Mount Vinson: Recently, Kerala government employee Shaikh Hassan Khan has climbed Mount Vinson. It is the highest mountain in Antarctica. Mount Vinson rises 4,892 metres (16,050 feet) above sea level. It is part of the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains, near the Ronne Ice Shelf. There are five other tall mountains in the same area as Mount Vinson—the next five highest summits on the continent of Antarctica—which are collectively referred to as Vinson Massif. It is located about 1,200 kilometres from the South Pole, one of the coldest places on Earth.
Guru Teg Bahadur: Recently, the Prime Minister of India paid tributes to Sri Guru Teg Bahadur on his martyrdom day. Guru Teg Bahadur’s name earlier was Teyag Mal. He was the ninth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion. His father and the sixth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Hargobind Sahib changed the name to Teg Bahadur. He got his name from his fighting and sword skills on the battlefield. He built the city of Anandpur Sahib (in Rupnagar/Ropar district, on the edge of Shivalik Hills, near the Sutlej River, in Punjab). Here the last two Sikh Gurus lived and where Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa Panth in 1699.He contributed more than 100 poetic hymns to Granth Sahib which cover various topics, such as the nature of God, human attachments, body, mind, dignity, service etc. He was instrumental in the conciliation between Raja Bishan Singh and Raja Paranpal, thus avoiding a war. He was first arrested by the Mughals on the orders of Aurangzeb in 1665.He was publicly beheaded in 1675 on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi.
Noma disease: Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the inclusion of noma in its official list of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). It is a rapidly progressing severe gangrenous disease of the mouth and the face. The disease, also called cancrum oris or gangrenous stomatitis, is mostly found in sub-Saharan Africa. It mostly affects children aged 2–6 years suffering from malnutrition, affected by infectious diseases, living in extreme poverty with poor oral health or with weakened immune systems. It can also occur among immunocompromised adults due to HIV, leukaemia and other diseases. It starts as a soft tissue lesion (a sore) of the gums. It then develops into an acute necrotizing gingivitis that progresses rapidly, destroying the soft tissues and further progressing to involve the hard tissues and skin of the face. It is generally considered an opportunistic and non-contagious disease. Indeed, cases are seen in African countries outside this area as well as in other parts of the world, including Asia and Asia-Pacific, the Americas, the Middle East and Europe. Evidence indicates that the causative agents of noma are non-specific polymicrobial organisms. There is no documented evidence to support direct transmission from person to person. Early detection is essential, as therapy is most effective at the early stages of disease when it appears as aggressively swollen gums.
LEADS Report: As many as 11 States and two UTs have been named as ‘Achievers’ in the LEADS [Logistics Ease Across Different States] 2023 report. LEADS was conceived on the lines of the Logistics Performance Index of World Bank in 2018 by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), MoC&I. While the LPI relies entirely on perception-based surveys, LEADS incorporates both perception as well as objectivity thereby enhancing the robustness and comprehensiveness of this exercise. The LEADS highlights shift in States’ performance across the key pillars – Logistics Infrastructure, Logistics Services and Operating and Regulatory Environment. It highlights an enhanced overall stakeholder perception and impact of various reforms, across States and UTs.
