1. VIRUS LIKE PARTICLES (VLPS) (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Scientists at the Institute of Advanced Virology (IAV), Thonnakkal, Thiruvananthapuram, have developed a novel way of generating non-infectious Nipah virus-like particles (VLPs) in the laboratory, which mimic the wild type Nipah virus (NiV).

Virus Like Particles (VLPs):

• About: They are molecules that closely resemble viruses, but are non-infectious because they contain no viral genetic material. They carry most of the characteristics of the virus, except their ability to replicate (because it lacks the viral genome). 

o They have long been recognised as effective quantitative platforms for studying viral binding and entry kinetics of the virus. 

• The study: The new method offers an alternate, safe and effective platform for developing neutralizing antibodies against NiV.

Nipah Virus (NiV)

• About: It is a zoonotic virus, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans.

o The zoonotic virus Nipah is a highly pathogenic paramyxovirus, with a fatality rate of up to 80% in affected humans.

• Responsible: RNA virus belonging to the Paramyxoviridae family, Henipavirus genus, and is closely related to the Hendra virus.
• Initial occurrence of the outbreak: Malaysia (1998) and Singapore (1999).

o The estimated case fatality rate for the Nipah Virus ranges from 40% to 75%, which can vary depending on the outbreak's local epidemiological surveillance and clinical management capabilities.

• Spread: The virus can be transmitted to humans either through contact with infected animals, consumption of contaminated food, or through direct person-to-person transmission. 

o Fruit bats are recognized as the natural reservoir of the virus.

• Symptoms: Acute encephalitis and respiratory illnesses
• Prevention: Currently, there are no vaccines for both humans and animals.

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2. CENTRAL WATER COMMISSION (Syllabus GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: The Central Water Commission (CWC) recently reported that water shortages across the country are set to worsen, with the water level in the 150 main reservoirs having dropped to 23%, which is 77% less than last year's levels.

Key Highlights of CWC

• At least 8 reservoirs across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh (AP), and Uttarakhand reported zero storage.
• 4 additional reservoirs, located in AP, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, had less than 10% storage.
• The southern region, encompassing AP, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, faced severe repercussions.
• Out of 42 reservoirs in this area, only 14% of their total capacity was filled, compared to 25% last year and the normal 20%.
• The northern, eastern, and central regions exhibited storage levels at 30%, 28%, and 29.1% respectively, in comparison to their total reservoir capacities.
• Thirteen east-flowing rivers between the Mahanadi and Pennar remained dry for nine consecutive weeks, including Rushikulya, Bahuda, Vamsadhara, and others.
• 18 out of 19 river basins registered storage levels below 50%, with only the Brahmaputra basin reporting 58.58% capacity.
• Storage in the Ganga river basin stood at 31.99% of its capacity, lower than last year but higher than the 'normal' average over the past ten years.

Central Water Commission (CWC)

• About: It operates as an attached office of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, falling under the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation.
• Headquarters: New Delhi.
• Organizational Structure: Led by a Chairman holding the status of Ex-Officio Secretary to the 
• Divisional Authority: Each wing is overseen by a full-time Member, carrying the status of Ex-Officio Additional Secretary to the Government of India.
• Functions:
• Coordination and Initiation: Responsible for initiating, coordinating, and advancing schemes in consultation with State Governments for water resource control, conservation, and utilization nationwide.
• Scope of Operations: Undertakes investigations, constructions, and execution of schemes related to flood control, irrigation, navigation, drinking water supply, and water power development.

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3. WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Health)

Context: The World Health Assembly recently passed a resolution highlighting the increasing impact of climate change on health and called for radical measures to counter health risks.,

World Health Assembly

• About: This  Assembly is the main decision-making body of WHO.
• Members: 194 Member States.
• Annual Meeting: Every year, generally in May.
• Headquarter: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Health Goals and Strategies: At the Health Assembly, country delegates make decisions on health goals and strategies that will guide their own public health work and the work of the WHO Secretariat to move the world towards better health and well-being for all.
• Reporting and Implementation: The Health Assembly also serves as a forum for reporting back on the implementation of the areas of work set, in order to determine what has been achieved and decide on strategies for addressing the gaps.

International Health Regulations (IHR 2005)

• About: The IHR are an instrument of international law that is legally-binding on 196 countries, including the 194 WHO Member States.
• Entered into force on: 15 June 2007
• Basis of Amendments: These amendments were based on 300 proposals made by member countries following the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Negotiation Challenges: The negotiation process for the amendments faced several deadlocks by various countries.
• India's Role: India played a constructive role in crafting the Instrument, which aims to operationalize equity for an equitable response by developing countries to Public Health Emergencies.
• Objectives: To improve countries' ability to prepare for and respond to Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEIC) and Pandemic Emergencies (PE).

o The amendments include provisions to facilitate equitable access to relevant health products during PHEIC and PE.

• Financial Support: They also target the mobilization of financial resources to support developing countries in building, strengthening, and maintaining the core capacities required under the IHR (2005).

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4. JADES-GS-Z14-0 (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has spotted the earliest known galaxy, one that is surprisingly bright and big considering it formed during the universe’s infancy at only 2% its current age.

JADES-GS-z14-0

• About: The galaxy, JADES-GS-z14-0, spans approximately 1,700 light-years across, with a light-year measuring 9.5 trillion kilometers.
• Mass and Formation: Its mass equates to 500 million stars the size of our Sun, with a rapid rate of star formation, generating around 20 new stars annually.
• Origin: JADES-GS-z14-0 represents the earliest-known galaxy, predating others by about 320 million years after the Big Bang, marking a significant milestone in cosmological understanding.
• Size Challenge: The galaxy's considerable size poses a puzzle regarding its rapid formation within a few hundred million years, prompting inquiries into galactic evolution in the early universe.
• Brightness: Its luminosity surpasses expectations, especially given the trend of galaxies growing brighter over time, raising questions about its future evolution.
• Discovery: Alongside JADES-GS-z14-0, the JADES team unveils another ancient galaxy, JADES-GS-z14-1, offering insights into the early cosmos with its smaller size and distinct characteristics.

Reason of Galaxy’s Brightness

• Supermassive Black Holes: Initially considered as the cause of early galaxy brightness due to their voracious consumption of matter.
• Observational Contradiction: Recent findings suggest that the spread of light in early galaxies surpasses predictions based on black hole activity, casting doubt on this hypothesis.

o Other proposed hypotheses include the presence of a higher number of stars or stars with greater luminosity compared to contemporary ones.

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5. INTRUSION DETECTION SYSTEM (IDS) (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: The Railways will install an optical fiber-based intrusion detection system (IDS) along a 33-km elephant-infested stretch between Kottekkad and Madukkarai to prevent elephant deaths on the tracks.

 Intrusion Detection System (IDS)

• About: An IDS observes network traffic for malicious transactions and sends immediate alerts when it is observed.

o It is software that checks a network or system for malicious activities or policy violations.

• Types of IDS: Network Intrusion Detection System

o Host Intrusion Detection System

o Protocol-Based Intrusion Detection System

o Application Protocol-Based Intrusion Detection System

o Hybrid-Based Intrusion Detectio

• Alert Mechanism: Each illegal activity or violation is often recorded either centrally using an SIEM system or notified to an administration.
• Security Role: IDS monitors a network or system for malicious activity and protects a computer network from unauthorized access from users, including perhaps insiders.
• Learning Task: The intrusion detector learning task is to build a predictive model capable of distinguishing between ‘bad connections’ (intrusion/attacks) and ‘good (normal) connections’.
• Functionality of IDS: The optical fiber network will detect the presence of animals through vibrations, sending real-time alerts to the intrusion monitoring cell, stationmasters, and loco pilots.

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6. PLANETARY ALIGNMENT (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Geography)

Context: Recently, a Parade of Planets occurred as Saturn, Mars, Uranus, Neptune, Jupiter, and Mercury aligned in the sky.

Planetary Alignment 

• Definition: It refers to the rare positioning of planets within the solar system, creating an illusion of alignment in a straight line.

o According to NASA, planetary alignment occurs when two or more planets appear close together in the sky, forming a conjunction.

• Optical Illusion vs. Actual Event: It's crucial to recognize that planetary alignment is primarily an optical illusion rather than a tangible occurrence.
• Causes of Planetary Alignments:

o Planets orbit the Sun at varying speeds and distances, leading to frequent movements relative to each other in the night sky.

o Occasionally, the orbital paths of planets intersect, resulting in apparent alignments or conjunctions.

• Next planetary alignment: August 28, involving the same six planets.
• Anticipated Events: NASA projects three similar planetary alignment events in 2025, indicating the periodic nature of this phenomenon.

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7. MONETARY POLICY COMMITTEE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is anticipated to maintain the repo rate at 6.5% amidst persistent concerns over sticky food inflation.

Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)

• About: It was established based on the recommendation of the Urjit Patel Committee.
• Set up: Under Section 45ZB of the RBI Act of 1934 by the Union government.
• Composition: It is a 6 member committee. There are in total three internal members and three external experts. The RBI Governor and Deputy Governor are also members of the MPC Committee.
• Objectives: To improve the repo rate, reverse repo rate, liquidity, etc.
• Instruments of Committee: Repo rate, Reverse Repo rate, Marginal Standing Facility (MSF), Bank Rate, Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR), Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR), Open Market Operations (OMOs)
• Repo rate: The Repo Rate is the interest rate at which the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) loans money to commercial banks.
• Reverse repo rate: Reverse repo is the inverse contract to the repo rate. The reverse repo rate is the rate at which the RBI borrows funds from the country's commercial banks.

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8. TWO-STATE SOLUTION (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: Recently, India said that it was one of the first countries to recognise Palestine and has long supported the two-state solution to end the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Two-State Solution

• About: It proposes dividing historical Palestine into an Arab state and a Jewish state.
• Israel-Palestine Conflict: The two-state solution envisions the creation of independent Israel and Palestine, representing the mainstream approach to conflict resolution.
• Historical Context: Israel, established in 1948, is a Jewish state within Palestine, while a Palestinian state remains unrealized.
• Vision: The two-state solution envisions a legitimate, sovereign Palestine state, enjoying full rights as any other nation under the UN Charter.
• Six-Day War: In the 1967 conflict, Israel gained control of the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) from Jordan and Gaza from Egypt.

oThis victory solidified Israel's dominion over the entire territory stretching from the Mediterranean to the Jordan Valley.

• 1993 Oslo Accords: The 1993 Oslo Accords were a historic moment as they marked the first formal recognition between the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

o Both parties publicly committed to negotiating a solution to their long-standing conflict, paving the way for further discussions.

• Israel's Recognition of Palestinian Claims: The realization of the two-state vision necessitates that Israel abandons its opposition to Palestinian claims for national sovereignty.
• Palestinian Statehood: Since the signing of the Oslo Accords, granting statehood to the Palestinians has remained a fundamental element of any proposal aimed at resolving the conflict, as it is widely recognized as the internationally endorsed solution.

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9. PARAPARATRECHINA NEELA (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Indian researchers recently discovered a new ant species named Paraparatrechina neela from Arunachal Pradesh’s remote Siang Valley.

Paraparatrechina neela

• About: It  is a newly discovered ant species found in the Siang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Taxonomy: It belongs to the rare genus Paraparatrechina and has been formally named Paraparatrechina neela.
• Significance of the Name: The name "neela" symbolizes the color blue in many Indian languages, reflecting the unique blue hue of this ant species.
• Historical Context: This discovery marks the first addition to the Paraparatrechina genus in 121 years since the identification of the sole previously known species, P. aseta (Forel, 1902), in the Indian subcontinent.
• Features of Paraparatrechina neela:

o It is a diminutive ant, measuring less than 2 mm in total length.

o The body of Paraparatrechina neela exhibits a predominantly metallic blue coloration, except for its antennae, mandibles, and legs.

o Its head is sub-triangular, featuring large eyes and a triangular mouthpart (mandible) with five teeth.

o Paraparatrechina neela is distinguished by its unique metallic blue coloration, setting it apart from other species within its genus.

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10. OPEC+ (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: OPEC+ extended its production cuts as it seeks to bolster a fragile market, but also set a date to begin bringing some oil back online later this year.

Organization of the Oil Exporting Countries Plus (OPEC+)

• About: It is a group of 22 oil-exporting countries which meets regularly to decide how much crude oil to sell on the world market.
• Aim: To work together on adjusting crude oil production to bring stability to the oil market.
• OPEC+ crude output represents about 41% of global oil production. 
• At the core of this group are the 12 members of OPEC (the Organization of the Oil Exporting Countries), which are mainly Middle Eastern and African countries.
• Members: 12 members of OPEC (Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Libya, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, and Venezuela) and 10 other oil-producing countries (Russia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, South Sudan and Sudan).

o Russia, a major oil producer surpassing even Saudi Arabia, holds a pivotal position alongside OPEC in shaping worldwide crude oil price trends.

OPEC

• About: It is a permanent, intergovernmental organization, created at the Baghdad Conference in 1960, by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.
• Headquarters: Vienna, Austria.
• Aim: To regulate oil supply with the aim of stabilizing the global oil price, thus preventing volatility that could negatively impact the economies of both oil-producing and oil-importing nations.
• Members: 12 as mentioned above. Angola left the grouping effective from 1st Jan, 2024

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