Bihar Affairs
Bihar: 118 ultrasound centres sealed in 6 districts for violations under PNDT Act
As many as 118 ultrasound centres have been sealed and further action initiated against 172 others for violations under the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques ( of Sex Selection) [PC&PNDT] Act, 1994, in six districts in Bihar.
Bihars declining sex ratio at birth, down from 934 per 1,000 males in National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4 (data period 2015-16) to 908 in NFHS-5 (2019-20), pointing to an unholy practice of female foeticide even as the national Average improved from 919 to 929 during the same period has led the State Government to act tough against diagnostic centres indulging in pre-birth sex determination.
Some districts like Muzaffarpur showed an alarming decline in the sex ratio at birth from 930 females per 1,000 males in NFHS-4 to 685 in NFHS-5, a whopping difference of 245.
Sarans was second worst with 779 female children in NFHS-5 as compared to 976 in NFHS-4, a difference of -197. Darbhanga had 812 female children (NFHS-5) as compared to 982 (NFHS-4), Samastipur 890 as compared to 1,049, and Madhubani 954 as compared to 805 during the same period, as per government data.
Interestingly, Haryana, infamous for female foeticide, had shown an improvement in sex ratio from 836 to 893 during NFHS-4 and NFHS-5, respectively.
State capital Patna was better even as it registered a drop in female childbirth from 1,017 in NFHS-4 to 1,002 in NFHS-5, as per data.
National and International Affairs
Ancient Maya City
Archaeologists in Mexicohave made a significant discovery in the dense jungle of theYucatan Peninsula, uncovering the remains of anancientMayacity.
TheNational Institute for Anthropology and HISTORY (INAH) inMexicoled the expedition to Ocomtn.
The research team usedairborne laser scanningto identifypre-Hispanic structures throughout the region.
Named Ocomtun,meaning “stone column” in the Yucatec Maya language,this newly discovered city isbelieved to have been a prominent centre in the central lowland region of the Yucatan Peninsula between 250 and 1000 AD.
It also provides invaluable insights into theadvanced societal and religious practices of the Maya civilization, known for itssophisticated mathematical calendars.
The Maya are an indigenous people of Mexico and Central America. Originating in the Yucatn, they rose to prominence around A.D. 250 inpresent-day southern Mexico, Guatemala, northern Belize and western Honduras.
Therise of the Maya began about 250 CE, and what is known to archaeologists as the Classic Period of Mayan culture lasted until about 900 CE.
ChatGPT maker OpenAI influenced EU for less strict AI rules: Report
Days after the lawmakers in theEuropean Union(EU) passed a draft of the AI Act aimed at placing greater restrictions on how the technology can be used, a report has claimed thatOpenAIlobbied to water down the tougher regulations.
Citing documents obtained from the European Commission, a report by Time magazine said that the company that developed ChatGPT AI chatbot lobbied for “significant Elements” of the AI legislation to be less stringent in ways that would reduce the regulatory burden on the company.
It also claims that “in several cases,” amendments that were proposed by OpenAI made it to the final text of the draft law, approved by lawmakers and “will now proceed to a final round of negotiations before being finalised as soon as January.”
ChinaandPakistanhave signed a significant agreement worthUSD 4.8 billionto establish a 1,200-megawatt nuclear power plant. This deal reflects the deepening strategic cooperation between the two nations and comes as a welcome development for Pakistan. Pakistan is determined to enhance its energy sector and overcome its economic difficulties by assuring the prompt initiation of the nuclear power plant project.
Pakistans existing Chashma power Plants play a crucial role in generating affordable nuclear power. With the addition of the 1,200-megawatt Chashma-V nuclear plant, Pakistan will further enhance its capacity for clean and sustainable energy production. The expansion of nuclear power facilities is vital for meeting the growing Energy demands of the country and reducing its dependence on fossil fuels.