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Gist of The Hindu : DECEMBER 2024

Gist of The Hindu: DECEMBER- 2024

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Anamalai Tiger Reserve

Coimbatore District Collector recently accorded community forest rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, to three tribal settlements in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR).

About Anamalai Tiger Reserve:

It is a protected area located at an altitude of 1400 m in the Anamalai Hillsof Pollachi and Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu.
It lies south of the Palakkad gap in the Southern Western Ghats.
It is surrounded by the Parambikulum Tiger Reserve on the east, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary,and Eravikulum National Park on the southwestern side.
The reserve is also surrounded by the Nenmara, Vazhachal, Malayattur, and Marayur reserved forests of Kerala.
It was declared a tiger reserve in the year 2007.

Habitat:

It supports diverse habitat types, viz. Wet evergreen forests, semi-evergreen forests, moist deciduous, dry deciduous, dry thorn, and shola forest
Other unique habitats like montane grasslands, savannah and marshy grasslands are also present.

Flora:

Around 2500 species of angiosperms are found in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, with several species of Balsam, Crotalaria, Orchids, and Kurinchi.
The reserve is rich in wild relatives of cultivated species like mango, jackfruit, wild plantain, ginger (Zingiber officinale), turmeric, pepper (Piper longum), cardamom, etc.
Fauna: The important wild animals of the reserve include: Tiger, Asiatic elephant, Sambar, Spotted deer, Barking deer, Jackal, Leopard, Jungle cat, etc.

UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs

Recently, India has been chosen to Chair the 68th Session of the United Nation Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND).

About UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs:

It is the principal policy-making body of the United Nations on drug-related matters.
It is mandated to monitor global drug trends, support Member States in formulating balanced policies, and oversee the implementation of the major international drug conventions.
It is mandated to decide on the scope of control of substances under the three international drug control conventions (1961, 1971 and 1988 Conventions).
It was established by the resolution of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) IN 1946.
It is one of the functional commissions of the ECOSOC and a Governing Body of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The CND has 53 member states that are elected by ECOSOC. It is chaired by a Bureau including one member per Regional Group.
It has five subsidiary bodies: the Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific and Africa, and the Sub-commission in the Near and Middle East.
It meets annually and adopts a range of decisions and resolutions. Intersessional meetings are convened throughout the year.
Towards the end of each year, the Commission meets at a reconvened session to consider budgetary and administrative matters as the governing body of the United Nations drug programme.
Headquarter: It is headquartered in Vienna.

Significance to India:

This is the first time that India has been named to Chair this important UN body.
This reinforces India's growing leadership role on the global stage and its commitment to addressing international issues through established multilateral mechanisms

Indian Star Tortoise

Recently, researchers have identified two genetically distinct groups of the Indian star tortoise species namely northwestern and southern.

About Indian Star Tortoise:

Its name comes from the star-like patterns that feature on its high-domed shell.
It has very distinctive patterns and its highly rounded shell makes it popular in the world's trade in exotic pets.

Habitat:

They occupy a wide variety of habitats, including semi-arid lowland forests, thorn scrub forests, semi-desert and arid grasslands.
This species has a high tolerance for habitats that are seasonally wet or dry, with many populations inhabiting areas with a monsoon or rainy season followed by a long hot and dry period.
It is endemic to the subcontinent and resides in arid pockets of northwest India (bordering Pakistan), South India, and Sri Lanka. However, members of the species have also been found in people’s homes as far afield as Canada and the U.S.
It is generally crepuscular, which means they are active in the early morning and the late afternoon during dry, hot weather.
Indian star tortoises are mainly herbivores and mostly eat grasses, herbaceous leaves, flowers etc.

Conservation status:

IUCN: Vulnerable
CITES: Appendix I
Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972: Schedule I
Threats: The highly fragmented habitat of the species, is greatly influenced by an increased level of urbanisation and agricultural practices throughout its range.

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

The Odisha government is planning to secure a ₹734.86-crore external loan from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to implement Phase II of the Odisha Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) Empowerment and Livelihood Improvement Programme (OPELIP-II).

About International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD):

IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency.
It invests in rural people, empowering them to improve their food security, nutrition, and incomes through funding of grants and low-interest loans to several projects.
Founded in 1977, in response to a global food crisis, IFAD-supported projects have reached hundreds of millions of people around the world.
It works in areas where poverty and hunger are most prominent.
It is the only specialized global development organisation exclusively focused on and dedicated to transforming agriculture, rural economies, and food systems.
IFAD grants support research, innovation, institutional change, and pro-poor technologies.
IFAD extends two types of grants, depending on the nature of the innovation and the scope of intervention: global or regional grants and country-specific grants.
IFAD headquarters is located in Rome, Italy.
It is a member of the United Nations Development Group.

MuleHunter. AI

Recently, the Reserve Bank of India asked banks to collaborate with its initiative MuleHunter.AI to weed out mule accounts which are used to commit financial fraud.

About MuleHunter.AI:

It is the Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning-based model.
It has been developed by the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH), which is a subsidiary of Reserve Bank of India.
This model enables detection of mule bank accounts in an efficient manner. A pilot with two large public sector banks has yielded encouraging results.

Advantages

Identification of Mule Accounts: It focuses on identifying and tracking mule accounts, which are often used to facilitate fraudulent transactions. By analyzing transaction patterns, the system can flag suspicious accounts that are being used to transfer illegally obtained funds.
Real-time Monitoring: It enables real-time monitoring of transactions, allowing banks and financial institutions to detect and respond to suspicious activities promptly. This immediate action can prevent further fraudulent transactions.
Data Analytics: It employs advanced data analytics and machine learning algorithms to assess large volumes of transaction data. This helps in recognizing trends and patterns associated with fraudulent activities, making it easier to preemptively shut down potential scams.
Collaboration Among Institutions: The platform encourages collaboration among banks, payment service providers, and law enforcement agencies. Sharing information about identified mule accounts helps create a more comprehensive defense against digital fraud.
Regulatory Compliance: It aids financial institutions in complying with regulatory requirements related to anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT), thus enhancing the overall integrity of the financial system.

What is a mule bank account?

It is a bank account, used by criminals for illegal activities, including the laundering of illicit funds.
A mule account is typically bought over by the criminals from their original users, individuals who are often from lower income groups, or have low levels of technical literacy.
The related term “money mule” is used to describe the innocent victims who are used by the criminals to launder stolen or illegal money via their bank accounts.
When such incidents are reported, the money mule becomes the target of police investigations, because it is their accounts that are involved, while the actual criminals remain undetectable.

International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience

Recently, the International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience was launched to address the growing challenges and ensure the continued resilience of submarine critical infrastructure.

About International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience:

It was jointly launched by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC).
This initiative aims to strengthen the resilience of submarine cables, which are essential to the functioning of the global digital economy.
It comprises 40 members from around the world—including ministers, heads of regulatory authorities, and senior experts in telecommunications—the body reflects a diverse global perspective.
The Advisory Body will meet bi-annually to consult on international policies, infrastructure, and best practices for improving submarine cable resilience

Functions:

It will work towards promoting best practices across governments and industries to improve cable resilience, reduce risks of damage, and ensure the swift repair and deployment of these vital systems.
The collective experience of the body will help address the needs of those whose livelihoods depend on submarine cables, as well as those responsible for deploying, maintaining, and protecting this critical infrastructure.
The Advisory Body will also provide strategic guidance to address challenges related to increasing traffic, aging infrastructure, and growing environmental threats to submarine cables.

What is International Cable Protection Committee?

It was founded in 1958, is a global forum for governments and commercial entities involved in the submarine cable industry.
Its primary mission is to enhance the security of undersea cables by providing a platform for exchanging technical, legal, and environmental information.

Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE)

NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) has revealed the structures in a newly discovered X-ray binary system designated as Swift J1727.8-1613, or Swift J1727 in short.

About Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE):

It is a NASA Small Explorer Mission in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency (ASI).
IXPE was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on December 9, 2021.
IXPE is NASA’s first mission to study the polarization of X-rays from many different types of celestial objects.
Objects such as black holes can heat surrounding gases to more than a million degrees. The high-energy X-ray radiation from this gas can be polarized – vibrating in a particular direction.
The observatory features three identical telescopes, each consisting of a mirror module assembly with a polarization-sensitive imaging x-ray detector at the focus.
IXPE measurements will provide new dimensions for probing a wide range of cosmic X-ray sources - including active galactic nuclei (AGN) and microquasars, pulsars and pulsar wind nebulae, magnetars, accreting X-ray binaries, supernova remnants, and the Galactic center.

Subaru Telescope

The Subaru Telescope recently captured a pair of interacting galaxies designated as NGC 5257 and NGC 5258.

About Subaru Telescope:

It is a Japanese 8.2-metre optical-infrared telescope.
It is located on the dormant volcano Mauna Kea (4,163 metres) on the island of Hawaii.
The telescope is named for the Japanese name for the Pleiades (a star cluster in the Taurus constellation) and is operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.
Its powerful light-collecting capability can capture weak light from celestial objects.
To minimize air turbulence near the telescope, the dome that surrounds the telescope is cylindrical instead of a hemisphere, as is the case with most other observatories.
The Subaru Telescope has observed various celestial bodies, from nearby shooting stars to galaxies located 13.1 billion light years away.

Moths

Moths can hear sounds emitted by plants and rely on them to choose on which plant to lay their eggs, according to a new study.

About Moths:

Moths are insects that belong to the order Lepidoptera, which they share with butterflies.
There are around 160,000 known species of moths, far outnumbering butterfly species.
Highly adapted, they live in all but polar habitats.
Moths vary greatly in size, ranging in wingspan from about 4 mm (0.16 inch) to nearly 30 cm (about 1 foot).
They often have duller colors compared to butterflies, which helps with camouflage. Some, like the luna moth or atlas moth, are vividly colored.
Moth antennae are often feathery, unlike the thin and clubbed antennae of butterflies.
Most moths are active at night, but some are diurnal.
The larvae and adults of most moth species are plant eaters. Larvae in particular do considerable damage to ornamental trees and shrubs and to many other plants of economic importance.

Crohn’s Disease

In a recent study published, researchers assess the efficacy and safety of filgotinib, a Janus kinase (JAK) 1 preferential inhibitor, as induction and maintenance therapy in patients with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease.

About Crohn’s Disease:

It is a type ofinflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
It is a chronic, or long-term condition that causes inflammation in the digestive tract.
Causes: It is not clear what causes Crohn’s disease. Experts suggest that it may stem from an abnormal reaction of the immune system.
Although it typically starts in childhood or early adulthood, Crohn’s disease can develop at any age.
Inflammationcaused by Crohn's disease can involve different areas of the digestive tract in different people, most commonly the small intestine.
Symptoms: The most common symptoms of Crohn’s disease are diarrhoea, cramping and painin your abdomen, anaemia, altered appetite, and weight loss.
Treatment: There's no known cure for Crohn's disease, but therapies can greatly reduce its signs and symptoms.