DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

The FAO Food Price Index is a key indicator that tracks changes in international food prices. It’s calculated by averaging the prices of five major food commodity groups: cereals, vegetables, dairy, meat, and sugar. These groups are weighted according to their share in global trade, and the base year for the index is 2014-16.As per the latest update from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), food commodity prices increased in July 2025 to their highest levels in over two years.

About FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization):

• Mission: The FAO's primary objective is to combat hunger, improve nutrition, and secure food availability across the globe. Its long-term goal is to ensure food security for all, helping people access enough nutritious food for active and healthy lives.

• Membership: The FAO is made up of 195 members, which include 194 countries and the European Union (EU).

• Functions:

  • The FAO plays a pivotal role in international food security, coordinating efforts for agricultural development and nutrition.

  • Its efforts are supported by its sister organizations like the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

• Key Reports: Some of the FAO’s major publications include:

  • The State of the World’s Forests (SOFO)

  • The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA)

  • The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (SOCO)

  • The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI)

• Headquarters: Rome, Italy

Impact of FAO Food Price Index Increase:

The rise in food prices could signal potential problems for global food security, especially in lower-income regions where food costs comprise a large portion of household expenditures. Higher prices could worsen food insecurity, impact nutritional outcomes, and possibly lead to social unrest.

The MANAS Helpline is a significant initiative launched by the Government of India to combat the drug menace in the country. The Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs recently shared the success of the MANAS Helpline in the Rajya Sabha, highlighting the growing participation of citizens in tackling the drug problem in India.

About MANAS Helpline:

• Launch Date: 18th July 2024

• Full Form: Madak-Padarth Nished Asoochna Kendra (MANAS)

Objective:

The MANAS Helpline is designed to:

• Empower citizens to fight against drug-related issues, including trafficking, manufacturing, storage, and illicit cultivation.

• Provide a secure, citizen-centric platform for anonymous reporting of drug-related offenses.

• Offer counseling and rehabilitation support to individuals affected by drug addiction, strengthening community participation in combating the drug menace.

Features of the MANAS Helpline:

1. Anonymous Reporting:

   • Citizens can anonymously report issues related to drug trafficking, storage, manufacturing, or illicit cultivation.

2. Counseling and Rehabilitation:

   • The helpline provides counseling and rehabilitation guidance through an integration with the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJE) Helpline 14446.

3. Public Outreach and Awareness:

   • The platform offers access to various awareness resources, including posters, videos, and brochures, through its web portal.

   • Citizens can actively engage in awareness activities through platforms like MyGov, including activities such as quizzes, poster-making, and creating reels to promote the Drug-Free Bharat campaign.

4. Bilingual and Secure Platform:

   • MANAS is a bilingual digital platform (available in multiple languages) that ensures confidentiality and security for users.

Key Benefits:

• Citizen Empowerment: The initiative strengthens public participation in the fight against drugs.

• Confidentiality: Anonymity is assured for users reporting drug-related issues, promoting more people to come forward.

• Support for Rehabilitation: Beyond reporting, it ensures users have access to rehabilitation services, making it an all-encompassing support system.

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) certified Kenya as having eliminated Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness. This marks a significant milestone in the global effort to combat this parasitic disease in sub-Saharan Africa.

About Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT):

• Transmission: HAT is a parasitic disease spread through the bite of an infected tsetse fly.

• Other Name: It is commonly known as sleeping sickness due to the neurological effects it causes, leading to extreme sleep disturbances.

Symptoms of HAT:

• Early Symptoms: Fever, headaches, and joint pain.

• Advanced Symptoms: As the disease progresses, it can cause neurological issues such as confusion, disrupted sleep, and behavioral changes.

  • In severe cases, it leads to multi-organ involvement, including the brain.

  • The disease has two forms based on the subspecies of the parasite:

Forms of HAT:

1. Trypanosoma brucei gambiense:

   • Found in 24 countries in West and Central Africa.

   • Accounts for 92% of reported cases and causes a chronic form of the disease.

   • Infected individuals may go months or even years without showing severe symptoms, making early detection difficult. By the time symptoms appear, the central nervous system is often already affected.

2. Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense:

   • Found in 13 countries in East and Southern Africa.

   • Accounts for 8% of reported cases and causes a more acute form of the disease, progressing rapidly.

At Risk Populations:

• Rural communities that depend on agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry, or hunting are the most exposed to the tsetse fly and, consequently, to HAT.

Progress in Eliminating HAT:

The WHO has successfully validated the elimination of the gambiense form of HAT in several countries, including:

• Togo (2020)

• Benin (2021)

• Ivory Coast (2021)

• Uganda (2022)

• Equatorial Guinea (2022)

• Ghana (2023)

• Chad (2024)

• Guinea (2025)

This elimination marks a major achievement in public health efforts and global disease control, bringing the world closer to eradicating this disease.

Significance of the WHO Certification for Kenya:

Kenya's certification for elimination is a huge milestone, reflecting the country's success in controlling the disease and improving healthcare infrastructure in affected regions. This success story provides hope for other nations still battling HAT.

A new plant species, named Heptapleurum assamicum, has been discovered in the Dima Hasao and West Karbi Anglong districts of Assam, India.

About Heptapleurum assamicum:

• Species Type: It is a newly identified plant species, a lush, evergreen shrub.

• Family: It belongs to the Araliaceae family, which is also home to the ornamental umbrella plant (H. arboricola).

Distinctive Traits of Heptapleurum assamicum:

• Leaflets: The plant has narrow, lance-shaped leaflets, which are never more than 1.2 cm wide.

• Flowers: Unlike the greenish-yellow flowers of its ornamental cousin, this species has striking purple flowers.

• Inflorescences: The plant produces compact umbels with up to 15 flowers per umbel.

• Fruit: The fruit of Heptapleurum assamicum turns a deep reddish-purple when ripe and is marked with orange-red glands, which is an unusual feature within the Heptapleurum genus.

• Flowering Period: The plant blooms between January and March, with the fruit ripening by May.

Conservation Status:

• Currently, the known population of this species is tiny and highly localized, making it vulnerable to environmental changes and habitat loss.

• As per the IUCN criteria, it is categorized as "Data Deficient", indicating that more data is needed to assess its conservation status accurately.

The recent study about chitons has brought some fascinating news about these small marine creatures: their teeth are harder than stainless steel, zirconium oxide, and even human enamel. This amazing strength likely gives chitons an edge in scraping food from hard surfaces, especially in their rocky habitats.

About Chitons:

• Scientific Classification: Chitons belong to the phylum Mollusca, which also includes sea snails, sea slugs, and bivalves.

• Habitat: They are marine invertebrates, found worldwide, especially in warm regions.

• Species: There are approximately 600 species of chitons, typically placed in the class Placophora, Polyplacophora, or Loricata.

Key Features of Chitons:

1. Shape and Appearance:

   • Chitons are usually oval-shaped and come in different colors, including shades of grey, brown, red, green, and pink.

2. Body Structure:

   • Their dorsal (upper) surface features a row of eight overlapping plates, which are surrounded by a tough girdle. This arrangement helps provide protection.

3. Movement and Feeding:

   • Chitons have a large, flat foot that helps them creep along and cling to rocks.

   • They have a radula, a file-like structure, used to scrape algae and other food from the surface of rocks.

4. Size and Flexibility:

   • Most chitons are around 5 cm (2 inches) in length. Despite their small size, they are extremely flexible, fitting into rock crevices or curling into a ball if detached.

   • They can also adhere strongly to rocks, so much so that they may get injured if pried loose.

5. Life Span:

   • Chitons can live anywhere from a few years to up to 20 years.

6. Nocturnal Behavior:

   • They are primarily nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night.

NOTTO has issued a 10-point advisory stating that women patients and relatives of deceased donors awaiting organ transplants will now receive priority as beneficiaries. NOTTO hopes to increase the overall equity in the system and enhance the fair distribution of organs.This move is aligned with India's ongoing efforts to ensure that organ donation and transplantation processes are inclusive, efficient, and conducted with fairness at every level

About National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO)

NOTTO is a national-level organization established under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi. It was created under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Act of 2011.

Functions and Role:

1. Coordination of Organ and Tissue Procurement and Distribution:
   NOTTO acts as the apex center for coordinating the procurement and distribution of organs and tissues in India, ensuring that they are allocated to patients in need in the most efficient and ethical way possible.

2. Registry of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation:
   It manages the National Registry for organ and tissue donations and transplants, collecting and publishing data on these activities across India.

3. Two Divisions:

   • National Human Organ and Tissue Removal and Storage Network: Coordinates the removal, storage, and transportation of organs.

   • National Biomaterial Centre: Works on the procurement and management of biomaterials used in organ transplantation.

4. Activities Facilitated by NOTTO:

   • Policy Guidelines and Protocols: It lays down policy and protocols to facilitate safe and efficient organ transplantation.

   • Awareness Campaigns: Promotes deceased organ donation and educates the public about the importance of organ donation.

   • Data Management and Monitoring: NOTTO maintains comprehensive data registries and monitors transplant activities across states, ensuring transparency and proper documentation.

   • Consultancy Services: Provides legal and non-legal consultancy related to organ donation and transplantation.

5. Collaboration with Regional and State Organizations:
   NOTTO works closely with regional and state-level organizations, creating a network to ensure smooth functioning and coordination across the country.

Key Activities at National Level:

1. Networking:
   Creating an efficient network for organ procurement and transplantation across India.

   Training:
   NOTTO organizes training programs for healthcare professionals to improve the quality of organ transplantation services.

   Monitoring and Surveillance:
   It monitors transplantation activities in various regions, ensuring that the process is transparent and that guidelines are followed.

   Organ Donation and Transplant Awareness:
   A major initiative of NOTTO is to raise awareness about the need for deceased organ donation and increase the number of voluntary donors.

A tragic incident occurred recently when a helicopter crashed into a barge in the Mississippi River near East Alton, Illinois, resulting in the deaths of two people.

About the Mississippi River

The Mississippi River holds several notable distinctions in North America:

• Longest River in the U.S.: Spanning more than 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometers), it is the longest river in the United States and the second longest in North America.

• Source and Destination: It begins at Lake Itasca in Minnesota and flows southwards, ultimately reaching the Gulf of Mexico.

• Key Tributaries: The river is fed by significant tributaries, including:

  • Red River

  • Arkansas River

  • Illinois River

  • Missouri River

  • Ohio River

• World Ranking: When combined with the Missouri River system, the Mississippi-Missouri is the fourth longest river system in the world, stretching over 3,700 miles (6,000 km), trailing only the Nile, Amazon, and Yangtze Rivers.

• Largest Drainage Basin: The river basin drains an area of 1.26 million square miles, making it the largest drainage basin in North America.

Three Distinct Reaches of the Mississippi River

1. Upper Mississippi River:

   • Stretches from St. Paul, Minnesota to the mouth of the Missouri River near St. Louis, Missouri.

   • Characterized by steep limestone bluffs and tributaries from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa.

2. Middle Mississippi River:

   • Runs for 200 miles (320 kilometers) from the Missouri River junction to the mouth of the Ohio River.

3. Lower Mississippi River:

   • After the Ohio River confluence in Cairo, Illinois, the river becomes much wider, with banks spanning up to 1.5 miles (2.4 km).

   • It flows slowly and wide, descending toward the Gulf of Mexico.

Ecological Significance

The Mississippi River Basin is home to diverse ecosystems, including:

• Wet forests with cypress trees.

• Freshwater and brackish marshes.

• Sandy beaches and salt marshes.