News In Short 27-1-2025

Etikoppaka Dolls

Syllabus: GS1/ Art & Culture

In News

• The Republic Day celebrations at Kartavyapath in Delhi showcased Andhra Pradesh’s Etikoppaka dolls.

About Etikoppaka Dolls

• Origin: They are handcrafted in the Etikoppaka village of Andhra Pradesh, India.
• Material: These toys are primarily made from a softwood called ‘Ankudu Karra’ (also known as Ivory Wood).
• Crafting Process: The process involves meticulous carving, shaping, and painting.
• Decorations: Natural dyes extracted from plants, seeds, and leaves are used to paint the toys, resulting in a unique and eco-friendly finish.
• Variety: Etikoppaka toys encompass a wide range of creations, including animals, birds, dolls, and decorative items.

Source: TH

Greenland

Syllabus: GS1/Places in News

Context

• US President Trump has said Denmark would be committing a ‘very unfriendly act’ if it did not allow the US to take over Greenland.

About

• Greenland was once a Danish colony and is now an autonomous province of Denmark, autonomy extended in 2009.
  • It has self-government and its own parliament.
  • This does not include foreign and security policy or currency policy.

• Location: It lies between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.
  • It is the world’s largest island, with a population just over 56,000.
  • Almost 80% of it is covered by the ice cap and glaciers.
• Languages: Greenlandic, also Danish and English
• Mineral Reserves: Greenland has large deposits of traditional resources like gold, nickel and cobalt.
  • It also has some of the biggest reserves of rare earth minerals like dysprosium, praseodymium, neodymium, and terbium. 
• Of the 34 classified rare earth minerals, Greenland has about 23.
  • Outside of Greenland, these critical minerals are heavily concentrated in China, which controls the bulk of the global production and supply.

Source: IE

Whip System

Syllabus: GS2/Polity

Context

• Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s recent statement that party whips curtail an MP’s freedom of expression by enforcing a party line has sparked a debate.

What is Whip?

• A whip refers to an order to members of a party in the House to abide by a certain direction of the party.
• Political parties issue whips to their MPs to either vote for or against the bill, depending on their party line.
  • Once the whip is issued, the MPs from each party will necessarily have to obey the whip or else risk losing their seat in Parliament.
• The term is derived from the old British practice of “whipping in” lawmakers to follow the party line.
• It is not mentioned in the constitution but is considered a parliamentary convention.
• Parties appoint a senior member from among their House contingents to issue whips — this member is called a chief whip, and he/ she is assisted by additional whips.

Types of Whip

• There are three kinds. 
  • A one-line whip just informs members about a vote but permits them to abstain. 
  • A two-line whip asks them to be present but does not tell them how to vote. 
  • The three-line whip, largely the norm these days, directs members to be present and vote as per the party line.

Importance of a whip 

• The whip maintains discipline, secure attendance of, and gives necessary information to, members of the party.
• It is a channel of communication between the political party and the members of the party in the legislature. 
• They also serve the function of gauging the opinion of the members, and communicating it to party leaders. 

Source: IE

Electoral Trusts

Syllabus: GS2/ Polity and Governance

Context

• In light of the Supreme Court’s decision to scrap electoral bonds, donations to political parties witnessed a marked increase through electoral trusts. 

What are Electoral Trusts?

• An Electoral Trust (ET) is a body registered under the Companies Act, 1956, solely tasked with distributing contributions received from individuals or companies to political parties.
  • Electoral trusts were set up under the Electoral Trusts Scheme, 2013.
• Sources of Contributions: Electoral trusts can accept contributions from;
  • Individual Indian citizens.
  • Companies registered in India.
  • Firms and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs).
• Restrictions on Donations: Contributions from foreign entities or individuals who are not Indian citizens or residents are prohibited.
• Accountability Measures: Electoral trusts maintain detailed accounts of donors, their contributions, the funds distributed to political parties, and operational expenses.

Source: IE

RBI Ombudsman Scheme

Syllabus :GS3/Economy 

In News

• The Reserve Bank of India’s Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (RB-IOS) saw a significant rise in complaints during the year ending March 2024, with a 32.81% increase, reaching a total of 934,355 complaint

About The Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021

• It integrated three previous RBI Ombudsman schemes into one unified system. Three erstwhile Ombudsman Schemes  were
  • The Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006
  • The Ombudsman Scheme for Non-Banking Financial Companies, 2018, and
  • The Ombudsman Scheme for Digital Transactions, 2019.
• This streamlined approach aims to resolve customer complaints against regulated entities (REs) regarding deficiencies in service. 
• Coverage  : It covers all commercial banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), Payment System Participants, most Primary (Urban) Cooperative Banks, and Credit Information Companies. 
• Additional entities like Non-Scheduled Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks with deposits above ₹50 crore and Credit Information Companies are included.
• Significance  : The scheme enhances customer service by promoting faster and more efficient grievance resolution, ensuring broader accessibility and transparency.

Source :IE

Paraquat Poisoning

Syllabus: GS3/ S&T, Health

In News

• Paraquat was used recently in a high-profile murder case in Kerala. 

About Paraquat

• Paraquat, also known as paraquat dichloride or methyl viologen, is one of the most widely used herbicides globally. 
• It is primarily used to control weed growth and dry crops like cotton before harvest. However, it is extremely toxic and is banned in over 70 countries, including the European Union and China. 
• The WHO classifies paraquat as a Category 2 (moderately hazardous) chemical.
• It damages the body at a cellular level and spreads rapidly, affecting vital organs like the lungs, kidneys, and liver.

Regulations on Paraquat Use

• In India: The Central Insecticides Board (CIBRC) under the Insecticides Act of 1968 regulates paraquat use. A 2021 notification restricts its use to crops like wheat, rice, tea, and maize. Despite regulations, misuse and lack of safety measures are widespread.
• In the US: Paraquat can only be purchased by licensed commercial users, and it must include safety features like blue dye, a sharp odor, and a vomiting agent.

Source: IE

Stargardt Disease

Syllabus: GS2/ Health

In News

• Researchers from the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology, Basel, Switzerland, have developed a gene editing technique to address Stargardt disease.

About Stargardt Disease

• Also known as Stargardt macular degeneration, is caused by mutations in the ABCA4 gene, which disrupts Vitamin A processing in the retina. 
• This leads to the excessive accumulation of lipofuscin, a pigment that damages the macula, the part of the retina responsible for central vision. 
• Currently, no cure exists for this condition.

Source: TH

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)

Syllabus: GS2/Health and GS3/ Science and Technology

Context

• The recent outbreak of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) in Pune (Maharashtra) has raised concerns.

What is Guillain-Barré Syndrome?

• About: GBS is an autoimmune neurological disorder where the immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nerves, leading to muscle weakness and, in severe cases, paralysis.
• Causes:  The exact cause of GBS remains unclear, but it is often triggered by:
  • Respiratory or gastrointestinal infections.
  • Bacterial infections, such as Campylobacter.
  • Viral infections, including influenza, COVID-19, and Zika virus.
• Vulnerability: Although rare, it can affect individuals of all ages, with adults and males being more commonly affected.
• Symptoms: Include difficulty in walking, trouble with facial movements — speaking, chewing or swallowing — and problems with coordination and balance. Severe cases may involve breathing difficulty due to chest muscle weakness.
• Transmission: It is not contagious and does not directly spread from person to person.
• Treatment: There is no known cure for GBS. However, there are some treatments that aid in recovery.
  • The treatments primarily include plasma exchange and intravenous immunoglobin therapy.

Source: TH

Fentanyl

Syllabus: GS3/ S&T and GS2/Health

In News

• The U.S. is proposing a 10% tariff on Chinese imports, accusing China of failing to stop fentanyl trafficking into the U.S. via Mexico and Canada.

About Fentanyl

• It is a powerful synthetic opioid primarily used in medicine to treat severe pain, especially after surgery or for chronic pain in patients with tolerance to other opioids.
  • Opioids are a class of drugs that bind to opioid receptors in the brain and body, reducing the perception of pain. 
• It is approximately 50-100 times more potent than morphine.
• However, fentanyl is also illegally manufactured and sold for recreational use. It is often mixed with heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine and pressed into pills designed to look like prescription opioids, significantly increasing the risk of overdose.

Source: TH

Indore and Udaipur Join the List of 31 Wetland Accredited Cities in World

Syllabus: GS3/Environment and Conservation

Context

• Indore and Udaipur have become the first two Indian cities to join the global list of accredited wetland cities.

About

• Sirpur Lake, a Ramsar Site in Indore, has been recognised for water bird congregation and is being developed as a bird sanctuary.
• Udaipur in Rajasthan is surrounded by five major wetlands, namely, Pichola, Fateh Sagar, Rang Sagar, Swaroop Sagar, and Doodh Talai.

The Wetland City Accreditation Program

• It is part of the Ramsar Convention, and was approved during COP12 held in the year 2015.
• Accreditation is granted to only those cities which satisfy all the six international criteria including adopting measures for conservation of wetlands and their ecosystem services. 
• Aim: To promote conservation and wise use of urban and peri-urban wetlands. 
• Validity: It is valid for 6 years, after which it must be renewed, providing that it continues to fill each of the 6 criteria.

• The global list of 74 accredited wetland cities comprises the highest 22 from China followed by nine from France. 
• Ramsar Convention: It is an international convention on wetlands, adopted in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar.
  • It provides a framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources across its 172-member countries including India. 
  • At present, 85 wetlands in India are protected under the treaty.

Source: PIB

Corpse Flowers

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

In News

• A rare plant, the corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum), bloomed in Sydney, Australia, for the first time in over a decade.

About Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus Titanum)

• It is native to Sumatra, Indonesia, is famous for its enormous size, rare blooming cycle, and its strong odor, resembling rotting flesh.
• The flower emits a strong, pungent odor to attract carrion insects for pollination.
• The corpse flower blooms rarely, often once every 7–10 years or even longer. The bloom lasts only about 24–48 hours.
• It is listed as endangered by the IUCN.

Source: DD News

Asan Wetland 

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

Context

• A recent bird counting campaign at the Asan Wetland, Uttarakhand, has recorded 5,225 birds from 117 species.

Asan Wetland

• Location: The Wetland, also known as the Asan Conservation Reserve, spans 444 hectares along the Asan River, which flows into the Yamuna River in Dehradun district, Uttarakhand.
• Ramsar Designation: Since 2020, the wetland has been recognized as a Ramsar Site.
• Avian Diversity: The wetland is home to 330 bird species, including critically endangered species like the red-headed vulture, white-rumped vulture, and Baer’s pochard.
• Aquatic Biodiversity: It also supports 49 fish species, including the endangered Putitor mahseer (Tor putitora).

Source: IE

Islamic Arts Biennale

Syllabus :Miscellaneous

In News

• The 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale, held at the King Abdulaziz International Airport’s Western Hajj Terminal in Saudi Arabia.

About Islamic Arts Biennale

• It is organized by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, and aims to establish a global platform for cultural exchange and Islamic art research.
• It is the world’s first biennale dedicated to the Islamic arts, offering the opportunity for renewed perspective and research.
• It brings together contemporary and newly commissioned artworks with historical Islamic objects to explore themes of spirituality, identity, and the connection between the past and present.
• The 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale is inspired by the Quranic phrase “And All That Is In Between,” exploring how faith is lived, expressed, and celebrated. 
• The event features over 500 historical objects and contemporary artworks.
  • It  showcases Islamic art from over 30 global institutions, including the Louvre, Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Vatican Apostolic Library, as well as contributions from Saudi Arabia and India
  • Visitors will also experience sacred objects from Makkah and Madinah, fostering spiritual resonance and cross-cultural dialogue.

Source  :IE