News In Short 11-1-2025

President’s Invite for ‘At Home’ to Honour Crafts from South

Syllabus: GS1/ Culture

Context

• The Rashtrapati Bhavan’s revamped “At Home” reception for the 75th Indian Republic Day showcases India’s rich cultural heritage by including a curated box of Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged handcrafted items from five southern states. 

About

• The craft products in the invitation box are all made in the southern States, have GI (geographical indicator) tags, and are drawn from the “One District One Product” scheme.
• The elements of the invitation include:
  • A box made of bamboo weave with Kalamkari paintings, an ancient art form using natural dyes, on it done by Nimmalakunta artisans. 

• An Ikat-Pochampalli cover (Ikat involves a complex dyeing process where yarns are resist-dyed before weaving, resulting in geometric patterns).
• A fridge magnet depicting Mysore’s Ganjifa art, which involves intricate hand-painting with mythological themes, linked with the Dashavatara (ten incarnations of Vishnu).
• A handmade pouch of Kanjeevaram silk from Tamil Nadu. 
• Etikopakka dolls from Andhra Pradesh, made using the age-old Turned Wood Lacquerware, along with a bookmark made of screwpine leaves woven by artistes from Kerala.

Source: TH

Interpol Introduces Silver Notice

Syllabus: GS2/ International Organisations

In News

• The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has launched its first Silver Notice, an initiative aimed at tracing and recovering assets laundered across borders.
  • This pilot project involves 52 countries, including India.

What is the Silver Notice?

• About: The Silver Notice is the latest addition to Interpol’s colour-coded alert system, designed to assist member countries in identifying, locating, and recovering criminally obtained assets. These assets can include:
  • Properties
  • Vehicles
  • Financial accounts
  • Businesses
• The notice is a crucial tool for addressing criminal activities such as:
  • Fraud
  • Corruption
  • Drug trafficking
  • Environmental crimes
• The pilot phase will run until November 2025.

How Does It Work?

• Requesting Information: Member countries can request information about assets suspected of being linked to criminal activities.
• Identification and Action: The notice aids in locating assets, enabling further legal measures such as seizure or confiscation, in accordance with national laws.
• General Secretariat Review: Before issuance, the Interpol General Secretariat reviews each notice to ensure compliance with organisational rules and to prevent misuse for political purposes.

India’s Role and Benefits

• India, as a participant, stands to gain significantly. India has a long-standing issue with fugitive economic offenders and unaccounted black money transferred to tax havens.
• It provides a platform to enhance India’s efforts in combating financial crimes and bringing offenders to justice.

About INTERPOL Notices

• International Information Sharing: INTERPOL Notices are international alerts or requests for cooperation that enable police in its 195 member countries to share vital crime-related information. 
• Types: There are eight different types of notices, each serving a specific purpose.

• Issued By: The Interpol General Secretariat.
• Requested By: Member countries’ National Central Bureaus.
  • International Criminal Tribunals and the International Criminal Court.
  • The United Nations (for implementing Security Council sanctions).

Source: BS

Indian Customs Electronic Gateway (ICEGATE)

Syllabus: GS3/Economy 

In News

• The government has formed a committee to establish a reliable system for publishing accurate data, following discrepancies in gold import figures.
  • The errors in the data occurred due to a migration of the data transmission mechanism from the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) system to the ICEGATE platform.

ICEGATE (Indian Customs Electronic Commerce/Electronic Data Interchange Gateway) 

• It is a unified platform for capturing and processing trade data from ports, airports, and container depots.
• It collects Export-Import (EXIM) data from over 500 locations across India.
  • It ensures real-time transmission of trade data to the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS).
• Functions of ICEGATE: Captures trade data from all ports, airports, and SEZs.
  • Transmits reconciled and accurate data to DGCIS for precise trade statistics.
  • Prevents duplication by integrating trade data from both SEZs and non-SEZs.

Source: PIB

Conductive Ink

Syllabus: GS3/ S&T

In News

• The indigenous know-how of silver nanowire-based conductive ink technology was successfully transferred to two promising Indian startups. 

About

• This transfer marks a crucial step in enhancing India’s capabilities in the electronics sector, particularly in the production of conductive inks and adhesives.
• The global market for silver nanowire-based conductive ink and adhesive is projected to exceed $16.87 billion by 2032.

About Conductive Ink

• Conductive ink is a special type of paint that contains silver or carbon particles, allowing it to conduct electricity. 
• Unlike traditional circuits made with copper wires, this ink enables circuits to be directly drawn onto various surfaces.
• Key Applications:
  • Repairing and enhancing circuits on printed circuit boards (PCBs)
  • Flexible electronics such as foldable screens, keyboards, and windshield defrosters
  • Used in RFID tags, wearable devices, sensors, displays, and solar panels
  • Holds potential for interactive marketing and signage with touch-enabled features.

Source: PIB

Blue Flag Certification

Syllabus: GS3/Environment and Sustainability

Context

• Kerala’s Kappad and Chal beaches in Kozhikode and Kannur districts, have been bestowed with the Blue Flag certification.

Blue Flag Certification

• Given By: Foundation for Environment Education in Denmark (FEE) accords the globally recognized eco-label – Blue Flag certification. 
• Stringent Criteria: FEE gives the award to beaches, marinas, and boating operators that meet 33 criteria.
  • Broadly, they are divided into four categories, covering water quality, environmental management, safety, and environmental information and education. 
  • The standards were established by the Copenhagen-based Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) in 1985.
• The certification is updated annually, and locations must continue to meet the criteria to retain their Blue Flag status.
• Blue Flag Beaches:
  • There are over 4000 Blue Flag certified beaches across the world, with Spain leading with a total of 729 blue flag sites, followed by Greece.
  • India has 13 such beaches, the Chandrabhaga beach on the Konark coast of Odisha is the first in Asia to get the Blue Flag certification.
• Significance: 
  • promote sustainable tourism, 
  • protect ecosystems, 
  • and encourage environmental stewardship at recreational sites. 
  • It helps tourists identify destinations that prioritize environmental and safety standards.

Source: TH

Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) 

Syllabus :GS 3/Environment 

In News

• The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) and NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, have signed a memorandum of understanding to train animal welfare volunteers in animal care laws and procedures. 

Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) 

• It was established in 1962 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
• It was founded under the leadership of humanitarian Rukmini Devi Arundale.
• Composition: The Board consists of 28 members, including 6 Members of Parliament (2 from Rajya Sabha and 4 from Lok Sabha).
• Term of Office: The term of office for members is 3 years.
• Functions: It ensures the enforcement of animal welfare laws.
  • It provides grants to Animal Welfare Organizations.
  • It advises the Government of India on animal welfare issues.

Source :TH