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

Context: Recently, the very severe cyclone Tej intensified into an extremely severe cyclone as it continued its north-westward movement, posing a significant threat to the Yemen coast near Al Ghaidah with wind speeds of 125-135 kmph, gusting to 150 kmph.

• According toIndia Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclonic storm that is brewing over the Arabian sea will cross over the Yemen-Oman coasts between Al Ghaidah (Yemen) and Salalah (Oman) around the early hours of October 25.

Cyclone Tej

• About: Cyclone Tej, the initial post-monsoon cyclone of the 2023 Arabian Sea season, has been designated by India.
• Origin: As a low-pressure system in the southeastern Arabian Sea, Cyclone Tej recently developed into a depression.
• Presently, Cyclone Tej is tracking a west-northwest course towards the Maharashtra coastline, and it is anticipated to reach land near Mumbai within the coming days.
• Cyclone Tej could bring about substantial rainfall and potent winds, leading to storm surges and coastal inundation.

Cyclone

• A cyclone is a large, rotating storm system centered around an area of low pressure. Cyclones can develop in various ocean basins, but their prevalence is highest in tropical regions.
• Cyclones can bring about a range of hazards, such as powerful winds, storm surges, and intense precipitation.

Types of Cyclones

• Tropical Cyclones: These are the most frequently encountered type of cyclone, emerging above warm, tropical seas. They are recognized by their strong winds, substantial rainfall, and storm surges.
• Extratropical Cyclones: These cyclones take shape over cooler waters and lack the intensity of tropical cyclones. They are characterized by strong winds, heavy rainfall, and even snowfall in some cases.
• Midlatitude Cyclones: These cyclones form in the midlatitude regions and share characteristics with their extratropical counterparts, including robust winds, substantial rainfall, and the potential for snow.

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2. PROJECT UDBHAV (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Government Schemes)

Context: Union Defence Minister of India unveiled ‘Project Udbhav’ during the inauguration of the Indian Military Heritage Festival.

Project Udbhav

• About: It is a collaboration between the Indian Army and the United Service Institution of India (USI), a defence services think tank.
• Initiative of: It is a visionary initiative by the Indian Army that seeks to integrate age-old wisdom with contemporary military pedagogy.
• Meaning: ‘Udbhav’, which translates to 'origin' or 'genesis', acknowledges the vintage scriptures and writings of our Nation, that span centuries in the past and contain profound knowledge that can benefit modern military strategies.
• Objective: To synthesise ancient wisdom with contemporary military practices, forging a unique and holistic approach to address modern security challenges.
• Ancient root: India’s ancient knowledge system, rooted in a 5000-year-old civilizational legacy, boasts a repository of intellectual texts and manuscripts.

o Project Udbhav, according to the Ministry of Defense (MoD), seeks to facilitate a profound understanding of these systems and their enduring relevance in the modern era.

o The initiative builds upon earlier research by the Army Training Command, resulting in the compilation of the 'Compendium of 75 Stratagems' based on ancient Indian scriptures.

• Inspiration from: The project draws inspiration from revered texts like Chanakya's Arthashastra, which emphasizes the importance of strategic partnerships and diplomacy, aligning with contemporary practices.

o Similarly, Thirukkural, the classical Tamil text, champions ethical conduct in all endeavors, including warfare, aligning with modern codes of ethics and principles of the Geneva Convention.

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

Context: Recently, China and the Philippines have traded accusations over a collision in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, highlighting the escalating tensions in the region.

South China Sea

• 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.
• 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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4. AMAZON RIVER (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Recently, the Amazon, which holds 20 percent of all freshwater in the world, has faced an alarming water crisis, leaving most houses in the region without running water due to a record severe drought.

Key Points of Study

• Drought in the Amazon has led to historically low water levels in many tributaries, with the main stem of the Amazon river dropping daily, causing a significant transformation of the landscape.
• Abnormal warming of the Atlantic Ocean, combined with El Niño, is contributing to the severity and potential prolongation of the drought.
• Experts warn that if the anomalous warming of the Atlantic continues, the extreme drought in the Amazon may persist until mid-2024.
• The drought is causing a human and environmental tragedy, particularly affecting socio-economically vulnerable populations in the Western Amazon region.
• Large-scale deforestation, illegal timber exportation, cattle grazing, and soybean plantations have contributed to the loss of water sources in the region, worsening the drought's impact.
• The Amazon's resilience is at risk, potentially leading to desertification and a point of no return for the rainforest.

Amazon River

• About: It is the greatest river of South America and the largest drainage system in the world in terms of the volume of its flow and the area of its basin.
• Course: Its excursion begins in the Andes Mountains, high in the Andes.
• Coverage Areas: The Amazon River Basin spans across several South American countries including Venezuela, Suriname, Peru, Guyana, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, and Bolivia.
• Distance: 6,400 kilometers
• Tributaries: It contains about 1,100 tributaries.

o Among the numerous notable tributaries are the Rio Negro, the Madeira River, and the Xingu River.

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5. SPECIAL PURPOSE VEHICLE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: The defense ministry has recently shifted research funds to the private sector, enabling collaborative design of military platforms through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for projects like fighters, tanks, missiles, and helicopters.

• Under SPV model a Indian govt agency will lead the project and select private companies to develop major technologies and components for the system.

Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs)

• About: A SPV is a legal entity created for a well-defined, sole, and narrow purpose.
• Formation: Typically, SPVs are established as companies with the specific goal of achieving one or a group of narrowly defined objectives by their promoters.
• Purpose: SPVs are primarily formed to segregate a company's assets or activities from its main operations.
• Isolation of Assets: Assets or activities are transferred to the SPV, creating a distinct entity that provides investors or lenders with a greater sense of security and comfort.
• Risk Mitigation and Insurance: SPVs and the sponsoring company, often the parent company, are protected against the risk of bankruptcy through insurance.

Objectives of SPVs

• Securitization: Banks utilize SPVs for securitizing loans, converting them into tradeable securities.
• Risk-sharing: SPV formation allows companies to legally isolate the risks associated with a particular project.
• Property Sale: When property sales taxes are higher than capital gains taxes, companies can establish SPVs to own the properties for sale, thereby reducing tax liabilities.
• Asset Transfer: For assets that are difficult to transfer directly, a company can create an SPV to take ownership. Subsequently, the SPV can be sold as part of mergers and acquisitions processes.

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6. GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci & Tech)

Context: In a recent study from Israel, a connection was found between Covid-19 infection and a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) within six weeks.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)

• About: This is a rare autoimmune disorder where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nerves.
• It is more common in adults and males but can affect people of all ages.
• Symptoms: Initial signs of this syndrome often manifest as sensations of weakness or tingling, typically originating in the legs and potentially extending to affect the arms and facial areas. 

o In certain individuals, these sensations may progress to paralysis in the legs, arms, or facial muscles.

• Causes: It is frequently preceded by an infection.

o This infection can be either bacterial or viral in nature.

o The most commonly associated infections encompass Campylobacter jejuni, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and the bacteria responsible for pneumonia and urinary tract infections.

• Treatment: There is currently no cure available for this condition, with the primary treatment being the administration of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG).  IVIG is derived from donated blood containing beneficial antibodies.

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7. INDO-PACIFIC ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: India has proposed collaboration on biofuels within the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) on the lines of the G20 Global Biofuels Alliance to ensure energy security, affordability and accessibility through sustainable biofuels

Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF)

• About: It is a US-led initiative with the primary objective of strengthening economic partnership among participating countries. 
• Aim: To enhance resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, economic growth, fairness, and competitiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Launch: The IPEF was officially launched in 2021 and started with a dozen initial partner countries.
• Partners: These partners collectively represent a substantial 40% of the world's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• Members: Currently, India and 13 countries located in the Pacific Ocean are its members.

o Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, United States, and Vietnam.

Global Biofuel Alliance

• About: It is an initiative by India as the G20 Chair. The Alliance intends to expedite the global uptake of biofuels by facilitating technology advancements, intensifying the utilization of sustainable biofuels, and shaping robust standard setting and certification through the participation of a wide spectrum of stakeholders.
• Aim: To serve as a catalytic platform, fostering global collaboration for the advancement and widespread adoption of biofuels.
• Function: The alliance will also act as a central repository of knowledge and an expert hub.
• Countries involved: India, Singapore, Bangladesh, Italy, USA, Brazil, Argentina, Mauritius and UAE.

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8. PMFBY (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Government Schemes)

Context: The government recently announced its intention to allocate ₹30,000 crore to modernize the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) portal, transforming it into a comprehensive platform that expands insurance coverage to encompass assets like ponds, tractors, livestock, and even palm trees.

• This initiative will be driven by the AIDE app, launched to ensure door-to-door enrolment, making crop insurance more accessible and convenient for farmers.
• Through this app, insurance intermediaries will not only enrol farmers for crop insurance, but also extend coverage to farmers for non-subsidized schemes.

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)

• Launched: On 18th February 2016 by the Prime Minister.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture.
• Aim: to provide financial support to farmers suffering crop loss/damage arising out of natural calamities.
• Objective: It provides a comprehensive insurance cover against failure of the crop thus helping in stabilising the income of the farmers. 

o o encourage farmers to adopt innovative and modern agricultural practices.

o To ensure flow of credit to the agriculture sector.

• Coverage: All Food & Oilseeds crops and Annual Commercial/Horticultural Crops for which past yield data is available and for which requisite number of Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) are conducted under General Crop Estimation Survey (GCES). 
• Eligibility: Sharecroppers and tenant farmers growing notified crops in the notified areas are eligible for coverage.
• Implemented by: empanelled general insurance companies. 
• Selection of Implementing Agency (IA) is done by the concerned State Government through bidding. 

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9. KASTURI COTTON BHARAT (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economics)

Context: The Union Minister of Textile, Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food & Public Distribution recently launched the website of Kasturi Cotton Bharat.

Kasturi Cotton Bharat

• About: ‘Kasturi Cotton’ is an initiative of the Government of India (MoTextile), Textile Trade Bodies and Industry with the objective to brand Indian cotton by adopting certain standards and specifications in cotton farming, sourcing, optimising the supply chain, and processing for textiles. It includes traceability, and sustainability measures, reflecting the fashion trend in the developed markets.
• Aim: To increase exports of raw cotton and value-added products such as yarn and textiles, and create premium value for domestic cotton.
• Announced: On the eve of World Cotton Day on 7th October 2020.

Cotton

• About: It  is one of the most important commercial crops cultivated in India and accounts for around 25% of the total global cotton production.
• Species of Cultivated Cotton: Gossypium arboreum and Herbaceum (Asian cotton), G.barbadense (Egyptian cotton) and G. hirsutum (American Upland cotton).
• Major States: Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
• BT Cotton: It is a genetically modified organism (GMO) or genetically modified pest resistant plant cotton variety, which produces an insecticide to combat bollworm.

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