28 OCT 2023 | Daily Current Affairs | UPSC CDS CAPF NDA AFCAT SSB

1. Global Declaration for River Dolphins

In a ground-breaking development, 11 Asian and South American countries recently signed a global declaration, the "Global Declaration for River Dolphins," aimed at preserving the world's six remaining river dolphin species.

About the Global Declaration for River Dolphins:

This declaration is designed to guide 14 nations where river dolphins inhabit, with a focus on responsible freshwater dolphin conservation.
It aims to halt the decline of all river dolphin species and increase the most vulnerable populations.
The declaration will escalate collaborative endeavours to safeguard the surviving river dolphin species.
Countries that adopted the declaration include Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, and Venezuela.
The countries involved agreed to improve water quality in the dolphins' habitat, create protected areas, tackle overfishing, and involve Indigenous communities in the affected regions in protecting the animals.

Key facts about river dolphins:

River dolphins are any of six species of small, usually freshwater aquatic mammals that are related to whales (Order Cetacea).
A seventh river dolphin species, the Chinese river dolphin, or baiji, was declared extinct in 2007.
Distribution: These dolphins are found in rivers of south-central Asia, China, and South America and in the coastal waters of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay.
Common Features: They have slender beaks lined with lots of teeth, small eyes, flexible necks and bodies, pronounced forehead melons, large flippers, and small dorsal fins.
The six surviving species of river dolphins are the Amazon, Indus, Ganges, Irrawaddy, Tucuxi, and Yangtze finless porpoises.
All six species of river dolphins are classified as Endangered or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The largest is the Amazon River dolphin (Inia geoffrensis).
They are important indicators of the health of rivers. Where freshwater dolphin populations are thriving, it is likely that the overall river systems are flourishing.

Source : A historic declaration offers hope for world’s endangered river dolphins

2. Bering Sea

A recent study links a decline in sea ice moving from the Arctic to the Bering Sea in the north Pacific Ocean to an increased occurrence of wildfire hazards in northeast China.

About Bering Sea:

It is a marginal sea in the northernmost part of the Pacific Ocean, separating the continents of Asia and North America.
To the north, the Bering Sea connects with the Arctic Ocean through the Bering Strait, at the narrowest point of which the two continents are about 53 miles (85 kilometres) apart.
It is bordered by the US state of Alaska to the east and northeast, the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Far Eastern region of Russia in the west, and the chain of the Aleutian Islands in the south.
The boundary between the United States and Russia passes through the sea and the strait.
The Bering Sea can be divided into two equal portions: a shallow area along the continental shelf in the northern and eastern parts of the sea, and a deeper area in its southwestern part.
The Bering Strait is a relatively shallow passage, averaging 100 to 165 feet (30 to 50 metres) in depth.
Canyons:
- There are about 16 submarine canyons in the Bering Sea.
- Situated in the sea’s center is a large underwater canyon known as the Zhemchug Canyon. It is also the world’s largest and deepest submarine canyon.
Rivers: The two rivers that drain into the sea are the Anadyr and the Yukon Rivers.
Islands:
- In addition to the Aleutian and Komandor groups, there are several other large islands in both the sea and strait.
- These include Nunivak, St. Lawrence, and Nelson islands in Alaskan waters and Karagin Island in Russian waters.
Springtime in the Bering Strait brings one of the largest migrations in the world. Each year, millions of birds and hundreds of thousands of marine mammals follow retreating sea ice north through the Bering Strait.

Source : Declining Bering Sea ice linked to increasing wildfire hazard in northeast China

3. Neolithic Age

A rock art dating back to the Neolithic period was recently found in the Palnadu district of Andhra Pradesh.

About the Neolithic Age:

The Neolithic Age, also called the New Stone Age, is the final stage of cultural evolution or technological development among prehistoric humans.
The term Neolithic is most frequently used in connection with agriculture, which is the time when cereal cultivation and animal domestication were introduced.
Because agriculture developed at different times in different regions of the world, there is no single date for the beginning of the Neolithic age. In India, the starting point of the Neolithic is generally thought to have occurred sometime around 7000 BCE.
The Neolithic followed the Mesolithic Period and preceded the Chalcolithic Age, or the early period of metal tools.
Features of the Neolithic Age:
- It was characterised by stone tools shaped by polishing or grinding, dependence on domesticated plants or animals, settlement in permanent villages, and the appearance of such crafts as pottery and weaving.
- The houses were built of mud and reed in rectangular or circular shapes.
End of the Neolithic Age:
- Towards the end of the Neolithic era, copper metallurgy is introduced, which marks a transition period to the Bronze Age, sometimes referred to as the Chalcolithic or Eneolithic Era.
- In time, bronze became the primary material for tools and weapons, and a good part of the stone technology became obsolete, signalling the end of the Neolithic and thus of the Stone Age.
Some of the important Neolithic sites in India include Burzahom in Kashmir, Chirand in Bihar and Edakkal caves in Kerala.

Source : Rock art dating back to Neolithic period found in Palnadu district of Andhra Pradesh

4. Lorrainosaurus

The fossils of a 170-million-year-old ancient marine reptile named ‘Lorrainosaurus’ from the Age of Dinosaurs have been recently identified as the oldest-known mega-predatory pliosaur.

Why in the news?

Scientists first unearthed this sea monster's fossils in 1983.
But in a new study, researchers re-analyzed the remains and found that the predator belonged to a previously unknown genus (group) of species and represented the oldest "megapredatory" pliosaur on record.
The fossils were unearthed in the former region of Lorraine (now part of Grand Est) in northeastern France.

About Lorrainosaurus:

It is the oldest mega-predatory pliosaur.
It lived during the ancient Middle Jurassic era in marine environments.
The regions in which it lived 170 million years ago are now located in northern France.
This giant reptile probably reached over 6 meters from snout to tail.
The animal had jaws over 1.3 m long with large conical teeth and a bulky ‘torpedo-shaped’ body propelled by four flipper-like limbs.
They were ecological equivalents of today’s killer whales and would have eaten a range of prey, including squid-like cephalopods, large fish, and other marine reptiles.

What are pliosaurs?

Pliosaurs were a type of short-necked plesiosaur: marine reptiles built for speed compared to their long-necked cousins.
Also known as pliosauroids, these creatures were not dinosaurs but distant cousins of modern turtles.
They had four large flippers, large heads, extremely powerful jaws, and enormous teeth, and they hunted fish, cephalopod mollusks, and other marine reptiles.
They lived between 220 million years ago (Triassic period) and 70 million years ago (Cretaceous period) and were mostly found in the prehistoric seas that covered modern-day Europe.
Famous examples, such as Pliosaurus and Kronosaurus, some of the world’s largest pliosaurs, were absolutely enormous, with body lengths exceeding 10 m.

Source : Sea Monster Surprise: Ancient Pliosaur Remains Challenge What We Knew

5. Management & Entrepreneurship and Professional Skills Council (MEPSC)

Management & Entrepreneurship and Professional Skills Council (MEPSC) recently entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Magic Bus India Foundation, a leading non-profit organisation in the education and skilling space.

About the Management & Entrepreneurship and Professional Skills Council (MEPSC):

MEPSC is a horizontal Sector Skill Council (SSC) incorporated as a Section-8 (Not for Profit Company) under the Companies Act, 2013, in a one of its kind, Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The Council has been working under the tutelage of the Ministry of Skill Development.
It is being promoted by All India Management Association (AIMA), the apex body of management profession in India, as its sole promoter.
MEPSC is recognised as an awarding body by the skills regulator, the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), and is supported by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
MEPSC is targeting to train and certify approximately 4.75 lakh trainees, develop and frame 50 Qualifications Packs (QPs)/National Occupational Standards (NOS), and train more than 550 trainers over the next 10 years.
MEPSC shall lead skill development initiatives in five key segments, namely
- Training and Assessment
- Office Management
- Professional skills (including Security)
- Non-Teaching job roles in the education Sector
- Entrepreneurship
The MEPSC Board is comprised of several equally renowned and experienced business leaders, academicians, NSDC, AIMA, and Ministry officials.

Key Facts about the All India Management Association (AIMA):

AIMA was created as an apex body of the management profession with the active support of the Government of India and Industry in 1957.
AIMA is a not-for-profit, non-lobbying organisation, working closely with industry, government, academia, and students to further the cause of the management profession in India.
AIMA has a membership base of over 38,000 members and close to 6,000 corporate /institutional members through 67 local management Associations affiliated with AIMA.
It is represented in a number of policy-making bodies of the Government of India and national associations.
AIMA offers various services in the areas of testing, distance education, skill development & training, research, publications, executive education, and management development programmes.
Apart from its flagship Post Graduate Diploma in Management, AIMA offers topical and industry-oriented programmes and initiatives to help management professionals and students keep in step with the times while offering state of the art business solutions for organisations and institutions.
AIMA is frequently co-opted by the government on specialised committees.
AIMA is an active member of the Asian Association of Management Organisations (AAMO), which is the Asia-Pacific regional body of the World Management Council (CIOS).

Source : Management & Entrepreneurship and Professional Skills Council (MEPSC) and Magic Bus India Foundation signs MoU to Equip and Empower Youth

6. Banni festival

Recently, three people lost their lives and more than a hundred were injured in the traditional Banni festival at Devaragattu in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh.

About the Banni festival:

It is a traditional stick-fight
It is celebrated on the night of Dussehra celebration (Vijaya Dasami) every year.
The objective of this event was to snatch the idols from God's team, leading to a fierce battle known as the Banni Fight.
This festival was celebrated by people under the Vijayanagara Empire.
It is celebrated on account of the victory of Lord Mala Malleswara Swamy and Goddess Parvati over demonish Mani and Mallasura, who troubled the people in the Devaragattu region.
Rituals
- The ritual takes place at midnight when the procession idols of the ruling deities Malamma (Parvati) and Malleshwara Swamy (Shiva) are brought down the hill temple at Neraneki.
- Devotees carry long sticks or lathis with them for hitting each other with these sticks on the head.
- The basic idea of this fight is to capture the procession idol.

Source : Three dead during ‘Banni’ festival at Devaragattu in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district

7. Betelgeuse star

Scientists resolved the mystery behind the sudden dimming of the supergiant Betelgeuse star and dismissed theories that suggested that the star might be entering the last stage of its evolution.

About the Betelgeuse star:

It is a red supergiant starwith a distinctive orange-red hue.
It is roughly 10 million years old and much younger than Sun.
It is around 700 light-years away from the Earth.
It is located in the Orion constellation.
It is particularly easy to spot because of its brightness; it is often the tenth-brightest star in the sky.
It is also one of the largest stars visible to the unaided eye.
While it is large and bright, Betelgeuse isn't actually that hot, with a surface temperature of about 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit (over 3,300 degrees Celsius).
Betelgeuse has been classified as a "semiregular variable star," which is a type of variable star that periodically waxes and wanes in brightness and occasionally undergoes irregular light changes.
Betelgeuse, typically, has a 400-day cycle as well as a longer cycle that stretches about 5 years.

Source : Scientists resolve the mystery behind sudden dimming of supergiant Betelgeuse star

8. Gudavi Bird Sanctuary

The sudden deaths of several birds at Gudavi Bird Sanctuary in Shivamogga district of Karnataka has left the officers of the Forest Department in worry.

About Gudavi Bird Sanctuary:

It is one of the renowned Bird Sanctuaries in Karnataka.
It is located on Gudavi Lake banks.
It is engulfed with natural beauty and rich biodiversity, attracting tourists from different parts of the world.
Fauna: The Bird Sanctuary prides itself on being the home of more than 217 bird species, including residential and migratory birds like Grey Heron, Little Cormorant, Little Grebe, White Ibis and White-Headed Crane.
Flora: It is covered by moist deciduous forest species interspersed with grassy patches.
This wetland vegetation comprises marshy plants, and microphyte biota.

What is wetland?

It is defines as “areas of marshes, fens, peat lands or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary with water i.e. static or flowing fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water”.

Source : Several birds die at Gudavi bird sanctuary in Sorab taluk

9. Reference Fuels

Recently, the Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas launched the ‘Reference Gasoline and Diesel Fuels’ produced by IndianOil for the first time in India.

About Reference Fuels:

Reference fuels (Gasoline and Diesel) are premium, high-value products used for calibration and testing of vehicles by auto OEMs and organisations involved in testing and certification in the automotive field.
IndianOil has successfully commenced the production of Reference Gasoline and Diesel Fuels for the first time in India.
These fuels are used for calibration and testing of vehicles by automobile manufacturers and testing agencies like ICAT (International Centre for Automotive Technology) and ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India).
These indigenously developed products will lead to import substitution at better price and a shorter lead time for the vehicle manufacturers.
Reference Gasoline fuels will be available in E0, E5, E10, E20, E85, and E100 from Flagship Paradip Refinery.
Reference diesel fuel shall be available in B7 grade from Panipat Refinery.
The demand for Reference Fuels in India is currently met by imports from other countries.
The indigenously developed product by IndianOil meets Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) specifications, substitutes imports, and is available at better price with reduced lead time.
Indian Oil Corporation Limited has established facilities for the production of Reference Gasoline Fuels (E-5, E-10 and E-20) at its Paradip Refinery and Reference Diesel Fuel (B-7) at its Panipat refinery.

Why do we need reference fuels?

Reference fuels are required by automobile manufacturers for developing engines and assessing vehicles’ performance to ensure operability in all global climatic conditions.
Currently, these reference fuels are being imported by India from select companies in Europe and the US.

Source : Launch of Reference Fuels fosters vision of AtmaNirbhar Bharat: Petroleum Minister Hardeep S Puri

10. International Competition Network (ICN)

Recently, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has become a part of the prestigious 18-member steering committee of the International Competition Network (ICN).

About the International Competition Network (ICN):

The concept for the ICN originated from recommendations made by the International Competition Policy Advisory Committee (ICPAC), a group formed in 1997.
It was established in October 2001 by officials of 15 competition agencies from around the world.
The steering committee is the ICN's apex body.
The ICN, comprising 140 competition agencies, typically provides antitrust authorities with a specialised, yet informal, venue for maintaining regular contacts and addressing practical competition concerns.
The Steering Group members shall elect a Chair from among Steering Group representatives at the ICN Annual Conference in odd-numbered years.
It is the only global body devoted exclusively to competition law enforcement and its members represent national and multinational competition authorities.
It has no formal Secretariat or premises.

Key facts about CCI

It is a statutory body of the Government of India and was established in March 2009 under the Competition Act, 2002.
The goal of CCI is to create and sustain fair competition in the economy that will provide a ‘level playing field’ to the producers and make the markets work for the welfare of consumers.
Composition:
- It has the composition of a quasi-judicial body, with one chairperson and six additional members.
- All members of the CCI are appointed by the Central Government.
Headquarters: New Delhi.

Source : CCI becomes member of International Competition Network's steering group

28 OCT 2023 | Daily Current Affairs | UPSC CDS CAPF NDA AFCAT SSB

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