Rapid Fire
Rapid Fire Current Affairs
- 10 Oct 2023
- 5 min read
Third Intifada
The recent escalation in the Hamas-Israel conflict has raised concerns about a Third Intifada.
- Hamas is a militant Palestinian nationalist group that has controlled Gaza since 2006.
- Intifada means 'shake off' in Arabic and was used to describe the Palestinian uprising against Israeli presence in the West Bank and Gaza.
- The First Intifada lasted from 1987 to 1993, and the Second Intifada from 2000-2005.
- The uprisings were spearheaded by Palestinian youth who were fed up with the treatment they faced from Israeli settlers.
- Tensions between Israel and Palestine have not subsided since the end of the Second Intifada.
Read more: Israel-Palestine
Universe's Earliest Galaxies
A recent study published in Astrophysical Journal Letters offered insights into the early universe's star formation and brightness.
- The James Webb Space Telescope, operational since 2022, has provided a remarkable glimpse into the universe's early history, revealing a collection of galaxies from cosmic dawn.
- Researchers' findings indicated that star formation in these galaxies occurred in bursts rather than steadily, distinguishing them from modern, larger galaxies like the Milky Way.
- In these early galaxies, star formation bursts caused significant variations in brightness, making them appear larger and more massive than they may have actually been. Astronomers usually gauge a galaxy's size based on its brightness, but this phenomenon challenges that assumption.
- The study suggests that the bursts of star formation led to intense flashes of light, making these early galaxies appear brighter.
- In smaller galaxies, bursty star formation may occur due to the formation and rapid explosion of very large stars, which eject gas into space, fueling subsequent bursts of star formation.
- Larger galaxies, with stronger gravitational effects, tend to have more stable, continuous star formation.
Read more: James Webb Space Telescope
Operation Kachchhap
In a recent operation named "Kachchhap," the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has successfully rescued nearly a thousand live baby Gangetic turtles, shedding light on the ongoing battle against illegal wildlife trade and the protection of these unique creatures.
- The Ganga river system in India is home to 13 species of turtles, they face various threats from habitat loss, overexploitation, and pollution.
- The operation resulted in the recovery of live baby turtles of different species, such as the Indian Tent Turtle, Indian Flapshell Turtle, Black Spotted/Pond Turtle, and Brown Roofed Turtle., some of which are considered vulnerable or near-threatened species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and are protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
- DRI serves as India's premier anti-smuggling agency, operating under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs, Ministry of Finance. It is responsible for detecting and preventing various forms of smuggling, including illicit wildlife trade.
.Read more: Indian Tent Turtle , Indian Flapshell Turtle
Automatic 'Status Holder' Certificates Boost Indian Exports
Recently, the Union Minister of Commerce & Industry has unveiled an initiative involving the issuance of automatic 'Status Holder' certificates under the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023.
- This system eliminates the need for exporters to apply for a Status Certificate manually, relying instead on an IT system's assessment based on available merchandise export data and risk parameters from the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS).
- This shift reduces compliance burdens and fosters ease of doing business.
- This initiative, recognizing about 20,000 exporters as Status Holders, is poised to significantly boost the export ecosystem and help achieve India's export target of USD 2 Trillion by 2030.
Read more: Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023
Annual Joint HADR Exercise 2023 (Chakravat 2023)
The 2023 edition of the Annual Joint HADR Exercise (AJHE) is being hosted by the Indian Navy at Goa from 09th October 2023 to 11th Oct 2023.
- Initiated in 2015 , this exercise marks a significant step towards enhancing collective response mechanisms to humanitarian crises and natural disasters in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- With climate change intensifying the region's vulnerability, India's inclusive vision for the oceans, known as SAGAR, underscores the importance of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
Read more: Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, Indian Ocean Region.
