9th MARCH, 2024

Role of Internet in Drug Trafficking and Use highlighted in International Narcotics Control Board
Annual Report 2023

As per report, Internet has increased the availability of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and related chemicals on
illicit market.
Role of Internet in Drug Trafficking
Cryptomarkets (online darknet marketplaces located on Deep Web) are being used for wholesale drug trade, because of
anonymity and safety.
Various social media platforms are being used as local marketplaces and inappropriate content is accessible to children
and adolescents.
Using Internet pharmacies and telemedicine, patient safety is at risk from illegal internet outlets that sell drugs without
prescription.
♦ Global trade in illicit pharmaceuticals is estimated at $4.4 billion.
Challenges posed by Internet to Drug Control
Encrypted communication methods posing difficulties for prosecuting online trafficking offences.
Due to global-reach of Internet, offenders use
International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)
regions with less stringent law enforcement to
evade extradition. Secretariat: Vienna, Austria
Online presence of fentanyl and other synthetic Established in 1968 in accordance with Single Convention on Narcotic
opioids. Drugs, 1961.
It is an independent and quasi-judicial monitoring body for
Recommendations
implementation of United Nations international drug control
Online platforms should be used to prevent non- conventions.
medical use of drugs and raise awareness about It has 13 members, each elected by Economic and Social Council for
harms of drug use. a period of five years.
Formulate legislation and policy to prosecute illegal INCB initiatives to prevent Internet exploitation for drug trafficking.
marketplaces operating on social media platforms. Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS)
Utilizing real-time counter-trafficking tools to Programme.
develop actionable intelligence against traffickers Project International Operations on New psychoactive substances
that exploit e-commerce services. (ION).

Global trade has been held back by disruptions at two critical shipping routes: IMF

According to the PortWatch platform (a collaborative initiative of IMF and the University of Oxford):
Due to attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, the volume of trade through the Suez Canal dropped by 50% year-over-year in the
first two months of the year 2024.
♦ The Suez Canal is the shortest maritime route between Asia and Europe.
♦ It usually accounts for about 15% of global maritime trade.
Instead, several shipping companies diverted their ships around the Cape of Good Hope.
Additionally, due to the severe drought in the Panama Canal, trade volume fell by almost 32% from the previous year.
♦ Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the narrow Isthmus of Panama.
♦ It usually accounts for about 5% of global maritime trade.
Impact of trade disruption
Supply chain disruption may lead to Inflationary
Initiatives taken for stability in the Red Sea
pressure and food and energy security threats.
Increased delivery time due to diversions hurts Operations Prosperity Guardian: Launched by the US, it is a
multinational security initiative under the umbrella of the Combined
companies with limited inventories.
Maritime Forces that focuses on security in the Red Sea. Its
Ship re-routing could affect customs records on members are the UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands,
imports and exports. Norway, Seychelles and Spain.
♦ This will make it more difficult to gauge the
Operation Aspides: Launched by the EU, to restore regional stability
underlying momentum of global trade and around the Red sea.
economic activity in the coming months.

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 India proposes a detailed model for UNSC reform that displays flexibility in veto

Participating in Inter-governmental Negotiations on UNSC reform, India, along with Brazil, Germany, and Japan (all members
of G4 nations) proposed the reform model.
Key highlights of the proposed model
Enlarged Membership: 11 Permanent members, and 14/15 non-permanent members with a 2 years term to be elected
based on current practice.
Equitable Regional representation: Representation of 6 new permanent members shall come from Africa (2), Asia-Pacific
(2), Latin America and Caribbean (2), Western Europe and Other Member States (1).
Working methods of Council: An affirmative vote of 14/15 of 25/26 members will be required for a decision.
Veto: No veto-right to new permanent
members until decided by a review, held
fifteen years after reform came into force.
Relationship between UNSC and UN General
Assembly (UNGA): Council should hold
regular consultations with President of UNGA,
submit annual report and special reports to
UNGA, etc.
About UNSC
UNSC is one of the six principal organs of UN
with a primary responsibility for maintaining
international peace and security.
Its reform is being sought as:
♦ UNSC does not represent contemporary
world.
♦ Inadequate regional representation.
♦ Misuse of veto power by permanent
members.

5th Mass bleaching event hits Great Barrier Reef (GBR) in 8 years

Before this event, GBR has suffered mass coral bleaching in 1998,
2002, 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2022.
Bleaching occurs when healthy corals become stressed by spikes
in ocean temperatures, causing them to expel algae living in their
tissues, which drains them of their vibrant colours.
Causes of Mass Bleaching events
Climate change induced warming. For Example, Current
underwater heatwave is most intense in southern GBR, which
is most affected by bleaching.
Rising frequency of El Nino increases frequency and severity
of mass-bleaching events.
Lack of wind and currents may result in less mixing of water
layers, clearer seas, and deeper penetration of solar irradiance,
which can intensify bleaching.
Other causes: Extremely low tides, Pollution, Overexposure to
sunlight etc.
Coral reefs
GBR stretches for more than 2,300 kilometres along the northeast
coast of Australia. They are made up of colonies of thousands of tiny
individual corals, called polyps. These marine
It is the world's largest coral reef complex, located in Pacific invertebrate animals have hard exoskeletons made of
Ocean. calcium carbonate.
It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1981. In India, Coral reefs are present in Gulf of Kutch, Gulf of
Mannar, Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep Islands and
This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny Malvan (in Maharashtra).
organisms, known as coral polyps.

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 Prime Minister presented first-ever After 30 years, India to restart Penicillin G
National Creators Award (NCA) manufacture: Union Minister for Chemicals
& Fertilizers
NCA aims to celebrate diverse voices and talents shaping
India’s growth and cultural narrative, driving positive social Penicillin G is an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient
change, and fostering innovation & creativity in digital (API) used in manufacturing antibacterial drugs to treat
sphere. pneumonia, meningitis, gonorrhea, syphilis.
Spearheaded by MyGov India, award features wide It is also known as benzylpenicillin, or benzylpenicillinic
array of categories recognizing excellence and impact acid.
across various domains, including storytelling, social In 1928, Scottish biologist Alexander Fleming isolated
change advocacy, education, etc. in digital sphere. the first specific form of penicillin from Penicillium
Creator Economy refers to the ecosystem of businesses, fungi.
platforms, and individuals that create, distribute, and ♦ For this he shared Nobel Prize in Physiology/
monetize content online. Medicine for the discovery in 1945.
Initiatives like Digital India campaign led to formation It is administered intravenously or intramuscularly due
of content creators. to poor oral absorption.
Like many other APIs, manufacturing of Penicillin G
Status of Indian Creator Economy was phased out from India due to cheaper imports
80 million Creators and Knowledge Professionals in from China after globalization.
India. About API
150000 Professional content creators in India who are API or bulk drug, is key ingredient of a drug or medicine,
able to monetize their services effectively. which lends it the desired therapeutic effect or produces
Projected to double from $250bn to $480bn by 2027. the intended pharmacological activity.
Despite India being 3rd largest pharmaceutical industry
Factors influencing growth of Creator Economy in India:
by volume in world, it is primarily dependent on bulk
Rise in internet usage due to availability of low-cost data
drug import particularly from China.
and globalization of content consumption; Adoption of
remote and hybrid work; Popularity of short-form video Key issues in established API manufacturing unit
content etc. include huge initial costs, intense global competition,
etc.
Significance of Creator Economy
Initiatives for self-reliance in API: Ministry of Chemicals
Promotion of India’s cultural ethos through creative and Fertilizers has launched:
storytelling. Scheme for Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks
Provide exceptional content that has both entertainment Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for
value and social messaging. Pharmaceuticals covers APIs.
Increase in job roles like video editors, virtual assistant, PLI scheme for domestic manufacturing of key starting
graphic designers, etc. material (KSMs)/Drug Intermediates (DIs) and API.

Also in News

Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported

National Cooperative Database
Products (RoDTEP) Scheme
Centre has extended RoDTEP scheme to Ministry of Cooperation inaugurated the NCD.
Advance Authorisation Holders: Refers to manufacturer About NCD:
exporters or merchant exporters tied to supporting
It provides all information pertaining to Cooperative sector
manufacturer.
like number of co-operatives in states/UTs and in different
Special Economic Zones Units: Designated duty-free enclave sectors.
to be treated as a territory outside the customs territory of
India (aims to promote export). ♦ There are more than 8 lakh registered Cooperatives in the
country, with over 30 crore citizens connected to them.
Export Oriented Units: Defined under Foreign Trade Policy as
units undertaking to export their entire production of goods Benefits:
and services (some exception exist) ♦ A Comprehensive, Authentic, and Updated data repository.
Above 3 sectors constitute approximately 25% of India’s ♦ Helping in expansion of cooperative sector by identifying
exports. gaps in terms of geographical spread of Cooperative
RoDTEP was launched by Ministry of Commerce and Industry Societies.
in 2021 for refunding various embedded taxes and duties on ♦ Facilitate planning, policy-making & implementation for
exported products. all stakeholders.

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 Nomination to Rajya Sabha Measles and Rubella (MR)

Former chairperson of Infosys Foundation Sudha Murty was India has been bestowed with 'Measles and Rubella Champion
Award’ by MR Partnership.
nominated to Rajya Sabha.
MR Partnership comprises a multi-agency planning
Rajya Sabha Nomination committee, including American Red Cross, World Health
Organisation (WHO) etc.
Under Allocation of Business Rules, 1961, the subject Measles is a highly contagious virus, spread by contact with an
“Nominations to the Rajya Sabha” is allocated to Ministry of infected person through coughing and sneezing.
Home Affairs.
Rubella (German Measles) is acute, contagious viral infection
Under Article 80 (3) of Constitution, 12 members are transmitted by airborne droplets when infected people sneeze or
nominated by President having special knowledge or practical cough.
experience in areas like literature, science, art, and social Humans are the only known host.
service. MR are vaccine preventable diseases. MR Vaccine is part of
India’s Universal Immunization Programme since 2017.
In Ram Gopal Singh Sisodia Vs. Union of India through its
Secretary & Ors. 2012, Delhi High Court upheld nomination of
Sachin Tendulkar under Article 80(3). Anthropocene Epoch (Human Epoch)

International Commission on Stratigraphy rejected proposal to

Indelible Ink (Voter’s Ink) declare the start of the Anthropocene Epoch in geologic time.
Anthropocene Epoch is an unofficial unit of geologic time.
It describes the most recent period in Earth’s history when
Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd (MPVL), the sole manufacturer human activity started to have a significant impact on Earth’s
of indelible ink, received its largest order yet from Election climate and ecosystems, particularly since industrialization.
Commission for 26.55 lakh vials of marker. Current epoch is called the Holocene which began 11,700 years
Under rule 49K of Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 every ago after the last major ice age.
Currently, on geological time scale, we are living in the
elector shall allow his left forefinger to be inspected by
Phanerozoic Eon, Cenozoic Era, Quaternary Period, Holocene
Presiding officer or Polling Officer and an Indelible ink mark to Epoch, and the Meghalayan Age.
be put on it.
Once applied, Purple-coloured ink cannot be removed by any
chemical, detergent, soap or oil for several months. Kinmen Islands (Quemoy Islands)
Ink contains silver nitrate, which on reaction with nail and on
exposure to light gets darker. Taiwan urged China not to change the status quo around waters
near Kinmen islands.
Kinmen is the principal island of a group of 12 Kinmen Islands.
It is under the jurisdiction of Taiwan
and is located in the Taiwan Strait at
Exercise ‘Dharma Guardian’ the mouth of mainland China.
The Island is hilly, with both tableland
The 5th edition of annual Indo-Japan military exercise "Dharma and rocky areas and the climate is
monsoonal subtropical.
Guardian" (held in Japan and India alternatively) concluded in It was the site of the battle between
Rajasthan. Communist and Nationalist parties
when the latter withdrew from the
mainland in 1949.

Personality in news Sambhudhan Phonglo (1850-1883)

Government paid tribute to the Janjatiya Nayak Sambhudhan Phonglo.

About Sambhudhan Phonglo
He was an Indian freedom fighter from Longkhor in North Cachar Hills of Assam's present-day Dima
Hasao District.
Contribution
His concern over British annexation of Cachar in 1832, led him to revolt against the regime.
He understood the Britisher's 'divide and rule' policy and organized the Damasi youth to deal with it.
He organized his army and attacked the British army led by Major Boyad and killed him.
Values: Courage, leadership, altruism, etc.

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