1. UNFCCC (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: The 60th Session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Subsidiary Bodies recently commenced, with all eyes expectedly on climate finance this year.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

• About: It is the primary multilateral treaty governing actions to combat climate change through adaptation and mitigation efforts directed at control of emission of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) that cause global warming.
• Also known as: Bonn Climate Change Conference.
• Signed: 1992.
• Objective: To stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system, in a time frame which allows ecosystems to adapt naturally and enables sustainable development.
• Considered a legally non-binding agreement: The treaty sets limits on GHG emissions in countries, but these are not binding and there are no enforcement mechanisms either.

o However, there are provisions for updates or protocols that can be used to set legally binding emission limits on countries.

• The parties to the convention meet annually in the Conference of the Parties or COP to review the progress under the convention.
• Secretariat: Bonn, Germany
• It is Parent treaty of the 2015 Paris Agreement and 1997 Kyoto Protocol.
• Established an international environmental treaty: to combat “dangerous human interference with the climate system”, in part by stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.

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2. WATERFALLS (Syllabus GS Paper 1 – Gography)

Context: Recently, scenic park operators in China's Henan province had to admit that the nation's tallest waterfall received assistance from a pipe due to recent insufficient rainfall.

Waterfalls 

• About: A waterfall is a river or other body of water's steep fall over a rocky ledge into a plunge pool below. Waterfalls are also called cascades.

o The process of erosion, the wearing away of earth, plays an important part in the formation of waterfalls. Waterfalls themselves also contribute to erosion.

• Types: Punchbowl Waterfalls, Plunge Waterfalls, Multi-step Waterfalls, Horsetail Waterfalls, Frozen Waterfalls, Fan Waterfalls, Chutes, Cataracts, Cascades, and Block Waterfalls.
• Largest waterfall in India by volume: Vajrai Waterfall is the tallest waterfall of India. It is origin of river Urmodi. The waterfall is situated in district of Satara in western Maharashtra.

o Kunchikal Falls (Shimoga district, Karnataka) is India's highest waterfall in India.

• World’s Largest waterfall: Angel Fall, Venezuela
• World’s Tallest Waterfall: Niagara Falls (border between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States).
• Asia’s largest fall: Ban Gioc Falls is the largest waterfall in Asia and the fourth largest waterfall along an international border, with only the Iguazu Falls, Victoria Falls and Niagara Falls larger than it.

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3. STATE OF OCEAN REPORT (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: The UNESCO State of Ocean Report recently highlighted that while the oceans play a crucial role in climate regulation, the world's understanding remains insufficient to design solutions for multiple ocean crises and validate new technologies aimed at removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

State of Ocean Report

• About: It collect the latest information on global ocean conditions, covering issues from pollution to biodiversity, to help key policy-makers make informed decisions on ocean protection and sustainable planning.
• Launched by: UNESCO
• Objective: To inform policymakers about the state of the ocean and to stimulate research and policy actions towards 'the ocean we need for the future we want’.

Key Highlights of the Report

• Ocean Warming Rate: The upper 2,000 metres (m) of oceans warmed at a rate of 0.32 ± 0.03 watt per square metre (W/m²) from 1960 through 2023.
• Future Warming Projections: It is expected to warm in the future as well, leading to irreversible changes in the centennial to millennial time scales.
• Need for Regular Data: The report calls for the need to provide regular data on how ocean warming is evolving and its impacts. This is needed to support the decade challenge for healthy and resilient oceans.
• Earth Energy Imbalance: Another consequence of increased greenhouse gas emissions from human activities is increased uptake of the Earth energy imbalance (EEI) by oceans. 
• EEI is the balance between incoming energy from the Sun and outgoing energy from the Earth.
• Impact on Ocean: Scientists think that increased ocean heat content (OHC) prevents ocean layers from mixing, lowering the preformed oxygen content of near-surface high latitude waters reaching the deeper layers of oceans. The reduction is termed ‘deoxygenation’.
• Consequences of Deoxygenation: It is a concern as it can have long-term negative impacts on the health of coastal and large marine ecosystems, a sustainable blue economy, and coastal communities that depend on oceans such as tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, and ecosystem services. Excess nutrients from coastal areas also cause deoxygenation.
• Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies: The UNESCO report also takes stock of the recent developments in marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) technologies. This involves techniques that capture carbon dioxide from the air and store it durably.

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4. SPECIAL CATEGORY STATUS (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: Recently, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president has risen as a pivotal figure in national politics, prompting expectations of numerous concessions, notably the assurance of Andhra Pradesh's Special Category State status.

Special Category Status

• About: It is a classification given by the Centre to assist in the development of those states that face geographical and socio-economic disadvantages.
• The Constitution does not have any provision for categorisation of any state as a Special Category Status (SCS) State.
• Introduced by: In 1969, the Fifth Finance Commission of India.
• Objective: To provide certain disadvantaged states with preferential treatment in the form of central assistance.
• This formula (Gadgil formula) was named after the then Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Dr Gadgil Mukherjee and is related to the transfer of assistance to the states by centre under various schemes.
• Recommendation of the 14th Finance Commission: They suggested that the resource gap of the states should be filled by increasing the devolution of tax to 42% from the existing 32%.
• Criteria for special category status:

o Hilly and difficult terrain

o Low population density or sizeable share of tribal population

o Strategic location along borders with neighbouring countries

o Economic and infrastructural backwardness

o Non-viable nature of state finances

• The decision to grant special category status was with the National Development Council, composed of the prime minister, union ministers, chief ministers and members of the planning commission, who guide and review the work of the commission.

o SCS was accorded to 11 states, including the entire Northeast, and the border hill states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. Subsequently, other states too demanded SCS — including Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.

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5. BOEING'S STARLINER (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Boeing's new Starliner astronaut capsule was recently launched from Florida on a much-delayed first test flight carrying a crew, marking a significant milestone in the company's competition with Elon Musk's SpaceX.

Boeing's Starliner

• About: It is designed to transport astronauts to and from space. It is more than 4 meters wide and can accommodate up to seven astronauts.
• Purpose: To support NASA's efforts to transport astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

o Alongside SpaceX's Dragon crew capsule, Starliner will alternate launching astronauts to the ISS, ensuring continued access to space until the ISS is decommissioned next decade.

o After NASA shut its Space Shuttle programme in 2011 and before SpaceX’s Dragon capsule got ready in 2020, only Russia’s Soyuz rocket and capsule could ferry astronauts to and from the ISS.

• Flight Test Profile: Starliner's first crew flight test will be piloted by veteran astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams.

o They will be launched by an Atlas V rocket and spend eight days aboard the ISS before returning to Earth, likely landing in New Mexico.

Sunita Williams

• About: She is an American astronaut who set records on her three flights to the International Space Station. 
• NASA Career: Selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in June 1998
• Participated in two space missions: Expeditions 14/15 (December 9, 2006, to June 22, 2007) and 32/33 (July 14 to November 18, 2012)
• Achievements: During her time aboard the ISS, Williams achieved a significant milestone for female astronauts by conducting four spacewalks, totalling 29 hours and 17 minutes.  

o In total, Williams has spent 322 days in space across her two missions. 

o She reclaimed the title of the female astronaut with the highest cumulative spacewalk time,, though this record was later surpassed by Peggy Whitson, who completed 10 spacewalks.

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6. CENTRAL EXCISE BILL, 2024 (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The proposed Central Excise Bill, 2024, does not exempt excisable goods produced or manufactured in a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and brought to any other place in India from duty.

Central Excise Bill, 2024

• About: The Bill aims to enact a comprehensive modern central excise law with a focus on facilitating ease of doing business and eliminating outdated provisions.

o The Bill also advocates for certain powers to central excise officers, including a structured framework for audit.

• Key provisions: Transferability of unutilised credit balances and an extended time frame for duty recovery underscore the government’s commitment to facilitating smoother operations for enterprises
• Replacement: Once enacted, the Bill will supersede the Central Excise Act of 1944, ushering in a contemporary regulatory framework.
• Structure: The Bill consists of twelve chapters, delineating various aspects of central excise regulation, along with 114 sections and two schedules

Special Economic Zone

• Definition: It is a territory within a country that is typically duty-free (Fiscal Concession) and has different business and commercial laws chiefly to encourage investment and create employment
• Origin: The Special Economic Zone (SEZ) policy in India first came into inception on April 1, 2000. 

o from 2000 to 2006 under the provisions of the Foreign Trade Policy and fiscal incentives were made effective through tSEZs in India functioned he provisions of relevant statutes.

• Prime objective: to enhance foreign investment and provide an internationally competitive and hassle free environment for exports. 
• SEZ act: The Special Economic Zones Act was passed in 2005 and came into force along with the SEZ Rules in 2006.

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7. MINUTEMAN III (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: The US recently conducted an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile test from the Californian Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Minuteman III

• About: The LGM-30G Minuteman III is a solid-fueled, intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) first deployed by the United States Air Force (USAF) in the 1960s.
• Land-based Component: It serves as the sole land-based component of the U.S. nuclear triad, complementing the sea-based and air-based components.
• Manufactured by: The Minuteman III was designed and manufactured by the Boeing Corporation, a major aerospace company.
• Modernization: Originally planned for a ten-year service life, the Minuteman III has been modernized over the years, with its replacement, the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), expected in 2029.
• Pioneer of MIRV Technology: It was the first U.S. missile equipped with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), enhancing its strategic capabilities.

o The United States currently maintains an estimated arsenal of 440 Minuteman III missiles, bolstering its nuclear deterrent capabilities.

Features:

• Three-Stage: The Minuteman III features a three-stage, solid-fuel propulsion system, ensuring reliability and ease of deployment.
• Dimensions and Weight: With a length of 18.2 meters, a diameter of 1.85 meters, and a launch weight of 34,467 kilograms, it stands as a substantial piece of military hardware.
• Range: 13000 Km.
• Payload Capacity: It can carry a payload of three reentry vehicles, enhancing its versatility.
• Arms Control Agreements: In compliance with arms control agreements, the Minuteman III now carries a single nuclear warhead, reflecting diplomatic efforts to limit nuclear proliferation.

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8. BLAZE STAR (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: The rare celestial event of the upcoming explosion of "Blaze Star" (T Coronae Borealis) will be visible to the naked eye for the first time since 1946, emphasizing the dynamic nature of the universe and the intricate processes underlying stellar evolution.

Blaze Star

• About: It is officially known as T Coronae Borealis (T CrB), is a dim star located 3,000 light-years away from our solar system.
• Location: It is found in the constellation Corona Borealis (the “Northern Crown”).

o Blaze Star is a rare example of a recurrent nova, occurring once in every 80 years.

• Components: The nova involves a binary star system comprising a white dwarf and a red giant.
• Explosive Brightness: The white dwarf draws material from the red giant, leading to periodic explosive increases in brightness.
• Mechanism of Explosion: The explosion occurs when the red giant’s surface temperature escalates dramatically, causing it to shed material onto the white dwarf, which then ignites a thermonuclear explosion.
• Prediction: NASA predicts this event to occur sometime between now and September 2024.
• Historical Eruptions: Past notable eruptions of T CrB were recorded in the years 1946 and 1866, with earlier documented observations dating back to 1787 and 1217.

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9. TB IN INDIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Health)

Context: Recently, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) officials have announced plans to revamp the protocol, particularly focusing on TB medication and its duration, aiming to relaunch the TB-free initiative, striving for zero deaths, disease, and poverty associated with tuberculosis.

TB in India

• About: It is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs.
• Transmission: TB bacteria spread through the air from one person to another. When a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, speaks, or sings, TB bacteria can get into the air. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected.
• Symptoms: Bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer, Pain in the chest, Coughing up blood or sputum, Weakness, Fatigue, Weight loss
• Fever and Night sweats.
• Treatment: The standardized treatment regimen for MDR TB in India is a 6-drug regimen, with an intensive phase of 6–9 months and a continuation phase of 18 months; the total duration of treatment is about 24–27 months. 

o The six drugs are kanamycin, levofloxacin, cycloserine, ethionamide, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol also used to treat TB.

Indian government initiative:

• Nikshay Poshan Yojana (Nutritional Support to TB Patients): Financial incentive of ₹500/- per month for each notified TB patient for the duration for which the patient is on anti-TB treatment. 

o In-kind where the total value of the food basket being distributed must not be less than ₹500 per month.

• The Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan: 

o Provide additional patient support to improve treatment outcomes of TB patients

o Augment community involvement in meeting India’s commitment to end TB by 2025

o Leverage Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities

• Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme: The goal of TB control Programme is to decrease mortality and morbidity due to TB and cut transmission of infection until TB ceases to be a major public health problem in India.
• National Framework for a Gender-Responsive approach to TB in India: Outline the influences and impact of gender on the TB burden and response, based on available literature and data.
• The National Strategic Plan (NSP) for TB Elimination 2017–25: It is a bold strategic framework to drive the acceleration of progress toward TB Elimination, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the End TB targets for India.

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10. QS RANKINGS 2025 (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Education)

Context: The recently released Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings 2025 have brought a wave of celebration to Delhi's academic community, highlighting several institutes from the capital.

QS Quacquarelli Symonds

• About: It is a prominent global provider of services, analytics, and insight to the higher education sector worldwide. 
• Focus:  On delivering valuable support and resources to the global higher education community.
• Mission: To empower individuals from all over the world to achieve their full potential by facilitating educational success, promoting international mobility, and aiding in career development.
• Indicators: Academic reputation, citations per faculty, faculty student ratio, international relation network, international faculty, students, and outbound exchange students etc.

India’s Performance

• Delhi University: It has surged 79 places in global rankings, climbing from 407th to 328th position.

o Top Position in India: Among Indian central universities, DU now holds the premier spot, marking a notable achievement.

o Global Recognition in Key Indicators: DU has been recognized globally, securing positions among the top 270 institutions worldwide in crucial indicators like employment outcomes (44th), sustainability (220th), academic reputation (225th), and employer reputation (269th).

• IP University: It entered the QS rankings last year at the 1401+ position, and this year, it has significantly improved, entering the 1,001-1,200 category.

o Rising Star Award: QS awarded IP University the "Rising Star" accolade for the most substantial improvement among Indian institutions, highlighting its remarkable growth.

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