1. DARK PATTERN (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: The Ministry of Civil Aviation recently took action following complaints about deceptive practices by airlines and online travel agents, requiring IndiGo to make changes to its website.

• “A dark pattern is one where an entity nudges consumers to buy products they didn’t intend to, which is an unfair trading practice, and can constitute a cybercrime.”

Dark Pattern

• About: Dark patterns, also known as deceptive patterns, refer to the tactics employed by websites or apps to lead users into unintended actions or discourage behaviors that are unfavourable for the companies.
• Coined by: Harry Brignull, a user experience (UX) designer in 2010, this term encapsulates the strategies used by platforms to manipulate user behavior.
• Examples: Intrusive ads that are difficult to dismiss, often due to tiny, hard-to-find "X" buttons, leading users to accidentally click on the ad instead.

Use of Dark Patterns

• Social media companies and Big Tech firms such as Apple, Amazon, Skype, Facebook, LinkedIn, Microsoft, and Google use dark or deceptive patterns to downgrade the user experience to their advantage.
• In social media, LinkedIn users often receive unsolicited, sponsored messages from influencers.
• Dark pattern in India: Section 2(9)(v) of Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides for consumer’s right to seek redressal against unfair trade practice or restrictive trade practices or unscrupulous exploitation of consumers.

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2. INDIA MALDIVES RELATIONS (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 - IR)

Context: Recently, President-elect Mohamed Muizzu stated in an interview that Maldives has initiated negotiations with India to discuss the removal of its military presence.

• Around 70 Indian military personnel maintain New Delhi sponsored radar stations and surveillance aircraft. 
• Indian warships help patrol Maldives' exclusive economic zone.

India Maldives Relations

• India and Maldives share ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious, and commercial ties, fostering close, cordial, and multi-dimensional relations.
• In 1965, India was one of the first countries to acknowledge Maldives' independence and establish diplomatic relations.
• India's strategic significance in Maldives is widely acknowledged, with India serving as a prominent security provider.
• The Government of Maldives has officially embraced the 'India First' policy.
• Collaboration spans various domains such as Cybersecurity, Capacity Building, Housing, Disaster Management, and Infrastructure Development.
• Bilateral engagements gained momentum in the late 1980s when India initiated 'Operation Cactus' to thwart a coup in Maldives.

Importance of Maldives for India

• India's West Coast: Maldives is located just 70 nautical miles away from Minicoy and 300 nautical miles away from India's west coast.
• Strategic Position in Commercial Sea-Lanes: It serves as a strategic hub for commercial sea-lanes in the Indian Ocean, particularly at the 8° N and 1 ½° N channels.
• Location Between Busy Trade Routes: Maldives is positioned between the world's busiest trade routes, including the Strait of Malacca and the Suez Canal.

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3. PMMVY (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Government Schemes)

Context: The National Event on Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) recently took place at Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The event started off with the technical workshop session on the New PMMVY portal.

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)

• About: This is a Centrally Sponsored Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme aimed at providing support to women.
• Launched: In 2017
• Objectives: To provide partial compensation for wage loss through cash incentives. This support enables women to take necessary rest before and after delivering their first child.

oTo improve health-seeking behaviour among Pregnant Women & Lactating Mothers (PW&LM).

Key Features

• Target Demographic: The scheme primarily focuses on offering maternity benefits to women from socially and economically disadvantaged sections of society.
• Benefit: Maternity benefits are extended to a woman for her first two living children, with the condition that the second child is a girl.
• Monetary Support: Expecting mothers receive a monetary benefit of Rs. 5,000. This financial aid begins from the early stages of pregnancy and continues until the child is born.

oFirst Instalment: Rs. 1,000 is paid at the time of pregnancy registration.

oSecond Instalment: Rs. 2,000 is provided after completing six months of pregnancy

oThird Instalment: The remaining Rs. 2,000 is received after the birth and registration of the child.

• Additional Support: Women also receive Rs. 1,000 under the Janani Suraksha Yojana following institutional delivery.
• Handling Miscarriage/Stillbirths: The scheme treats cases of miscarriage or stillbirths as fresh cases, ensuring that maternity benefits can still be provided in such situations.

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4. VENUS TECTONIC ACTIVITY (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Geography)

Context: A recent study suggests that Venus, often referred to as Earth's sister planet, may have experienced tectonic activity about 4.5 billion to 3.5 billion years ago.

Key Points

• Plate tectonics: Instrumental in creating its carbon dioxide- and nitrogen-rich atmosphere on Venus, according to the new report published in the journal Nature Astronomy noted. 
• Planet’s atmospheric composition: Mainly composed of carbon dioxide (96.5%) and nitrogen (less than 3.5%).
• Plate tectonics gave rise to oceans, continents and mountains, along with playing a critical role in nourishing life on Earth.
• The new findings suggest that ancient Venus may have been home to microbial life. That means Earth and Venus may have been even more alike than thought.

Venus

• About: Venus is the second planet from the sun, and it is sixth in the solar system in size and mass.
• It is similar in structure but slightly smaller than Earth (Earth’s Twin).
• Venus has a thick and toxic atmosphere that consists primarily of carbon dioxide, with clouds of sulfuric acid droplets.
• Temperature: 465 degrees Celsius, hot enough to melt lead.
• Rotation: Venus is one of just two planets that rotate from east to west. Only Venus and Uranus have this “backward” rotation.
• Life on Venus: Venus’s extreme temperatures and acidic clouds make it an unlikely place for life.
• Venus does not have any moons, a distinction it shares only with Mercury among the planets in the Solar System.
• It is the hottest planet in the solar system because of the high concentration of carbon dioxide which works to produce an intense greenhouse effect.

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5. COMMITTEESS OF PARLIAMENT (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: The recently conducted Parliamentary panel review suggests that reinstating Section 377 and criminalising adultery might be recommended to the Indian government in the proposed legal reforms.

• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs has formulated a draft report which recommends bringing back the Adultery law, and criminalising non-consensual sex between women, men, or trans people.

Committees of Parliament

• About: A Parliamentary Committee consists of Members of Parliament, who are either appointed, elected, or nominated by the House or its presiding officer, the Speaker or Chairman.

oThese committees operate under the guidance of the Speaker or Chairman and submit their reports either to the House or to the Speaker or Chairman.

• Origin: The concept of Parliamentary Committees has its roots in the British Parliament.
• Article 105: Pertains to the privileges of MPs.
• Article 118: Empowers Parliament to establish rules for governing its procedures and business conduct.
• Types of Parliamentary Committees: Standing Committees and Ad Hoc Committees.

oStanding Committees are permanent (constituted every year or periodically) and work on a continuous basis.

oAd Hoc Committees are temporary and cease to exist on completion of the task assigned to them.

Section 377: Criminalising homosexuality

• Section 377 of the British colonial penal code criminalized all sexual acts "against the order of nature". 
• This law was struck down in 2018 by the Supreme Court of India. 
• Notably, there was no provision for addressing non-consensual sex between "men, women, transperson, and acts of bestiality" after Section 377 was removed from the IPC.

Section 497: Criminalising Adultery

• Adultery was a criminal offence under Chapter XX of the Indian Penal Code until it was quashed by the Supreme Court of India on 27 September 2018 as unconstitutional. 
• The law dated from 1860. 
• Under Section 497 of the IPC, which was the section dealing with adultery, a man who had consensual sexual intercourse with the wife of another man without that husband's consent will be punished for this offence.

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6. UNVERSAL BASIC INCOME (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: Recently, localized experiments with universal basic income (UBI) have yielded mostly positive results across states, reinforcing calls for social policy.

• The WorkFREE pilot project to provide support through UBI, a social policy in which people periodically receive minimum but unconditional cash support,

Universal Basic Income (UBI)

• Definition: UBI is a social welfare policy that provides all beneficiaries with a regular, unconditional transfer payment to guarantee a minimum income.
• Objectives: To ensure that every citizen has enough income to cover essential needs like food, housing, and healthcare, with the overarching goal of reducing poverty and economic inequality.
• Simplification of Welfare Systems: UBI is designed to simplify existing social welfare systems by replacing or consolidating various targeted social programs, which can often be complex and administratively burdensome.

Principles of UBI Support Programs

• Unconditional Support: UBI provides income support without imposing specific conditions or requirements on beneficiaries.
• Periodic Payments: UBI offers regular, periodic payments instead of one-time lump sum transfers.
• Direct Cash Transfers: UBI delivers financial assistance through direct cash transfers, eliminating the need for coupons or cash equivalents.
• Individual Beneficiaries: UBI focuses on providing support to individual beneficiaries rather than households.

WorkFREE Pilot Project

• About: The WorkFREE Pilot Project is a joint initiative of the University of Bath, Montfort Social Institute-Hyderabad, and the India Network for Basic Income. Funding for the project is provided by the European Research Council.
• Cash Support: As part of the project, adults receive Rs 1,000 per month, while children receive Rs 500 per month, for a duration of 18 months.
• Emergency Support: A significant number of recipients utilized the cash support to expand their economic activities and cover unforeseen emergency expenses, mitigating the need for borrowing.

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7. AZADI KA AMRIT MAHOTSAV (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Government Scheme)

Context: Prime Minister of India will address the finale event of Meri Maati Mera Desh campaign at Vijay Chowk/Kartavya Path on 31st October 2023.

• It will also mark the wrap of the two years long campaign of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav which began on 12th March 2021 to celebrate the 75 years of India’s independence.

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav

• About: The Government of India launched Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav as an initiative to commemorate 75 years of India's independence and its remarkable history.
• 75-Week Countdown: The celebration commenced on March 12, 2021, with a 75-week countdown to the 75th anniversary of India's independence, set to culminate on August 15, 2023.
• Themes: Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is organized around five thematic pillars:

oIdeas@75: Focusing on ideas and ideals that have shaped India's past and will influence its future.

oYouth@75: Celebrating the role of India's youth in shaping the nation, with initiatives such as the National Youth Parliament Festival and the National Service Scheme.

oCulture@75: Embracing India's rich cultural heritage and diversity, with events like the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav and the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat program.

oActions@75: Showcasing India's achievements in various fields and encouraging citizens to contribute to a better India. This theme includes the National Digital Health Mission and the Swachh Bharat Mission.

oAmrit Mahotsav: Dedicated to the people of India, acknowledging their contributions and potential in realizing the Prime Minister of India vision of an empowered India.

Meri Maati, Mera Desh

• About: The 'Meri Mati Mera Desh' campaign is an initiative launched to honor the brave hearts who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the country. 

oIt involves installing special inscriptions in panchayats across the nation in memory of these heroes.

• The 'Amrit Kalash Yatra': It is a part of the 'Meri Mati Mera Desh' campaign. During this yatra, 7,500 pots carrying soil from different parts of the country will be brought to the national capital along with saplings. 
• These pots will be used to create an 'Amrit Vatika' near the National War Memorial, symbolizing 'Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat.'

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8. MGNREGS (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The Centre is expected to introduce Aadhaar-linked face authentication for workers in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) next year to address recent concerns of significant spending leakages, estimated by officials to be as high as one-third of the program's expenditures.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)

• Objective: Guaranteed Right to Work: MGNREGS is a demand-driven scheme, that seeks to provide guaranteed 100 days of wage employment per year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
• Features: Legal right to work, a time-bound guarantee of work and unemployment allowance (within 15 days). Decentralized planning – i.e. Gram Sabha recommends work, demand-driven scheme.
• MGNREGA Act, 2005: It specifies a list of works that can be undertaken to generate employment such as water conservation, land development, construction, agriculture.
• Role of MGNREGA in addressing rural distress: Jobs to unskilled/semi-skilled, Reduction in poverty levels, Women labour force participation, Benefits to agri-sector, Rural Development, Creation of rural assets, Reviving MSME sector.
• Challenges: Employment provided remains below guaranteed minimum, Non-payment of unemployment allowance, Low wage rate, Corruption and leakages, Poor quality of assets and inefficient monitoring and maintenance, Regional disparity.

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9. GI TAGS IN GOA (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The Goan caju (cashew kernel) recently secured a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, while Goa's requests for GI recognition for Bebinca, Malcorada mango, seven-ridge okra, Agassaim brinjal, Harmal chilli, and Khola chilli are currently pending.

• According to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), a GI tag is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that is due to that origin.

Key Points

• The most famous example of GI-tagging in the world is, of course, Champagne, the sparkling wine from that particular district of France. 
• GI tags have for long been used globally as indicators or appellations of origin in food law.
• In 2018, there was a battle royale between Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg over which district would lay claim to be the real home of the Hapus (also called the Alphonso) mango.
• mangoes worth 30 billion annually, over 50 per cent of which are exported. The GI- tagging for the Alphonso mango has surely helped protect its exclusivity and distinctiveness.

Goan Cashew

• About:  Cashew, native to northeast Brazil in Latin America, was introduced to Goa by the Portuguese in the 16th century, precisely in 1570.
• Initial Purpose in India: Upon its introduction on the Indian coasts, cashew was primarily recognized as a crop for afforestation and soil conservation.
• Prominence in Goa: In the state of Goa, cashew occupies the largest area among horticultural crops.

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10. AVIAN INFLUENZA (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Scientists have detected the presence of avian flu for the first time in the Antarctic region, raising concerns for remote populations of penguins and seals.

• The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influence (HPAI) was detected in brown skua (a predatory seabird) populations on Bird Island, South Georgia, making it the first known case in the Antarctic region.

Avian Influenza

• About: Influenza A viruses can be categorized into avian influenza (commonly known as bird flu) and swine influenza (often referred to as swine flu0), depending on their origin host.
• These viruses are distinct from human influenza viruses and do not readily spread among humans.
• Classification: The terms "H" and "N" in the names of flu viruses represent hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, two proteins found on the virus's surface that facilitate its entry into and exit from host cells.

oHemagglutinin and neuraminidase were the initial components of the flu virus to be identified, leading to its nomenclature.

• Primary Reservoir: Aquatic birds, and these birds often experience asymptomatic or mild infections.
• Impact:

oAvian Influenza outbreaks can lead to devastating consequences for the country, particularly the poultry industry.

oFarmers might experience a high level of mortality in their flocks, with rates often around 50%.

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