Daily Current Affairs 

To The Point Notes

1.Sri Aurobindo

Early Life and Education

• Educated in England: St. Paul’s School and King’s College, Cambridge.
• Returned to India in 1893, worked in Baroda State.

Role in Freedom Struggle

• Advocate for complete Indian independence.
• Founded National College in Calcutta, promoting national education.
• Led extremist wing of Congress at Surat session in 1907.
• Involved in revolutionary activities, arrested in Alipore Bomb Case.

Spiritual Journey

• Began practicing Yoga in 1905.
• Withdrew from politics in 1910, moved to Pondicherry.
• Developed Integral Yoga philosophy.
• Founded Sri Aurobindo Ashram in 1926.

Literary Contributions

• Major works: The Life Divine, Synthesis of Yoga, Savitri.
• Explored philosophical and practical aspects of Integral Yoga.

 

 

 

2.Captagon

What is Captagon?

• Synthetic drug originally developed to treat attention deficit disorders.
• Contains fenethylline (a stimulant), caffeine, and other stimulants.
• Fenethylline breaks down into amphetamine and theophylline.

Production and Distribution

• Syria is the world’s largest producer, accounting for about 80% of global production.
• Significant economic activity for Syria, estimated at $5.7 billion in 2021.
• Exported to Gulf countries, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon, often hidden in food items.

Usage and Impact

• Known as “poor man’s cocaine,” popular among young people in the Middle East and North Africa.
• Provides a boost in energy, euphoria, and wakefulness.
• Can lead to cognitive impairment, cardiovascular problems, and addiction.
• High fenethylline content and inconsistent pill composition increase risks.

 

 

3.Mpox: A Public Health Emergency

Mpox is caused by the monkeypox virus and transmitted through physical contact, contaminated materials, or infected animals. Originating in Africa, it has two clades: I and II. A global outbreak occurred in 2022-2023.

WHO declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) twice in two years due to its serious, sudden, and global spread. A PHEIC requires coordinated international response.

Key points:

• PHEIC: Extraordinary event posing global health risk, requiring international cooperation.
• Mpox: Caused by monkeypox virus, transmitted through physical contact.
• Origin: Discovered in monkeys (1958), first human case in Congo (1970).
• Outbreak: Global outbreak in 2022-2023, recent upsurge in Africa.
• Response: Two vaccines available, WHO seeking $15 million for surveillance and response.

WHO aims to control the outbreak through international collaboration, vaccination, and public awareness.

 

 

4.Ramsar Sites: India Adds Three New Wetlands

India has increased its tally of Ramsar sites (Wetlands of International Importance) to 85 by designating three new wetlands:

• Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary and Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu.
• Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh.

Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty for wetland conservation. Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance.

Key points:

• Tamil Nadu now has the highest number of Ramsar sites in India with 18.
• Ramsar sites support biodiversity, water purification, and flood control.
• India is committed to wetland conservation and sustainable use.
• Criteria for Ramsar site include: support for endangered species, threatened ecological communities, large waterfowl population, and importance for fish.