Daily News Analysis 27 June 2023

Current Affairs, Daily Current Affairs | By

Table of Contents

GS-2

  1. US and India: Old friends in a changing world

Facts for Prelims

  1. Skin bank
  2. Great Pyramid of Giza
  3. Auroras

US and India: Old friends in a changing world

Introduction:

Prime Minister Modi\’s US Congress address and engagement with the Indian diaspora showcase the strengthening US-India relations. Collaboration in defense, space, and technology is just the start, with vast potential in other areas. Modi\’s focus on inclusive growth and involving the African Union in the G-20 is significant.

Factors driving the closeness between the US and India:

  1. The growing market size of the Indian economy.
  2. The increasing influence of the Indian diaspora in American business and politics.
  3. The need to contain Chinese aggression, viewed as a threat to global security.

Importance of containing Chinese aggression:

  1. China\’s economic and military rise poses concerns about global security for many nations.
  2. The QUAD forum, comprising Australia, Japan, India, and the US, serves as a means to address this threat.
  3. The US-India friendship is an extension of this effort, emphasizing responsible global engagement.

Comparison of US and Indian economies:

  1. The US is a superpower economically and militarily, with a GDP of $26.6 trillion and a per capita GDP of $80,000.
  2. India\’s economy is smaller, with a GDP of $3.74 trillion and a per capita GDP of $2,600.
  3. In PPP terms, India\’s GDP improves to $13 trillion, with a per capita GDP of $9,000, narrowing the gap with the US.

Importance of trust and democracy:

  1. Trust is crucial for collaboration, and democracies have an advantage over authoritarian regimes.
  2. Despite flaws, democratic systems are preferred over military or authoritarian regimes.
  3. Global powers are realigning due to conflicts like Ukraine-Russia, and India faces the challenge of balancing between Russia and the US.

Focus on food and nutritional security:

  1. Climate change poses a threat to food and nutritional security, particularly for poorer nations like India.
  2. The US has advanced technologies in agriculture and can contribute to addressing these challenges.
  3. Rejuvenating agricultural universities with cutting-edge technologies and policies can help cope with climate change and produce more nutritious food sustainably.

Conclusion:

US-India collaboration in various sectors, driven by a mix of economic factors, diaspora influence, and the need to counter Chinese aggression, holds immense potential. Prioritizing trust, democracy, and cooperation on issues like food and agriculture can contribute to global peace, prosperity, and sustainability.

Skin bank

Context

According to recent research, the chiral Bose-liquid state may be an entirely new state of matter.
Purpose of a Skin Bank:

  1. A skin bank is a place where cadaveric skin is processed and preserved to help burn victims.
  2. It provides donated skin that can be used for the treatment of burn injuries.

Skin Donation:

  1. Skin can be donated after death within 6 hours of the person passing away.
  2. Anyone can donate their skin regardless of their sex and blood group.
  3. The minimum age requirement for skin donors is 18 years.
  4. There is no upper age limit for skin donation; even a 100-year-old person can donate their skin.

Eligibility for Skin Donation:

  1. People with certain conditions are not eligible to donate their skin, such as:
  2. AIDS, Hepatitis B & C, sexually transmitted diseases, skin cancer, active skin diseases, and septicemia.
  3. However, an old history of trauma or burns does not disqualify someone from being a skin donor.

Testing and Preservation:

  1. When harvesting the skin, a blood sample is taken from the deceased body to conduct tests for HIV, viral markers, and hepatitis at the Skin Bank.
  2. The skin is generally preserved in an 85% glycerol solution.
  3. It is stored at a temperature between 4-5 degrees Celsius.
  4. The preserved skin can be stored for up to 5 years.

Skin Banks in the Country:

  1. India has a total of 16 skin banks across different states.

Seven skin banks are located in Maharashtra, four in Chennai, three in Karnataka, and one each in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.

Great Pyramid of Giza

Context

Indian Prime Minister recently visited the Great Pyramid of Giza during his maiden State visit to Egypt.

Location:

  1. The Great Pyramid of Giza is situated on the Giza plateau, on the west bank of the Nile River near modern-day Cairo, Egypt.

Builder and Construction:

  1. It was constructed by Khufu (Cheops), the second king of Egypt\’s 4th dynasty, around 2560 BCE.
  2. The pyramid was completed during Khufu\’s reign, which lasted from about 2575 to 2465 BCE.
  3. Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie, a British archaeologist, excavated and analyzed the pyramid using modern techniques in 1880.

Features of the Great Pyramid:

  1. It is the largest among the three pyramids at Giza and is also known as the Great Pyramid of Khufu.
  2. The pyramid stands at a towering height of 479 feet (146 meters) and has a base measuring 754 feet (230 meters).
  3. Composed of over two million stone blocks, the pyramid is an impressive feat of ancient engineering.
  4. The pyramid\’s sides rise at an angle of 51.87° and are precisely aligned with the four cardinal directions.
  5. Its core is constructed using yellowish limestone blocks, while the inner passages are made of finer, light-colored limestone.
  6. Inside, there is a burial chamber built with massive granite blocks.

Key Facts about the Pyramids of Giza:

  1. The Pyramids of Giza consist of three pyramids built during Egypt\’s 4th dynasty (around 2575 to 2465 BCE).
  2. Each pyramid is named after the pharaoh it was built for:
  3. The northernmost and oldest pyramid is known as the Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops).
  4. The middle pyramid is the Pyramid of Khafre.
  5. The southernmost and last pyramid to be constructed is the Pyramid of Menkaure.

Red-eared sliders turtle

Context

Recently, Officers of the Customs Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) seized 6,850 live red-eared sliders, a species of turtle, from two male passengers who arrived at the Tiruchi international airport.

Origin and Habitat:

  1. Native to the southeastern United States and Mexico.
  2. Found in freshwater and brackish water ecosystems.

Behavior and Habits:

  1. Red-eared sliders are semi-aquatic turtles, spending their time both in the water and basking on rocks and logs.
  2. They forage for food in the water and enjoy sunning themselves to regulate their body temperature.
  3. Considered one of the world\’s 100 worst invasive non-native species.

Appearance:

  1. Distinctive feature: Red stripes located behind each ear.
  2. Colors range from dark green to brown, with yellowish ribbons across their green bodies and along the edges of their dark olive-green shells.
  3. In the wild, they can live anywhere from 20 to 50 years.

Diet:

  1. Red-eared sliders have a varied diet.
  2. They primarily consume plants but also eat small animals such as crickets and fish.

Conservation Status:

  1. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), red-eared sliders are classified as \”Least Concern.\”
  2. This means they are not currently at high risk of extinction.

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