{"id":2243,"date":"2024-11-04T11:00:48","date_gmt":"2024-11-04T11:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/?p=2243"},"modified":"2024-11-04T11:00:48","modified_gmt":"2024-11-04T11:00:48","slug":"current-affair-9-september-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Current Affair &#8211; 9 September 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#What_Does_the_USCIRF_Report_Say_About_India\" >What Does the USCIRF Report Say About India?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#What_in_News\" >What in News?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#What_is_the_USCIRF\" >What is the USCIRF?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Distinct_Functions\" >Distinct Functions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#What_Does_the_USCIRF_Do\" >What Does the USCIRF Do?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#What_Does_USCIRFs_Country_Update_on_India_State\" >What Does USCIRF\u2019s Country Update on India State?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Citizenship_Amendment_Act_CAA\" >Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA):<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Key_Provisions_of_CAA\" >Key Provisions of CAA<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Nobel_Prize_in_Physics_2024_John_Hopfield_Geoffrey_Hinton_Awarded_for_Work_on_Machine_Learning\" >Nobel Prize in Physics 2024: John Hopfield, Geoffrey Hinton Awarded for Work on Machine Learning<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#What_in_News-2\" >What in News?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#John_Hopfields_Contributions\" >John Hopfield&#8217;s Contributions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Geoffrey_Hintons_Contributions\" >Geoffrey Hinton&#8217;s Contributions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Boltzmann_Machine\" >Boltzmann Machine<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Key_Components\" >Key Components<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Applications\" >Applications<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Impact_of_Discovery\" >Impact of Discovery<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Conclusion-2\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Global_Digital_Compact_Advancing_Digital_Innovation_in_a_Sustainable_Fashion\" >Global Digital Compact: Advancing Digital Innovation in a Sustainable Fashion<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#What_in_News-3\" >What in News?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#What_is_the_Global_Digital_Compact_GDC\" >What is the Global Digital Compact (GDC)?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Objectives_of_the_GDC\" >Objectives of the GDC<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Principles_of_the_GDC\" >Principles of the GDC<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Digital_Public_Goods\" >Digital Public Goods<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Critiques_of_the_GDC\" >Critiques of the GDC<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Conclusion-3\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#India_has_Eliminated_Trachoma_as_a_Public_Health_Problem_WHO\" >India has Eliminated Trachoma as a Public Health Problem: WHO<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#What_in_News-4\" >What in News?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#What_is_Trachoma\" >What is Trachoma?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Key_Features_of_Trachoma\" >Key Features of Trachoma<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-31\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Indias_Achievement\" >India\u2019s Achievement<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-32\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/#Conclusion-4\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Does_the_USCIRF_Report_Say_About_India\"><\/span><strong>What Does the USCIRF Report Say About India?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_in_News\"><\/span><strong>What in News?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recently highlighted concerns regarding religious freedom in India in its annual report.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_USCIRF\"><\/span><strong>What is the USCIRF?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government agency established under the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). Its mission is to monitor the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in countries outside the U.S., basing its assessments on international human rights standards, particularly Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Distinct_Functions\"><\/span><strong>Distinct Functions<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The USCIRF operates independently from the Office of International Religious Freedom (IRF), part of the U.S. State Department. While USCIRF\u2019s reports may influence a country\u2019s global image, the IRF\u2019s assessments have a more direct impact on diplomatic relations.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Does_the_USCIRF_Do\"><\/span><strong>What Does the USCIRF Do?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The USCIRF monitors religious freedom conditions globally through research, travel, and engagement with international human rights groups, victims of persecution, and foreign officials. Its annual report designates countries based on their religious freedom records, identifying them as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Country of Particular Concern (CPC):<\/strong> Countries committing systematic and egregious violations.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Special Watch List (SWL):<\/strong> Countries tolerating severe violations that don\u2019t reach the CPC threshold.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If the U.S. State Department accepts USCIRF&#8217;s recommendations, it may impose various policy options, including sanctions.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Does_USCIRFs_Country_Update_on_India_State\"><\/span><strong>What Does USCIRF\u2019s Country Update on India State?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The 2024 report indicates a <strong>&#8220;deteriorating trajectory&#8221;<\/strong> for religious freedom in India, citing:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Legislative actions, including the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which allegedly repress minority communities.<\/li>\n<li>Reports of vigilante violence against minorities and discriminatory laws, such as anti-conversion laws and cow slaughter bans.<\/li>\n<li>The use of inflammatory rhetoric by officials, leading to violence and the demolition of places of worship.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As a result, USCIRF has designated India as a <strong>CPC<\/strong> for the year.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Citizenship_Amendment_Act_CAA\"><\/span><strong>Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA):<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), enacted in December 2019, is a significant legislative measure that has implications for Indian citizenship and minority rights.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Provisions_of_CAA\"><\/span><strong>Key Provisions of CAA<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Eligibility Criteria:<\/strong> Grants citizenship to non-Muslim religious minorities\u2014Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians\u2014from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Exemption Clauses:<\/strong> The Act excludes certain regions, including tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland, as well as areas under the Inner Line Permit (ILP).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Naturaliation Process:<\/strong> Reduces the residency requirement for these communities from 11 years to 5 years for acquiring Indian citizenship.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>India&#8217;s rejection of the USCIRF report reflects ongoing tensions between international scrutiny and domestic policies, emphasizing the complex dynamics of religious freedom and governance.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Nobel_Prize_in_Physics_2024_John_Hopfield_Geoffrey_Hinton_Awarded_for_Work_on_Machine_Learning\"><\/span><strong>Nobel Prize in Physics 2024: John Hopfield, Geoffrey Hinton Awarded for Work on Machine Learning<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_in_News-2\"><\/span><strong>What in News?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded for discovery and inventions in machine learning using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs).<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"John_Hopfields_Contributions\"><\/span><strong>John Hopfield&#8217;s Contributions<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Developed the <strong>Hopfield network<\/strong>, a form of Recurrent Neural Network (RNN).<\/li>\n<li>Introduced the concept of <strong>Hebbian learning<\/strong>, where connections between neurons strengthen with repeated stimulation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Geoffrey_Hintons_Contributions\"><\/span><strong>Geoffrey Hinton&#8217;s Contributions<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Advanced the <strong>Boltzmann machine<\/strong> for cognitive tasks, building on Hopfield&#8217;s principles.<\/li>\n<li>Pioneered a <strong>learning algorithm<\/strong> for restricted Boltzmann machines (RBMs), allowing for the development of deep learning networks by stacking layers of neurons.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Boltzmann_Machine\"><\/span><strong>Boltzmann Machine<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A type of stochastic recurrent neural network that can learn internal representations of data.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Components\"><\/span><strong>Key Components<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Architecture:<\/strong> Comprises visible and hidden layers. Nodes in the visible layer represent input data, while hidden nodes capture dependencies among visible variables.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Energy Function:<\/strong> Measures the likelihood of a given configuration of states (active\/inactive nodes). The goal is to minimize the optimal representation of the input data.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Applications\"><\/span><strong>Applications<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Deep Learning:<\/strong> Acts as a building block for deep belief networks.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Feature Learning:<\/strong> Useful in unsupervised learning for discovering hidden patterns in data.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Generative Models:<\/strong> Can generate new data samples that are statistically similar to the training data.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Impact_of_Discovery\"><\/span><strong>Impact of Discovery<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Their research has led to significant successes across numerous applications, revolutionizing approaches in diverse scientific and practical fields.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion-2\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics highlights the groundbreaking work of John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton in machine learning and artificial neural networks.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Global_Digital_Compact_Advancing_Digital_Innovation_in_a_Sustainable_Fashion\"><\/span><strong>Global Digital Compact: Advancing Digital Innovation in a Sustainable Fashion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_in_News-3\"><\/span><strong>What in News?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The <strong>&#8216;Global Digital Compact&#8217;<\/strong> adopted at the UN&#8217;s <strong>&#8216;Summit of the Future&#8217;<\/strong> seeks to harness and regulate digital technologies for global welfare and cooperation.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_Global_Digital_Compact_GDC\"><\/span><strong>What is the Global Digital Compact (GDC)?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The GDC is a non-binding diplomatic instrument designed to establish shared goals for governments, institutions, firms, and stakeholders regarding digital technologies. While it is not legally binding, greater adherence to its principles may lead to soft laws in various countries. It builds upon previous UN initiatives, such as the Global Compact and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Objectives_of_the_GDC\"><\/span><strong>Objectives of the GDC<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The GDC seeks to address the dual nature of digital technologies, recognizing their potential benefits and challenges. Key aims include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Promoting sustainable development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).<\/li>\n<li>Ensuring human oversight of technologies to advance sustainable development.<\/li>\n<li>Establishing two panels: an <strong>&#8216;Independent International Scientific Panel on AI&#8217;<\/strong> and a <strong>&#8216;Global Dialogue on AI Governance.&#8217;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Principles_of_the_GDC\"><\/span><strong>Principles of the GDC<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The GDC is built on principles of inclusive participation, access to data and digital technologies, sustainability, and the promotion of trustworthy technologies within competitive markets. It also emphasizes closing the digital divide and improving access to data.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Digital_Public_Goods\"><\/span><strong>Digital Public Goods<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>To tackle the digital divide, the GDC proposes the development of <strong>&#8220;digital public goods,&#8221;<\/strong> including open-source software, open data, and open AI models.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Critiques_of_the_GDC\"><\/span><strong>Critiques of the GDC<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Despite its ambitious goals, the GDC has several shortcomings:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Limited Openness in Partnerships<\/li>\n<li>Self-Regulation of Tech Companies<\/li>\n<li>Data Governance Challenges<\/li>\n<li>Unclear Governance Framework<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion-3\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The GDC may not revolutionize digital technology governance but could facilitate significant outcomes if member states engage with its principles seriously. Achieving the goals set by the GDC will require ongoing collaboration and regional negotiations to address specific jurisdictional needs.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"India_has_Eliminated_Trachoma_as_a_Public_Health_Problem_WHO\"><\/span><strong>India has Eliminated Trachoma as a Public Health Problem: WHO<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_in_News-4\"><\/span><strong>What in News?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>India is the third country in the global health body\u2019s South-East Asia Region to reach this important public health milestone. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized India for successfully eliminating trachoma as a public health problem, becoming the third country in the South-East Asia Region to achieve this milestone. This announcement was made during the 77th Regional Conference of WHO South-East Asia on October 8, 2024.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Trachoma\"><\/span><strong>What is Trachoma?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Trachoma is a bacterial infection caused by <em>Chlamydia trachomatis<\/em> that primarily affects the eyes. It is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. The disease is transmitted through direct contact with infected eye discharge and can also spread through contaminated water or surfaces.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Features_of_Trachoma\"><\/span><strong>Key Features of Trachoma<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Symptoms:<\/strong> Initial symptoms include mild conjunctivitis, which can progress to severe inflammation of the inner eyelid, causing scarring and potentially leading to vision loss.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Risk Factors:<\/strong> Poor sanitation, inadequate access to clean water, and overcrowding contribute to the spread of trachoma. It is especially prevalent in communities lacking basic hygiene and sanitation practices.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Prevention and Control:<\/strong> The WHO recommends the SAFE strategy for trachoma control:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Surgery:<\/strong> For patients with trichiasis (inward turning of eyelashes).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Antibiotics:<\/strong> To treat active infections.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Facial cleanliness:<\/strong> Promoting hygiene to prevent the spread of the infection.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Environmental improvement:<\/strong> Enhancing access to clean water and sanitation facilities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Indias_Achievement\"><\/span><strong>India\u2019s Achievement<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Strong Leadership:<\/strong> The commitment and leadership from the Indian government played a pivotal role in coordinating efforts against trachoma.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Collaboration:<\/strong> Effective partnerships among healthcare workers, ophthalmologists, and local communities facilitated the implementation of the SAFE strategy.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Public Health Initiatives:<\/strong> Focused surveillance, diagnosis, and management of active trachoma cases, along with surgical services for trichiasis, contributed to the success.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Community Engagement:<\/strong> Promotion of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices, especially facial cleanliness, significantly reduced the disease&#8217;s transmission.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion-4\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>India&#8217;s achievement in eliminating trachoma as a public health problem demonstrates the effectiveness of concerted public health efforts, strong leadership, and community involvement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Read Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\">5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span> What Does the USCIRF Report Say About India? What in News? The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recently highlighted concerns regarding religious freedom in India in its annual report. What is the USCIRF? The USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government agency established under the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/current-affair-9-september-2024\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Current Affair &#8211; 9 September 2024<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[],"acf":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2243"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2243"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2243\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2245,"href":"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2243\/revisions\/2245"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upscmentorship.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}