Daily Current Affairs and News Analysis 30-04-2025

WAM! & WAVES ’25

• WAM! National Finale at WAVES 2025: Finalists from 11 Indian cities will compete in the WAM! (WAVES Anime & Manga Contest) national finale, held during WAVES 2025 (May 1-4, 2025, Mumbai).
• WAM! Overview: India’s first national initiative to discover and promote original Indian IPs in anime, manga, webtoons, and cosplay. Organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in collaboration with MEAI.
• WAVES 2025 Overview: World Audio-Visual & Entertainment Summit designed to promote India’s AVGC-XR (Animation, VFX, Gaming, Comics, XR) sector under the theme “Create in India, Create for the World.”
• Create in India Challenges (CIC): A key part of WAVES, the CIC received over 1 lakh registrations, including 1,100 international participants.
• Crunchyroll Sponsorship: Crunchyroll is the Title Sponsor of WAM! 2025, providing Creator Development Grants to winners in Manga, Webtoon, and Anime categories (both student and professional).
• Grants: Grants range from INR 25,000 to INR 50,000 based on category.
• Anime Japan 2026 Support: Crunchyroll will support the WAM! 2025 Finale winning team (Team India) to participate in Anime Japan 2026 in Tokyo.
• WAVES Focus: The summit will showcase Broadcasting, Films, Print Media, Radio, Digital Media, Advertising, Social Media, Generative AI, AR, VR, and XR.

Land of the Pharaohs

• India-Egypt Enhanced Cooperation: Bilateral ties are strengthening through strategic collaboration in skill development, building on the Strategic Partnership established in 2023.

• High-Level Deliberations: A high-level Egyptian delegation, led by H.E. Prof. Dr. Ayman Bahaa El Din, met with India’s MSDE to discuss skill development avenues.

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• India’s Skill Capital Vision: India aims to become the “Skill Capital of the World” through the Skill India Mission, with significant training in advanced domains and entrepreneurship.

• Alignment with Global Standards: India is aligning its TVET ecosystem with global standards, establishing Skill India International Centres for collaboration.

• Egypt’s TVET Ecosystem: Egypt shared insights into its comprehensive TVET ecosystem, including the EU-supported TVET Egypt Reform Programme and Sector Skill Councils.

• Future Cooperation Areas: Joint certification programs, faculty/student exchanges, digital skilling, entrepreneurship initiatives, and Centres of Excellence are planned. Sectors include IT, agriculture, tourism, and green skills.

• Shared Commitment: Both countries are committed to creating a globally competitive workforce and using their partnership as a model for South-South and triangular cooperation.

• Strategic Location: Egypt’s location in Northeast Africa, controlling the Suez Canal, makes it geopolitically important.

• Suez Canal Significance: Approximately 12% of India’s global trade passes through the Suez Canal, highlighting Egypt’s importance for India’s maritime and trade interests.

Alfalfa Seed

• GM Alfalfa Import Restrictions: The Indian government is planning to restrict the import of genetically modified (GM) alfalfa (lucerne) fodder seed.

• US Pressure on Import Duties: This action comes as the United States is urging India to lower import duties on alfalfa.

• Legal Basis for Regulation: India’s Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, grants the government the authority to regulate the entry of GM organisms.

• Nutritional Value: Alfalfa is a highly nutritious plant containing vitamins (A, C, K, B vitamins), minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium), plant-based proteins, fiber, and antioxidants.

• Uses: It serves as animal feed and is also consumed by humans for its health benefits.

• Nitrogen Fixation: As a legume, alfalfa has the ability to improve soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere.

• US Production: The United States is the world’s largest alfalfa producer, relying primarily on rainfed conditions.

Brain-Computer Interface

• Stable BCI Development: UCSF researchers developed a BCI allowing a paralyzed man to control a robotic arm for 7 months with minimal recalibration.
• Direct Brain-Machine Communication: BCI enables direct communication between the brain and external devices, translating brain signals into commands.
• Overcoming Instability: Researchers tackled BCI instability by understanding daily shifts in brain activity patterns related to imagined movements and developing AI algorithms to compensate.
• Sensor Implantation and Signal Interpretation: Tiny sensors implanted on the brain’s surface read neural signals of imagined movement, which are then decoded to control the robotic arm.
• AI and Machine Learning: Machine learning algorithms are used to predict changes over time in brain signal patterns, ensuring stable BCI performance.
• Virtual Training for Refinement: The paralyzed man first trained using a virtual robotic arm, refining mental control before operating the real robotic arm.
• Real-World Task Execution: The participant performed complex tasks such as picking up blocks, opening a cabinet, and holding a cup under a water dispenser, showcasing precise control.
• Potential for Speech Restoration: BCI holds promise for restoring speech in conditions like brainstem stroke or ALS, decoding intended speech into text/audible output.
• Faster Communication Rate: ALS patient communicated at 62 words per minute using BCI, significantly faster than previous systems.
• Future Refinements: Further research needed for fluid BCI operation in complex, distracting scenarios, such as crowded environments.

Poverty & Equity Brief

• India’s Poverty Reduction: The World Bank’s Spring 2025 Poverty & Equity Brief praises India for lifting 171 million people out of extreme poverty between 2011-12 and 2022-23, reducing the extreme poverty rate from 16.2% to 2.3%.
• Rural and Urban Progress: Significant poverty reduction occurred in both rural (18.4% to 2.8%) and urban areas (10.7% to 1.1%) during the same period.
• Key States’ Contribution: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh accounted for two-thirds of the overall decline in extreme poverty.
• Decline in Multidimensional Poverty: India’s Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) declined from 53.8% in 2005-06 to 15.5% in 2022-23.
• Reduced Income Inequality: India’s consumption-based Gini index improved from 28.8 in 2011-12 to 25.5 in 2022-23, indicating a reduction in income inequality.
• Employment Growth: Employment rates are rising, especially for women, and urban unemployment is at its lowest since 2017-18.
• Progress at Lower-Middle-Income Level: Poverty rate at the USD 3.65 per day poverty line dropped from 61.8% to 28.1%, lifting 378 million people out of poverty.
• Revised Poverty Estimates: With revised international poverty lines and updated Purchasing Power Parities, the new poverty rates for 2022-23 are expected to be 5.3% for extreme poverty and 23.9% for lower-middle-income poverty.
• Poverty and Equity Briefs (PEBs): Highlight trends in poverty, shared prosperity, and inequality for over 100 developing countries. Published twice a year and offer a snapshot of a country’s poverty and inequality context

AIM4NatuRe

• FAO-led Initiative: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has launched “Accelerating Innovative Monitoring for Nature Restoration (AIM4NatuRe).”
• Goal: To improve countries’ ability to monitor and report on ecosystem restoration efforts.
• Funding: A US$9 million program, primarily funded by the United Kingdom (GBP 7 million), running from 2025-2028.
• Target: Supports the global goal of restoring at least 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030 (Global Biodiversity Framework Target 2).
• Approach: Leverages advanced technology, standardized data frameworks, and capacity building.
• Scope: Covers a wide range of ecosystems including forests, wetlands, grasslands, marine areas, and agricultural landscapes.
• Holistic: Part of FAO’s AIM4Forests Programme, broadening the focus beyond forests.
• FERM Framework: Develops the Framework for Ecosystem Restoration Monitoring (FERM) to aid data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Indigenous Support: Will support Indigenous Peoples in monitoring biocentric nature restoration.

Why is this News?

• Global Restoration Goals: Addresses the urgent need to track progress towards international biodiversity targets.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Emphasizes the importance of robust monitoring for effective restoration.
• Accountability: Promotes transparency in restoration efforts, ensuring accountability.
• Capacity Building: Focuses on empowering countries with the tools and knowledge for monitoring.
• Inclusivity: Highlights the role of Indigenous Peoples in restoration monitoring.

India’s Memory Bank

• Acquisition of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s Papers: The National Archives of India (NAI) has expanded its collection by acquiring the private papers of former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. This enriches the repository with historically significant personal records.

• Repository of Government Records: NAI functions under the Ministry of Culture and serves as the central repository for non-current government records for use by administrators and researchers.

• Largest Archive in South Asia: It is the biggest archival repository in South Asia, holding records of enduring value from the Government of India.

• Historical Background: Established in 1891 in Kolkata as the Imperial Record Department, it was moved to New Delhi in 1911, with the present building completed in 1926 and records transfer finalized in 1937.

• Public Records Act Implementation: The NAI is the nodal agency for implementing the Public Records Act, 1993, and the Public Record Rules, 1997.

• Extensive Collection: It holds over 34 crore pages of public records, including diverse materials like files, maps, manuscripts, treaties, parliamentary debates, and more, in various languages like Sanskrit and Persian.

• Access Governed by Rules: Access to NAI records is regulated by the Public Records Rules, 1997. The NAI keeps and conserves records of the government of India and its organisations. It does not receive classified documents.

• Regional Presence: It has a regional office in Bhopal and Records Centers in Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, and Puducherry.

• Abhilekh PATAL: The NAI’s Abhilekh PATAL is a web portal providing online access to digitized archival records, containing over 2.7 million files and 71,792 digitized records.

Special 301

• India on ‘Priority Watch List’: The US Trade Representative (USTR) has again placed India on its ‘Priority Watch List’ in the Special 301 Report.

• Special 301 Report Overview: This annual USTR report identifies countries that, in the US’s view, don’t adequately protect intellectual property rights (IPRs) or provide fair market access to US IPR holders.

• Report’s Purpose: The report aims to pressure countries to improve their IPR protection and enforcement.

• Country Designations: The report categorizes countries as “priority foreign country,” “priority watch country,” and “watch list country,” based on the severity of their IPR deficiencies.

• Priority Foreign Country Implications: Designation as a “priority foreign country” triggers an investigation and potential sanctions by the US. Priority Watch List necessitates greater US attention.

• Criticism of the Report: Some view the report as arbitrary, lacking empirical evidence, and biased towards US industry concerns regarding IPR protection abroad.

Shahid Rajaee Port

• Explosion and Fire: A large explosion occurred at Shahid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas, Iran, causing a significant fire and casualties.

• Possible Cause: The blast was potentially triggered by sodium perchlorate, a chemical used in ballistic missile propulsion.

• Strategic Importance: Shahid Rajaee is Iran’s largest and most advanced commercial port, located near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil transit route.

• Cargo Handling: The port handles a large portion of Iran’s trade, including 85% of its container cargo and 52% of its oil trade.

• INSTC Connection: It’s a key node on the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), linking the Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf to Russia and Northern Europe.

• Historical Context: The port’s development began during the Iran-Iraq War and has expanded significantly since.

• Geopolitical Significance: The incident highlights existing tensions in the Middle East and concerns about Iran’s influence in regional energy matters.

Sarvam’s AI Leap

• Sarvam Selected to Build India’s First Indigenous AI Model: The Indian government has chosen the Bengaluru-based start-up, Sarvam, to develop India’s first homegrown Large Language Model (LLM) under the IndiaAI Mission.

• Model Variants: Sarvam is developing three AI model variants: Sarvam-Large (advanced reasoning), Sarvam-Small (real-time applications), and Sarvam-Edge (compact on-device tasks).

• Resource Allocation: Sarvam will receive access to 4,000 Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) for six months to build a 70 billion parameter AI model. The GPUs will be provided by companies separately selected by the government to set up AI data centres in India.

• Focus on Indian Languages: The AI model will be fine-tuned for Indian languages for population-scale deployment and aims to reason and be fluent in Indian languages.

• Strategic Autonomy and Innovation: The initiative aims to promote strategic autonomy, accelerate domestic innovation, and secure India’s leadership in AI.

• Not Open-Sourced: The AI model is not expected to be open-sourced.

• IndiaAI Mission Support: This project aligns with the broader IndiaAI Mission, which aims to drive responsible and inclusive growth of India’s AI ecosystem.

• Competition with Global Models: The development comes amid the rise of DeepSeek, a low-cost foundational model from China and the necessity for a domestic AI infrastructure.

• AI Infrastructure Development: The government had also selected 10 companies to supply 18,693 GPUs – high-end chips needed to develop machine learning tools.

Near-Surface Shear

• Dynamic Plasma Currents Mapped: International team, including IIA scientists, mapped plasma currents in the Sun’s Near-Surface Shear Layer (NSSL).

• Correlation with Solar Cycle: Revealed patterns correlating with the Sun’s 11-year magnetic activity (sunspot) cycle.

• NSSL Definition: NSSL is a crucial region beneath the Sun’s surface (up to 35,000 km deep) where rotation speed changes rapidly with depth.

• Plasma Flow Patterns: Surface plasma flows converge towards sunspot latitudes, reversing midway in the NSSL to flow outward.

• Influence of Rotation and Coriolis Force: Flows shaped by Sun’s rotation and Coriolis force, similar to Earth’s hurricanes.

• No Impact on Torsional Oscillations: Localized flows do not drive large-scale zonal flows (torsional oscillations), suggesting deeper forces are at play.

• Helioseismology Used: Scientists employed helioseismology (sound waves) to map the Sun’s internal structures and dynamics.

• Data Sources: Used data from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO/HMI) and the Global Oscillations Network Group (GONG) of NSO, USA.

• Confirmation with 3D Maps: Findings confirmed using 3D velocity maps of sunspot regions, showing matching surface inflows and deeper outflows.

• Impact on Space Weather: Understanding NSSL is crucial as solar activity influences space weather, potentially disrupting satellites and Earth’s infrastructure.

Rabies: The Facts

• Rabies Fatality in Kerala: A 6-year-old girl in Kerala died from rabies despite receiving a preventive vaccination after being bitten by a stray dog.

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• Zoonotic Viral Disease: Rabies is a deadly zoonotic disease caused by the Rabies virus (RABV) that affects the nervous system.

• Transmission: Primarily transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, mainly dogs (responsible for up to 99% of human cases). Can also spread through open wounds or mucous membranes.

• Pathogenesis: The virus either enters the peripheral nervous system directly or replicates in muscle tissue before entering the nervous system, leading to inflammation of the brain.

• Incubation Period: Typically 2-3 months, but can range from one week to one year.

• Symptoms: Initial symptoms include fever, pain, and tingling at the wound site. Progresses to inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, leading to either furious rabies (hyperactivity, hallucinations) or paralytic rabies (paralysis, coma).

• Fatality: Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal (100%).

• Neglected Tropical Disease: Rabies is classified as a neglected tropical disease, disproportionately affecting marginalized, poor, and vulnerable populations in Asia and Africa.

• Prevention: Vaccination of dogs is the most effective prevention strategy.

• Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP): Includes wound care, human rabies immune globulin (HRIG), and a series of rabies vaccines, nearly 100% effective if administered promptly after exposure.

• Preventable Disease: Rabies is entirely avoidable with available vaccines, medicines, and technologies.

AI & Clean Energy

• IMF Report: AI’s economic benefits may outweigh environmental costs, especially with renewable energy integration.
• India’s AI Ambition: AI crucial for India’s economic goals (USD 1 trillion digital economy, 20% GDP contribution by 2028).
• AI’s Environmental Impact: High energy consumption in data centres (doubling by 2030), carbon emissions, water usage (training GPT-3 uses 700,000 litres), resource mining, and e-waste generation.
• AI for Environmental Solutions: AI used for pollution control (IBM’s Green Horizon), weather forecasting (Google’s GenCast), forest and ocean conservation.
• India’s Approach: Integrating renewables into AI infrastructure under IndiaAI Mission, exploring nuclear energy (small modular reactors).
• Challenges: Limited renewable capacity (44.72% non-fossil based), grid infrastructure issues, high AI energy consumption, policy gaps, and financing barriers.
• Sustainable Practices: Maximize solar and wind energy, green backup power (hydrogen fuel cells), AI-powered smart grids, energy-efficient hardware, sustainable data centre development, pilot projects, and startup support.
• Balancing Act: India’s 2070 net-zero target requires balancing AI growth with scaling down conventional energy sources.
• Data centres: Data centres lend themselves uniquely to captive renewable infrastructure.
• Other Impacts Mining of minerals and water use, and produces effluents in the manufacturing of the electronics supply chain

Arbitration India

• Why in News: Arbitration is gaining traction in India due to increasing domestic and international commercial transactions, offering a faster alternative to overburdened courts. However, concerns exist regarding the quality and diversity of arbitrators.

• Arbitration Defined: A quasi-judicial dispute resolution method outside courts, using a neutral arbitrator for a binding decision. Governed by the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (amended).

• Key Drivers:

  • Judicial overload with significant case backlogs.
  • Surge in FDI and business disputes requiring efficient resolution.
  • Legislative support through amendments to the Arbitration Act and promotion of ADR.
  • Global recognition and enforceability of awards under conventions like the New York Convention.
  • Flexibility, confidentiality, and cost-effectiveness for businesses.

• Challenges:

  • Dominance of retired judges using court-like procedures, hindering efficiency.
  • Limited diversity in the arbitrator pool, lacking subject-matter experts.
  • Lack of specialized arbitrator training in managerial, procedural, and soft skills.
  • Low global visibility of Indian arbitrators in international arbitration.

• Proposed Solutions:

  • Establish a national accreditation framework for arbitrators, including diverse professionals.
  • Launch a national arbitration awareness mission targeting Tier 2/3 cities and MSMEs.
  • Enforce minimal judicial intervention and designate specialized commercial courts.
  • Partner with global arbitral bodies for training and participate in international forums.

• Critical Need: Human Capital Development: The quality of arbitrators is paramount, requiring a shift from solely relying on retired judges. A diverse pool of experts with rigorous training in arbitration-specific skills is crucial.

Urban Heat Islands

• Dual Impact of UHI: While increasing heat-related deaths, the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect significantly reduces cold-related deaths.

• Global Mortality Differential: In 2018, global cold-related fatalities decreased 4.4 times more than heat-related deaths increased.

• High-Latitude Cities: Cities like Moscow saw even larger reductions in cold-related deaths (11.5 times) compared to increases in heat-related deaths due to UHI.

• UHI Definition: Metropolitan areas are significantly warmer than their rural surroundings due to materials absorbing and retaining heat.

• UHI Causes: Impervious surfaces, lack of vegetation, anthropogenic heat, air pollution, and urban morphology contribute to UHI.

• UHI Consequences: Increased energy demand, deteriorated air quality, heat-related health risks, strain on water resources, and biodiversity loss.

• Mitigation Strategies: Cool roofs (Los Angeles), smart cooling systems (Dubai), and cool streets initiatives (Paris).

• Mitigation Strategy Considerations: Increasing vegetation and building reflectivity (albedo) could increase cold-related deaths, depending on the intensity and timing of implementation.

• Region-Specific Strategies: The study emphasizes the need for region- and season-specific strategies to mitigate UHI effects, considering the dual impact on heat- and cold-related mortality.

• Seasonal Approach: Cities should adopt a seasonal approach to mitigating the urban heat island effect.

Green H2: Novel Production

• Breakthrough: Researchers at INST Mohali have gained new insights into how protons adsorb onto catalyst surfaces, potentially boosting green hydrogen production.
• Novel Catalyst: A copper tungsten oxide (CuWO₄) and copper oxide (CuO) heterostructure leverages a built-in electric field (BIEF) for improved hydrogen evolution.
• BIEF Effect: The p-n heterojunction between CuWO₄ and CuO creates an asymmetric electronic environment. This BIEF optimizes proton adsorption and desorption, crucial for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER).
• Gibbs Free Energy Gradient: The interface between CuO and CuWO₄ shows varying Gibbs Free Energy (∆G). This gradient enhances hydrogen adsorption on CuO and desorption on CuWO₄, boosting HER efficiency.
• Negative Cooperativity: The catalyst exhibits “negative cooperativity,” meaning proton binding at one site reduces affinity at others, facilitating proton desorption, a key step in alkaline hydrogen production.
• Work Function Importance: Difference in work functions between materials drives charge redistribution, establishing the built-in potential.
• Impact: Understanding proton adsorption behavior helps design better electrocatalysts for efficient green hydrogen production.
• Green Hydrogen Definition: Produced via water electrolysis using renewable energy, emitting no greenhouse gases. A clean, sustainable energy carrier.
• Current Production Methods: Alkaline Electrolysis (mature, low-cost), PEM Electrolysis (high efficiency, costly), Solid Oxide Electrolysis (high temp, complex).

Phthalates

• Heart Disease Link: A recent study links daily phthalate exposure to 13% of global heart disease deaths (approximately 350,000) in 2018 among people aged 55-65.
• What are Phthalates? Phthalates are chemical compounds primarily used as plasticizers, especially in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic.
• Widespread Use: They are found in numerous products, including vinyl flooring, adhesives, detergents, automotive plastics, raincoats, and personal care items.
• Migration Risk: Phthalates are not chemically bound to plastics, allowing them to leach out and contaminate the environment and expose humans.
• Health Concerns: Some phthalates are endocrine disruptors.
• Associated Health Problems: Exposure can lead to fertility issues, early puberty, low birth weight risk, obesity, diabetes, immune system impacts, cardiovascular and respiratory problems, certain cancers, and neurological/behavioral problems.