1. Lancet's 'Global Burden of Disease' Study on Total Fertility Rate (TFR) 

2. Fourth Global E-waste Monitor (GEM) 2024 Report 

3. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Advisory on Surrogate Advertisements of Online Betting Platforms. 

4. JNCASR Develops Pancreas-Mimicking Silk-Based Hydrogel System.. 

5. Operation Indravati 

6. Project ANAGRANINF. 

7. Ceasefire Agreement in Papua New Guinea. 

8. Pioneering Pig Kidney Transplant 

1. Lancet's 'Global Burden of Disease' Study on Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

Key Findings:

• Global TFR decreased significantly from 4.84 in 1950 to 2.23 in 2021.
• Expected global TFR is projected to be 1.83 in 2050 and 1.59 in 2100.
• Fertility was below replacement rate in 47 countries from 1950 to 2021.
• India's TFR dropped from 6.8 in 1950 to 1.91 in 2021, projected to decline further to 1.29 and 1.04 in 2050 and 2100, respectively.

Reasons for Decline:

• Improved access to modern contraceptives and female education are primary drivers.
• Low fertility rates lead to changes in age structure, impacting labor force and healthcare systems.
• Smaller future population could alleviate strain on global resources and empower women.

Impact of Low Levels of Fertility:

• Changes in age structure may strain healthcare and social systems.
• Smaller populations could ease pressure on global food systems and environments.
• Low TFR enhances women’s decision-making power in households.

Policy Suggestions:

• Implement pro-natal policies like child-related cash transfers and tax incentives.
• Ensure access to modern contraceptives and promote female education.
• Invest in social security programs and healthcare infrastructure.

GS Paper 1: Population and associated issues.

GS Paper 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors.

1. Fourth Global E-waste Monitor (GEM) 2024 Report

Prepared in Partnership with UNITAR, ITU, and Fondation Carmignac

Key Findings:

• Record E-Waste Generation: 62 million tonnes of e-waste produced in 2022, an 82% increase from 2010.
• Expected Rise: Projected to increase by 32% to 82 million tonnes by 2030.
• Recycling Gap: Only 1% of rare earth element demand is met by e-waste recycling.
  • E-waste generation is outpacing recycling by five times.

India's Status:

• Among Largest Generators: India ranks among the world’s largest generators of e-waste, with 4137 million kg.

Understanding E-Waste:

• Definition: E-waste includes all discarded electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and parts, not intended for reuse. Examples include discarded mobile phones, TVs, etc.
• Toxic Components: E-waste contains toxic materials like lead and mercury, posing risks such as adverse neonatal outcomes and respiratory issues.

Issues in Management:

• Limited Repair Options: Many electronic products have limited repair options, leading to increased disposal.
• Shorter Product Life Cycles: Rapid technological advancements result in shorter product life cycles, contributing to increased e-waste.
• Inadequate Infrastructure: Insufficient e-waste management infrastructure hampers proper disposal and recycling efforts.

GS Paper 3: Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Issues Arising out of Design and Implementation of Policies.

1. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Advisory on Surrogate Advertisements of Online Betting Platforms

Key Highlights:

• Influencer Restrictions: Social media influencers must abstain from promoting offshore online betting and gambling platforms, including surrogate advertisements.
  • Surrogate Advertisements: These serve as substitutes for goods that cannot be directly advertised due to legal restrictions.
• Online Advertisement Intermediaries: Advised against targeting such content to the Indian audience to avoid non-compliance consequences under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

Earlier Regulating Provisions:

• IT Rules, 2021: Emphasized clear disclaimers and advertising targeting children.
• IT Act Section 79: Exempts intermediaries but mandates removal of unlawful content upon notification.
• Ministry of Information & Broadcasting holds authority to order intermediaries to remove illegal ads.
• Consumer Protection Act, 2019: Facilitates action against stakeholders promoting illegal activities in advertisements.

Concerns:

• Addictive Behavior: Potential for addictive behavior and social detachment.
• Emerging Cybercrime Trends: Regulatory ambiguity, money laundering, and cyberattacks pose significant concerns.

Legal Provisions for Gambling and Betting:

• Seventh Schedule Entry 34: Empowers states to regulate betting and gambling.
• Public Gambling Act, 1867: Central law governing gambling, along with the Lotteries Regulation Act, 1998, and FEMA, 1999.
• Finance Ministry Impositions: Imposes GST on online money gaming, casinos, and horse racing.

Way Forward:

• Strict Monitoring: Vigilant oversight to curb illegal advertisements.
• Awareness Campaigns: Educating the public on responsible online behavior.
• Collaboration with Social Media Platforms: Partnerships to regulate content dissemination.
• Celebrity Engagement: Influential figures engaging in responsible messaging.
• Partnerships for Responsible Online Behavior: Collaborations to promote ethical online practices.

GS Paper 2: Government Policies and Interventions.

GS Paper 3: Role of Media and Social Media in Shaping Public Opinion.

1. JNCASR Develops Pancreas-Mimicking Silk-Based Hydrogel System

Pancreas:

• Located behind the stomach in the upper left abdomen.

Functions of the Pancreas:

• Exocrine Function: Produces enzymes to break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in the small intestine.
• Endocrine Function: Produces hormones like insulin and glucagon.

JNCASR's Innovation:

• Developed a pancreas-mimicking silk-based hydrogel system for responsive insulin delivery in diabetes treatment.

Disorders Affecting the Pancreas:

• Pancreatitis, Diabetes, pancreatic cancer, etc.

GS Paper 3: Technological Innovations in Health Sector.

GS Paper 2: Issues Relating to Health.

1. Operation Indravati

Overview:

• India launched Operation Indravati to evacuate its nationals from Haiti to the Dominican Republic.

Evacuation Details:

• As part of the ongoing operation, 12 Indians were successfully evacuated.

Reason for Evacuation:

• Haiti has been under a state of emergency due to recent attacks by armed groups, including an attack on the country's largest prison in Port-au-Prince.

GS Paper 2: India's Relations with Neighboring Countries.

GS Paper 3: Role of Indian Armed Forces in Evacuation Operations.

1. Project ANAGRANINF

Overview:

• Technology Development Board grants funds for Project ANAGRANINF, focused on developing a novel class of antibiotics against Gram-negative bacterial infections.

Collaborative Initiative:

• Project ANAGRANINF is a collaborative effort between Indian and Spanish companies.

Objective:

• The main objective of the project is to develop a novel lead compound, particularly an antibiotic, aimed at combating critical Gram-negative pathogens.

Alignment with WHO Criteria:

• The project aims to produce compounds that align with the criteria laid out by the World Health Organization (WHO) for tackling Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) infections.

Challenges Addressed:

• Gram-negative bacteria pose a significant challenge as they are resistant to multiple drugs and increasingly resistant to most available antibiotics.

GS Paper 3: Science and Technology - Developments and their Applications and Effects in Everyday Life.

1. Ceasefire Agreement in Papua New Guinea

Ceasefire Agreement:

• Recently, two warring groups, Yopo Alliance & Palinau Alliance, signed a ceasefire agreement in Papua New Guinea.

Political Boundaries:

• Papua New Guinea is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean.
• It encompasses the eastern half of New Guinea, the world’s second-largest island, along with the Bismarck Archipelago, Bougainville, Buka, etc.
• Its borders stretch from just south of the Equator to the Torres Strait.
• It shares borders with Indonesia to the west, Australia to the south, and the Solomon Islands to the south-east.

Geographical Features:

• Papua New Guinea is situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire.
• It features main rivers like the Sepik and Fly, and its highest peak is Mount Wilhelm.

GS Paper 2: Bilateral, regional, and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

GS Paper 3: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism.

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1. Pioneering Pig Kidney Transplant

Context: 

• Recently, US surgeons conducted the first-ever pig kidney transplant into a living person.
• Previously, pig kidneys had been temporarily transplanted into brain-dead donors.

Success Stories:

• In September 2021, a gene-edited pig kidney was successfully transplanted into a brain-dead patient at a New York hospital.
• In January 2022, doctors at the University of Maryland used a genetically modified pig heart for a patient with no other options.

Historical Background:

• Xenotransplantation, involving the transplantation of organs from one species to another, was first attempted in humans in the 1980s.
• Notably, in 1984, Baby Fae, an American baby born with a congenital heart defect, received a baboon heart.

Advancements and Initiatives:

• A German doctor plans to establish an organ farm for cultivating genetically modified organs to address organ scarcity.

Need for Xenotransplantation:

• With over 100,000 individuals on the national waiting list for organ transplants, xenotransplantation offers hope for addressing the critical shortage of donated organs.

Selection of Pigs for Transplantation:

• Pigs offer advantages over primates for organ procurement due to their ease of raising and achieving adult human size in six months.
• Their anatomical and physiological parameters closely resemble those of humans.

Ethical Considerations:

• Critics raise concerns about animal rights violations and the anthropocentric view that prioritizes human needs over animal welfare.
• Additionally, xenotransplantation poses medical risks, including organ rejection, and may conflict with religious principles prohibiting interactions with pigs.

GS Paper 2: Issues relating to development and management of social sector/services relating to health, education, human resources.

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