Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 08-05-2021

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 08-05-2021

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. World Economy - Big pharma panicking about IP waiver on vaccines - As the world struggles in the pandemic, with thousands dying each day and vaccines out of reach of billions, vaccine makers in the rich world are worried about demands to waive IP on their profitable machines. Pfizer's CEO Albert Bourla warned that the proposed patent protection for COVID-19 vaccines "threatens to disrupt the flow of raw materials". He said it would unleash a scramble for critical inputs required in order to make a safe and effective vaccine. The US had earlier backed an initiative at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to waive intellectual property on vaccines. Pfizer, which is minting billions on its vaccines, is worried that India (and others) will get access to much cheaper generic versions, hitting its bottomline, if waivers are allowed. This has sparked off a debate about the rampant profiteering by Big Pharma while the world faces death and destruction. India has requested Australia to join its mission seeking waivers, while Germany has expressed reservations to the US on the issue.
2. Indian Politics - Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee asks BJP to stop spreading lies - After he Assembly elections for West Bengal got over, a spate of social media news posts claimed that widespread violence was unleased by some parties and elements against some others. The CM Mamata Banerjee, while accusing the BJP of orchestrating post-poll violence in the state, said in the Assembly that BJP is "not ready to accept the public mandate". "I never support violence. They are spreading fake news and fake videos," she added. The BJP accused the CM of not controlling violence in the state, and sent its team to take stock of situation. Amid allegations and counter-allegations, the government made RT-PCR tests compulsory for incoming visitors. Mamata Banerjee also asked the Centre to go for a free-for-all vaccination strategy via centralised procurements of jabs.
3. World Economy - China's exports grow in April as global demand recovers - China's export sector, the key driver of the country's economic recovery in the past year, surprised by posting yet another month of resilient growth, driven by increased shipments to India and other countries troubled by another wave of the COVID-19 virus. China's outbound shipments jumped 32.3% in April compared to 2020. Global exports rose 32.3 per cent over a year ago to $263.9 billion, in line with March but down from the explosive 60.6 per cent rise in the first two months of 2021. Imports increased 43.1 per cent to $221.1 billion, accelerating from March’s 38.1 per cent expansion. China’s trade gains look especially dramatic due to comparison with a year ago, when global economies shut down to fight the coronavirus. Forecasters say growth is flattening out once that distortion and seasonal fluctuations are taken into account. Locally, economic output in the three months ending in March 2021 grew only 0.6 per cent from the previous quarter, showing China’s explosive rebound was abruptly slowing. That suggests growth in Chinese demand for iron ore, consumer goods and other imports will cool. Chinese manufacturers of smartphones, cars, consumer electronics and other goods also are hampered by global shortages of processor chips as industries revive following the pandemic.
4. Indian Politics - Stalin takes charge in Tamil Nadu - MK Stalin finally took charge as Chief Minister in Tamil Nadu, after DMK's strong win. Then, the government has now renamed nine of the 34 ministries. As per CM Stalin, it was because functions, challenges, government’s targets and ideals have considerably changed over the years. A big change was creating a separate ministry called Water Resources to fulfil the water needs of the state. The new ministry will ensure water for farmers’ needs, augment groundwater, desilt and maintain water bodies, and remove encroachments. The nine ministries that have been renamed are as follows: (i) Agriculture to Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, (ii) Environment to Environment – Climate Change, (iii) Health to Medical and Family Welfare, (iv) Fisheries to Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare, (v) Labour Welfare to Labour Welfare and Skill Development, (vi) Information and Public Relations to Information and Publicity, (vii) Social Welfare to Social Welfare and Women’s Empowerment, (viii) Personnel and Administrative Reforms to Human Resources Management, and (ix) Non-Resident Indians to Non-Resident Tamils Welfare.
5. Science and Technology - Eriophyid Mite infestation in Amaranthus - Researchers in Kasaragod Kerala found Eriophyid mite infestation in amaranthus, a common leafy vegetable cultivated all over India. Even though Eriophyid mites were reported in Tanzania in 1992, it is the first report of the mite infestation in amaranth in India. The mite causes severe malformation of the amaranthus shoot, making it fibrous and reducing the yield. The affected plants showed crinkling deformity and malformation of tender leaves, a severe reduction in the leaf size and stunting. An observation trial to contain the pest immediately after a harvest reduced the mite damage symptoms almost completely for at least 15 days when the new shoots would be ready for the next harvest.
6. Environment and Ecology - Nodavac-R vaccine for fish - Nodavac-R is the first indigenous vaccine for fish developed by the Central Institute of Brackish water Aquaculture (CIBA) in Chennai. This is a safe and efficacious vaccine for viral nervous necrosis (VNN) affecting many species of fishes. Red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) is the only genotype prevalent in India and most other tropical countries. Nodavac-R, which could be injected to fingerlings, can be used in all species susceptible to VNN such as milkfish, mangrove red snapper etc. It would prevent VNN in fish hatcheries and bring down the incidence of VNN in grow-out farms.
7. Science and Technology - Drone delivery for vaccines - The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) & Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have granted conditional exemption to the Government of Telangana for conducting experimental Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone flights for delivery of vaccines. Exemption from Unmanned Aircraft System {UAS) Rules, 2021 has been granted as part of government’s constant endeavour to enhance the scope of drone usage in the country and assist the nation to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Last month, the Government of Telangana was granted conditional exemption for conducting experimental delivery of Covid-19 vaccines within Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) Range using drones. To accelerate the drone deployment process to formulate application-based models, the grant has been extended to Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). The trials may commence by end of May 2021. This exemption shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of approval of the SOP or until further orders, whichever is earlier. Earlier this month, 20 consortia were also granted permission to conduct Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) experimental flights of drones. BVLOS trials will help create the regulatory framework for drone deliveries and other major applications.
8. Agriculture - Export of organic millets - In a boost to exports of organic products, the first consignment of millets grown in the Himalayas would be exported to Denmark. APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) has sourced ragi (finger millet), and jhingora (barnyard millet) from farmers in Uttarakhand for exports. At present, organic products are exported provided they are produced, processed, packed and labelled as per the requirements of the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP). The NPOP has been implemented by APEDA since its inception in 2001 as notified under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulations) Act, 1992. NPOP covers standards for crops and their products, live stocks and poultry products, aquaculture, apiculture etc. The exports from the country are as per the provisions in NPOP. The NPOP certification has been recognized by the European Union and Switzerland which enables India to export unprocessed plant products to these countries without the requirement of additional certification. It also facilitates export of Indian organic products to the United Kingdom even in the post Brexit phase. NPOP has also been recognized by the Food Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) for trade of organic products in the domestic market. Organic products covered under the bilateral agreement with NPOP need not to be recertified for import in India.
9. Social Issues - Model 'Insurance Villages' - The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has proposed ‘Model Insurance Village (MIV)’ to boost insurance penetration in rural areas. According to the Economic Survey for 2020-21, India’s insurance penetration, which was at 2.71% in 2001, has steadily increased to 3.76% in 2019, but stayed much below the global average of 7.23%. The Parliament passed the Insurance Amendment Bill 2021 to increase the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the insurance sector to 74% from 49%. The idea was to offer comprehensive insurance protection to all the major insurable risks that villagers are exposed, to and make available covers at affordable or subsidised cost. In order to make the premium affordable, financial support needs to be explored through NABARD, other institutions, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) funds, government support and support from reinsurance companies. It may be implemented in a minimum of 500 villages in different districts in the first year and increased to 1,000 villages in the subsequent two years. Every general insurance company and reinsurance company accepting general insurance business and having offices in India needs to be involved for piloting the concept.
10. Indian Politics - Covid update - The virus hurtled through India unmitigated, as India on 07-05-2021 reported 4,187 deaths, taking the coronavirus death toll to 2,38,270. It reported 4,01,078 new infections also. UPDATES - (i) The Kurnool Police (AP) booked ex-Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu for allegedly "spreading falsehood on COVID-19". A complaint said Naidu claimed that N440K coronavirus strain was born in Kurnool and caused enormous damage to humans. (ii) The government has shared a five-step sample meal plan for people who are recovering from COVID-19. The government said that the plan will boost immunity and help people recover from post COVID-19 fatigue. According to the meal plan, the breakfast must consist of ragi dosa or a bowl of porridge. For dinner, patients must have khichdi, the government added. (iii) Two ward boys were arrested for allegedly molesting a female coronavirus patient at MY Hospital in Indore, MP. The girl informed her parents about the incident but till then the accused had fled the hospital. (iv) At least 450 prisoners have tested coronavirus positive in 11 jails in Haryana, and were shifted to a special section in Rewari jail where a team of doctors and other staff was deployed to check. (iv) Hearing a PIL seeking direction to manufacture Covaxin in Chengalpet HLL unit, Madras HC asked the Centre why the COVID-19 vaccine is being manufactured only at a private institute. HC further asked about the steps that have been taken to revive the vaccine institutes. Covaxin is developed by Bharat Biotech in association with ICMR and the National Institute of Virology. (v) Medicine sales grew by 51.5% from ₹10,337 crore in April 2020 to ₹15,662 crore in April 2021, according to pharma market research firm AIOCD AWACS. The jump is attributed to low base effect and rising demand for drugs to treat COVID-19 directly or indirectly during the second wave. The research firm said increasing prices have not impacted sales as much. NUMBERS - INDIA - Total cases: 21,886,611; New cases: 401,326; Total deaths: 238,265; New deaths: 4,194; Total recovered: 17,917,085; Active cases: 3,731,261

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• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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• 1. ECONOMY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper)

Credit rating for India’s may remain stable

• The story: Over the years, a key fear for India has been a downgrade in its sovereign credit ratings, which kept tumbling. Today, all three major global agencies have kept India just one notch above investment grade. The sustained attack of pandemic renewed anxiety about the stance agencies would take.

• Latest update: S&P Global Ratings has now said that India’s sovereign credit rating would most likely be retained at the current level for the next two years. It has cautioned that the second wave of Covid-19 may knock India’s GDP growth below 10 percentage points level in fiscal year 2021-22. It also listed two potential scenarios for India.

1. It also said that India will see a slightly faster pace of growth in the next couple of years that will support its sovereign rating.
2. In March 2021, S&P had forecast India’s GDP growth on a baseline scenario of 11 per cent in 2021-22.
3. It now says it expects India’s GDP growth in 2021-22 to fall to 9.8 per cent if the ‘moderate scenario’ were to be a reality, i.e. when seven-day average of Covid-19 infections peak in late May 2021. In the case of downside of ‘severe scenario’, when seven-day average peaks in end-June, the Indian GDP growth is expected to go down to as low as 8.2 percentage points (2.8 percentage points cut from 11 percentage points growth forecast earlier). Sovereign rating

• A drawn-out second Covid wave: As per S&P, India’s rating remained stable on ‘BBB-’. A severe Covid scenario could defer fiscal stabilisation for India. The agency estimates the Indian government’s fiscal deficit to be around 14 per cent of GDP in FY22, driving its net debt stock to just over 90 per cent of GDP. But a positive GDP growth rate was predicted for India in 2021-22.

• Economic Survey: The 2021 Survey had dedicated a full chapter on why the present government thought that international agencies (Moody's, Standard and Poor's, Fitch) were partial towards it, and rated it lower than it deserved. Then, the second wave struck.

 RBI new G-sec buying plan hits bond yields

•  The story: The RBI’s 2021 decision to increase the purchase of government securities (G-Secs) under the new government securities acquisition programme (G-SAP - essentially note printing programme) has now led to the yield on the benchmark 10-year bond falling below 6%.
• Recent bond yield: In April 2021, the RBI launched G-SAP under which it said it would buy Rs 1 lakh crore worth of bonds in the April-June quarter. It bought Rs.25,000 crore worth of government securities (G-secs) in first shot, and the 10-year bond yield declined 15 basis points from 6.15% in one month (April).
• Impact: Movements in yields, which depend on trends in interest rates, can result in capital gains or losses for investors. If an individual holds a bond carrying a yield of 6%, a rise in bond yields in the market will bring the price of the bond down. A drop in bond yield below 6% would benefit the investor, as the price of the bond will rise, generating capital gains. Note that bond prices and bond yields move in opposite directions (while nominal interst on a bond remains fixed throughout). The G-SAP has engendered a softening bias in G-sec yields which has continued.
• Bond yields softening: The fall in bond yields in India could also be due to a sharp decline in US Treasury yields or the economic uncertainty caused by Covid-19. The important driver of the bond market was RBI interventions, like the announcement of a bond-buying programme, the G-SAP, at the start of the month. The RBI continued to send strong yield signals by cancelling and devolving government debt auctions. In the last month alone (April 2021), the RBI cancelled more than Rs.30,000 worth of debt auctions. A part of this amount was offset by availing the green-shoe option (option to accept bids for more than the notified amount of debt auction) in other securities. Yhe decision to buy Rs.35,000 crore worth of bonds in May 2021 would help the market absorb a portion of the Rs.1.16 lakh crore market borrowings by the government during the month.

• Impact on markets: The structured purchase programme has calmed investors’ anxieties, who always wanted a timeline on govt. borrowings. It reduced the spread between the repo rate and the 10-year government bond yield. A decline in yield is also better for the equity markets because money starts flowing out of debt investments to equity investments (total investible funds being fixed, investors need to decide where to invest). This means that as bond yields go down, the equity markets tend to outperform by a bigger margin, and vice versa.

1. When bond yields go up, the cost of capital goes up as overall interest rates start rising in the economy. So, when bond yields go up, it is a signal that corporates will have to pay a higher interest cost on debt.
2. As debt servicing costs go higher, the risk of bankruptcy and default also increases. This makes mid-cap and highly leveraged companies vulnerable.

• Why is RBI forcing yields lower: The RBI aims to keep yields lower because this reduces borrowing costs for the government. It also prevents any upward movement in lending rates in the market. (A rise in bond yields will put pressure on interest rates in the banking system, leading to a hike in lending rates.) The RBI wants to bring down the cost of government borrowing for 2021-22, which is set at Rs 12.05 lakh crore. Given the massive second Covid wave, it is bound to be higher.
• Summary: The US monetary policy's future direction and Fed bond yields are risk factors for the Indian bond market in 2021. Overall, bond yields may remain in a tight range in near future supported by RBI’s bond purchases. Inflation and potential monetary policy normalisation will play a more important role. Market interest rates may move higher gradually over the next 1-2 years.

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• 2. ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper

The Broadbalk experiment - Farm study on organic-inorganic debate

• A long running study: The planet’s most famous 4.5 hectares (ha) field is in Hertfordshire county of southern England, under continuous scientific experiments for the past 178 years, making it the world’s oldest and longest running study. The research was started by agricultural scientist John Bennet Lawes and chemist Joseph Henry Gilbert (under the Rothamsted Research institution in the autumn of 1843), when the first crop of wheat was sown on a field named Broadbalk.
• Each year: Every year since then, researchers from the institute have sown winter wheat on all or some parts of the field to compare crop yields, when grown using inorganic fertilisers with those when grown using organic or farmyard manure (FYM). A patch that receives no fertiliser or manure inputs is also maintained for control treatment.
• Goal of the study: The aim of the "Broadbalk experiment" is to test the effects of different organic and inorganic fertilisers on soil fertility and study the optimum nutrition requirements to improve crop yield. The research took shape by growing the same crop each year on the same land, a practice considered bad farming in the 19th century; Lawes and Gilbert had realised this was the best way to learn about the individual crop nutrient requirements.

• Details: Under Broadbalk experiment, the land was divided into 19 strips of wheat field, each 300 metres long and 6 m wide. To test the benefits of different combinations, some strips received inorganic fertilisers, some organic and some others a combination of both. One strip was left received neither of these. Modifications were made over the years.

1. Wheat was grown continuously till 1968, when the strips were further divided into sections, with 10 of them growing the crop in rotation after a twoyear break. On six sections, wheat was grown in two different threecourse rotations with oats and beans.
2. In 1978, one of the six sections reverted to continuous wheat; potatoes, oats, maize and beans were grown under a five-course rotation with wheat on the remaining five sections.
3. These experiments were not envisioned to be long-term initially, but Lawes and Gilbert later thought more useful information could be gained by continuing them over many growing seasons. And they were not wrong.

• Learning: After 175 years of study, scientists found that yields from the section where wheat was grown with a two-year break, were higher (2 tonnes per ha) than from sections where wheat was grown continuously. The effects of soil-borne pests and diseases are minimised in case the field gets a two-year break.

1. Use of soil nutrition - In the 1860s, the average yield of continuous wheat treated with organic manure was 2.35 tonnes per ha; yield from strips treated with inorganic fertilisers — phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), nitrogen (N) — was 2.85 tonnes per ha. Between 1890 and 1940, the field strips treated with both combinations resulted in almost similar yields.
2. Between 1950 and 2019, the average yield with fertilisers was 4.9 tonnes per ha, while the average for fym was 4.8 tonnes. But research showed that the use of organic manure had increased the soil organic matter content on some plots. It also had beneficial effects on many soil properties, including fertility, structure and water holding capacity. This can make the soil more easily workable and decrease the energy required to plough it.
3. Soil has the ability to act as a sink for methane. Such benefits may not require large increase in soil organic matter.
4. A comparison of recent yield between 2016 and 2018 of both continuous and rotational wheat plots shows that the higher the amount of nitrogen, the greater is the yield.
5. This was observed by comparing plots that received only fym, those that received different amounts of N fertiliser (N1 to N6 with N1 having lowest amount of nitrogen and N6 the highest) and those that received same amounts of P, K and Mg. The highest average yield was was in wheat treated with N6 fertiliser, grown in both continuous and rotational manner.
6. The finding shows that there is little benefit for farmers using fertiliser with such high levels of nitrogen. Also, since most of the nitrogen gets converted to nitrate, any residue not retained in soil may convert to nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that leaks when water drains through the soil.

• Organic matter in soil: Hundred years from the start, it was found that the amount of organic carbon (C) in topsoil (0-23 centimetres) in FYM-treated plots was more than double of that in fertiliser-treated plots. Long-term changes in the total percentage of nitrogen concentration in the topsoil where winter wheat was grown in most years since 1843 were also tested.

• Indian experiment: India has also been conducting its own long-term experiments, especially related to fertiliser and nutrient management. Long-term fertiliser experiments are being carried out at 17 Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) centres since 1970 to study changes in soil quality, crop productivity and sustainability. It is not possible to sustain productivity without external supply of nutrients. The research has led to the development of integrated plant nutrient supply and management strategies for improving soil fertility, enhancing and sustaining productivity of intensive cropping systems — rice-wheat, rice-rice, maize-wheat, finger millet-maize, soybean-wheat and groundnut-wheat — in major soil groups of India.

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• 3. FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper)

Foreign affairs updates

• US Iran nuclear deal: A fourth round of talks in Vienna over a U.S. return to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal commenced, as differences over sanctions relief and the status of Iran’s nuclear program threatened. US said that the ball was ultimately in Iran’s court. Russia’s lead representative in Vienna said a final agreement could arrive soon. Iran’s negotiator said Iran was pushing for it to happen “as soon as possible.” US has actually put forward a proposal that includes sanctions relief on key sectors such as oil, gas, and banking, and has signaled a willingness to ease others related to terrorism and human rights. But a major sticking point seems to surround the progress Iran has made in its nuclear capabilities since the U.S. left the deal under former President Donald Trump. Iran has installed new, more advanced, centrifuges that potentially cut down the time necessary to enrich uranium to weapons grade levels; the question of whether to mothball or move them out of the country is a key issue in the talks.
• President Biden’s patent waiver shakes things up: The European Union (EU) was discussing U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to endorse a proposal to waive intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines. Any conclusions the bloc reaches during the two-day meeting could be an indicator of whether Biden will get the international support he needs to make his plan a reality. Europe was divided on the move: While French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his support and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen seemed open to the proposal, German Chancellor Angela Merkel opposed it outright. She said that the protection of intellectual property is a source of innovation and this has to remain so in the future.
• Deadly police raids in Brazil: Human rights groups condemned a deadly police raid on suspected drug-traffickers in a Rio de Janeiro favela. The operation killed 25 people, including one police officer, the highest toll since 2005, when 29 people were killed in northern Rio. Amnesty International condemned the “reprehensible and unjustifiable” loss of life, while Human Rights Watch has called for an independent investigation, citing the 453 people killed by Rio police in the first three months of 2021. A Supreme Court ruling has prohibited such police actions during the COVID-19 pandemic except in “absolutely exceptional cases.”
• Somalia Kenya ties: Somalia has restored ties with Kenya, six months after it cut ties over alleged political interference. In announcing the move, Somalia acknowledged the help of Qatar in patching up differences between the two sides. The move comes as Jeffrey Feltman the U.S. special envoy for the Horn of Africa, continues a 10-day trip to the region, visiting Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Sudan.
• East Jerusalem clashes: Palestinians and Israelis clashed in East Jerusalem, in the latest violent incident between the two groups. The violence occurred in Sheikh Jarrah, a predominantly Palestinian neighborhood where a controversial court case could lead to the eviction of dozens of Palestinians who have lived there for decades. Latest confrontation happened after Israeli extremists, joined by hard-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir, set up a table and awning across the street from Palestinians eating their nightly iftar meal.
• Energy transitions: The International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that rising mineral prices caused by a supply shortage could impact the transition to cleaner energy. The agency’s new report highlighted the risk posed by the high geographic concentration of mines in Australia, China, and African countries, all of which are subject to water shortages and climate change impacts. It said that today’s mineral supply and investment plans fell short of what is needed to transform the energy sector, raising the risk of delayed or more expensive energy transitions.
• Playing with life: Employees of a pharmaceutical company in Indonesia have been arrested for their alleged role in a nasal swab reselling operation. Police say that up to 9,000 passengers at Kualanamu airport in Medan, North Sumatra may have been tested for COVID-19 with reused nasal swabs as part of the scam. Passengers, who must obtain a negative test before flying, had filed complaints over false positives, prompting an undercover investigation which allegedly uncovered the use of used test kits. Local media say the scammers made almost $124,800 by repackaging the swabs for resale.

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• 4. GOVERNMENT SCHEMES (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

Deadly Black Fungus disease 'mucormycosis'

• Second shock: As the second wave of COVID-19 continued to rage across India, many parts have begun witnessing the resurgence of COVID-19-induced “black fungus” cases. This fungal infection, which caused many patients to lose their eyesight in 2020, emerged in several hospitals in Delhi and Gujarat first. This poses extra load on the hospitals and medical system of India, and government must plan relief in this direction.

• What is black fungus: Black fungus, also mucormycosis (previously zygomycosis), is a serious but rare fungal infection. According to the Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), mucormycosis cases have an overall all-cause mortality rate of 54%. This rate varies depending on the underlying patient condition, type of fungus, and the body site affected.

1. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the black fungus has pushed several COVID-recovered patients back into the ICUs. The infection causes excruciating pain and has even led to blindness among 20-30% of the infected individuals.
2. The loss of eyesight is caused when the fungus grows behind the eye, thereby compressing the optic nerve.

• What causes black fungus: This is caused by a group of molds called "mucormycetes". These fungi are naturally present in the environment, especially in soil and other decaying organic matter like leaves, compost piles, and animal dung. Since most people come in contact with microscopic fungal spores every day, it is almost impossible to completely avoid these mucormycetes. Avoiding direct and close contact with soil, dust, and polluted water could lower one’s chances of developing mucormycosis.

• Who can get infected: For most people with functional immune systems, black fungus presents no threat. Individuals with low immunity are particularly vulnerable - it has been a cause of disease and death for transplant and ICU patients for a long time.

1. Today, the infection is especially affecting COVID-19 patients with weakened immunity and high blood sugar.
2. COVID-positive individuals with added comorbidities like diabetes, cancer, and kidney or heart failure, along with COVID patients that are being treated using steroids, also feature on the list of rapidly rising black fungus cases of late.

• How does it spread: Mucormycosis is not contagious, and cannot transmit between people and animals. Individuals contract this infection by coming in contact with the fungal spores in their environment. If inhaled, the spores can infect the lungs or sinus. If the fungus enters the skin through a cut, scrape, burn, or other types of skin trauma, mucormycosis can also develop on the skin. The infection can subsequently spread to the bloodstream, and reach organs like the brain, heart and spleen as well.

• Outbreaks: While most cases of mucormycosis are sporadic, outbreaks of mucormycosis have occurred in the past. In healthcare settings, healthcare-associated mucormycosis outbreaks have been linked to adhesive bandages, wooden tongue depressors, hospital linens, negative pressure rooms, water leaks, poor air filtration, non-sterile medical devices, and building construction. Community-onset outbreaks have also been associated with trauma sustained during natural disasters.

• Symptoms of mucormycosis: According to the US CDC, the symptoms of mucormycosis depend on where the fungus is growing in the body. For rhinocerebral (sinus and brain) mucormycosis, the symptoms are one-sided facial swelling, headache, nasal or sinus congestion, fever, and black lesions on the nasal bridge or upper inside of the mouth that quickly become more severe. For pulmonary (lung) mucormycosis, the symptoms include fever, cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath. Early recognition and diagnosis of this infection, followed by prompt administration of appropriate antifungal treatment, are crucial for improving outcomes for patients with mucormycosis.

• Treatment: This serious infection needs to be treated with prescription antifungal medicine, usually amphotericin B, posaconazole, or isavuconazole. These medicines can be taken orally or through IV. The infection often requires surgery to cut away the infected tissue.

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• 5. POLITY AND CONSTITUTION (Prelims, GS Paper 2, GS Paper 3)

Vaccine IP waiver - help or not

• The story: The world is ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic. A solution to this is to vaccinate citizens with approved anti-Covid vaccines. These are made by leading pharma firms, and often are patented (monopoly rights). Such patents are covered by WTO TRIPs agreement. Countries now want relaxations so faster production at cheaper rates can happen. That demand is the source of friction, as big firms feel their profits will be hit.
• Joint proposal at WTO: In October 2020, India and South Africa jointly made a proposal to the WTO’s Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) to adopt a general waiver on patents and other related barriers on diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines for covid-19 for the duration of the pandemic. The proposal was aimed at improving access to these medical tools to help countries to effectively respond to the crisis. The two countries said the longer the pandemic persists, the greater the socioeconomic fallout will be, “making it imperative and urgent to collaborate internationally to rapidly contain the outbreak".
• Reaction of WTO members: The proposal received strong support from other developing countries, such as Bolivia, Kenya, Mongolia, Pakistan and Venezuela. But developed nations, especially the EU, Switzerland, Australia, the UK and Japan have been opposing the waiver, saying it impedes innovation and that companies in the developing world do not have the capability to produce these complex medical tools. The US, too, opposed it under former president Donald Trump’s tenure, but now under President Joe Biden, it has considerably eased its position to partially support the waiver. The support will only be for waiving IPRs on vaccines.
• US position on the waiver: There was pressure from the Democrats to reverse the earlier position. More than 170 former heads of states and Nobel laureates, including former UK prime minister Gordon Brown, former French president François Hollande and Nobel laureates Joseph Stiglitz and Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, urged Biden to support the waiver for covid-19 vaccines.
• How significant: The US is only supporting IP waiver on vaccines. Patent waiver on drugs is equally, if not more, important than vaccines because it is important that treatment options remain accessible and not expensive and scarce as in the case of remdesivir and tocilizumab. Biswajit Dhar, professor and head of Centre for WTO Studies at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University, said it seems the US is trying to keep some leverage by not supporting patent waiver for drugs, especially as more effective treatments are being developed.
• Will waivers improve access: The big hurdle to access will be transfer of technology because if innovator firms don’t do so, it would take at least a year to understand how to make it, especially for mRNA vaccines. Besides, if developed countries add a clause that says they will put “best endeavour" into waiving patents, innovator firms can get away with not cooperating. If technology is transferred and conditions are suitable, vaccine makers could be ready to produce in three to six months.

Indian media has right to report court proceedins

• The story: In May 2021, the Supreme Court (SC) of India dismissed a plea by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to restrain media from reporting oral observations of the judges. It ruled that the media had the right to report observations made during the course of hearings (Court Proceedings).
• Points to note: Real-time reportage of court proceedings, including the oral exchanges in courtrooms between judges and lawyers, is part of the right to freedom of speech. Under Article 19, Indian Constitution guarantees Freedom of Speech and Expression. With the advent of technology, reporting came to social media forums, which provides real-time updates. This is an extension of the freedom of speech and expression that the media possesses. Except in cases of child sexual abuse and marital issues, the phenomenon of free press should extend to court proceedings.
• Judicial integrity: Right of the media to report and disseminate issues and events, including court proceedings that were a part of the public domain, augmented the integrity of the judiciary.
• Functionality of Open Court proceeding: It wnsures that the judicial process is subject to public scrutiny which in turn is crucial to maintaining transparency and accountability and transparency in the functioning of democratic institutions is crucial to establish the public‘s faith in them. It also ensures that judges act in accordance with law and with probity. An open court serves an educational purpose as well becoming a platform for citizens to know how the practical application of the law impacts upon their rights.
• Language: There is a need for judges to exercise caution in off-the-cuff remarks in open court, which may be susceptible to misinterpretation. Language, both on the Bench and in judgments, must comport with judicial propriety. Language is an important instrument of a judicial process which is sensitive to constitutional values.
• Why ECI upset: The Madras High Court had made serious comments on the behaviour of the ECI in 2021 assembly elections, stating that it was directly responsible for the deaths in some states, as it didn't control large gatherings. The ECI said it was not responsible for large gatherings, and political parties were!

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• 6. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

Early cancer detection breakthrough

• The story: Some Indian scientists claim to have achieved a breakthrough in early cancer diagnosis, with a discovery rooted in a contentious segment of cellular biology. If validated by additional trials, this holds vast market potential in a lucrative branch of therapeutic medicine.

• What it does: The discovery enables the detection of cancer and the stage the disease is in from a simple blood test with virtually 100% accuracy, as per the results of a 1,000-person clinical study. The paper was published in Stem Cell Reviews and Reports, a quarterly journal published by Berlin-based Springer Science + Business Media.

1. The technique was able to identify 25 different kinds of cancer, and could detect cancer before the onset of tumour development.
2. As cancer treatments have advanced, deaths from the illness in its early stages have dramatically declined, and a diagnostic tool that can flag cancers early could become a boon to millions.
3. The test, known as HrC, has been co-developed by Mumbai-based biotechnology firm Epigeneres Biotechnology Pvt. Ltd and Singapore-based Tzar Labs Pte Ltd. Mumbai-based nanotech scientist Vinay Kumar Tripathi and his family are majority shareholders in both companies.
4. The firm claimed that it can now early-detect all types of cancer, even before tumour formation, from a simple blood test. It’s also the first prognostic test for cancer in the world. The tests can not only tell if a peron doesn’t have cancer, but can also safely rule out the risk of cancer for the following year if the HrC marker fell in the safe zone.

• A global scourge: The company aims to bring the test kits to the market in India soon, after securing regulatory approvals. The burden of cancer on the world is immense. The disease accounts for one in every six deaths worldwide, according to the American Cancer Society. It kills more people every year than HIV-AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined. In 2017, an estimated 17 million cases of cancer were diagnosed, and 9.5 million people died of the disease. By 2040, the figures are expected to reach 27.5 million new cases and 16.3 million cancer deaths.

• Understanding cancer: Stem cells are valued in medicine for their ability to create their own copies as well as to turn into other kinds of cells. Stem cells in the bone marrow, for instance, can give rise to red or white blood cells and platelets. These have found applications in a growing field known as regenerative medicine. Among stem cells, the most valued are those with a property known as pluripotency, the ability to turn into any kind of cell in the body. If you have stem cells that can turn into any kind of cells, you could theoretically cure a range of ailments linked to tissue and organ damage. This potential has spawned a massive industry globally around stem cell banks and therapies, although treatments with regulatory approvals are few.

1. So far, two kinds of cells have been acknowledged to possess pluripotency. These are embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs). The scientists who discovered IPSCs were awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine in 2012.
2. A third kind of cells has been claimed to possess pluripotency and has remained the subject of scientific controversy since 2006, when they were first isolated. These are called Very Small Embryonic Like stem cells, or VSELs.
3. The latest discovery is rooted in these cells, which have proved notoriously difficult to isolate and study. At a fundamental level, the discovery is akin to finding a signature for cancer in the blood, more specifically in peripheral blood, which is that portion of the blood that circulates in the body, as opposed to being sequestered within organs.
4. The team found two things. Firstly, in the peripheral blood of patients with cancer, a large number of VSELs were observed compared with those without the illness. Secondly, the expression of a transcription factor within the cell, known as Oct4a, varied, corresponding to the stages of cancer. A transcription factor is a protein that regulates the rate of transcription of genetic information from DNA to messenger RNA. VSELs are difficult to isolate because they measure 3-5 microns, which makes them virtually indistinguishable from cellular debris. A micron, or micrometre, is one-millionth of a metre.

Govt. denies highly infectious strain found in AP

• The story: The government has denied reports that a highly infectious new variant was found in Andhra Pradesh. It clarified that the variant, called N440K, was an old one that was diminishing. It also said that the ‘double mutant’ variant is spreading more.
• Which variant: The current surge in cases seen over the last one-and-a-half months in some states shows a correlation with the rise in the B.1.617 lineage of SARS-CoV2. The B.1.617 is popularly known as the double mutant variant because of two prominent mutations on its spike protein gene, which is the part of the virus through which it attaches with human cells, thereby infecting the person. The variant was becoming prevalent in West Bengal, Karnataka, Gujarat and Delhi.
• Others diminishing: The increase in prevalence of double mutant strain was in contrast with the diminishing trend seen in other variants like that from the UK, West Bengal as well as the N440K variant touted to be from AP, according to Singh’s presentation and comments from Renu Swarup, secretary of the department of biotechnology.
• Why not N440K: Experts said that news reports about the N440K variant in Andhra Pradesh refer to a variant found last year and is based on a research paper that was posted on 30 April on bioRxiv, a platform for publishing pre-prints of research papers so that they can be peer-reviewed. The report spoke about how the N440K grew much faster in cultured cells in labs, based on which the researchers concluded the variant could be far more infectious than other strains.
• UK variant: The UK government in January had said that the B.1.1.7 strain, first found in southern England in September, is 50% more transmissible than the original strain and about 30% more deadly. The Indian government said that the strains discovered in India are still being studied for such information and for their effects on vaccines.
• FIR against ex-CM: Meanwhile, a man in Kurnool AP filed an FIR against TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu for allegedly creating fear among people about the N440K strain. The case was lodged under sections 188 and 505(1)(b)(2) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 54 of the Disaster Management Act. The complainant (one M Subbaiah) alleged Naidu claimed that the coronavirus N440K strain was born in Kurnool city, and caused enormous damage to humans. Naidu has created panic among the people of Kurnool by saying that the N440K coronavirus strain is still prevalent and is deadly as compared to other strains.

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• 7. SOCIAL ISSUES (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

Covid third wave may not happen - Government

• The story: India's PSA to government K Vijay Raghavan said that a third wave of Covid-19 was inevitable. Later, he changed his stance and said that India could avert the third wave if the government took strong measures. (PSA - Principal Scientific Advisor)
• What needed to be done: The PSA said it depended much on how effectively the guidance is implemented at the local level, in the states, in districts and the cities everywhere. These remarks are a step-down from earlier when the PSA stated that "Phase 3 is inevitable, given the high levels at which this virus is circulating. But it is not clear at what time scale this Phase 3 will occur."

• Other updates: The Ministry of Health said that states like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Jharkhand have started to show a narrow decline in daily Covid-19 cases. But states like Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Puducherry, Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland have began to show an increase in trend in daily coronavirus cases.

1. Currently, 12 states and union territories have more than one lakh active cases. These include: Maharashtra (641,281); Karnataka ( 517,095); Kerala (391,251), Uttar Pradesh ( 259.844); Rajasthan ( 198,101), Andhra Pradesh (182,329); Gujarat (147,525); Tamil Nadu (131,468); Chhattisgarh (131,245); West Bengal (122,774); Haryana (115,842), and Bihar (115,152).
2. 24 states account for more than 15% positivity rate, nine states have a positivity rate between 5% and 15%. On the other hand, only three states have a positivity rate of less than 5% between 1 and 7 May.

• Vaccination: Govt claimed that 11.81 lakh people were given the first dose of Covid-19 vaccines in the age group of 18-44 years to date (08th May). Whereas cumulatively, 16.50 crore doses have been administered across all categories. As of May 7, India had 36,45,164 coronavirus active cases, 23,40,83 deaths and 1,76,12,351 recoveries. According to the health ministry, more than 70% of deaths are due to comorbidities.

Covid-19 second wave and Indian youngsters

• The story: The age profile of Covid-19 active cases in some cities (e.g.) Chennai showed that younger population or people less than 40 years account for the highest case loads. Of the 30,005 active cases as on May 6, 22 per cent were from 30-39 years age group against 15.24 per cent in 50-59 years group or 10.42 per cent in case of 60-69 years. The trend is similar elsewhere too.

• From 2020 to 2021: The latest data put out by various States, revealed a growing number of people in the younger age group with less than 40 years being more vulnerable to infection in the ongoing second wave compared to the older ones, who were the prime targets of the virus in the first wave.

1. Expers say the first two variants (Wuhan and D614G) of virus infected a proportion of Indians. People who were susceptible to easy infection were infected and all others were spared. That included younger people.
2. The second wave is caused by many new variants and those who are infected have higher virus load. When these infectious people have higher virus load, the non-infected, non-immune people have a higher risk of getting infected. So, the proportion of youngsters who remained unaffected but susceptible were caught more than the immune older people.
3. A dashboard (by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)) showed 21.76 per cent of total confirmed cases in the country from the age group of 31-40 years, while 21.70 per cent are in 21-30 years set. On the contrary, only 8.74 per cent of confirmed cases are from the 61-70 years bracket, while the 71-80 years set accounts for 3.56 per cent.

• Anecdotal references: Some experts say that all this is purely anecdotal, and there was no major evidence to suggest a large-scale systematic shift. Since there were more patients overall therefore the overall number of young people also rose. And vaccination is protecting the elderly better. Some experts say it could be due to a combination of factors such as higher vaccine penetration among elders, high risk of virus exposure to younger ones who venture to meet livelihood challenges, and for the fact that a large number of vulnerable elders already being affected in the first wave itself.

• summary: The virus is also looking to survive and propagate itself so it will learn to adapt and pressure of adaptation depend on what humans do. The vaccine roll out is at an insignificantly low proportion to attribute it as the reason for decline in infection among the older population. Barely around 2 per cent population was fully vaccinated, and that could not be the reason.

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• 8. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, GS Paper 1, GS Paper 2)

RBI Committee to assist RRA 2.0

• The story: The Reserve Bank of India constituted a Committee under the Managing Director S Janaki Raman. The committee is to assist the second Regulatory Review Authority (RRA).
• About the Committee: It will assist the authority to identify areas, guidelines, regulations and returns. It will submit reports periodically to RRA that will provide suggestions and recommendations.
• Regulatory Review Authority (RRA): In 1999, the RBI set up the Regulatory Review Authority to review circulars, regulations, and reporting systems. The authority reviews these parameters based on feedback from banks, public and financial institutions. The RRA 2.0 was established to streamline regulations and reduce compliance burden of regulated entities.
• RRA 2.0: This came in April 2021, and is to function for a period of one year. It will review the regulatory prescription internally. Also, it will examine and suggest changes required in the dissemination process of RBI instructions and circulars. It will focus on reducing compliance burden. This is to be achieved by simplifying procedures and reducing reporting requirements wherever possible. It will aid in streamlining reporting mechanism, obviating paper-based submission of returns wherever possible and revoking necessary instructions.
• Section 58 of Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934: This section empowers the Central Board of RBI to form committees. The act also empowers them to provide powers and functions to these committees within the jurisdiction of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. The RBI is governed by the Central Board of directors. The board is appointed by the Government of India. The board is formed of governor, deputy governors, ten directors nominated by the GoI,

Area around Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary notified as ESZ

• The story: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified 48.32 sq km around the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary as an Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ). It will act as a buffer zone for protected areas. It helps reduce development pressures around national park or wildlife sanctuary.
• Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary: It is home to twelve mangrove species, 167 species of birds such as Flamingos, 45 fish, 67 insect and mammals like jackals and 59 species of butterflies. The Mangrove forest in the region has been declared as reserve forest under the Indian Forest Act. Also, these mangrove forests are included under Coastal Regulation zone.
• Future: Under the notification, highly polluting mining activities and industries are prohibited in the region. However, regulated eco-tourism, construction of hotels and resorts are allowed. Organic Farming, agro-forestry and use of eco-friendly transport is to be promoted.
• Eco-Sensitive Zones: These are economically fragile areas in a radius of ten kilometres around the national parks, protected areas and wildlife sanctuaries, and notified under Environment Protection Act, 1986. However, the act does not mention the word Eco-Sensitive Zones.
• CRZ (Coastal Regulation zone): These are areas influenced by tides. According to Coastal Regulation Zone rules, 1991, 500 metres of land between high tide line and low tide line is declared as Coastal Regulation Zone. The Reserve Forest are restricted forest that are constituted by the State Government. The local people are prohibited in the reserved forest. The other types are protected forests and village forests.

‘Vaccine prince’ who came crashing back to earth

• The story: The coronavirus pandemic in 2020 saw the brand of Serum Institute of India Pune and its CEO Adar Poonawalla suddenly shine worldwide. Mr Poonawalla was being hailed as the world’s vaccine saviour. Things have turned quite different since.
• Vaccine Prince: Poonawalla, the billionaire “vaccine prince” who took over the business from his father Cyrus 10 years ago, embraced the spotlight, extolling his company’s role at the forefront of the global vaccine race. India’s PM even visited Serum’s factory in a sign of his approval and in January donated millions of its Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine doses as part of a diplomatic campaign to eclipse China and demonstrate his country’s pharma power.
• Collapsed: But by end April 2021, Poonawalla faced a reckoning as India staggered badly under a brutal second wave of infections. Despite warning that it would take until 2024 to inoculate the world, his company has been vilified over allegations of price gouging and its failure to meet its overseas vaccine demands. He shifted to his London mansion before the UK barred flights from India. The Serum Institute has also been hit by lawsuits from global governments for failing to meet contractual agreements for supplies, while Poonawalla said threats had been made personally against him. The Indian government provided him with security guards.
• Poor rate of vaccination: Poonawalla has been blamed for the just 2 per cent of India being fully vaccinated. He pointed out that the government had not placed enough orders ahead of the second wave, and that he was just the manufacturer, and was being attacked unreasonably. Poonawalla embraced the crisis and invested in Covid vaccines to prove that his company could inoculate the masses at an affordable price, compared with its western competitors.
• Global criticism: Covax, the UN-backed vaccine alliance, had expected to receive more than 100m vaccines from the Serum Institute between February and May, but received 19.8 m doses, excluding India. Sajjan Jindal, chair of industrial conglomerate JSW and one of the country’s most prominent tycoons, has said that Poonawalla should have done more to work with the government and boost vaccine production. He even accused Poonawalla of using “a kind of ransom language” to secure public subsidies and of investing in the UK rather than in India.
• Facts: It was in the 1990s, when the Serum Institute won approval from the World Health Organization to export vaccines to developing markets, and the company gained an international reputation. Poonawalla became chief executive in 2011, and focused on expansion, diversifying the portfolio of vaccines and investing in research. In the early stages of the pandemic in 2020, the Serum Institute was hailed for its role in “vaccinating the world”. However, signs of strain soon appeared. Poonawalla’s pledge to boost Serum Institute’s production capacity of the Covid vaccine from 60m-70m a month to 100m by March has been delayed until July.

WHO approves China's Sinopharm Covid vaccine

• The story: In a relief for China, the World Health Organization (WHO) finally approved the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, the first Chinese jab to receive the WHO's green light. The move will help Beijing step up its vaccine diplomacy.

• Details: China has approved about five of its Covid-19 vaccines for emergency use and especially using Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines for both at home and abroad. The UN health agency signed off on the two-dose vaccine, which is already being deployed in dozens of countries around the world. China was eagerly awaiting the global health body’s nod for it to aggressively push the vaccine among different countries.

1. The Sinopharm vaccine is produced by Beijing Bio-Institute of Biological Products Co Ltd, a subsidiary of China National Biotec Group (CNBG). The two-jab vaccine is an inactivated vaccine called SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cell). Its easy storage requirements make it highly suitable for low-resource settings.
2. An emergency use listing by the WHO paves the way for countries worldwide to quickly approve and import a vaccine for distribution, especially those states without an international-standard regulator of their own. It also opens the door for the jabs to enter the Covax global vaccine-sharing scheme, which aims to provide equitable access to doses around the world and particularly in poorer countries.
3. The Sinopharm vaccine is already in use in 42 territories around the world, fourth behind AstraZeneca (166), Pfizer-BioNTech (94) and Moderna (46).
4. Besides China, it is being used in Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Hungary, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Peru, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia and Seychelles, among others. A clutch of other vaccines are on the road towards WHO emergency use listing, including a second Sinopharm product being made in Wuhan -- the city where coronavirus was first detected.

• Others: The WHO has already given emergency use listing to the vaccines being made by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, and the AstraZeneca jab being produced at separate sites in India and in South Korea. Russia's Sputnik V vaccine is the next furthest ahead in the process.

9.1 Today's best editorials to read

• We offer you 7 excellent editorials from across 10 newspapers we have scanned. 

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• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

Solve the online quiz given, right now. Check scores, and relative performance!

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