CURRENT-AFFAIRS

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• The Arab League recently rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to relocate Gaza, labeling it as unacceptable.
• About the Arab League:
  • The Arab League, also known as the League of Arab States, is a voluntary organization of nations whose populations primarily speak Arabic or have Arabic as an official language.
  • It is a regional body of Arab countries located in the Middle East and parts of North Africa.
• Formation:
  • The Arab League was established in Cairo on March 22, 1945, with six founding members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan (later renamed Jordan), Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria, with Yemen joining on May 5, 1945.
  • It was created in response to concerns over post-World War II colonial divisions and strong opposition to the creation of a Jewish state in Palestinian territories.
• Aims:
  • The League aims to enhance cooperation and strengthen ties between its member states, preserve their independence and sovereignty, and promote collective action on the issues and interests of its members.
• Headquarters:
  • Located in Cairo, Egypt.
• Official Language:
  • Arabic.
• Members:
  • The Arab League has 22 member countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, the Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
  • Four nations hold observer status: Brazil, Eritrea, India, and Venezuela.
• Organizational Structure:
  • The highest governing body of the Arab League is the Council, made up of representatives from each member state.
  • Every member has one vote, regardless of its size.
  • Decisions are made by majority vote and are binding only on states that vote in favor.
  • The General Secretariat, which manages the day-to-day operations of the League, is led by a Secretary-General, who is appointed every five years by the Arab League Council.

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• The scientific community remains divided on whether mpox should be classified as a sexually transmitted disease (STD), with debates ongoing about the need for specific public health interventions to control its spread.
• About Mpox:
  • Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus.
  • Mpox is marked by a rash or skin lesions, typically found on the face, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet.
• History:
  • The first human case of mpox was identified in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
• Sub-types:
  • There are two recognized sub-types of the monkeypox virus:
    • Clade I: Endemic to Central Africa. It tends to cause more severe illness, although recent outbreaks have been less deadly.
    • Clade II: Endemic to East Africa. Since 2022, there has been a global outbreak of Clade II, which is generally less fatal than Clade I.
• Transmission:
• The virus is transmitted to humans through close contact with infected animals or people, as well as by handling contaminated materials.
• It enters the body through cuts, abrasions, or mucosal membranes.
• Mpox can be spread through sexual contact and can also be transmitted from a mother to her fetus during pregnancy, or to the newborn during or after birth.
• Symptoms:
  • Common symptoms of mpox include skin rashes or mucosal lesions, which typically last between 2–4 weeks. These are accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes.
  • In most cases, symptoms resolve on their own without medical intervention.
• Treatment:
  • There are no specific treatments for mpox.
  • The treatment generally focuses on managing symptoms and providing relief for those affected.

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• The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament recently instructed the government to review the existing rules governing the toll tax on National Highways.
• About the Public Accounts Committee (PAC):
  • The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is a parliamentary body formed to audit the revenue and expenditure of the Government of India. It acts as a watchdog over the government, particularly regarding its expenditure, and primarily examines the audit report provided by the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) once it is presented in Parliament.
  • The C&AG assists the committee during the investigation process.
  • The core function of the PAC is to ensure that government spending is in line with the funds allocated by Parliament, checking whether the expenditure has adhered to the prescribed purpose and limits.
• History of the Committee:
  • The PAC is one of the oldest parliamentary committees in India.
  • From its formation in 1921 until the early 1950s, the Finance Member chaired the committee, with the Finance Department (now Ministry of Finance) overseeing its secretarial functions.
  • After the Constitution of India came into effect on January 26, 1950, the PAC became a parliamentary body under the control of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, with its secretarial duties transferred to the Parliament Secretariat (now the Lok Sabha Secretariat).
• Membership:
  • The PAC consists of up to 22 members: 15 elected from the Lok Sabha and a maximum of 7 from the Rajya Sabha.
  • Members are elected annually according to the principle of proportional representation using a single transferable vote.
  • The term of office for PAC members is one year.
  • The Chairperson is chosen by the Speaker from among the Lok Sabha members, with the tradition of appointing an Opposition member as Chairperson beginning in 1967-68.
  • Ministers are not eligible to be PAC members. If a sitting member is appointed as a minister, they automatically cease to be a PAC member.
• Functions:
  • The PAC’s responsibilities include examining the accounts that reflect the allocation of funds granted by Parliament for government expenditure, as well as annual finance accounts and any other relevant accounts presented to the House.
  • In reviewing the government’s appropriation accounts and the C&AG’s report, the PAC ensures:
  • The funds were legally available and correctly applied for the intended purpose.
  • The expenditure complies with the governing authority’s rules.
  • Re-appropriations were made in accordance with the relevant rules.
  • The PAC also ensures that funds granted by Parliament have been spent as authorized. It scrutinizes cases where spending exceeds or falls short of the initially approved amounts and evaluates the justification for such discrepancies.
  • Additionally, the PAC examines cases involving financial losses, wasteful expenditures, and financial irregularities, extending its oversight beyond mere procedural expenditure to assess the efficiency, prudence, and economy of government spending.