14 September 2024

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

1 – India’s First Arctic Winter Study: GS III – Environmental Conservation:

• The first winter research trip from India was recently launched by the Union Minister of Earth Sciences to Himadri, the country’s Arctic Research Station, which is located in Ny-Ålesund on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard in the Arctic.
• Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Raman Research Institute, and the host National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) make up the first group of participants in the inaugural Arctic winter expedition.

What Makes the Winter Arctic Scientific Expedition Important?

• Researchers will be able to do unique scientific studies during polar nights, when there is no sunlight for almost 24 hours and extremely cold temperatures, thanks to Indian scientific missions to the Arctic throughout the winter.
• It gives India additional opportunities to advance our understanding of the Earth’s poles scientifically.
• This will contribute to a deeper understanding of the Arctic, particularly with regard to climate change, space weather, the dynamics of sea ice and ocean circulation, ecosystem adaptations, and other factors that influence tropical weather patterns, such as monsoons.
• Since 2008, India has run the Himadri research facility in the Arctic, where scientists have primarily been hosted throughout the summer (April to October).
• Priority research fields include studies on cryosphere, terrestrial ecosystems, astrophysics, and atmospheric, biological, marine, and space sciences as well as environmental chemistry.
• India is going to become one of the few nations that keeps its research bases in the Arctic open all winter.
• Researchers studying global warming and climate change have been drawn to the Arctic in recent years.

What Effects Does Global Warming Have on the Arctic?

• Over the past 100 years, temperatures in the Arctic have increased by almost 4 degrees Celsius on average; 2023 was the warmest year ever recorded.
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that the amount of Arctic sea ice has been decreasing at a rate of 13% every decade.
• Sea ice melting may have worldwide effects that go beyond the Arctic.
• Climate change can have an impact on atmospheric circulation.
• Elevations in tropical sea surface temperatures have the potential to cause a rise in tropical precipitation, alter the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone, and raise the likelihood of experiencing more intense rainfall events.
• Global warming may result in milder temperatures, which would make the Arctic less uninhabitable and more hospitable.
• Countries may race to explore and utilise the Arctic’s resources, especially its minerals, and to establish control over trade, navigation, and other vital industries.

Source – The Hindu

2 – Post Office Bill, 2023: GS II – Government Policies and Interventions:

• The Post Office Bill, 2023, which was just introduced, seeks to do away with the 125-year-old Indian Post Office Act, 1898.

• India Post is a central government department that is governed by the Act. The Bill includes clauses that provide the Centre the authority to hold, open, or intercept any item and turn it over to customs officials.

Which aspects of the bill stand out the most?

Any object can be “intercepted” by post officers:

• In the event of an emergency, public safety, friendly relations with foreign governments, state security, public order, or breaking other laws, the Bill gives the Centre the authority to provide any official the authority to “intercept, open, or detain any item.”
• Additionally, if postal items are suspected of containing any forbidden materials or of being subject to duty, post officers are permitted by this law to turn them over to customs officials.
• According to the bill, the Post Office and its officer are not liable for any loss, misdelivery, delay, or damage that may occur during the course of any service that the Post Office provides, with the exception of any liability that may be required.

• Elimination of Penalties and Offences:

• The 1898 Act’s penalties and infractions are eliminated by the Bill.
• For instance, transgressions against post office officials, including theft, fraud, and misconduct, have all been completely removed.
• In addition, failure or refusal to pay fees for using a Post Office service will result in recovery of the amount due as if it were a delinquent land revenue.

Removes the exclusivity of the centre:

• Section 4 of the 1898 Act, which gave the Centre the sole right to send all letters via postal mail, has been repealed by the current Bill.
• However, by simply referring to their messengers as “documents” and “parcels,” as opposed to “letters,” courier firms have been able to get around the 1898 rule.

Controls the Services of Private Couriers:

• The 2023 Bill brings private courier services into its purview and regulates them for the first time

What is the Bill’s criticism?

• Procedural safeguards for intercepting materials sent through India Post are not specified in the Bill.
• Individuals’ right to privacy and their freedom of speech and expression may be violated by a lack of safeguards.
• “Emergency” is one of the justifications for interception, which may transcend constitutionally permissible bounds.
• The Bill absolves India Post of responsibility for interruptions in its postal services.
• India Post is administered by the national government, which has the authority to prescribe liability through rules. It could result in a conflict of interest.
• No offences or penalties are included in the Bill.
• Unauthorised postal article opening by a postal officer carries no legal repercussions. This could have negative effects on customers’ right to privacy.

Way Ahead:

Include Sturdy Procedural Safety Measures:

• Establish thorough and transparent procedural protections to prevent articles sent by India Post from being intercepted. To safeguard people’s rights to privacy and freedom of speech and expression, this should involve supervisory procedures, court orders, and respect to constitutional precepts.

Explain the Justifications for Interception:

• Make sure the justifications for interception—particularly the definition of “emergency”—are precise and consistent with constitutionally permissible limitations. Restrict the use of emergency authorities in order to protect people’s rights and avoid possible abuse.
• Framework for Equitable Liability:
• Establish clear guidelines for liability to ensure the Post Office is held accountable without compromising its independence and effectiveness. Prevent conflicts of interest and address any potential abuse concerns.

Handling Illegal Openings:

• Reintroduce in the Bill specific offences and punishments related to postal officers accessing products without authorization. To protect consumers’ right to privacy, provide a legal framework that holds people accountable for misconduct, fraud, theft, and other offences.

Source – The Hindu

3 – Report on Global Homicide Study, UNODC, 2023: GS II – International Issues:

• According to a recent analysis by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), homicide kills more people than both terrorism and armed conflict put together. The study is titled Global Study on Homicide 2023.

• Murder is the unlawful killing of a person with intent or malice aforethought, whereas homicide is the killing of a person, whether it is lawful or unlawful, intentional or inadvertent.
• The research looks at “socio-politically motivated homicides,” which include the intentional death of journalists, human rights activists, and aid workers. It also looks at homicides connected to criminal activity and interpersonal disputes.

What are the Main Results of the 2023 Global Homicide Study?

Trends in Homicide:

• Homicide claimed the lives of almost 440,000 people on average every year between 2019 and 2021.
• 2021 was an extraordinarily deadly year with 458,000 homicides. This rise was caused by the Covid-19 pandemic’s economic effects as well as an increase in organised crime, gang-related violence, and sociopolitical unrest.
• The global homicide burden in 2022 was double that of conflict deaths, despite a more than 95% increase in combat deaths between 2021 and 2022, according to the data that is currently available.

Factors Involved in Murder:

• In the Americas, organised crime accounted for 50% of homicides worldwide, or 22% of all homicides. The rivalry between gangs and organised crime can lead to a marked increase in intentional killings.
• Different factors influence homicide rates in different regions, such as urbanisation, inequality, climate change, demographic transitions, and technology advancements.

Regional Difference:

• The region with the highest per capita rate of homicides is America (15 per 100,000 population in 2021).
• At 12.7 per 100,000 people, Africa had the highest absolute number of killings (176,000). Comparing rates in Africa to other regions, no downward trend was observed.
• In 2021, homicide rates in Asia, Europe, and Oceania were significantly lower than the global average of 5.8 per 100,000 people.

• Men made up 90% of suspects and 81% of homicide victims, with women more likely to be killed by intimate partners or family members.
• 15 percent of 2021’s homicide victims were minors, or 71,600 boys and girls.
• The Effect of Targeted Killings on Aid Workers:
• The intentional murders of journalists, human rights advocates, humanitarian workers, and other professionals made up 9% of all homicides worldwide.
• Compared to 2010–2016, the average number of fatalities for humanitarian relief workers increased between 2017 and 2022, suggesting a rise in threat.
• Predictions and Exposure:
• In 2030, the worldwide homicide rate is expected to drop to 4.7, which is less than the aim set by the Sustainable Development Goals.
• The continent of Africa is anticipated to be the most vulnerable because of its younger population, ongoing inequality, and climate-related issues.

What are the main points of interest regarding India?

Reasons for Murder:

• A significant 16.8% of murder cases that were registered in India between 2019 and 2021 involved disagreements over land, property, or water access.
• Water-related disputes were directly linked to about 0.5% (300 cases) of all recorded murders in India between 2019 and 2021, indicating the growing significance of this issue as a killer.
• Factors Increasing Conflicts Concerning Water:
• Population growth, economic expansion, and climate change have all been linked to increasing violence in conflicts over water resources by escalating tensions over access to water.

Source – The Hindu

4 – Treatment for Nicotine Addiction: GS II – Health related issues:

• A novel approach utilising vitamin C and cotinine, a nicotine metabolite, has been presented by researchers in a recent study that aims to rethink the treatment of nicotine addiction.

• This method surpasses the standard Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT).

• Nitrogen is a component of nicotine, a plant alkaloid that can be synthesised and present in a variety of plants, including tobacco plants.
• Nicotine functions as a stimulant and a sedative. It is the primary psychoactive component found in tobacco goods.
• After smoking tobacco, one of the main metabolites of nicotine is cotinine.

Which aspects of the study stand out the most?

Making Use of Cotinine:

• The current NRT method depends on giving the body more nicotine through patches or lozenges (prescription tablets).
• Nicotine withdrawal, which causes cravings, irritation, anxiety, increased appetite, and problems concentrating, makes quitting smoking difficult for some people.
• As a substitute, researchers investigate the oxidative metabolite of nicotine, cotinine.
• In humans, the body typically stores 80% of nicotine as cotinine and excretes the remaining 20% in urine. Cancer can result from cotinine.
• To reduce the temptation to take nicotine, researchers utilised ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) as a reducing agent to convert cotinine back to nicotine, which is circulated in the blood.
• Scientists created a vitamin C-infused dissolveable film that smokers can use whenever they feel like lighting up.
• When taken in the prescribed dosage, ascorbic acid helps smokers’ plasma—the liquid element of their blood—convert cotinine to nicotine.
• Findings:
• Vitamin C facilitates the safe conversion of cotinine to nicotine. By the end, the body eliminates toxins without the need for further nicotine.

Prospective Aspects and Research Needs:

• According to the study, the transformed nicotine may be recirculated to produce effects on the central nervous system (CNS), which could help alleviate nicotine addiction.
• The research team understands that in order to validate their findings, more studies with larger samples are required.

Treatment with Nicotine Replacement (NRT):

• It is a medication used to assist smokers in quitting. It makes use of goods with modest nicotine dosages.
• The other poisons included in smoke are absent from these items. Reducing nicotine cravings and alleviating withdrawal symptoms are the main objectives of therapy.
• NRT products are available in a variety of formats, such as tablets, nasal sprays, gum, transdermal patches, and oral inhalers.

What is India’s current tobacco consumption status?

• According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey India, 2016–17, about 267 million adults in India (15 years of age and older) use tobacco, making up 29% of all adults in the country.
• In India, smokeless tobacco is the most widely used type of tobacco product. Other popular products include zarda, gutkha, betel quid with tobacco, and khaini.
• The three main smoking tobacco products are bidi, cigarette, and hookah.
• A number of chronic illnesses, including as cancer, lung disease, cardiovascular disease, and stroke, are significantly increased by tobacco use.
• It is responsible for around 1.35 million fatalities annually in India and is one of the leading causes of illness and mortality.
• India ranks second in terms of both tobacco production and consumption. In the nation, a wide range of tobacco products are offered at extremely low costs.
• For Indians 35 years of age and above, the total economic costs of tobacco use related to all diseases in 2017–18 was USD 27.5 billion.

What Are the Government Tobacco Consumption Initiatives?

• The 2003 Tobacco Products and Other Cigarettes (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act
• All goods that include tobacco that are listed in the Act’s Schedule are covered by the Act. restricts trade, commerce, manufacturing, supply, and distribution of cigarettes and other tobacco products in India and outlaws advertising.
• The NTCP, or National Tobacco Control Programme,
• It was introduced in 2007–08 as part of the 11th five-year plan with the goals of raising public awareness of the negative effects of tobacco use, lowering the production and supply of tobacco products, ensuring that the provisions of the COTPA 2003 are effectively implemented, assisting individuals in quitting smoking, and facilitating the adoption of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control’s recommended tobacco prevention and control strategies.
• NTQLS, or the National Tobacco Quitline Services:
• NTQLS’s goal is to help people quit smoking by offering telephone-based information, counsel, support, and referrals.

Source – The Hindu