1. IRAN (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: President of Iran recently died in a helicopter crash in East Azerbaijan province.

Iran

• About: Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI), is situated in West Asia. 
• Bordering Countries: It shares borders with Iraq to the west, Turkey to the northwest, Azerbaijan, Armenia, the Caspian Sea, and Turkmenistan to the north, Afghanistan to the east, Pakistan to the southeast, and the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south.
• Geographic Features: Iran is characterized by its mountainous, arid, and ethnically diverse landscape in southwestern Asia.
• Capital: Tehran 
• Mountain: Elburz Mountains.
• Lake: Lake Urmia is an internationally registered protected area as both a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a Ramsar site.

India – Iran Relations

• Historical Relation: India and Iran share ancient ties dating back to the Indus Valley and Mesopotamian civilizations, with historical trade via the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea.
• Political Relations: On 15 March 1950, a friendship treaty was signed, followed by the Tehran Declaration, envisioning an equitable, pluralistic, and cooperative international order.
• Trade Relations: India has been among Iran's five largest trade partners in recent years.
• Iran was the third-largest source of crude oil supplier for India till 2018-19.

oIndian Exports to Iran: Rice, tea, sugar, pharmaceuticals, manmade staple fibres, electrical machinery, and artificial jewellery.

oIndian Imports from Iran: Dry fruits, inorganic/organic chemicals, and glassware.

• Connectivity: India and Iran signed a 10-year development and operation contract for Chabahar Port in southeastern Iran, on the Gulf of Oman.

oThe International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) was initiated by India, Iran, and Russia in 2000, later expanding to include 10 Central and West Asian countries.

• Cultural Relations: The Indian Cultural Centre, established in 2013 and renamed the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC) in 2018, helps to further these cultural ties.

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2. CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT, 2019 (Syllabus GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The Supreme Court recently ruled that lawyers, as professionals, are exempt from legal proceedings for faulty services under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, echoing its decision nearly 30 years ago for the medical profession.

Supreme Court Judgement

• Indian Medical Association vs V P Shantha (1995): Supreme Court ruled that medical professionals provide a "service" as defined in the older Consumer Protection Act (CPA), making them liable to be sued in consumer court for faulty service.
• Skilled Professional Work: In 1995, the court recognized that professional occupations, such as those in medicine, often involve "skilled" work requiring "mental rather than manual" effort, differentiating them from other occupations.
• Duties Owed by Doctors to Patients: The court held that doctors owe specific duties to their patients, including deciding whether to treat the patient, determining the appropriate treatment, and how the treatment is administered.
• Liability for Breach of Duty: If a doctor fails to exercise a "reasonable degree of care" and breaches one of these duties, they can be held liable for a deficiency in service.
• Supreme Court's 2024: Supreme Court appeared more sympathetic to the notion that medical practitioners, as "professionals", should not be held to the same standard as other occupations.
• Purpose of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA): The Bench held that the CPA's purpose was to protect consumers from "unfair trade practices and unethical business practices," and the legislature never intended to include professionals within the Act's purview.

Consumer Protection Act, 2019

• Replacement: The Consumer Protection Act 2019 replaces the more than three decades old Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
• Establishment: The new Act, 2019 came into force on 20th July 2020.
• Empowerment of Consumers: The Act aims to empower consumers and protect their rights through various notified rules and provisions.
• Product liability: It means the responsibility of a product manufacturer or product seller, of any product or service, to compensate for any harm caused to a consumer by such defective product manufactured or sold or by deficiency in services relating thereto
• Definition of a Consumer: A consumer is defined as a person who buys any good or avails a service for a consideration.

oThe definition does not include a person who obtains a good for resale or a good or service for commercial purposes.

• Six Consumer Rights: Right to Safety, Right to be Informed, Right to Choose, Right to be Heard, Right to Seek Redressal, and Right to Consumer Education.

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3. CYCLONE AMPHAN (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Disaster Management)

Context: It has been four years since Cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc along the coastlines of Bangladesh and India, causing widespread destruction.

Cyclone Amphan

• About: It was an extremely powerful and destructive tropical cyclone.
• Frequency of Supercyclones: It is the fourth supercyclone to hit West Bengal and Kolkata since 2015.
• Landfall Location: It made landfall somewhere between the Hathiya Islands in Bangladesh and Digha in West Bengal.
• Causes: Warm sea surface temperatures, Favorable atmospheric conditions and Low-level convergence.
• Origin of the Name: The cyclone’s name, Amphan, which is pronounced “UM-PUN,” was given by Thailand.
• Comparison: Amphan is thought to be the strongest tropical storm to have hit the coast, surpassing the Phailin typhoon that struck the Bengal-Odisha coast in 2013.
• Landfall Impact

oAmphan traveled toward West Bengal and Bangladesh when it made landfall as a powerful storm at Sagar Island in West Bengal and the Island of Hatiya in Bangladesh.

oIt was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike the Ganges Delta since the 1999 Odisha cyclone.

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4. VENEZUELA'S GLACIAL DECLINE (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Geography)

Context: Venezuela recently became the first modern country to lose all its glaciers, following scientists' reclassification of the Humboldt glacier as an ice field earlier this month.

Venezuela's Glacial Decline

• Former Glacial Abundance: Venezuela once boasted six glaciers nestled in the Andes mountains, approximately 5,000 meters above sea level.

oBy 2011, the number had dwindled to one as five of Venezuela's glaciers vanished, leaving only the Humboldt glacier.

• Melting Pace: Scientists had estimated the Humboldt glacier would endure for another decade, but it melted faster than anticipated.
• Drastic Reduction: The Humboldt glacier has now diminished to less than 2 hectares, prompting its reclassification from a glacier to an ice field.
• Dire Projections: According to a 2023 study, if current climate trends persist, around two-thirds of the world's glaciers could vanish by 2100.
• Reason of disappearing: It is global warming. Like an ice cube melts when exposed to heat, glaciers are melting due to warmer temperatures.

oThe Andes a mountain range running through parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela — has witnessed a temperature increase of a high rate of 0.10 degree Celsius in the past seven decades. That is one of the major reasons why Venezuela has lost all of its glaciers.

oIndia is also at the risk of losing its glaciers. They are melting at unprecedented rates across the Hindu Kush Himalayan mountain ranges and could lose up to 80% of their volume this century if GHG emissions are not drastically reduced, according to a 2023 report.

• Glaciers: these are essentially large and thick masses of ice that are formed on land due to the accumulation of snow over centuries.

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5. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN INDIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: The Kerala High Court recently affirmed the death sentence handed down by a trial court to, the sole perpetrator in the 2016 rape and murder case of a 30-year-old law student in Ernakulam district.

Capital punishment in India

• About: Also known as the death penalty, is legally imposed in India only for heinous offenses.
• History of Capital Punishment: 

oMauryan Era: In this era, individuals who violated the law faced various punishments based on the nature of their offense. The dynasty adhered to the principle of "an eye for an eye, a hand for a hand" to penalize wrongdoers.

oBritish Era: In this era, Indians were frequently sentenced to death and executed, often following a trial or even without one. However, post-independence, India entered a new phase in its judicial system.

oAfter Independence: When India became a republic nation and got its independence from the British era, and that brings a huge change in the system of passing death penalties to accused.

oThe United Nations formally denounces capital punishment, regarding it as a violation of fundamental human rights.

• Section 368 of Criminal Procedure Code, 1973: It provides the authority to High Courts for confirmation of death sentence.
• Article 39A: Inspired by Article 39A of the Indian Constitution, aiming to promote equal justice and equal opportunity by removing socio-economic barriers.
• Sessions Courts in 2022: 165 death sentences imposed by Sessions Courts in India during 2022.
• Highest Convicts: Uttar Pradesh led with 32 death sentences imposed in 2022, followed by Gujarat (61) and Jharkhand (46).
• Majority Cases: Sexual offenses constituted the majority (51.28%) of cases resulting in the death penalty imposed by trial courts in 2022.

Judgements Related Death Penalty

• Deena Vs. Union Of India: The court affirmed the constitutionality of hanging as a mode of execution under section 354(5) of the Indian Penal Code, considering it fair and just under Article 21.
• Bachan Singh v State of Punjab: The Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the death sentence, emphasizing its applicability only in the "rarest of rare cases."
• Machhi Singh Vs. State of Punjab: This case introduced exceptions to the rarest of rare rule, allowing the death penalty when a murder is exceptionally brutal, driven by total depravity, or when the crime is of enormous proportion.

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6. SOUTH CHINA SEA (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: Recently, amid escalating tensions with China, three Indian warships have arrived in Manila as part of a continuous long-range deployment in the South China Sea to bolster maritime alliances with allied nations.

South China Sea

• About: It is one of the world's busiest waterways and plays a crucial role in global trade and merchant shipping.
• Location: The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean
• Bordering Countries: The People’s Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam.
• Straits: Taiwan Strait, connecting to the East China Sea; the Luzon Strait, linking to the Philippine Sea; straits surrounding Palawan, connecting to the Sulu Sea; the Strait of Singapore, providing access to the Strait of Malacca; and the Karimata and Bangka Strait, connecting to the Java Sea.
• Major rivers that flow into South China Sea: Pearl, Min, Jiulong, Red, Mekong, Menam, Rajang, Baram, Kapuas, Batang Hari, Musi, Kampar, Indragiri, Pahang, Agno, Pampanga and Pasig Rivers.
• Reason for Dispute: The South China Sea disputes involve claims over maritime territories and islands by various sovereign states in the region.
• Countries Party dispute: China, Brunei, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia etc.

Claims Over Islands

• The Paracel Islands: Claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam.
• The Spratly Islands: Claimed by China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and the Philippines.
• The Scarborough Shoal: Claimed by the Philippines, China and Taiwan.

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

Context: Recently, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a warning to traders, fruit handlers, and Food Business Operators (FBOs) managing ripening chambers, emphasizing strict adherence to the ban on calcium carbide for artificial ripening of fruits, especially during the mango season.

Calcium Carbide

• About: It also known as calcium acetylide, is a chemical compound with the chemical formula of CaC2.
• Release of Harmful Gases: Calcium carbide, commonly used for ripening fruits like mangoes, releases acetylene gas which contains harmful traces of arsenic and phosphorus.
• Health Effects: These substances, also known as ‘Masala’, can cause serious health issues such as dizziness, frequent thirst, irritation, weakness, difficulty in swallowing, vomiting, and skin ulcers, etc.
• Hazards for Handlers: Additionally, acetylene gas is equally hazardous to those handling it.
• Regulatory Measures: Due to these dangers, the use of calcium carbide for ripening fruits has been banned under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011.

Ethylene Gas

• FSSAI Approval: FSSAI has permitted the use of ethylene gas as a safer alternative for fruit ripening in India.
• Safe Concentrations: Ethylene gas can be used at concentrations up to 100 ppm (100 μl/L), depending upon the crop, variety, and maturity.

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8. INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC) (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: The International Criminal Court recently declared its intention to pursue the arrest of the Israeli Prime Minister and other leaders, charging them with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

International Criminal Court (ICC)

• About: It is the first and only permanent international court with jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for the international crimes like - genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.
• Establishment: In 2002 pursuant to the multilateral Rome Statute.
• Headquarter: The Hague, Netherlands.
• Members: 123 countries. Countries like – India, China and Pakistan have not signed the treaty and not a party.
• Organisation Structure: 

oPresidency: Manages external relations with States, coordinates judicial affairs, and oversees Registry administration.

oJudicial Divisions: Comprising Pre-Trial, Trial, and Appeals, these divisions (with 18 judges across three) conduct judicial proceedings.

oOffice of the Prosecutor: Conducts preliminary examinations, investigations, and prosecutions.

oRegistry: Manages non-judicial tasks including security, interpretation, outreach, and support for defense and victims' lawyers.

• Jurisdiction: The ICC’s jurisdiction is limited only to natural persons (unlike the International Court of Justice, which hears disputes between states) with minimum age of the alleged perpetrator should be 18 years at the time of the commission of the crime.
• Relation with UN: The ICC is not part of the UN. The Rome Statute was negotiated within the UN; however, it created an independent judicial body distinct from the UN.

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9. SUMMER SOLSTICE (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Geography)

Context: Recently, the summer solstice marked the onset of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere, coinciding with the day boasting the most daylight of the year.

Summer Solstice

• About: The summer solstice marks the point when the sun is positioned farthest north, 23.5 degrees from the celestial equator.
• Etymology: The term "solstice" originates from the Latin words "sol" for sun and "sistere" for "to stand still," indicating the sun's apparent pause in its journey.
• There are two solstices every year: one in June and one in December.
• Occurrence: During the 21st century, the summer solstice falls on either June 20th or 21st, varying slightly due to astronomical factors.
• Daylight Duration: In the Northern Hemisphere, daylight length on the summer solstice varies by latitude. 

oNear the equator, it's approximately 12 hours, while at mid-northern latitudes, like 40 degrees north, it extends to about 15 hours. Beyond the Arctic Circle (66.5 degrees north), daylight persists for a full 24 hours.

• Longest Day in the North: The North Pole's tilt toward the Sun is greatest at the solstice, so this event marks the longest day of the year north of the equator.
• Shortest Day in the South: The day of the June solstice is the shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
• Meaning of Solstice: The word solstice is derived from the Latin word solstitium which translates to "sun stands still."

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10. ANTARCTIC TREATY (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: India is hosting the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM 46), also known as the Antarctic Parliament, from May 20-30 in Kochi.

Antarctic Treaty

• Origin:  The Antarctic Treaty was signed in Washington on December 1, 1959, by 12 countries involved in the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957-58.
• Countries: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the USSR, the United Kingdom, and the United States were the original signatories.
• Global Acceptance: The treaty came into force in 1961, and a total of 56 countries including India, in 1983  have joined it since then.
• Diverse Representation: The Treaty's signatories encompass a diverse range of nations worldwide, emphasizing a global consensus on its principles.

oThe Antarctic Treaty, which was signed during the Cold War, effectively designated Antarctica as a “no man’s land”, outside the bounds of international geopolitical competition.

• Key features of the treaty:

oAntarctica shall be used only for peaceful purposes, and no militarisation or fortification shall be allowed.

oAll signatories will have the freedom to carry out scientific investigations, and should share plans for scientific programmes, extend required cooperation, and freely make available the data gathered.

oNuclear testing or disposal of radioactive waste materials shall be prohibited anywhere in Antarctica.

India in Antarctica

• Party Status: Since 1983, India has been a consultative party to the Antarctic Treaty, allowing active participation in decision-making processes concerning Antarctica.
• Scientific Research Initiatives: India initiated scientific research in Antarctica in 1981, marking a significant step towards understanding the region's ecology and geology.
• The establishment of research stations has facilitated continuous exploration and study.
• Establishment of Research Stations:

oDakshin Gangotri: India's first Antarctica research station, operational from 1983 to 1990, was situated in Queen Maud Land, approximately 2,500 km from the South Pole.

oMaitri: Established in 1989 in the Schirmacher Oasis, Maitri serves as a vital hub for scientific endeavors, benefiting from the area's unique geography.

• Bharati: Inaugurated in 2012, Bharati, located on the Prydz Bay coast, emphasizes oceanographic and geologic research, enhancing India's multidisciplinary approach to Antarctic studies.

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