Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
Context: India formally rejected the Court of Arbitration (CoA) award issued at The Hague regarding maximum pondage at Indian hydroelectric projects on the Indus river system.
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- India declared the award “null and void” and reiterated that the CoA is illegally constituted.
- India’s decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance continues to remain in force.
- The CoA is a five-member arbitral panel chaired by Sean D. Murphy, constituted in January 2023.
- It was set up at Pakistan’s request after Islamabad challenged the design of India’s Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects.
- India refuses to participate, arguing these matters fall under a Neutral Expert appointed by the World Bank.
About Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
- PCA is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to facilitating arbitration and international dispute resolution.
- It was established in 1899 through the Hague Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes.
- PCA is the first international organisation to be established on a permanent basis.
- The First Hague Peace Conference was convened by Czar Nicolas II of Russia in 1899.
- PCA serves as a neutral and impartial forum for adjudication by independent arbitrators.
- Its services are available to states, state-owned enterprises, international organisations, and private parties.
- PCA’s mandate is to promote peaceful settlement of disputes and strengthen the rule of law internationally.
- As of 2023, PCA has 121 member states from across all regions of the world.
- Membership is open to all states that have ratified the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907.
Structure of PCA
- Administrative Council serves as the governing body and is composed of member state representatives.
- It is responsible for overseeing activities, approving the budget, and appointing the Secretary-General.
- International Bureau acts as the administrative arm and provides logistical and secretarial support.
- The International Bureau is headed by the Secretary-General, appointed by the Administrative Council.
- Panel of Arbitrators is a list of qualified individuals nominated by member states to resolve disputes.
- Arbitrators possess expertise in various areas of international law and dispute resolution.
Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB-8)
About NB-8
- NB-8 is an informal and non-institutionalised regional cooperation group.
- Member Countries
- Nordic Countries (5): Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
- Baltic Countries (3): Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
- India and NB-8
- India’s trade with NB-8 nations reached US$ 9.04 billion in 2022-23.
- Sweden is India’s largest trading partner within the NB-8 grouping.
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)
Context: Africa CDC and WHO confirmed the 17th Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This outbreak involves a rare non-Zaire strain, complicating the existing medical response.
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- Current Ebola vaccines and therapeutics were specifically developed to target the Zaire ebolavirus strain only.
- Africa CDC has warned of high transmission risks to Uganda and South Sudan due to intense population mobility.
- Urban density in Bunia and migrant mining activities in affected zones are key transmission drivers.
- WHO deployed an emergency field team and released USD 500,000 from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE).
- The funds support rapid contact tracing, cross-border surveillance, and laboratory testing.
About Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)
- EVD was formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever and affects humans and other primates.
- It is caused by viruses belonging to the Orthoebolavirus genus of the Filoviridae family.
- Six species of Orthoebolaviruses have been identified so far.
- Three species are known to cause major outbreaks:
- Ebola virus (EBOV) causing Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
- Sudan virus (SUDV) causing Sudan Virus Disease (SVD).
- Bundibugyo virus (BDBV) causing Bundibugyo Virus Disease (BVD).
- Origin
- The virus was first identified in 1976 during two simultaneous outbreaks.
- One outbreak occurred in Yambuku, DRC, near the Ebola River, giving the disease its name.
- Transmission
- Natural host: Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are considered the natural reservoir of Ebola.
- Animal-to-Human: Spreads through contact with blood or bodily fluids of infected animals such as bats, chimpanzees, gorillas, and monkeys.
- Human-to-Human: Spreads through direct contact with blood or bodily fluids of an infected or deceased person.
- Contaminated objects such as bedding and clothing also serve as transmission vectors.
Tungabhadra Dam and River
About Tungabhadra Dam
- Tungabhadra Dam is also known as Pampa Sagar and is a multipurpose dam.
- Â It is built across the Tungabhadra River, a tributary of the Krishna River.
- The dam is located near the town of Hospet in Karnataka.
- Construction began as a joint project of the erstwhile Hyderabad State and Madras Presidency.
- After completion in 1953, it became a joint project of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
- The reservoir has a storage capacity of 101 TMC with a catchment area of 28,000 sq. km.
- The dam stands at a height of 49.5 metres and has 33 crest gates.
- Tungabhadra reservoir and Mullaperiyar Dam (Kerala) are the only two reservoirs built using a combination of mud and limestone.
About Tungabhadra River
- Tungabhadra is the largest tributary of the Krishna River in the south Indian peninsula.
- It is formed by the union of two rivers, Tunga and Bhadra, which give it its name.
- Both Tunga and Bhadra rivers originate on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats.
- The two rivers merge at Koodli in Shimoga district of Karnataka to form the Tungabhadra.
- Course
- The river flows in a northwest direction before joining the Krishna River.
- It meets the Krishna River at Sangamaleshwaram in Andhra Pradesh.
- The Krishna River ultimately drains into the Bay of Bengal.
- The river has a total length of 531 km and flows through Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
- It is primarily influenced by the South-West Monsoon.
- Major Tributaries and Dams
- Major tributaries of Tungabhadra include the Varada River and Hagari (Vedathy) River.
- Key dams built on this river include Tunga Anicut Dam, Bhadra Dam, Hemavathy Dam, and Tungabhadra Dam.
Anaimangalam Copper Plates (Leiden Copper Plates)
Context: The Chola-era Anaimangalam copper plates were returned to India by the Netherlands in a ceremony at The Hague.
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- The plates were in possession of Leiden University, Netherlands for nearly two centuries.
- This marks the first time Chola-period copper plates have been repatriated to India.
- Archaeologists are now demanding the return of Velvikkudi copper plates from the British Museum, London.
- The Velvikkudi plates were issued by Pandya ruler Parantaka Nedunchadaiyan (regnal years 765–815 CE).
About the Leiden Copper Plates
- The plates are a complete set of 21 large plates and 3 small plates.
- They record Raja Raja Chola I’s (regnal years 985–1014 CE) gift of land at Anaimangalam village near Nagapattinam.
- The land was gifted to a Buddha vihara called Chulamanivarma Vihara, built by Sri Mara Vijayotunga Varman of Java in his father Sri Chudamani Varman’s name.
- The larger plates were written by Rajendra Chola I (regnal years 1014–1044 CE) in 5 Sanskrit and 16 Tamil plates, honouring his father’s oral commitment.
- The smaller plates in Tamil were given effect by Kulottunga Chola I (regnal years 1070–1120 CE), recording additional grants to the vihara’s sangha.
- Kulottunga Chola I granted 4,500 kalam of paddy plus land, in addition to Raja Raja Chola I’s grant of 8,943 kalam of paddy.
- The vihara was also called Raja Raja Cholan Perumpalli during the reign of Rajendra Chola I.
- The tower of the vihara was demolished by Jesuit priests in 1867 with the permission of the colonial Madras government.
Chola Royal Insignia on the Plates
- The Leiden plates were strung together by a ring bearing the royal insignia of the Chola dynasty.
- The insignia included a tiger (royal emblem of Cholas), two fish (Pandyas), bow (Cheras), two chamaras, a royal parasol, lamps, and a swastika.
- Inclusion of the two fish and bow signified that the Cholas had defeated the Pandyas and Cheras.
- The larger plates carry the word “Anaimangalam” in Tamil and a Sanskrit sloka praising Rajendra Chola I.
- The smaller plates carry a brief sloka lauding Kulottunga Chola I.
Humpback Whale
About Humpback Whale
- Scientific name of the Humpback whale is Megaptera novaeangliae and it is a baleen whale.
- It belongs to the family Balaenopteridae and is classified as a rorqual.
- The name Megaptera means “big-winged”, inspired by its distinctively long pectoral fins.
- Females are larger than males, which is unusual among most whale species.
- Distribution and Migration
- Humpback whales inhabit all major oceans from sub-polar latitudes to the equator.
- They undertake long migrations between polar feeding grounds in summer and tropical or subtropical breeding grounds in winter.
- Behaviour and Diet
- Humpbacks use a unique feeding technique called bubble netting to capture prey.
- In bubble netting, bubbles are exhaled as the whale swims in a spiral below dense food patches.
- They filter food through baleen plates and feed on krill, anchovies, cod, sardines, mackerel, and capelin.
- Conservation Status
- IUCN Red List status of the Humpback whale is Least Concern.
Barn Swallow (Hirundo Rustica)
Context: A new study published in the Journal of Wildlife Science suggests barn swallows in Manipur’s Imphal Valley may have shed their migratory trait and settled permanently. The study was conducted by researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) based on field surveys in 2022 and 2023.
About Barn Swallow
- Scientific name of the barn swallow is Hirundo rustica and it is a fork-tailed bird.
- It is classified as a synanthrope, meaning it is a species closely associated with human habitats.
- The barn swallow is a widespread species that has expanded its range across continents.
- In India, two subspecies of barn swallows are reported to breed in the Himalayas.
- One subspecies is believed to winter in parts of northeastern India.
- Physical Characteristics
- Barn swallows build cup-shaped mud nests and display colours ranging from buff to rich chestnut-orange underparts.
- They show differences in throat and breast markings across individuals.
