Current Affairs 02 September 2025

Content

1. Over 800 killed, 2,800 injured as earthquake strikes Afghanistan
2. 2 more die of ‘brain-eating amoeba’ infection in Kerala
3. India-U.S. relationship: trust defines partnership, not tariffs
4. What is CEREBO, the brain tool developed indigenously?
5. Can an AI image-to-video feature put children at risk?
6. SC refuses to entertain plea against roll-out of 20% ethanol-blended petrol nationwide
7. Geographers uncover why some rivers stay single while others split

Over 800 killed, 2,800 injured as earthquake strikes Afghanistan

What is an Earthquake?

• An earthquake = sudden shaking of Earth’s surface due to release of stored energy (elastic strain) in rocks.
• Occurs when two tectonic blocks slip past one another → seismic waves radiate out.
• Key terms:
  • Hypocenter: Point inside Earth where quake starts.
  • Epicenter: Point directly above it on surface.
  • Magnitude: Measures energy released (Richter/Mw scale).
  • Depth: Shallow quakes (<70 km) more destructive than deep ones.

Relevance : GS I (Geography – Earthquakes, Plate Tectonics) + GS III (Disaster Management – Preparedness, Response, Regional Cooperation)

Why Do Earthquakes Occur?

• Earth’s crust is divided into tectonic plates.
• Plates move (few cm/year), colliding, diverging, or sliding → stress builds → sudden slip → quake.
• Magnitude vs Impact:
  • Each unit rise in magnitude ≈ 32x more energy.
  • Magnitude 6 releases 32x more energy than magnitude 5.

Why Afghanistan is So Vulnerable

• Tectonic Setting:
  • Lies on collision zone between Indian Plate and Eurasian Plate.
  • Collision rate: ~45 mm/year (among fastest in world).
  • Creates complex fault systems (thrust + strike-slip faults).
• Seismicity:
  • Hindu Kush region → one of most active globally.
  • Recorded >7 major quakes (>7.0 magnitude) since 1900.
• Geography & Settlement Patterns:
  • Mountainous terrain → landslides, blocked rescue.
  • Many rural houses → made of mud-brick, stone → collapse easily.
  • Dense family sleeping arrangements at night → high casualties.
• Socio-political Factors:
  • Weak governance, poor infrastructure, limited disaster response.
  • Conflict zones → difficult access for rescue and aid.

Why Do Shallow Quakes Cause More Damage?

• Depth < 70 km = “shallow focus earthquake.”
• Energy is released close to surface → intense ground shaking.
• Example: 2023 Herat quakes killed ~1,300 people; 2025 Nangarhar quake killed 800+.

Implications of Afghanistan’s Seismic Vulnerability

• Humanitarian: Mass deaths, injuries, displacement.
• Economic: Destruction of homes, livelihoods, agriculture.
• Regional Spillover: Tremors affect Pakistan, Iran, Central Asia.
• Geopolitical: International aid dependence; Taliban regime’s limited capacity.

Way Forward – Reducing Risks

• Preparedness:
  • Early warning systems; seismic monitoring networks.
  • Community awareness & drills.
• Resilient Infrastructure:
  • Earthquake-resistant construction codes (mud-brick retrofitting).
  • Ban on unsafe hillside settlements.
• Disaster Response:
  • Regional cooperation (SAARC, SCO) for disaster relief.
  • Pre-positioned rescue supplies in quake-prone zones.
• Long-term Strategy:
  • Integrate seismic risk into urban planning.
  • International support for rebuilding with resilience.

2 more die of ‘brain-eating amoeba’ infection in Kerala

Basics

• Disease: Amoebic meningoencephalitis = rare, fatal brain infection caused by free-living amoebae.
• Causative agent:
  • Naegleria fowleri → causes Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM).
  • Balamuthia mandrillaris / Acanthamoeba → cause Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis (GAE).
• Mortality rate: ~95% despite treatment.

Relevance :  GS II (Health – Communicable Diseases, Public Health Policy) + GS III (Environment – Climate Change & Health; Science & Tech – Emerging Diseases)

Transmission

• Amoeba enters the human body through the nose while swimming/bathing in contaminated water.
• Not transmitted person-to-person.
• Travels along olfactory nerves → brain → causes inflammation.

Symptoms

• Incubation: 5–10 days after exposure.
• Early: fever, headache, nausea, vomiting.
• Later: stiff neck, confusion, seizures, hallucinations, coma → death.

Variants

• PAM (Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis): acute, rapid, usually Naegleria fowleri.
• GAE (Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis): slower progression, linked to Acanthamoeba/Balamuthia.

Kerala Outbreak (2024–25)

• Location: Kozhikode and Malappuram districts.
• Deaths: 3 confirmed (including an infant, a 9-year-old, and a 52-year-old).
• Cases: 42 suspected; 13 under treatment, 8 in ICU.
• Likely source: contaminated well water used domestically.
• Public health response: State-wide chlorination drive for waterbodies.

Why Kerala is Seeing Cases

• Environmental factors: warm, stagnant freshwater bodies (ideal for amoeba growth).
• Behavioral factors: widespread use of untreated well water.
• Climatic factors: rising temperatures, erratic rainfall → increased microbial proliferation.
• Detection gap: under-reporting due to misdiagnosis as bacterial/viral meningitis.

Public Health Implications

• Health burden: High fatality, affects children disproportionately.
• Surveillance challenge: Rare disease → delayed diagnosis, limited lab capacity.
• Water safety crisis: Highlights gaps in rural water management.
• Psychosocial impact: Fear of “brain-eating amoeba” could trigger panic and mistrust in public water systems.

Policy & Governance Response

• Kerala Health Dept:
  • Emergency surveillance and awareness campaigns.
  • Chlorination of wells, ponds, water tanks.
• Gaps:
  • Lack of early diagnostic infrastructure.
  • Absence of national guidelines on amoebic infections.
  • Weak enforcement of water quality standards in rural areas.

Way Forward

• Water safety: Regular monitoring, chlorination, deep cleaning of wells.
• Early detection: Equip district hospitals with PCR tests for amoebae.
• Treatment protocols: Stock drugs like Amphotericin B, Miltefosine.
• Community awareness: Avoid swimming in stagnant waters, ensure boiled/filtered water for infants.
• Research need: National registry on rare infections; climate-disease link studies.
• Integrated action: Converge health, local govt, water supply boards.

India-U.S. relationship: trust defines partnership, not tariffs

Basics

• Tariff: A tax imposed by a government on imports (can be ad valorem, specific, or mixed).
• Purpose: Protect domestic industries, correct trade imbalances, or exert geopolitical leverage.
• Impact: Makes foreign goods costlier → reduces competitiveness → hits exporters.

Relevance: GS II (International Relations – India–U.S. Relations, WTO) + GS III (Economy – Trade Policy, Protectionism vs Free Trade)

The 2025 U.S. Move

• Decision: U.S. doubled tariffs to 50% on a wide range of Indian exports.
• Scale: $87.3 billion worth of Indian exports to U.S. in 2024; $48–55 billion now directly at risk.
• Sectors hit hardest (labour-intensive, job-creating):
  • Gems & jewellery: ~$10B (25% of exports go to U.S.).
  • Textiles & apparel: ~$8B (70% destined to U.S.).
  • Agriculture: ~$6B (rice, spices, seafood, niche agri-products).
  • Leather & footwear: ~$3B.
• Exporters rushed to fulfill orders before tariffs took effect (July 2025: jewellery exports +16%, lab-grown diamonds +27.6%).

Why This Matters

• Economic shock: Job-intensive sectors risk losing U.S. market share to cheaper suppliers (e.g., Bangladesh, Vietnam).
• Value chain disruption: India’s traditional export strengths undermined.
• Perception issue: Seen as a setback after decades of building a “strategic, multi-faceted” U.S.-India relationship.

Areas Unaffected / Thriving

• Pharmaceuticals: $50B industry, $3.7B exports in H1 2025; exempt from tariffs. India supplies 40% of U.S. generics.
• Services & IT: $387.5B trade in FY 2024–25; $33.2B to U.S. → remains strong (IT, BFSI, consulting).
• Defence & Security: Joint exercises, co-production, technology transfers, intelligence sharing continue.
• Energy & Climate: LNG imports, renewable partnerships, green hydrogen cooperation unaffected.
• Space & Innovation: NASA–ISRO projects, digital innovation partnerships expanding.
• Aviation: Boeing orders, airport modernization projects remain robust.

Strategic Dimension

• Beyond tariffs:
  • Diaspora: 4.8M Indian-origin population; >150 Indian-origin CEOs in global corporations.
  • Students: >200,000 Indians in U.S. universities, contributing to talent & innovation pipelines.
  • Soft power: Indian festivals in U.S. politics & culture reinforce people-to-people trust.
• Resilience of ties: Survived Cold War suspicion, sanctions, past trade disputes → trust, not tariffs, defines partnership.

India’s Possible Responses

• Short-term:
  • Diversify markets (Africa, Latin America, Indo-Pacific).
  • Speed up order completion to minimize immediate losses.
• Medium-term:
  • Strengthen domestic resilience: move up value chain, invest in design & branding (esp. textiles & jewellery).
  • Innovate supply chains to reduce U.S. dependence.
• Long-term:
  • Persist in “hardware diplomacy” (defence, energy, tech) while tariffs dominate “trade headlines.”
  • Leverage diaspora & people-to-people ties as the “software” of U.S.-India relations.
  • Push for WTO-compatible dispute resolution if tariffs violate norms.

Way Forward

• Balanced strategy: Protect vulnerable sectors (MSMEs in textiles, gems, leather).
• Proactive diplomacy: Use 2+2 dialogue & Quad to negotiate trade relief.
• Atmanirbhar Bharat push: Reduce vulnerability to sudden external shocks.
• People-first diplomacy: Use diaspora and education linkages as stabilizers.

What is CEREBO, the brain tool developed indigenously?

Basics of the Device

• Developer: Collaboration between ICMR, MDMS, AIIMS Bhopal, NIMHANS Bengaluru, and Bioscan Research.
• Nature: Hand-held, portable, non-invasive tool.
• Purpose: Early detection of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) → intracranial bleeding + edema.
• Technology: Uses near-infrared spectroscopy + machine learning.
• Output: Radiation-free, colour-coded results within 1 minute.
• Safety: Suitable for infants, pregnant women, unskilled/paramedic use.

Relevance : GS II (Health – Healthcare Access, Affordable Technology) + GS III (Science & Tech – AI, Medical Innovation, Atmanirbhar Bharat/Make in India)

Importance of CEREBO

• Accessibility: Designed for areas lacking CT/MRI (ambulances, rural clinics, trauma centres, disaster response units).
• Affordability: Cost-effective, avoids expensive imaging.
• Speed: Reduces time-to-diagnosis → critical in the “golden hour” for brain injuries.
• Triage support: Helps decide which patients need urgent CT/MRI.
• Global adoption: Potential use in military, disaster, and emergency healthcare systems.

Clinical & Regulatory Validation

• Trials: Multi-centre clinical performance evaluation at leading trauma/neuro centres.
• Evidence: Confirmed diagnostic accuracy, decision-making speed, integration feasibility.
• Post-market surveillance: Positive feedback on adoption by frontline staff.
• Health Technology Assessment: Recommends use in tertiary care for:
  • Faster CT scan access.
  • Optimised triage.
  • Reduced imaging costs.

Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

• Definition: Brain dysfunction caused by sudden external trauma → mild (concussion) to severe.
• Common causes:
  • Road traffic injuries: ~60%.
  • Falls: 20–25%.
  • Violence: ~10%.
• Epidemiology (India):
  • 1.5–2 million injured annually.
  • ~1 million deaths per year.
  • Major cause of morbidity, mortality, disability, and socio-economic burden.
• Traditional diagnosis:
  • Glasgow Coma Scale (subjective, error-prone).
  • Imaging (costly, needs infrastructure, not always accessible).
• Complications: Permanent brain damage, cognitive impairments, emotional instability, higher neurodegenerative risk.

Why CEREBO is a Game-Changer

• Bridges diagnostic gaps in rural & underserved areas.
• Decentralises brain injury care → frontline workers can screen before reaching tertiary centres.
• Reduces mortality by enabling early detection and timely intervention.
• Supports universal health coverage goals (affordable, accessible, scalable tech).
• Global relevance: Could be adopted by WHO emergency health kits, disaster relief operations, and military medical units.

Challenges / Limitations

• Needs large-scale deployment funding.
• Requires training modules for paramedics & unskilled users.
• Potential risk of false positives/negatives in borderline cases.
• Must integrate seamlessly into existing trauma-care pathways.

Way Forward

• Scale-up production with Make in India & MedTech Mission.
• Integrate with National Health Mission (NHM) & Ayushman Bharat emergency care.
• Promote PPP collaborations for faster adoption.
• Continuous post-market surveillance to refine accuracy.
• Explore export potential as a low-cost diagnostic tool for LMICs (low- and middle-income countries).

Can an AI image-to-video feature put children at risk?

Basics of the Incident

• Trigger: Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian used MidJourney to animate a childhood photo with his mother.
• Reaction:
  • Many empathised with the emotional value of reliving a memory.
  • Others criticised it as creating “false memories”, interfering with healthy grieving.
• Virality: Video gained 20M+ views on X, sparking global debate.

Relevance : GS III (Science & Tech – AI & Deepfakes; Cybersecurity) + GS IV (Ethics – Technology & Society, Child Protection, Digital Ethics)

Technology Behind It

• AI Photo-to-Video Tools: MidJourney, Google Photos “Create”, xAI’s Grok Imagine.
• Process: Still photo → AI predicts missing frames → generates motion (hair moving, hugs, eye blinks).
• Evolution:
  • Earlier: AI upscaling (removing blur/pixelation).
  • Now: Generative AI → morphing, object removal, filling gaps, creating lifelike but synthetic videos.

Potential Benefits

• Memory preservation: Reviving old or damaged photos of loved ones.
• Cultural heritage: Restoring archival photos/videos for museums and education.
• Entertainment: Creative storytelling, personalisation in media.
• Accessibility: Helping visually impaired people experience photos in dynamic formats.
• Therapeutic potential: Comfort for grieving families, closure in some contexts.

Risks & Concerns

• False memories: Risk of altering personal or collective memory.
• Emotional manipulation: Artificial comfort may hinder natural grieving.
• Consent & ethics: Photos of deceased or minors turned into videos without permission.
• Child safety:
  • Cybercriminals misuse to create synthetic CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material).
  • Example: U.S. teen’s suicide after extortion from AI-generated nudes.
  • NCMEC reports 7,000+ cases (2022–24) involving AI-enabled exploitation.
• Privacy: Minors’ photos online can be weaponised into deepfakes.
• Cultural harm: Morphing celebrities or leaders → reputational damage, misinformation.

Legal & Ethical Dimensions

• Copyright: Editing copyrighted images usually requires permission.
• EU (GDPR):
  • Children (<16) cannot consent to use of personal data/images.
  • AI-generated “synthetic media” in legal grey zones unless explicitly illegal.
• U.S.:
  • NCMEC raises alarm on GenAI + child exploitation.
  • Deepfake laws vary by state.
• India:
  • IT Rules 2021: Platforms must remove morphed/AI deepfake content.
  • MeitY advisories: Explicit takedown obligations for CSAM/deepfakes.
  • Platforms like Meta, Google, X → mandated grievance officers in India.
• Ethics: Raises questions of consent, dignity, autonomy, especially for vulnerable groups (children, deceased).

Platform Safeguards

• Google Photos:
  • Limited prompts (“subtle movements”, “I’m feeling lucky”).
  • Adds invisible digital watermark (SynthID) + visual watermark.
  • Red teaming, content filters, user feedback loops.
• xAI (Musk): No clear safeguards disclosed yet.
• Industry gaps: Guardrails uneven, enforcement weak, AI firms aggressively promoting services.

Governance & Policy Gaps

• Global gap: No comprehensive international framework for synthetic media misuse.
• Law lagging tech: Regulations designed for explicit content, not synthetic “realistic” but non-explicit media.
• Accountability challenge: Who is liable — creator, platform, or AI company?
• Detection limitations: Watermarks can be bypassed; filters not foolproof.

Way Forward

• Stronger regulations: Global framework on AI content moderation (like GDPR but AI-specific).
• Child protection:
  • Explicit ban on synthetic CSAM (like real CSAM).
  • Technical safeguards: compulsory watermarking, detection standards.
• Consent & transparency: Mandatory disclosure when AI-modified content is used.
• Awareness & literacy: Digital literacy campaigns on risks of AI-generated deepfakes.
• Ethical AI: Encourage responsible use (e.g., memory preservation with explicit consent, educational uses).
• India-specific: Integrate with upcoming Digital India Act, focus on AI deepfake detection, strict liability on platforms.

SC refuses to entertain plea against roll-out of 20% ethanol-blended petrol nationwide

Basics of the Case

• Petition: Filed challenging nationwide roll-out of E20 fuel (20% ethanol-blended petrol).
• Claim:
  • Violates rights of vehicle owners whose cars are incompatible with E20.
  • No option left for ethanol-free petrol (older blends like E5, E10 phased out).
  • Risks mechanical damage, insurance denial, and reduced efficiency.
• Petitioner’s Demand:
  • Continue availability of ethanol-free petrol for vehicles manufactured before April 2023.
  • Mandate clear ethanol labelling at all fuel stations.
  • Conduct nationwide impact study on non-compatible vehicles.

Relevance: GS III (Environment – Clean Energy Transition, Climate Mitigation) + GS III (Agriculture – Farmer Income, Biofuel Policy) + GS III (Economy – Energy Security, Consumer Rights)

Supreme Court’s Decision

• Bench: CJI B.R. Gavai & Justice K. Vinod Chandran.
• Dismissed Petition: Refused to interfere in government’s clean fuel policy.
• Reasoning:
  • Policy linked to farmers’ income, energy security, and forex savings.
  • Court unwilling to obstruct India’s clean fuel transition.
  • AG R. Venkataramani suggested petition reflected vested interests against blending.

Government’s Stand

• Benefits of E20:
  • Boosts sugarcane farmers’ income.
  • Reduces oil imports (India imports ~85% of crude).
  • Cuts carbon emissions.
  • Ministry of Petroleum claimed: better acceleration, improved ride quality.
• Insurance Validity: Clarified that policies remain valid for vehicles using E20.
• Implementation: E20 being gradually rolled out since 2023, replacing E5/E10.

Issues Raised by Petitioners

• Efficiency Loss:
  • NITI Aayog’s 2021 report: E20 could cut fuel efficiency by 6–7% in 4-wheelers and 3–4% in 2-wheelers.
• Vehicle Damage: Non-compatible engines may suffer corrosion, deposit buildup, or faster wear.
• Consumer Rights:
  • Lack of choice (no ethanol-free petrol).
  • Breach of right to informed choice under Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (absence of proper labelling).
• Liability Gaps:
  • Vehicle manufacturers & insurers won’t cover damage caused by E20 use in non-compatible vehicles.

Broader Context

• India’s Ethanol Blending Policy:
  • E20 target by 2025-26 (advanced from 2030).
  • Part of National Biofuel Policy, 2018.
  • Current status (2024-25): E20 rollout in progress; E10 nearly universal.
• Global Practices:
  • U.S., Brazil widely use higher ethanol blends (E20–E85).
  • Requires compatible flex-fuel vehicles.
• Economic Linkages:
  • Supports sugar sector by diverting surplus cane to ethanol.
  • Helps stabilise sugar prices and ensure rural incomes.

Challenges & Risks

• Technical:
  • Older vehicles not compatible → mechanical degradation.
  • Mileage reduction → higher consumer costs.
• Agricultural:
  • Over-reliance on sugarcane (water-intensive crop).
  • Risk of food vs fuel debate if more land shifts to ethanol crops.
• Environmental:
  • While ethanol cuts tailpipe emissions, cane cultivation strains water resources.
• Consumer Protection: Lack of awareness, limited choices at pumps.

Analysis of SC Verdict

• Positive:
  • Reinforces India’s clean energy & self-reliance transition.
  • Judicial deference to policy choices on energy & climate.
• Concerns Ignored:
  • Consumer choice & compensation for vehicle damage.
  • Adequacy of public consultation & awareness campaigns.
  • Balance between farmers’ welfare vs consumer rights.

Way Forward

• Technical Solutions:
  • Gradual phase-out of old vehicles, retrofit options for compatibility.
  • Mandatory labelling of ethanol content at pumps.
• Policy Safeguards:
  • Transitional period: Ensure parallel supply of ethanol-free petrol.
  • Consumer compensation framework for engine damage.
• Agricultural Diversification:
  • Encourage second-generation biofuels (crop residues, waste, maize, sorghum).
  • Reduce sole dependence on sugarcane ethanol.
• Public Awareness: Campaigns on efficiency changes, safety, and insurance coverage.

Geographers uncover why some rivers stay single while others split

Basics of River Typology

• Single-thread rivers:
  • Flow in one continuous channel.
  • Typically meandering, with equilibrium between bank erosion and bar accretion.
  • Width remains relatively stable.
• Multi-thread rivers (braided):
  • Split into multiple channels separated by bars/islands.
  • Arise when erosion exceeds deposition, widening the channel until it splits.
  • Exhibit inherent instability and frequent lateral shifts.

Relevance: GS I (Geography – Fluvial Geomorphology, River Systems) + GS III (Disaster Management – Floods, River Basin Management, Human Interference in Natural Systems)

The UCSB Study (2023, Science)

• Dataset:
  • 84 rivers across the globe.
  • 36 years of Landsat satellite imagery (1985–2021).
• Method:
  • Particle Image Velocimetry — tracked small changes in annual satellite images.
  • Produced >4,00,000 measurements of erosion vs accretion.
• Key Finding:
  • Single-thread rivers → balance between erosion and deposition.
  • Multi-thread rivers → erosion dominates deposition → widening & splitting.
  • Thus, erosion imbalance drives multi-threading.

Supporting Stanford Study (2023)

• Focus: Role of vegetation in meandering rivers.
• Findings:
  • Vegetated bends → move outward (increase sinuosity).
  • Unvegetated bends → migrate downstream without much lateral shift.
  • Vegetation causes levee formation, influencing bend migration & floodplain evolution.

Human Interference in River Morphology

• Drivers of change:
  • Damming, diking, sediment mining, agriculture, channelization.
  • Many rivers have transitioned from multi-thread to single-thread due to artificial confinement.
• India example:
  • Ganga and Brahmaputra sections artificially confined with embankments → altered natural dynamics.

Case Studies: Indian Rivers

• Ganga (Patna, Farakka, Paksey): Exhibits both single-thread and braided stretches.
• Brahmaputra (Pasighat, Pandu, Bahadurabad):
  • Classical braided river.
  • Very high erosion rates, unstable channels.
  • Sub-channels widen and split repeatedly → inherent instability.

Implications for Flooding & River Management

• Multi-thread rivers:
  • Higher flood and erosion risks.
  • Rating curves (used to measure flow discharge) must be updated frequently.
• River restoration:
  • Multi-channel rivers can return to natural state relatively quickly if allowed space.
  • Nature-based solutions:
    • Remove artificial embankments.
    • Restore floodplains.
    • Vegetated buffer zones.
    • Reactivate abandoned channels.
    • Wetland creation in braided stretches.

Conceptual Shifts in River Geomorphology

• Old view: Rivers shaped by equilibrium of erosion and deposition.
• New view (UCSB study): Instability cycles drive multi-thread rivers — widening → splitting → widening again.
• Old view: Plants co-evolved with meandering rivers.
• New view (Stanford study): Vegetation changes migration dynamics, not just stability.

Broader Significance

• Geomorphology: Advances theory of river channel formation.
• Ecology: Different river types → different habitats & ecosystem services.
• Climate Adaptation: As extreme rainfall increases, river instability becomes a key risk factor.
• Engineering: Models for flood prediction must move beyond fixed-width assumptions.
• Policy: Calls for integrated river basin management that respects natural morphodynamics.