Social 

How trans persons can change name and gender identity in official documents - Indian Express 

Five years after the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 came into force, the Karnataka High Court has stepped in to allow a transgender woman to change the name and gender on her birth certificate. 

World Affairs 

Tsangpo dam, India's options - Indian Express 

Recently, China approved the construction of the world’s largest hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo (or Zangbo) river in Tibet. On completion, the 60,000 MW project will have the capacity to produce three times the amount of electricity as the world’s largest hydro project, the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze in central China.

Yarlung Tsangpo Hydropower Project

• Location: Situated at the "Great Bend" in Medog County, where the Yarlung Tsangpo takes a U-turn before entering Arunachal Pradesh.
• Project Overview: World's largest hydropower project on Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet.
• Planned capacity: 60,000 MW, thrice the output of the Three Gorges Dam.

River Course:

• Originates in Tibet; enters Arunachal Pradesh as Siang.
• In Assam, merges with tributaries Dibang and Lohit, becoming the Brahmaputra.
• Flows into Bangladesh, then the Bay of Bengal.

Potential Impacts:

• Risks to regional livelihoods, ecology, and downstream populations.
• Large reservoir in a challenging and risky area.

Concerns for India 

• Water Flow: Potential reduction in water flow to India, a lower riparian state.
• Agriculture and Biodiversity: Interruption of silt flow, vital for agriculture.
• Ecological Risks: Region is ecologically fragile and earthquake-prone.
• Past Incident: 2004 landslide in Tibet created Parechu Lake.
• China's Approach: Limited cooperation with lower riparian states.

Coordination Mechanism on Transboundary Rivers

• Umbrella MoU (2013): No expiry date but currently inactive.
• Brahmaputra MoU: Renewable every five years; lapsed in 2023; renewal ongoing.
• Sutlej MoU: Initiated post-Parechu incident; lacks round-the-year data provision; pending renewal.
• Expert-Level Mechanism (2006): Provides for annual meetings; process has faced interruptions.
• International Framework:
  • India and China are not signatories to the 1997 UN Convention on Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses.
  • Both adhere to principles like equitable water utilization and avoiding significant harm to other countries.

• Data Sharing: Generally maintained, except during the 2017 Doklam crisis and 2020 Ladakh standoff.

Economy 

Senior bureaucrat Faiz Ahmed Kidwai is new chief of DGCA - The Hindu

Senior IAS officer Faiz Ahmed Kidwai is the new Director-General (D-G) of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Panel to suggest road map for Producer Price Index - Indian Express 

The government recently announced the formation of a panel of experts to revise the base year of Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and suggest a road map for switching over to the Producer Price Index (PPI). The panel will be headed by a member of Niti Aayog Ramesh Chand and will have 18 other members.

Ramesh Chand Panel

• Aim: Revising the base year of the WPI from 2011-12 to 2022-23.

Key Mandates:

• Propose a revised commodity basket for WPI and Producer Price Index (PPI).
• Review and improve the price collection system.
• Determine computational methodology for WPI and PPI.

Composition: Economists, representatives from government, RBI, rating agencies, banks, and asset management companies.

Timeline: Final report to be submitted within 18 months.

Tobacco Board focuses on sustainability and growth of the industry; exports reach 12,005 crores in 2023-24 - PIB

The Tobacco Board has undertaken several strategic activities to ensure the sustainability and growth of the tobacco industry. These include crop planning and regulation of production to meet both domestic and export demands.

Tobacco production in India

• Global Production:
  • 2nd largest tobacco producer worldwide, after China.
  • 4th largest producer of Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco, after China, Brazil, and Zimbabwe.
• Exports: 2nd largest exporter of unmanufactured tobacco (by quantity) after Brazil.

Environment 

SCIENTISTS DISCOVER ULTRA BLACK BRAZILIAN VELVET ANT - Indian Express 

Scientists found that the dark markings on Brazilian Velvet Ant species of fluffy wasp reflected less than 1 percent of light.

Brazilian Velvet Ant

• About: Parasitic wasps are known for bright coloration and a strong sting.

• Habitat: Brazil's Caatinga shrub desert.
• Characteristics:
  • Highly mobile.
  • Active throughout the day.
  • Female black parts exhibit ultrablack pigmentation.
• Ultrablack pigmentation benefits: Hiding from predators, regulating body temperature, and attracting mates.

Science and Technology 

Health Ministry monitoring HMPV outbreak in China - The Hindu

The Union Health Ministry said recently that it was closely monitoring the alleged outbreak of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China.