{"id":17786,"date":"2023-10-03T18:07:15","date_gmt":"2023-10-03T12:37:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/?p=17786"},"modified":"2023-10-03T18:09:27","modified_gmt":"2023-10-03T12:39:27","slug":"daily-current-affairs-03-10-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/03-10-2023\/daily-current-affairs-03-10-2023","title":{"rendered":"Daily Current Affairs 03-10-2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Deaths in India\u2019s Prisons<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Social Justice, GS2\/ Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">News<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recently, the<strong> Supreme Court Committee on Prison Reforms<\/strong> found suicide to be the leading cause of \u2018unnatural\u2019 deaths in India\u2019s prisons.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Background<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to the Supreme Court Committee among Indian prisoners, the number of custodial deaths has seen a <strong>steady rise since 2019, and 2021<\/strong> has recorded the highest number of deaths so far.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Uttar Pradesh <\/strong>recorded the <strong>highest number of overall deaths<\/strong>, with 481 inmates dying in 2021. Rajasthan was the state which had 52 unknown causes of deaths.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Classification of Prison Deaths<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Prison deaths are labeled as \u2018<strong>natural\u2019 or \u2018unnatural\u2019<\/strong> by the <strong>Prison Statistics India report <\/strong>published by the <strong>National Crime Records Bureau<\/strong>(NCRB) every year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u2018Natural\u2019 deaths <\/strong>account for ageing and illness. Illness has been sub categorized into diseases such as heart conditions, HIV, tuberculosis, and cancer, among others.In <strong>2021,<\/strong> a total of<strong> 2,116 prisoners<\/strong> died in judicial custody, with almost<strong> 90% <\/strong>of cases recorded as natural deaths.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unnatural deaths<\/strong> are deaths other than ageing or illnesses.These areclassified as;\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Suicide <\/strong>(due to hanging, poisoning, sellf-Iinflicted injury, drug overdose, electrocution, etc.),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Death due to inmates, assault by outside elements,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Death due to negligence or firing,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Accidental deaths<\/strong> (natural calamities like earthquakes, snakebites, drowning, accidental fall, burn injury, drug\/alcohol consumption, etc.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Unnatural Deaths of Inmates in Prisons in 2021<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>As per a report by the<strong> Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI)<\/strong> the <strong>suicide rate<\/strong> among inmates was found to be more than twice that recorded in the general population.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>After suicide, most unnatural deaths are due to \u201cother\u201d reasons or <strong>murder by inmates.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Issues with Classification<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>An \u2018unclear\u2019 distinction:<\/strong> The Supreme Court in a judgment said NCRB\u2019s distinction between natural and unnatural deaths is <strong>\u201cunclear.\u201d<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Under-reported deaths:<\/strong>The prison deaths are under-reported and rarely investigated, resulting in a majority of deaths being classified as \u2018natural\u2019.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pandemic challenge: <\/strong>the PSI report classified deaths due to COVID-19 as \u2018natural\u2019 deaths \u2014 at a time when the occupancy rate of prisons was <strong>118%<\/strong> of their capacity, and almost<strong> 40,000 more undertrials <\/strong>were held in prisons.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Concerns Regarding Prison Conditions<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Shortage of staff: <\/strong>A sanctioned staff of <strong>3,497 people<\/strong> (out of which only 2,000 roles were filled), was responsible for looking after <strong>2,25,609 prisoners in 2021<\/strong> (this number has shot up to 5,75,347 as of September 2023, according to the National Prisons Information Portal).&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unevenly distributed vacancies:<\/strong> States like Bihar and Uttarakhand had over 60% of positions lying vacant. Moreover, the total strength of staff includes personnel charged with medical, executive, correctional, ministerial and other duties; not everyone is trained to provide medical aid.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mental illnesses:<\/strong> Almost <strong>1.5% of the prison population suffers <\/strong>from mental illnesses, as per the CHRI report. It indicates a dearth of correctional staff including psychologists, limited access to mental healthcare resources, inadequate identification of mental illnesses in inmates along with heightened vulnerability and stigma.Only<strong> 5% of expenditure<\/strong> is spent on medical facilities, per the PSI 2021 report.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Underutilized fund:<\/strong> Between 2016 and 2021, money earmarked for spending on inmates was underutilized. \u20b96,727.30 crore was the average national expenditure against a sanctioned \u20b97,619.2 crore in 2021.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Congested prisons:<\/strong> According to the National Crime Records Bureau&#8217;s 2021 statistics, there were 5,54,034 people in prisons across India, as against a capacity of 4,25,609.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Infrastructural deficiencies: <\/strong>The infrastructural deficiencies are both a cause and effect of \u201ccallousness and neglect of the health of individuals in jail custody.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Recommendations for Welfare of Prisoners<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Supreme Court in a 1996 judgment<\/strong> articulated the social obligation towards prisoners\u2019 health, noting that they suffer from a <strong>\u201cdouble handicap\u201d:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>\u201dFirst,<\/strong> the prisoners do not enjoy the access to medical expertise that free citizens have. Their incarceration places limitations on such access; no physician of choice, no second opinions, and few if any specialists.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Secondly,<\/strong> because of the conditions of their incarceration, inmates are exposed to more health hazards than free citizens.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Model Prison Manual of 2016<\/strong> and the<strong> Mental Healthcare Act of 2017<\/strong>, outline inmates&#8217; right<strong> to healthcare<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It includes adequate investment in healthcare facilities, setting up mental health units, training officers to provide basic and emergency care, and formulating suicide prevention programmes to thwart such instances.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In June 2023 the <strong>NHRC issued an exhaustive advisory<\/strong> to States, highlighting that suicides arise out of both medical and mental health issues. The NHRC\u2019s recommendations are as;\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Regular check and vigil<\/strong> on bed sheets and blankets of inmates be exercised to ensure that these are not used to make ropes, etc. to attempt suicide.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gatekeeper Model:<\/strong> (devised by the World Health Organization, WHO), to strengthen mental health care in prisons be implemented for training of carefully selected inmates to identify prisoners at risk of suicide.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Measures to tackle the issue of addiction<\/strong> among prisoners are undertaken by regular visits of mental health care professionals and de-addiction experts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Adequate number of telephones<\/strong> for contact with friends or family of the prisoner to be ensured in accordance with relevant regulations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Existing vacancies of Prison staff should be filled<\/strong> up particularly those of Prison Welfare Officers, Probation Officers, Psychologists, and Medical Staff, and the strength should be suitably augmented to include Mental Health professionals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/explained-counting-deaths-in-indias-prisons\/article67269343.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Southeast Asia&#8217;s First High-Speed Railway<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/International Relation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">In News<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Indonesian President<\/strong> Joko Widodo inaugurated Southeast Asia\u2019s first high-speed railway.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">About<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is a key project under <strong>China\u2019s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The railway connects <strong>Jakarta with Bandung<\/strong>, the heavily populated capital of West Java province, and will<strong> cut travel time<\/strong> from the <strong>current three hours to about 40 minutes.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It has speeds of up to <strong>350 kph<\/strong> and is named as \u201c<strong>Whoosh<\/strong>,\u201dwhich means <strong>\u201ctimesaving, optimal operation, reliable system\u201d<\/strong> in Indonesian language.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Its use of <strong>electrical energy <\/strong>is expected to reduce carbon emissions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It was financed with a loan from the China Development Bank for <strong>75%<\/strong> of the cost. The remaining<strong> 25% <\/strong>came from the consortium\u2019s own funds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The project is part of a planned<strong> 750-kilometer (466-mile) high-speed train line<\/strong> that would cut across<strong> four provinces on Indonesia\u2019s main island of Java<\/strong> and end in the country\u2019s second-largest city, Surabaya.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>China\u2019s Connectivity Projects in Southeast Asia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/DjEbOcoLT9xv6mKuE_55yWsdCVxBI14ch5VTjkvKOa_iznD6I_p-IRED-OD7McOEtSoiX-RLBOcup7GmUgTCoKlKdf-0wWTYRc_GID8dh899TbVUPhsFYC5E_uO5VN_7jQgRRZNbfGiVfWbRhAH8yp8\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:427px;height:423px\" width=\"427\" height=\"423\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>China is <strong>one of the largest sources of foreign direct investment<\/strong> in Southeast Asia, a region home to more than 675 million people.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Amid crackdowns by the United States and its allies,<strong> China is expanding trade with ASEAN countries <\/strong>and infrastructure projects are playing key roles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A semi-high-speed railway <strong>linking China with Laos<\/strong> was inaugurated in December 2021. It runs through Laos&#8217; mountain ranges to connect the southeastern Chinese city of Kunming with Vientiane, the capital of Laos.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The $6 billion infrastructure was financed mostly by China <strong>under the Belt and Road policy.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There are plans for a high-speed train down t<strong>hrough Thailand and Malaysia to Singapore.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/international\/indonesian-president-launches-southeast-asias-first-high-speed-railway-funded-by-china\/article67371573.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">New Development Projects in MP, Rajasthan and Telangana\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS 3\/infrastructure\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">In News\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of various projects in M<strong>adhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana .<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">About the Projects\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>In MP : <\/strong>various development projects worth around Rs 19,260 crores.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The projects include the dedication of <strong>Delhi-Vadodara Expressway&nbsp; to boost connectivity across the country<\/strong>, <strong>Grih Pravesh <\/strong>of over 2.2 lakh houses built under <strong>&nbsp;under <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current-affairs\/10-11-2022\/pradhan-mantri-awas-yojna-gramin-pmay-g\/\"><strong>PMAY &#8211; Gramin<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>and dedication of houses constructed under<strong> <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current-affairs\/25-06-2022\/7th-anniversary-pradhan-mantri-awas-yojana-urban\/#:~:text=PMAY%2DU&#039;s%20Credit%20Linked%20subsidy,centres%20of%20tier%2DI%20cities.\"><strong>PMAY &#8211; Urban<\/strong><\/a><strong>, l<\/strong>aying the foundation stone for<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/current-affairs\/31-05-2022\/jal-jeevan-mission\/\"> <strong>Jal Jeevan Mission<\/strong> <\/a><strong>projects<\/strong>, 9 <strong>health centers <\/strong>under<strong> <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/editorial-analysis\/05-01-2023\/ayushman-bharat-digital-mission-making-healthcare-accessible\/#:~:text=It%20was%20launched%20in%20September,health%20infrastructure%20of%20the%20country.\"><strong>Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission<\/strong><\/a> to boost the health infrastructure, dedication of academic building of<strong> IIT Indore<\/strong> and laying the foundation stone for hostel and other buildings on campus and a <strong>Multi-Modal Logistics Park <\/strong>in Indore.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>In Rajasthan: <\/strong>Various development projects worth about Rs 7,000 crore in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The projects include the <strong>Mehsana &#8211; Bhatinda &#8211; Gurdaspur Gas Pipeline, <\/strong>the<strong> LPG Plant of HPCL<\/strong> at Abu Road, additional storage at the Ajmer Bottling Plant, IOCL, and the permanent campus of Indian Institute of Information Technology, Kota.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Prime Minister dedicated a 4-lane road on <strong>NH-12 (New NH-52)<\/strong> on the Darah-Jhalawar-Teendhar section.<ul><li>The foundation stone for constructing and widening the <strong>Railway Over Bridge (ROB)<\/strong> from two-lane to four-lane in Sawai Madhopur will also be laid<\/li><li>The railway projects dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister include the projects involving the <strong>doubling of the Chittorgarh &#8211; Neemuch Railway line and Kota \u2013 Chittorgarh Electrified Railway <\/strong>line.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Prime Minister dedicated tourism facilities developed at <strong>Nathdwara under the <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current-affairs\/12-01-2023\/inclusion-of-beypore-boat-swadesh-darshan-project\/#:~:text=with%20the%20idea%20of%20positioning,as%20Swadesh%20Darshan%202.0%20(SD2.\"><strong>Swadesh Darshan Scheme<\/strong><\/a>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Nathdwara is the major center of faith for millions of followers of the <strong>Pushtimarg propagated by Saint Vallabhacharya.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Telangana:&nbsp; <\/strong>Multiple developmental projects worth more than Rs 13,500 crore in Mahbubnagar, Telangana.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of key road projects that are part of <strong>Nagpur \u2013 Vijayawada Economic Corridor.&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The projects include &#8211; 108 km long \u2018four-lane access controlled Greenfield highway from Warangal to Khammam section of NH-163G\u2019 and 90 km long \u2018four-lane access controlled greenfield highway from Khammam to Vijayawada section of NH-163G.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation a road project &#8211; <strong>\u2018four laning<\/strong> of 59 km long<strong> Suryapet to Khammam section of NH-365BB<\/strong>\u2019.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The project is a part of<strong> Hyderabad \u2013 Visakhapatnam Corridor<\/strong> and is developed under <strong>Bharatmala Pariyojana<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He dedicated <strong>\u201837 Kms of Jaklair \u2013 Krishna New Railway Line\u2019<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He dedicated the nation to the <strong>\u2018Hassan-Cherlapalli LPG Pipeline Project\u2019.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He also laid the foundation stone of the <strong>\u2018Multiproduct Petroleum Pipeline of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL)<\/strong> from Krishnapatnam to Hyderabad (Malkapur)\u2019.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He also inaugurated \u2018five new buildings of University of Hyderabad\u2019 i.e. School of Economics; School of Mathematics &amp; Statistics; School of Management Studies; Lecture Hall Complex \u2013 III;&nbsp; and Sarojini Naidu School of Arts &amp; Communication .<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.livemint.com\/news\/india\/modi-to-visit-poll-bound-rajasthan-and-madhya-pradesh-to-lay-foundation-stone-for-several-projects-11696185947549.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>LM<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Use of Commercial Spyware<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS-3\/Cybercrime and Security<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">In News<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The commercial spyware is being extensively used by the governments around the world.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What is Spyware?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is defined as malicious software designed to enter a device, gather sensitive data, and forward it to a third party without the user\u2019s consent.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is used for commercial purposes like advertising, malicious spyware is used to profit from data stolen from a victim\u2019s device.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What is Commercial Spyware?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is a software that allows an attacker to keep an eye on the victim\u2019s device, potentially stealing data and causing harm in the real world.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It can take away all the information from mobile devices but also turn on the camera and microphone without the owner\u2019s knowledge, effectively turning handsets into a spying device.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">How are the Devices Targeted?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Spyware gets attached to websites and downloads without going much into the notice of the user. There are many software\u2019s that get downloaded without any warning alongside the needed software and are very dangerous for our computer system.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Another way of spyware entering systems is when the user clicks unverified links or downloads malicious contents on the computer system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When spyware enters the computer system it unethically accesses the information that it is not authorized to view.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In most cases, it supplies this information to third-party users leading to data leaks. Sensitive information such as passwords and bank information.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Facts and Figures:<\/strong><br><\/span>&#8211; According to the <strong>Carnegie Endowment for International Peace<\/strong>, during 2011-2023, at least 74 governments contracted with commercial firms to obtain spyware or digital forensics technology.<br>&#8211; In 2022, as per <strong>The New York Times,<\/strong>the FBI in the U.S. had bought a version of the Pegasus spyware and that Mexican authorities had deployed NSO products against journalists and political dissidents.<br>&#8211; According to <strong>Trade Data,<\/strong> in 2023, an Indian defence agency purchased equipment from an Israeli spyware firm that is being billed as a potential Pegasus alternative.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Threats and Problems Posed by Commercial Spywares<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The spyware can steal personal information that can be used for identity theft.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If one has visited online banking sites, spyware can have access to bank account information or credit card details and sell it to third parties or use them directly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Spyware can also manipulate search engine results and deliver unwanted websites in your browser, which can lead to potentially harmful websites or fraudulent ones.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">How to Prevent Spyware?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tech giants including Meta, Google, and Apple have taken concrete steps to address the problem of commercial spyware firms exploiting bugs in their software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Installing Antivirus: <\/strong>The best way to protect a system from spyware is to install a good quality Antivirus such as MalwareBytes, Adaware, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Beware of Cookie Settings: <\/strong>There are some websites that transfer confidential information alongside cookies. It is always advisable to keep a check on the cookie settings and set the settings to high security.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Beware of the Pop-ups on Websites:<\/strong> It is not recommended to click on the pop-ups that appear on websites without reading them.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Never Install Free Software:<\/strong> It is advised to always be very cautious when installing free software on systems. Most of the time free software has spyware attached to them and it can directly leak confidential user information.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Always read Terms &amp; Conditions:<\/strong> Always read Terms and Conditions before installing apps on the system. Never accept policies that breach privacy. Download only trusted and verified apps from Google PlayStore or Apple PlayStore for mobile phones to protect them from Spyware.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/technology\/explained-how-government-agencies-use-commercial-spyware-to-target-opponents\/article67370204.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">R21\/Matrix-M\u202fmalaria Vaccine<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus:GS3\/Science and Technology, GS2\/ Health<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">News<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>R21\/Matrix-M\u202fmalaria vaccine<\/strong> has been recommended for use by the World Health Organisation (WHO) after meeting required safety, quality and effectiveness standards.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">About<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The vaccine has been developed by the<strong> University of Oxford and the Serum Institute of India<\/strong>, leveraging Novavax\u2019s adjuvant technology.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To date the R21\/Matrix-M malaria vaccine has been licensed for use in <strong>Ghana, Nigeria and Burkina Faso.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The R21 vaccine is the second malaria vaccine recommended by WHO, following the <strong>RTS,S\/AS01 vaccine,<\/strong> which received a WHO recommendation in <strong>2021.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The R21 and RTS,S vaccines act against <strong>P. falciparum<\/strong>, the<strong> deadliest malaria parasite <\/strong>and the most prevalent on the African continent.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What is Malaria?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Malaria <\/strong>is a life-threatening disease spread to humans by some types of mosquitoes. It is mostly found in tropical countries.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Transmission: <\/strong>It is caused by <strong>plasmodium protozoa.<\/strong>The plasmodium parasites spread through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.Blood transfusion and contaminated needles may also transmit malaria.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Types of parasites: <\/strong>There are 5 Plasmodium parasite species that cause malaria in humans and 2 of these species \u2013 <strong>P. falciparum and P. vivax <\/strong>\u2013 pose the greatest threat. The other malaria species which can infect humans are <strong>P. malariae, P. ovale and P. knowlesi.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>P. falciparum is the deadliest malaria parasite<\/strong> and the most prevalent on the African continent. P. vivax is the dominant malaria parasite in most countries outside of sub-Saharan Africa.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Symptoms:<\/strong> Fever and flu-like illness, including chills, headache, muscle ache and fatigue.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/ZmfeL6h2FaUMSgtFtW1LNhwhlIA0CLNlPxSmxNfkLBnAuuNW1YoO87xpAKFJuUEVvY0sZiaj0jOMhStHYDbLUvYiif0X6gkNkcIR3DnK1HucqTG7sMNun6PxX3at_dRklWDTUROeE1R0Dhn1HfvZddM\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Disease Burden<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to the World malaria report, there were<strong> 247 million<\/strong> cases of malaria in <strong>2021<\/strong> compared to 245 million cases in 2020. The estimated number of <strong>malaria deaths stood at 619 000 in 2021<\/strong> compared to 625 000 in 2020.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Four African countries accounted for just over half of all malaria deaths worldwide: <strong>Nigeria (31.3%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12.6%), United Republic of Tanzania (4.1%) and Niger (3.9%).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Initiatives to Control Malaria by WHO<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The WHO\u2019s Global technical strategy<\/strong> for malaria <strong>2016\u20132030<\/strong> aims to reduce malaria case incidence and mortality rates by at least 40% by 2020, at least 75% by 2025 and at least 90% by 2030 against a 2015 baseline.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u2018E-2025 Initiative\u2019: <\/strong>The WHO has identified 25 countries with the potential to eradicate malaria by 2025 under the initiative.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>High Burden to High Impact (HBHI) initiative: <\/strong>WHO has initiated the<strong> <\/strong>initiative in 11 high malaria burden countries, including India.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Indian Government Initiatives to Control Malaria:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Government of India set a target to<strong> eliminate malaria in India by 2027.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In India, a <strong>National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME)<\/strong> has been developed and launched in <strong>2016 <\/strong>aligned with the Global Technical Strategy (GTS) for malaria elimination <strong>2016-2030.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Malaria Elimination Research Alliance-India (MERA-India): <\/strong>It was established by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/health\/oxford-serum-institute-malaria-vaccine-recommended-for-use-by-who\/article67373489.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Is there a TB Drug Shortage in India?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/ Health, Management of Social Sector, Government Policies &amp; Interventions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">In News<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recently, there have been some media reports alleging a shortage of anti-TB drugs in India and questioning the effectiveness of such drugs under the <strong>National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">About<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Three essential medicines used for treating drug-resistant TB \u2014 <strong>Linezolid, Clofazimine, and Cycloserine<\/strong>, faced a stockout recently, though the government denied stockout.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Last year, <strong>Rifampicin <\/strong>&#8211; a medicine used for treating drug-sensitive TB, was not available in many parts of India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Tuberculosis (TB)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>About: <\/strong>TB is caused by a bacterium called<strong><em> Mycobacterium tuberculosis.<\/em><\/strong> In humans, TB most commonly affects the lungs (pulmonary TB), but it can also affect other organs (extra-pulmonary TB).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Many new cases of TB are attributable to five risk factors:&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Undernutrition<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>HIV infection<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alcohol use disorders<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Smoking<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Diabetes.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Diagnosis:<\/strong> TB can be diagnosed using rapid tests, but it\u2019s challenging to diagnose in children.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Transmission:<\/strong> TB is spread from person to person through the air. Its common symptoms are cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Symptoms: <\/strong>Only a small number of infected individuals will develop TB disease and experience symptoms like a prolonged cough, chest pain, weakness, fatigue, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Certain conditions, such as diabetes, weakened immune system (like HIV or AIDS), malnutrition, and tobacco use, increase the risk of developing TB disease.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Treatment: <\/strong>The usual first-line drugs are: isoniazid and rifampicin.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>TB is preventable and curable and around 85% of people who develop the disease can be successfully treated with a 4\/6-month drug regimen.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Multidrug-Resistant TB (MDR-TB)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>About: <\/strong>It happens when TB bacteria become resistant to common medicines due to improper use or early treatment stoppage.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>MDR-TB doesn\u2019t respond to the usual first-line drugs, isoniazid, and rifampicin.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Treatment:<\/strong> The treatment regimen of Multi Drug-resistant TB consists of usually four months of 7 drugs (<strong>bedaquiline, levofloxacin, clofazimine, isoniazid, ethambutol, pyrazinamide and ethionamide)<\/strong> followed by five months of 4 drugs (levofloxacin, clofazimine, pyrazinamide and ethambutol).\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In about 30% of persons with drug-resistant TB, cycloserine and linezolid is required.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">TB Burden<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>According to the WHO,<\/strong> 1.6 million people died from TB in 2021 (including 187,000 people with HIV). Worldwide, TB is the 13th leading cause of death and the second leading infectious killer after COVID-19 (above HIV\/AIDS)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India accounts for more than a quarter of the total TB cases across the world.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>According to India TB report 2023,<\/strong> Year 2022 saw notification of 24.2 lakh cases which was an increase of 13% over 2021.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Government Initiatives<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>National TB Elimination Programme: <\/strong>The programme aims to meet the goal of ending the TB epidemic by 2025 in the country, five years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for 2030.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission:<\/strong> The government has started utilising technology by creating digital health IDs for TB patients under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission to ensure proper diagnostics and treatment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana:<\/strong> the yojana provides monetary support through direct benefit transfer to the patients.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan:<\/strong> It\u2019s an initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) to accelerate the country\u2019s progress towards TB elimination by 2025. It provides additional patient support to improve treatment outcomes of TB patients.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>TB Mukt Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan:<\/strong> TB Mukt Gram Panchayat campaign aims to involve the community&nbsp; to realise the goal of TB elimination.it provides for TB Champions who have been identified and sensitised on TB at the Panchayat level.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tuberculosis Model: <\/strong>India has developed a mathematical model for better estimation of the disease\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Using this model, TB incidence and mortality estimate data for India will be available by March every year, months before the annual WHO estimates. India can also prepare similar estimates at the state level using the model in future.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>World Tuberculosis (TB) Day:<\/strong> The day is observed on <strong>24th March<\/strong> to spread awareness about the disastrous health, social, and economic consequences of TB and to make efforts to end the TB epidemic globally.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: TH<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Nobel Prize in Medicine 2023<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Science and Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">In News<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Nobel Prizes for 2023 in Medicine or Physiology has been awarded to <strong>Katalin Karik\u00f3 and Drew Weissman for their work in mRNA vaccine.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">About<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The discoveries by the two Nobel Laureates were critical<strong> for developing effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 during the pandemic <\/strong>that began in early 2020.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Vaccines Before the Pandemic<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>What is Vaccination? <\/strong>Vaccination <strong>stimulates<\/strong> the formation of an immune response to a particular pathogen. This gives the body a head start in the fight against disease in the event of a later exposure.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Vaccines based on <strong>killed or weakened viruses have long been available,<\/strong> exemplified by the vaccines against polio, measles, and yellow fever.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In <strong>1951, Max Theiler<\/strong> was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for developing the yellow fever vaccine.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As technology evolved, instead of the whole virus,<strong> just a part of the viral genetic code <\/strong>began to be introduced through vaccines.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>But the <strong>large-scale development <\/strong>of such vaccines requires cell culture (growing of cells under controlled conditions) and takes time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/pJyGeGYy43L0ec7Spcz184BFH3oSuT5bZxca8O2_-tyPvwoviNV-SLRw6ebILkR45IOAkXHZtyjk3SKhtIZc9Ai_fCk5dDOkADMvrOmgFuvr9CL1LOwQFj8T3QbpddIG8ZMnJtLsmHzmVKNtQ1HnGcA\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">mRNA Vaccines: A Promising Idea<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>During the Covid-19 outbreak, time was of the essence in finding a weapon against the deadly and fast-spreading virus. This is where mRNA technology proved crucial.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This technology had been known since the 1980s, but had not been perfected enough to create vaccines at a viable scale.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Basically, instead of putting an inactivated virus in the body to activate an immune response, vaccines using this technology<strong> use messenger Ribonucleic Acid, or mRNA, <\/strong>to deliver a message to the immune system.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Genetically engineered mRNA can <strong>instruct cells<\/strong> to make the protein needed to fight a particular virus.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What Kariko and Weissman did?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Karik\u00f3 and Weissman realised that the problem with lab-grown genetically engineered mRNA is that the <strong>body\u2019s dendritic cells <\/strong>[which have important functions in immune surveillance and the activation of vaccine-induced immune response] <strong>recognise them as a foreign substance,<\/strong> and<strong> release inflammatory signaling molecules against them.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To investigate this, they produced different variants of mRNA, each with unique chemical alterations in their bases, which they delivered to dendritic cells.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The results were striking: <strong>The inflammatory response was almost abolished <\/strong>when base modifications were included in the mRNA.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/Ku8abbmErBQwKaSo5c-mtr15-bg8oqrhsaHfd9LeLTSrS_xfQuTaEVp_sMh1-o8Cv7ySE_WubN4dAo3rsO_zRcOJCen8-3_pQlJRbRycQ9Fils9RwQkPQyTQLEZegnQeo7DVx14Km8WzqfdaFv7EHzg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This was a <strong>paradigm change in understanding of how cells recognize and respond to different forms of mRNA.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These seminal results were published in 2005, fifteen years before the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Through their discoveries that base modifications <strong>both reduced inflammatory responses and increased protein production,<\/strong> Karik\u00f3 and Weissman had <strong>eliminated critical obstacles on the way to clinical applications of mRNA.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>About Nobel Prize<\/strong><br><\/span><strong>&#8211; Since 1901,<\/strong> the Nobel Prize has been awarded in the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace, while a memorial prize in economic sciences was added in<strong> 1968.<\/strong> <br>1. In 1895 <strong>Alfred Nobel<\/strong> gave the largest share of his fortune to a series of the Nobel Prizes.<br>&#8211; From Stockholm, the <strong>Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences<\/strong> confers the prizes <strong>for physics, chemistry, and economics,<\/strong> the<strong> Karolinska Institute confers the prize for physiology or medicine,<\/strong> and the <strong>Swedish Academy confers the prize for literature.\u00a0<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>The Norwegian Nobel Committee<\/strong> based in Oslo confers the <strong>prize for peace.<\/strong>\u00a0<br>&#8211; The <strong>Nobel Foundation<\/strong> is the l<strong>egal owner and functional administrator<\/strong> of the funds and serves as the joint administrative body of the prize-awarding institutions, but it is not concerned with the prize deliberations or decisions, which rest exclusively with the four institutions.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/science\/nobel-prize-medicine-winner-2023-katalin-karik%C3%B3-and-drew-weissman\/article67371585.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Facts In News<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Bihar Caste Survey<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS1\/Human Geography<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">In News<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Bihar government has released the results of its<strong> <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current-affairs\/21-01-2023\/caste-census-in-bihar\/\"><strong>survey of castes<\/strong><\/a> in the state.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Findings<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Total Population: <\/strong>Bihar\u2019s population, according to the survey, is 13,07,25,310, compared to the 10.41 crore recorded in the 2011 census.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Hindus comprise<strong> 81.99% <\/strong>of the population, and Muslims <strong>17.72%<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The populations of Buddhists, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, and other religious denominations are minuscule.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Other Backward Classes (OBCs)<\/strong> and <strong>Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) <\/strong>constitute more than <strong>63%<\/strong> of the population of Bihar.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The EBCs are the biggest social group comprising <strong>36.01%<\/strong> of the state\u2019s population.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The OBCs are <strong>27.12%,<\/strong> and the Scheduled Castes (SCs) are <strong>19.65%.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scheduled Tribes are <strong>1.68%,<\/strong> the bulk of the tribal population having become part of Jharkhand after the bifurcation of the state in 2000.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The \u201cunreserved\u201d category comprises<strong> 15.52%<\/strong> of the total population.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/lYIO47qJrkPHl8ua1U3gJDO22VOEYpI7ZNtMxmZS9TUhqLufqfOKDZmSNOo5UHD9ZaZR1lxueEnkMB0a6sihXP_q6MKomPSSiotpfWlAhK1_-AaWbMk8v-CJ7wkIlnVppgzkEdXVrd795YGP_8I6kuI\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-politics\/nitish-kumar-govt-4-takeaways-from-bihar-caste-survey-8965735\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">K\u00e1rm\u00e1n Line\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS 3\/Space\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">In News<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recently ,the K\u00e1rm\u00e1n Line was seen in the news .<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">About K\u00e1rm\u00e1n Line<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is located at <strong>100 km above sea level<\/strong>, it is an imaginary line that d<strong>emarcates the earth\u2019s atmosphere from space.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Though not all scientists and spacefarers accept it, a <strong>majority of countries<\/strong> and <strong>space organisations recognise<\/strong> this boundary between earthsky and space.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&nbsp;It was established in the <strong>1960s <\/strong>by a record-keeping body called <strong>F\u00e9d\u00e9ration A\u00e9ronautique Internationale (FAI).&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Within a short distance on either side of the line, there is <strong>no significant difference in the pressure or the composition of air.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The earth\u2019s gravity continues to exert its pull here.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Even the earth\u2019s atmosphere doesn\u2019t end here.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Need and Purpose\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The K\u00e1rm\u00e1n Line was established to regulate airspace. It marks, roughly, the altitude beyond which a traditional aircraft can\u2019t fly.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Any aircraft flying beyond it needs a propulsion system to pull away from the earth\u2019s tug.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It also acts as a legal reference that separates airspace that a country can claim to own from space itself, which is governed like international waters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/science\/karman-line-where-space-begins\/article67368859.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Cholera Disease<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus:<\/strong> Prelims\/General Science, GS2\/ Health<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">News<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A June 2023 study by researchers at the University of Florida found that <strong>Vibrio pathogens have a unique ability to \u2018stick\u2019 to microplastics<\/strong>, <strong>and that these microbes might be adapting to plastic<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">About<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cholera is a <strong>water-borne disease<\/strong> caused by two strains called <strong>O1 and O139 of the bacteria Vibrio cholerae.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Of these, O1 is responsible for almost all outbreaks; outbreaks of O139 are rare and none have been recorded outside Asia.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>According to the <strong>WHO\u2019s weekly epidemiological record<\/strong> (September 22), <strong>the world reported more than twice as many cholera cases in 2022 as it did in 2021<\/strong> .&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/0IqIzbeAFleiurVWuqcNvxpcfoVGi5e9FvftPbcBuWfBP1Pqj6L5OV1h-rD2kHRBXawTY8-wAg2yQnhekPJse5sZ0KuECKwzjikU7s26nH8bPA3gXC58rSRiix58i50a-dlGc6UVXowP9vmM72PFxvk\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:980px;height:375px\" width=\"980\" height=\"375\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Between these years, more than <strong>twice as many countries also reported at least 10,000 suspected as well as confirmed cases <\/strong>of cholera.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Both these trends suggest <strong>a reversal of a short-term trend, of declining prevalence since 2019.<\/strong> The reversal also complicates a target the WHO specified in 2017, <strong>to reduce the number of cholera deaths worldwide by 90% by 2030.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What Causes Cholera?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to the United Nations health body, \u201c<strong>Cholera transmission is closely linked to inadequate access to clean water and sanitation facilities.<\/strong>\u201d&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Vibrio cholerae bacteria also f<strong>avour warmer waters with lower salinity<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>All these conditions are created as a result of <strong>climate change<\/strong> which increases the likelihood of floods, heatwaves, intense monsoonal rains and storms, and the duration of warm periods and war.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The epidemiological record report blames l<strong>imited investments in providing care to those most vulnerable<\/strong> to the disease; the effects of <strong>climate change<\/strong>; and increasing <strong>conflict<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Recent Trends:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A 2021 study concluded that the <strong>length of the coastline favourable to the development of Vibrio bacteria could increase<\/strong> by 38,000 km by 2100 over the 1850-2014 average, in the SSP5-8.5 emissions scenario.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>According to the report, <strong>most cholera cases continue to be reported from Africa and Asia<\/strong>, with Europe accounting for a few \u201cimported cases\u201d (Chart 2 and Map 3).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/YJpw98nsVS_0VV1eS7DH7RlW47VNXKbhzzggBlwjxWKxnLa4ugt01BCFy4lj1E9bsbC5osnxWW6RcrOXoXPMCeJqE_es3p6Rdy7vwKZw9l7rVKIKSnHbPcA66FLVOatPf8zA1fa9dRCTfcBkzK1yUl0\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Source:<a href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/54165\/OPS\/GKUBQU3UO.1+GF1BQVBF5.1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> TH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF)<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus<\/strong>: Prelims\/Current Events of National Importance<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">News<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The price of <strong>Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) or jet fuel<\/strong> was hiked by 5% recently.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Aviation Turbine Fuel\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Jet fuel or aviation turbine fuel (ATF) is a <strong>special type of petroleum based fuel<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ATF is <strong>colorless and straw-like in appearance.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is used to <strong>power aircraft with jet and turbo-prop engines.<\/strong> Most commercial aviation companies use <strong>Jet A and Jet A-1 fuel as fuel.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Types of ATF<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Jet A-1 and Jet A turbine<\/strong> are the two main categories of fuel used in civil commercial aviation.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Other aviation fuels include military jet fuels, primarily <strong>JP-4, JP-5, and JP-8, all of which are kerosene type fuels.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">How are ATF Prices Determined?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Globally, ATF prices are <strong>highly and partially linked to crude oil prices <\/strong>as it is produced by the purification process of crude oil.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Thus, all those factors that affect crude oil prices like <strong>demand and supply, global economic scenario, natural disasters, monetary fluctuations, geopolitical tensions, <\/strong>and <strong>interest rates <\/strong>also affect its prices.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/business\/Economy\/commercial-lpg-prices-hiked-by-over-200\/article67368509.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Tortoise Trafficking Network<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Conservation, Species in News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">In News<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recently a study titled <strong>\u2018From pets to plates\u2019<\/strong> claims that Chennai is the highest-ranked node in the tortoise and hard-shell turtle trafficking network fuelling the global pet trade.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">About<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The first-of-its-kind study compared the supply networks of tortoise or hard-shell turtles and soft-shell turtles based on 78 and 64 seizures, respectively, reported in the media during 2013 to 2019.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Key Points of the Findings<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Tortoise or hard-shell turtles<\/strong> from India are traded to more places globally and through a wider trafficking network than soft-shell turtles.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The former is mostly <strong>traded as pets while the latter for meat<\/strong>, primarily within the country.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The trade network for pet turtles was also observed to be more organised than that for soft-shell turtles sold for meat.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh, Agra, and two districts of West Bengal \u2014 North 24 Parganas and Howrah \u2014 close to the India-Bangladesh border also rank high after Chennai.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u2018<strong>Asian turtle crisis\u2019 <\/strong>is a term often used to describe the<strong> current state of tortoises and freshwater turtles (TFTs) <\/strong>in the largest continent on earth. Wild populations of TFTs have suffered immensely due to the onslaught of habitat destruction and illegal and unsustainable harvest.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The study found that the <strong>tortoise and hard-shell turtle network had a larger geographical scale <\/strong>with more international trafficking links than the soft-shell turtle network.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The illegally traded tortoise \/ hard-shell turtles were often found to be transported by air, which indicated corruption at entry and exit points.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <strong>lack of training on and awareness of illegal wildlife trade<\/strong> amongst enforcement authorities at entry \/ exit points and a lack of functional scanning equipment may also facilitate trafficking<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Soft-Shell Turtle<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Softshells include some of the <strong>world\u2019s largest freshwater turtles<\/strong>, though many can adapt to living in highly brackish areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Members of this family o<strong>ccur in Africa, Asia, and North America, with extinct species known from Australia.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Softshell turtles lack the hard shell or carapace<\/strong>, which is characteristic of most turtle species. Instead, their shell is more like leather than hard and bony. It lacks the large scales known as scutes that make up the hard carapace of other turtle species.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>Indian Softshell turtle<\/strong>, also known as the <strong>Ganges Softshell Turtle<\/strong>, is a reptile found in freshwater habitats and its distribution is restricted to the Ganges, Indus and Mahanadi rivers in northern and eastern India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Tortoise or Hard-Shell Turtles<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>shell in tortoises is generally hard<\/strong>, and like other members of the suborder Cryptodira, they retract their necks and heads directly backward into the shell to protect them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tortoises are generally<strong> considered to be strict herbivores<\/strong>, feeding on grasses, weeds, leafy greens, flowers, and some fruits. However, hunting and eating of birds has been observed on occasion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tortoises are found from <strong>southern North America to southern South America<\/strong>, around the Mediterranean basin, across Eurasia to Southeast Asia, in sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and some Pacific islands.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/energy-and-environment\/chennai-top-node-in-tortoise-trafficking-network-says-study\/article67345133.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/3_10_DCA.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Deaths in India\u2019s Prisons Syllabus: GS2\/Social Justice, GS2\/ Governance News Background Classification of Prison Deaths Unnatural Deaths of Inmates in Prisons in 2021 Issues with Classification Concerns Regarding Prison Conditions Recommendations for Welfare of Prisoners Source: TH Southeast Asia&#8217;s First High-Speed Railway Syllabus: GS2\/International Relation In News About China\u2019s Connectivity Projects in Southeast Asia Source: [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17786","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17786","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17786"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17786\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17794,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17786\/revisions\/17794"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17786"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17786"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17786"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}