05 May 2025 Current Affairs

UK Introduces Single Injection Immunotherapy to Speed Up Cancer Treatment

Cancer patients in the United Kingdom can now benefit from a faster treatment approach using a single injection of the immunotherapy drug Nivolumab, which significantly reduces administration time. Previously given through an intravenous drip over an hour, the drug can now be delivered in just 15 minutes, improving convenience and efficiency.

Understanding Immunotherapy

• What Is Immunotherapy? Immunotherapy is a form of biological treatment that harnesses the body’s own immune system to fight illnesses such as cancer.
• Biological Treatment Explained: This approach uses naturally derived substances-either from the human body or engineered in labs-to treat diseases, including cancer.
• Difference from Chemotherapy: Unlike chemotherapy, which attacks cancer cells directly (and may affect healthy cells too), immunotherapy supports the immune system in identifying and eliminating cancer cells more selectively.

How Does It Work?

• Immune Stimulation: Boosts the body's natural defenses to better detect and destroy cancer cells. Example: immunomodulatory agents.
• Lab-Engineered Immune Support: Scientists can create immune proteins-like monoclonal antibodies-to assist the immune system in targeting and attacking tumors.

Benefits of Immunotherapy

• Targeted Action: Focuses primarily on cancer cells while minimizing harm to healthy tissues.
• Adaptive Response: The immune system can evolve its strategy to counter tumors that attempt to evade detection.
• Long-Term Memory: Once trained, the immune system can recognize and combat recurring cancer cells.

Challenges of Immunotherapy

• Limited Effectiveness for Certain Tumors: Tumors that suppress immune responses or are difficult for the immune system to access may not respond well.
• Variable Outcomes: Effectiveness can differ widely from patient to patient, leading to uncertain results.
• High Treatment Costs: These advanced therapies can be expensive, limiting accessibility for some patients.

PM Inaugurates Vizhinjam International Deepwater Port – India’s First Container Transshipment Hub

Prime Minister recently inaugurated the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport in Kerala, marking a major milestone in India's maritime infrastructure. Developed at an estimated cost of ₹8,800 crore, it stands as the nation’s first port dedicated entirely to container transshipment.

What is a Transshipment Port?

• A transshipment port serves as an intermediate hub where containers are transferred from one ship to another en route to their final destination. Such ports play a crucial role in global trade by reducing shipping time and costs.

India’s Growing Port Infrastructure:

• In addition to Vizhinjam, India is expanding its maritime capabilities with the development of a deepwater port in Vadhvan, located in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, and a planned mega transshipment port on Great Nicobar Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Key Features of Vizhinjam Port

• Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Model: The port follows the Landlord Model under a Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) framework. While the port authority retains ownership, private entities manage cargo and terminal operations.
• Greenfield Project: This is India’s first greenfield port initiated by a state government (Kerala) under the PPP approach.

Strategic and Technical Advantages

• Geostrategic Location: Situated near the international East-West shipping corridor, Vizhinjam lies on a key maritime route linking Europe, the Persian Gulf, and East Asia.
• Naturally Deep Waters: The port benefits from a natural depth of around 20 meters, eliminating the need for capital dredging and reducing long-term operational costs.
• Curved Coastline Design: The curvilinear shape of the coastline helps shield the port from tsunami waves and contributes to lower maintenance requirements.

PM Launches Infrastructure Projects Worth ₹58,000 Crore in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh

Prime Minister inaugurated and laid foundation stones for several key development initiatives in Amaravati, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh. Valued at over ₹58,000 crore, the projects include core government infrastructure such as the Legislative Assembly, High Court, and Secretariat.

In addition, the Prime Minister launched the Navdurga Missile Testing Range at Nagayalanka, a state-of-the-art defense facility designed for missile trials.

Amaravati:

• Andhra Pradesh’s Planned Capital: Amaravati is a greenfield capital city situated on the banks of the Krishna River in Guntur district. Its development began in 2014, following the formation of Telangana as a separate state.

Amaravati’s Buddhist Heritage

• Amaravati Stupa (2nd Century BCE): One of the oldest Buddhist monuments in India, historically known as the Maha Chaitya (Great Stupa).
• Spiritual Significance: It is believed that Gautama Buddha first taught the "Kalachakra" (Wheel of Time) philosophy here.
• Acharya Nagarjuna: A prominent Buddhist philosopher associated with this region, who laid the foundation of Madhyamika philosophy, a cornerstone of Mahayana Buddhism.
• Visit by Xuanzang: The Chinese Buddhist monk and scholar Xuanzang visited Amaravati in the 7th century CE to collect Buddhist scriptures and document the religious and cultural richness of the area.

Historical and Cultural Importance

• Satavahana Dynasty: Amaravati served as the capital of the Satavahana Empire from the mid-1st to early 3rd century CE.
• Sri Amaralingeswara Swamy Temple: A prominent medieval temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, adding to the city’s religious legacy.
• Artistic Influence: Amaravati was home to a distinct school of sculpture and art, known for its elegance and intricacy, standing alongside the Gandhara and Mathura art traditions.

Karnataka Declares Hesaraghatta Grassland as a Conservation Reserve

The Government of Karnataka has officially designated the Hesaraghatta Grassland as a Conservation Reserve under Section 36A of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. This move aims to protect one of the last remaining grassland ecosystems in the Bengaluru region.

What is a Conservation Reserve?

• A Conservation Reserve is a legally recognized protected area under the Wildlife Protection Act. It can be established by state or central governments to safeguard critical landscapes, seascapes, and ecosystems that support biodiversity. These areas often function as buffer zones or wildlife corridors, linking more strictly protected zones such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and reserved forests.

Management:

• A Conservation Reserve Management Committee, appointed by the State Government, provides advisory support to the Chief Wildlife Warden for sustainable management and protection of the reserve.

About Hesaraghatta Grassland

• Located near Hesaraghatta Lake on the outskirts of Bengaluru, this grassland represents the last significant open habitat of its kind in the region. Grasslands are typically dominated by grass species and flourish in warm, dry climates.

Ecological Facts:

• Grasslands occupy 20–40% of the Earth’s land surface, and about 24% of India's geographical area.
• Globally, they are categorized into Tropical Savannas, Temperate Grasslands, and Steppes.

Ecological and Environmental Importance

• Biodiversity Hotspot: The area supports a variety of wildlife including leopards, Indian foxes, smooth-coated otters, and numerous migratory bird species.
• Water Resource Role: Acts as a vital catchment area that helps recharge groundwater and absorb excess rainfall during the monsoon season.
• Watershed Significance: It is part of the Arkavathy River Basin, contributing to the Thippagondanahalli Reservoir and Hesaraghatta Lake, both important for water supply in the region.

Ramman Festival Celebrated in Uttarakhand – A Living Cultural Tradition Recognized by UNESCO

The Ramman Festival, which holds a place on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is currently being celebrated in Uttarakhand. This unique festival is a vibrant blend of ritual, music, and theatrical performance.

Overview of the Ramman Festival

• Time of Celebration: The festival is observed annually in late April, shortly after the completion of the local harvest season.
• Location: It is exclusively celebrated in the twin villages of Saloor and Dungra in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.

Cultural and Religious Significance

• Dedicated to Bhumiyal Devta: The festivities are organized in reverence to Bhumiyal Devta, the guardian deity of the village community.
• Rituals and Performances: The festival features a series of complex religious rituals, including the dramatic retelling of the Ramayana, performed through narrative recitations, songs, and masked dances.
• Folk Musical Tradition - Jagar: A distinctive element of Ramman is the Jagar singing tradition, a musical invocation of local myths and ancestral spirits, performed to preserve oral histories and spiritual beliefs.

Scientists Simulate "Black Hole Bomb" in Laboratory for the First Time

In a groundbreaking development, researchers have successfully created a lab-based analogue of the "black hole bomb"-a theoretical concept first proposed by Yakov Zel’dovich in 1971. This experiment marks an important step toward understanding how energy might be extracted from spinning cosmic objects.

What is the Black Hole Bomb Concept?

• Core Idea: The concept revolves around harnessing the rotational energy of a spinning black hole, particularly from a region known as the ergosphere—the outer layer just beyond the event horizon. Here, objects and waves can gain energy from the black hole’s spin.
• Mechanism Explained: Zel’dovich imagined a rapidly spinning cylinder that, when struck by waves, could amplify those waves as they reflect repeatedly. The cylinder's rotational speed allows it to transfer energy to the waves—causing an exponential buildup, like a feedback loop.
• The Zel’dovich Effect: This effect occurs when the rotational motion of an object outpaces incoming waves, resulting in a frequency shift similar to the Doppler effect, but driven by rotation rather than motion in a straight line.

Jharkhand Initiates OBC Survey as Part of Supreme Court-Mandated 'Triple Test' for Local Body Reservations

The state of Jharkhand has commenced the process of collecting population data on Other Backward Classes (OBCs) as the initial step in complying with the ‘Triple Test’ requirement set by the Supreme Court for implementing OBC reservations in local governance institutions.

What is the Triple Test?

• The Triple Test was laid down in the 2021 Supreme Court judgment in the Vikas Kishanrao Gawali vs State of Maharashtra case. It outlines a three-step process that state governments must follow to justify OBC reservations in panchayats and municipalities.

Three Essential Steps of the Triple Test:

• Empirical Commission: Establish a dedicated commission to conduct a rigorous empirical investigation into the social and educational backwardness of OBCs at the local body level.
• Data-Based Quota Recommendation: Based on the commission’s findings, quantify the exact percentage of reservation needed for OBCs in local bodies.
• Reservation Cap Compliance: Ensure that the combined reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and OBCs does not exceed 50% of the total number of seats, in line with constitutional limits.