to increased use of cars and buses, thus were a source of congestion.
• But a small historic stretch of Maidan to Esplanade will continue to function, the release added.

Cultural Importance:

• Even portrayed in the Indian cinema as in sitayit ray’s mahanagar.
• The tram service can be claimed to be 150-years old now, the year being 2023.

6. Anna Darpan also known as Depot Online System

Objective:

• Initiated under FCI with a purpose of Supply Chain Management Modernization.
• The system additionally features a microservices-architecture for higher functionality, innovativeness, and lastly, decision making.

Key Features:

• User-Friendly Design: Is easy to use since it has embraced mobile first features.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Offers information at the micro level of an organisation.
• Comprehensive Integration: This combines the internal and external systems for optimum performance a feature.

Role of FCI:

• The FCI comes under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution for Indian food grain procurement, storage and distribution.
• The FCI was established in 1965, and currently, it is crucial in the food security company in Kenya.