• It became the third country to land on Mars after the US and Soviet Union.
• China's previous ‘Yinghuo-1’ Mars mission, which was supported by a Russian spacecraft, had failed after it did not leave the earth's orbit and disintegrated over the Pacific Ocean in 2012.
  • The Tianwen-1 Spacecraft was lifted off on a Long March 5 rocket, from the Wenchang launch center in July 2020.
    • The Spacecraft consists of three parts - the orbiter, the lander and the rover - which separated in Mars orbit.
    • The orbiter will remain in the orbit for scientific operations and to relay signals while the lander-rover combination has made an autonomous descent and landing.
      • The lander from Tianwen-1 has touched down on Utopia Planitia, a large plain in the northern hemisphere of Mars.
  • Objectives:
    • To conduct scientific investigations into the planet’s soil, geological structure, environment, atmosphere and water.
      • The mission will be the first to place a ground-penetrating radar on the Martian surface, which will be able to study local geology, as well as rock, ice, and dirt distribution.China’s Other Space Programmes:
        • Chang’e-5 (Moon)
        • Tianhe (Permanent Space Station)
• Other Mars Missions:
  • NASA’s Perseverance Rover
  • UAE’s Hope Mars Mission (UAE’s first-ever interplanetary mission)
  • India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) or Mangalyaan:
    • It was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh by Indian Space Research Organisationin November 2013.
    • It was launched on board a PSLV C25 rocket with the aim of studying Martian surface and mineral composition as well as scan its atmosphere for methane (an indicator of life on Mars).

• Size and Distance:
  • It is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System.
  • Mars is about half the size of Earth.
• Similarity to the Earth (Orbit and Rotation):
  • As Mars orbits the Sun, it completes one rotation every 24.6 hours, which is very similar to one day on Earth (23.9 hours).
  • Mars' axis of rotation is tilted 25 degrees with respect to the plane of its orbit around the Sun. This is similar to Earth, which has an axial tilt of 23.4 degrees.
  • Mars has distinct seasons like Earth, but they last longer than seasons on Earth.
    • Martian days are called sols—short for ‘solar day’.
• Other Features:
• The reason Mars looks reddish is due to oxidation or rusting of iron in the rocks, and dust of Mars. Hence it is also called the Red Planet.
• It has the largest volcano in the solar system i.e. Olympus Mons.
• It has two small moons, Phobos and Deimos.

• In 2020, a report by the National Academies of Sciences (NAS), US found directed microwave radiation to be the plausible cause of the Havana syndrome.
• Increasing number of cases is being considered a mass psychogenic illness.

• Mass psychogenic illness is when people in a group start feeling sick at the same time even though there is no physical or environmental reason for them to be sick. They could think they've been exposed to something dangerous, like a germ or a toxin (poison).

• It is a non-profit, Government Organisation in the United States of America.
• NAS was founded in 1863 as a result of an Act of Congress, which was approved by Abraham Lincoln.
• The organisation offers its reports to the Government with regard to the Science and Technology projects.
  • In late 2016, a few diplomats from the USA and their employees had reported certain usual symptoms during their stay in Havana, Cuba.
  • They experienced some odd physical sensations and heard peculiar sounds, after which they started feeling sick.
  • The US had even accused Cuba of carrying out sonic attacks. But Cuba denied the accusations of the sonic attacks and refused awareness of any such illness or syndrome.
  • Ever since many bodies and institutions have been researching the cause of the Havana syndrome and many plausible factors have been discovered till date.
  • The symptoms of the syndrome include Nausea, Severe headaches, Fatigue, Dizziness, Sleep problems, Hearing loss.
    • A few of those who had been affected more faced chronic issues like vestibular processing and cognitive problems.

• Microwave Weapons:
  • Direct Energy Weapon (DEW):
    • They are a type of direct energy weapons, which aim highly focused energy in the form of sonic, laser, or microwaves, at a target.
    • They release electromagnetic radiations which cause sensations in the human body.
      • Electromagnetic radiation heating the water in the human body makes a person feel dizziness and nausea.
  • Countries with Microwave Weapons:
    • A number of countries are thought to have developed these weapons to target both humans and electronic systems.
    • China had first put on display its microwave weapon, called Poly WB-1, at an air show in 2014.
    • The US has also developed a prototype microwave-style weapon, which it calls the “Active Denial System”, which is the first non-lethal, directed-energy, counter-personnel system with an extended range greater than currently fielded non-lethal weapons.
  • India’s Plans for Directed Energy Weapons:
    • Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has announced its plans to develop (DEWs) using high-energy lasers and microwaves.
    • Development of DEWs is seen as particularly important in the context of India’s worsening security environment, especially its ties with China.
  • Concerns:
    • These weapons are a cause of concern as they can affect both machines and human beings.
    • They can cause long-term damages without leaving a single mark on the human body.

China builds key highway through Brahmaputra Canyon in Tibet close to Arunachal Pradesh border

• • The construction began in 2014 and is part of a wider infrastructure push in border areas in Tibet.
  • The highway passes through the Grand Canyon of the Brahmaputra river (Yarlung Zangbo in Tibet).
    • The Brahmaputra is the longest river in Tibet and its valley is the world's deepest with a 7,000-metre drop from the highest mountain peak to the lowest basin.
  • It connects Pad Township in the city of Nyingchi and Medog County.
    • Nyingchi and Medog County both are located in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), China.
    • Medog is the last county in Tibet, which is located close to the Arunachal Pradesh border.
    • China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of South Tibet, which is firmly rejected by India. The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC).
  • The Highway will shorten the road length connecting the city proper of Nyingchi and Medog County and will reduce the travel time by eight hours.
• Other Strategic Constructions by China:
  • Railway Line:
    • In 2020, China had begun work on a strategically significant railway line that will link Sichuan province with Nyingchi in Tibet, which lies close to Arunachal Pradesh border.
      • It is the second major rail link to Tibet after the Qinghai-Tibet railway that opened in 2006.
  • New Villages:
    • In January 2021, there were reports of Chinese construction of three villages in Arunachal Pradesh 5 kilometres from the Bum La pass.
    • In 2020, satellite images emerged showing a new village called Pangda built 2-3 km into what Bhutan sees as its land.
    • In 2017, the TAR government launched a plan to build moderately well-off villages in border areas.
      • Under this plan 628 first line and second line villages — referring to those right on the border and others in remote areas slightly further within — would be developed in the prefectures of Ngari, Shigatse, Shannan and Nyingchi, along China’s borders with India, Bhutan and Nepal.
• Concerns for India:
  • The highway is also expected to play a key role in the surveying of and planning for the mega Yarlung Zangbo hydro-power project that China is planning to build at the canyon in the same Medog county, triggering unease among downstream countries like India.
  • A highway connecting the border will largely improve the efficiency and convenience of military personnel and material transportation and logistical supplies in the border area.
• Steps Taken by India:
  • India will spend 10% funds of the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) only to improve the infrastructure along the China border.
  • The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) constructed the Daporijo bridge over Subansiri river in Arunachal Pradesh.
    • It links roads leading upto the LAC between India and China.
  • Foundation of a tunnel at Nechiphu in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh has been laid down which will shorten travel time for troops till the LAC through Tawang, which China claims to be its territory.
  • A tunnel is being constructed under the Se La pass in Arunachal Pradesh which connects Tawang to the rest of Arunachal and Guwahati.
  • The state government of Arunachal Pradesh has advocated selection of 10 census towns along the India-China border as pilot projects for infrastructure development in order to stop people living along its international borders, specifically with China, from migrating to faraway urban centres in the State.
  • Sisseri River Bridge, located at lower Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh, connects Dibang Valley and Siang.
  • In 2019, the Indian Air Force inaugurated resurfaced runway at India’s easternmost Village-Vijaynagar (Changlang district) in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • In 2019, the Indian Army conducted exercise ‘HimVijay’ in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam with its newly created Integrated Battle Groups (IBG).
  • Bogibeel bridge, which is India’s longest road-rail bridge connecting Dibrugarh in Assam to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh was inaugurated in 2018.
    • It will facilitate quicker movement of troops and equipment to areas near the India-China border.

• It measures around 4320 sq km in size – currently making it the largest berg in the world.
  • The newly calved berg 'A-76' was spotted in recent satellite images captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission.
    • Sentinel-1 is one of the missions of the European Space Agency (ESA) under Copernicus initiative (an earth observation programme).
  • It has surpassed the now second-place A-23A, about 3,380 sq km in size and also floating in the Weddell Sea.
• Iceberg:
  • An iceberg is ice that broke off from glaciers or shelf ice and is floating in open water.
  • Icebergs travel with ocean currents and either get caught up in shallow waters or ground themselves.
  • The US National Ice Center (USNIC) is the only organisation that names and tracks Antarctic Icebergs.
    • Icebergs are named according to the Antarctic quadrant in which they are spotted.
• Ice Shelves:
  • An ice shelf is a floating extension of land ice. The Antarctic continent is surrounded by ice shelves.
  • The Ronne Ice Shelf on the flank of the Antarctic Peninsula is one of the largest of several enormous floating sheets of ice that connect to the continent's landmass and extend out into the surrounding seas.
• Iceberg Calving:
  • Meaning:
    • Calving is the glaciological term for the mechanical loss (or simply, breaking off) of ice from a glacier margin.
    • Calving is most common when a glacier flows into water (i.e. lakes or the ocean) but can also occur on dry land, where it is known as dry calving.
  • Recent Cases of Calving:
    • Up to the end of the 20^th century, the Larsen Ice Shelf (on the West Antarctic Peninsula) had been stable for more than 10,000 years.
      • In 1995, however, a huge chunk broke off, followed by another in 2002.
      • This was followed by the breakup of the nearby Wilkins Ice Shelf in 2008 and 2009, and A68a in 2017.

• Concerns:
  • Periodic calving off of large chunks of those shelves is part of a natural cycle, but the process has been accelerated by climate change.
  • Average sea levels have risen about nine inches since 1880, and about a quarter of that increase comes from ice melting in the Greenland and Antarctica ice sheets, along with land-based glaciers elsewhere.
  • According to a recent study, more ambitious national goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions and slow down climate change set recently are not enough to stop sea levels from rising.
    • In fact, melting glaciers and ice sheets will raise sea levels twice as fast as they would if countries fulfilled their earlier pledges under the Paris Agreement.

• • The researchers exposed zebrafish to radiation like what would be experienced on a six-month journey to Mars.
    • They observed signs of oxidative stress (imbalance between antioxidants and free radicals), DNA damage, stress hormone signaling and changes to the cell-division cycle.
  • The researchers then induced torpor in a second group of zebrafish which were then exposed to the same dose of radiation.
    • The results showed that torpor lowered the metabolic rate within the zebrafish and created a radioprotective effect, protecting against the harmful effects of radiation.
    • Torpor, a form of hibernation, is a brief spell of suspended animation. It usually lasts less than a day. When in torpor, an animal's metabolism, heartbeat, breathing, and body temperature are greatly reduced.

• Scientific Name: Danio rerio
• Habitat:
  • It is a small (2-3 cm long) freshwater fish found in the tropical and subtropical regions. The fish is native to South Asia’s Indo-Gangetic plains, where they are mostly found in the paddy fields and even in stagnant water and streams.
  • They are classified as a species of least concern on the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species.
• Organism for Biomedical Research:
  • They have been used to study vertebrate development, evolution, genetics, and disease due to its adequate regeneration capacity of almost all its organs, including the brain, heart, eye, spinal cord.
  • Zebrafish have a similar genetic structure (around 70%) to humans.
  • As a vertebrate, the zebrafish has the same major organs and tissues as humans. Their muscle, blood, kidney and eyes share many features with human systems.

• Need of the Study:
  • Recent technological advancements might have made space travel more accessible. However, long-term space travel is incredibly detrimental to human health.
• Significance:
  • The study could help in understanding how a form of hibernation, known as induced torpor (a state of reduced metabolic activity) may provide radio-protective effects.
    • Hibernation is a physiological condition found in many species.
    • It protects them against harsh conditions, such as food scarcity and low environmental temperatures.
  • Replicating hibernation may therefore protect astronauts against the harsh conditions of space flight, which include challenges such as radiation exposure, bone and muscle wastage, advanced ageing and vascular problems.
  • The European Space Agency (ESA) is also conducting research into the impacts of hibernating astronauts not just for health reasons, but because it could reduce the amount of consumables required for a space journey and allow the mass of a spacecraft to be reduced by a third.

• Radiation:
  • Any space flight is outside Earth’s protective magnetic field, where radiation is much higher as compared to International space stations. (International space station is just within the earth’s protective atmosphere; even then radiation is 10 times higher when compared to earth.)
  • Radiation exposure increases cancer risk, damages the central nervous system, can alter cognitive function, reduce motor function and prompt behavioural changes.
• Isolation and Confinement:
  • Behavioural issues among astronauts crammed in a small space over a long period of time, are inevitable.
  • Sleep loss, circadian desynchronization, and work overload compound this issue and may lead to performance decrements, adverse health outcomes.
• Distance from Earth:
  • As distance of space flight increases from earth, communication delay increases. For example, there will be a communication delay of 20 minute in space travel to Mars.
• Gravity:
  • Different planets have different gravitational pull, for example astronauts would need to live and work in three-eighths of Earth’s gravitational pull on Mars. Additionally, explorers will experience total weightlessness during the course of travel.
  • To further complicate the problem, when astronauts transition from one gravity field to another, it’s usually quite an intense experience.
  • Blasting off from the surface of a planet or a descent through an atmosphere is many times the force of gravity.
• Hostile/Closed Environments:
  • NASA has learned that the ecosystem inside the spacecraft plays a big role in everyday astronaut life. Microbes can change characteristics in space, and microorganisms that naturally live on your body are transferred more easily from person to person in closed habitats like the space station.

• • The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1993 proclaimed 22^nd May as IDB to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.
    • The UNGA also declared the period 2011-2020 as the United Nations (UN) Decade on Biodiversity to promote the implementation of a strategic plan on biodiversity and its overall vision of living in harmony with nature.
    • It also declared 2021-2030 as the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
• 2021 Theme:
  • This year’s theme is “We’re part of the solution” which is a continuation of 2020 theme- Our solutions are in nature.
  • This serves as a reminder that biodiversity remains the answer to several sustainable development challenges.
• Some Global Initiatives to Save Biodiversity:
  • Convention on Biological Diversity:
    • It is a legally binding treaty to conserve biodiversity that has been in force since 1993.
      • India is a party to the convention.
  • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora:
    • It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.
      • India is a member of the convention.

• Some Indian Initiatives For Conservation of Biodiversity:
  • National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems.
  • Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017.
  • The Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
  • Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

• 5^th June: World Environment Day
• 22^nd March: World Water Day
• 22^nd April: Earth Day
• Last Saturday of March: Earth Hour

• Crops are sown from June to July and Harvesting is done in between September-October.
• Crops are: Rice, maize, jowar, bajra, tur, moong, urad, cotton, jute, groundnut, soyabean etc.
• States are: Assam, West Bengal, coastal regions of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra.
• About the Kharif Strategy 2021:
  • An ambitious plan for the free distribution of high yielding varieties of seeds to the farmers for the Kharif season 2021 in the form of mini-kits.
  • Strategy for both area and productivity enhancement has been formulated for soybean and groundnut under theNational Food Security Mission (Oil Seeds and Oil Palm).
  • It will bring an additional 6.37 lakh hectare area under oilseeds and is likely to produce 120.26 lakh quintals of oilseeds and edible oil amounting to 24.36 lakh quintals.
• Basic Information Related to Oilseeds:
  • Oilseed crops are the second most important determinant of the agricultural economy, next only to cereals within the segment of field crops.
    • The self-sufficiency in oilseeds attained through the “Yellow Revolution” during early 1990’s, could not be sustained beyond a short period.
  • Oilseed crops are primarily grown for the purpose of obtaining vegetable oils from them. Oil content in them varies from 20% in soybeans to 40% in sunflowers and canola (rapeseed).
  • India is able to produce a huge amount of oilseeds because of the favourable environmental conditions.
    • Castor seed, sesamum, rapeseed, groundnut, mustard, soyabean, linseed, niger seed, sunflower and safflower aresome of the important oilseeds India is known to produce.
  • Despite being the fifth largest oilseed crop producing country in the world, India is also one of the largest importers of vegetable oils today.
    • India buys more than two-thirds of its total edible oil imports as palm oil.
  • India has a marked position in the world in the production of a large amount of oilseeds.
    • After China, India is the second largest producer of groundnut and is third in position in the production of Rapeseed after China and Canada.
  • Major Oilseeds Producing Areas in India are: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh.
• National Food Security Mission (Oil Seeds and Oil Palm):
  • Objective:
    • To augment the availability of edible oils and reduce the import of edible oils by increasing the production and productivity of oilseeds and oil palm.
  • Merger of NMOOP under NFSM:
    • National Mission on Oilseeds & Oil Palm (NMOOP) was launched in 2014-15 and continued upto 2017-18.
    • From 2018-19 onwards, the NMOOP is being implemented under NFSM as NFSM-Oilseeds & Oil palm comprising the sub components NFSM- Oilseeds, NFSM-Oil Palm and NFSM-Tree Borne Oilseeds (TBOs).
  • Multi-Pronged Strategy:
    • Increasing Seed Replacement Ratio (SRR) with focus on varietal replacement.
      • SRR is the percentage of area sown out of total area of crop planted in the season by using certified/quality seeds other than the farm saved seed.
    • Productivity improvement by adoption of proven and climatic resilient technologies like water saving devices (sprinklers/rain gun), zero tillage, inter-cropping, relay cropping, strategic application of micronutrient and soil ameliorants.
    • Area expansion through diversification of low yielding food grains.
    • Capacity building.
    • Supporting cluster demonstrations for the adoption of good agricultural practices.
    • Creation of 36 oilseed hubs with a focus on regional approach for larger availability of quality seeds.
    • Post-harvest management at farm and village level.
    • Formation of Farmer Producer Organisations.
  • Funding Pattern:
    • The cost sharing pattern between Central and State Governments, is in the ratio of 60:40 for general category of States and 90:10 for North Eastern and Himalayan States.
    • For few interventions, like purchase of breeder seeds by both State and Central seed producing agencies, supply of seed mini-kits to the farmers, 100% funding is provided by Government of India.

• Lithuania (Baltic Country) urged other EU (European Union) members to pursue “a much more effective 27+1 approach and communication with China.”
  • The 17+1 (China and Central and Eastern Europe Countries) initiative is a China-led format founded in 2012 in Budapest with an aim to expand cooperation between Beijing and the CEE (Central and Eastern Europe) member countries, with investments and trade for the development of the CEE region.

• • Member Countries:
    • The initiative includes twelve EU member states and five Balkan states — Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia.
  • Aim and Objectives:
    • The framework focuses on infrastructure projects such as bridges, motorways, railway lines and modernisation of ports in the member states.
    • The platform is largely seen as an extension of China’s flagship Belt and Road initiative (BRI).
      • India has consistently opposed BRI as a key part of it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
        • China’s Narrative towards 17+1 Initiative:
          • China’s narrative towards the 17+1 initiative is about improving its relations with the European countries that are less developed as compared to the Western European states.
          • Trade relations between China and the CEE countries remained modest, leading to an increasing trade deficit since its inception.
        • Growing Distance:
          • Czech Republic President’s decision to skip the ninth summit of the 17+1 initiative citing lack of actual investments, had showcased the differences between Beijing and Prague.
          • Some CEE countries refused to attend the BRI event in 2020.
        • The Huawei Equation:
          • Some CEE countries signed a declaration with the US to ban China’s 5G network expansion.

• Baltic states, the northeastern region of Europe, includes the countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea.
• The Baltic states are bounded on the west and north by the Baltic Sea, which gives the region its name, on the east by Russia, on the southeast by Belarus, and on the southwest by Poland and an exclave of Russia.
• The Baltic region is not rich in natural resources. Though Estonia is an important producer of oil shale, a large share of mineral and energy resources is imported.
• India and Baltic countries have historical connection and common linguistic roots. The cutting edge technology and innovation ecosystems of the Baltic countries complement India’s huge market and appetite for these technologies.

• The geographic term is used for ten sovereign states: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia.
• The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountain, and Balkan Countries are found in Southern Europe.
• It is a unique territory inhabited by South Slavs who form the majority of the population in Balkan Region.
• Region has a very diverse ethno-linguistic scenario. The Bulgarians, Macedonians, and Slovenes speak their own Slavic languages, while the Slavs of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro all speak dialects of Serbo-Croatian.

• • Statutory Body:
    • Competition Commission of India is a statutory body responsible for enforcing the objectives of the Competition Act, 2002.
    • CCI was established by the Central Government with effect from 14^th October 2003, but it became fully functional on 20^th May, 2009.
  • Composition:
    • A Chairperson and 6 Members appointed by the Central Government.
• Formation of CCI:
  • The CCI was established under the provisions of the Competition act 2002:
    • The Competition Act, 2007, was enacted after amending Competition Act, 2002, that led to the establishment of the CCI and the Competition Appellate Tribunal.
      • The government replaced the Competition Appellate Tribunal (COMPAT) with the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in 2017.
• Functions and Role of CCI:
  • To eliminate practices having adverse effects on competition, promote and sustain competition, protect the interests of consumers and ensure freedom of trade in the markets of India.
  • The Competition Commission of India takes the following measures to achieve its objectives:
    • Consumer welfare to make the markets work for the benefit and welfare of consumers.
    • Ensure fair and healthy competition in economic activities in the country for faster and inclusive growth and development of the economy.
    • Implement competition policies with an aim to effectuate the most efficient utilization of economic resources.
    • Develop and nurture effective relations and interactions with sectoral regulators to ensure smooth alignment of sectoral regulatory laws in tandem with the competition law.
    • Effectively carry out competition advocacy and spread the information on benefits of competition among all stakeholders to establish and nurture competition culture in Indian economy.
• Need of CCI:
  • Promote free enterprise: Competition is important for the preservation of economic freedom and our free enterprise system.
  • Protect against market distortions: The need for competition law arises because markets can suffer from failures and distortions, and various players can resort to anti- competitive activities such as cartels, abuse of dominance etc. which adversely impact economic efficiency and consumer welfare.
  • Promotes domestic industries: During the era in which the economies are moving from closed economies to open economies, an effective competition commission is essential to ensure the continued viability of domestic industries, carefully balanced with attaining the benefits of foreign investment increased competition.