Daily Prelims Notes 1 June 2023

Daily Prelims Notes

1 June 2023

Table Of Contents

1. Global Treaty on Plastic Pollution
2. Gharial conservation
3. World No Tobacco Day: Tobacco farming adding to global food crisis, says WHO
4. CPCB’s new guidelines for India’s stone crusher sector a welcome step
5. Graphene
6. China’s military diplomacy in SE Asia
7. Green GDP
8. Coal India – Divestment for FY 2023-24
9. Government to create 70mt grain storage
10. Countries must be allowed to prepare own plans for SAF: India
11. North Korea spy satellite launch fails as Chollima-1 rocket falls into the sea
12. OTT platforms mandated to show anti-tobacco warnings
13. UAE withdraws from U.S.-led maritime coalition in the Gulf
14. Cabinet nod for second phase of CITIIS programme
15. India joins global laboratory network for vaccine tests
16. ‘Risks to 6.5% growth goal more evenly balanced now’
17. Venice Grand Canal

1. Global Treaty on Plastic Pollution

Subject: Environment

Section: Pollution

Context: A United Nations committee met in Paris Monday to work on what is intended to be a landmark treaty to bring an end to global plastic pollution.

Background:

On March 2, 2022, representatives from over 200 countries gathered in Nairobi, Kenya for the UNEA-5. The assembly then created history when 175 countries unanimously agreed on a UN framework to fight global plastic pollution.

Concept:

• Plastic pollution has been deemed as one of the most important crises of the modern world. Studies estimate there are now 15–51 trillion pieces of plastic in the world’s oceans. At current rates, plastic is expected to outweigh all the fish in the sea by 2050.
• Plastic waste produced globally is set to almost triple by 2060, with about half ending up in landfills and under a fifth recycled, according to the OECD.
• The resolution agreed at the UNEA calls for global rules, financing and enforcement mechanisms aimed at regulating plastics from manufacture through disposal, all to hopefully be hammered out by the end of 2024, with the final treaty language negotiated before 2025.
• This treaty will serve as a framework for an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop a legally binding agreementmandating countries to reduce, recycle, and manage plastic pollution, particularly in the oceans, through national objectives and strategies.
• The resolution has been described by the head of the UNEP as the most important multilateral environmental deal since the Paris climate accord in 2015. Countries like India and Japaninitially held firm against restrictions on production but were persuaded to go along.

Plastic Pollution

UNEP’s Clean Seas 2.0: From Source- to- Sea:       

• Launched in 2017, the Clean Seas campaign engages governments, the general public, civil society and the private sector to strengthen effective action plans on marine litter and plastic pollution. Currently, 63 countries are Clean Seas signatories.
• Clean Seas 2.0 initial focus on single-use plastics and their elimination, communicating the root causes associated with the production, use and disposal of unnecessary, avoidable and problematic plastics thereby following an evidence-based approach.
• Its topic areas will cover a range of products, including packaging, ghost fishing gear, tyres and textiles.
• 0 leverages two key river-focussed UNEP projects: CounterMEASURE and Mississippi River Plastic Pollution Initiative.
• The “CounterMEASURE” uses cutting-edge technology to identify the source of plastic pollution in river systems in Asia – primarily the Ganges and Mekong. Through a combination of citizen science, drone imaging, machine learning and geographic analyses, the project collects data and identifies plastic waste hotspots and shares it with partner organizations and governments across the region.
• Citizen science is a critical aspect of the “Mississippi River Plastic Pollution Initiative” also led by UNEP in partnership with the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative and the University of Georgia.
• UNEP and the Ellen Mc Arthur Foundation also co-lead the Global Commitment, which has established a common vision of a circular economy for plastics by 2025.
• Through the Global Partnership on Marine Litter, UNEP is developing a Digital Platform to bring together and connect actors and information to catalyse action before plastic pollution ends up in the ocean.

Existing international instruments

• The 1972 Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter (or the London Convention).
• The 1996 Protocol to the London Convention (the London Protocol).
• The 1978 Protocol to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).

2. Gharial conservation

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Context:

• The collective efforts of local authorities and conservationists caused gharial nest numbers in Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) rise to 36 in 2022, from 19 in 2019.

Details:

• The conservation efforts of critically endangered gharial in KWS were started in 1970s.
• The government launched a crocodile conservation project in 1975, with a goal to increase the numbers of India’s three crocodilian species – the freshwater crocodile, the gharial and the saltwater crocodile.
• They began breeding and rearing them in captivity and then releasing them in the wild.

Gharial:

• Gharials are endemic to South Asia.
• Historically, they were found in the riverine ecosystems of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and southern parts of Bhutan and Nepal.
• According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), an estimated 5,000 gharials could be found in the wild in the 1940s.
• By 1976, there were less than 200. In India, this fish-eating reptile was on the brink of extinction at the time, with populations dropping by about 96% across its entire distribution range.
• Presently, In India, they are found within the tributaries of the Ganga: Girwa(Uttar Pradesh), Son (Madhya Pradesh), Ramganga (Uttarakhand), Mahanadi (Odisha), Gandak(Bihar), and Chambal (Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan).

Conservation status:

• Under the Schedule-1 in Wildlife Protection Act 1972
• IUCN Red list: Critically endangered

Role in the ecosystem:

• Gharials are top predators and keystone species in running freshwater systems.
• They play a crucial role in bringing nutrients from the bottom of the riverbed to the surface, thus increasing fish populations and helping maintain the aquatic ecosystem.
• Of the three crocodilian species, the gharial is the most efficient fish catcher because of its unique snout.

Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS):

• KWS was among the first five sanctuaries declared since the project began, as it was home to gharial populations breeding in the  Girwa river.
• Other sanctuaries were:
  • The National Chambal Sanctuary (largest gharial conservation centre in India),
  • Satkosia Gorge Wildlife Sanctuary,
  • Son Gharial Sanctuary and
  • Ken Gharial Sanctuary.
• Kukrail Gharial Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

Reasons for the decline of the gharial population:

• After the initial success of the conserbation-cum-captive breeding project, the government stopped the captive breeding programme, thus the gharial population falls by 58%.
• Construction of Girijapuri barrage across Girwa River.
• Vegetative growth on sandy plains in the girwa river hinders the hatching activities of gharial.
• Habitat destruction
• Pollution in river streams.

3. World No Tobacco Day: Tobacco farming adding to global food crisis, says WHO

Subject :Geography

Section: Economic geography

Context:

• Tobacco farming is taking up millions of acres of fertile land that can help feed these people, as per a WHO report.

Details:

• World tobacco day: 31 May
• Tobacco growing harms the health of people, farmers and even the planet’s health.
• Tobacco is grown in over 124 countries, taking up valuable farming land that can address nutrition challenges and help feed families instead.
• The WHO report further pointed out the serious health impacts on tobacco farmers due to the heavy use of pesticides and high absorption of nicotine through the skin due to its farming.
• Growing tobacco is also not profitable for many farmers.

Tobacco crop:

• Tobacco cultivation in India was introduced by the Portuguese in 1605.
• It is a drought-tolerant, hardy and short-duration crop which can be grown on soils where other crops cannot be cultivated profitably.
• The cultivation of tobacco usually takes place annually.
• The tobacco is germinated in cold frames or hotbeds and then transplanted to the field until it matures.
• It is grown in warm climates with rich, well-drained soil.
• For tobacco 50-100cm annual rainfall and 15-20^o C temperature during the growth period is ideal.
• Tobacco cannot stand if rainfall is more than 100cm. After harvesting to dry the leaves it requires bright sunshine & dry weather but not less than containing 8% moisture.
• About 4.2 million hectares of tobacco were under cultivation worldwide in 2000, yielding over seven million tonnes of tobacco.

Varieties of tobacco crop:

• Ninety-three varieties including Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) (29), Burley (3), Natu (5), Lanka (2), Chewing (17), Bidi (15), Cheroot (3), Cigar (4), Hookah & chewing (15) types have been released for the farming community. Breeding efforts are made for developing varieties with high solanesol, high flavour, low nicotine etc. CMS hybrids having higher levels of flavour compounds have also been developed.
• 80-85% of India’s tobacco exports continue to be FCV alone.

Top products:

• The top producers of tobacco are China (39.6%), India (8.3%), Brazil (7.0%) and the United States (4.6%).
• In India, Andhra Pradesh is the largest producer of tobacco. Gujrat, Karnataka, Bihar and Odisha are other tobacco-producing states.
• India has seven tobacco research centres that are located in: Jeelugumilli, A.P., Kandukuru, A.P., Guntur, A.P., Kalavacherla, A.P., Hunsur, Karnataka,Vedasandur, Tamil Nadu,Dinhata, West Bengal; and Rajahmundry houses the core research institute.
• The government has set up Tobacco Board Guntur which works to increase the production, sale and exports of Indian tobacco. Guntur is also well known for its tobacco plantations.
•  India is one of the leading exporters of tobacco and occupies second place after Brazil. The country accounts for 6% by volume and 0.7% by value of the world tobacco trade.

Risks faced by tobacco farmers:

• Farmers are trapped in a vicious cycle of debt as a result of unfair contractual agreements with the industry.
• Green tobacco sickness, a form of occupational poisoning which is caused by nicotine absorbed through the skin from the handling of wet tobacco leaves,
• Exposure to heavy use of pesticides and exposure to tobacco dust.
• Child labour and gender inequality.
• Environment pollution.

Smoke from the burning of cigarettes:

• Smoke from a burning cigarette is a concentrated aerosol of liquid particles suspended in an atmosphere consisting mainly of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.
• Researchers have also described cigarette smoke as a “lightly charged, highly concentrated matrix of submicron particles contained in a gas with each particle being a multi-compositional collection of compounds arising from distillation, pyrolysis, and combustion of tobacco”
• Tobacco smoke is a complex and dynamic chemical mixture.
• It contains pollutants such as Carbon monoxide and Benzene.
• Researchers have analyzed whole smoke or used chemical and physical means to separately examine the gas and particulate portions of tobacco smoke.

WHO campaign to end tobacco production:

• 2023 marks 20 years of member states unanimously adopting the first public health treaty negotiated under the WHO Constitution — the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, also called WHO-FCTC.
• This treaty is the first international agreement to reduce tobacco consumption and its devastating health effects.
• The WHO campaign encouraged governments to end tobacco growing subsidies and use the savings to support farmers to switch to more sustainable crops that improve food security and nutrition.
• It also aimed to raise awareness about moving away from growing tobacco and growing sustainable crops instead.

4. CPCB’s new guidelines for India’s stone crusher sector a welcome step

Subject :Environment

Section: Pollution

Context:

• The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) published the Environmental Guidelines for Stone Crushing units

Details:

• The stone crusher sector is responsible for significant fugitive dust emissions and causes severe air pollution.
• The Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA) banned the operation of the stone crusher units, along with brick kilns and hot mix plants, under the implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
• The guidelines are in alignment with the recommendations made by New Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
• Stone-crushing products tend to get airborne under the effect of strong winds and worsen the surrounding air quality. To tackle this, the central board also added measures for product storage as well.

The CPCB guidelines cover various aspects of stone crushing, such as source emissions, product storage, transportation, water consumption and legal compliance. Some of the key features of the guidelines are:

• The stone crushers should obtain consent to establish and consent to operate (CTO) from the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) before starting their operations.
• Stone crushing unit shall comply with emission norms prescribed under the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 and conditions laid down in CTO by concerned SPCB/PCC.
• They should install adequate pollution control devices, such as dust suppression systems, covers, screens and sprinklers, to reduce the dust emissions from crushing, loading and unloading activities.
• They should also store their products in covered areas or silos to prevent wind-blown dust.
• The stone crushers should use water judiciously and ensure its availability and quality and procure their raw material from legal sources and maintain proper records of their transactions.
• A District Level Committee is to be constituted under the chairmanship of the District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner so that surprise inspections for surveillance of stone-crushing units located under their jurisdiction can be carried out on a regular basis.
• Health surveys of workers should be carried out by the stone crusher on a half-yearly basis.

What is the Issue Associated with Stone Crushing Units?

• Stone-crushing units are one of the major sources of air pollution in India.
• These units produce crushed stones that are used as raw materials for various construction activities.
• However, the process of stone crushing also generates a lot of dust that affects the health of the workers and the surrounding population.
• Moreover, stone mining is also associated with this activity, which further degrades the environment.

What is the Central Pollution Control Board?

• The CPCB is a statutory organisation that was established in September 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
• Further, CPCB was entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
• It is the apex body for environmental protection and pollution control in India. It functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and coordinates with the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and other agencies.
• The CPCB has various divisions that deal with different aspects of pollution control such as air quality management, water quality management, hazardous waste management, environmental assessment, laboratory services, information technology, public participation etc.

5. Graphene

Subject: Science & Tech

Section: Chemistry

Context: Graphene along with AI and Quantum computing will disrupt the existing human machine interface in the next couple of decades.

Concept:

Graphene:

• Graphene is the world’s thinnest, strongest, and most conductive material of both electricity and heat.
• It conducts electricity better than copper. It is 200 times stronger than steel but six times lighter.
• It is almost perfectly transparent as it absorbs only 2% of light.
• It is impermeable to gases, even those as light as hydrogen and helium.

Uses:

• Graphene composites are used in aerospace, automotive, sports equipment and construction. 
• It is used for high performance batteries and supercapacitors, touchscreens, and conductive inks.
• Graphene based sensors are used for environmental monitoring, healthcare and wearable devices.
• Graphene oxide membranes are used for water purification and desalination.
• Graphene based maskswere made during COVID.
• Defence: Its exceptional strength makes it promising material for armour and ballistic protection. It has the potential to absorb and dissipate electromagnetic waves, making it valuable for developing stealth coatings and materials that reduce radar signatures and electromagnetic interference.
• Graphene is highly sensitive to environmental changes, which makes it excellent in sensing chemical and biological agents, explosives, radiation, and other hazardous substances. This can also protect us against chemical and biological attacks.

6. China’s military diplomacy in SE Asia

Subject: International Relations

Section: Neighboring countries

Context: Due to its intensifying geopolitical competition with the U.S. and its own security interests in the region, China is expanding its military outreach to Southeast Asian countries.

Content:

• Firstly, China has put excessive emphasis on defence diplomacy under his flagship Global Security Initiative (GSI). 
• Further, due to the increasing proximity of the U.S. with the Philippines, with whom China shares a disputed maritime border in the Luzon Strait in the South China Sea, and Philippines’ decision to provide the U.S. with access to four military bases in addition to the five bases the U.S. already had access to, under the 2014 Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement between the two sides are worrisome for China.
• Bases are advantageous for the U.S. during offensive against China, as they help fulfil purposes such as refuel and resupply for warships, intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR), and blocking Chinese trade through critical chokepoints in the South China Sea.
• To defend its claims and interests in the region, China is likely to pursue both aggressive military posturing and diplomacy in Southeast Asia. Examples include:
• Friendship Shield:  bilateral military exercise between People’s Liberation (PLA) and Laotian People’s Armed Forces (LPAF)
• ‘Golden Dragon’ drills: PLA with Cambodia
• PLA STC conducted a joint exercise with the Singaporean Navy.

Global Security Initiative:

• The Global Security Initiative (GSI), a China-led frameworkaiming to restore stability and security in Asia, appears to be more of a counter-narrative to U.S. leadership rather than a genuine attempt to establish a sustainable security order.
• It was stated that the five major pillars to implement GSI would be: Mutual respect, Openness and inclusion, Multilateralism, Mutual benefit, Holistic approach.
• Key Principles of GSI:
• China held that the Global security initiative is envisaged to uphold the principle of “indivisible security”. The principle of “indivisible security” means that no country can strengthen its own security at the expense of others.
• This initiative would build an Asian security model of mutual respect, openness and integration.
• It would oppose the destruction of the international order under the banner of so-called rules.
• It will also oppose the dragging of the world under the cloud of the new cold war.
• This initiative will oppose the use of the Indo-Pacific strategy to divide the region and create a new Cold War, and the use of military alliances to put together an Asian version of NATO.

7. Green GDP

Subject :Economy

Section: National Income

• Green GDP is a term used for expressing GDP after adjusting for environment degradations.
• Green GDP is an attempt to measure the growth of an economy by subtracting the costs of environmental damages and ecological degradations from the GDP
• The concept was first initiated through a System of National Accounts.
• The System of National Accounts (SNA) is an accounting framework for measuring the economic activities of production, consumption and accumulation of wealth in an economy during a period of time. When information on economy’s use of the natural environment is integrated into the system of national accounts, it becomes green national accounts or environmental accounting.
• The process of environmental accounting involves three steps viz. Physical accounting; Monetary valuation; and integration with national Income/wealth Accounts.
• Physical accounting determines the state of the resources, types, and extent (qualitative and quantitative) in spatial and temporal terms.
• Monetary valuation is done to determine its tangible and intangible components.
• Thereafter, the net change in natural resources in monetary terms is integrated into the Gross Domestic Product in order to reach the value of Green GDP.

8. Coal India – Divestment for FY 2023-24

Subject :Economy

Section: National economy

• Government’s bid to divest up to 3% equity stake in the company through offer for sale of shares (OFS).
• Centre is likely to raise about Rs 4,200 crore from the sale of the full 3% stake at the base price of Rs 225 per share.
• Government currently holds a 13% stake in the coal mining PSU.
• A green shoe option to further sell an additional 1.5% over the base offer, which will be exercised in case of oversubscription.

Related points:

• Government of India, who set a disinvestment of Rs 51,000 crore for the fiscal year 2024 which is lower than the previous financial year.
• Coal India produced 622 MMT (million metric tonne) coal in 2022. Out of it, coking coal production is 54 MMT.

• Disinvestment means sale or liquidation of assets by the government, usually Central and state public sector enterprises, projects, or other fixed assets.
• The government undertakes disinvestment to reduce the fiscal burden on the exchequer, or to raise money for meeting specific needs, such as to bridge the revenue shortfall from other regular sources. In some cases, disinvestment may be done to privatise assets.
• However, not all disinvestment is privatisation.
• Some of the benefits of disinvestment are that it can be helpful in the long-term growth of the country; it allows the government and even the company to reduce debt. Disinvestment allows a larger share of PSU ownership in the open market, which in turn allows for the development of a strong capital market in India.
• There is a separate department under the Ministry of Finance which handles all disinvestment-related works for the government.
• On 10 December 1999, the Department of Disinvestment was set up as a separate department and later renamed as Department of Investment and Public Asset Management.
• Disinvestment targets are set under each Union Budget, and every year the targets change. The government takes the final decision on whether to raise the divestment target or not.
• As per the latest policy, disinvestment now covers two types: (1) disinvestment through minority stake sale and (2) strategic disinvestment.
• Public Sector Undertakings are the wealth of the Nation and to ensure this wealth rests in the hands of the people, promote public ownership of CPSEs;
• In the case of disinvestment through minority stake (share) sale in listed CPSEs, the Government will retain majority shareholding, i.e. at least 51 per cent of the shareholding and management control of the Public Sector Undertakings;
• Strategic disinvestment by way of sale of substantial portion of Government shareholding in identified CPSEs up to 50 per cent or more, along with transfer of management control.

9. Government to create 70mt grain storage

Subject :Economy

Section: Agriculture

Key Points:

• Cabinet has approved the constitution and empowerment of an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) for facilitation of the “world’s largest grain storage plan in the co-operative sector.”
  • Committee will be chaired by Minister of Cooperation with Minister and have following as members:
    • Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare,
    • Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution,
    • Minister of Food Processing Industries and
    • Secretaries concerned as members.
  • Ministry of Cooperation will implement a pilot in at least 10 districts.
• 70 million tonne capacity to be added in next five years, with a scheme outlay of Rs 1-lakh crore. The funds will be mobilised through following funds/schemes:

• Each block will have 2,000 tonne capacity that will be managed by the Block Development Officer (BDO)
• In addition Primary Agriculture Co-operative Society (PACS) will establish, operate and manage godowns with capacity between 500 and 2,000 tonnes.

Objectives:

• Prevent distress sale of crops by giving farmers an options other than selling immediately, thus enabling the farmers to realise better prices for their produce.
• Drastically reduce the cost incurred in transportation of food grains to procurement centres and again transporting the stocks back from warehouses to the Fair Price Shops (FPS)

10. Countries must be allowed to prepare own plans for SAF: India

Subject : Economy

Section  : Msc

Concept :

• India on Wednesday asserted that global mandates for Sustainable Aviation Fuel with 2050 as the target year was “too early” and that each State must be allowed to develop its strategy as per its national plans.
• It also sought support from the UN Aviation watchdog ICAO to achieve carbon net zero goals alongside other priorities in the aviation sector such as growing aspirations of passengers.
• The 41st International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Assembly adopted a long-term global aspirational goal (LTAG) for international aviation of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 in support of the UNFCCC Paris Agreement’s goal to limit global warming to 1.5 degree celsius and reach net zero by 2050.
• This was preceded by a resolution at the 77th IATA Annual General Meeting in Boston, USA, on October 4, 2021, where a resolution was passed by member airlines committing them to achieving net-zero carbon emissions from their operations by 2050.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

• Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), also referred to as bio-jet fuel, is created using domestically developed methods using cooking oil and oil-rich seeds from plants.
• The SAF samples produced by the institutes are undergoing strict testing at the US Federal Aviation Administration Clearinghouse to meet the standards required for the ASTM D4054 certification from ASTM International.
• Sources of Production:
  • The CSIR-IIP has created fuel using different materials, such as non-edible and edible oils, as well as used cooking oil.
  • They used various sources, including palm stearin, sapium oil, palm fatty acid distillates, algae oil, karanja, and jatropha.
• Benefits of SAF Scaling in India:
  • Scaling up the production and use of SAF in India can bring several benefits, including reducing GHG emissions, improving air quality, enhancing energy security, creating jobs in the renewable energy sector, and promoting sustainable development.
  • It can also help the aviation industry meet its environmental targets and contribute to global efforts to combat climate change.
• Biofuel for aviation can be mixed with regular jet fuel and used together. Compared to traditional fuel, it has lower sulfur content, which can decrease air pollution and support India’s goal of achieving Net Zero emissions.

ASTM Certification

• ASTM International, formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials, is a global organization that develops and publishes technical standards for a wide range of products, materials, and systems.
• ASTM standards are used by industry, governments, and other organizations to ensure quality, safety and reliability in products and processes.
• ASTM certification is a process by which a product or material is tested and evaluated against relevant ASTM standards.
• Certification can be used to demonstrate that a product or material meets certain requirements, such as performance specifications, safety standards, or environmental regulations etc.

11. North Korea spy satellite launch fails as Chollima-1 rocket falls into the sea

Subject : International Relations

Section: International events

Concept :

• North Korea’s attempt to put its first spy satellite into space failed in a setback to leader Kim Jong Un’s push to boost his military capabilities as tensions with the United States and South Korea rise.
• After an unusually quick admission of failure, North Korea vowed to conduct a second launch after it learns what went wrong. It suggests Kim remains determined to expand his weapons arsenal and apply more pressure on Washington and Seoul while diplomacy is stalled.
• A satellite launch by North Korea is a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban the country from conducting any launch based on ballistic technology.
• The newly developed Chollima-1 rocket was launched at the North’s Sohae Satellite Launching Ground in the northwest, carrying the Malligyong-1 satellite. The rocket crashed off the Korean Peninsula’s western coast after it lost thrust following the separation of its first and second stages.

38th Parallel Line :

• The 38th parallel is a circle of latitude 38 degrees north of the equatorial plane.
• This line divides the Korean peninsula roughly in half (leaving about 56% of Korean territory on the northern side).
• 38th parallel, popular name given to latitude 38° N that in East Asia roughly demarcates North Korea and South Korea.
• The line was chosen by U.S. military planners at the Potsdam Conference (July 1945) near the end of World War II as an army boundary, north of which the U.S.S.R
• The actual border between North and South Korea slants across this circle of latitude, finishing some distance north of it on the east coast.

12. OTT platforms mandated to show anti-tobacco warnings

Subject :Polity

Section: Msc

Concept :

• On World No-Tobacco Day, the Union Health Minister issued OTT (over-the-top) guidelines for the control of tobacco product depiction in online curated content.

Health warnings, advertisements, and disclaimers

• Publishers of online curated content that depicts tobacco products or their use will be forced to follow strict criteria.
• These include the display of anti-tobacco health advertisements that last at least thirty seconds at the start and middle of the programme. Furthermore, during the display of tobacco goods or their usage, publishers must post anti-tobacco health warnings as a noticeable static notice at the bottom of the screen.
• In addition, at the beginning and middle of the programme, an audio-visual disclaimer on the dangers of tobacco smoking must be broadcast for at least twenty seconds.

Access to content

• The publisher of the online curated content will have access to the health ads, messages, and disclaimers.

Legibility and language

• The anti-tobacco health warning message must be visible and readable, with black font on a white background, and must include the warnings “Tobacco causes cancer” or “Tobacco kills.”
• In addition, the health warning message, health spot, and audio-visual disclaimer must be in the same language as the online curated content.

Display restrictions

• The exhibition of tobacco products or their usage in online curated content that includes the brands of cigarettes or other tobacco products, as well as any type of tobacco product placement, is forbidden.
• Furthermore, the exhibition or usage of tobacco products in promotional materials is prohibited.

World No-Tobacco Day

• World No Tobacco Day is observed around the world every year on 31st May.
• It is a global campaign that aims to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco growing and consumption on human health, food security and the environment.
• The theme for this year is “We need food, not tobacco”.

Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003

• The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 or COTPA, 2003 is an Act of Parliament of India enacted in 2003 to prohibit advertisement of, and to provide for the regulation of trade and commerce in, and production, supply and distribution of cigarettes and other tobacco products in India.
• The Act was enacted by the Parliament to give effect to the Resolution passed by the 39th World Health Assembly, urging the member states to implement measures to provide non-smokers protection from involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke.

Provisions of COTPA

• The Act prohibits smoking of tobacco in public places, except in special smoking zones in hotels, restaurants and airports and open spaces.
• Advertisement of tobacco products including cigarettes is prohibited.
• Tobacco products cannot be sold to person below the age of 18 years, and in places within 100 yards radius from the outer boundary of an institution of education, which includes school colleges and institutions of higher learning established or recognized by an appropriate authority.
• Tobacco products must be sold, supplied or distributed in a package which shall contain an appropriate pictorial warning, its nicotine and tar contents.
• The owner/manager/in-charge of a public place must display a board containing the warning “No Smoking Area – Smoking here is an offence ” in appropriate manner at the entrance and inside the premises.
• The Act also gives power to any police officer, not below the rank of a sub-inspector or any officer of State Food or Drug Administration or any other officer, holding the equivalent rank being not below the rank of Sub-Inspector of Police for search and seizure of premises where tobacco products are produced, stored or sold, if he suspects that the provision of the Act has been violated.

13. UAE withdraws from U.S.-led maritime coalition in the Gulf

Subject : International Relations

Section: International Affairs

Concept :

• The United Arab Emirates has withdrawn from a U.S.-led maritime coalition tasked with securing tense Gulf waterways that are vital to the global oil trade.

Background

• The Bahrain-headquartered CMF was established in 2001, initially as a partnership between 12 nations.
• It is active in crucial but troubled Gulf waters where tankers have been seized and attacked in recent months.

Details

• India is not a member of CMF. At the India-US 2+2 dialogue held in April (2022), India had announced that it would join the CMF as an Associate Partner.
• Associate members to provide resources, personnel and cooperative engagement based on the needs and requirements.
• The Indian Navy could be contributing a warship whenever required.

Combined Maritime Forces

• It is a multinational naval partnership to promote security, stability and prosperity.
• This is a 34 members grouping commanded by a U.S. Navy Vice Admiral.
• The maritime forces are based in Bahrain and undertake counter-terrorism, counter-piracy and regional cooperation.
• Pakistan is a full member of the Combined Maritime Forces.
• It comprises three task forces:
• CTF 150 (maritime security and counter-terrorism).
• CTF 151 (counter-piracy).
• CTF 152 (Arabian Gulf security and cooperation).
• It is a flexible organization and members are not bound by either a political or military mandate.
• India has in the past cooperated with CMF on various occasions.

14. Cabinet nod for second phase of CITIIS programme

Subject : International Relations

Section: International Conventions

Concept :

• Cabinet approves City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0) from 2023 to 2027.

CITIIS 2.0

• CITIIS 2.0 is a program conceived by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in partnership with:
• the French Development Agency (AFD),
• Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW),
• the European Union (EU), and
• National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).
• Duration: The program will run for a period of four years, i.e., from 2023 till 2027.
• Aim:
  • The program envisages to support competitively selected projects promoting circular economy with focus on:
  • integrated waste management at the city level,
  • climate-oriented reform actions at the State level, and
  • institutional strengthening and knowledge dissemination at the National level.
  • CITIIS 2.0 aims to leverage and scale up the learnings and successes of CITIIS 1.0.
• Funding:
  • The funding for CITIIS 2.0 would include:
  • a loan of Rs.1760 crore (EUR 200 million) from AFD and
  • KfW (EUR 100 million each) and
  • a technical assistance grant of Rs.106 cr. (EUR 12 million) from the EU.
• CITIIS 1.0:
  • CITIIS 1.0 was launched jointly in 2018 by MoHUA, AFD, EU, and NIUA, with a total outlay of ₹933 crore (EUR 106 million).
  • CITIIS 1.0 consisted of three components:
  • Component 1: 12 city-level projects selected through a competitive process.
  • Component 2: Capacity-development activities in the State of Odisha.
  • Component 3: Promoting integrated urban management at the national level through activities undertaken by NIUA, which was the Program Management Unit (PMU) for CITIIS 1.0
• Impact:
  • It has resulted in the mainstreaming of innovative, integrated and sustainable urban development practices through a unique challenge-driven financing model based on the principles of competitive and cooperative federalism.
  • CITIIS 2.0 will supplement the climate actions of Government of India through:
  • its ongoing National programs (National Mission on Sustainable Habitat, AMRUT 2.0, Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 and Smart Cities Mission),
  • contributing positively to India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and Conference of the Parties (COP26) commitments.

15. India joins global laboratory network for vaccine tests

Subject : Science and technology

Section: Biotechnology

Concept :

• India has recently become a member of the Centralized Laboratory Network (CLN), which is a part of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

Centralised Laboratory Network (CLN)

• CLN consists of 15 partner facilities in 13 countries and aims to test vaccines for use during pandemics and epidemic disease outbreaks.
• It focuses on testing vaccines for pandemic and epidemic disease outbreaks.
• It is part of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
• The network aims to standardize testing methods and materials.

New members of the CLN

• Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV) joins CLN.
• Institute Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) from Senegal is a new member.
• KAVI Institute of Clinical Research (KAVI ICR) and University of Nairobi Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases (UNITID) from Kenya join CLN.
• Synexa Life Sciences from South Africa becomes a member.
• Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) from Uganda is also a new member.

Objectives of the CEPI-funded network

• The CEPI-funded network aims to identify promising vaccine candidates rapidly and accurately.
• The network focuses on emerging infectious diseases.
• The goal is to support sustainable regional outbreak preparedness infrastructure.

CEPI-Funded Network Objectives

• The CEPI-funded network, which includes CLN, has the primary objective of identifying the most promising vaccine candidates rapidly and accurately against emerging infectious diseases.
• In addition to vaccine testing, the expanded network also aims to support the development of sustainable regional outbreak preparedness infrastructure.
• By working collaboratively and sharing standardized methods and materials, the network enhances global preparedness for potential disease outbreaks.

16. ‘Risks to 6.5% growth goal more evenly balanced now’

Subject :  Economy

Section: National Income

Concept :

• Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) expressed confidence that the risks to India’s projected GDP growth trajectory of 6.5% in 2023-24 were more evenly balanced now.
• Compared with a few months ago, there is momentum across sectors along with rising private investments and public capex spending would prove to be buffers against external risks.

About Chief Economic Adviser (CEA)

• The Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) is a post in Government of India and is equivalent to rank of Secretary to the Government of India.
• The CEA is the ex-officio cadre controlling authority of the Indian Economic Service.
• The CEA is head of Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
• Until 2009, the CEA’s position was a Union Public Service Commission appointment and until the 1970s almost all CEAs were members of the Indian Economic Service.
• The CEA reports directly to the Minister of Finance.

Functions :

• The key roles of India’s chief economic advisor are to determine the government’s overall strategy in managing the economy. The Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) advises the Government of India on matters related to finance, commerce, trade, economy.
• The Economic Division examines domestic and international economic trends. It undertakes research studies focusing on economic policies and management of the economy. Based on the research it provides advice to the Government of India.
• Help prepare the government’s annual Economic Survey preceding the Union Budget, which provides a glimpse into its economic hits and misses.
• Study and advice about financial market risks.
• To help with advice in times of global turmoil.
• To contribute in preparing the budget.

17. Venice Grand Canal

Subject : International Relations

Section: Places in news

Concept :

• The spectacular transformation of a stretch of Venice’s Grand Canal to fluorescent green was due to fluorescein, a non-toxic substance used for testing wastewater networks, local authorities have concluded
• Residents noticed a stretch of Venice’s Grand Canal turned bright green on Sunday, prompting police to investigate amid speculation it could be a stunt by environmentalists.
• Local authorities has said that test samples of the water confirmed that the canal’s bright new hue was caused by fluorescein, a chemical often used to find leaks during underwater construction. Now, Italian officials are investigating how the chemical got into the canal.

About Fluorescein

• Fluorescein is an organic compound and dye based on the xanthene tricyclic structural motif, formally belonging to triarylmethine dyes family.
• It is available as a dark orange/red powder slightly soluble in water and alcohol. It is widely used as a fluorescent tracer for many applications.
• The color of its aqueous solutions is green by reflection and orange by transmission (its spectral properties are dependent on pH of the solution), as can be noticed in bubble levels, for example, in which fluorescein is added as a colorant to the alcohol filling the tube in order to increase the visibility of the air bubble contained within.
• More concentrated solutions of fluorescein can even appear red (because under these conditions nearly all incident emission is re-absorbed by the solution).
• It is on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines.

About the famous canal and gondolas of Venice-

• Located in northern Italy, the city of Venice has a unique geography.
• It is a collection of over 118 small islands spread over a lagoon, which is a kind of water body that is separated from a larger water body through some kind of land formation.
• Covering 70,176.4 ha, Venetian lagoon is separated from the Adriatic Sea.
• According to UNESCO, temporary settlements in the 5th century gradually became permanent here, comprising land-dwelling peasants and fishermen.
• UNESCO states that Venice and its lagoon landscape is the result of a dynamic process which illustrates the interaction between people and the ecosystem of their natural environment over time.

Venice(City of Canals)-

• Venice, the capital of northern Italy’s Veneto region, is built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea.
• The islands are in the shallow Venetian Lagoon, an enclosed bay lying between the mouths of the Po and the Piave rivers (more exactly between the Brenta and the Sile).
• It has no roads, just canals – including the Grand Canal thoroughfare – lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces.
• The central square, Piazza San Marco, contains St. Mark’s Basilica, which is tiled with Byzantine mosaics, and the Campanile bell tower offering views of the city’s red roofs.