1. SICKLE CELL ANAEMIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has invited Expressions of Interest (EoI) from eligible organisations for the “joint development and commercialisation” of low dose or paediatric oral formulation of hydroxyurea to treat sickle cell disease in India.

Sickle Cell Anaemia

• About: It is one of a group of inherited disorders known as sickle cell disease.

oIt affects the shape of red blood cells, which carry oxygen to all parts of the body.

oIn sickle cell anaemia, some red blood cells are shaped like sickles or crescent moons. 

oThese sickle cells also become rigid and sticky, which can slow or block blood flow.

• Cause: It is caused by a change in the gene that tells the body to make the iron-rich compound in red blood cells called haemoglobin.
• Symptoms: Extreme tiredness or irritability due to anaemia, painful swelling of hands and feet, and jaundice in the early stages.

oIn later stages, individuals may experience severe pain, anaemia, organ damage, and increased susceptibility to infections.

• Treatment: Blood transfusions alleviate anaemia and lower pain crisis risk.

oHydroxyurea reduces pain frequency and prevents long-term complications; transplantation is an option too.

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

• About: It the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world.
• Headquarter: New Delhi

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2. RETURNING OFFICER (RO) (Syllabus GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: Recently, over the last month and a half, 642 million voters participated in the world's largest democratic exercise, and now vote counting has commenced under the supervision of the returning office.

Related Terms

• EVM: It facilitate candidate selection through button presses.
• VVPATs: When a vote is cast, the VVPAT machine, attached to the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), prints a slip displaying the voter's choice.
• Form 17C: As per the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, the Election Commission of India (ECI) maintains two forms: Forms 17A and 17C.

Returning Officer (RO)

• About: The RO of a Parliamentary or assembly constituency is responsible for the conduct of elections in the respective constituency.
• Role: The Election Commission of India nominates or designates an officer of the Government or a local authority as the Returning Officer for each assembly and parliamentary constituency.

oThis nomination is made in consultation with the State Government or Union Territory Administration.

• Role of Assistant Returning Officers: The Election Commission appoints one or more Assistant Returning Officers for each constituency to assist the Returning Officer in carrying out their duties.
• Assistance in Election Conduct:
• After the issuance of notifications, candidates can file their nominations in the constituencies where they wish to contest.
• The Returning Officer scrutinizes these nominations after the last date for filing nominations.
• Two types of votes are counted: EVM votes, and votes cast through postal ballots (which are used for senior citizens, physically challenged individuals, service voters, etc). Postal ballots are counted separately from EVM votes.

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3. BANK CLINIC (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: Recently, the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) initiated the "Bank Clinic" program aimed at aiding bank customers in resolving grievances.

Bank Clinic

• About: It initiated by the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA), facilitates grievance redressal for bank customers amidst technological advancements and RBI guidelines.

oIt offers guidance to customers on available remedies per RBI guidelines without directly resolving issues.

• Channel for Redressal: Bank Clinic complements the Banking Ombudsman process, providing an alternative avenue for complaint resolution.
• Operational Mechanism: Customers register complaints on the Bank Clinic website and receive detailed responses within five working days, outlining remedies and relevant RBI guidelines specific to their issues.
• Objective: To ensure prompt and effective resolution of customer grievances.
• Benefits

oBank Clinic fosters goodwill with customers by addressing their concerns.

oIt furnishes banks with valuable feedback, pinpointing areas of service deficiencies for improvement.

All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA)

• About: It is a prominent national trade union representing bank employees in India.
• Founded: on April 20th, 1946, in Kolkata
• Headquarter: Chennai.
• Function: AIBEA serves as a vital advocate for the rights, welfare, and interests of bank workers nationwide.

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4. EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: Around 373 million citizens across the 27 member states of the European Union are eligible to vote in elections to the European Parliament, which is the only directly elected body of the EU.

European Parliament

• About: It represents the citizens of its member states. 
• Function: Its primary functions include negotiating EU laws with the member state governments, which are represented by the European Council.
• Approval of the EU Budget: The European Parliament approves the EU budget.
• Appointment of the European Commission: The EP has the power to approve or reject the appointment of the European Commission president and the commissioners.
• Legislative Limitations: Unlike national parliaments, the EP does not have the right to propose laws but can only negotiate those proposed by the executive European Commission.
• Composition and Elections: The EP comprises 720 Members (MEPs) elected every five years. The MEPs elect their president for a term of two and a half years.
• Criteria of Voting

oVoting Age: In 21 member states, people aged 18 and above can vote. In Belgium, Germany, Austria, and Malta, the minimum voting age is 16. In Greece, people who turn 17 during the election year can vote, and in Hungary, married individuals can vote regardless of age.

• Voting Options for Citizens Abroad: Citizens living in another EU country can choose to vote for candidates either from their country of origin or from their country of residence.
  
  

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5. ALTRUISTIC AMOEBAE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Scientists have recently gained valuable new insights into natural altruism by studying the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum.

Altruistic amoebae

• About: It is a free-living, fast-growing, unicellular amoeba.
• Habitat and Feeding: In the wild, it feeds on bacteria that grow on decaying vegetation.
• Formation of Multicellular Aggregates: When bacteria run out, the amoebae stop multiplying and gather in the hundreds of thousands to form multicellular aggregates visible to the naked eye.
• Transformation into Fruiting Bodies: The aggregates transform into fruiting bodies, each a few millimetres tall.

oA fruiting body is composed of a slender stalk made of dead cells and holds aloft a droplet of spores.

• tgrB1 and tgrC1: These genes are located next to each other in the D. discoideum genome, and are expressed together (so if one isn’t expressed, the other isn’t either).

oThey contain information for cells to make two cell surface proteins called TgrB1 and TgrC1.  

oThe TgrB1 protein on one cell binds to the TgrC1 protein on another. 

Altruism

• Origin: The term ‘altruism’ was coined by French philosopher and sociologist Auguste Comte.
• Etymology: It is derived from the Italian word ‘altrui’, meaning “to others” or “of others”.
• Definition: It refers to the unselfish concern or act of an individual, group, or organization which is done to serve the needs, interests, and wellness of others.

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6. SPOT BELLIED EAGLE OWL (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR), Maharashtra, recently reported the first photographic record of a spot-bellied eagle owl.

Spot Bellied Eagle Owl

• About: It is also known as the forest eagle-owl, is a formidable bird of prey inhabiting forests in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
• Size and Appearance: This owl is notably large, measuring between 50 to 65 cm (20 to 26 in) in length, ranking sixth in length among owl species worldwide.
• Distribution and Habitat: This species is distributed through the Lower Himalayas from Kumaon east to Burma, thence to central Laos and central Vietnam. 

oThey are found throughout the Indian subcontinent and peninsular Southeast Asia, reaching the southernmost limits of their range in Sri Lanka and 12 degrees north in southern Thailand.

• Key Features: Its distinguishing traits include rich chocolate brown upperparts speckled with white spots, a massive wingspan of up to 1.7 meters, and a primarily nocturnal lifestyle.

oAs an apex predator, it preys on various animals like rodents, small mammals, reptiles, and insects.

oThe spot-bellied eagle-owl is solitary, territorial, and maintains a distinct home range, characteristic of its behavior as a large owl species.

• Conservation Status:

oIUCN: Least Concern

oWildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule IV 

oCITES: Appendix II.

Pench Tiger Reserve

• Location: situated in Maharashtra.
• Geographical Features: The sanctuary spans across Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

oThe Madhya Pradesh portion lies in the Satpura ranges.

• National Park: Comprising the Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park, Pench Mowgli Sanctuary, and a buffer zone.

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7. PM-KISAN SCHEME (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Govt Scheme)

Context: Recently released data from the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare shows that Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan lead the chart of 1.16 lakh farmers who voluntarily gave up the annual Rs 6,000 PM-Kisan scheme benefits between June 2023 and May 2024.

PM-KISAN Scheme

• About: This Scheme is a Central Sector Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme. 
• Launch: February 2019 (made effective from December 2018) to give income support to farmers.
• Funding: 100% funding of rupee 6000 in 3 installments.
• Implemented by: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare.
• Purpose: The scheme is meant to provide income support to all landholding farmer’s families across the country and enable them to meet expenses related to agriculture as well as domestic needs.
• Beneficiaries: Farmer families rest with the State / UT Governments.

 PM-KISAN Mobile App

• About: Created through a partnership between the National Informatics Centre and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has been introduced.
• Application Status: Farmers using the app can conveniently check the status of their applications, providing transparency and real-time updates.

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8. INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: India will host the world’s most premier aviation event, the annual general meeting (AGM) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), next year, after a gap of 42 years.

International Air Transport Association (IATA)

• About: It is the trade association for the world’s airlines, representing some 330 airlines over 80% of total air traffic.
• Established in: 1945 by a consortium of airlines to serve as an international trade body.
• Headquarters: Montreal, Canada, serving as a central hub for its global operations.
• Mission: To advocate for, guide, and support the airline industry in various capacities.
• Membership and Representation: Currently, IATA's membership encompasses around 300 airlines, accounting for 94% of global international scheduled air traffic.
• The organization includes prominent passenger and cargo airlines from around the world within its membership.
• Significance: IATA plays a pivotal role in supporting different facets of aviation activities, including policy formulation and addressing environmental concerns within the industry.

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9. OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT (OSA) 1923 (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Security)

Context: Recently, a Nagpur court handed down a life sentence to Nishant Pradeep kumar Agrawal, a former engineer at BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, convicting him for espionage on behalf of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and for violating several sections of the Official Secrets Act (OSA) and the IT Act.

Official Secrets Act (OSA) 1923

• About: It serves as India’s primary anti-spying legislation, aiming to protect national interests.
• Historical Background: Originating in the British colonial era, the Act finds its roots in the Indian Official Secrets Act of 1889, aimed at stifling dissent against British policies.
• Provisions

oThe Act expanded its provisions in 1923 to safeguard government privacy and secrecy, especially concerning national security.

oDefined Obligations: High-ranking government officials, their contractors, and those contracted to protect confidential information are legally bound by the Act.

oIdentification of Foreign Agents: The Act defines "foreign agents" as individuals suspected of working for foreign authorities, posing a threat to national security.

oProhibited Activities: Entering restricted areas or aiding others in doing so, as well as gathering or communicating sensitive information detrimental to national safety, is strictly prohibited.

oPenalties: Violations of the Act, especially those endangering state security, are punishable by imprisonment for up to three years, with the possibility of extension.

BrahMos

• About: It holds the title of the fastest cruise missile globally, clocking in at Mach 2.8, which is nearly three times the speed of sound.
• Deployment Options: BrahMos variants are deployable from land, air, and sea, showcasing its versatility and adaptability across different military scenarios.
• Integral to Indian Armed Forces: All three variants of BrahMos are actively in service within the Indian armed forces, highlighting its significant role in bolstering defense capabilities.

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10. PARTIAL COMBUSTION OF FUEL (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Recently, the National Green Tribunal took suo-motu cognizance of a Times of India report titled "How partial combustion fuels your bad-air woes," prompting it to issue notices to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Central Pollution Control Board, and the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change.

Partial Combustion of Fuel

• About: It is also known as incomplete combustion, often results in the release of carbon monoxide gas (CO).
• Poisonous Nature of Carbon Monoxide: CO is a poisonous gas due to its ability to reduce the oxygen-carrying capacity of our blood when inhaled.
• Emission of Carbon Dioxide (CO2): When fossil fuels undergo combustion, they emit significant amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere.
• Impact: Greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, contributing to global warming.

oGlobal Temperature Increase: The average global temperature has already risen by 1°C due to the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

oGlobal Warming: Exceeding a 1.5°C increase in global temperature poses risks such as sea level rise, extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, species extinction, food scarcity, worsened health outcomes, and increased poverty for millions worldwide.

• Study: The study indicated that the emissions of ammonium chloride are caused due to the burning of plastic or industrial waste, etc., whereas the emissions of ammonium sulphate are due to the burning and usage of coal for various purposes.

oDue to all these factors, there has been a rise in the air pollution oxidative factor which is said to be the key indicator causing adverse health effects.

National Green Tribunal (NGT)

• Established: Under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010.
• Location: New Delhi with 4 other location - Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai 
• Composition: Chairperson, the Judicial Members, and the Expert Members.
• Tenure: 5 years and are not eligible for reappointment.
• Appointment: The Chairperson is appointed by the Central Government in consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
• Disposal of cases: NGT is mandated to make disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of the filing of the same.

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