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World
These ancient human cousins, and others called Denisovans, once lived alongside our early Homo sapiens ancestors. They mingled and had children. So some of who they were never went away — it’s in our genes. And science is starting to reveal just how much that shapes us.
Using the new and rapidly improving ability to piece together fragments of ancient DNA, scientists are finding that traits inherited from our ancient cousins are still with us now, affecting our fertility, our immune systems, even how our bodies handled the COVID-19 virus.
We’re now carrying the genetic legacies and learning about what that means for our bodies and our health,” said Mary Prendergast.
In the past few months alone, researchers have linked Neanderthal DNA to a serious hand disease, the shape of people’s noses and various other human traits.
They even inserted a gene carried by Neanderthals and Denisovans into mice to investigate its effects on biology, and found it gave them larger heads and an extra rib.
Front Page
Upcoming digital bill may widen the ambit of online censorship (Page no. 3)
(GS Paper 2, Governance)
Even as the number of content-blocking orders from the Centre to social media platforms has soared significantly over the last five years, the government is attempting to widen the horizon of a key legal provision that empowers it to issue takedown orders.
Under the upcoming Digital India Bill, the imminent successor to the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Centre is considering some tweaks to what is the erstwhile Section 69 (A) of the IT Act.
The changes include dropping language that prescribes some legal guardrails around blocking orders, and potentially opening up the application of the provision to other conditions.
The Bill is a key part of a comprehensive legal framework which the Centre is trying to create. This framework encompasses various legislative measures such as the recently notified Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, the draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022, and a policy addressing the governance of non-personal data.
Gujarat turns over new leaf bans invasive tree species: Adverse impact (Page no. 3)
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
From the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad to the Ram Van “urban forest” in Rajkot, rows of Conocarpus trees, an exotic mangrove species, have been planted by the local administration in Gujarat over the last few years.
But, the state government has now banned its “plantation in forest or non-forest area”, underlining its “adverse impacts on environment and human health”.
In a circular issued, the principal chief conservator of forests and head of forest force, S K Chaturvedi, emphasised the need to control the growth of “exotic species Conocarpus”.
Earlier, Telangana had also banned the plant species, which is widely used in public spaces for its ornamental looks but is known to have adverse effects on the local biodiversity.
Research reports have highlighted adverse impacts/ disadvantages of this species on environment and human health… Trees of this species flower in winter and spread pollen in nearby areas. It is learnt that this is causing diseases like cold, cough, asthma, allergy etc.
Express Network
Odisha house passes bill exempting mandatory social impact assessment (Page no. 8)
(GS Paper 2, Governance)
The Odisha Assembly passed the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Odisha amendment) Bill–2023, with provisions for exemption of the mandatory social impact assessment (SIA) and special provision for safeguarding food security during land acquisition for various industrial and infrastructure projects.
The Bill was passed even as the Opposition BJP and Congress staged a walkout over various demands. Earlier, the Odisha government had introduced and withdrawn the Bill in March.
According to the Bill, the RFCTLAR&R Act-2013, a central law, with mandatory provision of SIA “causes delay in acquisition of land.”
As acquisition of private land under the 2013 land acquisition law has been a major challenge for the state government because of provisions like mandatory SIA, a task force was constituted by the state government to suggest necessary changes in the existing central law. It also recommended procedures for facilitating smooth transfer of land for industrial projects.
Record 91 Indian varsities in Times World rankings (Page no. 8)
(GS Paper 2, Education)
In a first, there are a record-breaking number of Indian universities in Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings 2024.
The top university in India, the Indian Institute of Science, has returned to the global top 250, coming in the 201-250 band, for the first time since 2017, in the largest edition of Times Higher Education’s (THE) World University Rankings.
The second highest ranked universities in India are Anna University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Mahatma Gandhi University, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, which are all in the 501-600 band.
Indian universities made significant gains this year, including five of the countries’ top universities. IISc moved up from 251-300 band last year to 201-250, Anna University moved up from 801-1000 band last year to 501-600, Aligarh Muslim University moved up from 801-1000 band last year to 601-80, and Bharathiar University moved up from 801-1000 band last year to 601-800. Also, Malaviya National Institute of Technology entered the ranking for the first time in the 601-800 band.
2018: Everyone is a hero picked as India’s Oscar entry (Page no. 8)
(Miscellaneous)
Earlier this year, ‘2018: Everyone is a Hero’ created history as the highest-grossing Malayalam movie, pulling the Kerala film industry out of the post-pandemic slump.
Today, the Film Federation of India (FFI) announced its selection as India’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Academy Awards 2024.
Talking to The Indian Express, FFI president Ravi Kottarakara said: “The federation had received nearly 45 entries out of which 22 movies were shortlisted.
Following this, the selection committee headed by Girish Kasarvalli chose 2018 for its strong message regarding climate change, global warming and the catastrophic effect of illegal constructions.”
Directed by Jude Anthany Joseph, the movie is about the devastating Kerala floods in the year 2018 as well as how people from all walks of life came together to survive the calamity and help each other.
The film celebrates human resilience and empathy. The film’s ensemble cast features Tovino Thomas, Indrans, Kunchacko Boban, Aparna Balamurali, and others
Editorial
Twinkle on interpid star (Page no. 12)
(Miscellaneous)
I met Waheeda Rehman some years ago in Mumbai, when I was working on a talk for the International Film Festival of India on some of the best films in Indian cinema which have been adaptations from literature.
In two of the most outstanding adaptations, it was no surprise that Rehman was the heroine, Teesri Kasam (1966) and Guide (1965). And both films had won critical accolades, especially for Rehman, for her acting.
In both films she played unconventional though very disparate characters — who clearly recognise their own talent and their own shortcomings.
There is a darkness and joy in both films as the performer comes to terms with the fact that she has to sacrifice life and relationships for her art.
In both films her characters emerge as iconic survivors and risk takers, even though in one she plays a rustic nautanki artiste and in the other she is an urbane classical dancer.
Ideas Page
Who’s afraid of elections? (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 2, Governance)
The recently concluded special session of Parliament was “special” for what it achieved, and what it did not. If the universally applauded Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam Bill was labelled “a post-dated cheque”, One Nation One Election could be a cheque that wasn’t presented.
Apprehension was strong that the cheque had already been written as the September 2 notification on the subject stated that “in the national interest it is desirable to have simultaneous elections in the country” and a committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind was tasked not simply to “examine the issue” but “to make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections in the country.”
The notification cites three reasons why the “surfeit” of elections in India (“held almost every year and within a year too at different times”) is not desirable: Massive expenditure incurred by the government and other stakeholders; diversion of security forces and other electoral officers from their primary duties for prolonged periods; disruption in development work on account of prolonged application of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Each reason seems strong and merits transparent scrutiny by the Committee.
Explained
Lok Sabha gets a new home, MPs code of conduct still undecided (Page no. 15)
(GS Paper 2, Governance)
As Parliament moved to a new building last week, members of Lok Sabha carried along two matters that they have kept pending for years now.
In both matters, the MPs themselves are the affected party, and seek a commitment to good behaviour and proper conduct from them.
The first is the formulation of a Code of Conduct for members of Lok Sabha; second, a declaration of members’ business interests. Both conditions have long been applicable to members of Rajya Sabha.
On September 15, three days before Parliament convened for the Special Session, Lok Sabha said in response to a query by The Indian Express under the Right to Information (RTI) Act: “The matter (of the Code of Conduct) is under consideration of the Committee on Ethics.”
The Committee on Ethics has in fact been considering the matter for more than eight years.
Cancer’s gender problem (Page no. 15)
(GS Paper 2, Health)
Around 63% of premature deaths due to cancers in Indian women could have been prevented by reducing risk factors, screening, and diagnosis, while 37% could have been averted with timely and optimal treatment, a new Lancet Commission report on gender inequity in cancer care said.
Titled ‘Women, Power and Cancer’, the report said around 6.9 million cancer deaths among women in India were preventable and 4.03 million were treatable.
The report highlighted that even though men are at a higher risk of cancers that affect both genders, cancer incidence and mortality in women remains high.
Globally, women account for 48% of the new cancer cases and 44% of cancer deaths. This happens even though some of the cancers in women, such as breast and cervical cancers, are highly preventable and treatable.
Economy
RBI likely to keep repo rate unchanged in October meet (Page no. 17)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
Ahead of the October monetary policy review meeting, experts have said that the Reserve Bank of India might maintain a status quo on policy rates for the fourth time in a row on the back of high retail inflation.
The central bank had last raised the benchmark repo rate to 6.5 per cent on February 8, 2023. Following that, it has maintained the rates at the same level overseeing high retail inflation and certain global factors including elevated crude oil prices in the international market.
The Reserve Bank Governor-headed six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting is scheduled for October 4-6, 2023. The last meeting of the MPC was held in August.