1. DRUG DEVELOPMENT THROUGH AI (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Drug developers are seeking to speed up the testing and developing of new drugs with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).

Drug Development 

• About: It is an expensive and time-consuming process. However, the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has opened up a world of possibilities with respect to fast-tracking drug development.
• Process of Developing Drug:

o Identifying and Validating the Target: The process begins with identifying and validating a target, typically a protein, which the drug directly binds to for its intended effect.

o Discovery Phase: In the discovery phase, target protein sequences are analyzed using computer algorithms to find suitable drug molecules from a library of small molecules.

o Analysis: Computational models are utilized to understand the binding sites between the target protein and potential drug molecules, streamlining the process and reducing reliance on expensive laboratory experiments.

o Clinical Trials: Following pre-clinical testing, the drug undergoes clinical trials where it is administered to a small number of human patients to evaluate efficacy and safety.

o Clinical trails in India: The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) is an official of the CDSCO who is the final regulatory authority for the approval of clinical trials in the country.

o Post-market Surveillance: Even after approval and marketing, the drug continues to be monitored through post-market surveillance to ensure its safety and effectiveness in real-world settings.

Advantages

• AI accelerates target discovery by reducing time through efficient prediction algorithms.
• AI improves drug-target interaction understanding by enhancing prediction accuracy.
• It offers cost-saving benefits by streamlining the drug development process
• It refines the understanding of how drugs interact with their molecular targets, aiding in drug development.
• AlphaFold and RoseTTAFold, based on deep neural networks, revolutionize computational drug development.
• These tools leverage massive data inputs to accurately predict three-dimensional protein structures, facilitating drug design.

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2. ARTICLE 300A (Syllabus GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: The Supreme Court recently ruled that acquiring private property must follow the procedure prescribed under Article 300A of the Constitution; any acquisition without it is beyond legal authority.

Article 300A of the Indian Constitution

• About: No person shall be deprived of his property save by authority of law”.
• Original Status: Originally, Part III of the COI established the right to property as one of the fundamental rights.
• Presently, it is not a fundamental right, but rather a legal right.... Read more at: https://www.studyiq.com/articles/right-to-property/
• Status of Right to Property: The Right to Property ceased to be a fundamental right with the 44th Constitution Amendment in 1978.

Landmark Judgement

• A K Gopalan v. State of Madras (1950): The Madras High Court addressed the conflict between property rights and state regulatory power in this case.

o The court upheld the constitutionality of the Madras Maintenance of Public Order Act, 1949, permitting state property acquisition.

• Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973: Known as the "basic structure doctrine" case, it’s crucial for understanding the constitutional framework.

o The Supreme Court ruled Parliament can amend the Constitution but cannot alter its basic structure.

o This case influenced the amendment that changed the right to property from fundamental to legal.

• Minerva Mills Ltd. v. Union of India (1980): The Supreme Court invalidated parts of the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976, limiting Parliament's amendment power.

o The court upheld the abolition of the fundamental right to property, but maintained it as a constitutional right.

Supreme Court Rulings:

• The court emphasized that procedural justice under Article 300A is vital for the state's acquisition of private property.
• Acquiring property for public purposes requires fair compensation and strict adherence to procedural safeguards.
• The authority of law includes not just eminent domain but also the procedural fairness to ensure transparency.
• Without proper procedures, compulsory acquisition is unconstitutional, even if compensation is provided.
• Procedural safeguards are crucial for protecting property rights, ensuring fairness, transparency, and non-arbitrary power use.

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3. WINDFALL TAX (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: India has cut the windfall tax on petroleum crude to 5,700 rupees ($68.34) per metric ton from 8,400 rupees with effect from May 16.

Windfall Tax

• About: The purpose of a windfall tax is to impose additional taxes on a company's profits generated from an external event, often unexpected, such as the increase in energy prices due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
• According to the United States Congressional Research Service, a windfall is defined as an increase in income that is neither earned nor anticipated, and it does not result from any extra effort or expenses on the part of the entity.
• These profits cannot be attributed to the company's intentional actions, such as an investment strategy or business expansion.
• Governments typically impose a retroactive one-time tax, known as a windfall tax, on such profits, in addition to the regular tax rates.

The Reason for Implementing a Windfall Tax 

• It is introduced to finance social welfare initiatives.
• It serves as an additional source of income for the government.
• It functions as a means for the central authority to reduce the nation's expanded trade deficit.

Other Key Terms:

• Tax Buoyancy: It serves as an indicator used to gauge the effectiveness and adaptability of revenue collection in correlation with the expansion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or National Income.
• Tax Elasticity: It Tax elasticity means how much tax revenue changes when tax rates change. It shows how a higher tax rate affects the total tax amount collected.
• Angel Tax: An income tax levied, when an unlisted company issues shares to an investor at a price higher than its fair market value.

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4. GRID-2024 (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Social Issues)

Context: According to the recently released Global Report on Internal Displacement 2024 (GRID-2024), the number of internally displaced people surged to 75.9 million in 2023, up from 71.1 million the previous year.

Global Report on Internal Displacement 2024

• About: It is an annual publication by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) based in Geneva.

o Each year, the report outlines the most significant internal displacement situations worldwide.

o Internal Displacement: It refers to people forced from homes but remain within their country.

• Causes: Conflict, violence, and development projects displace millions yearly.
• Characteristics: Displaced individuals face insecurity, lack of shelter, and uncertain futures.

Highlights of the Report

• IDP Increase: The number of internally displaced people (IDP) surged to 75.9 million in 2023, up from 71.1 million the previous year.
• Displacement Causes: 7.7 million individuals were displaced by disasters, with earthquakes accounting for one-fourth of this figure, while 68.3 million were displaced due to conflict and violence.
• Top Hosts: Sudan, Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Colombia, and Yemen collectively shelter nearly half of the world’s IDPs.

o Sudan’s Predicament: Sudan leads with 1 million IDPs, marking the highest number for a single country.

• Hotspots of Displacement: Sudan, the Palestinian territories, and the Democratic Republic of Congo experienced the bulk of new displacement in 2023, constituting almost two-thirds of the total.
• South Asia: Around 3 million individuals in South Asia lived in internal displacement due to conflict and violence by the end of 2023, with Afghanistan hosting 80 percent of them.
• Conflict Triggers: South Asia saw 69,000 displacements triggered by conflict and violence in 2023, with Manipur alone accounting for 67,000, marking the highest since 2018 for India.
• Natural Disaster Decline: India witnessed a significant drop in natural disaster-induced internal displacements, with figures decreasing from 2.5 million in 2022 to 528,000 in 2023.

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5. DRAFT DIGITAL COMPETITION BILL (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: Nearly 40 Indian startups have joined forces to pledge support to the draft digital competition bill, describing its proposed 'ex-ante' regulations as potential 'game-changer' in tackling the anti-competitive practices of big tech companies.

Criticism of the Bill

• Opposition to the Bill: Resistance to the current draft comes from tech-funded industry bodies and consultancies.
• Concerns of Big Tech: An ex ante framework could burden tech giants with compliance, diverting focus from innovation.
• Preference for Strengthening Existing Laws: Tech giants advocate bolstering competition laws over adopting an ex ante framework.
• Impact on Apple: Implementation would require Apple to permit third-party app downloads, a move it opposes.

Key Proposals of the Draft Digital Competition Bill

• Predictive regulation: The bill aims to establish a regulatory framework to ensure fair competition, protect consumer interests, and prevent market monopolization by large digital enterprises.
• Designation of Systematically Significant Digital Enterprises (SSDEs):  The proposed legislation suggests the Competition Commission of India (CCI) designate certain companies as "Systematically Significant Digital Enterprises (SSDEs)" based on specific criteria such as turnover, size, user base, and market power.

o Self-Reporting Regime: The bill introduces a self-reporting mechanism for companies engaged in "core digital services" to determine their designation as Systematically Significant Digital Enterprises (SSDEs).

o Quantitative Criteria: If in the last 3 financial years, its turnover in India is not less than Rs 4,000 crore; or its global turnover is not less than $30 billion; or

ü Its gross merchandise value in India is not less than Rs 16,000 crore; or

ü Its global market capitalisation is not less than $75 billion; or

ü The core digital service provided by these companies should also have at least 1 crore end users, or 10,000 business users.

• Associate Digital Enterprises: SSDEs will be prohibited from engaging in practices like self-preferencing, anti-steering, and restricting third-party applications for identified services.

o ADES would have the same obligations as SSDES, depending on the level of their involvement with the core digital service offered by the main company.

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6. BULAVA MISSILE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Russian President has bolstered the country's military capabilities by ordering the addition of a new nuclear-capable missile known as the Bulava into the Russian military arsenal.

Bulava Missile

• About: The RSM-56 Bulava, known as SS-N-32 in NATO reporting, is a Russian submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
• Development: Designed by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology, its development began in the late 1990s, primarily for deployment on Russia’s Borei-class submarines.
• Role in Strategic Nuclear Force: Bulava constitutes a fundamental element of Russia's future strategic nuclear force, ensuring its potency and relevance.
• Features:

o Propulsion: It operates on a three-stage solid-propellant system, ensuring reliable and consistent performance.

o Dimensions: With a launch mass of approximately 8 tonnes, it spans 12.1 meters in length within its launch container and has a diameter of 2 meters.

o Range and Payload: Bulava boasts a maximum range of 8,300 km (5,160 miles) and a payload capacity of up to 10 multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs).

o Maneuverability and Accuracy: Its re-entry vehicles (RVs) possess in-flight maneuverability, enabling them to evade enemy defenses, with an expected accuracy of 250 to 300 meters.

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7. ECI POWER TO DE-REGISTER A PARTY (Syllabus: GS Paper 2– Polity)

Context: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has raised the issue of following Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by political parties and hence the power of the ECO to de-register or de-recognise the parties.

Model Code of Conduct

• About: It is a set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India.
• Scope of the Guidelines: The guidelines encompass various aspects including speeches, polling day, polling booths, portfolios, election manifestos, processions, and candidate conduct.
• Objective: The primary goal of the MCC is to ensure orderly, transparent, and peaceful campaigning, polling, and counting processes.

Registered Parties and power of ECI to de-register or de-recognise:

• About: These are political entities officially recognized and authorized by the Election Commission of India (ECI) under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RP Act).
• Requirements for Registration: To be registered, a political party must submit a copy of its memorandum/constitution to the ECI, declaring allegiance to the Constitution of India and principles such as socialism, secularism, and democracy. 

o It must also uphold the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India.

• Legal Benefits: Registered political parties enjoy several legal benefits, including tax exemption for donations under Section 13A of the Income Tax Act, 1961, the privilege of using a common symbol for contesting general elections to the Lok Sabha/State Assemblies, and the entitlement to designate twenty 'star campaigners' during election campaigns.
• Number of Registered Parties: According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), there are currently 2,790 active registered political parties in India.
• Supreme Court Observation: In Indian National Congress versus Institute of Social Welfare & Ors(2002) had held that the ECI does not have power to de-register any political party under the RP Act.

o It may de-register only under exceptional circumstances like registration being obtained by fraud or the political party ceasing to have allegiance to the Constitution or if it is declared unlawful by the Government.

• ECI and Law Commission’s recommendations: ECI in its memorandum for electoral reforms (2016) has suggested amendment to the law that would empower the ECI to deregister a party.

o The Law Commission in its 255th report (2015) on ‘Electoral reforms’ has also recommended amendments for de-registration of a political party if it fails to contest elections for 10 consecutive years. These recommendations should be implemented. 

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8. ZIMBABWE (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: The 3rd session of the India-Zimbabwe Joint Trade Committee recently convened in New Delhi.

Zimbabwe

• Location: It is situated in Central Southern Africa, nestled between the Limpopo and the Zambezi rivers.
• Capital: Harare
• Bordering countries: Being landlocked, Zimbabwe is bordered by Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana.
• Mountain: Mount Nyangani, towering at 2,592 meters, marks the highest point in Zimbabwe, tracing its eastern border with Mozambique.
• River: Save river, and Zambezi River

o The Zambezi is the fourth-longest river in Africa, the longest east-flowing river in Africa, and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa.

• Water Bodies: Lake Kariba

o Victoria Falls is part of the mighty Zambezi River, which forms the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

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

Context: Researchers at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) recently found that nearly one-third of individuals who received Bharat Biotech's Covaxin reported 'adverse events of special interest' (AESI).

Adverse Events of Special Interest

• About: It is one of scientific and medical concern specific to the sponsor’s product or program.
• Monitoring and Communication: Ongoing monitoring and rapid communication by the investigator to the sponsor may be appropriate for an AESI.
• Need for Further Investigation: Such an event might warrant further investigation to characterize and understand it.
• Rapid Communication to Regulators: Depending on the nature of the event, rapid communication by the trial sponsor to other parties, such as regulators, might also be warranted.

Key Findings of Report

• Approximately 33% of participants reported AESI, with skin and subcutaneous disorders (10.5%) being the most common in adolescents.
• General disorders (10.2%) and nervous system disorders (4.7%) were also common AESIs among adolescent participants.
• In adults, common AESIs included general disorders (8.9%), musculoskeletal disorders (5.8%), and nervous system disorders (5.5%).
• Serious AESIs, such as stroke and Guillain-Barre syndrome, were reported by 1% of participants.
• Nearly 50% of the 926 participants experienced infections, primarily viral upper respiratory tract infections, during the follow-up period.
• The study emphasized the need for extended surveillance to understand AESIs' long-term outcomes and called for larger studies on immune-mediated phenomena post-COVID-19 vaccination.

Covaxin

• About: It is produced by Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research’s National Institute of Virology, Pune.
• Constituents and Action:

o It is an inactivated vaccine developed by inactivating (killing) the live microorganisms responsible for the disease.

o This process destroys the pathogen's ability to replicate while preserving its structure, enabling the immune system to recognize it and mount an immune response.

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10. PREVENTION OF MONEY LAUNDERING ACT (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Internal Security)

Context: Recently, the Supreme Court decreed that the Enforcement Directorate is barred from directly arresting individuals under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) once a special court acknowledges its complaint, necessitating the agency to seek court custody for such individuals.

 
Supreme Court Ruling

• Limitations on ED's Powers: The Supreme Court stated that once cognizance is taken of an offense under Section 4 of the PMLA based on a complaint under Section 44, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and its officers lack the authority to exercise powers under Section 19 to arrest an accused.
• Custody Procedure After Appearance: If the accused appears before the special court upon receiving a summons, they need not apply for bail, but the court may direct them to furnish bonds according to Section 88 of the CrPC.
• Special Court's Decision on Custody: The special court, upon hearing the accused, must provide an order after recording brief reasons. Custody may be permitted only if the court is convinced that custodial interrogation is necessary, even if the accused was not previously arrested under Section 19.
• Authority for Further Investigation: The ED may arrest a person for further investigation regarding the same offense, even if not previously accused, provided the requirements of Section 19 are met.
• Issuance of Warrants: If the accused fails to appear, the special court can issue a warrant under Section 70 of the CrPC, starting with a bailable warrant. If service of a bailable warrant is not possible, non-bailable warrants can be pursued.

Important Sections 

• Section 19 of PMLA: It allows ED officers to arrest an individual "on the basis of material in possession (and) reason to believe (to be recorded in writing) that the person is guilty.
• Section 44: A Special Court may, upon a complaint made by an authority authorized in this behalf under this Act take cognizance of offense under section 3, without the accused being committed to it for trial.

Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)

• About: The Act was enacted in a 2002 response to India’s global commitment (including the Vienna Convention) to combat the menace of money laundering. 
• Objective: The statement of objects and reasons of the PMLA Bill of 1999 refers to various international conventions and instruments dealing primarily with money laundering related to crimes involving drugs and narcotics.
• United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988.
• The Basle Statement of Principles, 1989.

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