Daily Current Affairs and News Analysis 12-08-2025

• Mindset: Policymakers view communities as beneficiaries, not co-creators. Success is measured by targets, not quality or user experience.
• Medicalised Governance: Decision-making dominated by doctors with limited public health training; promotions based on seniority, not expertise.
• Resistance to Participation: Officials fear increased workload, accountability, and dominance by vested interests.
• Weak Platforms: Committees are often non-functional, with unclear roles, infrequent meetings, misused funds, poor coordination, and dominance by powerful groups.

• Mindset Change: View communities as rights-holders and co-creators, not just tools for targets.
• Empowerment: Disseminate health rights information, foster civic awareness, reach marginalized groups, and equip citizens with participation tools.
• Sensitization: Train health professionals to see communities as partners and address structural determinants of health, not just individual behavior.
• Activate Platforms: Ensure committees have clear roles, regular meetings, adequate funding, and transparency. Promote two-way accountability.

Lunar Nuclear Reactor Accelerated: NASA is prioritizing the development of a nuclear reactor for the Moon, aiming for a 2030 deployment.

• Why: To enable a permanent human presence on the lunar surface, supporting long-term missions and habitats, and to align with the Artemis Accords.

100 Kilowatt Power Output: The reactor is designed to produce 100 kW of power.

• Why: This provides a consistent and reliable energy source, crucial for lunar operations, unlike intermittent solar power, especially in permanently shadowed regions of the Moon.

Addressing Solar Power Limitations: Nuclear power is favored over solar for the Moon.

• Why: Solar power is unreliable due to extended periods of darkness on the lunar surface, making nuclear energy essential for continuous power for habitats, rovers, and missions.

International Competition: NASA’s accelerated timeline is partly driven by similar lunar nuclear ambitions from China and Russia.

• Why: This reflects a global race for lunar dominance and resource utilization, with other nations like India and Japan also pursuing lunar exploration and settlement.

Legal and Ethical Framework: The project operates within established international guidelines.

• Why: The Outer Space Treaty (1967) permits peaceful use of nuclear power in space, emphasizing safety and transparency, while the Artemis Accords further promote international cooperation and responsible space exploration.

Tuvalu to Relocate Population to Australia: Tuvalu is undertaking the world’s first planned migration due to climate change-induced sea-level rise.

• Why in News: This historic move highlights the tangible and immediate impacts of global warming on vulnerable nations.

Falepili Union Treaty (2023): This treaty facilitates the relocation of Tuvaluans to Australia.

• Why in News: It establishes a framework for climate-induced migration, offering a pathway to permanent residency and equal rights for Tuvaluans in Australia.

“Climate Visa” for Tuvaluans: Australia will accept 280 Tuvaluans annually as permanent residents starting in 2025 through a ballot-based visa.

• Why in News: This “climate visa” is a pioneering initiative, acknowledging and addressing the needs of climate refugees.

Rising Sea Levels Threaten Tuvalu’s Existence: NASA predicts most of Tuvalu’s land will be submerged by 2050 due to its low elevation.

• Why in News: This underscores the existential threat faced by low-lying island nations and the urgent need for climate action.

Tuvalu’s Vulnerability: With an average elevation of only 2 meters, Tuvalu is highly susceptible to floods, storms, and coastal erosion.

• Why in News: This highlights Tuvalu’s extreme vulnerability and the direct consequence of climate change on its geography and people.

India’s Carbon Market Launch (2026): Biochar is positioned as a key CO₂ removal technology to reduce emissions and support sustainable growth in anticipation of the Indian carbon market.

India’s Emission Profile: While India’s per capita emissions are low, it’s the third-largest emitter globally. The power sector (coal) and transport are major emission hotspots. This necessitates scalable CO₂ removal solutions.

Biochar’s Potential:

• Waste Utilization: India generates vast amounts of agricultural residue and municipal waste, much of which pollutes. Using 30-50% for biochar could remove ~0.1 GtCO₂eq annually.
• Carbon Sequestration: Biochar stores carbon in soil for centuries, enhancing soil health.
• Energy Generation: Pyrolysis of waste produces syngas for electricity (8-13 TWh/yr) and bio-oil to replace fossil fuels (reducing imports and emissions by >2%).
• Agriculture: Improves water retention and reduces potent nitrous oxide emissions by 30-50%.
• Construction: Enhances concrete strength, heat resistance, and sequesters ~115 kg CO₂/m³.
• Wastewater Treatment: Offers a cost-effective solution for India’s significant untreated wastewater.

Broader CO₂ Removal Landscape: Biochar is part of a suite of solutions including afforestation, agroforestry, soil carbon sequestration, ocean-based methods, BECCS, DAC, and CCUS.

Opportunity: Promoting biochar and similar technologies transforms climate challenges into sustainable growth, aiding India in meeting Paris Agreement goals.

• Why it’s news: Marks a significant milestone for a key government initiative.

• Why it’s news: Underscores the core values and ongoing goals of the platform.

• Why it’s news: Provides context on what GeM is and its scope.

• Why it’s news: Emphasizes the official backing and mandatory nature of the platform.

• Why it’s news: Explains the fundamental benefits and objectives driving GeM.

• Why it’s news: Provides concrete, external validation of GeM’s effectiveness and financial impact.

• Why it’s news: Highlights the platform’s success in achieving its inclusion goals and supporting various segments of the economy.

• Why it’s news: Showcases technological innovation and enhanced user experience within the platform.

Supreme Court Endorses ‘Cool-off’ Period in Cruelty Cases: In Shivangi Bansal vs Sahib Bansal, the SC upheld an Allahabad High Court directive suspending arrest/coercive action for two months in Section 498-A IPC (cruelty by husband/relatives) cases pending review by family welfare committees.

Section 498-A IPC Context: Enacted in 1983 to protect married women from cruelty, harassment (including dowry), or acts leading to suicide/injury. Penalties include up to 3 years imprisonment.

Court’s Ruling & Implications: The SC approved a two-month “cool-off” period before arrests, without in-depth analysis of socio-political impact. This grants temporary blanket protection, potentially hindering immediate police action even with evidence, deterring complainants, increasing victim safety risks, and legitimizing police inaction.

Concerns of Misuse vs. Reality: While some allege misuse of Section 498-A for revenge or financial settlements, the article argues this is often based on individual cases, not empirical data. The low conviction rate (18% in 2022) is attributed to investigation issues, bias, and societal pressures, not necessarily misuse. NCRB data shows over 1.3 lakh cases registered in 2022, and NFHS-5 indicates significant under-reporting of domestic violence.

Precedent & Impact on Gender Justice: The ruling, by suspending protections based on alleged misuse, contradicts previous SC judgments (like Sushil Kumar Sharma) stating misuse is not grounds for striking down a law. It weakens victim protection and raises concerns about the uniformity and consistency of criminal law, potentially hindering gender justice and victims’ access to immediate relief.

Way Forward: The article suggests addressing misuse concerns without diluting core protections, ensuring prompt inquiries instead of blanket suspensions, and prioritizing victim safety through protection orders and immediate intervention.

Discovery of Iron-Age Settlement: Evidence of human settlements dating back to approximately 1500 BC has been found in Topra Kalan, Haryana.

Significance of the Period: This discovery signifies the transition from the Bronze Age (Indus Valley Civilization) to the Iron Age in India.

Archaeological Findings: Artifacts unearthed include Painted Grey Ware (PGW), stamped pottery, moulded bricks, beads, and pottery types like Black-and-Red Ware. Structural remains like walls, platforms, room-like enclosures, and a potential Buddhist stupa were also found.

Historical Context of Topra Kalan: The village is historically significant as the original location of the Delhi-Topra Ashokan pillar, later moved by Firoz Shah Tughlaq, and has links to ancient Buddhist activity.

Iron Age Characteristics in India: The Iron Age, following the Bronze Age, is defined by the widespread use of iron for tools and weapons. Texts like the Atharvaveda mention iron, and its importance grew significantly during the early historic period.

Associated Cultures: Key pottery cultures associated with the Iron Age in North India include Black-and-Red Ware (BRW), Painted Grey Ware (PGW), and Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW), the latter marking the period of the Second Urbanization.

Iron Age in South India: In peninsular India, the Iron Age is largely represented by the Megalithic culture, with significant sites like Naikund and Paiyampalli revealing iron-smelting practices. Recent findings suggest iron’s presence in South India as early as the fourth millennium BCE.

• Poverty Alleviation (SDG 1): Around 248 million people escaped multidimensional poverty between 2013-14 and 2022-23.
• Food Security (SDG 2): PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana has provided nutritional support to millions, continuing for five years from 2024.
• Health and Nutrition (SDG 3): POSHAN Abhiyaan and Ayushman Bharat have improved access to nutrition and healthcare, with out-of-pocket health expenditure declining.
• Clean Energy (SDG 7): Initiatives like the National Green Hydrogen Mission and PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana are accelerating clean energy adoption.

• Why in News: This trial marks a significant advancement in India’s freight logistics capacity.

• Why in News: Its sheer size demonstrates a leap in the volume of goods that can be transported in a single journey.

• Why in News: The successful execution and efficiency showcased highlight the potential for faster and more effective cargo movement.

• Why in News: These objectives address critical aspects of economic efficiency and infrastructure optimization in India’s railway network.

Rapid Thinning Since 2019: The Perito Moreno Glacier, historically known for its stability, has begun thinning at an accelerated rate.

• Why it’s news: This marks a significant departure from its long-standing pattern and raises concerns about its future.

Vulnerability Despite Unique Geography: Previously, its stability was attributed to high-altitude ice fields and a submerged bedrock ridge preventing detachment.

• Why it’s news: Even with these protective factors, the glacier is now showing signs of increased vulnerability.

Likely Cause: Climate Change: New radar studies suggest accelerated ice loss is probable due to ongoing climate change.

• Why it’s news: This highlights how global warming is impacting even glaciers previously thought to be resilient.

Warning of Inevitable Retreat: Scientists warn that without significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, the glacier’s retreat is unavoidable.

• Why it’s news: This is a stark warning about the long-term consequences of climate change on natural landmarks.

Why in News: The flash flood in Dharali, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, highlights the escalating threat of disasters in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) due to extreme weather.

Factors Driving Disasters:

• Tectonic Activity: Himalayas are seismically active due to plate collisions, triggering earthquakes that cause landslides, avalanches, and flash floods.
• Fragile Geology: Young, sedimentary rocks and steep slopes make the region prone to landslides.
• Glacial Hazards: Rapid glacial melt, accelerated by climate change, leads to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), causing destructive downstream flooding.
• Extreme Rainfall & Cloudbursts: Intense, short bursts of rain and cloudbursts trigger flash floods and landslides.
• River Dynamics: Young, fast-flowing rivers with heavy sediment loads are prone to flash floods when blocked by landslides or glacial debris.
• Deforestation & Land Use: Clearing forests destabilizes slopes, increasing erosion and runoff, while unregulated construction exacerbates vulnerability.

Challenges in Mitigation:

• Predicting which events (like moderate rain) will trigger flash floods is difficult.
• Cloud cover hinders satellite assessment of potential ice-breaks.
• Fragile geology means even low-intensity rain can cause landslides or floods.

Mitigation Measures:

• Develop comprehensive early warning systems with sensors.
• Implement engineering interventions like check dams and spillways.
• Promote sustainable tourism with caps and eco-friendly models.
• Conduct region-specific Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs).
• Revise building codes for earthquake and landslide resistance.
• Integrate disaster risk reduction into development projects.
• Manage watersheds and river basins holistically.
• Enhance community awareness and preparedness.
• Foster multi-agency coordination.

Why in News: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) celebrated World Elephant Day in Coimbatore on August 12th, focusing on human-elephant conflict.

India’s Elephant Population: India hosts over 60% of the world’s wild Asian elephants. Elephants are crucial “ecosystem engineers,” “keystone,” “umbrella,” and “flagship species.”

Conservation Efforts:

• Project Elephant: Launched in 1992, it supports 22 states in elephant conservation, habitat, and corridor protection. Merged with Project Tiger from FY 2023-24.
• Project RE-HAB: Uses bee-fences to deter elephants from human settlements.
• Elephant Reserves: 33 designated reserves across 14 states provide critical habitats.
• Elephant Corridors: 150 corridors are ground-validated to ensure safe movement.
• Population Increase: Wild elephant population rose from 27,669-27,719 (2007) to 29,964 (2017).

Challenges:

• Elephant-Train Collisions: 186 elephants died between 2009-2024 due to tracks through corridors and high speeds.
• Habitat Loss & Fragmentation: Settlements and infrastructure shrink and break up forests.
• Human-Elephant Conflict: Shrinking habitats push elephants into human areas, causing deaths and crop damage.
• Poaching: For ivory, meat, skin, and tail hair.
• Infrastructure Threats: Electrocution from power lines, injuries from crude bombs.
• Accidental Deaths: Falling into open wells and trenches.
• Limited Resources: Remote areas have poor monitoring and patrolling.

Measures Needed:

• Mitigate Collisions: Build ramps, underpasses, overpasses, and install Intrusion Detection Systems.
• Deterrents: Chili powder fences and beehives.
• Habitat Protection: Reconnect fragmented habitats through land acquisition and relocation.
• Technological Interventions: GPS collar tracking for real-time monitoring and prediction.
• Capacity Building: Better equipment and training for forest staff.
• Community Participation: Expand awareness programs.