- INDIA SERIOUSLY CONCERNED OVER IRAN – ISRAEL HOSTILITIES
- India’s Concerns and Issues in the Gulf Region Escalation
- A delicate situation with respect to recent escalation of hostilities between Iran and Israel
- Immediate Concerns – Safety of Indian Citizens: India is primarily concerned about the safety of its citizens living and working in the region, especially: 17 Indian sailors on the Israeli-linked ship MSC Aries, detained by Ira
- Over 8 million Indian expatriates living across the Gulf countries
- De-escalation of Conflict: India is worried that the situation could spiral into a full-blown war, impacting the entire region’s stability
- Balancing Act – Maintaining Relations with Both Sides: India has good relations with both Iran and Israel and wants to avoid taking sides in the conflict
- Economic Interests: The Gulf region is a crucial source of oil for India, and any disruption could affect its economy
- Actions Taken
- Issued Travel Advisories: India has advised against traveling to Iran or Israel and canceled flights to Tel Aviv
- Monitoring the Situation: Indian embassies in the region are closely monitoring developments and staying in touch with Indian citizens
- Focus on Diplomacy: India is calling for immediate de[1]escalation and a return to diplomatic channels for resolving the conflict
- Challenges – Securing Release of Detained Sailors: India needs to navigate a sensitive situation to secure the release of its sailors from Iranian custody
- Protecting Expatriates: India needs to ensure the safety of its large population of expatriates working in the Gulf countries if the conflict intensifies India’s approach reflects its desire to maintain good relations with both Iran and Israel while prioritising the safety of its citizens and economic interests in the region
2. FOREST DEPARTMENT TO RELAX NORMS ON PARADING ELEPHANTS AT FESTIVALS
- The issue here is the use of firecrackers during festivals around captive elephants in Kerala, India.
- Relaxation of Rules: The Forest Department has relaxed its regulations on firecrackers being used within 50 meters of captive elephants during festivals like Thrissur Pooram.
- Reason for Relaxation: This decision comes after criticism from temple committees and elephant owners who found a previous circular by the Chief Wildlife Warden regarding the care of captive elephants impractical Legal Standoff: The Kerala government has already informed the Kerala High Court about the rules
- But is likely to submit an affidavit requesting a relaxation of the specific rule about firecrackers near elephants
- Arguments for Relaxation – Elephant owners and festival organisers argue that the existing rules are impractical
- Existing rules threaten the participation of elephants in festivals
- They also point out a lack of sufficient resources from Forest Department to enforce the rules effectively
- Animal welfare groups are against the relaxation due to the potential stress and hearing damage firecrackers can cause to elephants.
3. GOPI THOTAKURA
- Gopi Thotakura, an entrepreneur and a pilot, is set to become the first Indian to venture into space as a tourist on Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin’s NS-25 mission
- Thotakura was selected as one of the six crew members for the mission
- This makes him
- The first Indian space tourist
- The second Indian to venture into space – after the Indian Air Force’s Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984 Blue Origin Missions
- This mission will be the seventh human flight for the New Shepard programme and the 25th in its history
- To date, the programme has flown 31 humans above the Karman line ○ Karman Line is the proposed conventional boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space
- New Shepard is a fully reusable sub-orbital launch vehicle developed for space tourism by Blue Origin
4. CONCURRENT HEATWAVES, SEA LEVEL RISES POSE A THREAT TO COASTLINES
- A new study on a dangerous combination of weather events: concurrent heatwaves and extreme short-term sea level rise (CHWESL)
- Key Findings – Increased Frequency: The study shows a significant increase in CHWESL events between 1998 and 2017 compared to the previous two decades
- Future Projections: Under a high emissions scenario, these events are predicted to become five times more likely by 2049
- Global Impact: Nearly 88% of the world’s coastlines have experienced a CHWESL event in the past (1979-2017)
- Increased Duration: Many coastlines have seen a longer total duration of CHWESL events per year in recent years, with tropical regions most affected
- Heatwave Link: The study finds a strong correlation between heatwave intensity and the likelihood of a CHWESL event
- Threat to Communities: CHWESL events pose a serious threat to coastal communities, particularly due to the combined effects of extreme heat and flooding Vulnerable Regions: Tropical regions and low- or middle[1]income countries are expected to be most impacted due to limited resources to cope with these events
5. MURIA TRIBE
- Region: Muria settlements existing in Andhra Pradesh’s reserve forests, particularly the Alluri Sitarama Raju district
- Occupation: Muria people are tribal farmers – agriculture is their primary occupation
- They practice making cradles – a long-standing cultural tradition. In the Gond language, the cradle is called vookada.
- Vookada Cradle – The Muria tribe custom mandates that a man weaves a bamboo cradle for his newborn
- Serves as a lifetime memory for both the father and the child
- The father must go into the forest, collect the bamboo, dry it, and weave the cradle with his own hands, with no help from anyone
- The baby is put in the cradle during the entire lactating period
- Emotional Connection: Children are said to develop a strong attachment to their cradles, and they are told that it is gift from their fathers
- The child is allowed to use it for as many years as he wishes
- Sustainable Material: The cradles are made from bamboo, a natural and renewable resource
- It can also be hung on a tree branch, as it has long ropes attached to it
- Within the hut it is most often tied to the roof struts built with precious wood, mostly teak
- Symbol of Family: The number of cradles displayed in a Muria home reflects the total number of children born to the family.
- Gender Equality: The cradles are gifted to every child, irrespective of gender
- Durability and Respect: The cradles are preserved and not used for any other purpose after a child outgrows them
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