Why is it in the News?

Google's employees staged protests against the company's collaboration with the Israeli government on "Project Nimbus", a $1.2 billion cloud computing initiative.

What is Project Nimbus?

• Google’s Project Nimbus is a $1.2 billion cloud computing initiative with the Israeli government.
• The project aims to provide public cloud services to address challenges within various sectors in Israel, including healthcare, transportation, and education in Israel.
  • However, the project has sparked controversy leading to protests and layoffs within the company.
• Project Nimbus involves Google establishing a secure instance of Google Cloud on Israeli soil.
  • This would allow the Israeli government to perform large-scale data analysis, AI training, database hosting, and other forms of powerful computing using Google’s technology.
  • The project is a joint contract between Google and Amazon signed in 2021.
• As part of the agreement, Google Cloud will work with the public sector on the formulation of best practices for cloud migration, integration, and optimization of cloud services.
• According to the official announcement in the year 2021, Google Cloud will also provide training to the country’s technical government employees and senior leaders to enhance digital skills.

What is the Controversy Surrounding Project Nimbus?

• Despite the potential benefits, Project Nimbus has sparked controversy due to concerns about the potential misuse of AI and other technologies.
• Employees fear that the technology developed under Project Nimbus could be used in harmful ways.
• There have been reports suggesting that Israel is using AI to eliminate its targets.
  • Israeli outlets +972 Magazine and Local Call claimed that two AI systems, "Lavender" and "Where's Daddy?" were used to identify 37,000 Hamas operatives.
  • However, there's no official confirmation regarding any connection between Project Nimbus and these AI systems. 
• The use of AI also causes concern as it is still a relatively new technology on the battlefield and is yet to be regulated by governments across the globe.

Google Response to the Accusations Regarding Project Nimbus?

• Google clarified that the project is intended for use by Israeli government ministries in areas such as finance, healthcare, transportation, and education, emphasizing that it is not aimed at handling highly sensitive or classified military operations related to weaponry or intelligence services.

Why is it in the News?

The US government may soon sanction a battalion of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) over alleged human rights violations, marking the first such move in the history of the two countries’ relations.

What is the Netzah Yehuda Battalion?

• The Netzah Yehuda battalion was set up in 1999 to accommodate the religious beliefs of ultra-Orthodox Jews and other religious nationalist recruits in the army.
• It was established to facilitate military service for these communities, accommodating their religious observances by scheduling prayer and study times, and restricting their interactions with female soldiers.
• The battalion is historically stationed in the occupied West Bank region and faces intense scrutiny for allegedly committing human rights violations against Palestinians.
• Netzah Yehuda came on the radar of United States agencies after the death of an elderly Palestinian-American man, who was detained by the battalion.

What is the Unit Accused Of?

• The United States called for a criminal investigation after Netzah Yehuda soldiers were accused of being involved in the death of a 78-year-old Palestinian-American, Omar Assad, who died of a heart attack in 2022 after he was detained and was later found abandoned at a building site.
• A Palestinian autopsy found Assad died from a stress-induced heart attack brought on by being manhandled.
• The case attracted unusual attention because of his dual nationality, his age, and a demand by the U.S. State Department for an investigation into his death.
• There have been several other incidents in recent years, some captured on video, in which Netzah Yehuda soldiers were accused of, or charged with, abusing Palestinian detainees.
• The battalion primarily operated in the West Bank before it was moved out of the territory in late 2022 after U.S. criticism.
• The unit has recently been serving in Gaza.

Why is it in the News?

In the current general elections, political parties are selecting 'star campaigners' to lead their campaigns.

What are Star Campaigners in Election?

• Star campaigners are popular individuals with significant fan followings and are chosen by political parties to contest or campaign during elections.

Legal Provisions:

• The Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RPA) governs the expenditure incurred by 'leaders of a political party,' commonly referred to as star campaigners.
  • A recognized political party (National or State) can appoint a maximum of 40-star campaigners.
  • A registered unrecognized political party can appoint up to 20.
• The names of star campaigners must be communicated to the Election Commission (EC) and Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) within seven days from the date of election notification.
• For multi-phase elections, political parties can submit separate lists of star campaigners for different phases.

Expenses and Apportionment:

• If a star campaigner seeks votes for contesting candidates or shares the dais with them, rally/meeting expenses are apportioned to the election expenditure of those candidates.
• Boarding/lodging expenses incurred by the star campaigner while campaigning for candidates are included in the expenditure accounts of those candidates.
• If candidates travel with the star campaigner, 50% of the star campaigner's travel expenditure is apportioned to those candidates.

Special Cases:

• When a Prime Minister or former Prime Minister serves as a star campaigner, the government bears the expenditure on security, including bullet-proof vehicles.
• However, if the Prime Minister is accompanied by another star campaigner, the candidate must bear 50% of the expenditure on security arrangements.

Why is it in the News?

A recent study has warned that the warming planet may alter the characteristics of tundra environments and could transform them from carbon sinks to carbon sources.

About Tundra Ecosystem:

• The Tundra ecosystem is one of the unique ecosystems of the planet.
• The adverse climatic conditions of tundra regions like dry winds, meager precipitation, and extreme cold make it a unique and desert-like ecosystem with treeless fields.
• These harsh climatic conditions of the tundra region make the survival of plant and animal species quite severe.

Key Characteristics of Tundra Regions:

• Low Temperatures: Tundra areas experience frigid temperatures, ranging from -34 to -6 degrees Celsius (-30 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Short Growing Seasons: The tundra's summer growth period lasts merely 50 to 60 days, with sunlight persisting up to 24 hours a day.
• Permafrost: Below the surface lies a layer of permanently frozen soil, varying from a few inches to several feet thick.
• Minimal Precipitation: Despite being likened to deserts in terms of moisture, tundra regions receive low precipitation levels, primarily in the form of snow.
• Limited Biodiversity: Harsh conditions in the tundra support fewer plant and animal species compared to other biomes.
• Carbon Sink: Tundras serve as significant carbon storage areas due to the slow decomposition rates in their cold environments.

Types of Tundra:

• Arctic Tundra: Found north of the taiga belt in the far Northern Hemisphere, encompassing regions between the North Pole and the boreal forest, including parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.
• Alpine Tundra: Prevails above the tree line in mountain ranges worldwide, such as the Rockies, the Andes, the Himalayas, and the Alps.
• Antarctic Tundra: Encompasses several sub-Antarctic islands and portions of the Antarctic continent.

Flora and Fauna:

• Flora: Common plant species in tundra regions include mosses, lichens, sedges, cotton grass, and birches.
• Fauna: Wildlife in tundra ecosystems includes Arctic foxes, snow geese, polar bears, and other cold-adapted species.

Why is it in the News?

The Tamil Nadu government filed its objections in the Supreme Court recently, about the Survey of India (SOI) report on the construction of the mega car parking project near the Mullaiperiyar dam, and sought rejection of the report.

What is the Survey of India (SoI)?

• The Survey of India (SoI) serves as the National Survey and Mapping Organization of India, operating under the Department of Science and Technology.
• Established in 1767, it holds the distinction of being the oldest scientific department within the Government of India.
• Tasked with the critical role of being the country's primary mapping agency, SoI bears the responsibility of thoroughly exploring and mapping India's terrain to furnish foundational maps for comprehensive and efficient development initiatives.
• Originally comprising only five directorates in 1950, primarily focused on catering to the mapping requirements of the Defense Forces in the Northwest and Northeast regions, the department has since expanded to encompass 18 directorates spread across the nation, ensuring comprehensive map coverage essential for national development.
• SoI's expertise is widely utilized by various ministries and government undertakings for diverse purposes, including delineating international borders, and state boundaries, and facilitating the planned development of previously underserved areas.
• Moreover, SoI actively contributes to numerous national scientific endeavors in fields such as geophysics, remote sensing, and digital data transmission.
• Functioning as a key advisor to the Government of India on all survey-related matters, including geodesy, photogrammetry, mapping, and map reproduction, SoI fulfills a multitude of duties and responsibilities, which include:
  • Conducting all geodetic control, geodetic, and geophysical surveys.
  • Undertaking topographical control, surveys, and mapping within India.
  • Producing geographical maps and aeronautical charts.
  • Conducting surveys for developmental projects.
  • Mapping forests, cantonments, large-scale city surveys, guide maps, cadastral surveys, etc.
  • Engaging in surveys and mapping for specialized purposes.
  • Demarcating India's external boundaries, depicting them on published maps, and advising on inter-state boundary demarcation.
  • Conducting research and development in cartography, printing, geodesy, photogrammetry, topographical surveys, and indigenization.
  • Predicting tides at 44 ports, including 14 foreign ports, and publishing tide tables one year in advance to support navigational activities.
  • Reviewing and certifying India's external boundaries and coastline on maps published by other entities, including private publishers.
• Headquartered: Dehradun (Uttarakhand)