Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 14 February 2022

::NATIONAL::

Government takes steps to facilitate wider proliferation and innovation in Machine-to-Machine communication (M2M) sector

Government of India has identified that M2M/ Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the fastest emerging technologies across the globe, providing enormous beneficial opportunities for society, industry, and consumers.

About:

It is being used to create smart infrastructure in various verticals such as Power, Automotive, Safety & Surveillance, Remote Health Management, Agriculture, Smart Homes, Industry 4.0, Smart Cities, etc. using connected devices.
Machine to Machine communication is going to play a major role and will contribute significantly towards the government of India initiative of Digital India and Make in India.
In order to strengthen the M2M eco-system and to facilitate wider proliferation and innovation in the sector, the following actions have been taken recently:

Guidelines for registration of M2MSP Service Providers and WPAN/WLAN Connectivity Providers.
New license for UL(M2M) and UL-VNO(M2M) under UL and UL-VNO licenses have been introduced.
To have additional availability of spectrum for M2M/IoT applications, 1 (one) MHz additional spectrum is added in the earlier unlicensed 865-867 MHz band, making it 865-868 MHz.

Released 13-digit numbering plan exclusively for M2M/IoT devices connected through Mobile networks.

Indian scientists have developed a next-generation probiotic that provides hope for longevity and healthy aging.

A team of scientists at the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, Guwahati, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, have developed a next-generation probiotic that provides hope for longevity and healthy aging.

About:

A team of Indian Scientists has identified probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus Plantarum JBC5 from a dairy product that showed great promise in promoting healthy aging.
The team has also developed a yogurt using this probiotic bacterium which can be consumed to derive all these health benefits.

Background:

Probiotics are live microorganisms promoted with claims that they provide health benefits when consumed, generally by improving or restoring the gut flora.
Probiotics are considered generally safe to consume, but may cause bacteria-host interactions and unwanted side effects in rare case

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::INTERNATIONAL::

WWF report warns regarding growing of plastic pollution in oceans

Recently World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has released the report titled ‘Impacts of Plastic Pollutions in the Oceans on Marine Species, Diversity and Ecosystems’.
The report has been written in collaboration with Germany’s Alfred Wegener Institute, it measures the impact of plastic and microplastic in the ocean.

Key highlights of report:

88% of marine species are affected by severe contamination of plastic in the ocean.
Plastic production will double by 2040 which will cause a fourfold increase in plastic waste in the ocean.
Most threatened marine areas are like Yellow Sea, East China Sea, Arctic sea ice andMediterranean have already reached the limit of how much microplastic they can absorb.
Plastic pollution entered the marine food web, and affects marine ecosystems like coral reefs and mangroves.

Negative impacts of plastics:

Entanglement (causes strangulation, wounds, restricted movement and death); Ingestion (causes internal injuries, decreased food uptake etc.);
Smothering (Deprives corals, sponges and bottom- dwelling animals of light, food and oxygen) and
Chemical pollution (contains Endocrine disruptors, Persistent organic pollutants etc).

World Food Programme

India signed an agreement with the United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) for the distribution of 50,000 MT of wheat that it has committed to sending Afghanistan as part of a humanitarian assistance.

Key highlights:

Diplomatic efforts under way to begin sending truck convoys through Pakistan by road, expected to begin after Punjab elections on February 20.
According to the MoU, the wheat will be taken through Pakistan to the Afghan border crossing and handed over to WFP officials in Kandahar beginning February 22.
The wheat will eventually be divided into five batches of 10,000 MT, to be distributed across the country on approximately 200 trucks that are run by WFP.
TheWFP runs its own logistics network inside Afghanistan, partnering with civil society groups, and has launched a global campaign for enough food and aid for the population facing malnutrition — estimated to be half the population or 22 million Afghans.

About World Food Programme:

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations and the world’s largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security.
It is headquartered in Rome.
The WFP was formally established in 1963 by the FAO and the United Nations General Assembly.

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:ECONOMY::

LIC readies for stock market debut

The government has filed a draft red herring prospectus with the stock market regulator for selling 5% of its shares in the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India.

About:

A Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) is a document that is prepared to introduce a new business or product to a potential investor.
This is not a final document for an investor, but rather a way of demonstrating value and providing investors with enough information for them to decide whether they want to invest in the company or not.
The filing of the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI), with all the critical information about LIC’s business operations, is the first regulatory step towards the IPO.
SEBI is required to vet the facts stated in the DRHP and recommend changes if required, before giving the share sale a green signal.
The IPO is an 100% OFS (offer for sale) by the Government of India and entails no fresh issue of shares by LIC.
The conclusion of the LIC’s share sale through an initial public offer (IPO) by March 31, is critical for the government to achieve its disinvestment target for this year, even after it was pared down from ₹1.75 lakh crore to ₹78,000 crore.

Benefits and importance of a Draft Red Herring Prospectus:

It allows investors to know more about the potential company they are investing in. For instance, if you are investing in a tech company, your investor will want to know how much tech knowledge you have and how competitive your technology is.
A DRHP can also be used as a marketing tool for companies. If the company has not yet started its operations, this document can be used as proof of concept or to gain investors’ interest in your company by showing what they will get out of their investment.
It also outlines potential risks and hazards that may arise with investing in a company. It is often the very first step in the process of raising funds by selling equity.
The DRHP helps companies take advantage of early-stage investments without requiring all the legal disclosure steps.

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::SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY::

NASA releases pictures of Venus’s surface taken by Parker Solar Probe

A video and some pictures of the surface of Venus have been released by NASA. These were taken last year by the Parker Solar Probe on a flyby.

About:

Parker Solar Probe (PSP) first launched by NASA in 2018.
Using data from PSP, scientists were able to peer beneath Venus’ thick atmosphere to take the first visible light images of the surface.
Venus’s sky is filled with thick, toxic clouds that rain sulfuric acid making it difficult to investigate up close.
Such images of Venus can help scientists learn about Venus’ surface geology, what minerals might be present there, and the planet’s evolution.
Launched from Cape Canaveral (Florida), PSP Mission is first spacecraft which has flown through the Sun’s upper atmosphere (Corona) to study the Sun.
PSP uses Venus Gravity during seven flybys to gradually bring its orbit closer to the Sun.

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