UPSC Current Affairs
UN Backs Equal Earth Map Projection and India Co-sponsors Global Anti-Child Marriage Resolution
8 stories · about 3 min read · quiz and Mains question at the end
UN Approves Resolution Supporting Equal Earth Map Projection
The United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution endorsing the Equal Earth map projection to replace traditional depictions that distort continent sizes. Spearheaded by Togo and supported by the African Union, the move addresses the historical legacy of the 16th-century Mercator projection, which greatly exaggerates high-latitude regions while diminishing the true surface area of equatorial continents such as Africa and South America.
India Co-Sponsors UN Resolution on Eliminating Child Marriage
India has co-sponsored a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly proclaiming November 27 as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage. The initiative seeks to mobilize coordinated international action to end child marriage, protect girls' fundamental rights, and accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5.3).
High-Altitude Rock-Ice Avalanches Trigger Fatal Floods in Nepal
A massive ice and rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border triggered a catastrophic flash flood within minutes, causing widespread loss of life and devastation downstream. Scientists noted that the sudden failure of mountain slopes and glacial barriers generated rapid debris flows, highlighting the growing vulnerability of the fragile Himalayan cryosphere to climate-induced disaster events.
Anak Krakatau Eruption Disrupts Regional Aviation in Indonesia
Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano erupted, spewing thick ash columns and prompting the cancellation of several commercial flights around Jakarta. Located in the Sunda Strait along the Pacific Ring of Fire, Anak Krakatau is a historically active volcanic island whose explosive collapse in 2018 triggered a lethal tsunami across the coasts of Java and Sumatra.
CCPA Cracks Down on Misleading '100%' Label Claims on Packaged Foods
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has initiated regulatory action against food brands making absolute '100%' claims (such as 100% pure or natural) without verifiable evidence. The watchdog stated that such marketing exaggerations violate provisions against misleading advertisements under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, undermining consumer choice and transparency.
Large Data Centres Face Cooling and Energy Efficiency Hurdles
Expanding artificial intelligence and cloud workloads have placed enormous pressure on data centre infrastructure, prompting a technical shift from conventional air-cooling systems to advanced liquid-cooling mechanisms. Industry experts note that while liquid cooling requires higher initial capital expenditure, it significantly reduces power usage effectiveness (PUE) ratios and avoids the heavy energy penalties associated with cooling gigawatt-scale facilities.
Study Shows Peptides Can Survive Concentrated Sulphuric Acid
Laboratory research has revealed that certain peptide chains can remain stable in highly concentrated sulphuric acid environments. The findings provide critical insights for astrobiology, expanding the theoretical chemical conditions under which prebiotic building blocks could endure, particularly within the harsh sulphuric acid clouds of Venus.
Nurses Registration and Tracking System to Streamline Healthcare Cadre
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare continues to scale up the Nurses Registration and Tracking System (NRTS) to maintain a live, verified national database of registered nurses and midwives. The system aims to eliminate duplicate registrations, enable precise human-resource planning in public health, and facilitate reciprocal recognition of qualifications across State Nursing Councils.
Daily News Quiz
Test your knowledge about today's current affairs with 7 questions.