UPSC Online News Analysis

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News – 1

Context: New species of vine snakes discovered

Topic in syllabus: Prelims – Environment & ecology

About vine snakes:

• Vine snakes are known to be among the most common snakes in peninsular India, found even in many peri­-urban areas and in the Western Ghats.
• Asian vine snakes, distributed throughout the continent, belong to the genus Ahaetulla and the recently described Proahaetulla.
• common green vine snake (Ahaetulla nasuta) in India was a complex of several species.
• There are now six species of vine snakes endemic to the Western Ghats.

News – 2

Context: The World Health Organization (WHO) will set up a Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in India.

Topic in syllabus: Prelims – Science & Technology

What are traditional medicines in India?

The Traditional Indian medicine, which includes Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy which is also called AYUSH.

About WHO:

• The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations.
• It is responsible for international public health.
• The WHO Constitution, which establishes the agency’s governing structure and principles, states its main objective as “the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health.”
• It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
• The WHO was established by constitution on 7 April 1948, which is commemorated as World Health Day.
• The WHO’s broad mandate includes advocating for universal healthcare, monitoring public health risks, coordinating responses to health emergencies, and promoting human health and wellbeing.

Examples for ethics (GS-4)

• A whistleblower, Guru Pratap Reddy alias Gurunatha Reddy, was killed in a group clash at Pengi Ananthapur village of Kondapuram mandal in Kadapa district. When allegations were
  rife over the inclusion of up to 270 fake beneficiaries in the list, it was Gurunatha Reddy who had submitted a representation to district Collector Ch. Hari Kiran two months ago, requesting his intervention to stem the rot. (Against Integrity & Honesty)

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