1. AXIS OF RESISTANCE (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: Hamas leader was assassinated in an airstrike in Tehran. The attack marks a significant escalation in regional tensions.

Axis of Resistance

• Origins: The axis of resistance traces its roots back to the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which led to the rise of radical Shia Muslim clerics in Iran.
• Iran's Strategic Interests: To counterbalance the Sunni-majority nations and to deter threats from Israel and the US, Iran began supporting non-state actors.
• Naming of the Coalition: The term "axis of resistance" was inspired by former US President George W. Bush's "axis of evil," which included Iran, Iraq, and North Korea.

Groups in the Iran-led Axis of Resistance

• Hezbollah: Formed by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in the early 1980s to fight Israeli forces in Lebanon, Hezbollah is the largest and most powerful member of the axis with 30,000 to 45,000 members.
• Hamas: Emerging during the first Intifada in 1987, Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni militant group that has governed Gaza since 2007 and receives support from Iran.
• Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ): Established in 1979 as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, PIJ aims to create an Islamic state in Palestine and is the second-largest militant group in Gaza and the West Bank.
• Houthis: A Zaydi Shia group engaged in Yemen's civil war, the Houthis control northern Yemen and have attacked ships in the Red Sea in response to Israel's actions in Gaza.

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2. RPWD ACT 2016 (Syllabus GS Paper 2 – Vulnerable Sections)

Context: The Union government released draft amendments to the Rules of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPwD Act) of 2016, aiming to tighten the requirements for obtaining a disability certificate.

Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPwD Act) of 2016

• About: The Act implemented the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted in 2006 and ratified by India in 2007.
• Replacing the Previous Legislation: The 2016 Act superseded the Persons with Disabilities Act of 1995, initiating significant changes in disability rights legislation.
• Mandates for Accessibility: The Act mandated the central government to establish guidelines and standards for public buildings to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities, with provisions for periodic review and updates.
• Reservation for PwDs:

oNot less than 5% reservation in Government/Government aided higher educational institutions.

oNot less than 4% reservation in Government jobs.

oReservation exemptions for certain police forces.

• Free Education Provision: Every child with benchmark disability between the age of 6 to 18 years entitled to free education.
• Recognition of Disabilities: 21 types of disabilities recognized, including intellectual disability, acid attack victims, etc.

Draft of Amendments

• Published by: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• The amended Rules will require people with disabilities to mandatorily submit proof of identity, a photo not older than 6 months, and an Aadhaar card. 
• Medical Authority: The draft amendments propose that only medical authorities be considered competent to receive and process applications for disability certificates, further suggesting that the time taken to process each application should be increased from 1 to 3 months.  
• The government proposes to standardise the requirements to apply for a disability certificate and a UDID card. 
• In subsequent amendments, the government has proposed that the applications can only be received by “a medical authority or any other notified competent medical authority” as opposed to “a medical authority or any other notified competent authority”.

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3. ACHANAKMAR TIGER RESERVE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: The All-India Tiger Estimation (AITE) 2022 census reveals a significant rise in the tiger population at Achanakmar Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh, with numbers doubling from 5 to 10.

Achanakmar Tiger Reserve

• Location: It is situated in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh.
• Establishment: Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1975 and was declared a tiger reserve in 2009.
• Area: It covers an area of 553.286 sq. km.
• Biosphere Reserve: It is part of the huge Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve.
• Tiger Corridor: It has a corridor connecting to Kanha and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and plays a critical role in the dispersal of tigers among these reserves.
• River: The Maniyari River flows right from the centre of this reserve, which is the forest's lifeline.
• Tribe: It is home to the Baigas, a forest-dwelling tribal community classified as a “Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)”.
• Vegetation: Tropical moist deciduous vegetation covers the majority of the area.
• Flora: Sal, bija, saja, haldu, teak, tinsa, dhawara, lendia, khamar, and bamboo bloom here, along with over 600 species of medicinal plants.
• Fauna: It includes the tiger, leopard, bison, flying squirrel, Indian giant squirrel, chinkara, wild dog, hyena, sambar, chital, and over 150 species of birds.

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4. UTTAR PRADESH ANTI CONVERSION LAW (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: The Uttar Pradesh Assembly passed the Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, which prohibits religious conversion through "unlawful" means. The UP government has now tabled a new bill to amend the Act, aiming to make it stricter and more widely enforceable.

Uttar Pradesh Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2024

• Expanded Access to FIR Filing: The Bill removes restrictions on who can file a First Information Report (FIR), allowing anyone to register a complaint in cases of unlawful conversion.
• Stringent Bail Conditions: It proposes stringent bail conditions, similar to those applied to accused persons in terrorism and money laundering cases. Bail pleas will not be considered without an opportunity for the public prosecutor to be heard.
• Increased Punishment: The punishment for unlawful conversion is increased, with penalties including 20 years imprisonment or life imprisonment for severe offenses.
• Serious Offenses Categorization: The Bill categorizes certain acts, such as threatening, attacking, marrying, promising marriage, or conspiring to do so with the intention of conversion, as serious crimes, potentially leading to life imprisonment.
• Expanded Court Jurisdiction: Cases of unlawful conversion will now only be heard by Sessions Courts, removing jurisdiction from lower courts.
• Non-Bailable Offenses: All crimes under the amended Act are made non-bailable, restricting the possibility of release on bail.
• Protection Against Coercion and Trafficking: The Bill also includes severe penalties, including a minimum of 20 years imprisonment, for causing fear of life or property, assault, use of force, promises or instigations of marriage, or trafficking of any minor, woman, or person.

Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021

• About: The Act aims to control conversions that occur through misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement, or fraudulent means.
• Increased Penalties for Repeat Offenders: Individuals who repeatedly violate the law may face up to double the standard punishment.
• Void Marriages for Conversion: Marriages conducted solely for the purpose of unlawful conversion are declared legally void.

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5. VATTEZHUTHU SCRIPT (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Art & Culture)

Context: Archaeologists have uncovered a Vattezhuthu script and eight Tamil inscriptions at the century-old Thalikiswarar temple in Tirupur district, Tamil Nadu.

Vattezhuthu Script

• About: The Vatteluttu script first appeared in stone inscriptions in southern India dating from the 4th century AD.
• Origin: It probably developed from the Tamil-Brahmi script, a variant of the Brahmi script used to write Old Tamil between the 3rd century BC and the 1st century AD.
• Meaning of the Name: The name Vatteluttu is thought to mean either 'rounded script,' 'northern script,' or 'chiseled script.'
• Evolution into Modern Scripts: The modern Tamil alphabet developed from the Pallava script, created in the 4th century AD, with some letters based on Vatteluttu.
• Continued Use in Kerala: Vatteluttu continued to be used until the 15th century, eventually evolving into the Malayalam script with some letters borrowed from the Grantha script.
• Development of Koleluttu Script: Vatteluttu also developed into the Koleluttu script, used by Christians and Muslims in Kerala until the 19th century.
• Inscriptions in Sri Lanka: Vatteluttu script dating from the 5th-8th century AD have been found near Trincomalee in northeastern Sri Lanka.
• Notable Features

oType of Writing System: Abugida / Syllabic Alphabet

oWriting Direction: Left to right in horizontal lines

oUsed to Write: Tamil and Malayalam

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6. ECO SENSITIVE ZONES (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 - Env and Eco)

Context: Much of northern Kerala, including Meppadi panchayat in Wayanad district, is prone to landslides, which led to its designation as an eco-sensitive area by two expert committees a decade ago.

Eco Sensitive Zones

• About: The Indian Government designates Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) around Protected Areas, National Parks, and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
• Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
• Regulatory Framework: This declaration falls under the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986.
• Area: The 10-km rule is applied as a general guideline, with some variation in its implementation.
• Extended ESZ Notification: The Union government can also designate areas beyond 10 km as ESZs if they are part of ecologically important "sensitive corridors."
• Prohibited Activities: Mining, sawmills, the establishment of major hydroelectric projects, commercial use of wood, Tourism.

Kasturirangan and Gadgil Report on Western Ghats

• Gadgil Committee Recommendations

oEcological Sensitive Areas: Recommended declaring the entire Western Ghats as Ecological Sensitive Areas (ESA) with restricted development in graded zones.

oCoverage: Classified the Western Ghats across six states, 44 districts, and 142 talukas as Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ).

• Kasturirangan Committee Recommendations

oBalanced Approach: Aimed to balance development with environmental protection, contrasting with the Gadgil report.

oPartial ESA: Suggested that only 37% of the Western Ghats be designated as ESA and imposed a complete ban on mining, quarrying, and sand mining in these areas.

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7. METHANE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: A new study reveals a startling increase in methane levels since the early 2020s, with substantial rises linked to wetlands and fossil fuel emissions. The potent greenhouse gas, crucial in global warming, has seen a significant uptick.

Methane

• About: It is a hydrocarbon that is a primary component of natural gas.
• Properties: Colourless, odourless and highly flammable gas.
• Greenhouse Gas Properties: Methane is classified as a greenhouse gas (GHG), influencing Earth's temperature and climate patterns.
• Diverse Emission Sources: Methane emissions stem from various anthropogenic and natural origins, contributing to its presence in the atmosphere.
• Anthropogenic Emission Sources: Human activities such as landfills, oil and gas systems, agriculture, and industrial processes are major contributors to methane emissions.

Key Points of Study

• Methane Growth Rate Increase: In 2015-2019, methane growth rates were 7-10 parts per billion (ppb) per year, which jumped to roughly 12–18 ppb per year between 2020–2023, said the study.
• Methane's Impact on Global Temperatures: Methane is responsible for roughly a third of the rise in global temperatures. 

oThe greenhouse gas is about 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2) in 20 years after it is released into the atmosphere.

• Wetland Emissions and Microbes: It can be attributed to microbes that consume organic material and produce methane as a byproduct.
• Influence of La Niña and ENSO Patterns: The persistent La Niña pattern and cool phases of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, also known as ENSO, may contribute to this phenomenon.
• Mitigating Methane Emissions: The US, Canada, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Libya, and 10 other countries have been identified as having the highest potential to mitigate methane emissions from oil and gas.
• Mitigation Potential in Landfills and Energy Generation: Some countries with large populations, such as India, Brazil, and Mexico, have significant mitigation potential in landfills (waste sector), as do others with smaller populations, such as Azerbaijan, Poland, Peru, and the United Arab Emirates. 

oIndia, for instance, can benefit the most from energy generation, the study showed.

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8. LIQUIDITY COVERAGE RATIO (LCR) (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The RBI has issued draft guidelines for banks on the Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR), requiring them to maintain a higher stock of liquid securities as a buffer against deposits.

Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR)

• About: It refers to the proportion of highly liquid assets held by financial institutions to ensure that they maintain an ongoing ability to meet their short-term obligations (i.e., cash outflows for 30 days).
• Purpose: It is intended to make sure that banks and financial institutions have a sufficient level of capital to ride out any short-term disruptions to liquidity.
• Basel III Origin: LCR in banking resulted from the Basel III agreement, which is a series of measures undertaken by the Basel Committee on Bank Supervision (BCBS).
• Implementation in India: In India, RBI issued Basel III liquidity guidelines in 2012. RBI implemented LCR in January 2015, and as per a circular in 2020, banks should maintain sufficient HQLA at all times to meet unexpected withdrawals.
• Calculation Formula: LCR = (High Quality Liquid Assets (HQLA)) / (Total net cash outflows over the next 30 calendar days).

Related Terms

• Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR): It is a regulatory measure that assesses banks' ability to pay liabilities and withstand credit and operational risks. 
• Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR): It is the minimum percentage of deposits that commercial banks are required to keep in the form of liquid cash, gold, or other securities.
• Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR): It is one of the main components of the RBI's monetary policy, which is used to regulate the money supply, level of inflation and liquidity in the country.
• High Quality Liquid Assets (HQLA): Every asset that can be easily and instantly converted into cash at minimal or no cost of value is a HQLA. 

oThese assets include cash, reserves with central banks, and central government bonds, which can easily be converted into cash.

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9. PM-PRANAM SCHEME (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Agriculture)

Context: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has recently approved the PM-PRANAM scheme.

PM-PRANAM Scheme

• Full form: The PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment, and Amelioration of Mother-Earth.
• Launched in: Union Budget 2023–24.
• Aim: Protects the environment through sustainable fertilizer use, alternative fertilizers, and organic farming.
• Focus: PM-PRANAM specifically addresses the growing concerns about the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which, despite boosting crop yields, have a detrimental long-term impact on soil quality.
• Nodal Agency: Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
• Coverage: Includes all States and Union Territories (UTs).
• Encouragement: The initiative promotes a balanced approach to fertilizer use and encourages the adoption of sustainable farming methods to counteract the negative effects of chemical inputs.
• Reward System for States: A key feature of PM-PRANAM is a reward system where states that reduce their reliance on chemical fertilizers can receive a portion of the saved subsidies.
• Benefits: States/UTs reducing chemical fertilizer use receive 50% of saved subsidy; 70% of grant for technological adoption and production units; 30% for incentivizing farmers and related groups.

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10. NANO-MIND TECHNOLOGY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Researchers from the Korean Institute of Basic Science have developed a new magnetogenetics technology called Nano Magnetogenetic Interface for NeuroDynamics (Nano-MIND), which has been successfully demonstrated in mice.

Nano-MIND Technology

• About: Nano-MIND (Magnetogenetic Interface for NeuroDynamics) technology enables advanced understanding and control of complex brain functions such as cognition, emotion, and motivation.
• Wireless and Precise Modulation: It allows for wireless, remote, and accurate modulation of specific deep brain neural circuits using magnetic fields.
• Innovative Activation Method: The technology utilizes magnetic fields and magnetized nanoparticles to selectively activate targeted brain circuits, marking a significant improvement over traditional brain manipulation methods.
• Highlights of the Research:

oNeuron Activation in Mice: The research team demonstrated Nano-MIND’s capabilities by activating specific neurons in various brain regions of mice.

oMaternal Behaviors Induction: A notable achievement was the activation of inhibitory GABA receptors in the medial preoptic area (MPOA), leading non-maternal female mice to exhibit increased nurturing behaviors.

oFeeding Behaviors Regulation: The team regulated feeding behaviors by targeting motivation circuits in the lateral hypothalamus, achieving a 100% increase in appetite with inhibitory neuron activation, and a more than 50% reduction with excitatory neuron activation.

• Significance of the Research: The research represents a major advancement in neuroscience and holds potential for developing brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) and treating neurological disorders.

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