[Newsbits] 12 -19.04.2024: Llama 3, Saksham App, Kasthuri Cotton & More

The Longevity India Initiative, spearheaded by the Indian Institute of Science, aims to revolutionize ageing research in India. This comprehensive project involves a large-scale clinical study to identify biomarkers of ageing, leveraging collaborations between academia, industry, and healthcare. The initiative addresses the unique demographic challenges of India, where the elderly population is expected to reach 347 million by 2050. By integrating fundamental and applied research, and developing solutions to enhance quality of life and extend healthspan, the initiative sets a significant precedent in ageing studies tailored to India’s specific needs.

The recent partnership between NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL) and State Bank of India (SBI) allows for online recharge of SBI’s National Common Mobility Cards (NCMC) via the Bharat BillPay platform. This initiative makes it easier for users to top up their NCMC cards, supporting a variety of transit systems across India. The service aims to enhance convenience by providing a seamless top-up experience without the need to wait in queues, supporting multiple payment options, and reflecting the recharge amount instantly. This aligns with the Indian government’s vision of a cashless economy and the use of interoperable transport cards for various services.

Llama 3 is the upcoming open-source large language model from Meta, set to launch in May 2024. It is designed to be highly accessible, allowing developers, researchers, and businesses to innovate on a global scale. This model aims to enhance Meta’s suite of products and democratize advanced AI technologies, making powerful tools more widely available. Llama 3 is expected to offer significant improvements over its predecessors, including better handling of complex queries and more nuanced responses, all while maintaining a cost-effective model for users.

India is set to deliver the first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines as part of a $375 million deal, marking a significant milestone in India’s defense exports. The BrahMos missile, developed jointly with Russia, is recognized for its high precision and swift targeting capabilities. This deal not only bolsters the Philippines’ maritime defenses amid South China Sea disputes but also strengthens India’s ties with the Philippines, enhancing regional security and stability.

The Indian Navy has inaugurated a new submersible platform called SPACE (Submersible Platform for Acoustic Characterization and Evaluation) in Idukki, Kerala. Developed by the Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory under DRDO, SPACE is designed as a premier facility for testing and evaluating sonar systems used across the Navy’s ships, submarines, and helicopters. The platform includes a surface-floating platform and a submersible section that can dive up to 100 meters deep, equipped for various underwater research activities. This advancement marks a significant stride in enhancing the Navy’s capabilities in Anti-Submarine Warfare and underwater acoustic research, further contributing to the modernization of India’s naval technology and supporting indigenous technology development initiatives.

India has experienced a substantial increase in pulses imports during the fiscal year 2023-24, with the volume almost doubling to 45 lakh tonnes from the previous year’s 24.5 lakh tonnes, amounting to USD 3.74 billion. This surge is largely due to a decline in domestic production, influenced by factors such as erratic weather, shifts in cropping patterns favoring more lucrative crops, pest outbreaks, and inadequate post-harvest infrastructure. In response, the Government of India has initiated several measures, including negotiating long-term import contracts with countries like Brazil and Argentina, and allowing duty-free imports of key pulses to stabilize supply and control inflation. Despite these efforts, domestic production challenges persist, making India likely to remain a significant importer of pulses in the near future.

India has experienced a substantial increase in pulses imports during the fiscal year 2023-24, with the volume almost doubling to 45 lakh tonnes from the previous year’s 24.5 lakh tonnes, amounting to USD 3.74 billion. This surge is largely due to a decline in domestic production, influenced by factors such as erratic weather, shifts in cropping patterns favoring more lucrative crops, pest outbreaks, and inadequate post-harvest infrastructure. In response, the Government of India has initiated several measures, including negotiating long-term import contracts with countries like Brazil and Argentina, and allowing duty-free imports of key pulses to stabilize supply and control inflation. Despite these efforts, domestic production challenges persist, making India likely to remain a significant importer of pulses in the near future.

The Saksham App, launched by the Election Commission of India, is designed to support elderly voters and persons with disabilities, facilitating easier access to voting through features like vote-from-home eligibility and transport to polling stations. It also includes essential services at polling stations, such as volunteers, wheelchairs, and comprehensive voter assistance, aiming to ensure no voter is left behind due to physical limitations or age.

The world’s first ‘Miss AI’ beauty pageant is a groundbreaking event where AI-generated women, judged by both human and AI judges, compete in a virtual competition. Hosted by Fanvue, this pageant aims to showcase the potential of AI technology in creativity and social influence, featuring AI influencers as participants and part of the judging panel. The event includes a significant prize pool and evaluates contestants on aesthetics, AI proficiency, and social media presence, with the top finalists showcased in a virtual ceremony.

India is advancing towards the development of indigenous high-speed bullet trains as part of its “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiative, aiming for self-reliance and reducing dependence on foreign technology. The Vande Bharat trains, which have been operational since 2019, are set to evolve into high-speed versions with improved features such as better ride quality, advanced anti-collision systems, and enhanced interiors. Key organizations like the Indian Railways and the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) are collaborating with top technical institutes to innovate and manufacture these trains. This initiative not only aims to boost local manufacturing and economic growth but also to connect 75 major cities across India with high-speed rail services.

The recent discovery of Gaia BH3, announced by ESA on April 16, 2024, marks a significant milestone in astronomy. This dormant, 33 solar-mass black hole located in the Milky Way was identified using preliminary data from Gaia Data Release 4, employing binary solutions. This discovery, documented in the publication “Discovery of a dormant 33 solar-mass black hole in pre-release Gaia astrometry” in April 2024, positions Gaia BH3 as the largest stellar black hole discovered in our galaxy to date. This finding is critical as it provides insights into the population of dormant stellar black holes within the Milky Way and highlights the capability of Gaia’s extended observations, which are expected to unveil more such celestial phenomena in the coming years.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) recently issued Yellow and Orange alerts in various parts of India due to an expected heatwave affecting states like Telangana, West Bengal, Odisha, among others, and another spell of heat from April 16 to April 20. In contrast, a Western Disturbance will bring rainfall and thunderstorms to northwestern states from April 18 to April 21. IMD utilizes a color-coded alert system ranging from Green (no warning) to Red (take action), to inform and prepare the public and authorities for different severity levels of weather conditions. This system is crucial for disaster management and minimizes potential damage from adverse weather events.

The Men5CV vaccine, recently introduced in Nigeria, marks a significant advancement in the global fight against meningitis. This innovative vaccine, known as MenFive, is capable of protecting against five major strains of the meningococcus bacteria—A, C, W, Y, and X. The rollout, which started in March 2024, targeted over one million young people between 1 and 29 years old, especially in the regions hardest hit by the disease. This deployment is part of a broader initiative by the World Health Organization and other partners like Gavi and PATH, aiming to eradicate meningitis by 2030, enhancing both local and global public health security.

The “Hubble Tension” refers to a significant discrepancy in measurements of the universe’s expansion rate, depending on whether the measurements are taken from observations of the early universe or from more local, recent observations. The tension arises because different techniques suggest different expansion rates: observations of the early universe through the cosmic microwave background suggest a slower expansion rate than those measured more locally using the cosmic distance ladder, which involves Cepheid variable stars and supernovae. Efforts by the Hubble and the more recent James Webb Space Telescope to resolve this discrepancy have not eliminated it but confirmed the accuracy of each other’s measurements, suggesting the need for new physical theories or understanding of dark energy to explain the variance.

The Kasturi Cotton initiative, launched by the Indian government in partnership with various textile bodies, aims to brand and elevate the global status of Indian cotton, known for its purity, softness, and luster. This initiative includes the recent setup of cotton test labs across six states to ensure the quality and traceability of Kasturi Cotton. It leverages blockchain technology and QR codes to provide end-to-end traceability across the supply chain, enhancing the traceability of garments and fabrics. This strategic move not only aims to improve the quality and competitiveness of Indian cotton on the global stage but also ensures sustainable practices and economic benefits for Indian farmers through premium pricing and enhanced market presence.

Chagas disease, caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite and spread by triatomine bugs, is a significant public health concern, particularly in Latin America. World Chagas Disease Day, observed annually on April 14 since 2020, aims to raise global awareness, promote early diagnosis, and encourage lifelong care for those affected. Despite its potentially fatal consequences, including serious cardiac, neurological, and digestive issues, Chagas disease often remains underdiagnosed, with less than 10% of those infected being detected. The World Health Organization and various health bodies focus on integrating the disease into primary health care systems, improving detection rates, and ensuring access to necessary treatments to combat this neglected tropical disease.

The Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) Weapon System, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and tested by the Indian Army, represents a significant advancement in India’s defense technology. Aimed at enhancing India’s self-reliance in military technologies, this lightweight, mobile missile system was successfully trialed on April 13, 2024, at the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Rajasthan. It includes capabilities such as a day/night and top attack operations and is designed to destroy modern armored tanks. The successful trial, praised by officials including Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, marks an important step towards integrating this system into the Indian Army following final user evaluations.

The Arrow Defense System is an integral component of Israel’s multi-tiered defense strategy against aerial threats, specifically designed to intercept and neutralize ballistic missiles. Developed collaboratively by Israel Aerospace Industries and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency starting in the late 1980s, the system includes Arrow 2 for endo-atmospheric (within the atmosphere) threats and Arrow 3 for exo-atmospheric (outside the atmosphere) threats. This setup complements other defense systems like Iron Dome, which targets short-range projectiles, and David’s Sling for medium to long-range missiles. The Arrow system uses advanced radar detection, a sophisticated command and control center, and kinetic energy hit-to-kill interceptor missiles. It demonstrated its effectiveness during a significant confrontation on April 2024, when it successfully intercepted the majority of threats during an unprecedented attack by Iran, underscoring its crucial role in Israel’s national defense architecture.

The Taliban regime has initiated a move to restore land rights to the Hindu and Sikh minorities in Afghanistan, marking a significant policy shift. This development comes with the establishment of a commission by the Taliban’s Ministry of Justice, aimed at returning properties that were seized during the periods of conflict, particularly by warlords. The decision is viewed positively by India, reflecting potential improvements in the lives of these minorities and the relationship between the Taliban and the international community, despite ongoing security challenges and the lack of formal recognition of the Taliban government by some countries, including India.

The 2024 Plastic Overshoot Day marks the point where the world’s production of plastic waste exceeds its capacity to manage it safely, projected to occur on September 5th. This day highlights the growing environmental crisis caused by 220 million tonnes of plastic waste generated globally, with a significant amount becoming mismanaged. Initiatives like the UN Plastic Treaty and recommendations for improved recycling, waste reduction, and stronger policy measures are part of the strategic response to mitigate this issue.

The Election Commission of India has simplified the voting process for Kashmiri migrants in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, particularly for those in the Jammu and Udhampur districts. This move abolishes the need for Form-M, which was a significant bureaucratic barrier. Now, voters in these areas can directly use electronic voting machines without this form, while those outside these districts can still use postal ballots but will benefit from a new self-attestation provision, making the process less cumbersome.

The recent rule change by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) now allows money stored in Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) to be used across any Unified Payments Interface (UPI) app, regardless of the issuing entity. Effective from April 1, 2024, this change aims to enhance financial inclusion and convenience by enabling interoperability among digital wallets, cards, and vouchers. This significant move is expected to promote a broader adoption of digital transactions across the country, fostering a more integrated digital economy.

The World Cybercrime Index ranks countries based on the severity and type of cybercrimes prevalent within their territories. India’s position as 10th in the global rankings highlights its particular vulnerability to scams such as advance fee frauds, though it also engages in a broad spectrum of other cybercrimes. The index, a collaboration between the University of Oxford and UNSW Sydney, aims to identify major cybercrime hotspots and analyze how national characteristics like internet penetration and corruption contribute to these crimes.

Ukraine’s parliament recently passed a controversial conscription law aimed at boosting the ranks of its military forces amidst ongoing conflicts with Russia. This new legislation, spurred by the dire need for additional troops, reduces the draft-eligible age from 27 to 25 and implements several measures to streamline the recruitment process, including mandatory military registration for men aged 18 to 60. The law also introduces incentives like cash bonuses and support for housing. However, it faces significant challenges, including public resistance and logistical issues related to the country’s capacity to arm and support new recruits.

The Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS), established in 2006, is an essential network designed to monitor the Indian Ocean’s marine and atmospheric conditions. It includes a variety of observational tools like moored buoys, Argo floats, and satellite measurements. The network, crucial for climate research and weather forecasting, was reactivated in April 2024 by India and the U.S. following years of neglect due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This reactivation, discussed between M Ravichandran and Rick Spinrad, is expected to fill significant gaps in data crucial for understanding the Indian Ocean’s impact on global climate phenomena such as the monsoon system. This move is part of broader efforts to revamp the system under the IndOOS-2 initiative, aimed at enhancing its capability and coverage to meet emerging scientific and societal needs.