Current Affair 1:

Mitochondrial Donation Treatment

 

News:

Mitochondrial donation treatment can be used by people with severe mitochondrial disease to avoid passing the condition onto their children.

What are mitochondria?

Mitochondria are present in almost all human cells, including eggs. They create most of a cell’s energy supply which powers every part of our body.

For any cell to function, the mitochondrial genes need to work properly. Mitochondria with gene abnormalities can cause severe medical disorders known as mitochondrial disease.

What does mitochondrial donation treatment involve?

Two techniques for mitochondrial donation have been developed and approved by Parliament: maternal spindle transfer (MST) and pronuclear transfer (PNT).

In both techniques, eggs or embryos are created using your nuclear genetic material (the genes that make you who you are) and healthy donated mitochondria.

In both MST and PNT, the resulting embryos would contain your and your partner’s (or sperm donor’s) genetic material, so they would be your biological children. Both techniques work equally well.

 

Current Affair 2:

Sarangapani temple in Kumbakonam

 

Sarangapani Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu, located in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the Divya Desams, the 108 temples of Vishnu revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham by the 12 poet saints, or Alwars. This temple is along Kaveri and is one of the Pancharanga Kshetrams.

Current Affair 3:

US Debt Ceiling Issue

 

 

US Govt. has by law put (accumulated) debt ceiling at $31.4 Trillion which US Govt. hit in January 2023. After that, US Govt was somehow managing the situation through taxes inflows and rollovers. US lawmakers have said that they will suspend the debt ceiling or increase it only if US Govt. promises spending cuts. But Mr. Biden has refused it as it will cripple the economy. If Debt ceiling is not raised then US Govt. may default on its (domestic) payments to military, social security, Medicare and other services.

The default may lead to:

1. Will raise interest rates in economy leading to increase in debt further by $850 billion
2. Loss of millions of jobs
3. One-tenth of the economic activity will halt
4. US dollar is a reserve currency.

That means over half of the world's foreign currency reserves are held in US dollars. Like India (RBI) also holds dollars in Forex Reserves. And these dollars, RBI has invested to purchase US Govt. bonds. Now if US defaults on its payments, then investors (and countries) will lose confidence in US economy and they will start selling US Govt. bonds and this would weaken the dollars (i.e., dollar would depreciate). This would make debt denominated in other currencies more expensive and could lead some countries in debt crisis. A weaker dollar would be beneficial for countries pushing for 'De-Dollarization'

1. If US economy suffers then it will impact global financial markets and emerging economies.

This (debt ceiling issue) has happened previously (2011, 2013) also but US has never defaulted. This ceiling (in absolute value) is American peculiarity.  Debt Ceiling punishes the current Govt. for sins of overspending, debt accumulation over the years. Govt. of India has put its debt ceiling in percentage terms (40% of GDP as per FRBM Act) and Lok Sabha can easily amend it whenever needed.

When we are borrowing (Fiscal deficit) every year, so our Debt is increasing. Fiscal Deficit/Borrowing is a 'flow' concept, but (accumulated) Debt is a 'stock' concept.

Current Affair 4:

National Green Tribunal.

 

The National Green Tribunal has been established on under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010 for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources including enforcement of any legal right relating to environment and giving relief and compensation for damages to persons and property.

Composition:

The chairperson shall be appointed by the central government in consultation with the chief justice of India. Judicial member & expert member shall be appointed on the recommendations of select committee as provided by the central government.

Chairperson, judicial member & expert member shall hold office for a term of 5 years but shall not be eligible for re- appointment.

Removal and suspension of Chairperson, Judicial Member and Expert Member:

Jurisdiction:

 

 

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