Daily Current Affairs and News Analysis 07-05-2025

IXPE Mission: A joint NASA and Italian Space Agency mission launched December 9, 2021. It’s the first satellite to measure X-ray light polarisation.

Focus on Blazars: IXPE studied BL Lacertae (BL Lac), a blazar known for variability and intense emissions. Blazars are active galactic nuclei (AGN) with jets pointed towards Earth.

X-ray Emission Mystery: IXPE aimed to determine how X-rays are generated in black hole jets. Competing theories involved protons (high X-ray polarization) or electrons (low X-ray polarization).

Key Finding: Low X-ray Polarization: IXPE found weak X-ray polarization (no more than 7.6%) from BL Lac’s jets. Optical light showed very high polarisation (up to 47.5%).

Electron-Based X-ray Generation: Low X-ray polarisation disproves proton-based models.

Compton Scattering Confirmed: X-rays are generated via Compton Scattering. High-speed electrons scatter infrared photons, boosting them to X-ray energies.

Significance: IXPE is solving the long-standing mystery of how X-rays are generated in jets. Showing relativistic electron activity links to X-ray generation.

Ancient Wildfires Discovered: Scientists found evidence of palaeofires (ancient wildfires) from the Permian Period (around 250 million years ago) in the Godavari Basin, India.

Palaeofires Defined: Palaeofires are ancient wildfires preserved in geological records, crucial for understanding past vegetation, climate, and coal formation. Study spanned Late Silurian to Quaternary periods.

Research Methods: Researchers used Palynofacies analysis, Raman Spectroscopy, Rock-Eval Pyrolysis, and FTIR Spectroscopy to analyze microscopic organic matter and fossil charcoal.

Organic Matter Types:

• Translucent Organic Matter (TrOM): Pollen and plant debris.
• Palaeofire Charcoal (PAL-CH): Direct evidence of burning.
• Oxidised Charcoal (OX-CH): Transported or altered post-burning.

In-situ vs. Ex-situ Charcoal: The study successfully differentiated between charcoal formed on-site (in situ) and charcoal transported from elsewhere (ex situ), resolving a geological debate.

Stratigraphy Matters: Rock layering revealed that regressive phases (sea-level drop) preserved concentrated fire residues, while transgressive phases (sea-level rise) showed dispersed, oxidized charcoal.

Permian Conditions: High atmospheric oxygen levels during the Permian likely increased wildfire frequency and intensity.

Raniganj Coalfield: This was one of the first Indian sites showing macroscopic charcoal in coal seams, suggesting palaeofires in ancient peat-forming environments.

Climate Change Relevance: Understanding palaeofires helps with carbon cycling and sequestration, relevant for modern climate change mitigation.

Decoding the Fire Story: The study published in ACS Omega provides a clear differentiation between in situ and ex situ charcoal—a major leap in palaeofire research.

BSIP Lucknow’s Role: Scientists from Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP) Lucknow, DST, led the research.

Global HDI Stagnation: The 2025 HDR reveals a worldwide stall in Human Development Index (HDI) progress. Factors like trade tensions, debt crises, and jobless industrialization are cited as potential exacerbating factors.

Report Theme: The 2025 HDR, “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI”, emphasizes the vital role of Artificial Intelligence in shaping future human development.

Top and Bottom Performers: Iceland leads the HDI rankings at 0.972, while South Sudan is at the bottom with 0.388.

India’s Rank: India is ranked 130th out of 193 countries and territories on the HDI.

India’s HDI Improvement: India’s HDI value increased from 0.676 in 2022 to 0.685 in 2023, remaining in the medium human development category.

Long-Term Growth: India’s HDI value has increased by over 53% since 1990, outpacing global and South Asian averages.

HDI Components Improvement: India’s life expectancy rose to 72 years in 2023, expected schooling years increased to 13, and average schooling years rose to 6.9. The per capita Gross National Income (GNI) jumped to $9,047 (PPP 2021).

AI Talent: India is among the top 10 in the Global AI Index among low- and middle-income countries, demonstrating a high level of self-reported AI skills penetration and improving retention of domestic AI talent.

Regional Comparison: Among India’s neighbours, China, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan rank higher. Bangladesh is at par with India.

Inequality Challenge: Inequality reduces India’s HDI by 30.7%, highlighting significant income and gender disparities.

Public Trespassing: Unchecked public trespassing into Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) continues, raising concerns among conservationists.

Illegal Activities: Visitors are cooking non-vegetarian food, engaging in recreational activities, and disturbing the natural habitat within the protected area, including at Vajrapoha waterfalls.

Police Involvement: Earlier in January, police personnel from Khanapur allegedly entered the sanctuary without permission for a booze party; no punitive measures were taken.

Ministerial Directive: Forest minister Eshwar Khandre directed the forest department to take immediate action, but violations persist.

Social Media Evidence: Videos on social media show visitors bathing under Vajrapoha waterfalls and taking selfies in restricted areas.

Access Point: Locals claim most visitors access the site through Jamboti village.

Lack of Surveillance: Environmentalists point to a serious lapse in forest surveillance, particularly by the Khanapur Range Forest Officer.

Fishing Violations: People are also fishing in the Mahadayi River at Krishnapur village, within the sanctuary’s jurisdiction.

Official Response: The Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) claims no illegal entry has been officially reported near Vajrapoha or Bhimgad; FIR was filed in January against earlier trespassing.

Chapoli Village Incident: Viral videos reportedly involve relatives of residents from Chapoli village accessing the falls via an internal route for a religious festival; investigation is ongoing.

Significance of BWS: The Sanctuary is ecologically sensitive and home to endangered species, including the Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat.

India hosts the 12th Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX 2025) in New Delhi from May 7-9, 2025.

The theme is “Reaching New Worlds: A Space Exploration Renaissance,” emphasizing innovation, inclusivity, and international cooperation.

GLEX 2025 is jointly organized by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) (host), and Astronautical Society of India (ASI) (co-host).

Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister, will inaugurate the summit, highlighting India’s growing role in global space leadership.

The conference signifies India’s transition from a regional space power to a key international player.

Over 1800 delegates are expected, including 233 international delegates from 36 countries.

A record 1,275 abstracts were submitted from 57 countries (822 from India and 453 internationally), indicating significant global interest.

Strong student participation with 562 abstracts submitted emphasizes the next generation’s engagement in space exploration.

The conference includes 10 parallel technical sessions, covering 15 thematic areas, with over 240 interactive presentations.

Plenary Sessions will feature prominent figures like Dr. Jitendra Singh, Josef Aschbacher (ESA), Kazuyoshi Kawasaki (Japan), V. Narayanan (ISRO), and others.

An astronaut outreach program will feature nearly 10 astronauts, including Hazzaa AlMansoori (UAE), Alper Gezeravci (Türkiye), and Rakesh Sharma (India).

Dr. Jitendra Singh will inaugurate a space exhibition with stalls from 22 organizations, including Indian space startups, global companies, and ISRO.

• Disruptions reduce Question Hour effectiveness (only 60% functional in 17th Lok Sabha).
• Committee reports rarely debated or implemented.
• Lack of post-legislative scrutiny to evaluate law impact.
• Limited public access and engagement with committee findings.
• Underutilization of technology (AI, data analytics).

• Institutionalize post-legislative scrutiny (like UK model).
• Use AI and data analytics for smarter oversight.
• Build MP capacity with research support (PRS-style unit, fellows program).
• Promote transparency (translations, visual explainers, public dashboards).

Nationwide Cashless Treatment: The Indian government launched a scheme providing cashless medical treatment to road accident victims across the country. Why: Ensures immediate medical attention regardless of the victim’s financial status.

Eligibility: Any individual injured in a road accident involving a motor vehicle on any public road in India qualifies. Why: Broad coverage aims to assist all road accident victims.

Benefit Cap & Duration: Treatment capped at Rs 1.5 lakh, valid for up to seven days from the accident date. Why: Sets a defined limit to manage resources and focus on initial critical care.

Designated vs. Non-Designated Hospitals: Cashless treatment is fully available at designated hospitals; non-designated hospitals provide stabilization measures only. Why: Creates a network of equipped hospitals for comprehensive care while acknowledging the role of other facilities.

National Health Authority (NHA) Coordination: NHA is the coordinating agency, working with police, hospitals, and State Health Agencies. Why: Centralizes administration for effective implementation and standardized processes.

State Road Safety Council Nodal Agency: State Road Safety Councils are responsible for implementation within their jurisdiction, including hospital onboarding and payment processing via a dedicated portal. Why: Decentralizes operations for localized management and better outreach.

Steering Committee Oversight: A 17-member committee headed by the road transport secretary monitors scheme implementation. Why: Provides high-level supervision and accountability.

KLIP Damage: The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) found “irreparable damage” to three barrages within the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP).

KLIP Overview: A multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in Telangana, designed to irrigate 45 lakh acres across 20 districts (plus Hyderabad/Secunderabad).

Scale: World’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project. It has seven links, 28 packages, spans 500 km, and boasts a canal network over 1,800 km.

Water Allocation: Aims for 240 TMC of water for irrigation, Hyderabad’s municipal water, industrial use, and drinking water for villages.

Pranahita River: Upstream influence is at the confluence of the Pranhita and Godavari. The Pranahita is formed by the Wardha, Painganga, and Wainganga rivers.

• Incorporates spatial and temporal lags between carbon production and export.
• Accounts for zooplankton activity, ocean advection of plankton, and biological succession.
• Offers an alternative to models solely reliant on ocean color data.

Induction of INS Tamal: The Indian Navy is inducting INS Tamal, its second advanced warship, amid heightened tensions with Pakistan.

Type of Warship: INS Tamal is a state-of-the-art, Krivak-III class stealth guided missile frigate.

India-Russia Deal: It’s part of a $2.5 billion deal between India and Russia for four stealth frigates (two Russian-built, two Indian-built).

Significance: INS Tamal is the last major warship to be imported, marking a shift towards indigenous warship design and construction in India.

Indigenous Production: The remaining two frigates from the deal, Triput and Tavasya, are under construction at Goa Shipyard Limited with technology transfer.

Blue Water Operations: Designed for diverse naval warfare, including air, surface, underwater, and electronic warfare.

Specifications: 125 meters long, 3,900-tonne displacement, incorporating both Russian design and approximately 26% Indian-sourced components.

Performance: Cruising speed of up to 30 knots (55 km/h), with a range of 3,000 kilometres per deployment.

Missile Systems: Equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and vertically launched Shtil surface-to-air missiles, anti-submarine torpedoes, and rocket launchers.

Helicopter Operations: Can support multi-role helicopter operations for enhanced mission reach.

Stealth Technology: Features radar-evading stealth technology.