About Blue Corner Notice

• It is a part of Interpol’s elaborate system of colour-coded notices, which enable countries to “share alerts and requests for information [on wanted persons/crimes] worldwide”.
• This sharing of critical crime-related information is crucial for tackling internationally spread out criminal activities.
• There are seven types of notices — Red Notice, Yellow Notice, Blue Notice, Black Notice, Green Notice, Orange Notice, and Purple Notice. Each has a different implication.
  • Red Notice: To seek the location and arrest of persons wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence.
  • Yellow Notice: To help locate missing persons, often minors, or to help identify persons who are unable to identify themselves.
  • Blue Notice: To collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.
  • Black Notice: To seek information on unidentified bodies.
  • Green Notice: To provide warning about a person’s criminal activities, where the person is considered to be a possible threat to public safety.
  • Orange Notice: To warn of an event, a person, an object or a process representing a serious and imminent threat to public safety.
  • Purple Notice: To seek or provide information on modus operandi, objects, devices and concealment methods used by criminals.
• These notices are issued by the Interpol’s General Secretariat at the request of a member country’s Interpol National Central Bureau, and are made available for all member countries. 

What is the International Criminal Police Organization?

• It is commonly known as Interpol, facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime control.
• Mandate: It is an international organization facilitating international police cooperation against cross-border terrorism, trafficking, and other crime.
• Governance: All decisions regarding the activities of INTERPOL are made by the General Assembly which is its supreme governing body which meets annually.
• Status: It is ‘NOT’ a unit or part of a united nation system. It is an independent international organization.

Q1 : What is Central Bureau of Investigation?

It is the premier investigative agency in India, with a dual responsibility to investigate grievous cases and provide leadership and direction in fighting corruption to the police force across the country.

Source: What a Blue Corner notice will mean for Prajwal Revanna

About Boeing Starliner

• Starliner is a spacecraft that transports astronauts into space after being launched there by a rocket. 
• It consists of a crew capsule and a service module.
• The crew capsule houses the astronauts; like others of its kind, it will be able to survive reentry and return to the ground. 
• The service module consists of the equipment and systems the astronauts need to survive in space, including air and temperature control, water supply, sanitation, etc., plus the engines and fuel required to manoeuvre the spacecraft. 
• The service module won’t be reusable.
• Starliner is more than 4 meters wide and can house up to seven astronauts.
• The Starliner has an innovative, weldless structure and is reusable up to 10 times with a six-month turnaround time.
• It also features wireless internet and tablet technology for crew interfaces.
• It can be fit atop an Atlas V rocket, operated by United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
• What is Starliner’s purpose?
  • On September 16, 2014, NASA announced it had awarded contracts to SpaceX and Boeing to fly astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).
  • Since being awarded the NASA contracts, SpaceX has flown 13 missions to the ISS onboard its Dragon crew capsule (which can also house seven astronauts).
  • After NASA shut its Space Shuttle programme in 2011 and before SpaceX’s Dragon capsule got ready in 2020, only Russia’s Soyuz rocket and capsule could ferry astronauts to and from the ISS.
  • If the Starliner mission succeeds, the U.S. will, for the first time in its history, have two spacecraft to launch astronauts to space.
  • SpaceX and Boeing will take turns launching astronauts to the ISS—each crew’s expedition lasts up to six months—until the ISS is decommissioned next decade.

Q1: What is the International Space Station (ISS)?

The International Space Station is a large spacecraft in orbit around Earth. It serves as a home where crews of astronauts and cosmonauts live. The space station is also a unique science laboratory. It is a unique international collaboration among five space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA, and CSA. The International Space Station is made up of many different modules, each of which has a specific purpose.

Source: Significance of Boeing Starliner’s first crewed test flight on May 7 | Explained

About Endosymbiotic Theory

• The endosymbiotic theory states that some of the organelles in today's eukaryotic cells were once prokaryotic microbes.
• In this theory, the first eukaryotic cell was probably an amoeba-like cell that got nutrients by phagocytosis and contained a nucleus that formed when a piece of the cytoplasmic membrane pinched off around the chromosomes.
• Some of these amoeba-like organisms ingested prokaryotic cells that then survived within the organism and developed a symbiotic relationship.
• Mitochondria formed when bacteria capable of aerobic respiration were ingested; chloroplasts formed when photosynthetic bacteria were ingested. They eventually lost their cell wall and much of their DNA because they were not of benefit within the host cell.
• The endosymbiotic theory describes how a large host cell and ingested bacteria could easily become dependent on one another for survival, resulting in a permanent relationship.
• Over millions of years of evolution, mitochondria and chloroplasts have become more specialized, and today they cannot live outside the cell.

Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes

• All living things can be divided into three basic domains: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.
• The primarily single-celled organisms found in the Bacteria and Archaea domains are known as prokaryotes. These organisms are made of prokaryotic cells—the smallest, simplest, and most ancient cells.
• Organisms in the Eukarya domain is made of more complex eukaryotic cells. These organisms, called eukaryotes, can be unicellular or multicellular and include animals, plants, fungi, and protists. 
• The biggest distinction between them is that eukaryotic cells have a distinct nucleus containing the cell's genetic material, while prokaryotic cells don't have a nucleus and have free-floating genetic material instead. 
• Eukaryotes developed at least 2.7 billion years ago, following 1 to 1.5 billion years of prokaryotic evolution.
• Eukaryotic cells have several other membrane-bound organelles not found in prokaryotic cells. These include the mitochondria, rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, golgi complex, and in the case of plant cells, chloroplasts (conduct photosynthesis).
• Although prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells have many differences, they share some common features, including the following:
  • DNA.
  • Cell (or plasma) membrane
  • Cytoplasm: Jelly-like fluid within a cell that is composed primarily of water, salts, and proteins.
  • Ribosomes: Organelles that make proteins.

Q1: What is Phagocytosis?

Phagocytosis, or “cell eating”, is the process by which a cell engulfs a particle and digests it. The word phagocytosis comes from the Greek phago-, meaning “devouring”, and -cyte, meaning “cell”. Cells in the immune systems of organisms use phagocytosis to devour bodily intruders such as bacteria, and they also engulf and get rid of cell debris. Some single-celled organisms like amoebas use phagocytosis in order to eat and acquire nutrients.

Source: Can the newly discovered organelle help engineer plants to fix nitrogen?

What is AIP?

• With the emergence of submarines, there was a problem finding satisfactory forms of propulsion underwater.
• Traditional diesel-electric submarines need to surface frequently to charge their batteries and have an underwater endurance of only a few days.
• As battery technology improved, the endurance of these submarines increased proportionally. But it was not enough to last them beyond a week.
• In 1908, the Imperial Russian Navy launched the submarine Pochtovy, which used a gasoline engine fed with compressed air and exhausted underwater.
• These two approaches, the use of a fuel that provides energy to an open-cycle system, and the provision of oxygen to an aerobic engine in a closed cycle, characterise AIP today.
• Most of these systems generate electricity, which, in turn drives an electric motor for propulsion or recharges the boat’s batteries.
• The introduction of AIP vastly improved the underwater endurance of these submarines and gave them a distinct advantage.
• AIP is mostly implemented as an auxiliary source, with the traditional diesel engine handling surface propulsion.
• AIP technology can be installed on existing, older-generation submarines by inserting a new hull section during a retrofit. 
• A typical conventional power plant provides 3 megawatts maximum, and an AIP source around 10 percent of that. A nuclear submarine’s propulsion plant is much greater than 20 megawatts.
• Advantages of AIP system:
  • It allows the submarines to stay for longer hours in the water.
  • It decreases the noise levels made by the submarines. This makes it hard to detect the submarines.
• Types of AIP: Open-cycle systems, Closed-cycle diesel engines, Closed-cycle steam turbines Stirling cycle engines and Fuel cells.
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is using the fuel cells-based AIP System. It is unique as hydrogen is generated onboard. The plant was operated in endurance mode and max power mode as per the user requirements. The system is being developed by the Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL) of DRDO.

Types of Submarines

• Conventional or Diesel-electric submarine: They need atmospheric oxygen to run the diesel generator, which in turn charges the batteries.
• Nuclear Submarine: It is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor, but not necessarily nuclear-armed. They have considerable performance advantages over conventional submarines.

Q1: What is a Nuclear Submarine?

A nuclear submarine is a naval vessel that uses a nuclear reactor to power its propulsion. The nuclear submarines may or may not carry nuclear weapons. The history of nuclear submarines goes back to the 1950s when the US first developed it in 1954, named USS Nautilus. Soon it was followed by Russia and subsequently by other naval powers such as France, Britain and China. India too started engaging in nuclear submarine technologies, when it leased a Charlie I class SSN from the USSR in 1987 as well as developing its indigenous SSBN, INS Arihant in 2016.

Source: Indian Navy's Ambitious Submarine Fleet Modernisation To Advance With AIP Technology

About Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal

• It represents a specialised authority formed to resolve GST-related disputes at the appellate level.
• It is established under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (CGST Act) to hear various appeals under the said Act and the respective State/UT GST Acts.
• It will have one Principal Bench located at Delhi and 31 State benches located at various locations across States.
• Composition
  • It consists of the President (Head), a Judicial Member, and 2Technical Members (one from the state and another from the Centre).
  • Further, there may be state benches consisting of two Judicial Members, a Technical Member (Centre) and a Technical Member (state).
• Eligibility
  • The president must be a Supreme Court judge or have served the High Court as the Chief Justice.
  • The Judicial member must be a High Court Judge or has served as an Additional District Judge or a District Judge for a period of 10 years. 
  • The Technical Member (Centre) must be an Indian Revenue Service member belonging to Group A or must be a member of All India Service with three years of experience in administering GST in the Central Government.
  • Also, the Technical Member from the Centre should have completed twenty-five years in Group A services. 
  • The Technical Member (state) must be a state government officer or All India Service officer with the rank above Additional Commissioner of Value Added Tax; also, the rank should be above the First Appellate Authority.
  • The Technical Member from the state must have completed twenty-five years in Group A Services or equivalent and three years administering GST or finance and taxation in the State Government. 
  • Age limit and Tenure: The president and judicial and technical members of GSTAT shall hold office for four years, or until he attains the age of 70 years and 67 years.
• It is equivalent to a Civil Court for trying a case. It can pass orders, hear cases, impose penalties, and revoke or cancel registrations.

Q1: What is Goods and Services Tax (GST)?

 It is an indirect tax (not directly paid by customers to the government), that came into effect from 1 July 2017 through the implementation of the 101st Amendment to the Constitution of India by the Indian government.

Source: Sanjaya Kumar Mishra to head GST Appellate Tribunal

About Integrated Pensioners’ Portal 

• The portal is specifically designed to ensure complete digitization of the pension processing and payment system.
• It combines the pension processing and payment services of five banks (Bank of India, State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, and Canara Bank) into a single window.
  • Most pension-disbursing banks will be integrated with the portal later.
• Its primary objective is to achieve transparency and efficiency in pension-related services.
• With this system, the pensioner's personal and service particulars can be captured, which enables the online submission of pension forms.
• Retirees will also be notified of the progress of their pension sanctionthrough SMS oremail, keeping them informed throughout the process.
• A major feature of the IPP is that retirees can access their monthly pension slips, check the status of life certificates, submit Form 16, and view statements of arrears paid.
• The portal has a Bhavishya platform and a Centralised Pension Grievances Redress and Monitoring System (CPENGRAMS).

Bhavishya platform

• It is an online Pension Sanction & Payment Tracking System launched by the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare.
• It provides online tracking of pension sanction and payment process by the individual as well as the administrative authorities for all actions preparatory to grant pension and other retirement benefits, as well as payment of monthly pension after retirement.
• The system captures the pensioners personal and service particulars.
• The forms for processing pensions can be submitted online.
• It keeps retiring employees informed of the progress of the pension sanction process through SMS/ Email. The system obviates delays in the payment of pensions by ensuring complete transparency and establishing accountability in the pension sanction and payment process.
• The system obviates delays in the payment of pensions by ensuring complete transparency. 

CPENGRAMS

• CPENGRAMS is an online web-enabled system for speedy redressal of grievances related to pension by various Central Government Ministries/ Departments/Organizations.
• This system, besides providing a faster access to pensioners, offers the following online facilities:
  • Registration of pension grievances online
  • Forwarding of reminders on line
  • Query on the status of any of the registered grievances
  • Available (24*7) basis for submission of grievance online
• It has been developed with the objective of speedy redress and effective monitoring of the grievances besides providing fast access to pensioners. 
• Pensioners can also appeal if they are not satisfied with the redressal of their grievance.

Q1: What is the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority(PFRDA)?

It is a statutory regulatory body set up under PFRDA Act enacted in 2014 to promote old age income security by establishing, developing, and regulating pension funds and to protect the interests of subscribers to schemes of pension funds and related matters. It comes under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance.

Source: Good news for pensioners! Centre launches Integrated Pensioners’ Portal. Check details here 

About Lakshya Aircraft

• It is an indigenously developed micro-light and pilot-less target aircraft.
• It designed and built by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a subsidiary of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), for the Indian Armed Forces.
• The Lakshya was inducted into the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, and Indian Army in 2000, 2001, and 2003, respectively.
• It is a cost-effective re-usable high subsonic aerial target system powered by a gas turbine engine.
• The engine is designed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bangalore. 
• It is required for evaluation and development trials of new surface-to-air and air-to-air weapon systems.
• It carries two tow targets of tow lengths of 1.5 km each, having radar, IR or visual signature augmentation, and a Miss Distance Indication Scoring System.
• These tow targets are used for training of land- or ship-based gun and missile crew and combat aircraft pilots in weapon engagement. 
• It was designed to launch either from land or sea through a zero-length launcher and be recovered by a dual stage parachute system.
• The Lakshya can be controlled from the ground control station (GCS) through pre-programmed hardware and software systems.
• Designed to be reused for 15 missions, the aircraft can spiflicate airborne incoming enemy targets.

Q1: What is the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO)?

It is the R&D wing of the Ministry of Defence, Govt. of India, with a vision to empower India with cutting-edge defence technologies and a mission to achieve self-reliance in critical defence technologies and systems. It is India's largest research organisation. It has a network of laboratories engaged in developing defence technologies covering various fields, like aeronautics, armaments, electronics, land combat engineering, life sciences, materials, missiles, and naval systems.

Source: CBI probes role of DRDO employee in possible graft

About Artificial General Intelligence

• It refers to a machine or a software that can perform any intellectual task that a human can do. This includes reasoning, common sense, abstract thinking, background knowledge, transfer learning, ability to differentiate between cause and effect, etc.
• It aims to emulate human cognitive abilities such that it allows it to do unfamiliar tasks, learn from new experiences, and apply its knowledge in new ways.

How is AGI different from AI we already use?

• The main difference between AGI and the more common form of AI, also known as narrow AI, lies in their scope and capabilities.
  • Narrow AI is designed to perform specific tasks such as image recognition, translation, or even playing games like chess—at which it can outdo humans, but it remains limited to its set parameters.
  • On the other hand, AGI envisions a broader, more generalised form of intelligence, not confined to any particular task (like humans).

Applications of AGI

• Healthcare: It can redefine diagnostics, treatment planning, and personalised medicine by integrating and analysing vast datasets, far beyond the capabilities of humans.
• Finance and business: AGI could automate various processes and enhance the overall decision-making, offering real-time analytics and market predictions with accuracy.

Q1: What is Artificial intelligence (AI)?

It is a discipline of computer science that focuses on developing intelligent agents—systems that can reason, learn, and make decisions on their own. AI research has given excellent solutions to a wide range of issues, from gaming to medical diagnostics.

Source: What is Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), and why are people worried about it?

About Paliyar Tribe

• The term ‘Paliyar ’ has been derived from the word ‘Palaniyan’ , which in Tamil language means a man from Palani.
• They are and have been known by multiple names such as the Paliyans, Pazhaiyarares and Panaiyars.
• Location: They are distributed in the districts of Madurai, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai Tirunelveli and Coimbatore of Tamil Nadu.
• Language: They speak Tamil and use the Tamil script for both inter-group and intra-group communication.
• Occupation: Traditionally, the Paliyars were hunters and gatherers, residing in the forests of the Western Ghats.
• The tribal people offer prayers to the Vanadevadai in the interior forest. They also worship god Karuppan by visiting a remote area of the forest along with the families
• The Paliyar tribes never burned the dead bodies. They had the customary practices of burying the dead bodies in an area near to their residential area on the western side.

Q1: Who are known as Tribes?

According to the Imperial Gazetteer of India, a tribe is a collection of families bearing a common name, speaking a common dialect, and occupying or professing to occupy a common territory.

Source: State government urged to take steps to uplift Paliyar, other tribes

About Koothandavar festival 

• In the Tamil month of Chithirai (mid-April to mid-May), the 18-day Koothandavar festival takes place in Koovagam of Tamil Nadu.
• It is the annual event, steeped in tradition, garners global attention for its unique celebration of the transgender identity.
• History
  • In a Tamil version of the Mahabharata, a character called Aravan offered himself as sacrifice for the Pandavas’ triumph in war.
  • It is said he had a boon of marriage before his sacrifice but no woman wanted to marry him as it would mean widowhood.
  • Eventually, it is said Lord Krishna married Aravan after taking the form of Mohini. Lore has it that Lord Krishna grieved for Aravan as a widow.
• Rituals
  • The focal point of the festival, Lord Aravan's sacrificical ritual.
  • On the 17th day of the ceremony, transwomen from far and wide congregate to wed Lord Aravan.
  • The next day, as the culmination of the festival, Aravan would be sacrificed in the war.
  • Marking his death, the trans woman who married him go through the rituals of widowhood, lamenting Aravan's death.

Q: What is the National Council for Transgender Persons?

It is a statutory body constituted under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2019 to safeguard the rights of transgender persons in India.It is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

Source: In Frames | Vicissitudes of a wedding