Delhi High Court has observed that Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) has no jurisdiction to comment upon utilization of funds by Members of Parliament (MPs) under MPLAD Scheme.

• Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme is a central sector scheme aimed to enable each Member of Parliament to recommend works of developmental nature based on the locally felt needs of the people. 

Applicability of RTI on MPLAD Scheme

• Any citizen can seek information on any aspect of the scheme and work recommended by MPs, sanctioned or executed under it.
• Implementing District Authorities are responsible to provide such information.

India, South Korea, the US, Japan, and European Union launched Biopharmaceutical Alliance in response to the drug supply shortages experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The announcement was made at the inaugural meeting of the Biopharmaceutical Alliance during the Bio International Convention 2024.

Significance

• Build a reliable, sustainable, and resilient supply chain in pharmaceuticals as production of essential raw materials and ingredients is concentrated in a few countries.
• Coordinate bio policies, regulations, and R&D support measures with the member countries.

Now, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) will electronically disburse duty drawback amounts directly to exporters' bank accounts using the Public Finance Management System. 

• This will enhance trade facilitation and promote paperless customs. 

Duty Drawback

• Duty Drawback under section 75 of the Customs Act, 1962 rebates customs duty chargeable on any imported materials or excisable materials used in the manufacture of export goods.
• It helps exporters offset some of the costs accrued during the export process, particularly in the supply or value chain.

CCI plans to open depots in Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu).

About CCI

• Genesis: Established as a PSU under the Companies Act, 1956 in 1970.
• Ministry: It is under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Textiles.
• Headquarters: Navi Mumbai.
• Functions
  • Undertakes price support operations, whenever market prices of kapas (seed cotton) fall below minimum support prices, without any quantitative limit. 
  • Undertakes commercial purchase operations to fulfill raw material requirement of domestic textile industry.
• Operations:  Cover all cotton-growing states in northern (Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan), central (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa), and southern zones (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu).

Researchers and artists have joined the ‘Paint with Light’ initiative as a part of the AoA project. 

‘AOA’ project

• Created by artist Robin Price and an environmental scientist at the University of Birmingham to document air pollution levels around the world through photography. 
• ‘Paint with light’ involved combining digital light painting and low-cost air pollution sensors, to produce photographic evidence of air pollution in cities of India, Ethiopia and the UK. 
• It has also been used to raise air pollution awareness by UN.

Studies conducted by the Cassini-Huygens Mission challenged MOND theory.

• Cassini is a joint endeavour of NASA, European Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency to study Saturn and its complex system of rings and moons.

About MOND

• It is an alternative paradigm of dynamics, proposed by Mordehai Milgrom, seeking to replace Newtonian dynamics and General Relativity.
• It aims to account for the ubiquitous mass discrepancies in the Universe, without invoking the dark matter that is required if one adheres to standard dynamics

Delegation of Royal Navy of Oman visited IFC-IOR, Gurugram (Haryana)

About IFC-IOR

• Hosted by the Indian Navy. 
• Established in 2018 within the Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC). 
  • At IMAC data from various sensors and databases is aggregated, correlated and then disseminated to various stations for enhanced awareness.
• Established to promote collaboration for maritime safety and security in line with India’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)
• Hosts International Liaison Officers (ILOs) from partner nations and engages multinational maritime constructs. 

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) elected Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia to UNSC. 

• Each year UNGA elects five non-permanent members (out of 10 in total) of UNSC for a two-year term through a secret ballot. 

UNSC

• It is one of the six principal organs of the UN (others are UNGA, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice, and  UN Secretariat).
• Composed of 15 Members (5 permanent and 10 non-permanent). 
• 5 Permanent members (China, France, Russia, UK, and US) enjoy veto power.
• Holds primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security