Current Affairs 16th February 2018

Current Affairs 16th February 2018 - Important Points

• Government extends anti-narcotics scheme for how many years – 3 years
• Swedish researchers find new tool to fight which disease - Cancer
• India number one ODI team after series win against - South Africa

Current Affairs 16th February 2018 - Details

Government extends anti-narcotics scheme for how many years – 3 years

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has continued the Anti-Narcotics Scheme for three extra years to fighting illicit trafficking in drugs and psychotropic products.

Anti-Narcotics Scheme

The plan was first initiated in October 2004 for time period of 5 years. It was further prolonged twice in subsequent years. It focuses to assist states and UTs financially which are helping in curb inter-state and across border drug networking. The key strategy in the plan consists reduction of both supply and requirement of drugs and psychotropic products. The reduction in supply will contain enforcement activities and reduction in demand will consist of rehabilitation and de-addiction tasks.

Key Points

The financial benefits for narcotics control has been prolonged, with an approximate budget of Rupees 21 crores. It will be given to all anti-narcotics departments for boosting their administration potentials to fight illicit networking in narcotic and psychotropic products. It is also suggested to be provided for all building activities, containing training of staff.

Background

There are about 40 lakh drug addicts in the nation. The common drugs in this are opium, ganja, and heroin. Moreover, there is severe crime of pharmaceutical preparations including codeine related cough syrups, proxivon-painkillers and buprenorphine.  In some areas of nation, drug crime already has become serious social-economic problem affecting sensitive age groups.

Swedish researchers find new tool to fight which disease - Cancer

As per a new study by Swedish analysts, minute particles that particularly confine a selenium-containing enzyme in the human body could become a crucial tool to combat cancer.

The analysts revealed the similar after effectively treating more than 60 different kinds of cancer tissues under lab conditions with these molecules.  The study was reported in the United States medical journal Science Translational Medicine on February 14th, 2018.

Significance

The study published that analysts at Karolinska Institute in Sweden treated cancer in mice with similar molecules and studies rapid tumour destroying effects.

The analysts conveyed aspiration that this new principle could be continued to treat cancer in humans also.

Key Details

Selenium is a chemical element that is a required micronutrient. A selenium-containing enzyme, known as TrxR1, can be utilised to enhance the growth of various tissues and safeguard them from oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress is highly reactive with other molecules, and the body's capability to prevent or repair the damage due to them. However, in various kinds of cancer, increased levels of TrxR1 could be noticed.

Analysts studies about 400000 different molecules to find new molecule to curb TrxR1 and detected 3 different kinds that found to be active like anti-cancer drugs.

Talking on the occasion, Elias Arner, stated that this capability against cancer may be a result of cancer tissues' apparently greater sensitivity to oxidative stress when corelated to normal tissues, which in-turn can be used in cancer therapy.

India number one ODI team after series win against - South Africa

The Indian cricket team lifted to the top of the ICC ODI Team Rankings with 122 numbers after they obtained a 4-1 lead in the 6-match ODI series against South Africa on February 13th, 2018.

The team India was placed 2nd in the ICC team rankings with 119 points when they came for the series, 2 points behind from top-ranked South African team, who had 121 numbers. However, India lifted to 122 points after they won the 5th ODI at Port Elizabeth by 73 runs, confirming a series victory, while South Africa fell down to 118 numbers.

Significance

The victory marks India’s 1st-ever bilateral ODI series victory against South Africa in their home town. This is the 1st time since October 2017 and 5th time overall that India have finalised on top of the ODI rankings. The 1st time India rose to the top position was in January 2013.

Other Details

Team India will remain the top position side, irrespective of whether or not it secures the 6th and final ODI against South Africa at Centurion on February 16th. A victory for India would stretch the gap among the world’s top-ranked teams to 123 as against 117.

A victory for South Africa, on the other hand, will decrease the gap to 121 against 119 points.

Team India- Recent Achievements

• The Indian cricket team is also the top-ranked Test team.
• It positions third in the T-20 team Rankings.
• Under Virat Kohli's captaincy, India was unbeaten in nineteen Test matches, begining from a 3–0 series victory over New Zealand and finishing with a 2–1 series lead over Australia.
• India also had an unbeaten streak of leading 9 consecutive Test series till it lost to South Africa recently in January 2018.