1. YOM KIPPUR WAR (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – World History)

Context: The recent attack by Hamas on Israel is drawing comparisons to the Yom Kippur War, fought five decades ago.

Yom Kippur War

• About: The Yom Kippur War, also known as the October war or the Ramadan War, occurred from October 6 to 25, 1973, involving Israel against Egypt and Syria.
• Yom Kippur is the holiest day in Judaism and Samaritanism, observed on the 10th day of the lunar month of Tishri, usually in September or early October, and referred to as the Day of Atonement.
• It's alternatively called the Fourth Arab-Israeli war, succeeding conflicts in 1949, 1956, and 1967.
• Background: Following its decisive victory in the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel gained a reputation for invincibility and acquired territories, including the Golan Heights and the Sinai Peninsula.
• Six years later, Egypt and Syria launched a coordinated attack on Israel, catching Israel off-guard during the holy Islamic month of Ramadan. Israel, initially unprepared due to Yom Kippur, took time to mobilize its troops, allowing Syria and Egypt to make initial gains.

Golan Heights 

• About: Golan Heights refers to the border region captured from Syria by Israel during the Six-Day Middle-East War of 1967.
• Geographically: It is bounded by the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee on the west, Mount Hermon on the north, the seasonal Wadi Al-Ruqq’d on the east, and the Yarm?k River on the south.

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

Context: The recently tested R21/MatrixM malaria vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, received a recommendation after a phase-3 trial in African countries.R21/Matrix-M Malaria Vaccine

• R21/Matrix-M is a vaccine against malaria, developed by the University of Oxford in the UK. The vaccine showed an efficacy of 77% in phase 1 and phase 2 trials. 
• The vaccine showed a high efficacy of 80% as a result of a booster dose even after two years.
• This vaccine is designed to stop the Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite from entering the liver and preventing the subsequent deadly blood stages.

Malaria

• About: It is a mosquito-borne blood disease caused by plasmodium protozoa.

o The parasites spread through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

• Cause: It is a life threatening disease caused by plasmodium parasites.
• Transmission: Bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

o In the human body, parasites initially multiply in liver cells and then attack the Red Blood Cells (RBCs).

• Distribution: Tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, South America and Asia.
• Symptoms: Fever and flu-like illness, including chills, headache, muscle ache and fatigue.

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3. SUGAM REC APP (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: Recently, REC Limited, the Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise launched a SUGAM REC mobile application.SUGAM REC App

• About: This service is designed specifically for REC's 54EC Capital Gain Tax Exemption Bond investors.
• Through this platform, investors can:

o Easily access and download their e-bond certificates.

o Initiate fresh investments conveniently.

o Obtain essential forms for KYC updates.

o Establish communication with REC's Investor Cell through phone, email, or WhatsApp.54EC Bonds

• About: Capital gain bonds, also referred to as 54EC bonds, are fixed-income instruments designed to grant investors capital gains tax exemptions under section 54EC.
• Investors can utilize these bonds to reduce their income tax liability on long-term capital gains.
• These bonds come with a mandatory lock-in period of 5 years and can be held either in physical or demat form.
• Managed by: Government of India

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4. GST COUNCIL (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The GST Council recently exempted unbranded flour with 70% millets from taxes and reduced GST on molasses from 28% to 5%, providing significant relief to farmers, especially in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.

GST Council

• 101st Amendment Act of 2016: It also referred to as the 122nd Amendment Bill, laid the groundwork for the introduction of GST.
• Article 279-A of the Constitution: The GST Council functions as a collaborative platform involving both the Central and state governments.
• Executive Authority: Article 279-A grants the President the power to establish the GST Council through an executive order.
• Composition: Union Finance Minister (serving as the chairperson) and the Union Minister of State (Finance), representing various states.
• Recommendations and Model Laws: Article 279 empowers the GST Council to provide recommendations to both the Union and the states on crucial GST-related matters, encompassing the taxation of goods and services.

Millets

• About: Millets, classified as small-seeded grasses, are cereal crops renowned for their high nutritive value.
• Types: Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Ragi, Small Millet, Foxtail Millet, Barnyard Millet, Kodo Millet, and various others.
• Major Producers: Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Haryana.

Molasses 

• It is a viscous substance resulting from refining sugarcane, or sugar beets into sugar.
• Molasses vary in the amount of sugar, method of extraction and age of the plant.

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5. DATA PROTECTION LAW (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Governance)

Context: The telecom industry recently requested a two-year delay in implementing the data protection law due to concerns about the vague age-gating provision.

Data Protection Bill

• Personal data is defined as data pertaining to an identifiable individual.
• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has been discussing digital personal data and its protection, culminating in the 'Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023.'
• The draft Bill aims to establish a framework for processing digital personal data that respects both individuals' rights to safeguard their data and the necessity of processing data for legitimate purposes.

Provisions

• The Bill is applicable when processing digital personal data within India, under the following circumstances: Data is collected online & Data is collected offline, and then digitized.
• It also applies to the processing of personal data outside India if the purpose is to offer goods or services within India.
• Personal data can only be processed for lawful purposes with the individual's consent.
• For individuals below 18 years of age, consent must be granted by a parent or legal guardian.
• Rights of Data Principal: A data principal, who is an individual undergoing data processing, possesses the following rights:

o The right to obtain information regarding the processing of their data.

o The right to request the correction and deletion of their personal data.

• Personal data beyond India: It permits the transmission of personal data beyond India, barring countries that have been prohibited by the central government through an official notification.

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6. GREEN HYDROGEN (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: India and Saudi Arabia recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Riyadh this afternoon, focusing on Electrical Interconnections, Green/Clean Hydrogen, and Supply Chains.

Green Hydrogen 

• About: This gas is generated through the process of electrolysis, which involves the separation of water into hydrogen and oxygen.
• Production: Green hydrogen is manufactured by electrolysis, using renewable energy sources like solar, wind, or hydropower.
• India's Green Hydrogen Production: India has initiated the production of green hydrogen with the goal of increasing non-fossil energy capacity to 500 gigawatts by 2030.
• Recent Development: India recently established its first pilot plant for 99.99% pure green hydrogen in Duliajan, located in eastern Assam at the Jorhat pump station of a major petroleum exploration company.
• National Green Hydrogen Mission: To establish India as a worldwide centre for producing, applying, and exporting Green Hydrogen and its associated products.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

Hydrogen

• It is a gaseous substance that is colourless, odourless, tasteless, non-toxic, and highly explosive.
• It is the lightest, simplest, and most abundant member of the chemical elements in the universe.

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

Context: Recent studies show that two of five amphibians are threatened with extinction due to climate change.

Key Points of Report

• Habitat loss, diseases, and climate change are major factors negatively impacting vertebrates.
• Initially, climate change posed the primary threat to only 1 percent of amphibian species listed on the IUCN Red List, but by 2004, it had become the primary threat for 39 percent of these species.
• Amphibians exhibit the highest vulnerability among species, with 7 percent of them globally classified as threatened, the highest among any species.
• The status of amphibians worldwide is deteriorating, especially salamanders, of which three out of every five species face threats.
• The regions with the highest concentration of threatened species include India's Western Ghats, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Caribbean islands, the tropical Andes, Mesoamerica, as well as the mountains and forests of western Cameroon and eastern Nigeria (as per the Wildlife Institute of India (WII)).

Amphibians

• Amphibians exhibit a variety of sizes.
• The tiniest among them is Paedophryne amanuensis, a frog native to New Guinea, with dimensions akin to a housefly.
• Conversely, the Chinese Giant Salamander claims the title of the largest amphibian, capable of reaching six feet in length and weighing up to 140 pounds.
• Amphibians are ectothermic, meaning their body temperature depends on the environment.
• Amphibians are vertebrate animals.

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8. IRON DOME (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Israel's Iron Dome, an anti-missile system, successfully thwarted more than 5,000 rockets fired from Gaza, a confined region with a population of 2.3 million Palestinians.
Iron Dome

• About: Israel's air missile defense system, known as the Iron Dome, safeguards against short-range rockets by intercepting them mid-air.
• Capability: It can effectively handle multiple rockets simultaneously.
• Development: Created by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, the system became operational in March 2011.

Features

• Functionality: The Iron Dome identifies and intercepts various targets, including mortars, rockets, and artillery.
• Power Source: It operates using missile-defense batteries.
• All-Weather Performance: It functions day or night and in diverse weather conditions like fog, rain, dust storms, and low clouds.
• Versatile Interceptors: The system can launch various interceptor missiles.
• Range: Designed to intercept missiles with a range of approximately 40 miles or less.
• Mobility: It can be transported by land or sea to adapt to defense requirements.
• Reload Requirement: Continuous missile interception necessitates reloading.

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9. GANGETIC DOLPHIN (Syllabus: GS Paper 3– En & Eco)

Context: Scientists and researchers recently published that 19 Gangetic river dolphins were rescued from Ganga-Ghagra basin canals in Uttar Pradesh between 2013 and 2020.

Gangetic Dolphin

• About: The Gangetic Dolphin, is a freshwater species and among the rare river dolphins globally.
• Scientific Name: Platanista gangetica.
• Also known as: “SUSU” or Sisu.
• Distribution: It resides in the river systems of Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu, spanning Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.
• Other Name: Blind dolphin, Ganges dolphin, Ganges susu, hihu, side-swimming dolphin, or South Asian River Dolphin.

oThe Gangetic Dolphin holds the distinction of being India's National Aquatic Animal.

• Conservation status

o IUCN: Endangered

o Wildlife (Protection) Act: Schedule-I 

o CITES: Appendix I

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10. AIBD (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – International Organization)

Context: India has been elected as President of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) for a third successive term. India has already served two terms as President of the AIBD General Conference (GC) from 2018 – 2021 and 2021 – 2023.Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD)

• Background: Established in 1977 under UNESCO, the AIBD serves as an international organization.
• Founders: The ITU, UNDP, and UNESCO are its founding organizations, holding non-voting General Conference membership.
• Mandate: AIBD aids UN-ESCAP countries in achieving a unified electronic media landscape via policy and resource development.
• Secretariat: Housed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the AIBD operates under the Malaysian government's hosting.
• Membership: Currently, AIBD boasts 92 member organizations spanning 44 countries, with India as one of its founding members. India's Prasar Bharati represents the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Govt. of India.
• GC 2023: The 21st General Conference & Associated Meetings of AIBD took place in October 2023 in Port Louis, Mauritius.

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