News In Short 22-10-2024

Egypt: 2nd country in 2024 to be declared ‘malaria-free’

Syllabus :GS 2/Health

In News

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Egypt as malaria-free.

Do you know ? – Certification is granted when a country can prove that indigenous malaria transmission has been interrupted nationwide for at least three consecutive years and has the capacity to prevent re-establishment. – Egypt is the second country, after Cabo Verde, to achieve this status in 2024 and the fifth in Africa.

Historical Context

• Malaria has been documented in Egypt since 4000 B.C.E., with historical genetic evidence found in mummies.
  • The disease was particularly concentrated in Nile river communities due to favorable mosquito breeding conditions.

Malaria 

• Malaria is a life-threatening disease, is caused by the Plasmodium parasite and transmitted through bites from infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. 
• It is most prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, including sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America.
• The most deadly species is Plasmodium falciparum, but Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread.
• After entering the human body, the parasite multiplies in the liver and then infects red blood cells
• Symptoms: Fever, headache, chills,Fatigue, confusion, seizures, difficulty breathing, jaundice, and dark urine.
• Prevention Strategies : 
  • Vector Control: Key strategies include insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS), though resistance to insecticides is emerging.
  • R21/Matrix-M Vaccine: Recommended in October 2023, further enhancing prevention efforts.
  • Chloroquine: Effective for P. vivax in sensitive regions, often supplemented with Primaquine to prevent relapses.

Global and Indian Efforts

• Global Malaria Program: Launched by WHO with a strategy to reduce malaria incidence and mortality by 90% by 2030.
• E-2025 Initiative: Aimed at halting malaria transmission in 25 countries by 2025.
• India’s National Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP): Focuses on multiple vector-borne diseases, including malaria, through integrated measures.

Source :DTE

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP)

Syllabus :GS 2/Health

In News

• Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana has reached a remarkable milestone by achieving sales worth one thousand crore rupees.

About PMBJP 

• It was launched in 2008 by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India.
• It aims to provide quality generic medicines at affordable prices to all, particularly the underprivileged.
• The scheme is implemented by the Pharma & Medical Bureau of India (PMBI), a registered society.
• Implementation : Dedicated outlets, known as Janaushadhi Kendras, are established to offer these medicines.
  • These provide generic medicines at much lesser price. The potency of these medicines are the same as compared to expensive branded medicines available in the open market.
  • As of June 30, 2024, there are 12,616 operational Janaushadhi Kendras across India.

Do you know ? – Generic drugs are marketed under a non-proprietary or approved name rather than a proprietary or brand name. Generic drugs are equally effective and inexpensive compared to their branded counterparts.

Source :Air

6th India-Singapore Defence Ministers’ Dialogue 

Syllabus :GS 3/Defense

In News

• The 6th India-Singapore Defence Ministers’ Dialogue will be co-chaired by India’s Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and Singapore’s Defence Minister Dr. Ng Eng Hen.

About Dialogue 

• India and Singapore share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. 
• Singapore is a key pillar of India’s Act East Policy and an important partner of the Indo-Pacific vision. 
• The defence and security partnership between the two countries is an important factor of stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
•  The meeting aims to carry forward defence cooperation between the two countries and they will also exchange views on regional and global issues of shared interest.

Source :PIB

ICTP Galathea Bay

Syllabus: GS3/Infrastructure

Context

• The mega international container transshipment port (ICTP) at Galathea Bay has been notified as the 13th major port.

About

• It is located in the Great Nicobar island in the Bay of Bengal.
• Great Nicobar Island is a part of the Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar islands, is 40 nautical miles from Malacca Strait.
  • Malacca Strait is the international shipping channel catering to about 35 percent of the annual global sea trade. 
• The port will be strategically located on the East-West international trade and shipping route in proximity to transshipment terminals like Singapore, Klang and Colombo. 
• It is also a part of the rapidly evolving Indo-Pacific geopolitical region. 
• As a gateway to the region, it will capture transshipment cargo from Indian east coast ports, as also Bangladesh and Myanmar.

• Significance: Currently nearly 75 per cent of India’s transshipped cargo is handled at overseas ports.
  • The ICTP at Galathea Bay can save Indian ports $200-220 million each year in transshipment charges.

Source: BL

Z-Morh Project

Syllabus: GS3/ Infrastructure

In News

• A Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the recent terror attack on the Z-Morh Project site in J&K.

About Z-Morh Project

• The Z-Morh tunnel is a 6.5-kilometer tunnel connecting the Sonamarg health resort with Kangan town in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.
• The name “Z-Morh” refers to the Z-shaped road section near the construction site.  
• The tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity to Sonamarg, a famous tourist destination on the Srinagar-Leh highway.
• The Billion Dollar tunnel project is also important for the success of the Zojila tunnel project, which is situated at an altitude of approximately 12,000 ft. 

Source: TH

2024 Index of Economic Freedom

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy

In News

• The Fraser Institute has released the 2024 Economic Freedom of the World Report, which assesses economic freedom in 165 jurisdictions.

About

• The report ranks Hong Kong, Singapore, and Switzerland as the top three regions with the highest levels of economic freedom for the year 2022. India’s rank is 84th. 
• It is based on 42 variables, covering areas such as government size, property rights, monetary policy, and trade freedom.
• The report highlights a global decline in economic freedom over the past three years.
• Countries with high economic freedom show significantly better economic outcomes. For example, their GDP per capita is on average 7.6 times greater than that of countries with low economic freedom. 
• Other benefits in these countries include longer life expectancy, lower poverty rates, and higher happiness levels.

Source: TH

SPADEX (Space Docking Experiment)

Syllabus: GS3/ Space

In News

• A private entity based in Hyderabad, has delivered two 400 kg satellites to ISRO for its upcoming Space Docking Experiment. 

About SPADEX (Space Docking Experiment)

• The goal of SPADEX is to enable two spacecraft, a ‘Chaser’ and a ‘Target,’ to autonomously dock in orbit, demonstrating precision, navigation, and control—skills crucial for assembling space stations, refueling, and transferring astronauts and cargo in space.
• The development of docking systems dates back to the Cold War, with the Soviet Union achieving the first successful docking in space in 1967, followed by the USA’s Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. 
• Since then, docking technology has evolved significantly, becoming more automated and integral to modern space missions, as seen in Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft, NASA’s Crew Dragon, and China’s Tianzhou cargo spacecraft.

Significance

• The mission is significant for India’s future space exploration plans, including human spaceflight, satellite servicing, and constructing large space structures. 
• This experiment is a stepping stone toward India’s ambitious space exploration vision, following ISRO’s recent successes like Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1.

Source: BS

Caenorhabditis Elegans

Syllabus: GS3/Science & Technology

Context

• A study on Caenorhabditis elegans found that small changes to the gene that controls the way that cells respond to nutrients around them led to the worms doubling their lifespan.

About C. elegans

• C. elegans is a nematode (roundworm)—a member of the phylum Nematoda.
• It is a non-hazardous, non-infectious, non-pathogenic, non-parasitic organism.
• It plays a role in soil ecosystems, feeding on bacteria and contributing to nutrient cycling.
• It is widely used in studies of aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and the effects of various genetic mutations.
  • Researchers can easily manipulate its genetics and observe the effects on development and behavior.

Source: IE

Exercise Naseem-Al-Bahr

Syllabus: GS 3/Defence

Context

• The Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman recently concluded a bilateral naval exercise, ‘Naseem-Al-Bahr’ off the coast of Goa.

About

• Initiated in 1993, the exercise was conducted in two phases: the harbour phase and the sea phase.
• The exercise reaffirms India’s commitment to constructive collaboration and mutual growth with like-minded nations in the Indian Ocean Region.

Do you know?

• Oman is a crucial pillar of India’s West Asia Policy and its oldest regional strategic partner.
• Also, Oman is the first Gulf country with which all the three wings of India’s defense forces hold joint exercises.
  • The exercise Eastern Bridge is conducted between the Air Force of the two countries, while the exercise Al–Najah is conducted between the Army of the two countries.

Source: PIB