01 FEB 2024 Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CDS, CAPF, NDA & SSB

1. Sphaerotheca varshaabhu

Researchers from various national and international organisations have identified and documented a previously unknown species of frog which has been thriving amidst the urban landscape of Bengaluru.

About Sphaerotheca varshaabhu:

It is a new frog species.
Sphaerotheca Varshaabhu, meaning a genus of frog which welcomes rain, has been attributed to its behaviour of coming out of burrows during the early showers.
The newly unearthed amphibian exhibits distinctive characteristics that set it apart from known frog species.
It has adapted to its urban surroundings displaying behaviours and physical attributes that help it navigate challenges posed by urbanisation.
The team utilised advanced genetic analysis, morphological studies and bioacoustics to confirm the distinctiveness of this newly discovered amphibian.

Key facts about amphibians

They are extremely sensitive to changes in the environment and can give scientists valuable insight into how an ecosystem is functioning.
Amphibians, like frogs, toads and salamanders, are known as indicator species.
They are both predators and prey; many other animals are affected by them.

Source : Researchers identify new species of burrowing frog in urban Bengaluru

2. What is eROSITA?

Recently, the German eROSITA consortium has released the data for its share of the first all-sky survey by the soft X-ray imaging telescope.

About eROSITA:

The eROSITA (extended ROentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array) is a wide-field X-ray telescope on board the Russian-German "Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma" (SRG) observatory.
It was developed under the leadership of the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany (DE).
It is a sensitive X-ray telescope capable of delivering deep, sharp images over very large areas of the sky.
The eROSITA telescope consists of seven identical Wolter-1 mirror modules.
SRG was successfully launched from Baikonur on July 13 2019, and placed in a halo orbit around the L2 point.
Functions
It has been performing an all-sky survey, in which the whole celestial sphere is mapped once every six months. Eight such all-sky charts are planned until December 2023.
It is also expected to yield a sample of several million Active Galactic Nuclei, providing a unique view of the evolution of supermassive black holes within the emerging cosmic structure.
The survey will also provide new insights into a wide range of astrophysical phenomena, including accreting binaries, active stars and diffuse emission within the Galaxy, as well as solar system bodies that emit X-rays via the charge exchange process.

Source : First, eROSITA sky-survey data release makes public the largest-ever catalogue of high-energy cosmic sources

3. Bluetongue disease

China has banned the direct and indirect import of ruminants and its related products from Iraq due to an outbreak of bluetongue disease.

About Bluetongue disease (BT):

It is a non-contagious, viral disease affecting domestic and wild ruminants (primarily sheep and including cattle, goats, buffalo, antelope, deer, elk and camels).
It is transmitted by insects, particularly biting midges of the Culicoides species.
The virus which causes BT is identified as a member of the Reoviridae family.
Twenty-four (24) different serotypes have been identified and the ability of each strain to cause disease varies considerably.
Symptoms: The severity of the disease varies among different species with symptoms being most severe in sheep resulting in deaths, weight loss and disruption in wool growth.
Geographical distribution
It has a significant global distribution in regions where the insect vector is present, including Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and several islands in the tropics and subtropics.
The virus is maintained in areas where the climate will allow biting midges to survive over winter.
Transmission and spread
The insect vector is the key to the transmission of the BT virus between animals.
Vectors are infected with BT virus after ingesting blood from infected animals.
Without the vector, the disease cannot spread from animal to animal.
BT virus transmission can occur throughout the year, particularly during rainy periods.

Source : China bans imports of ruminant animals from Iraq due to bluetongue disease

4. One Stop Centre Scheme

Recently, the Union Minister for Women and Child Development said that One Stop Centres to help women who have faced violence have been established in over 700 districts across the country.

About One Stop Centre scheme:

It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme formulated under the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD).
Objectives:
To provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces under one roof.
To facilitate immediate, emergency and non-emergency access to a range of services including medical, legal, psychological and counselling support under one roof to fight against any forms of violence against women.
Target group
It supports all women including girls below 18 years of age affected by violence, irrespective of caste, class, religion, region, sexual orientation or marital status.
For girls below 18 years of age, institutions and authorities established under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 linked with the OSC
Funding: The Scheme will be funded through the Nirbhaya Fund. The Central Government will provide 100% financial assistance under the Scheme.
Administration: The day-to-day implementation and administrative matters would be the responsibility of the District Collector/District Magistrate.
The OSC will facilitate access to- Emergency Response and Rescue Services, Medical assistance, assistance to women in lodging FIR/ NCR/DIR, psycho-social support/counselling, legal aid and counselling, shelter and a Video Conferencing Facility.

Source : 700 One Stop Centres set up across the country

5. New Ramsar site

Recently, the Union Environment Minister said that five more Indian wetlands have been added to the global list of wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

About the New Ramsar site:

Of the five wetlands added to the Ramsar list, Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve, Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve, and Aghanashini Estuary are in Karnataka and Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary and Longwood Shola Reserve Forest are in Tamil Nadu.
Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve
It is a man-made Village Irrigation Tank built centuries back.
It is an ecologically important wetland and rich in biodiversity.
It supports more than 1% of the biogeographic population of Painted Stork and Black-headed Ibis.
Aghanashini Estuary
It is formed at the confluence of the Aghanashini River with the Arabian Sea.
The brackish water of the Estuary provides diverse ecosystem services including flood and erosion risk mitigation, biodiversity conservation and livelihood support.
The wetland helps in traditional fish farming in the estuarine rice fields (locally known as Gazni rice fields), bivalve shell collection and salt production.
Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve
It is a man-made wetland which was constructed to store rainwater for irrigation purposes.
The wetland harbours two vulnerable species, namely the Common pochard and River tern and four near-threatened species, namely the Oriental Darter Black-headed Ibis Woolly-necked Stork and Painted Stork
It is also one of the largest wintering grounds for the Bar-headed goose.
Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary
It is one of the largest inland wetlands of Tamil Nadu and is a significant source of groundwater recharge for the area.
The Longwood Shola Reserve Forest
It derives its name from the Tamil word, "Solai", which means a ‘tropical rainforest’.
The ‘Sholas’ are found in the upper reaches of the Nilgiris, Anamalais, Palni hills, Kalakadu, Mundanthurai and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.
These forested wetlands serve as habitats for the globally endangered Black-chinned Nilgiri Laughing thrush, Nilgiri Blue Robin and vulnerable Nilgiri Wood-pigeon.

Source : Shri Bhupender Yadav says India increased its tally of Ramsar sites (Wetlands of International Importance) to 80 by adding Five more wetlands to the list on the eve of World Wetlands Day 2024 (2nd February)

6. What is Volt Typhoon?

The United States government recently shut down a major China-backed hacking group dubbed "Volt Typhoon" that attacked hundreds of routers and had been working to compromise U.S. cyber infrastructure.

About Volt Typhoon:

It is a state-sponsored hacking group based in China that has been active since at least 2021.
The group typically focuses on espionage and information gathering.
It has targeted critical infrastructure organisations in the US, including Guam.
To achieve their objective, the threat actor puts a strong emphasis on stealth, relying almost exclusively on living-off-the-land techniquesand hands-on-keyboard activity.
The recurring attack pattern of the Volt Typhoon begins with initial access via exploitation of public-facing devices or services.
Volt Typhoon employs the comparatively uncommon practice of leveraging preinstalled utilities for most of their victim interactions.
Compromised small office/home office (SOHO) devices are used by the attackers to proxy communications to and from the affected networks.
They issue commands via the command line to (1) collect data, including credentials from local and network systems: (2) put the data into an archive file to stage it for exfiltration: and then (3) use the stolen valid credentials to maintain persistence.
Volt Typhoon was a particularly quiet operator that hid its traffic by routing it through hacked network equipment, like home routers, and carefully expunging evidence of intrusions from the victim’s logs.
This combination of behaviours makes detection especially difficult, as defenders must be able to differentiate between attacker activities and those of power users or administrative staff.

Source : FBI shuts down China’s ‘Volt Typhoon’ hackers targeting U.S. infrastructure

7. What are Green Roofs?

According to recent research, green roofs treated with mycorrhizal fungi foster a more diverse soil community that is more likely to support long-term green roof sustainability.

About Green Roofs:

Green roofs, also known as ‘vegetated roofs’ or ‘living roofs’ — are ballasted roofs consisting of a waterproofing membrane, growing medium (soil), and vegetation (plants) overlying a traditional roof.
The layers of green roof systems must, like any roof, accommodate drainage, and stormwater management, and protect the building from the elements with a waterproof membrane.
But they also must create a growing area and potentially provide support, irrigation, and root protection barriers while staying as light as possible.
Two types of green roofs exist: intensive and extensive.
Intensive green roofs are essentially elevated parks. They can sustain shrubs, trees, walkways and benches with their complex structural support, irrigation, drainage, and root protection layers.
Extensive green roofs are relatively light. They support hearty native ground cover that requires little maintenance. Extensive green roofs usually exist solely for their environmental benefits and don't function as accessible rooftop gardens.
Benefits:
Green roofs last longer than conventional roofs, reduce energy costswith natural insulation, create peaceful retreats for people and animals, and absorb stormwater, potentially lessening the need for complex and expensive drainage systems.
On a wider scale, green roofs improve air quality and help reduce the Urban Heat Island Effect, a condition in which city and suburban developments absorb and trap heat.

Source : Rich in fungi soil could benefit green roofs: Study

8. Black-crowned Night Heron

A ringed juvenile black-crowned night heron, which landed recently at a local pond in Imphal and died later, was banded at the Weishan Bird Banding Station in China’s Beijing.

About Black-crowned Night Heron:

It is a medium-sized heron with a stocky build.
Scientific Name: Nycticorax nycticorax
Distribution: It is found across North America, as well as locally in Central America and the Caribbean.
Habitat: Most colonies of black-crowned night herons are associated with large wetlands. They inhabit a variety of wetland habitats, such as swamps, streams, rivers, marshes, mud flats, and the edges of lakes.
Features:
It has a stocky body with a comparatively short neck and legs.
It has a black crown, a grey body, and bright, red eyes.
Females and males look alike, but females are a little smaller.
They are social at all times of the year, frequently associating with other species of herons.
It is a migrating species.
Diet: It is an opportunistic feeder. Its diet consists mainly of fish, though it is frequently rounded out by other items such as leeches, earthworms, and aquatic and terrestrial insects.
Conservation Status:
IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Key Facts about Herons:

These are any of about 60 species of long-legged wading birds.
These are classified in the family Ardeidae (order Ciconiiformes) and generally include several species usually called egrets.
The Ardeidae also include the bitterns (subfamily Botaurinae).
These are widely distributed over the world but are most common in the tropics.
They usually feed while wading quietly in the shallow waters of pools, marshes, and swamps, catching frogs, fishes, and other aquatic animals.
They nest in rough platforms of sticks constructed in bushes or trees near water; the nests usually are grouped in colonies called heronries.

Source : China Identifies Tagging Station Of Migratory Bird 'Heron' Found In Manipur

9. What is a Payments Bank?

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently imposed restrictions on Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL), following a system audit report and subsequent compliance validation report of external auditors.

About Payments Bank:

A payments bank is like any other bank but operates on a smaller scalewithout involving any credit risk.
It was set up based on the recommendations of the Nachiket Mor Committee.
Objective: To advance financial inclusion by offering banking and financial services to the unbanked and underbanked areas, helping the migrant labour force, low-income households, small entrepreneurs, etc.
It is registered as a public limited company under the Companies Act 2013 and licensed under Section 22 of the Banking Regulation Act 1949.
It is governed by a host of legislation, such as the Banking Regulation Act, 1949; RBI Act, 1934; Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, etc.
Features:
They are differentiated, and not universal banks.
These operate on a smaller scale.
The minimum paid-up equity capital for payments banks shall be 100 crores.
The minimum initial contribution of the promoter to the Payment Bank to the paid-up equity capital shall be at least 40% for the first five years from the commencement of its business.
Activities that can be performed:
It can take deposits up to Rs. 2,00,000. It can accept demand depositsin the form of savings and current accounts.
The money received as depositscan be invested in secure government securities only in the form of a Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR). This must amount to 75% of the demand deposit balance.
The remaining 25% is to be placed as time deposits with other scheduled commercial banks.
It can offer remittance services, mobile payments/transfers/purchases, and other banking services like ATM/debit cards, net banking, and third-party fund transfers.
It can become a banking correspondent (BC) of another bank for credit and other services which it cannot offer.
Activities that can be performed:
It cannot issue loans and credit cards.
It cannot accept time deposits or NRI deposits.
It cannot set up subsidiaries to undertake non-banking financial activities.

Source : RBI bars Paytm Payments Bank from accepting deposits in any customer account from next month

10. Martand Sun Temple

Some people forced their way into the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected Martand Sun temple recently.

About Martand Sun Temple:

It is a Hindu temple located near the city of Anantnag in the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir.
It is dedicated to the Sun God. Martand is another Sanskrit synonym for Surya.
It was built by King Lalitaditya Muktapida around the 8th Century CE. Lalitaditya Muktapida was the third ruler of the Karkota Dynasty.
Features:
It has a unique architecture where the local Kashmiri style is blended with the architectural styles of Gupta, Chinese, Gandhara, Roman, and Greek.
The temple is located on top of a plateau and has been constructed entirely out of stone.
It stands in the middle of a large courtyard with 86 fluted columns. The courtyard is connected to the main shrine, where Sun God’s idol was installed.
The construction of the main shrine was such that during most of the days’ time, especially during sunrise and sunset, the rays would directly fall on the idol.
The central shrine, or vimana, stands tall at around 60 feet. It features intricate carvings and sculptures that depict various Hindu gods and goddesses.
There are 84 smaller shrines around the main Sun Temple. They are lined along the perimeter of the complex.
The temple is believed to have been demolished by Sultan Sikandar Shah Miri, who ruled Kashmir from 1389 to 1413.

Source : Despite ASI attempts, a group once again forces entry into J&K Martand sun temple

01 FEB 2024 Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CDS, CAPF, NDA & SSB

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