Context: A group of scientists affiliated with research institutes in China and Japan have reported finding a sign of superconductivity in a material that was at the centre of a controversy last year over similar claims. The sign in question is called the Meissner effect. 

About:

Superconductivity is an inherent property found in various materials, including chemical elements (e.g., mercury or lead), alloys (such as niobium-titanium, germanium-niobium, and niobium nitride), ceramics (YBCO and magnesium diboride), and organic superconductors (fullerenes and carbon nanotubes).

Properties of Superconductors:

• Phase Transition (at critical temperature): Superconductivity manifests when the temperature (T) is reduced below a critical temperature (Tc).
• Zero Resistance to Current: Below the critical temperature, superconductors exhibit zero resistance to electric current.
• Meissner Effect: This refers to the expulsion of a magnetic field from a superconductor when cooled below its critical temperature. This property is utilized in the creation of high-speed magnetically-levitated trains (MAGLEV).
• London Moment: A phenomenon where a spinning superconductor generates a magnetic field whose axis aligns precisely with the spin axis.

High-Temperature Superconductors (HTS):

These are materials that display superconducting behavior at unusually high temperatures.

Context: Despite the affirmation of the right to privacy in the 2017 Puttaswamy judgment, concerns persist regarding Section 132 of the Income Tax Act, potentially infringing on citizens' fundamental rights.

Understanding Section 132 of the Income Tax Act, 1961:

Introduction and Historical Context: Introduced to replace the invalidated Taxation on Income (Investigation Commission) Act, 1947, Section 132 had its roots in the Supreme Court's Suraj Mall Mohta vs A.V. Visvanatha Sastri (1954) ruling, declaring the old act discriminatory and in violation of Article 14 of the Constitution.

Empowering Tax Authorities: Section 132 grants tax authorities the power to conduct searches and seizures without a prior judicial warrant if there is a "reason to believe" that income has been concealed or evaded. This authority extends to searching buildings, places, vehicles, or aircraft based on suspicions of hiding financial assets, allowing for the seizure of relevant items during the search.

Challenges Associated with Section 132:

Breach of the Proportionality Principle: While not formally challenged, concerns arise about a potential breach of the proportionality principle. The use of search and seizure powers must align with legitimate aims, be rationally connected to objectives, lack alternative less intrusive means, and balance the means chosen with the violated right.

Violation of the Right to Privacy: Section 132 faces criticism for potentially infringing on the right to privacy, a fundamental right under Article 21, as income tax searches encroach on individuals' privacy without consent. Critics emphasize the need for stricter adherence to statutory law post-Puttaswamy and safeguards against potential misuse.

Duration and Conditions of Searches: Questions raised by the Gujarat High Court regarding the duration and conditions of searches highlight concerns. Instances of virtual detention without proper safeguards prompt a re-evaluation of the conditions and duration of searches under Section 132.

Proposed Solutions and the Way Forward:

Enhanced Judicial Review: Advocacy for an enhanced role of the judiciary in reviewing Section 132 applications, moving away from the Wednesbury principle, and adopting a more rigorous scrutiny standard to assess the proportionality of executive actions.

Independent Oversight Mechanism:Suggestion for establishing an independent oversight mechanism or ombudsman with the authority to investigate  complaints, ensure accountability, and recommend corrective measures in cases of potential misuse of powers.

Limiting Searches Duration and Conditions: Emphasis on the need to limit the duration and extent of income tax searches, addressing concerns about individuals being kept in virtual detention without proper safeguards.

Context: Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India has launched ‘Prerana: An Experiential Learning program’, aiming to offer a meaningful, unique, and inspiring experience to all participants, thereby empowering them with leadership qualities.

About Prerana Program:

• The 'Prerana: An Experiential Learning Program' is an endeavor launched by the Ministry of Education's Department of School Education and Literacy.
• It aspires to provide students, specifically those in classes IX to XII, with a distinctive and inspirational learning encounter, fostering leadership qualities.
• Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the program mirrors the values of the Indian education system and emphasizes value-based education.

Objective:

• The primary objective is to deliver a week-long experiential and inspiring learning venture for selected students.
• The program accentuates leadership development, adhering to the principles of the Indian education system and value-based education outlined in the NEP 2020.

Duration and Venue:

• Prerana spans a week and transpires at a Vernacular School in Vadnagar, Gujarat, established in 1888.

Selection and Participants:

• Each week, a cohort of 20 chosen students (10 boys and 10 girls) from across the country participates in the program.
• Student registration and selection involve assessments based on Prerana's ethos, conducted at the school/block level on designated 'Prerana Utsav' days.

Curriculum:

• The curriculum revolves around nine value-based themes, such as Self-respect and Humility, Courage and Adventure, Hard Work and Dedication, Compassion and Service, Diversity and Unity, Truthfulness and Purity, Innovation and Curiosity, Faith and Confidence, and Freedom and Responsibility.

• Prepared by IIT Gandhi Nagar, the program intends to inspire youth, instilling respect for the unity in diversity within Bharat, aligning with the vision of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam."
• Throughout the program, participants receive guidance from mentors affiliated with prestigious institutions.

Activities:

• The daily schedule includes yoga, mindfulness, meditation sessions, experiential learning, thematic sessions, and hands-on activities.
• Evening activities encompass visits to ancient heritage sites, inspirational film screenings, talent shows, and more.

Holistic Learning Approach:

• Participants engage in diverse activities that embrace indigenous knowledge systems, state-of-the-art technologies, and insights from inspirational figures.

Community Impact:

• Upon completion of the program, participants are expected to carry the values imbibed from Prerana into their communities, becoming catalysts for positive change.

Conclusion:

Prerana stands as a comprehensive initiative blending traditional values with modern learning methodologies, aiming to shape well-rounded individuals equipped with leadership skills and a strong sense of responsibility towards society.

Background: 2023 could have been the hottest year in the 174-year observational record and probably the hottest in 125,000 years. It was dotted with lethal heat waves, devastating floods, droughts, and record-low ice levels in the Arctic and Antarctic. These are only a handful of the effects of climate change.

Evidences of increasing temperature on earth surface:

There are several lines of evidence that indicate the Earth is warming:

1. Temperature measurements: Satellite data and surface temperature measurements show that the planet has become  warmer, with the average global temperature increasing by at least 1.1°C since 1880.
2. Indirect methods: Analyzing tree rings, ice cores, and other natural indicators, a 1998 study found that temperatures remained fairly flat for centuries before turning sharply upward.
3. Effects of rising temperatures: Oceans are getting warmer, snow and ice cover are depleting in the Northern Hemisphere, the Greenland ice sheet is shrinking, and sea levels are rising.
4. Human activities: The primary cause of global warming is the release of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, into the atmosphere due to human activities like burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and agriculture.
5. Accelerated warming: The current rate of warming is much faster than the average rate of warming after an ice age.
6. Climate models: Scientific models predict that human emissions of heat-trapping gases will continue to cause global temperature increases, leading to more climate extremes and widespread damaging effects.

Reasons behind increasing temperature:

• The Earth's temperature is increasing due to the greenhouse effect, which is caused by greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.
• Human activities, such as burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas, have released high levels of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, leading to an increase in the Earth's temperature.
• The burning of fossil fuels is the largest contributor to global warming, followed by deforestation and farming livestock.
• The effects of global warming are being felt everywhere, including rising sea levels, melting ice caps, and extreme weather events. Scientists have determined that human activities, primarily through greenhouse gas emissions, have unequivocally caused global warming.

Are humans causing global warming?

• Scientists have determined that human activities, primarily through greenhouse gas emissions, have unequivocally caused global warming.
• Natural factors like solar energy and ocean circulation have caused cool and warm periods in the Earth's history, but their influence is too little or too slow to explain the rapid warming, especially in recent decades.

• The concentration of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere has spiked dramatically over the last 150 years, from a pre-industrial era concentration of approximately 280 parts per million (ppm) to more than 410 ppm currently.
• Measurements from ancient ice cores show that CO2 is now at its highest levels in over 800,000 years. The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has concluded that humans are the main cause of current global warming.

Consequences:

• Rising sea levels: Global warming can cause a rise in sea level, leading to flooding and displacement of coastal communities
• Health impacts: Global warming can cause dire health consequences, including infectious diseases, heatstroke, and an increase in insect-borne diseases
• Soil degradation and loss of biodiversity: Rising temperatures can lead to soil degradation, loss of productivity of agricultural land, desertification, and loss of biodiversity
• Extreme weather events: Global warming can worsen extreme weather events, such as storms, heat waves, floods, and droughts
• Loss of freshwater Resources: Global warming can lead to reduced freshwater Resources, which can worsen living conditions, particularly in low-income countries
• Loss of agricultural productivity: Global warming can result in droughts that can worsen living conditions, particularly in Africa
• Disruption of ecosystems: Global warming can cause the degradation of ecosystems, leading to a loss of plant and animal species

Solutions:

1. Renewable energies: Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy Sources like solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
2. Energy and water efficiency: Improving energy and water efficiency through the use of efficient devices and reducing consumption can help reduce the environmental impact.
3. Sustainable transportation: Promoting public transportation, carpooling, electric and hydrogen mobility can help reduce CO2 emissions.
4. Sustainable infrastructure: Building low-energy buildings and implementing energy-efficient measures can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings.
5. Better forestry management and sustainable agriculture: Preserving and managing forests, as well as promoting sustainable agriculture practices, can help sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
6. Conservation-based solutions: Implementing conservation measures can help protect ecosystems and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
7. Adaptation strategies: Developing and implementing adaptation strategies can help communities cope with the impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and health risks.

These solutions can be implemented at various levels, from individual actions to global policies, to help mitigate the effects of global warming on human health and the environment.

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Cabo Verde (also known as Cape Verde) as a malaria-free country.

Why in the news? 

• Cabo Verde has become the third country to acquire the status in the global health organisation’s African region. The country has now joined Mauritius and Algeria, who were certified in 1973 and 2019, respectively.

About Cabo Verde

• It is also known as Cape Verde which comprises a group of islands that lie off the west coast of Africa.
• It is located nearby Senegal and is the nearest point on the continent. 
• This volcanic archipelago includes ten islands and five islets, divided into the windward (Barlavento) and leeward (Sotavento) groups. 
• Climate: Generally moderate, the climate is characterized by stable temperatures with extreme aridity. 
• The terrain of the Cabo Verde islands varies from the geologically older, flatter islands in the east and the newer, more mountainous islands in the west. 
• Population: The overwhelming majority of the population of Cabo Verde is of mixed European and African descent and is often referred to as mestiço or Crioulo.
• Capital: Praia
• Languages spoken: Portuguese and Cape Verdean Creole

Key facts about Malaria

• It is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
• There are 5 parasite species that cause malaria in humans, and 2 of these species, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, pose the greatest threat.
• It is common in tropical areas where it’s hot and humid. 
• Children under 5 years of age are the most vulnerable group affected by malaria.
• Symptoms: Fever and sweating,Chills Headache and muscle aches etc
• Treatment: It is preventable and curable. With early treatment, most people with malaria will make a full recovery.

Himalayan Wolf has been assessed for the first time in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List and categorised as ‘Vulnerable’.

Himalayan Wolf

• The Himalayan Wolf (Canis lupus chanco), a prominent lupine predator found across the Himalayas.
• It is also called Tibetan wolves, which live at more than 4,000 metres altitudes and are genetically distinct from grey wolves.
• Living at such high altitudes, these wolves have genetically adapted themselves to live in low oxygen (hypoxic) conditions. 
• Distribution:
  • In China, the Himalayan wolf lives on the Tibetan Plateau in the provinces of Gansu, Qinghai, Tibet, and western Sichuan.
  • In northern India, it occurs in the Union Territory of Ladakh and in the Lahaul and Spiti region in northeastern Himachal Pradesh.
• Conservation status
  • IUCN: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
• Threats: It is illegally hunted for trade in its fur and body parts including paws, tongues, heads, and other parts. 

Measures to be taken to enhance the protection of Himalayan wolves

• • Securing and restoring healthy wild prey populations and landscapes and setting aside wildlife habitat refuges;
  • Improving livestock guarding methods, such as predator-proof corral pens and using sustainable livestock herding practices, including reduced livestock loads, adapted herding, and developing novel but tradition-based holistic management practices
  • Management of feral dog populations
  • Trans-boundary efforts in conservation of the species in range countries through research and monitoring.

The state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) (It is an Indian oil and gas explorer and producer.It is under the ownership of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India. Its headquarters is situated in New Delhi. ONGC was founded on 14 August 1956 by the government of India. It was conferred with 'Maharatna' status by the Government of India in November 2010) recently discovered two significant natural gas reserves in the Mahanadi basin block in the Bay of Bengal.

Mahanadi River Basin

• It is the 8th largest river basin in the country, with a total catchment area of 139681.51 sq. km, which is nearly 4.28% of the total geographical area of the country.
• The catchment area of the basin extends over major parts of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and comparatively smaller portions of Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.
• It is bounded by the Central India hills on the north, by the Eastern Ghats on the south and east, and by the Maikala range on the west. 

Mahanadi River

• It is one of the major east-flowing peninsular rivers in India.
• Origin: The river originates from the Sihawa range of hills in the Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh state.
• It ranks second to the Godavari River among the peninsular rivers in respect of water potential.
• The total length of the river form origin to its outfall into Bay of Bengal is 851 km of which 357 km lies in Chhattisgarh and 494 km in Odisha.
• Tributaries: The Seonath, the Hasdeo, the Mand, and the Ib join Mahanadi from left, whereas the Ong, the Tel, and the Jonk join it from right. 
• Hirakud Dam: The Hirakud Dam, the world's longest earthen dam (26km), is constructed across the Mahanadi River, about 15 km from Sambalpur in Odisha.
• Chilika Lake: Chilika, named wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, gets 61% of its inland flow from the Mahanadi River system, mainly from its distributaries, Daya and Bhargabi.

Standing at just around 70-90 cm tall and weighing less than 200 kg, it is among the world’s most dwarf cattle breeds.

• It is native to Punganur village in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.
• It has high resilience to drought and can adapt to low-quality feed.
• It is also prized for its milk, which boasts a higher fat content, making it ideal for producing ghee. 
  • A Punganur cow can give around 1 to 3 litres a day, and the milk fat content is 8 percent as compared to 3 to 4 percent in other native breeds.
  • The milk is also rich in nutrients such as Omega fatty acids, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
• Body colour: It is white, grey, or light brown to dark brown or red in colour. Sometimes, animals with white colour mixed with red, brown, or black patches are also seen. 
• It has a broad forehead and short horns. The horns are crescent-shaped and often lose curving backward and forward in males and lateral and forward in females.
• Punganur cows are considered eco-friendly, requiring less water, feed, and space compared to hybrid breeds.

Cultural Significance: Even today, many temples in Andhra Pradesh, including the famous Tirupati Thirumala Temple, use the milk of a Punganur cow for Ksheeraabhishekam (milk offering to the deity).

India has 50 Indigenous Bovine Breeds (37 Cattle and 13 Buffaloes). 

• • Milch Breeds: Specifically raised for milk production. 
    • Examples: Sahiwal, Gir, Red Sindhi, Tharparkar and Rathi. 
  • Milch and Draught Breeds: Draught cattle are employed for heavy labor purposes, aiding in agricultural activities such as plowing and transportation. 
    • Examples: Kankrej, Ongole, and Hariana.

Specialty of Indian Cows:

• • Hump: It is an exclusive characteristic of the Indian Desi bulls and cows and facilitates them to carry loads without effort, while the foreign breeds do not have a hump.
  • Dewlap: It is a fold of loose skin hanging from the neck of an animal. The Indigenous Cattle have a high heat resistance from their extensive Dewlaps.
  • Dung: The dung of Indian breeds of cows is used in agriculture, medicine, etc., whereas the dung of foreign breeds is of no use.

The Supreme Court recently questioned the Centre on why reports of the court-appointed Technical Experts Committee (TEC) on the biosafety of genetically modified (GM) crops were not looked into by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC).

GEAC

It is the statutory committee constituted under the “Rules for the Manufacture, Use/Import/Export and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms/Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells (Rules, 1989)” framed under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.It functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). 

Functions:

• It is responsible for the approval of activities involving large-scale use of hazardous living microorganisms and recombinants in research and industrial production from an environmental perspective.
• The committee is also responsible for the appraisal of proposals relating to the release of genetically engineered (GE) organisms and products into the environment, including experimental field trials
• Clearance of GEAC is mandatory for the environmental release of GM crops. 

The committee or any person authorized by it has the power to take punitive action under the Environment Protection Act.

Composition:

• GEAC is chaired by the Special Secretary/Additional Secretary of MoEF&CC and co-chaired by a representative from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
• Presently, it has 24 members and meets every month to review the applications in the areas indicated above.
• The members comprise experts from other ministries as well as institutions such as the ICAR, ICMR, CCMB, and so on.

• An investment banker is an individual who often works as part of a financial institution and is primarily concerned with raising capital for corporations, governments, or other entities.

Examples of investment banker employers - Goldman Sachs (GS), Morgan Stanley (MS), JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAC), and Deutsche Bank (DB).

National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) was set up as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act of 1860 on 2005 with a mandate of creating dope-free sports in India.