About Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC): 

• It is a crucial legal provision that aims to protect married women from cruelty inflicted upon them by their husbands or their relatives. 
• This section was introduced in 1983 as an amendment to the IPC to address the growing concern of domestic violence and harassment faced by married women in India.
• Under Section 498-A IPC, a husband or his relatives can be sentenced to a jail term of three years for subjecting the wife to cruelty.
• The section applies to married women only.
• The section defines cruelty as any wilful conduct that is likely to drive a woman to commit suicide or to cause grave injury to her life, limb, or health, whether mental or physical.

The conduct can be in the form of harassment or torture, with the intent to coerce the woman or her relatives to meet unlawful demands for property or money.

• The section also defines the term ‘husband’ to include a person who has a legal or customary relationship with the woman, such as a live-in partner or a person who claims to be married to the woman but has not been legally married.
• There is no limitation as to the number of years within which the complaint has to be filed, and a wife can file a complaint under this section at any time.
• Any offence under Section 498A is a cognizable one and is also non-compoundable and non-bailable.
• Bail under Section 498A can only be granted by the Magistrate once a First Information Report (FIR)has been registered by the police based on a complaint filed by the aggrieved party.
• Supreme Court Rulings:
  • The Supreme Court has ruled that Section 498A should be used sparingly and only in cases where there is genuine evidence of cruelty.
  • The court has also ruled that the section should not be used as a tool to settle personal scores.
  • The court emphasized the need for the police to conduct a thorough investigation before making arrests, to avoid unnecessary harassment of the accused.

To address these concerns, the government of India introduced the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA) in 2005, which provides a more comprehensive legal framework for addressing domestic violence and abuse against women.

Q1: What is a non-compoundable offence?

Compoundable offences are minor crimes where the victim can agree to drop charges through compromise. Non-compoundable offences are serious crimes that can’t be settled and require full trials for justice.

Source: Section 498A IPC has been copied verbatim in new criminal law; make changes: Supreme Court to Centre

About Oxytocin: 

• It is also known as the ‘love hormone’, is a hormone secreted by the pituitary glands of mammals during sex, childbirth, lactation or social bonding.
• However, it can also be chemically manufactured and is sold by pharma companies for use during childbirth. It is administered either as an injection or a nasal solution.
• The drug was banned by the Central government in April 2018, saying that it was being misused on milch cattle to increase yield, which not only affects the health of the cattle but also humans who consumed the milk.
• Why is it vital?
  • Oxytocin helps contract the uterus and induce delivery, control bleeding, and promote the release of breast milk.
  • Its use is especially crucial to prevent new mothers from excessively bleeding after giving birth—a common cause of maternal deaths.

What are hormones?

Hormones are chemicals that coordinate different functions in your body by carrying messages through your blood to your organs, muscles and other tissues. These signals tell your body what to do and when to do it.

Q1:What is Pituitary gland?

The pituitary gland is a small pea-sized gland that plays a major role in regulating vital body functions and general wellbeing. It is referred to as the body's 'master gland' because it controls the activity of most other hormone-secreting glands.

Source: Banned Oxytocin still used in milk supplied in Delhi: HC takes note

About World Press Freedom Index 2024:

• It is an annual report released by the global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
• The index ranks 180 countries on the ability of journalists to work and report freely and independently.
• The press freedom questionnaire covers five categories: political context, legal framework, economic context, sociocultural context, and security. 
• It only deals with press freedom and does not measure the quality of journalism in the countries it assesses, nor does it look at human rights violations in general.
• Highlights of the 2024 Index:
  • It shows an overall decline in press freedom globally and a steep rise in the political repression of journalists and independent media outlets, noting that press freedoms fell by an average of 7.6 points globally.
  • Norway topped the ranking, while Denmark was on the second rank.
  • The countries where press freedom is “good” are all in Europe, and more specifically within the European Union, which has adopted its first media freedom law (EMFA). 
  • The Maghreb and Middle East regions performed the worst in terms of restrictions on press freedom by government forces.
  • Eritrea was at the bottom of the list, with Syria just ahead of it. 
• India’s Ranking:
  • India’s rank improved from 161 in 2023 to 159 in 2024, but this was because other countries had slipped in their rankings. 
  • Scores for India dropped (worsened) in all but the security indicator.

India is ranked behind Turkey, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, which are ranked at positions 158, 152, and 150, respectively.

Q1: What is the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA)?

The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) will establish a common framework for media services in the EU’s internal market and introduce measures aimed at protecting journalists and media providers from political interference, while also making it easier for them to operate across the EU’s internal borders.

The new rules will guarantee the right of citizens to access free and plural information and define the responsibility of member states to provide the appropriate conditions and framework to protect it.

Source: India press freedom score falls, says Reporters sans Frontieres

About Bhadra Tiger Reserve: 

• It is situated in the midst of the Western Ghats region of Karnataka.
• The reserve is unique as it is nestled within several hill ranges. The habitat has a good population of elephants and is also an Elephant Reserve.
• It boasts of a substantial tiger population and as such the sanctuary was declared the 25th Project Tiger reserve of India in 1998.
• Rivers: Itis well drained by the river Bhadra and its tributaries.
• Vegetation: It has dry-deciduous, moist-deciduous, shola, and semi-evergreen patches.
• Flora: Teak, Rosewood, Mathi, Honne, Nandi and many medicinal plants etc.
• Fauna: Tiger, Leopard, Leopard cat, Dholes, Indian Civet, ungulates like Gaur, Sambar and Barking Deer are common.
• Other Tiger Reserves of Karnataka: Bandipura, Nagarahole, Dandeli-Anshi and Biligiriranga Tiger Reserve

Q1: What are Shola forests?

The Shola forests of South India derive their name from the Tamil word solai, which means a ‘tropical rain forest’. They are found in the upper reaches of the Nilgiris, Anamalais, Palni hills, Kalakadu, Mundanthurai and Kanyakumari in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Source: Bhadra Tiger Reserve: A paradise for scientists, tourists and photographers

About Peptides:

• Peptides are chains of amino acids that are naturally found in the body.
• The amino acids in a peptide are connected to one another in a sequence by bonds called peptide bonds.
• Peptides vs. Protiens:
  • Proteins and peptides are fundamental components of cells that carry out important biological functions. 
  • Typically, peptides are distinguished from proteins by their shorter length, although the cut-off number of amino acids for defining a peptide and protein can be arbitrary.
  • Traditionally, peptides are defined as molecules that consist of between 2 and 50 amino acids.
  • Meanwhile, proteins are long molecules made up of multiple peptide subunits, and are also known as polypeptides.
  • In addition, peptides tend to be less well defined in structure than proteins, which can adopt complex conformations known as secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures. 
  • Proteins can be digested by enzymes (other proteins) into short peptide fragments.
• Functions of Peptides:
  • The body makes lots of different peptides, each of which has a different role.
  • They may provide pro-aging support, anti-inflammatory, or muscle-building properties.
  • Some peptides act as hormones, which are molecules, that when released from cells, affect other areas of the body.
  • Due to the potential health benefits of peptides, many supplements are available that contain peptides that manufacturers have derived either from food or made synthetically.

What are Amino Acids?

• Amino acids are molecules that combine to form proteins.
• Amino acids and proteins are the building blocks of life.
• There are 20 different amino acids.
• A protein consists of one or more chains of amino acids (called polypeptides) whose sequence is encoded in a gene.
• Some amino acids can be synthesized in the body, but others (essential amino acids)cannot and must be obtained from a person’s diet.

The nine essential amino acids are: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.

Q1: What is a Gene?

A gene is the basic physical and functional unit of heredity. Genes are made up of DNA. Some genes act as instructions to make molecules called proteins. However, many genes do not code for proteins. In humans, genes vary in size from a few hundred DNA bases to more than 2 million bases.

Source: Newly Discovered Peptide Could Treat Incurable Bacterial Infections

About Thunderstorm:

• A thunderstorm is a rain shower during which you hear thunder. Since thunder comes from lightning, all thunder storms have lightning.
• Formation:
  • Thunderstorms arise when layers of warm, moist air rise in a large, swift updraft to cooler regions of the atmosphere.
  • There, the moisture contained in the updraft condenses to form towering cumulonimbus clouds and, eventually, precipitation.
  • Columns of cooled air then sink earthward, striking the ground with strong downdrafts and horizontal winds.
  • At the same time, electrical charges accumulate on cloud particles (water droplets and ice). 
  • Lightning discharges occur when the accumulated electric charge becomes sufficiently large.
  • Lightning heats the air it passes through so intensely and quickly that shock waves are produced. These shock waves are heard as claps and rolls of thunder. 
  • On occasion, severe thunderstorms are accompanied by swirling vortices of air that become concentrated and powerful enough to form tornadoes.
• What is a severe thunderstorm? A thunderstorm is classified as “severe” when it contains one or more of the following: hail one inch or greater, winds gusting in excess of 50 knots (57.5 mph), or a tornado.
• Thunderstorms are known to occur in almost every region of the world, though they are rare in polar regions and infrequent at latitudes higher than 50° N and 50° S.
• The temperate and tropical regions of the world, therefore, are the most prone to thunderstorms.

Q1: What are cumulonimbus clouds?

Cumulonimbus clouds are menacing looking multi-level clouds, extending high into the sky in towers or plumes. More commonly known as thunderclouds, cumulonimbus is the only cloud type that can produce hail, thunder and lightning. The base of the cloud is often flat, with a very dark wall-like feature hanging underneath, and may only lie a few hundred feet above the Earth's surface.

Source: Several Flights Cancelled As Heavy Rains, Thunderstorms Return To UAE

About Delisting of Shares: 

• It means removing the shares of a listed company from a stock exchange. Once delisted, the securities of that company can no longer be traded on the stock exchange.
• Delisting can be either voluntary or compulsory.
  • In voluntary delisting, a company decides on its own to remove its securities from a stock exchange.
  • In compulsory delisting, they are removed as a penal measure for the company not making submissions or complying with requirements set out in the listing agreement within the prescribed timeframes.
• If a company wants to delist its securities, it needs to buy back 90% of the total issued shares.

Key facts about SEBI

• It is a statutory regulatory body that oversees the securities market in India.
• It was established in April 1988 as an executive body and was given statutory powers in January 1992 through the SEBI Act, 1992.
• It is responsible for issuing regulations for various participants in the securities market, such as listed companies, brokers, mutual funds, and rating agencies.
• It monitors and regulates the Indian capital and securities market while ensuring to protect the interests of the investors, formulating regulations and guidelines.

Q1: What are securities in the Stock market?

These are financial instruments issued to raise funds. The primary function of the securities markets is to enable the flow of capital from those that have it to those that need it.

Source: Why is a Reliance Capital Ltd investor challenging its resolution plan?

About Swing Trading: 

• It is a style of trading where investors keep their positions for longer than a single day, typically holding onto stocks for several days or weeks.
• The goal of swing trading is to capture gains in a stock's value as it swings up and down.
• A swing trader will look for stocks with high volume (a lot of trading activity) and volatility (price movement).
• The entry into a swing trade involves setting up stop-loss orders (to limit potential losses) and target prices (to capture profits) based on support and resistance levels.
• Swing traders buy at support (lower price level) and sell at resistance (higher price level) anticipating the stock's price to swing back and forth within these bounds.
• What's the objective of swing trading?
  • The primary goal of swing trading is to profit from short- to medium-term fluctuations in stock prices.
  • Traders aim to enter and exit positions quickly, typically holding stocks for 2 days to a few weeks.
  • Swing traders capitalise on both upward and downward movements in the market, seeking to take advantage of trends and momentum.
• Swing trading offers flexibility and can be less time-consuming compared to day trading. Traders can benefit from short- to medium-term gains and adjust their positions swiftly based on market conditions.

Q1: What is Nifty?

NIFTY is a market index introduced by the National Stock Exchange (NSE). It is a blended word – National Stock Exchange and Fifty coined by NSE. It was established in 1996 with the name CNX Nifty. Further, in 2015, it was renamed Nifty 50.

Source: Explained: What is swing trading