Social 

The right to work deleted - The Hindu

The surge of deletions in 2022-23 coincided with the period when the Union Government issued several circulars making Aadhaar-based payment systems (ABPS) mandatory in MGNREGA.

What is govt's 'One Nation One Subscription' initiative? - Indian Express 

The Union Cabinet recently approved a budgetary allocation of Rs 6,000 crore for an initiative called ‘One Nation One Subscription’ (ONOS) which the Centre hopes will help India’s higher education institutions (HEIs) access academic resources for the better.

Polity 

Places of Worship Act 1991 - Indian Express 

The recent riots in Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh once again question whether the Places of Worship Act, 1991, passed to prevent exactly such communal conflagrations, is as good as dead.

SC seeks report on dispute between Tamil Nadu, Karnataka over sharing of Pennaiyar river water - The Hindu 

The Supreme Court recently asked the Union government to place on record the report prepared by a committee negotiating a dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the sharing of the Pennaiyar river water.

Pennaiyar River/ South Pennar/ Dakshina Pinakini/ Thenpenna/ Ponnaiyar

• About: A major river in southern India, flowing through Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
• Origin: Begins in the Nandi Hills, Chikkaballapura district, Karnataka.
• Course: Flows southward for 80 km through Karnataka, then turns southeastward, flowing 320 km into Bay of Bengal at Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu.
• Basin: Bound by various ranges of the Eastern Ghats: Velikonda, Nagari, Javadhu, Shevaroy, Chitteri, and Kalrayan Hills. The basin's eastern boundary is the Bay of Bengal. It is the second-largest interstate east-flowing river basin in southern India.
• Drainage Area: 16,019 sq. km, with nearly 77% of the basin lying in Tamil Nadu.
• Tributaries: Chinnar, Markanda, Vaniar, and Pamban.
• Usage: The river is extensively dammed for irrigation, particularly in Tamil Nadu.

World Affairs 

Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal - Indian Express

For a region on the brink, the 60-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah provides a much-needed pause and an opportunity.

India signs the Final Act of the Riyadh Design Law Treaty - PIB 

After nearly two decades of negotiations, the member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) adopted the landmark Design Law Treaty (DLT).By signing the Final Act of the Riyadh Design Law Treaty, India builds on its progress and reaffirms its commitment to fostering inclusive growth and ensuring equitable access to intellectual property protection.

Environment 

At treaty negotiations in Busan, India proposes compensation to meet costs of controlling plastics - The Hindu

A last round of negotiations on a legally binding treaty to address the global scourge of plastic pollution has opened in Busan, South Korea. N

Three poachers arrested from Assam national park - The Hindu 

Personnel of the Assam forest department and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) recently arrested three poachers from the Rai Mona National Park in Kokrajhar.

Raimona National Park

• Location: Situated along the Indo-Bhutan border in Kokrajhar district, Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), Assam.
• Establishment: Declared a national park on June 5, 2021.
• Trans-boundary Conservation Area: Shares contiguous forest patches with Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary and Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park in Bhutan, forming a trans-boundary conservation landscape of over 2,400 sq km.
• Rivers: The Sankosh River runs along the western border, while the Saralbhanga River flows on the eastern side.
• Vegetation: Features 12 types and sub-types of forests, including moist sal forests, sub-Himalayan semi-evergreen forests, savannah forests, and riparian fringing forests.
• Flora: Rich in orchid species, tropical rainforest species, and riverine grasslands.
• Fauna: Golden langur, the mascot of Bodoland; elephants, Bengal tiger, wild bison, white-spotted deer, clouded leopard, and wild buffalo.

Science and Technology 

International pathogen surveillance network announces first round of grants towards understanding disease threats - The Hindu 

From waste water surveillance to open-source bioinformatics, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced 10 projects that will receive about $2 million in the first round of grants towards improving pathogen genomic surveillance and understanding disease threats. 

Dunlin, a Near Threatened species, spotted during Kerala Bird Race - The Hindu 

Dunlin, a small shorebird with a droopy bill, which is facing threat to its survival, was among the 192 avian species spotted during the recently held Kochi edition of the Kerala Bird Race.

Chilli crop in Karnataka’s Ballari region under black thrips attack, again - The Hindu 

After a year’s gap, the dreaded black thrips infestation has surfaced in the chilli crop once again around Ballari, a key growing region for the spices crop in Karnataka, and parts of Rayalaseema in Andhra Pradesh. Also, the pest has reportedly surfaced in Haryana this year, where chilli is grown under protected cultivation.

Black Thrips

• About: An invasive pest species first reported in India in 2015 on Papaya.
• Damage: Causes flower shedding, stunting, malformation of fruits, and fruit drop in chilli, leading to significant yield loss. Also damages crops like cotton, bell pepper, red and black grams, mango, and watermelon.
• Distribution: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu.

Reasons for Upsurge:

• Absence of natural enemies in the invaded regions for pest control.
• Excessive use of chemical pesticides and staggered plantings contributing to the pest outbreak.

What is Sjögren’s disease? How is it treated? - The Hindu 

Sjögren’s disease is an under-recognised autoimmune condition that often remains undiagnosed for years; it is a chronic disorder in which the immune system mistakenly targets the body’s moisture-producing glands, leading to a host of symptoms.

Sjögren’s Disease

• About: A chronic autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks moisture-producing glands which is often under-recognized and remains undiagnosed for years.
• Prevalence:
  • More common in women (10 times more than men).
  • Typically manifests in the 30s and 40s, but can affect individuals of any age, including children.
• Symptoms:
• Dry eyes: Gritty sensation, worsened on waking or prolonged screen use.

• Dry mouth: Difficulty swallowing, increased risk of dental problems.

• Additional symptoms: Joint pain, fatigue, swelling in salivary glands, making it a multisystem disease.
• Treatment
  • Symptom management: Salivary stimulants, substitutes, and lifestyle changes.
  • Systemic symptoms: Immunosuppressive medications.
  • Preventive measures: Avoid triggers like air conditioning, excessive screen time.

• Recommendations: Use UV-protective sunglasses and gel-based lubricating drops for relief.