Current Affairs

A23a: World’s Biggest Iceberg Context: 

• Recently, Expedition leader Ian Strachan guided his ship through the snow and fog in the Antarctic seas to witness the majestic A23a iceberg. 
• This iceberg is drifting between Elephant Island and the South Orkney islands. 
• The iceberg is on a path known as “iceberg alley”. 

A23: The Largest Iceberg in the World 

• In 1986, A23a first broke off Antarctica’s Filchner Ice Shelf coast. 
• It is the world’s oldest iceberg and largest. A23a is heading out of the Weddell Sea. 
• It is in tooth-shape and nearly 4,000 square kilometers (1,550 square miles). In size, it is more than twice the size of Greater London. 
• This iceberg comprises around 1 trillion tonnes of freshwater. 

About Iceberg Definition: 

• An iceberg is formed when the ice breaks away from glaciers or ice shelves and floats freely in open water.
• These icebergs move along with ocean currents and may either become stuck in shallow areas or rest on the ocean floor. 

Factors influencing the formation of icebergs 

• Temperature: Warmer conditions contribute to increased melting, leading to more iceberg formation. Ocean Currents: Icebergs can drift over long distances due to the influence of ocean currents. 
• Underwater Topography: The presence of underwater features affects iceberg movement and grounding. 
• Wind Patterns: Strong winds can push icebergs in specific directions, influencing their trajectory. 
• Sea Ice Conditions: The presence or absence of sea ice affects iceberg mobility. Climate Change: Global warming accelerates glacial melting, contributing to more icebergs. Impact of Iceberg Movement Impact on Marine Ecosystems 
• Nutrient Boost: When icebergs melt, it releases freshwater with nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. This helps create more phytoplankton, which is essential for marine food chains. 
• Disruption of Ocean Currents: Icebergs can change how ocean currents flow, affecting where nutrients and plankton go. This can disrupt food webs and harm species that rely on specific currents. 
• Habitat Creation: Icebergs become homes for various marine life, including algae, krill, penguins, and seals. These icy platforms offer shelter and breeding spaces. In this way, it supports biodiversity in the open ocean. 
• Salinity Changes: Melting icebergs dilute seawater, which can affect organisms like coral reefs and certain fish species that are sensitive to changes in saltiness.

Impact of Iceberg Movement Impact on Coastal Regions 

• Sea Level Rise: Melting icebergs contribute to rising sea levels, leading to coastal erosion, increased flooding, and the displacement of coastal communities. 
• Grounding Hazards: When large icebergs hit the seafloor near coasts, they can damage underwater structures, disrupt shipping routes, and sometimes cause tsunamis. 
• Freshwater Supply: Melting icebergs can be a valuable source of freshwater in certain regions, especially during droughts, providing water for drinking, irrigation, and hydropower. 

Leprosy 

About: 

• Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease which is caused by a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. 
• Leprosy is a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) which still occurs in more than 120 countries, with more than 200000 new cases reported every year. 

Symptoms: 

• The disease mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and eyes. Transmission: 

• Leprosy is transmitted via droplets, from the nose and mouth, during close and frequent contact with untreated cases. 

Treatment: 

• Leprosy is curable with MDT (multi drug therapy) and treatment in the early stages can prevent disability. The disease is not hereditary; leprosy does not transmit from parents to children. 

Scenario: 

• In 2021, as many as 1,40,000 new leprosy cases were reported, with 95% of new cases coming from the 23 global priority countries. Of these, 6% were diagnosed with visible deformities or grade-2 disabilities (G2D). 
• Although leprosy affects both sexes, in most parts of the world males are affected more frequently than females, often in the ratio of 2:1, according to WHO’s Global Leprosy Report. 
• Over 6% of the new cases were children under the age of 15. 
• Despite a 10% increase in new cases from 2020 to 2021, the reported cases were 30% lower in 2021 than in 2019. This is not due to a decrease in transmission, but because the leprosy cases remained undetected due to Covid-19-related disruptions.

International Coffee Organisation 

• It is a body set up in 1963 under the auspices of the United Nations to boost the economic importance of coffee globally. 
• It is the only inter-governmental organisation for coffee and represents 93% of world coffee production and 63% of world consumption. 
• India is a member of this organisation. 

Coffee status 

• Recently, the Statista site stated that India is the sixth largest producer of coffee in the world, after Brazil (largest producer of coffee), Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia, Ethiopia and Honduras. 
• In recent times, there has been increasing attention on the health benefits of South Indian coffee blend, particularly highlighting the role of chicory and coffee with milk. 
• Key Points about Coffee 

History and Commercialization: 

• Coffee was introduced to India during the late seventeenth century. 
• The smuggling of seven coffee beans from Yemen to India by an Indian pilgrim in 1670 marked its initial arrival. 
• The Dutch, who occupied parts of India during the 17th century, played a role in spreading coffee cultivation. However, it was during the British Raj in the midnineteenth century that commercial coffee farming fully flourished, particularly from the Mysore region. 

Climatic Conditions and Soil Types: 

Climate Conditions: 

• Hot and humid climate, Temperature 15°C to 28°C, and Rainfall 150 to 250 cm. 

Harmful Conditions: 

• Frost, Snowfall, High temperatures above 30°C, and Strong sunlight. 

Ideal Soil Conditions: 

• Well-drained loamy soils, Presence of humus and minerals (iron, calcium), Fertile volcanic red earth, and Deep sandy loam soils.

India France Relations Background: 

• France was one of the first countries with which India signed a “strategic partnership” after the end of the Cold War, in January 1998. 
• France was also one of the very few countries to support India’s decision to test nuclear weapons in 1998.

Defence Cooperation: 

• France has emerged as a key defence partner for India, becoming the second largest defence supplier in 2017- 2021. Joint Exercises: Exercise Shakti (Army), Exercise Varuna (Navy), Exercise Garuda (Air Force) 
• Economic Cooperation: Bilateral trade between two countries reached a new peak at USD 13.4 billion in 2022-23, with exports from India crossing USD 7 billion. 
• France is the 11th largest foreign investor in India, with a cumulative investment of USD 10.49 billion from April 2000 to December 2022. 
• Cooperation at International Forum: France supports India’s bid for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council as well as its entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. 
• Climate Cooperation: Both countries are concerned about climate change, where India has supported France in the Paris Agreement expressing its strong commitment to mitigating the effects of climate change. 
• Both countries, as part of their joint efforts on climate change, launched the International Solar Alliance in 2015.