Feb 07, 2025 | Current Affairs for UPSC, State PCS & other Govt. Exams

According to the World Bank's "Logistics Performance Index Report (2023): Connecting to Compete 2023", India ranks 38th out of 139 countries. India’s rank has improved by six places from 44th in 2018 and sixteen places from 54th in 2014.

An inter-ministerial dedicated team, comprising stakeholder ministries and departments, focuses on targeted action plans with necessary interventions to improve logistics performance across all six LPI parameters: Customs, Infrastructure, Ease of arranging shipments, Quality of logistics services, Tracking and Tracing, and Timeliness.

PM Modi launched the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan for multimodal connectivity on October 13, 2021, and the National Logistics Policy on September 17, 2022, to improve logistics efficiency and reduce logistics costs.

On January 24, the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet approved a pilot study by two universities on the controlled cultivation of cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes. If the pilot project is successful, Himachal Pradesh will become the fourth state to allow controlled cannabis cultivation. Countries such as the U.S., Canada, and Germany also permit it.

Controlled cannabis cultivation refers to the regulated cultivation of specific cannabis varieties with minimal intoxicating properties, along with strict monitoring to prevent misuse. The tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content—a cannabinoid known for its intoxicating effects—in controlled cannabis should be less than or equal to 0.3 percent. Such varieties are commonly known as hemp.

Hemp's stalks, leaves, and seeds can be processed into textiles, paper, food, cosmetics, biofuel, and more. Additionally, cannabidiol (CBD) compounds in the plant are effective in treating chronic pain.

Cannabis plants are found across all 12 districts of Himachal Pradesh. Malana village in the Manikaran Valley (Kullu district), in particular, is known for illegal narcotic cannabis cultivation. Cannabis cultivation is largely prohibited in India due to its psychoactive properties. However, exceptions exist for industrial and medicinal cannabis cultivation under government regulation.

Section 10 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, allows state governments to regulate, permit, or prohibit cannabis cultivation for medicinal and scientific purposes. Uttarakhand became the first state to allow controlled cannabis cultivation in 2018.

In February 2025, Argentina announced that it would withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), following a similar move by the United States under President Donald Trump in January.

The most significant concern raised by Argentina’s decision is its potential impact on the WHO’s credibility and financial stability. The United States is by far the largest contributor to the WHO, providing around $950 million (£760 million) in 2024, which accounts for nearly 15% of the organization’s total budget.

The U.S. withdrawal raises serious financial challenges for the global health body, particularly given the increasing number of health crises worldwide.

President Trump signed an executive order on February 5, prohibiting transgender women and girls from competing in female sports. The measure, called the “No Men in Women's Sports Executive Order,” is the fourth executive order targeting transgender individuals that he has signed since taking office on January 20.

This decision has sparked widespread debate, with the administration justifying it as a measure to protect women’s sports, while critics argue that it is a direct attack on transgender rights.

The Ocean Coordination Mechanism (OCM) is the latest initiative aimed at protecting the oceans. Announced by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO on January 14, 2025, this initiative focuses on the Caribbean and the North Brazil Shelf.

OCM also promotes blue carbon projects, which utilize coastal ecosystems for carbon storage, benefiting both the environment and local communities.

Uganda, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and global partners, has launched the first-ever clinical trial for a vaccine targeting the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus.