GS Analyst
Daily Current Affairs

Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in a US strike recently. The US military used its 'secret weapon', the Hellfire R9X missile, to kill him.

Hellfire R9X Missile:

• The Hellfire R9X (or AGM-114 R9X) is a US-origin missile known to cause minimum collateral damage while engaging individual targets.
• It is also known as the ‘Ninja Missile’.
• This weapon does not carry a warhead and instead deploys razor-sharp blades at the terminal stage of its attack trajectory.
  • This helps it to break through even thick steel sheets and cut down the target using the kinetic energy of its propulsion without causing any damage to the persons in the general vicinity or to the structure of the building.
• The blades pop out of the missile and cut down the intended target without causing the massive damage to the surroundings which would be the case with a missile carrying an explosive warhead.
• The Hellfire 9RX missile is known to have been in active service since 2017.
  • However, its existence became public knowledge two years later in 2019.
• It is a variant of the original Hellfire missile family which is used in conventional form with warheads and is traditionally used from helicopters, ground-based vehicles, and sometimes small ships and fast moving vessels.
• Hellfire is actually an acronym for Heliborne, Laser, Fire and Forget Missile and it was developed in the US initially to target tanks from the Apache AH-64 attack helicopters.
  • Later, the usage of these missiles spread to several other variants of helicopters and also ground and sea-based systems and drones.
• The Hellfire missile has other variants such as ‘Longbow’ and ‘Romeo’ apart from the ‘Ninja’.
  
  

Ayman al-Zawahiri:

• Zawahiri took over the leadership of Al-Qaeda after the US Forces hunted down Osama bin Laden in Jalalabad of Pakistan.
• He served three years as a surgeon in the Egyptian Army, but his journey from an eye surgeon to becoming a most wanted global terrorist started after he met Laden in 1986, and joined Laden as his personal advisor and physician.
• In 1993, he took over the leadership of Islamic Jihad in Egypt and was found to be involved in the killing of over 1,200 Egyptians.

A CAG report criticised the Odisha government for choosing teak, eucalyptus and acacia for afforestation efforts rather than Sal, which is native to the state. 

Key highlights of report:

• There was ‘an acute shortfall’ in the Odisha government’s achieving plantation target for the period 2013-14 to 2017-18.
• The shortfall in achievement of plantation targets by the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department ranged from 11.98 per cent to 50.89 per cent.
• Reasons as being behind the shortfall:
• lack of coordination,
• working plan,
• improper selection of plantation sites and plant species
• The survival rate was 18.37 per cent, which can be treated as ‘failed plantation’. 
• Bamboo plantations were executed inside forests having canopy cover of more than 40 per cent, affecting the growth of the clumps due to poor availability of light.
• The Department could achieve only 74 per cent of the total target of bamboo plantations under the National Bamboo Mission.
• The target for CA programmes under CAMPA was not achieved within the stipulated period of three years and hence could not compensate the forest cover against the diversion of forest land.

Odisha’s forest cover:

• Odisha’s forest cover was estimated to be 51,619 square kilometres, 15 per cent of the state’s geographical area.

The Audit:

• The audit scrutinised the records of diversion of forest land and implementation of compensatory afforestation (CA).
• The report stated that all scheme-wise annual targets fixed and achieved, both physical and financial, were not provided for audit in spite of repeated requests to the department.
• It found that the targets of CA under normal as well as pending plantations (yet to be planted) fixed during 2013-18 were not achieved fully.
• State failed to make its own State Forest Policy, in line with the National Forest Policy, by considering local geo-climatic conditions of the region.
• It resulted in ‘inadequate planning in enhancement of green cover in the State’.
• The audit mentions that while Sal is the principal indigenous species of Odisha, teak, acacia and eucalyptus were planted as major species, affecting the native vegetation and biodiversity in the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih held one on one, restricted and delegation level talks in New Delhi recently.

Outcome of recent meeting:

• The six pacts inked between the two sides will facilitate cooperation in capacity building, cyber security, housing, disaster management and infrastructure development in the Maldives.
• India also announced $ 100 Mn new Line of Credit to finance infrastructure projects in Maldives.
• Both leaders also virtually launched the first pouring of concrete for the Greater Male Connectivity Project, being built with an Indian grant of $100 million and a soft loan of $400 million.
• Cyber Security: The Maldives signed a cyber-security agreement with India as both sides affirmed their will to strengthen ties to take on “transnational crimes and terrorism” in the Indian Ocean region.
• India-Maldives partnership is not only working in the interest of citizens of both countries, but it is also becoming a source of peace and stability for the entire region.
• Surveillance: The Indian side announced it will provide a landing craft assault (LCA) to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), and another warship to replace CGS Huravee, which itself is a naval patrol vessel gifted by India in 2006. India will also provide 24 utility vehicles to MNDF.

India-Maldives relations

• India and Maldives share ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and commercial
• India was amongst the first to recognize Maldives after its independence in 1965 and later established its mission at Male in 1972.
• Maldives’ proximity to the west coast of India and its situation at the hub of commercial sea-lanes running through the Indian Ocean, and its potential to allow a third nation’s naval presence in the area imbues it with significant strategic importance to India.
• India has a pre-eminent position in the Maldives, with relations extending to virtually most areas.
• India’s policy of ‘Neighbourhood First’ and Maldives’ policy of ‘India First’ seem to be in absolute sync with each other.
• Presently, India is engaged in developing 45 infrastructure development projects in Maldives.
• In 2020, India decided to support the implementation of Greater Malé Connectivity Project in Maldives.
• In April 2021, both sides held their first meeting of the Joint Working Group on counterterrorism, countering violent extremism and de-radicalisation.

Researchers in South Korea have developed an electronic tattoo ink made of liquid metal and carbon nanotubes that functions as a bioelectrode.

• The device could be used to send readout of the wearer's vital signs if connected to biosensors, including for instance an electrocardiogram.
• Alongside heart rates it could be used to read glucose or lactate levels for people with diabetes or sepsis.
• The monitors could in theory be located anywhere, including in patients' homes.

The Electronic Tattoo:

• The electronic tattoo ink is made of liquid metal and carbon nanotubes that can deliver vital body information.
• The ink is non-invasive and made from particles based on gallium, a soft, silvery metal also used in semiconductors or in thermometers.
• Platinum-decorated carbon nanotubes help conduct electricity while providing durability.
• When it is applied to the skin, even with rubbing the tattoo doesn’t come off, this is not possible with just liquid metal.
  
  

Lok Sabha recently passed by voice vote the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill-2021 that seeks to provide for implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Key provisions of the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2021:

• Standing Committees of State Boards of Wildlife:
• The Bill proposes setting up of Standing Committees of State Boards of Wildlife.
• These committees will function like the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).
• It will be able to make decisions on wildlife management and permissions granted for projects without having to refer most projects to the NBWL.
• Rationalization of Schedules for Wildlife:
• The bill rationalises Schedules for Wildlife under the Act by bringing it down from 6 to 4 major schedules.
• For example, A schedule I category of wildlife (such as Tigers) are the highest protected under the Act.
• Wildlife Management Plans:
• The Bill mandates that Wildlife Management Plans which are prepared for sanctuaries and national parks across the country will now become a part of the Wildlife Act.
• Further, they will have to be approved by the Chief Wildlife Warden of the state.
• Earlier, the plans were approved through executive orders.
• There is also the insertion of a new section 42A about surrender of wild animals and products.
• The inclusion of the new Section 62A (l) that defines alien invasive species.
• It has mandated the need to consult the Gram Sabha in protected areas falling under scheduled areas or areas recognised to possess forest rights based on claims under the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
• Regulation on invasive species: Bill empowers the central government to regulate the import and trade of invasive alien species.
• Control of Sanctuaries: Empower the government to regulate the business of Chief Wildlife Warden in line with the regulatory guidelines made by central government.
• Voluntary Surrender of Specimen: Any one surrendering any captive animal to the Chief Wildlife Warden, the person will not be compensated and the specimen of the captive animal will be considered as states property.
• Penalties: Penalties on violation of the rules has been revised and increased under this bill.