Gulfs
Why in News?
Indian Naval destroyer INS Kolkata responded to two instances of missile/drone attacks on merchant vessels. It rescued 21 crew members from the Barbados-flagged bulk carrier MV True Confidence after it was hit in the Gulf of Aden. In another incident, INS Kolkata provided assistance to MSC Sky II, a Liberian-flagged container vessel hit southeast of Aden. All crew members, including Indian nationals, are reported safe.
What is a Gulf?
A gulf is a large body of water almost encircled by land except for a small mouth that opens out to the ocean or sea. It provides natural harbours along its coastlines.
Gulf of Aden
- Popularly known as Gulf of Berbera.
- To the west, it narrows into the Gulf of Tadjoura.
- Bordering countries: Yemen, Somalia, and Djibouti.
- Features the volcanic Socotra archipelago.
- Connected to the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.
Persian Gulf
- Arm of the Arabian Sea.
- Located between southwestern Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.
- Bordering countries: Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq.
- Connected to the Gulf of Oman in the east by the Strait of Hormuz.
- Strait of Hormuz lies between Qeshm Island and the Iranian coast in the north and the Musandam Peninsula of the Arabian Peninsula in the south.
Gulf of Oman
- Bordered by Pakistan and Iran in the north, the United Arab Emirates in the west, and Oman in the south.
- Major Iranian cities along its coastline include Gawadar Bay, Jask, and Chabahar.
Practice Question – Prelims
Consider the following statements regarding the salinity levels of gulfs in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf:
Statement 1: The Gulf of Aqaba exhibits higher salinity levels compared to the Gulf of Suez.
Statement 2: The Persian Gulf generally experiences higher salinity levels compared to the Gulf of Aden due to limited freshwater inflow from surrounding rivers.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) Statement 1 only
(b) Statement 2 only
(c) Both statements 1 and 2
(d) Neither statement 1 nor statement 2
Advancing Gender Equality in India
Why in News?
The article addresses the low participation of women in India's labor market due to patriarchy, which assigns them primarily to domestic roles. It suggests reducing the burden of unpaid domestic work and providing infrastructural support to enhance women's participation.
Practice Question – Mains GS – I
Though women in post-Independent India have excelled in various fields, the social attitude towards women and the feminist movement has been patriarchal.” Apart from women education and women empowerment schemes, what interventions can help change this milieu? (250 words, 15 marks)
Introduction
Post-Independent India has seen patriarchal norms granting men primary power and moral authority. Despite increased access to education, communication, media, and political participation for women, challenges such as the Sabarimala controversy and Triple Talaq reveal persistent patriarchal barriers.
Interventions Needed
- Strengthening existing laws against gender-based violence, sexual harassment, discrimination in the workplace, and equal pay for equal work.
- Positive representations of women in media to challenge stereotypes.
- Mandatory gender sensitization programs in schools and workplaces.
- Involvement of men and boys in discussions and initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality.
- Opportunities for women to participate in leadership roles.
- Access to healthcare and reproductive rights.
- Implementing policies and practices in workplaces that promote gender equality.
- Providing women with access to economic resources, including credit, entrepreneurship training, and support for small businesses.
- Promoting open dialogues within communities about gender roles and norms.
- Research on gender issues and collecting disaggregated data on gender for insights.
Conclusion
By implementing a combination of these interventions, societies can work towards dismantling patriarchal attitudes and creating more inclusive environments where women can thrive and contribute fully to all aspects of society.
World Test Championship
Why in News?
Kuldeep Yadav's five-wicket haul on a spin-friendly pitch sent England into a downward spiral, with the visitors losing seven wickets for just 43 runs. Ravichandran Ashwin also contributed with four wickets as England collapsed from 175/3 to 218 all out. India ended the day at 135/1, with Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal impressing with a century stand. Kuldeep's stellar performance marked his return to the venue where he made his debut in 2017.
World Test Championship
Launched by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2019
Venue Selection:
- Determined by the home team's cricket board in consultation with the visiting team and the ICC.
- Host nations are responsible for organizing and hosting the Test matches, ensuring the venues meet the standards.
- Selected based on various factors like
- Pitch conditions
- Weather considerations
- Logistical arrangements
Test Mace:
The Test mace is a trophy awarded to the team that finishes on top of the World Test Championship points table at the end of the championship cycle. Introduced in 2002 by ICC.
Qualification Criteria:
- Test matches played over a two-year cycle, with points awarded based on match results.
- Each Test series carries a maximum of 120 points.
- Teams play an equal number of home and away series during the championship cycle.
- Points are allocated on a percentage basis.
- Teams finishing with the same number of points use tiebreakers like
- Number of series wins
- Series points earned
- Net run rate
Practice Question – Prelims
Which of the following statements accurately describes the World Test Championship (WTC)?
a) The WTC is a limited-overs cricket tournament organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
b) The WTC is a biennial championship that spans over a two-year cycle, featuring nine Test-playing nations.
c) Teams participating in the WTC compete in a single round-robin format, with each team playing against every other team once.
d) The WTC qualification process is solely based on the ICC rankings of the participating teams.
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