Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 22 July 2021

::NATIONAL::

On July 21, an 11-year-old boy died of H5N1 avian influenza in Delhi. This is the first recorded death due to the bird flu in India this year. In January, bird flu was confirmed in several states with thousands of birds, including migratory species, being found dead.

What is bird flu?

Bird flu or avian influenza is a disease caused by avian influenza Type A viruses found naturally in wild birds worldwide.
The virus can infect domestic poultry including chickens, ducks, turkeys and there have been reports of H5N1 infection among pigs, cats, and even tigers in Thailand zoos.
Avian Influenza type A viruses are classified based on two proteins on their surfaces – Hemagglutinin(HA) and Neuraminidase(NA).
There are about 18 HA subtypes and 11 NA subtypes. Several combinations of these two proteins are possible e.g., H5N1, H7N2, H9N6, H17N10, etc.

Bird flu: Infection in humans

The most common route of virus transmission is direct contact — when a person comes in close contact with infected birds, either dead or alive.
Humans can also be affected if they come in contact with contaminated surfaces or air near the infected poultry.
There is no sufficient evidence suggesting the spread of the virus through properly cooked meat.

Symptoms of avian influenza:

According to US CDC, the reported signs and symptoms of avian influenza A virus infections in humans have ranged from mild to severe influenza-like illness.
Fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting
Severe respiratory illness (e.g., shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress, viral pneumonia, respiratory failure).
Neurologic changes (altered mental status, seizures).

Union Culture Minister G. Kishan Reddy on Wednesday said the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) here would be renovated and reorganised as a part of the commemoration of the 75th Independence Day next year.

About:

The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) is the premier art gallery which aims to acquire and preserve works of modern art from 1850s onward.
It is run and administered as a subordinate office to the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
Its collection includes works by artists such as Thomas Daniell, Raja Ravi Verma, Abanindranath Tagore, Rabindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy, Amrita Sher-Gil as well as foreign artists.
The main museum in New Delhi was established in 1954 by the Government of India, with subsequent branches at Mumbai and Bangalore.

Back in 2019, when most people first heard of the spyware Pegasus, the NSO Group described the company’s flagship creation as the “Trojan horse” that could be sent “flying through the air to [break into] devices”. Before this, Pegasus had always been the constellation.

About:

Pegasus is a constellation in the northern sky, named after the winged horse Pegasus in Greek mythology.
It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy, and is one of the 88 constellations recognised today.
With an apparent magnitude varying between 2.37 and 2.45, the brightest star in Pegasus is the orange supergiant Epsilon Pegasi, also known as Enif, which marks the horse's muzzle.

Liverpool has been stripped of its World Heritage status after a UN committee found developments threatened the value of the city’s waterfront.

About:

The decision was made following a secret ballot by the UNESCO Committee at a meeting in China.
UNESCO had previously warned that the developments, including the new Everton FC stadium, had resulted in a “serious deterioration” of the historic site.

Liverpool:

Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England.
Liverpool is on the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. Its growth as a major port was paralleled by the expansion of the city throughout the Industrial Revolution.

The Union Cabinet approved Rs 6,322-crore production linked incentive scheme for specialty steel.It aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing and exports from the sector.
The PLI scheme would cover coated/plated steel products; high strength/wear resistant steel; specialty rails; alloy steel products, steel wires and electrical steel.
The scheme will boost the production of high grade specialty steel in the country. Further, it will lead to enhanced exports and minimising dependence on imports for high-end steel.
The scheme is expected to bring in investment of approximately Rs 40,000 crore and capacity addition of 25 MT.
The duration of the scheme will be 5 years, commencing from 2023-24 to 2027- 28.

NASA announced that its new spacecraft, named NEA Scout, has completed all required tests and has been safely tucked inside the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.

Artemis I:

NEA Scout is one of several payloads that will hitch a ride on Artemis I, which is expected to be launched in November.
Artemis I will be an uncrewed testflight of the Orion spacecraft and SLS rocket.
Under the Artemis programme, NASA has aimed to land the first woman on the Moon in 2024 and also establish sustainable lunar exploration programs by 2030.

What is NEA Scout?

Near-Earth Asteroid Scout, or NEA Scout, is a small spacecraft, about the size of a big shoebox.
Its main mission is to fly by and collect data from a near-Earth asteroid.
It will also be America’s first interplanetary mission using a special solar sail propulsion.