- BACTERIA THAT WRITE NEW GENES TO COPE WITH INFECTIONS
- The ability of cells to create DNA copies from RNA revolutionised research in molecular biology
- Researchers could: Reverse-transcribemessenger RNAs to pieces of DNA
- Clonethat DNA into bacterial vectors
- And study the functionof the corresponding genes
- Reverse transcriptasehad a significant effect on management of HIV infections in the 1980s.
- A generation of antiviral agents targeting the reverse transcriptase enzyme helped convert an otherwise deadly disease to one that could be managed
- Reverse transcriptase has the potential to reveal novel mechanisms of genetic evolution and viral resistance, leading to new therapeutic strategies and biotechnological tools
2. AUSTRALIA OPENS MILITARY TO NON CITIZENS RESIDENTS FROM FIVE EYES
- Australia will allow non-citizens to join its armed forces, as the sparsely populated nation struggles to meet recruitment targets
- Need – Australia has a coastline that would stretch one-and-a-bit times around the Earth, but a population of just 26 million
- The Australian Defence Forces can today count on about 90,000 personnel, including reservists
- Canberra has surged defence spendingin recent years, buying fleets of submarines, jets and scores of fighting vehiclesto meet mounting regional tensions
- Butit has struggled to find enough pilots, mariners and troopsto operate and maintain them
- Citizens from Britain, Canada, New Zealandand the United Statesare being favoured
3. VOLVO – FIRST EV BATTERY PASSPORT
- An EV Battery Passportis a digital record that tracks and documents the lifecycle and origins of an electric vehicle (EV) battery, including the raw materials, components, recycled content, and the carbon footprint associated with its production
- Regulatory Compliance: EV battery passports will be mandatory for all EVs sold in the European Union starting February 2027, aligning with stringent environmental regulations and standards.
- Implementation: Volvo’s Initiative: – Volvo Cars, in collaboration with U.K. start-up Circulor, is launching the world’s first EV battery passport for its EX90 SUV.
- Circulor utilizes blockchain technology to map and verify supply chains, ensuring the accuracy and integrityof the information recorded.
- Blockchain Technology: Blockchain provides a secure and immutable ledger to track the origins and lifecycle of battery materials, ensuring transparency and reducing the risk of fraud.
4. 2024 LOKSHABA ELECTION – COALITION GOVERNMENT
- What is a coalition government? A coalition government is formed when multiple political parties come together to form a government, usually because no single party has achieved an outright majorityin the legislature.
- This type of government is common in parliamentary systemsand can be seen in various countries, including India
- Examples — India: India has seen several coalition governments at both the central and state levels. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are examples of coalition governments at the central level.
- Europe: Many European countries, such as Germanyand Italy, frequently have coalition governments due to their proportional representation electoral systems.
- Benefits of Coalition Government – Representation of Diverse Interests: Inclusivity: Coalition governments often represent a broader spectrum of the electorate, as multiple parties with different ideologies and interests come together.
- Balanced Policies: Policies are more likely to be balanced and inclusive, considering the diverse viewpoints of coalition partners.
- Checks and Balances: Power Sharing: Power is distributed among various parties, reducing the risk of authoritarianism or dominance by a single party.
- Accountability: Coalition partners keep each other in check, promoting transparency and accountability in governance.
- Consensus Building: Collaborative Decision-Making: Decisions are made through negotiation and consensus, which can lead to more thoughtful and well-rounded policies.
- Reduced Polarisation: The need for consensus can reduce political polarization and encourage cooperation among different political factions.
- Stability in Fragmented Polities: Political Stability: In countries with fragmented political landscapes, coalition governments can provide stability by bringing together various factions.
- Continuity: Coalition governments can ensure continuity in governance, even if no single party has a clear majority.
5. ECONOMIC ISSUES
- Unemployment: Persistent high levels of unemployment affecting a large portion of the population.
- Low Wages: Inadequate wages that fail to provide sufficient livelihood, particularly from self-employment.
- Rising Prices of Essentials: Increasing costs of essential goods making it difficult for people to afford basic necessities.
- Inadequate Livelihoods: Insufficient economic opportunities and support for sustainable self-employment.
- Ignored Economic Issues: The Modi government has been accused of ignoring critical economic issues in both policy and campaign focus.
- Basic Social and Economic Rights: – Deficiencies in the right to work, food, education, social security, and health.
- The current policies are seen as failing to adequately address these fundamental rights.
- Crisis in Farming: Ongoing agricultural distress with farmers facing significant challenges.
- Centralised Governance: Increasing centralisation of power at the national level, reducing the effectiveness of state governments.
ONE LINER
- 77th World Health Assembly by World Health Organization (WHO) has held in Geneva, Switzerland
- Sunitha Williams went into space for the 3rd time in the Starliner space shuttle developed by the American private company Boeing
