About Silver Notice: 

• It is the latest addition to Interpol’s suite of colour-coded alerts, designed to help countries track and retrieve criminally obtained assets.
• This notice allows participating nations to request information on assets linked to criminal activities such as fraud, corruption, drug trafficking, and environmental crimes.
• It aimed at tracing assets laundered across international borders.
• This initiative, part of a pilot project involving 52 countries, including India, was launched following a request from Italy to locate the assets of a senior mafia member.
• The project will run until at least November 2025, with 500 notices available for distribution among the participating countries.
• How does it work?
  • Countries can use the Silver Notice to request information on various assets, including properties, vehicles, financial accounts, and businesses connected to criminal activities.
  • The notice facilitates the identification and location of these assets, enabling further legal action, such as seizure or confiscation, subject to national laws.
• India’s role in this
  • India is a participant in this pilot project and stands to benefit significantly.
  • With numerous fugitive economic offenders and a substantial amount of unaccounted black money transferred offshore, the Silver Notice could be instrumental in tracing and recovering these assets.

Q1: What is the role of INTERPOL?

Interpol supports law enforcement officials in the field with emergency support and operational activities, especially in its priority crime areas of fugitives, public safety and terrorism, drugs and organized crime, trafficking in human beings and financial and high-tech crime.

Source: BS

About Esterase Enzyme: 

• It is produced by soil bacteria Sulfobacillus acidophilus.
• The esterase enzyme was structurally characterised using X-ray crystallography. 
• It remains active for about a month and catalyzes the degradation of diethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) plasticizer with significant efficiency.
• The enzyme breaks down the DEHP plasticizer into two products — mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) and 2-ethyl hexanol.
• This esterase enzyme, along with other enzymes identified by their group previously can convert high molecular weight phthalate plasticizers into water and carbon-dioxide.
• Researchers used three other enzymes in sequence are from Comamonas testosteroni bacteria.
  • Putting all the five enzymes into bacteria will speed up the degradation process.
  • The enzymes, whether used for degradation or not, will remain active only for a short time. But once integrated into bacteria, the enzymes remain active for a longer time and the bacteria can be used continuously for degrading the plasticizers.
  • But when the enzymes are used without integrating into bacteria, a fresh batch of enzymes needs to be produced to continue the degradation process. 

What are Plasticizers?

• These are chemicals added to plastics and personal care products to enhance flexibility and shine, and are commonly found in items such as baby toys, shampoos, soaps, and food containers.
• Plasticizers can be absorbed through the skin, making them a direct threat to human health.

Q1: What chemical is used as a plasticizer?

Phthalates and adipates are the most commonly used plasticizers. Trimellitates are used in wire and cable and certain other applications where a relatively higher service temperature is required.

Source: TH

About Trichophyton Indotineae:

• It is a fungal pathogen that can cause difficult-to-treat skin infections that are widely reported from India.
• The fungus was named after India in 2020 by a Japanese group on the basis of two isolates from India and Nepal, following an academic practice of identifying a new pathogen after the country where it was first sighted.
• The fungus has been documented in over 40 countries.
• It belongs to the dermatophyte group. Dermatophytosis is the superficial infection of the skin, hair, and nails by dermatophyte fungi.
• T. indotineae causes inflammatory and itchy, often widespread, dermatophytosis affecting the groins, gluteal region, trunk, and face.
• Patients of all ages and genders are affected. 
• Transmission: Spreads through direct skin contact and contaminated objects (e.g., towels, clothing).
• It is resistant against the first-line antifungal agent terbinafine.

Q1: What kills dermatophytes?

The first oral agent used to treat a dermatophyte infection was griseofulvin, introduced in clinical practice in 1958 [7]. This molecule interferes with microtubule formation, thus impairing fungal growth and cell division. Allylamines (mainly terbinafine) and triazoles (mainly itraconazole) are used for oral therapy.

Source: DH

About Blue Flag Certification: 

• It is a globally recognized eco-label accorded by the Foundation for Environment Education in Denmark (FEE).
• The Blue Flag programme was started in France in 1985 and in areas out of Europe in 2001.
• It is one of the world’s most recognised voluntary awards for beaches, marinas, and sustainable tourism boats.
• It promotes sustainable development in freshwater and marine areas through four main criteria: water quality, environmental management, environmental education and safety.
• The mission of Blue Flag is to promote sustainability in the tourism sector, through environmental education, environmental protection and other sustainable development practices.
• The other Indian beaches in the blue list are Shivrajpur-Gujarat, Ghoghla-Diu, Kasarkod and Padubidri-Karnataka, Kappad-Kerala, Rushikonda- Andhra Pradesh, Golden-Odisha, Radhanagar- Andaman and Nicobar, Kovalam in Tamil Nadu and Eden in Puducherry beaches, Minicoy Thundi Beach, Lakshadweep, Kadmat Beach, Lakshadweep.

Q1: What is the first beach in India to get blue Flag?

The Chandrabhaga beach on the Konark coast of Odisha has become Asia's first beach to get the Blue Flag certification. The tag is given to Environment-Friendly and Clean beaches on the coast, maintained with Amenities of international standards for Tourists.

Source: TH

About UN Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science Official Statistics: 

• It was created in 2014 with Australia as its first Chair.
• It was created to further investigate the benefits and challenges of Big Data, including the potential for monitoring and reporting on sustainable development goals.
• Governance
  • Advisory Board: It is the management body of the UN-CEBD. It is scheduled to meet about 4 times per year to review the work of the UN-CEBD and give strategic direction.
  • UN Bureau: The Bureau takes care of the ongoing operations of the UN-CEBD
• Mandate
  • To provide a strategic vision, direction and coordination for a global programme on big data for official statistics, including for indicators of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
  • To promote practical use of big data sources, including cross-border data, while building on existing precedents and finding solutions for the many existing challenges,
  • To also promote capacity-building, training and sharing of experience;
  • To foster communication and advocacy of the use of big data for policy applications, especially for the monitoring of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
  • To build public trust in the use of big data for official statistics.

Q1:What is the primary function of the UN statistical Commission?

It is the highest decision making body for international statistical activities, responsible for setting of statistical standards and the development of concepts and methods, including their implementation at the national and international level.

Source: TH 

About National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO):

• NOTTO is a national-level organization set up under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
• It is an apex organization for implementing the National Organ Transplant Program (NOTP) and to carry out activities as per the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA) 1994. 
• NOTTO provides an efficient and organized system of organ procurement and distribution in the country and maintains the national registry of donors and recipients of organs and tissues.
• It has the following two divisions:
• National Human Organ and Tissue Removal and Storage Network:
  • It would function as apex centre for all India activities of coordination and networking for the procurement and distribution of organs and tissues and registry of organ and tissue donation and transplantation in the country. 
  • It has been mandated as per the Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act 2011. 
• National Biomaterial Centre (National Tissue Bank):
  • The Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act 2011 has included the component of tissue donation and registration of tissue banks. 
  • The main thrust and objective of establishing the centre is to fill up the gap between ‘Demand’ and ‘Supply’ as well as ‘Quality Assurance’ in the availability of various tissues.
  • Activities:
    • Coordination for tissue procurement and distribution
    • Donor Tissue Screening
    • Removal of Tissues and Storage
    • Preservations of Tissue
    • Laboratory screening of tissues
    • Tissue tracking
    • Sterilization
    • Records maintenance, Data Protection and Confidentiality
    • Quality Management in tissues
    • Patient Information on tissues
    • Development of Guidelines, Protocols and Standard Operating Procedures
    • Trainings
    • Assisting as per requirement in registration of other Tissue Banks

Q1: When was the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) established?

The 2011 Amendment of THOA 1994 provided the basis for the establishment of NOTTO, which has been crucial in regulating organ donation and transplantation in India with the setting up of the NOTTR in 2015. NOTTO has been instrumental in augmenting all outcomes.

Source: ET

About INS Vaghsheer: 

• It is the sixth submarine of the first batch of six Kalvari-class submarines for the Indian Navy.
• It is named after the sand fish, a deadly deep-sea predator of the Indian Ocean. 
• It was launched in April 2022 and underwent extensive trials, testing its endurance, stealth features, and combat efficiency. 
• Other five submarines of Kalvari class are Kalvari, Khanderi, Karanj, Vela, Vagir.
• Features
  • It boasts advanced stealth technologies, including reduced radiated noise levels and sophisticated hydrodynamic design, making it one of the quietest submarines in the world.
  • Its combat capabilities include the use of precision-guided weapons such as torpedoes and tube-launched anti-ship missiles, further solidifying its role in both offensive and defensive naval operations.
  • It is designed for a wide range of missions, from anti-submarine warfare to intelligence gathering, and is fully capable of operating in diverse maritime environments.
  • It consists of indigenously developed systems like the air-conditioning plant, internal communication network, and the Ku-Band SATCOM system.

Q1: What are the 6 submarines of Project 75?

The six submarines under Project-75 are INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Karanj, INS Vela, INS Vagir and INS Vagsheer

Source: FE

About Hattis:

• The Hattis is a close-knit community who take their name from their traditional occupation of selling home-grown crops, vegetables, meat, and wool at small-town markets known as ‘haats’.
• Hatti men traditionally don a distinctive white headgear on ceremonial occasions.
• The Hatti homeland straddles the Himachal-Uttarakhand border in the basin of the Giri and Tons rivers, both tributaries of the Yamuna. The Tons marks the border between the two states.
• There are two main Hatti clans: one in the Trans-Giri area of the Sirmaur district in Himachal Pradesh and the other in Jaunsar Bawar of Uttarakhand.
• The two Hatti clans have similar traditions, and intermarriages are common.
• They are governed by a traditional council called ‘khumbli’ which decides community matters.
• Economy:
  • The Hatti population relies on agriculture for livelihood and bare subsistence since their climate is ideal for growing "Cash Crops."
  • Moreover, the rise in Kinnaur, Lahaul, and Spiti's seasonal tourism, often called “eco-tourism”, served as a merged source of income.
• According to the 2011 census, members of the community numbered 2.5 lakh, but at present population of the Hattis is estimated at around 3 lakhs.
• In 2023, the Indian government granted Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Hatti community in Himachal Pradesh.
  • The Jaunsar- Bawar region of Uttarakhand was granted tribal status in 1967.

Q1: Who are pahadi people in India?

The word 'Pahadi' essentially means "dwellers of mountains." It is associated with the population of Himalayan Indian regions, comprising Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and parts of northern Uttar Pradesh, along with Nepal.

Source: CNBC

About Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project (PHEP-II):

• It is a 1 GW run-of-the-river hydroelectric power-generating facility under construction in the Wangdue Phodrang district of Bhutan.
• It is located on the right bank of the Punatsangchhu River.
• The project is being developed by the Punatsangchhu II Hydroelectric Project Authority, under an Inter-Government Agreement (IGA) between the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Government of India.
• Specifications:
  • It involves the construction of a 91m-high and 223.8m-long concrete gravity dam, along with an 877.46m-long and 12m-diametre diversion tunnel with a discharge capacity of 1118 cubic metres per second.
  • The project also involves a 168.75m-long and 22m-high upper cofferdam and a 102.02m-long and 13.5m-tall downstream cofferdam.
  • The Punatsangchhu II hydroelectric power plant will comprise an underground powerhouse which will be equipped with six Francis turbines of 170 MW capacity each. 
  • On commissioning of all six units, the expected annual power generation will be 4,357 million units of electricity.
• Funding: It is funded by the Government of India (GoI): 30% grant and 70% loan at 10% annual interest, repayable in 30 equated semi-annual installments commencing one year after the mean date of operation.
• All the surplus power from the project will be exported to India. 

Q1: What is the capacity of the Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project (PHEP-II)?

It is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric power-generating facility of 1020 MW capacity.

Source: CNBC

About Utricularia:

• Utricularia (bladderwort) is a genus of carnivorous plants in the family Lentibulariaceae.
• Currently, 220 listed species occupying temperate and tropical habitats throughout the world; it is the most diverse and widespread genus of carnivorous plants.
• They are characterized by small hollow sacs that actively capture and digest tiny animals such as insect larvae, aquatic worms, and water fleas.
• Bladderworts can be found in lakes, streams, and waterlogged soils around the world, and several are invasive species that have spread to novel habitats.
• Bladderwort plants lack roots and usually have a horizontal floating stem bearing simple or divided leaves.
• Small carnivorous bladders are produced along the stem can range from dark to transparent in color.
• Bladderworts trap small organisms in their tiny bladders, which have a trap door that is triggered by hairs on the door.
  • When prey comes in contact with the hairs, the door opens in a millisecond, sucking the animal in and closing in about 2.5 milliseconds. 
• The flowers are bisexual and bilaterally symmetrical.

Key Facts about Keoladeo National Park:

• The Keoladeo National Park, formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is located in the eastern part of Rajasthan. 
• Declared a national park in 1981, it was renamed Keoladeo for the ancient temple in the park dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. 
• It is strategically located in the middle of the Central Asian migratory flyway.
• It is spread across 2,873 hectares of woodlands, grasslands, wetlands, and woodland swamps. 
• Vegetation: The vegetation here is of a dry deciduous type, with medium-sized trees and shrubs found inside its forest. 
• Flora: Some of the trees which can be commonly spotted inside the park are kadam, jamun, babul, kandi, ber, kair, and piloo.
• Fauna:
  • Keoladeo is home to more than 360 species of permanent and migratory birds.
  • During the annual period of migratory visitors (about October to March), birds from throughout the world can be found in the park.
  • Among those wintering in the park are waterfowl from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Siberia, including species such as gadwalls, shovellers, common teals, tufted ducks, pintails, white spoonbills, Asian open-billed storks, Oriental ibises, and the rare (possibly extinct) Siberian crane. 
  • The park is also home to a range of mammals and reptiles—including pythons and other snakes, deer, sambars, blackbucks, jackals, monitor lizards, and fishing cats—as well as some 50 species of fish and 25 species of butterflies.
• It is a Ramsar site and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Q1: What are the benefits of Utricularia?

The dried leaves are used to make medicinal tea. People take bladderwort for treating urinary tract disorders including kidney stones and urinary tract infections (UTIs). They also take it to treat spasms, fluid retention, and swelling; to stimulate gallbladder secretions; and to promote weight loss.

Source: ETV