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Report on RBI capital finalised
The Bimal Jalan committee, constituted to assess the optimum size of capital reserves that the RBI should hold, on 17 July 2019 finalised its report. The six-member panel, under former RBI Governor Jalan was appointed on December 26, 2018, to review the economic capital framework (ECF) for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) after the finance ministry wanted the central bank to follow global best practices and transfer more surplus to the government.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20939-report-on-rbi-capital-finalised
#RBI #BimalJalan #ECF #GDP #UrjitPatel #ReserveBankofIndia #Budget

India and Italy set up Fast Track Mechanism
In order to facilitate Italian companies and investors in India and Indian companies and investors in Italy, it has been decided to establish fast-track system for companies and investors of both the countries.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20938-india-and-italy-set-up-fast-track-mechanism
#India #TrackMechanism #Italy #DPIIT #InvestIndia

New veterinary health protocol
Australia and India recently finalised a new veterinary health protocol for the export of Australian breeder sheep to India, the Australian High Commission, New Delhi informed. Australia and India have built the foundations of its agriculture relationship over decades, with cooperation on wheat and wool stemming back to the 1960s.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20937-new-veterinary-health-protocol
#health #protocol #Australia #veterinary #NLM #agriculture

Arjuna Award 2019
Cricketer Smriti Mandhana and tennis star Rohan Bopanna were conferred with the Arjuna Awards by Union Sports minister Kiren Rijiju at a ceremony held in New Delhi. Team India opener Mandhana had missed out on the award last year due to international commitments.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20936-arjuna-award-2019
#ArjunaAward2019 #ICC #Cricketer #SmritiMandhana #ODI #tennis #RohanBopanna

Apollo 11 astronaut returns
Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins returned on 16 July 2019 to the exact spot where he flew to the moon 50 years ago with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Collins had the spotlight to himself this time — Armstrong has been gone for seven years and Aldrin canceled. Collins said he wished his two moonwalking colleagues could have shared the moment at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A, the departure point for humanity’s first moon landing.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20935-apollo-11-astronaut-returns
#Apollo11 #astronaut #SaturnVrocket #Space #Michael #BuzzAldrin
Today's Headlines - 21 July 2023
The ‘good viruses’ fight bacteria
GS Paper - 3 (Health and Diseases)

Scientists now talk of a virome — all the different types of viruses we host in our bodies which contribute to health, much like the bacterial microbiome. This virome is huge. You have 380 trillion virus particles living (or existing) in or on your body right now — 10 times more than the number of bacteria. These viruses lurk in our lungs and blood, live on our skin and linger inside the microbes in our guts. They’re not all bad, however: There are viruses that kill cancer cells and help break down tumors, others that train our immune system and help them fight pathogens, and even some that control gene expression in pregnancy.

Bacteriophages: Anti-bacterial guard dogs

The vast majority of viruses inside us are bacteriophages — viruses that kill bacteria in our microbiomes.
Bacteriophages, also known as phages, are harmless to human cells as they do not recognize them as their bacterial prey.
They work by hunting down bacteria and attaching themselves to the surface of a bacterial cell, before injecting viral DNA material into the cell.
The viral DNA then replicates inside the bacteria, sometimes by borrowing the DNA replication hardware of the bacteria.
Once enough new viruses have been created inside the bacterial cell, the cell then bursts to release the new viral particles.
All this takes just 30 minutes, meaning one virus can become many in a couple of hours.
Phage therapy

The ability of phages to take down bacteria had scientists pondering whether they could be used to treat bacterial infections in the early 20th century, but when antibiotics like penicillin came along, that research faded away.
But antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria are now on the rise, with experts saying antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest medical challenges facing global communities.
As a result, scientists are racing to find new forms of antibiotic agents, putting phages back on the menu as agents to fight bacterial infections.
The advantages of phages lie in their effectiveness against every multi-resistant pathogen.
Phages are extremely precise in their elimination of bacterial strains — so much so that you don’t disturb the gut microbiome, as is the case with antibiotics.
In theory, then, phages could be a huge boon in our fight against antibacterial resistance.

#upsc #news #goodviruses #fight #bacteria #health #diseases #scientists #microbiome #virome #particles #antibacterial #DNA #phage #therapy #antibotic #infections #pathogen
Today's Headlines - 22 July 2023
Climate change aiding spread of CCHF virus
GS Paper - 3 (Health and Diseases)

As Europe reels under a heatwave and wildfires, the rising temperatures have also raised fears of spread of viruses generally not found in colder climates. Alert has been sounded about the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), an infection spread by ticks that has a high fatality rate, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The CCHF is endemic to Africa, the Balkan countries, Middle East, and parts of Asia.

What is CCHF?

According to the WHO, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral haemorrhagic fever usually transmitted by ticks. It can also be contracted through contact with viraemic animal tissues (animal tissue where the virus has entered the bloodstream) during and immediately post-slaughter of animals.
CCHF outbreaks constitute a threat to public health services as the virus can lead to epidemics, has a high case fatality ratio (10–40%), potentially results in hospital and health facility outbreaks, and is difficult to prevent and treat.”
The virus is present in the tick family of insects. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), animals such as cattle, goats, sheep and hares serve as amplifying hosts for the virus. Transmission to humans occurs through contact with infected ticks or animal blood.
CCHF can be transmitted from one infected human to another by contact with infectious blood or body fluids”, such as sweat and saliva. The ticks can also be hosted by migratory birds, thus carrying the virus over long distances.
While the disease was first detected among soldiers in the Crimean Peninsula (near the Black Sea) in 1944, in 1969, it was found that an ailment identified in the Congo Basin was caused by the same pathogen. Thus, the disease was named the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.
What are the symptoms, cure of CCHF?

CCHF symptoms include fever, muscle ache, dizziness, neck pain, backache, headache, sore eyes and sensitivity to light, according to the WHO.
There may be nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and sore throat early on, followed by sharp mood swings and confusion. After 2–4 days the agitation may be replaced by sleepiness, depression and lassitude.
There is no vaccine for the virus in either humans or animals, and treatment generally consists of managing symptoms.
According to the WHO, the antiviral drug ribavirin has been used to treat CCHF infection with apparent benefit.

#upsc #news #climatechange #CCHF #heatwave #temperature #viruses #haemorrhagic #WHO #endemic #africa #viraemic #tissue #health #CDC #disease #soldiers #infection
Today's Headlines - 05 August 2023
WHO report on tobacco control measures
GS Paper - 3 (Health and Diseases)

Bengaluru finds special mention in a World Health Organisation (WHO) report on tobacco control measures released. Hundreds of enforcement drives, putting up ‘No Smoking’ signs, and creating awareness about the effects of smoking and second-hand smoke resulted in a 27% reduction in smoking in public places in the city, the report said. Across the world, there are 300 million fewer smokers today, with the prevalence of smoking declining from 22.8% in 2007 to 17% in 2021.

Measures of the report

Fifteen years ago, WHO had developed the MPOWER measures – monitor tobacco use and prevention policies; protect people from tobacco smoke; offer help to quit tobacco; warn about dangers of tobacco; enforce bans on tobacco advertising; and raise taxes on tobacco products.
The report assesses the implementation of these measures.

What does the report say?

In the 15 years since the MPOWER measures were first introduced, 5.6 billion people in the world – or 71% of the entire population – remain protected by at least one of the measures. This has increased from just 5% of the population in 2008.
The number of countries implementing at least one MPOWER measure has increased from 44 countries in 2008 to 151 in 2022. At least four countries – Brazil, Turkiye, Netherlands, and Mauritius – have implemented all the measures.
WHO urges all countries to put in place all of the MPOWER measures at best-practice level to fight the tobacco epidemic, which kills 8.7 million people globally, and push back against the tobacco and nicotine industries, who lobby against these public health measures.
With a focus on second-hand smoking, the report says that almost 40% countries now have completely smoke-free indoor public spaces.

The report has some bad news as well.

There are at least 44 countries in the world that still do not implement any MPOWER measure.
There are 53 countries that do not completely ban smoking in healthcare facilities. And only half of the countries have smoke-free workplaces and restaurants.
The director general of WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, also flagged the dangers of e-cigarettes.
In the report, he said, “But progress so far is being undermined by the tobacco industry’s aggressive promotion of E-cigarettes as a safer alternative to cigarettes.

How does India fare?

When it comes to India, the report states that the country has the highest level of achievement when it comes to putting health warning labels on tobacco products and providing tobacco dependence treatment.
With 85% of cigarette packs carrying health warnings both on the front and back, India figures among the top 10 countries in terms of the size of health warnings. The cigarette packets in the country also carry a toll-free number for a quit-line.
India has also banned the sale of e-cigarettes, and banned smoking in healthcare facilities and educational institutions.
The report ranks the implementation of these bans an 8 out of 10 in healthcare facilities, 6 in schools, and 5 in universities.

#upsc #news #headline #WHO #report #tobacco #measures #health #diseases #bengaluru #tobaccocontrol #nosmoking #dangers #publicespaces #countries #world #DrTedrosAdhanomGhebrayesus #Ecigarettes #achievement #health #warnings #facilities #india #fare
Today's Headlines - 08 August 2023
Centre to look into ‘Havana Syndrome’
GS Paper - 3 (Health and Diseases)

The Central government has told the Karnataka High Court that it will look into the matter of the ‘Havana Syndrome’ in India, in response to a Bengaluru resident’s recent petition. The petitioner had approached the court requesting a writ of mandamus for an enquiry on Havana Syndrome in India and the prevention of high-frequency microwave transmission in India.

What is Havana Syndrome?

Havana Syndrome refers to a set of mental health symptoms that are said to be experienced by United States intelligence and embassy officials in various countries.
It is worth noting that in general, the word ‘syndrome’ simply means a set of symptoms. It does not mean a unique medical condition, but rather a set of symptoms that are usually experienced together whose origins may be difficult to confirm.
What is known as the Havana Syndrome typically involves symptoms such as hearing certain sounds without any outside noise, nausea, vertigo and headaches, memory loss and balance issues.
As the name suggests, it traces its roots to Cuba in late 2016. This was about a year after the US opened its embassy in the capital city of Havana after ties between the two countries were normalised in 2015.
Some US intelligence officials and members of the staff at the embassy began experiencing sudden bursts of pressure in their brains followed by persistent headaches, feelings of disorientation and insomnia.

Where else has Havana syndrome been reported?

Since the Cuban incident, American intelligence and foreign affairs officials posted in various countries have reported symptoms of the syndrome.
In early 2018, similar accusations began to be made by US diplomats in China. The first such report was in April 2018 at the Guangzhou consulate.
An American employee reported that he had been experiencing symptoms since late 2017. Another incident had previously been reported by a USAID employee at the US Embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in September 2017.
In 2019 and 2020, such incidents have been reported from within the US — particularly in Washington DC. One incident was even reported at The Ellipse, a lawn adjacent to the White House.
In India, the first such case was reported in the same year, when a US intelligence officer travelling to New Delhi with CIA director William Burns reported symptoms of Havana Syndrome.

What are the causes of Havana Syndrome?

No one is entirely sure. But initially during the Cuban experience, being in a country that had been hostile to the US for over five decades, the suspicion was on Cuban intelligence or a section within the Cuban establishment that did not want US-Cuba relations to normalise. It was then speculated to be a “sonic attack”.
However, further study by scientists in the US and medical examination of the victims began to suggest that they may have been subjected to high-powered microwaves that either damaged or interfered with the nervous system.

#upsc #news #headline #health #diseases #havana #syndrome #karnataka #highcourt #india #bengaluru #mandamus #resident #transmission #symptoms #embassy #unique #medical #cuba #roots #US #guangzhou #consulate #washington #newdelhi #sonicattack #cuban #microwaves #nervous #system
Today's Headlines - 11 August 2023
Aspirational districts programme
GS Paper - 2 (Infrastructure)

Haryana's Nuh district has achieved the second position in Niti Aayog's 'Delta ranking' under the aspirational districts programme on 10 August 2023. The programme aims at uplifting and developing the most socio-economically challenged districts in India, and this progress in Nuh is certainly a step in the right direction.

More about the News

The continuous efforts are on to improve the ranking of the district on several parameters.
Nuh tops in parameters of agriculture and water resources while in health and nutrition parameters, it comes in second place.
Due to continuous improvement in the ranking of other departments, the district has bagged an overall second position.
The Delta rankings for the aspirational districts measure the incremental progress made by them across the developmental areas of health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion and basic infrastructure.
The Aspirational Districts Programme is a part of the government’s endeavour to raise the standard of living of its citizens and ensure inclusive development for all under the vision of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’.
The programme focuses on improving the capacity of people to participate fully in a growing economy, ensuring optimum utilisation of their potential.
Health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion and skill development and basic infrastructure are the thrust areas of the programme.

#upsc #news #headline #aspirational #districts #programme #infrastructure #haryana #nitiaayog #deltaranking #NUH #developing #economically #right #direction #efforts #agriculture #water #resources #health #sabkasathsabkavikas #nutrition
What does the study show?

The new analysis focuses on the environmental dissemination of ARGs. With every 1% rise in PM2.5 pollution, antibiotic resistance increased between 0.5-1.9% depending on the pathogen — a link which has only intensified with time.
The researchers added that this airborne spread may have also caused premature deaths in India and China, among other countries in South Asia, North Africa and the Middle East which are population dense.
An average of 18.2 million years of life was lost in 2018 worldwide, resulting in an annual economic loss of $395 billion (more than Pakistan’s GDP) due to premature deaths.
The paper is unique in its scale and scope: global antibiotic resistance is driven by multiple factors, one being the “effect derived from the environment, which is poorly understood in relation to antibiotic resistance”.
The researchers collected data from 116 countries spanning almost two decades, to observe the link between rising PM2.5 and antibiotic resistance. The researchers also analysed other predictors, including sanitation services, antibiotic use, population, education, climate.
How is air linked to antibiotic resistance?

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes travel through different pathways: food, soil, water, air, and even direct contact with sources such as animals.
The hypothesis is that ARGs, when emitted from, say, hospitals or livestock farming, could latch on to pollutant particles, which were found to contain “diverse antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic-resistance genes, which are transferred between environments and directly inhaled by humans, causing respiratory-tract injury and infection.”
When suspended in the environment or breathed into the lungs, the ARGs could enter the bacteria found in the human body and solidify its resistance to drugs. “PM 2.5 can facilitate the horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic-resistant genes between bacteria,” the research found.
PM2.5 contains a high concentration of antibiotic resistance-determinant genes, and these particles can travel far and wide due to wind speed, water evaporation, and dust transport.
ARGs are also more abundant in urban air particles than in sediment, soil or rivers, the analysis showed.

#upsc #news #headline #airpollution #antibiotic #health #diseases #drugs #bacteria #immune #news #globally #malaria #clinical #enviroment #ciprofloxacin #WHO #escherichiacoli #MDRTB #izoniazid #rifampin #nation #cholera #tuberculosis #antibiotics #china #GDP #hypothesis #sources #infection
Today's Headlines - 16 August 2023
Rule to prescribe generic drugs
GS Paper - 3 (
Health and Diseases)

After the National Medical Commission notified new guidelines on professional conduct recently, doctors have been protesting one of the stipulations — using generic names of medicines on the prescription instead of a particular brand name. The Indian Medical Association, the largest body of doctors in the country, said in a statement this was akin to “running trains without tracks.”

What do the guidelines say?

The guidelines say that doctors can only write the generic names of the medicine on the prescription.
For example, a doctor will have to prescribe paracetamol for fever, instead of Dolo or Calpol Every RMP should prescribe drugs using generic names written legibly, the guidelines say.
This practice can only be relaxed for medicines with narrow therapeutic index (drugs where a small difference in dosage may lead to adverse outcomes), biosimilars (a different version of biologic products that are manufactured in living systems), and “similar other exceptional cases.”
The guideline says that generic medicines, on average, are 30% to 80% cheaper than the branded versions, and are hence likely to bring down healthcare costs.

What does it mean for you?

The new guidelines do not allow doctors to write a specific brand, which means that you will get whichever medicine with the relevant active ingredient your pharmacist stocks.
If a pharmacy does not have a generic version of a medicine — which drug stores usually do not stock because of very low profit margins — the responsibility to substitute it with a branded medicine will shift to the pharmacist instead of the doctor. This will promote brands that have good profit margins, irrespective of how good they are.
Additionally, doctors say it will also take away their choice of prescribing the medicine they think is the best for a patient.
Taken in the context of the quality of generics varying across companies, this could result in ineffective treatment.

What are the issues with generic medicines?

Doctors, drug manufacturers, and the government all agree that there is much to be done when it comes to the quality of generic medicines in the country.
While the doctors in the IMA statement said that only 0.1% medicines are tested for quality checks, manufacturers said it is not possible for the government to test every batch, but following good manufacturing practices to the T can assure quality by design.
Many have also questioned the tests that a company needs to do to get approval. Until a few years ago, it was not mandatory for companies making generics to carry out bio-equivalence or stability studies.
Bioequivalence studies are done to show that the generic drug elicits the same response as a branded version.
Stability studies are done to see how the quality of the drug varies over a period under specific environmental conditions.
Experts from the pharmaceutical sector admit that there are drugs still in the market that never underwent these studies.
Data from the Union health ministry shows that around 3% of all medicines tested over the last three years — including generics, branded generics, and branded medicines — were found to be not of standard quality.

#upsc #news #headline #rule #prescribe #generic #drugs #health #diseases #national #medical #commission #medicines #indian #doctors #tracks #trains #indian #guidelines #paracetamol #RMP #Biosimilars #index #therapeutic #cases #healthcare #pharmacist #version
Today's Headlines - 19 August 2023
WHO holds first traditional medicine summit
GS Paper - 3 (Health and Diseases)

The World Health Organization opened its first summit on traditional medicine with the group saying it was seeking to collect evidence and data to allow for the safe use of such treatments. Traditional medicines are a "first port of call for millions of people worldwide", the UN health agency said.

More about the summit

The two-day WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit takes place alongside a meeting of G20 health ministers in the Indian city of Gandhinagar.
The first global traditional summit, co-hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Ayush.
This summit is designed to foster political commitment and evidence-based action in the field of traditional medicine.
As a vital healthcare source for millions worldwide, traditional medicine will be closely examined and evaluated as a formidable force in addressing health and well-being needs.
With a wide array of engagement groups, working groups, and meetings, this event aims to represent the interests of the Global South countries within the G20 framework.
The theme of "One Earth, One Family, One Future" embodies India's philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
More about traditional medicine

The UN health agency defines traditional medicine as the knowledge, skills and practices used over time to maintain health and prevent, diagnose and treat physical and mental illness.
But many traditional treatments have no proven scientific value and conservationists say the industry drives a rampant trade in endangered animals -- including tigers, rhinos and pangolins -- threatening the existence of entire species.
Use of homemade remedies soared during the Covid-19 pandemic, including a green herbal drink based on Artemisia that was promoted by Madagascar's president as a cure.
The plant has a proven efficacy in malaria treatment, but its use to combat Covid was widely scorned by many doctors.
In China, traditional medicine has a distinguished history, but top European medical bodies have previously demanded it be subject to the same regulatory oversight as conventional medical methods.
Flashback

Of the WHO's 194 member states, 170 acknowledged their use of traditional and complementary medicine since 2018, but only 124 reported having laws or regulations for the use of herbal medicines -- while only half had a national policy on such methods and medicines.
About 40 percent of approved pharmaceutical products currently in use derive from a "natural product basis", according to the WHO, which cited "landmark drugs" that derive from traditional medicine, including aspirin, drawing on formulations using willow tree bark.

#upsc #news #headline #WHO #traditional #medicine #health #diseases #data #millions #worldwide #ministry #gandhinagar #global #vasudhaiva #kutumbakam #earth #framework #force #future #philosophy #agency #mental #illness #artemisia #species #pandemic #remedies #herbal #madagascar #european #regulatory #complementary #reported #pharmaceutical #products #natural
Today's Headlines - 10 September 2023
Supreme Court restores party symbol for Ladakh
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)

The Supreme Court on 6 September 2023 restored to the National Conference, its party symbol – the plough – after the Ladakh administration refused to allot the symbol to the party’s candidates for the upcoming election to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) in Kargil.

How did the matter of the symbol for NC candidates reach the courts?

With the announcement of the LAHDC polls for Kargil, the election commissioner for the UT of Ladakh refused to allot the symbol of the plough to the NC.
In its arguments against reserving the plough symbol for the NC, the Ladakh administration said that no state party, including the NC, is a recognised party in Ladakh, and that the NC could therefore not claim its plough symbol in the UT.
However, the NC challenged this decision in the High Court of J&K and Ladakh and the courts ruled in their favour.
The NC and Congress have a seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming election to 26 seats in the Hill Council. Polls for the council were slated for 10 September 2023 however the 6 September 2023 order by the Supreme Court is likely to push the election further.
What is the LAHDC?

The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils were constituted under the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997.
For effective governance in the districts comprising Ladakh – Leh and Kargil – two councils were constituted in 1995 (LAHDC, Leh) and 2003 (LAHDC, Kargil). The law was deemed to come into force from June 1995.
What are the powers of the LAHDC?

Powers to both councils include drafting development plans for the region, formulation of budgets for both districts, implementation of movement schemes, promotion of language and culture, public health, education, local road transport and its development among other concerns.
Small-scale industries, non-conventional energy and tourism also form part of the 28 subjects under the LAHDC’s ambit in governance in the Ladakh region.
The Hill Councils also have the authority to levy and collect taxes and other fees in their jurisdiction.

#upsc #news #headline #supreme #court #restores #party #symbol #ladakh #polity #national #conference #LAHDC #polls #kargil #NC #JAMMUANDKASHMIR #hill #council #seat #agreement #autonomous #hilldevelopment #poblic #health #education #culture #localroad #transport #smallscale #industries #levy #taxes #fees #jurisdiction