Nobel Prizes

• Alfred Nobel was a chemist, engineer, inventor, and businessman, and he is remembered for creating the Nobel Prize.
• Nobel stipulated in his last will and testament that most of his assets should go to a fund and that the interest earned by that fund should be given out as annual prizes.
• Nobel’s most popular invention is dynamite, using nitroglycerin, which he patented in 1867.

• The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901 and they have been awarded annually since then. There have been years in that time when the Nobel Prizes have not been awarded - mostly during World War I (1914–1918) and II (1939–1945).
• The Nobel Prize categories are physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace – these were laid out in the will of Alfred Nobel. In 1968, Sveriges Riksbank (Sweden’s central bank) established the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.
• A few institutions are responsible for awarding the Nobel Prizes: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for the Nobel Prize in Physics and Chemistry, Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, the Swedish Academy for the Nobel Prize in Literature, a Committee of five persons elected by the Norwegian Parliament for the Nobel Peace Prize, and The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for the Economic Sciences prize.
• The Nobel  prize can be awarded to up to three individuals per category, or in the case of the Peace Prize, to organizations.
• The Nobel Prize cannot be awarded posthumously. However, since 1974, if the recipient dies after the prize has been announced they can still be awarded it.

• Abhijit Banerjee, Kailash Satyarthi, Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, V. S. Naipaul, Amartya Sen, Subramanyan Chandrasekhar, Mother Teresa, Har Gobind Khorana, Sir CV Raman, and Rabindranath Tagore (the first Indian to receive).

Five Eyes Alliance

• This alliance originated from secret meetings between British and American code-breakers during World War II and was formalised to enhance the war effort. 
• Over the years, it has expanded to include Canada in 1948 and Australia and New Zealand in 1956.

World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly

• The World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly is held every four years and defines the next period of study for ITU-T. 
• WTSA-24 is being hosted by  ​India​ (15 to 24 October 2024 in New Delhi).
• WTSA is the governing conference for the standardization work of the International Telecommunication Union, the United Nations Agency for Digital Technologies.
• It is for the first time that the ITU-WTSA is being hosted in India and the Asia-Pacific.
•  It is a pivotal global event that will bring together more than 3,000 industry leaders, policy-makers and tech experts from over 190 countries, representing telecom, digital, and ICT sectors.

Additional Information

• Ossification is the natural process of bone formation. This starts from the early developmental stage of the foetus and continues until late adolescence, but differs slightly from individual to individual. 
• Based on the stage of development of the bones, experts can determine the approximate age of the person.

• Under Section 94 of the J J Act, “where it is obvious…based on the appearance…that the said person is a child”, the Board can proceed without confirmation of age. But if there are “reasonable grounds for doubt”, the Board must “undertake the process of age determination”.
• Evidence has to be obtained from “the date of birth certificate from the school”, or “the matriculation or equivalent certificate from the concerned examination board”. If these are not available, a birth certificate issued by a corporation, municipal authority, or a panchayat may be considered.
• “Only in the absence of [these], age shall be determined by an ossification test or any other latest medical age determination test conducted on the orders of the Committee or the Board,” says the Act
• The Supreme Court also said that tests such as ossification must be the last in the order of priorities to determine age.

Greenwashing

• It refers to the growing tendency of companies, organisations or even countries to make dubious or unverifiable claims about their activities, products or services being environment-friendly or climate-friendly

Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Greenwashing or Misleading Environment Claims 

• Issued by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA).

Key Features of the Guidelines:

1. Clear Definitions: The guidelines provide clear definitions of terms related to greenwashing and environmental claims, ensuring that both businesses and consumers have a common understanding.
2. Transparency Requirements: Manufacturers and service providers are required to substantiate their environmental claims with credible evidence. This includes providing detailed information on the methodology and data used to support such claims.
3. Prohibition of Misleading Terms: The use of vague or misleading terms such as “eco-friendly,” “green,” and “sustainable” without proper substantiation is sought to be prohibited.
4. Third-Party Certifications: Third-Party Certificationsare also accepted in substantiation of environmental claims.
5. Adequate Disclosures: The companies are required to provideclear and accessible disclosures of material information. Claims must specify the aspect refer to (good, manufacturing process, packaging, etc.) and be supported by credible certification or reliable scientific evidence.