1. NEPTIS PHILYRA (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Neptis philyra

• About: It is a rare species of butterfly, commonly known as the long-streak sailor.
• Geographical Distribution: Till date, the butterfly species was known to be found across various regions of east Asia, including eastern Siberia, Korea, Japan, central and southwest China.
• Distinct Wing Characteristics: The butterfly has serrated wings with rich brownish-black on the upper side and yellow-brown on the underside.
• Unique Markings: The butterfly’s distinct markings include a white cell streak forming a “hockey stick” pattern on the forewing.
• Habitat Preferences: The species, which is part of the Nymphalidae family, is known to prefer habitats such as evergreen forests, riverine vegetation, and rocky streams.

Tale Valley Wildlife Sanctuary

• About: it is situated near the Apatani cultural landscape in the Lower Subansiri District of Arunachal Pradesh.
• River Flow: The sanctuary is traversed by rivers such as Pange, Sipu, Karing, and Subansiri, enhancing its ecological diversity.
• Flora: It boasts a remarkable array of subtropical and alpine flora, including silver fir trees, ferns, orchids, bamboo, and rhododendrons.
• Fauna: Tale Valley Wildlife Sanctuary is home to a diverse range of fauna, including the elusive clouded leopard, the Himalayan squirrel, the Himalayan black bear, and many other species.

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2. GLOBAL HEPATITIS REPORT 2024 (Syllabus GS Paper 2 – Health)

Context: According to the recently released 2024 Global Hepatitis Report by the World Health Organization, India recently accounted for over 3.5 lakh cases of viral hepatitis in 2022, representing 11.6 percent of the global disease burden for that year.

Key Findings of Report

• Over 50,000 new cases of Hepatitis B and 1.4 lakh new cases of Hepatitis C were reported in India in 2022.
• These infections resulted in the deaths of 1.23 lakh individuals in India during the same year.
• Ten countries, including India, bear nearly two-thirds of the global burden of hepatitis B and C, as reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
• Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Russian Federation, and Vietnam are among the countries targeted for intensified efforts and support.

Hepatitis B

• About: It is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus. 
• Causes of Hepatitis: Heavy alcohol use, toxins, certain medications, and specific medical conditions can induce hepatitis.
• Types of Hepatitis: Viral Hepatitis and Non-viral Hepatitis
• Transmission: It is spread when blood, semen, or other body fluids – even in microscopic amounts  from a person infected with the hepatitis B virus enters the body of someone who is not infected-.
• Symptoms: Include jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, etc.
• Prevention/Vaccines: Vaccines are available for hepatitis A and B, but not for hepatitis C.
• Treatment: There's no specific treatment for acute hepatitis B, while chronic infection can be managed with oral medications like tenofovir or entecavir.

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3. DIGITAL PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION ACT (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Cyber Security)

Context: Recently, a data breach exposed the personal information of over 7.5 million customers of consumer electronics brand Boat, prompting experts to cite the company's liability under the 2023 Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act.

India's Ranking in Breached Countries

• According to Surfshark, India ranked fifth among the most breached countries in 2023, with 5.3 million leaked accounts.
• Surfshark reported that approximately 10 Indian user accounts were leaked every minute in 2023.
• In January 2024, CloudSEK revealed a security breach that exposed personal data of 750 million Indian telecom users.
• In November 2023, Taj Hotels experienced a data breach, compromising the personal data of 1.5 million individuals.

Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023

• About: An Act to provide for the processing of digital personal data in a manner that recognises both the right of individuals to protect their personal data and the need to process such personal data for lawful purposes and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology 
• Aim: To establish a framework for processing digital personal data that respects both individuals' rights to safeguard their data and the necessity of processing data for legitimate purposes.

Provisions of the Act

• Application: The Act is applicable when processing digital personal data within India, under the following circumstances: Data is collected online & Data is collected offline, and then digitized.
• Consent: For individuals below 18 years of age, consent must be granted by a parent or legal guardian.
• Rights of Data Principal: A data principal, who is an individual undergoing data processing, possesses the following rights:

oThe right to obtain information regarding the processing of their data.

oThe right to request the correction and deletion of their personal data.

• Personal data beyond India: It permits the transmission of personal data beyond India, barring countries that have been prohibited by the central government through an official notification.

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4. LAVENDER CULTIVATION IN INDIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Agriculture)

Context: Early adopters of lavender cultivation in Bh

Lavender Cultivation in India

• About: It is primarily focused in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir.
• Ideal Lavender Hub: Himachal Pradesh in northern India as the most suitable region for lavender cultivation.
• Climate Advantage: Himachal Pradesh boasts a mild climate with low humidity and abundant sunshine, creating an ideal environment for lavender growth.
• Climate Conditions

oSoil: The region's well-drained soils play a crucial role in supporting successful lavender cultivation.

oTemperature: Lavender thrives in regions with cool winters and cool summers.

oSunlight: Lavender requires good sunlight exposure for optimal growth and flower production.

oRainfall: Annual rainfall ranging from 300 to 1400 mm per year is suitable for lavender cultivation.

oHumidity: Lavender is sensitive to high humidity, which can adversely affect its growth and development.

• Uses: Pharmaceutical and therapeutic, Industrial, Cosmetics, and Food and flavouring.

Government Initiatives

• Aroma Mission: It was launched in 2016 to promote the cultivation of lavender plants, which hold aromatic healing effects through advanced technology.
• Purple Revolution: The Union Ministry of Science & Technology launched the Purple Revolution in 2016 through CSIR's Aroma Mission.

oFree Lavender Saplings for New Farmers: First-time farmers received free lavender saplings under the mission, while experienced growers were charged Rs. 5-6 per sapling.

aderwah, Jammu and Kashmir, transform scepticism into success, expanding production and creating local employment opportunities.

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5. UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – International Org.)

Context: The United Nations Security Council president has referred the Palestinian Authority’s application to become a full member of the world body to the committee on the admission of new member.

United Nations Security Council

• About: It is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN).
• Formation: By the UN Charter in 1945.
• Objective: Primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
• Members: 15 (5 permanent + 10 non-permanent members).

oThe Security Council consists of ten elected members, and five permanent members--China, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and the Russian Federation. The current and past membership of the Security Council since 1946 can be found in this section.

• Headquarters: New York, USA.
• UNSC Presidency: Held by each of the 15 members in turn for one month, based on English alphabetical order.
• Eligibility for Presidency: Both permanent and non-permanent members are eligible for the UNSC presidency.
• Criteria to become full Member: For any country to become a full member of the UN, the international body’s charter says the country’s membership first has to be approved by the Security Council and then it would need to get the support of two-thirds of the 190 members of the UN General Assembly.
• Presidential Powers: In the UNSC, the Council President has a broad range of procedural powers: They can call and preside over meetings, approve the UN body agenda for the month, issue presidential statements, decide the content & and theme of debates, etc.
• India as a non-permanent member: 8 times. The latest membership was for the year 2021-22.

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6. ATMANIRBHAR MISSION (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The Indian steel industry has expressed concern over India becoming a net importer of steel in 2023-24, saying it is a "warning signal" for the country which strives to become Atmanirbhar.

Atmanirbhar Mission

• About: It was introduced in May 2020, aims to bolster India's self-reliance and revive its economy amidst the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Objectives:

oPrioritizing local manufacturers and service providers to enhance their competitiveness.

oAddressing trade deficits and balancing payments to uplift the standard of living.

oStriving for self-sufficiency in all aspects for both the nation and its citizens.

oPositioning India as a global supply chain hub to attract investment and boost exports.

oIncentivizing small businesses and farmers affected by COVID-19 through special funds.

• Features:

oEconomic Self-Reliance: The Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan aims to promote economic self-reliance in India, reducing dependency on imports and bolstering domestic production.

oIndustry Support: It provides support and incentives to various industries, encouraging them to enhance production capacities and competitiveness.

oPolicy Reforms: The initiative involves significant policy reforms to streamline regulations, attract investments, and foster a conducive business environment.

oTechnology Focus: Atmanirbhar Bharat emphasizes leveraging technology and innovation to propel growth across sectors, fostering indigenous technological capabilities.

oGlobal Trade Impact: While promoting self-reliance, it also addresses concerns and implications for global trade partners, prompting discussions on international trade agreements and partnerships.

• Focus Pillars:

oEconomy: Striving for a quantum leap to convert challenges into opportunities.

oInfrastructure: Building modern infrastructure to shape India's identity.

oSystems: Embracing 21st-century technology for efficient systems.

oDemocracy: Focusing on a vibrant and healthy democratic setup. & Demand: Utilizing the demand and supply chain strength intelligently to drive growth.

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7. RHAMPHICARPA FISTULOSA (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Agriculture)

Context: A recent report revealed that Rice vampireweed (Rhamphicarpa fistulosa), a facultative, parasitic weed infesting rice in Africa, has impacted over 140,000 farm households and incurred annual losses of $82 million to the continent's economy.

Rhamphicarpa fistulosa

• About: It is commonly known as rice vampire weed, is a prevalent and troublesome facultative parasitic weed in Africa.
• Distribution: R. fistulosa is extensively distributed, being reported in 35 countries across Africa.
• Impact of Rice Production Increase: The surge in rice cultivation in rainfed lowlands has magnified the significance of R. fistulosa, as these are its favored habitats.
• Host Specificity: Although capable of parasitizing various crops, rice stands out as its primary host, hence the moniker "rice vampire weed".
• Host Range: Apart from rice, R. fistulosa targets other cereal crops such as sorghum and maize, along with dicots like soybean and groundnut.
• Parasitic Dependency: While capable of independent growth, R. fistulosa exhibits accelerated reproductive output when parasitizing a suitable host.
• Impact on Crop Yield: Parasitism by R. fistulosa significantly impedes host growth and seed production, resulting in substantial yield losses averaging between 24% to 73%.
• Limited Control Measures: Farmers often lack adequate knowledge and resources to combat R. fistulosa, resorting primarily to post-emergence herbicides or manual weeding for control.

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8. RIGHT TO PRIVACY vs RIGHT TO KNOW (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: The Supreme Court recently affirmed that election candidates retain a right to privacy, sparing them from disclosing every detail of their personal lives and possessions to voters.

Supreme Court observations:

• A candidate’s choice to retain his privacy on matters which were of no concern to the voters or were irrelevant to his candidature for public office did not amount to a ‘corrupt practice’ under Section 123 and Section 36(4) of the RPA Act.
• Section 123 of the Act defines corrupt practices as encompassing bribery, undue influence, dissemination of false information, and incitement or attempted incitement of hostility by a candidate.
• Section 36(4) of the 1951 Act: The returning officer shall not reject any nomination paper on the ground of any defect which is not of a substantial character.

Right to Privacy vs Voter’s right to know:

• In the cases of Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) in 2002 and People’s Union for Civil Liberties in 2003, the apex court mandated the disclosure of criminal antecedents, educational qualifications and financial assets, promoting voters’ right to make informed choices.
• Constitutional Protection of right to Privacy: It finds its legal sanctuary within the Indian Constitution, specifically under Article 21 as pronounced in K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India in 2017, which safeguards the right to life and personal liberty. It includes: A right to bodily autonomy, A right to informational privacy, and A right to a privacy of choice.
• The SC on balancing right to privacy & right to know: It stressed that a candidate’s right to privacy is unaffected by issues unrelated to voters or his public position, holding that not all movable assets must be disclosed unless they have a substantial impact on the candidate’s public persona or lifestyle.

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9. PETER HIGGS (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Nobel prize-winning physicist Peter Higgs, who proposed the existence of the so-called “god particle” that helped explain how matter formed after the Big Bang, has died at age 94.

Peter Higgs

• About: He was a British theoretical physicist, professor at the University of Edinburgh, and Nobel laureate in Physics for his work on the mass of subatomic particles.
• Born: 29 May 1929 
• Proposal of the Higgs Mechanism: In the 1960s, Higgs proposed that broken symmetry in electroweak theory could explain the origin of mass of elementary particles in general and of the W and Z bosons in particular.
• Prediction of the Higgs Boson: Higgs predicted the existence of a new particle — the so-called Higgs boson — in 1964.

oIt would be almost 50 years before the particle’s existence could be confirmed at the Large Hadron Collider.

• Contribution to Theoretical Physics: Higgs’ theory related to how subatomic particles that are the building blocks of matter get their mass. This theoretical understanding is a central part of the so-called Standard Model, which describes the physics of how the world is constructed.

Higgs boson or god Particle

• About: It is the fundamental force-carrying particle associated with the Higgs field, crucial for imparting mass to other elementary particles.
• Part of the Standard Model: Among the 17 elementary particles comprising the Standard Model of particle physics, the Higgs boson occupies a pivotal position, explaining the behavior of the universe's basic building blocks.
• Dubbed the "God Particle": Due to its indispensable role in subatomic physics, the Higgs boson is often colloquially referred to as the "God particle," reflecting its profound significance.
• Origin and Theory: Proposed in 1964 by Peter Higgs, François Englert, and other theorists, the Higgs boson's conceptualization aimed to elucidate the origins of particle mass, addressing a fundamental aspect of particle physics.
• Discovery and Experimentation: Researchers at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) finally detected the elusive Higgs boson on July 4, 2012, marking a significant milestone in the field of particle physics.

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10. BOTSWANA’S ELEPHANTS (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Recently, Botswana's President issued a threat to send 20,000 elephants to Germany.

Elephants Population in Botswana

• About: Botswana, unlike its neighbors, has been a safe haven for elephants due to its stable government and small human population.
• Impact of Conflict in Neighboring Countries: Conflict-spurred mass poaching in Namibia and Angola led elephants to halt crossing the Chobe river, favoring the safety of Botswana instead.
• Implementation of Strict Conservation Policies: Botswana implemented strict conservation policies, including a 'shoot-to-kill' policy against suspected poachers and a ban on trophy hunting, contributing to elephant protection.
• Steady Increase in Elephant Population: Due to these measures, the elephant population in Botswana has steadily increased over the years, from fewer than 10,000 in the early 1960s to around 80,000 by the mid-1990s.

Botswana

• About: It is officially known as the Republic of Botswana, is situated in Southern Africa.
• Bordering Countries: Botswana shares its borders with South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north, and Zimbabwe to the northeast.
• Connectivity: The Kazungula Bridge connects Botswana to Zambia, marking the world's shortest border between two countries.

Why have elephants become an issue for Botswana?

• Human-Elephant Conflict Escalation: Botswana's increasing elephant population has sparked a surge in human-animal conflicts, as reported by media outlets.
• Biodiversity Threat: The large elephant population jeopardizes other species, leading to biodiversity loss and habitat degradation.
• Habitat Destruction: Elephants contribute to habitat degradation by tearing down trees for fodder, impacting the ecosystem's balance.
• Water Consumption Impact: The substantial water consumption by elephants not only affects local water sources but also potentially reduces water availability for non-elephant wildlife, leading to further decline in their populations.

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