1. UNGA RESOLUTION (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 - IR)

Context: Recently, India voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution, urging Israel to implement an immediate ceasefire, protect civilians in accordance with international law, and release all hostages.

UNGA Resolution Passage

• About: It is a decision or declaration voted on by all member states of the United Nations in the General Assembly.
• Voting: General Assembly resolutions usually require a simple majority (50 percent of all votes plus one) to pass.

oHowever, if the General Assembly determines that the issue is an “important question”, then a two-thirds majority is required;

• Background: The United Nations Secretary-General invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter, urging the UN Security Council to act on the war in Gaza.

oArticle 99 allows the secretary-general to “bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security”.

• UNGA Adoption and India's Response: Upon adoption by the UNGA, India expressed satisfaction that the international community found common ground to address the myriad challenges confronting the region.

UN General Assembly 

• Establishment: In 1945 under the United Nations (UN) Charter
• Member Countries: All 193 members
• UNGA President: The UNGA is headed by its President, who is elected for a term of one year.
• Composition: United Nations General Assembly comprises all 193 Members of the United Nations.
• Mandate: provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter. 

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2. WHO REPORT ON TRAFFIC DEATH Syllabus GS Paper 3 - Infra-Roads)

Context: Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that road traffic deaths fell by 5% to 1.19 million annually worldwide between 2010 and 2021, with 108 United Nations member countries reporting a drop.

Key Findings of Report

• Rising Road Traffic Fatalities in India: The 'Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023' reveals an increase in road traffic fatalities in India from 1.34 lakh in 2010 to 1.54 lakh in 2021.
• Global Success Stories: Ten countries, including Belarus, Brunei Darussalam, Denmark, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, Russian Federation, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela, achieved a remarkable reduction of over 50% in road traffic deaths.

o35 countries demonstrated notable progress, successfully reducing road traffic fatalities by 30% to 50%.

• Impact on Children and Youth:
• As of 2019, road crashes emerged as the primary cause of deaths among children and youth aged five to 29 years.
• Global Trends Over the Decade: Over the past decade, a 5% reduction in absolute numbers of road traffic fatalities occurred globally.
• Vehicle Growth: "The report highlighted a 160% increase in the global motor vehicle fleet during the same period. Consequently, annual fatality rates per 1 lakh vehicles decreased from 79 deaths to 47 deaths, reflecting a 41% reduction."

World Health Organization

• About: WHO is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. 
• Establishment: April 7 1948
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Leading Role: The WHO has played a leading role in several public health achievements, most notably the eradication of smallpox, the near-eradication of polio, and the development of an Ebola vaccine.

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3. ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: The Government of India recently signed an agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to avail a $200 million loan, aimed at enhancing the quality, efficiency, and reliability of power supply in the state of Uttarakhand.

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

• About: ADB is a regional development bank that provides loans for development projects in its member countries.
• Formation: 1966.
• Objective: It envisions a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty in the region.
• Headquarters: Manila, Philippines.
• Members: 68 members including India, China, and Pakistan.

oThe bank admits the members of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP, formerly the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East or ECAFE), and non-regional developed countries.

• Largest Capital Contribution and Voting Rights: Japan and the United States (have equal and largest)>China>India>Australia.

ADB's Work in India

• India is a founding member of ADB and the bank’s fourth largest shareholder. 
• ADB has aligned its operations in the country to the government’s developing priorities. 
• ADB operations promote private sector development, gender empowerment, regional integration, knowledge solutions, and capacity development.

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4. GST AMENDMENT BILL (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: Recently, the Finance Minister introduced The Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha, aiming to raise the age limit for the president and members of GST appellate tribunals (GSTATS).

Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023

• GST Tribunal Appointments: This bill aims to broaden the pool of eligible candidates for judicial members in tribunals.
• Alignment with Tribunal Reforms Act: Amendments in line with the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021, propose changes in the appointment process of tribunal presidents and members.
• Age Criteria and Tenure Limits: The proposed amendments suggest a minimum age of 50 for tribunal presidents and members.
• Tenure Limits: 70 and 67 years
• Impact on Taxpayer Remedies:  The bill highlights that the absence of GSTAT denies taxpayers a second appellate remedy, leading to an increased burden on high courts.

Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunals

• About: It serves as the second level of appeal within the GST framework, available for challenging any unsatisfactory rulings issued by the First Appellate Authorities under the CGST and SGST.
• Establishment by: Section 109 of the CGST Act 2017
• Composition: Two judicial members and two technical members.

oThe Tribunal is likely to be headed by a former Supreme Court judge or a former Chief Justice of a High Court.

• Headquarters: New Delhi

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5. SAIGA ANTELOPE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Recently, the Saiga (Saiga tatarica) species category was changed from Critically Endangered to Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Saiga Antelope

• About: The Saiga, the odd-faced antelope that have roamed the earth since the last Ice Age, can hope to continue gamboling across the vast Eurasian Steppe.
• Saiga has two sub-species: Saiga tatarica tatarica (found in most of the range) and Saiga tatarica mongolica (found only in Mongolia).
• Distribution: The antelope were once found throughout the Eurasian Steppe, the great band of grassland that stretches from Hungary in Europe to Manchuria in Asia.
• Currently, the animal is found in fragmented populations within Kazakhstan, Mongolia, the Russian Federation and Uzbekistan.

Conservation Status

• IUCN: Near threatened
• CITES: Appendix II
• Threat: Saigas have been a target of hunting since prehistoric ages, when hunting was an essential means to acquire food.

oSaigas are dependent on weather and affected by climate fluctuations to a great extent due to their migratory nature.

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6. ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC CORPERATION (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: India has rejected the statement issued by the General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the judgment of the Supreme Court upholding the 2019 revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution.

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)

• About: The OIC holds the position of being the second-largest intergovernmental organization globally, following the United Nations, with a combined population exceeding 1.8 billion.
• Establishment: In September 1969
• Headquarters: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Membership: Comprising 57 member states across four continents, the OIC boasts a widespread and diverse membership.

oIndia is not a Member of OIC. India for the first time was invited by the host UAE as the "Guest of Honour” to attend the 50th session of the OIC in 2019.

• Mission and Objectives: To safeguard Islamic values, protect the sovereignty of its member states, and actively contribute to global peace and security.
• Collective Representation: Acting as the unified voice of the Muslim world, the OIC strives to safeguard the economic, social, and political interests of its collective members.
• Multilingual Framework: Recognizing linguistic diversity, the OIC conducts its affairs in Arabic, English, and French, reflecting its commitment to inclusivity.
• Partnerships for Global Impact: The OIC actively collaborates with international mechanisms, governments, and civil society organizations to address shared concerns among its member states and the global Muslim community.

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7. GCTF FOR CYBERSECURITY THREAT (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: Recently, the first in-person GCTF program in India, co-hosted by the US ambassador to India, was attended by representatives from the US, India, and Taiwan in New Delhi.

Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF)

• About: GCTF is a platform to utilize Taiwan's strengths and expertise to address global issues of mutual concerns.
• Establishment:  In 2015
• Multilateral Cooperation: The GCTF actively supports capacity building in Indo-Pacific nations through training programs for officials and experts, contributing to the enhancement of Taiwan's multilateral cooperation.
• Global Participation: More than 7,000 government officials, experts, and civil society representatives from 126 countries have actively participated in GCTF workshops, fostering a diverse and inclusive platform for collaboration.
• Expansion of Partnerships: Japan joined as a full partner in 2019, cohosting all GCTF workshops.
• Australian Full Partnership: In 2021, Australia announced its full partnership with the GCTF, further strengthening the collaborative efforts and initiatives undertaken by the forum.
• Joint Committee Meetings: The full partners, currently comprising Taiwan, the United States, Japan, and Australia, convene GCTF Joint Committee meetings.

 
Defence Cyber Agency (DCyA)

• About: DCyA is a tri-service command of the Indian military. 
• Headquarters: New Delhi, the agency is tasked with handling and defeating cyber security threats.
• The DCyA draws personnel from all three branches of the Indian military. 
• The DCyA head is a two-star rank officer who reports to the CDS through the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS).

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8. AMPHIPOD (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Recently, researchers at Berhampur University, Odisha, made an exciting discovery as they identified a new species of marine amphipod, a shrimp-like crustacean belonging to the genus Demaorchestia, in Chilika Lake on the east coast of India."

Amphipod

• Distribution: They may be pelagic (living in the water column) or benthic (living on the ocean bottom).
• Features: The new species is white in colour and less than 15 millimetres in length. It has 13 pairs of legs.
• Amphipods are a significant group in the marine ecosystem and play a vital role in the marine food chain. 
• As an Indicator: They also serve as indicators for studying the impact of climate change and health of coastal ecosystems.

Chilika Lake

• About: It is the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia and second largest coastal lagoon in the world.
• Spread: Puri, Khordha and Ganjam districts of Odisha state.
• First Indian Wetland: "In 1981, Chilika Lake achieved the distinction of being the inaugural Indian wetland to receive international importance designation under the Ramsar Convention.

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9. CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES AMENDMENT BILL (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Social Issues)

Context: Recently, the Parliament passed the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023, with the Rajya Sabha giving its assent. Prior to this, the Lok Sabha had already passed the Bill.

Parliament passed the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023

• About: The Bill amends the Central Universities Act, 2009, which establishes central universities for teaching and research in various states.
• Central Tribal University in Telangana: The Bill establishes a Central Tribal University in Telangana. It will be named the ‘Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University’. 

oIts territorial jurisdiction will extend to Telangana. 

• Objective: It will provide avenues of higher education and research facilities primarily for the tribal population of India.  
• Note that the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 provides that the central government will establish a Tribal University in the state of Telangana.

Sammakka Sarakka

• About: Sammakka and Sarakka, a legendary mother-daughter duo, hailed from the Dandakaranya region, now part of Telangana, and lived several centuries ago.
• Sammakka, the wife of feudal chief Pagididda Raju from the Kakatiya dynasty, along with her daughters Sarakka, Nagulamma, and Jampanna, played crucial roles in resisting oppressive rulers and challenging taxation imposed on the Koya tribal people.
• During a battle against local rulers, Saralamma, one of Sammakka's daughters, made the ultimate sacrifice. 

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10. PMGS-NMP (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The union government plans to take the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (PMGS-NMP) global to help both developing and developed nations streamline their infrastructure-planning processes with an integrated digital tool.

PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (PMGS-NMP)

• About: It is a digital platform will bring 16 Ministries including Railways and Roadways together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects.
• Launched: 13th October 2021 for providing multimodal connectivity infrastructure to various economic zones. 
• Implementation: On 21st October 2021.
• Focus Area: Railways, Roads, Ports, Waterways, Airports, Mass Transport and Logistics Infrastructure.
• 6 pillars of the Plan: Comprehensiveness, Prioritisation, Optimization, Synchronisation, Analytical and Dnamic.

PM Gati Shakti Scheme

• About: It is a multi-modal connectivity plan with the goal of coordinating infrastructure project planning and execution to reduce logistics costs.
• Establishment: October 2021
• Aim: It is the first National Infrastructure Masterplan. The National Master Plan for Multi-modal Connectivity is essentially a digital platform to bring 16 Ministries includes.

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