News In Short-7-04-2025

Shingles Vaccine Can Reduce Risk of Dementia

Syllabus: GS 2/Health 

In News

• A study in Wales suggests that the shingles vaccine may reduce the likelihood of new dementia diagnoses by about 20% over seven years.
  • Shingles (Herpes Zoster) is a viral infection caused by the Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox.

Dementia 

• It is a group of diseases that affect memory, thinking, and daily activities, primarily in older adults, though not everyone will develop it with age.
• Common forms of dementia include Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and frontotemporal dementia.
• Risk factors include age (65+), high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol use, physical inactivity, social isolation, and depression.
  • Dementia is caused by diseases that damage brain cells, leading to cognitive decline beyond normal aging. 
  • It can also arise from strokes, infections, alcohol abuse, or physical brain injuries.
• Impacts: It has physical, psychological, social, and economic impacts on individuals, carers, families, and society. 
• Treatment : While there is no cure for dementia, treatments like physical activity, brain-stimulating activities, and medications (e.g., cholinesterase inhibitors, NMDA antagonists, blood pressure control) can help manage symptoms.
• Finding of recent study :  The research, published in Nature, found that people eligible for the shingles vaccine (based on their birth date) had a lower risk of developing dementia compared to those who were ineligible.
  • This effect was more pronounced in women than men

Source :TH

Semaglutide

Syllabus: GS2/Health

Context

• A recent study found that oral semaglutide (Rybelsus) reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular death by 14%.

About

• Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) is to achieve a significant reduction in cardiovascular risk, was approved in 2021 for weight management in people with obesity and conditions like type 2 diabetes.
  • The trial focused on reducing major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in people with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
• The study found that oral semaglutide significantly reduced MACE compared to a placebo.
  • Placebo is used in studies to compare the effects of a new treatment to a non-active treatment.

What is Diabetes? – Diabetes is a chronic medical condition where the body has trouble regulating blood sugar (glucose) levels.  – It occurs when the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin (a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar) or doesn’t effectively use the insulin it produces. – There are two main types: 1. Type 1 Diabetes: The body doesn’t produce insulin at all, and it typically develops in childhood or adolescence. 2. Type 2 Diabetes: The body doesn’t use insulin properly (insulin resistance), often due to lifestyle factors, and usually develops in adults. – Managing Diabetes: 1. If not managed, diabetes can lead to serious health issues such as heart disease, kidney problems, and nerve damage.  2. Managing diabetes typically involves a combination of diet, exercise, medication, and regular blood sugar monitoring.

Source: TH

Time Use Survey

Syllabus :GS 2/Governance/GS3/Economy  

In News

• The Time Use Survey (TUS) 2024 revealed significant data on how people in India allocate their time across various activities. 

Time Use Survey

• The National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) conducted the first all-India Time Use Survey (TUS) from January to December 2019, and the second survey for 2024 was released in February 2025. 
• It provides data on time spent on paid and unpaid tasks, learning, socializing, leisure, and self-care activities. 

Do you know ? – India, alongside countries like Australia, Japan, and the USA, conducts the National Time Use Survey to analyze the participation of men and women in various activities.

Objectives 

• It aims to assess the participation of men and women in paid and unpaid activities, such as caregiving, volunteer work, and domestic chores. 
• It aids in policy formulation, planning, and decision-making by government departments, organizations, and researchers.

Recent findings

• Delhi residents spend the most time on work-related activities, averaging 563 minutes daily, far surpassing the national average of 440 minutes.
  • Goa follows closely with 536 minutes, showing a notable increase from 2019.
• The survey highlights a gender gap in unpaid domestic services, with women dedicating 289 minutes daily compared to men’s 88 minutes.
• Learning activities have slightly declined, with the national average dropping from 424 minutes in 2019 to 414 minutes in 2024. Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu remain high in learning time.
• Socializing and community participation show varying trends across states, with Nagaland reporting increased social engagement.
• Leisure activities have risen nationwide, with Uttarakhand seeing a notable increase.
• Self-care time, including sleep and hygiene, has decreased nationally, with some states like Meghalaya and Jammu & Kashmir showing an increase.

Source :IE

NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement)

Syllabus: GS2/ International, GS3/ Economy

Context

• In an effort to advance a trade agreement with the United States and avoid 26% reciprocal tariffs, India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry has expanded its NAFTA division.

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

• The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was a trilateral trade pact among the United States, Canada, and Mexico, effective from 1994 to 2020. 
• It created one of the world’s largest free trade zones, eliminating tariffs and reducing trade barriers to promote economic integration.
• In 2020, NAFTA was replaced by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) with updated provisions on digital trade, labor standards, and environmental regulations.

Challenges in India-US Trade Talks

• Data Localisation Demands: The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has raised concerns about India’s data localisation requirements, which compel banks and payment service providers to store data within India.
• Intellectual Property (IP) Concerns: India has been placed on the USTR’s Priority Watch List due to;
  • Lack of specific trade secret protection laws.
  • Lengthy patent approval processes.
  • Inconsistent enforcement of IP laws.
• Labour and Environmental Standards: India has yet to conclude a comprehensive trade agreement with any Western country, primarily due to divergent positions on;
  • Labor rights enforcement mechanisms.
  • Environmental sustainability standards demanded by developed countries.

Source: IE

22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution state

Syllabus: GS2/ International issues

Context

• The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. constitution was in the spotlight after the U.S. President Donald Trump made remarks on a two-term limit for American Presidents. 

22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

• The 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution says that no one can be elected more than twice as President. 
  • The Amendment was ratified in 1951, after President Franklin D Roosevelt had been elected four consecutive times, from 1932 to 1944.
• If someone has served as President for more than two years of another’s term (for example, a Vice President who became President due to the President’s death or resignation), they can only be elected once.
  • Thus, effectively, the maximum U.S. Presidential tenure can be 10 years (two years as a successor plus two full terms).

Source: TH

MoSPI Released “Women and Men in India 2024” Report

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy

In Context

• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), released the 26th edition of its publication titled “Women and Men in India 2024: Selected Indicators and Data”.

About

• The publication offers a comprehensive overview of the gender landscape in India, presenting selected indicators and data across key areas like population, education, health, economic participation, and decision-making, all sourced from various Ministries/ Departments/Organizations.

Some Key Highlights of the Publication

• Education: The Gender Parity Index (GPI) for enrolments at both primary and higher secondary levels increased in FY24 compared to FY23 and FY22, indicating more girls being enrolled in school.
  • At the upper primary and elementary levels, the enrolment numbers were nearly equal for both boys and girls.
• Labour Force Participation: The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for women aged 15 years and above saw a significant improvement from 49.8% in 2017–18 to 60.1% in 2023–24.
  • This reflects growing inclusion of women in the workforce and economic activity.
• Financial Inclusion: Women owned 39.2% of all bank accounts in India as of the latest data. They contributed 39.7% to total deposits in banks.
  • Women’s presence is most prominent in rural areas, where they make up 42.2% of account holders.
• Entrepreneurship & Economic Independence: The number of female-headed proprietary establishments across manufacturing, trade, and services has been rising consistently between 2021–22 and 2023–24.
  • Startups with at least one woman director (DPIIT-recognized):
    • In 2017: 1,943 startups
    • In 2024: 17,405 startups
  • This is more than an 800% increase in 7 years.
• Political Participation: Female voter turnout has seen variations over the years, rising to 67.2% in 2019, followed by a modest dip to 65.8% in 2024.
• Violence against Women:  Nearly 31.9% of married women aged 18 to 49 in India report experiencing spousal violence, with the highest prevalence observed in Karnataka (48.4%), Bihar (42.5%), and Manipur (41.6%).

Source: AIR

Hadean Protocrust

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• A new study questions the assumption that Earth’s chemical signatures post Hadean protocrust appeared only after subduction began.

About

• The Hadean protocrust refers to Earth’s first crust formed during the Hadean eon, which spanned from about 4.6 billion to 4 billion years ago.
  • This eon marks the time right after the formation of the Earth, when the planet was still very hot and largely molten.
  • During this time, the Earth’s surface was molten and bombarded by space rocks.

• Volcanic Activity: Frequent volcanic eruptions and asteroid bombardment shaped the surface.
• Conditions: Hot, inhospitable with little to no liquid water and a volcanic gas-dominated atmosphere.
• Thicker parts of the crust gradually formed the first continents, which moved on the asthenospheric mantle.
  • Plate tectonics started as plates drifted, slid over, or dove under each other.
  • These movements left distinct chemical signatures in the crust, helping scientists study plate tectonics.
• A new study questions the assumption that these signatures appeared only after subduction began.
  • Researchers suggest that these signatures existed in the Hadean protocrust.
  • This finding challenges a key idea in geology and needs validation by independent research.

Source: TH

CAPTCHA

Syllabus: GS3/ Science and Technology

Context

• CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) is a key security tool that has transformed how websites protect user accounts and data.

What is CAPTCHA?

• CAPTCHA is a type of challenge–response test designed to distinguish human users from automated bots.
  • It typically involves tasks that are easy for humans but difficult for machines to complete.
• Background: CAPTCHA is based on an idea called the Turing test. This was proposed by British mathematician Alan Turing back in the 1950s. 
• CAPTCHA was introduced in the early 2000s as a response to rising internet abuse by bots, including fake registrations, spam, and data scraping.
• The term CAPTCHA was coined in 2003 by Luis von Ahn, Manuel Blum, Nicholas J. Hopper, and John Langford at Carnegie Mellon University.

Source: TH

Exercise INDRA 2025

Syllabus: GS3/Defence

Context

• The 14th edition of the India-Russia bilateral naval exercise, INDRA 2025, was recently concluded. 

About

• The exercise included a wide range of activities and structured drills designed to enhance interoperability towards countering common maritime threats.
• The INDRA series of exercises have been a cornerstone of India-Russia Defence relations since its inception in 2003 and both countries recognise the importance of maritime security and the need for a collaborative approach to counter common threats and concerns.

Source: PIB