1. NOBEL PRIZE 2023 (MEDICINE) (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci & Tech)

Context: Recently, the 2023 Nobel Prize for Medicine was jointly awarded to United States scientists Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman for their pioneering research on nucleoside base modifications that paved the way for the development of highly effective messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines against COVID-19.

Nobel Prize

• Established by: Alfred Nobel (inventor of Dynamite)
• Awarded to those who have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind, during the preceding year
• First awards were handed out in 1901.
• Field: Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, Economics, and Peace.
• Prize Ceremony is held: Stockholm, Sweden, in December every year 
• Prize: Gold medal, a diploma, and a monetary award

oNobel Prize cannot be given posthumously (after death). 

• First Indian Nobel Laureate: Rabindranath Tagore for Literature, 1913.
• First Indian Woman Nobel Laureate: Mother Teresa for Peace, 1979

Messenger RNA (mRNA)

• About: It is a type of single-stranded RNA involved in protein synthesis.

omRNA is made from a DNA template during the process of transcription.

oThe role of mRNA is to carry protein information from the DNA in a cell’s nucleus to the cell’s cytoplasm (watery interior), where the protein-making machinery reads the mRNA sequence and translates each three-base codon into its corresponding amino acid in a growing protein chain.

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2. CHOLERA DISEASE (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – HEALTH)

Context: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the worldwide incidence of cholera cases in 2022 has doubled in comparison to the previous year, signaling a concerning rise in the disease's prevalence.

• According to the report, most cholera cases continue to be reported from Africa and Asia, with Europe accounting for a few “imported cases.

Cholera Disease

• About: A life-threatening infectious disease and a public health hazard.
• Caused by: An acute, diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae (Bacterial disease).
• Symptoms: Profuse watery diarrhea, Vomiting, and Leg cramps.
• Transmission: A person may get cholera by drinking water or eating food contaminated with the cholera bacterium.

oThe disease can spread rapidly in areas with inadequate treatment of sewage and drinking water.

• Vaccine: Currently there are three WHO pre-qualified oral cholera vaccines (OCV), Dukoral, Shanchol, and Euvichol-Plus.

oAll three vaccines require two doses for full protection.

oIt is not covered in the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).

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3. IGMS 2.0 (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Governance)

Context: Recently, the union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions launched the Intelligent Grievance Monitoring System (IGMS) 2.0.

Intelligent Grievance Monitoring System (IGMS) 2.0

• About: IGMS 2.0 is a public grievance portal and an Automated Analysis in Tree Dashboard portal under the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
• Implementation: IIT Kanpur.
• Objective: Dashboard includes providing instant tabular analysis of Grievances Filed & Disposed, State-wise & District-wise Grievances Filed, and Ministry-wise data. 

oIt also aids officials in identifying the root cause of grievances.

oThis portal assists DARPG in generating draft letters for selected schemes/ministries, expediting the grievance redressal process by the concerned ministry/department, and is equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities.

CPGRAMS (Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System)

• About: CPGRAMS is an online platform available 24x7 to citizens for lodging grievances related to service delivery with public authorities.
• It serves as a single portal connecting all Ministries/Departments of the Government of India and States.
• Each Ministry and State has role-based access to the system.
• Citizens can access CPGRAMS through a standalone mobile application, which is downloadable via Google Play store and integrated with UMANG.
• The status of grievances filed in CPGRAMS can be tracked using the unique registration ID provided during the complainant's registration.

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4. EL-NINO (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Geography)

Context: India recently experienced its lowest monsoon rainfall this year since 2018, with August being the driest month in over a century due to the El Nino weather pattern, as reported by the state-run weather department.

• Lower production could also prompt India, the world's second-biggest producer of rice, wheat, and sugar, to impose more curbs on exports of these commodities.

El Nino

• About: It is the name given to the occasional development of warm ocean surface waters along the coast of Ecuador and Peru. El Niño events occur irregularly at intervals of 2–7 years, although the average is about once every 3-4 years.

oAfter an El Nino event weather conditions usually return back to normal.

oHowever, in some years the trade winds can become extremely strong and an abnormal accumulation of cold water can occur in the central and eastern Pacific. This event is called a La Niña.

• Impact on monsoon rainfall in across the globe: El Nino impacts ocean temperatures, the speed and strength of ocean currents, the health of coastal fisheries, and local weather from Australia to South America and beyond.

oRainfall increases drastically in South America, contributing to coastal flooding and erosion.

• Impacts on monsoon rainfall in India: El Nino and Indian monsoons are inversely related.

oThe most prominent droughts in India – six of them – since 1871 have been El Nino droughts, including the recent ones in 2002 and 2009

oHowever, not all El Nino years led to a drought in India. For instance, 1997/98 was a strong El Nino year but there was no drought (Because of IOD).

On the other hand, a moderate El Nino in 2002 resulted in one of the worst droughts.

• El Nino directly impacts India’s agrarian economy as it tends to lower the production of summer crops such as rice, sugarcane, cotton, and oilseeds.

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5. LAL BAHADUR SHASHTRI (Syllabus: GS Paper 1–History)

Context: Prime Minister of India recently paid his respects to Lal Bahadur Shashtri on the occasion of his birth anniversary.

Lal Bahadur Shashtri

• Born: On October 2, 1904, in Mughalsarai, United Provinces (modern-day Uttar Pradesh).
• Early life: He was only sixteen when he left his schooling to join the Non-Cooperation Movement. He was awarded with the bachelor’s degree from the Kashi Vidya Peeth in Varanasi.
• Death: 11 January 1966.
• Tenure as PM: He was the Prime Minister of India for nearly eighteen months from 9 June 1964 to 11 January 1966.

oDuring his short tenure he was ineffectual in dealing with the economic crisis and food shortage in the nation.

• Famous Slogan: Jai Jawan Jai Kisan.
• Two Major Challenges: Post-war economic recovery from the 1962 conflict with China.
• 1965: Pakistan war: He created the slogan of "Jai Jawan Jai Kisan" ("Hail the soldier, Hail the farmer"), underlining the need to boost India's food production. 
• Apart from emphasizing the Green Revolution, he was instrumental in promoting the White Revolution.
• Bharat Ratna: He was posthumously (first) awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1966.

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6. OPEN DEFECTION FREE (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Govt Schemes)

Context: Recently, the Prime Minister of India commended Jammu and Kashmir for the remarkable achievement of all 100% J&K UT villages attaining ODF Plus status in the 'Model' category during phase II of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen).

Open Defecation Free (ODF)

• The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has adopted a uniform definition of ODF (open defecation-free) :

oNo visible feces was found in the environment/village; and

oEvery house as well as public/community institutions uses safe technology options for the disposal of feces.

• ODF +: ODF+ focuses on toilets with water, maintenance and hygiene.
• ODF plus village: It is defined as “a village which sustains its ODF status, ensures solid and liquid waste management, and is visually clean.”
• ODF ++: Focuses on toilets with sludge and septage management.

Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G)

• Launched: In 2014.
• Nodal Ministry:  Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• Aim: To accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage and to put focus on sanitation.
• Implementation: As a nationwide campaign/Janandolan which aimed at eliminating open defecation in rural areas.
• SBM-G Phase-I: The rural sanitation coverage in the country at the time of the launch of SBM (G) on 2nd October 2014 was reported as 38.7%.
• More than 10 crore individual toilets have been constructed since the launch of the mission, as a result, rural areas in all the States have declared themselves ODF as on 2nd October, 2019.
• SBM(G) Phase-II: It emphasizes the sustainability of achievements under phase I and to provide adequate facilities for Solid/Liquid & Plastic Waste Management (SLWM) in rural India.

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7. GHGs EMISSIONS (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping have increased by 20% over the past decade.

Key Points 

• The shipping industry is responsible for nearly three percent of global GHG emissions and handles over 80% of the world's trade volume.
• The sector is grappling with the challenge of transitioning to alternative fuels since 98.8% of the global fleet continues to rely on conventional fuels.
• Only 1.2% of vessels use alternative fuels, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), battery/hybrid, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and methanol.
• To combat emissions, the International Maritime Organization has established a goal of achieving net-zero GHG emissions by approximately 2050.
• Additionally, it aims to ensure that zero or near-zero GHG fuels constitute at least five percent of the energy used in international shipping by 2030.

UNCTAD

• Establishment: In 1964.
• Aim: To promote development-friendly integration of developing countries into the world economy.
• Headquarters: Geneva in Switzerland.
• Reports Published by: Trade and Development Report, World Investment Report, The Least Developed Countries Report, Information and Economy Report, Technology and Innovation Report, and Commodities and Development Report.

Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)

• About: A greenhouse gas is a gas that absorbs and emits infrared radiation. 
• They absorb infrared energy (heat energy) emitted from the earth’s surface and reradiate it back to the earth’s surface. 
• Most abundant greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere: Water vapour, Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous oxide, Ozone, Chlorofluorocarbons, Hydrofluorocarbons.
• Other GHGs: Carbon monoxide, fluorinated gases, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), black carbon (soot), and brown carbon.

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8. FCA ACT 2023 (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023 to Offer Gains to Real Estate Firms Holding 'Deemed Forest' Land in Haryana's Aravallis.

• The amendment removes the protection of forest land such as this derived from a 1996 Supreme Court judgment that dealt with forests identified as per the dictionary meaning of the word deemed forests.

Forest Conservation Amendment Act 2023

• Exempted Categories of Land: The Act exempts some types of land from the Act, including forest land along a railway line or a public road maintained by the government.
• Assignment/Leasing of Foreign Land: The Act extends the prior approval requirement for assigning forest land to all entities, including government-owned ones. The approval must be subject to the terms and conditions prescribed by the central government.
• Land Under the Purview of the Act: It defines forest land as either land that is notified as a forest under the IFA, 1927 or any other law, or land that is notified as a forest on or after Oct 25, 1980, in a government record.
• Permitted Activities in Forest Land: The Act restricts the de-reservation of forests or use of forest land for non-forest purposes, but the central government may approve such use with conditions.

Aravalli Ranges

• Location: They stretch for a distance of about 720 km from Himmatnagar in Gujarat to Delhi, spanning Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi.
• Formation: The Aravallis date back to millions of years when a pre-Indian subcontinent collided with the mainland Eurasian Plate.
• Highest Peak: Guru Shikhar Peak on Mount Abu
• Mineral Resources: Copper, zinc, lead, and marble.
• Two Sections of Aravalli: Sambhar-Sirohi ranges, and the Sambhar-Khetri ranges.

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9. OLD PENSION SCHEME (OPS) (Syllabus: GS Paper 3– Economy)

Context: State Governments demand improved pension payments amid controversy over NPS impact on mid-career regularized.

• Some states, such as Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh are facing this issue as they have large numbers of employees whose total years of service is around 10 years, an issue that has also been raised in the discussions of the Centre-appointed committee to look into improving the National Pension System NPS) for government employees.

Old Pension Scheme (OPS)

• About: The scheme assures life-long income, post-retirement. 

oIt is also known as the “Defined Benefit Scheme,” providing government employees with 50 percent of their basic salary to secure their future.

• Amount of pension derived: 50 per cent of the last drawn salary
• Avail: Only government employees.
• Scheme was discontinued: in 2004.

New Pension Scheme (NPS)

• About: This pension programme is open to employees from the public, private, and even the unorganized sectors except those from the armed forces.
• Introduced by: Central government in April 2004.
• Objective: To invest in a pension account at regular intervals during the course of their employment.
• Nodal agency: Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA)
• Eligibility: Any Indian citizen between 18 and 60 years can join NPS. NRIs (Non-resident Indians) are also eligible to apply for NPS.
• Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN): Every NPS subscriber is issued a card with a 12-digit unique number called PRAN.
• Minimum contribution in NPS: The subscriber has to contribute a minimum of Rs. 6,000 in a financial year.

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10. HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Health)

Context: Delegates at a recent United Nations (UN) Conference in the German city of Bonn have recently adopted a new global framework aimed at reducing environmental risks associated with chemicals and waste.

Key Points of Summit

• The framework is based on 28 targets, designed to improve responsible management of chemicals and waste. 
• Aim: To establish stronger connections with other important global agendas, including climate change, biodiversity, human rights, and health.
• National governments are committed to formulating policies and regulations in order to reduce chemical pollution by 2030 as well as promoting safer alternatives. 
• Industries also pledged to manage chemicals in order to reduce pollution and its adverse impacts.

Hazardous Chemicals

• About: A hazardous chemical is one that possesses properties capable of causing harm to human or animal health, damaging the environment, or affecting property.
• This term encompasses various substances, including chemical dust, vapors, smoke, fumes, mixtures, solvents, detergents, acids, alkalis, petroleum, and paints.

Categories of Hazardous chemicals

• Flammable or explosive chemicals: Petroleum, TNT, and plastic explosives.
• Chemicals that can irritate or corrode the skin, lungs, and eyes, like acids, alkalis, and paints, as well as their fumes.
• Toxic chemicals: Carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, and cyanide.

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