1. COUNTERVAILING DUTY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 - Economy)

Context: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has initiated discussions on the potential imposition of countervailing duty (CVD) on stainless steel, raising hopes within the industry that such an action will curb cheap imports from China and support small and medium producers in India.

Countervailing duty 

• The PMO intervened after the finance ministry ruled out imposing the duty to offset the effects of subsidies provided by foreign governments to their producers despite the steel and commerce ministries supporting the implementation.
• As cheap imports flood the market, domestic steelmakers, especially smaller ones, are freezing hiring and expansion plans and resorting to commodity trading. India had previously imposed CVD on steel, but removed it in the Union Budget 2021-22.
• The steel ministry and the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) under the commerce ministry had recommended a 19% CVD to the finance ministry, the ultimate authority in duty matters. 

Countervailing duty (CVD)

• About: It is a specific form of duty that the government imposes in order to protect domestic producers by countering the negative impact of import subsidies. 
• CVD is thus an import tax by the importing country on imported products.
• The World Trade Organization (WTO) permits the imposition of countervailing duty by its member countries.
• In India, the CVD is imposed as an additional duty besides customs on imported products when such products are given tax concession in the country of their origin.
• The levy of anti-dumping duty is both exporter-specific and country-specific. 
• It extends to the imports from only that country in respect of which dumping has been alleged and the complaint has been filed and duty recommended. 
• Such duty does not apply to imports from other countries in respect of which the domestic industry has not alleged dumping.

• Imposition of countervailing measures in India: The countervailing measures in India are administered by the Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), in the commerce and industry ministry’s department of commerce. 

• While the department of commerce recommends anti-dumping duty, provisional or final, it is the department of revenue in the finance ministry that acts upon the recommendation within three months and imposes such duties.

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2. RRTS (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 - Infrastructure)

Context: The Supreme Court came down heavily on the Delhi government for spending around ?1,100 crore on advertisements in three years but throwing up its hands when it came to contributing its share for the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transport System (RRTS).

Regional rapid transit system (RRTS)

• About: It is a new, dedicated, high speed, high capacity, comfortable commuter service connecting regional nodes in NCR.
• It is different from conventional Railway as it will provide reliable, high frequency, point to point regional travel at high speed along dedicated path way.
• It is different from metro as it caters to passengers looking to travel a relatively longer distance with fewer stops and at higher speed.

• Key features:

• Speed: Design speed - 180 km/h, Operational speed - 160 km/h, Average speed of 100 km/h.
• Three times the speed of Metro.
• Aerodynamic trains with airline-like transverse seating arrangements: In general, the train aerodynamics are related to aerodynamic drag, pressure variations inside train, train-induced flows, cross-wind effects, ground effects, pressure waves inside tunnel, impulse waves at the exit of tunnel, noise and vibration, etc.
• Interoperability: Trains will move from one corridor to another, facilitating commuter travel from one corridor station to another without train changes.
• Multimodal integration: It will be integrated with various modes of public transport systems like airports, Indian Railway stations, inter-state bus terminals, and Delhi Metro stations, wherever possible.

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3. CISO TRAINING (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 - Governance)

Context: National e-Governance Division (NeGD), under its Capacity Building scheme, organised the 38th batch of  Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) Deep-Dive training programme from 24th-28th July 2023 at Central Academy for Police Training (CAPT), Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. 

Key Points

• The course was inaugurated with 23 participants from Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Odisha, Kerala, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.
• The purpose of the program is to spread awareness, build capacity as well as enable Government departments on steps that need to be taken to create a cyber resilient ecosystem.
• This programme aims to sensitize and orient participants on cyber safety and security in taking Digital India programme forward for integrated delivery of various Govt. services to citizens, present a holistic information and knowledge and understanding about cyber security, spreading awareness, build capacities as well as enable government departments to look after their cyber hygiene, safety, and security.

CISO training

• Launched in 2018, the CISO training is the first-of-its-kind of partnership between the Government and industry consortium under Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. 
• Since June 2018 until July 2023, NeGD has efficaciously conducted 38 batches of CISO deep-dive training programmes for over 1,464 CISOs and frontline IT officials.

Cyber Surakshit Bharat initiative of MeitY was conceptualised with the mission to spread awareness about cyber-crime and build capacities of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and frontline IT officials, across all government departments, for ensuring adequate safety measures to combat the growing menace - Organizations need to defend their digital infrastructures and become future-ready in tackling cyber-attacks.

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4. HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 - Health)

Context: The World Health Organization (WHO) released new scientific and normative guidance for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at the 12th International International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science on July 23, 2023.

Key Points

• The United Nations’ health agency also recommended countries integrate mpox detection, prevention and care with existing and innovative HIV and sexually transmitted infection prevention and control programmes.
• The new recommendations shed light on the critical role of HIV viral suppression and undetectable virus levels in enhancing individual health and preventing transmission of the virus.
• The WHO guidelines described key HIV viral load thresholds as well as methods for measuring virus levels in relation to these thresholds. 
• People living with HIV, for example, who achieve an undetectable level of virus through consistent use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) do not transmit HIV to their sexual partner(s) and are at low risk of vertically transmitting HIV to their children.

Human immunodeficiency virus or HIV

• About: It is an infection that attacks the immune system by destroying the body’s immune cells called CD4, which help it respond to infection.
• Once HIV attacks the CD4 cells, it starts replicating and destroying the cells, weakening the body’s immune system and making it more prone to certain “opportunistic infections” that take advantage of the weak immune system.
• In a nutshell, if HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).
• Transmission: Bodily fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids, rectal fluids and breastmilk can be carriers for HIV.
• It can be transmitted through unprotected sex, transfusion of contaminated blood, sharing needles and syringes, and from a mother with HIV to her infant during pregnancy.
• Typically, the time between HIV transmission and AIDS diagnosis is 10-15 years, although it may occur sooner.
• Prevention: There's no vaccine to prevent HIV infection and no cure for AIDS. Protecting oneself from infection is the way ahead.

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5. INCREASED IN POCSO CASES (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 - Issue related to women)

Context: There was an increase of 12% in Pocso cases reported till June this year in the city compared to the same period last year. 

• Arrests also saw a sharp rise of nearly 35%.
• According to Delhi Police’s data till last month, nearly 870 cases were reported, whereas in 2022, during the same period, it was 776. 
• The data also shows that as many as 1,109 people were arrested in 2023, whereas last year it was 822.

Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act

• About: The POCSO Act was enacted in 2012 to provide a robust legal framework for the protection of children from offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography while safeguarding the interests of children at every stage of the judicial process.

• Salient features 

• The act defines child as any individual aged below 18 years of age.
• There are multiple forms and acts of sexual abuse defined under this act that is not just limited to pornography, harassment, or penetrative/non-penetrative offenses.
• These acts would be considered ‘aggravated’ if the child is mentally ill and/or the perpetrator comes from a position of authority and/or trust like a family member, doctor, teacher, etc.
• The prevention of ‘re-victimization’ of the child within the judicial system is of utmost importance as this act allows a policeman to act under the role of a child protector throughout the investigation.
• The process of investigation is to be made as child-friendly as possible, and justice to be served promptly within a year front the reporting of the incident.
• The setting up of ‘Special Courts’ has been done under this act which will exclusively deal with such offenses with the sensibility and sensitivity they need.
• The central government is given the authority to make rules under the 45th section of the act.
• The State Commissions for the Protection of Child Rights (SCPCRs) and the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) have been given the authority to monitor the implementation of the act’s provisions.
• The act makes the reporting of a sexual offense mandatory. 
• Misuse of these laws with the purpose of defamation of the person is punishable.
• It provides stringent deterrents for the commission of offences against children ranging from a minimum of 20 years of imprisonment to the death penalty in case of aggravated penetrative sexual assault.

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6. MERI MAATI MERA DESH CAMPAIGN (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 - Env & Eco)

Context: The Union government has launched the ‘Meri Maati Mera Desh’ campaign, envisaged as a culminating event of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebration of 75 years of Indian Independence, in which soil collected from different parts of the country in August will be used to develop a garden along the Kartavya Path in Delhi.

Key Points

• Events have been planned at the panchayat, village, block, urban local body, and State and national levels, respectively. 
• The five-point agenda includes the installation of a shilaphalakam (memorial plaque), as per specifications, bearing the “names of those who have made the supreme sacrifice”.
• Work for the shilaphalakam may be executed through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), leveraging local materials and resources.
• ‘Vasudha Vandhan’ envisages every gram panchayat or village renewing “Mother Earth by planting 75 saplings of indigenous species and developing an Amrit Vatika”.
• ‘Veeron Ka Vandan’ will felicitate freedom fighters, and the families of deceased freedom fighters.
• Young volunteers and others will collect soil from every panchayat/village and bring it to the block, from where the ‘Mitti Kalash’ will be transported to Delhi.
• In urban areas, events will be organised at local bodies, notified area councils, Cantonment Boards, and town panchayats from August 9 and 15, and in bigger municipalities and municipal corporations from August 16 to 20.
• The ‘Mitti Kalash’ are to be brought ceremoniously to the larger municipalities/corporations and transported to Kartavya Path.
• The finale of the campaign will be held in Delhi between August 27 to 30.
• State governments may organise programmes dedicated to the campaign from August 16 to 25.

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7. INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 - Resources)

Context: The Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), a United Nations body tasked with developing mining regulations, is in a tight spot, could likely face litigation if they favour or block mining activities on the high seas.

Key Points

• The ISA finds itself in a sticky situation after Nauru, a tiny island northeast of Australia, invoked the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in June 2021. 
• This gave the ISA a two-year deadline to either develop regulations for deep-sea mining or allow mining proposals sans international consensus on rules. The deadline expired on July 9, 2023.
• Nations are divided over deep-sea mining. Several nations, including India, have their eyes set on deep-sea mining while more than 18 states have opposed it. 

International Seabed Authority (ISA)

• The ISA was established in 1982 by UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the ‘Law of the Sea’) and is an autonomous intergovernmental body with 167 members.
• ISA is the institution through which Parties to UNCLOS design and control all the mineral-related resources activities in the area.
• ISA became operational as an autonomous international institution in June 1996 and has 168 members, including the European Union.
• The main activity of ISA is to regulate the exploration of poly-metallic nodules.
• The ISA considers applications for exploration and exploitation of deepsea resources from contractors, assesses environmental impact assessments and supervises mining activities in the ‘Area’.
• India actively participates in the work of the International Seabed Authority. India was re-elected as a member of ISA in 2020.

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8. URBAN MIGRATION (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 - Population associated issues)

Context: While the multidimensional poverty index (MPI), released by the NITI Aayog last week, showed a sharp decline in poverty between 2015-16 and 2019-21 at national level, urban migration seems to have led to its increase in 24 districts in 10 states and Union Territories during the same period.

Key Points

• Five of the 11 districts in Delhi (Central, North, West, Southwest and New Delhi) saw an increase in multidimensional poverty, followed by five in Punjab (Bathinda, Faridkot, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Rupnagar), four in Kerala (Kasargod, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Palakkad), and two each in Haryana (Ambala, Yamunanagar), Tamil Nadu (Chennai, Dindigul), and Sikkim (Mangan, Namchi).
• Poverty increased also in one district each in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh during the period.
• Between the National Family Health Survey 4 ( NFHS4) and NFHS-5, West Khasi hills district in Meghalaya saw the largest increase in the share of multidimensionally poor population by 12.9 percentage points to 52.5 percent from 39.6 percent previously, followed by Bijapur, North Delhi, Faridkot and Bathinda.

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9. NATIONAL GEOSCIENCE AWARD (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 - Sci & tech)

Context:  The President of India presented the National Geoscience Awards-2022 at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre. 

National Geoscience Award

• About: It was instituted by the Ministry of Mines in 1966 and given annually.
• Objectives: To honour individuals and teams for extraordinary achievements and outstanding contributions in various fields of geosciences.
• Eligibility: Any citizen of India with a significant contribution in any of the fields specified in Clause-2 of the NGA Regulation 2022 will be eligible for these awards.
• Disciplines:
• Mineral Discovery & Exploration
• Mining, Mineral Beneficiation & Sustainable Mineral Development
• Basic Geosciences
• Applied Geosciences
• Categories:
• National Geoscience Award for Lifetime Achievement: Given to an individual with an exceptionally high lifetime achievement.
• National Geoscience Award: Given to individuals or team(s) in recognition of meritorious contribution.

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10. HBAR ENTROPY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 - Sci & tech)

Context: Scientists have explored novel quantum effects on the radiation emitted from a black hole due to atoms freely falling into it. 

Key Points

• Scientists have investigated the radiation of atoms falling into a black hole having quantum corrections embedded into it. 
• This investigation of atoms falling into a black hole could throw new light on the efforts of scientists towards unification of quantum mechanics which plays out at the smallest scales of matter and the general theory of relativity propounded by Einstein which is applicable at the largest cosmological scales.
• Their mathematical calculations reproduced earlier results that this radiation is similar to the Hawking radiation (emitted by black holes) and has special features that provide insights to the Einstein principle of equivalence.
• The radiation which arises due to the relative acceleration between the atom and the field surrounding it is generated from the two-level atoms unlike the radiation emitted from the black hole as predicted by Hawking. 
• The amount of disorder known as entropy was calculated for this radiation emitted from the atoms, and this was called the “horizon brightened acceleration radiation entropy” (HBAR entropy).
• While similar work has been undertaken previously, this research stands out due to the finding that the HBAR entropy obeyed the area law along with logarithmic leading order area corrections and the inverse order of area subleading corrections.
• Considering the effects of quantum mechanics on a black hole, Stephen Hawking predicted that they can also emit radiation—termed the Hawking radiation. 
• It has not been possible to detect Hawking radiation till date because the cold radiation from the black holes gets drowned in the 2.7-degree Kelvin cosmic microwave background radiation of the universe.

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