TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS (ENGLISH) – 03.01.2025

SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENT

Toxic waste refers to any discarded material, liquid, or solid, that contains substances harmful to human health and the environment. These substances can be poisonous, radioactive, flammable, corrosive, or react dangerously with other materials.
Examples include:
Industrial byproducts: Chemicals, heavy metals, solvents, and asbestos.
Medical waste: Infectious materials, pharmaceuticals, and sharps.
Electronic waste (e-waste): Discarded electronics containing heavy metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium.
Pesticides and herbicides: Chemicals used in agriculture that can contaminate soil and water.
Radioactive waste: Materials from nuclear power plants and medical treatments.
Several methods are employed to manage and dispose of toxic waste:
Landfilling: Specifically designed landfills with liners and leachate collection systems can contain some types of hazardous waste.
Incineration: Burning waste at high temperatures can destroy many harmful substances, but it can also produce air pollution if not properly controlled.
Chemical treatment: Neutralizing or detoxifying waste through chemical reactions.
Biological treatment: Using microorganisms to break down organic waste.
Recycling and recovery: Extracting valuable materials from waste for reuse.
Stabilization/Solidification:Converting liquid waste into a solid form to prevent leaching

2. WILLOW IS A SMALL CHIP FOR GOOGLE BUT A QUANTUM LEAP FOR COMPUTING

SUBJECT: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Quantum Processor Features: Willow uses qubits to represent quantum states, offering potential for vastly superior computational power compared to classical computers.
Challenges in Quantum Computing: Fragility of Qubits: Qubits are highly sensitive to external noise, leading to errors in computations.
Error Correction: Effective error correction methods, such as surface code or concatenation, are essential to ensure stable calculations.
Scaling Issues: Building larger, reliable quantum systems involves managing coherence time, error rates, and noise suppression.
Willow’s Specifications: The chip includes 105 physical qubits, operates at extremely low temperatures, and distinguishes between “data qubits” (for computations) and “measurement qubits” (for error detection).
Progress and Comparisons: It compares Willow’s tasks to classical supercomputers, showing that while significant progress has been made, practical applications are still a long way off.

3. QUAD MEMBERS VOW TO WORK VIGOROUSLY TOWARDS A FREE OPEN, AND STABLE INDO – PACIFIC

SUBJECT: BILATERAL

20th Anniversary: Quad reaffirmed commitment to a free, open, and peaceful Indo-Pacific.
Shared Vision: Focus on peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.
ASEAN Centrality: Quad reiterated support for ASEAN’s central role.
Next Summit: India to host the next Quad Summit in the second half of 2025. The Quad, officially known as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, is a strategic forum comprising four countries:
United States
India
Japan
Australia
While not a formal military alliance like NATO, the Quad engages in semi-regular summits, military exercises, and information exchanges.
The primary objectives of the Quad are:
Promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific
Countering China’s growing influence
Addressing regional challenges’

4. THE NATURE OF DISSENT IN THE INDIAN JUDICIARY

SUBJECT: POLITY

Context: Dissent is crucial in a democracy, reflecting diverse perspectives within the judiciary. Indian and U.S. Supreme Courts both see dissents, but their nature differs.
US Supreme Court Dissents: Often politically driven, reflecting the ideological leanings of judges appointed by different political parties. Examples include disagreements on affirmative action, abortion, and capital punishment.
Indian Supreme Court Dissents: More varied, encompassing political, social, and intellectual grounds.
Political Dissents:
ADM Jabalpur (1976):Justice H.R. Khanna’s dissent upholding fundamental rights during Emergency, later vindicated by a constitutional amendment.
P.V. Narasimha Rao (1998):Dissent against parliamentary privilege for bribery, later upheld in Sita Soren (2023).
Social Dissents:
Shayara Bano (2017):Dissent against striking down triple talaq, arguing it was a matter of personal law and legislative domain.
Aishat Shifa (2022):Differing opinions on hijab ban in schools, reflecting varied interpretations of secularism.
Intellectual Dissents:
Lalta Prasad Vaish (2024):Justice B.V. Nagarathna’s dissent on states’ power to tax industrial alcohol, based on differing interpretations of the Constitution.

5. COP29 CLIMATE FINANCE AND ITS OPTICAL ILLUSION

SUBJECT: GEOGRAPHY

Instead of the requested $1.3 trillion per year by 2030, developed countries pledged only $300 billion per year by 2035.
This falls significantly short of the estimated needs ($455 billion-$584 billion annually) identified by developing countries in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Insufficient Funds:The agreed amount is inadequate to address the scale of the climate crisis and the needs of developing countries.
Lack of Grants and Concessional Resources:A significant portion of the funding should be in the form of grants and concessional loans, not commercial loans that burden developing nations with debt.
Ignoring Vulnerable Nations:While acknowledging the needs of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the agreement lacks specific allocation floors for these particularly vulnerable groups.
Disregarding Loss and Damage:The NCQG fails to adequately address the economic costs of loss and damage caused by climate change, estimated to reach hundreds of billions of dollars annually by 2030.
Non-transparent Process:India criticized the lack of consultation in finalizing the NCQG, highlighting a breach of trust and established norms within the UNFCCC framework.