Polity

Topic: Money laundering

Topic: Africa

2. Botswana

Why in the news?

• Botswana’s president concedes defeat in the election, ending the ruling party’s 58 years in power. The ruling BDP party lost the majority in the election, the opposition coalition UDC won 23 seats.

About Botswana:

• It is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. 
• Its capital is Gaborone.
• It is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory part of the Kalahari Desert. 
• It is bordered by:
  • South Africa to the south and southeast
  • Namibia to the west and north
  • Zambia to the north
  • Zimbabwe to the northeast
• With a population of slightly over 2.4 million people and a comparable land area to France, Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. 
• It is essentially the nation-state of the Tswana people, who constitute nearly 80 percent of the population.
• The Limpopo River Basin lies partly in Botswana, along with the basins of its tributaries, Notwane, Bonwapitse, Mahalapye, Lotsane, Motloutse and Shashe.
  • The Notwane provides water to the capital through the Gaborone Dam.
  • The Chobe River meets with the Zambezi River at a place called Kazungula.

Topic: Ports and Harbors

3. Kandla Port 

Why in the news?

• Kandla Port plans a new container terminal and multipurpose berth with ₹27,000 crore investment. Positioned strategically between Tuna Tekra and the entry point of Kandla, the proposed site could help vessels avoid an 11-kilometer trek through the creek, providing cost advantages.

About Kandla Port:

• It is presently known as Deendayal Port.
• It is situated in the Kandla Creek and is 90 kms from the mouth of the Gulf Of Kachchh in Gujarat.
• It is a protected natural harbor.
• It is recognized as one of major ports in India.
• It was constructed in the 1950s as the chief seaport serving western India, after the partition of India from Pakistan left the port of Karachi in Pakistan. 
• It is a hub for major imports like petroleum, chemicals and iron and also export grains, salt and textiles.
• It remains India’s biggest state-owned cargo handler by volume, but it has steadily lost market share to privately owned Mundra Port (India’s largest private port) 60km to the southwest.

4. Greater One-horned Rhinoceros

Why in the news?

• In a joint operation, Assam Police and the state forest department successfully prevented a poaching incident by arresting two suspects linked to greater one-horned rhino poaching networks in Kaziranga National Park, which holds the distinction of being one of Assam’s two UNESCO natural heritage locations.

About Greater One-horned Rhinoceros:

• It is commonly known as the Indian rhino.
• It is the largest of the rhino species.
• It is identified by a single black horn and a grey-brown hide with skin folds.
• It is one of the five species of Rhinos. The other four species are:
  • White rhino: It is native to northern and southern Africa
  • Black rhino: It is native to eastern and southern Africa
  • Javan rhino: It is also known as Sunda rhino or lesser one-horned rhino
  • Sumatran rhino: Critically Endangered species of rhino
• It is a grazer. When not grazing on land, it likes to immerse itself in water, where it also grazes on aquatic plants.
• This species of rhino is commonly found in Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and in Assam, India.
• It is threatened by habitat loss and hunting.
• Protection Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

Topic: Protected Areas

5. Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary

Why in the news?

• An adult tigress and three cubs have been spotted in the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary in Goa marking the first time evidence of the species has been recorded in the forests bordering the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka since 2020.

About Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is located in the Northern Part of Goa, near the Chorla Ghat, situated between North Goa and Belgavi. 
• It borders both Maharashtra and Karnataka. 
• The Mhadei River flows through this sanctuary. 
• Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, along with Mollem National Park, forms part of the Western Ghats. This region is globally renowned for hosting the world's largest tiger population. 
  • It plays a vital role in a network of wildlife corridors that connect tiger populations across the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra) and the  Kali Tiger Reserve (Karnataka). 
• There are several waterfalls within the sanctuary including Vazra Sakla Falls and Virdi Falls.
  • Vazra falls is famous for being the nesting grounds of the critically endangered Long-billed vultures.
• Flora:
  • The sanctuary is thickly forested with moist deciduous vegetation and some evergreen species too. It is particularly well-known for its sacred groves that protect rare and indigenous trees. 
• Fauna: 
  • Indian gaur, Barking deer, Sambar deer, Asian palm civet, small Indian civet, Wild boar, Indian hare etc. are commonly found here.
  • A large variety of snakes including all of the ‘big four’ of Indian venomous snakes 

(Indian krait, Russell’s viper, Saw-scaled viper and Spectacled cobra) are found here.

Topic: Biodiversity

6. Avian Botulism

Why in the news?

• Contagious Bird Disease, avian botulism strikes at Sambhar salt lake of Rajasthan

About Avian Botulism:

• It is a neuro-muscular illness caused by Botulinum (natural toxin) that is produced by a bacteria called Clostridium botulinum.
  • The bacteria is commonly found in the soil, rivers, and seawater. 
  • It affects both humans and animals.
  • It needs anaerobic (absence of oxygen) conditions and does not grow in acidic conditions.
• This disease affects the nervous system of birds, leading to paralysis in their legs and wings.
• The outbreaks of avian botulism tend to occur when average temperatures are above 21 degrees celsius, and during droughts.
• The possible causes for avian botulism at Sambhar lake are:
  • Reduced water levels: This might have increased salinity levels leading to the death of living organisms.
  • A bird-to-bird cycle: Since only insectivorous and omnivorous birds were affected and not herbivores, the birds feeding on dead birds could have been a possible cause of such mortality.
  • The possibility of external factors like water pollution and eutrophication are ruled out as no farming is being carried out in the vicinity of sambhar lake.

Sambhar Salt Lake:

• It is India's largest inland saltwater body located near Jaipur in Rajasthan.
• It is surrounded on all sides by the Aravali hills. 
• It is the source of most of Rajasthan's salt production.
• It has been designated as a Ramsar site as it is a key wintering area for tens of thousands of flamingos and other birds that migrate from northern Asia.

Topic: Biodiversity

7. Spotted Locust

Why in the news?

• The changing climate pattern in the hill district poses a threat to its farming sector. Amid the crop loss suffered from incursions by wild animals and miscellaneous creatures like Malabar parakeets and snails, farmers in Idukki are now reeling under the menace of spotted locust infestation. At Konnathady and Vathikudy grama panchayats in Idukki, farmers have reported that grasshoppers in large numbers are engulfing their farms, leading to significant crop loss.

About Spotted Locust:

• It is a colorful grasshopper belonging to the family Pyrgomorphidae found in South and Southeast Asia.
• It is commonly found in bushes or grasses in the agricultural area or forest.
• The head and thorax are dark blue with yellow bands under the eyes to the mouth; the abdomen is red with black bands. 
• The legs are dark blue, and the femur has a yellow serrated pattern. The wings are green-brown with many yellow spots.
• The bright warning colours keep away predators, and their defence when disturbed includes the ejection of a toxic foam.
• This species can also make a sharp rasping voice.
• The movement of this species is slow, which makes them easily caught.
• It jumps in low and doesn’t fly.
• It is an herbivore (folivore) insect that eats leaves of the host tree.

Topic: Space

8. Analog Space Mission

Why in the news?

• ISRO's analogue space mission kicks off at Ladakh's Leh.
• The mission will simulate life in an interplanetary habitat to tackle the challenges of a base station beyond the earth

About Analog Space Mission:

• It is a mission of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
  • It is a collaborative effort led by ISRO’s Human Spaceflight Center with partners including AAKA Space Studio, the University of Ladakh, and IIT Bombay.
• Its objective is to simulate interplanetary habitat conditions to assess the feasibility of a sustainable extraterrestrial base.
• Its key benefits include that it supports Gaganyaan and other future space missions by testing life-support technologies, habitat feasibility, communication systems, and behavior in isolated conditions.
• It will simulate space conditions on Earth to evaluate human and robotic responses, technology, and operational dynamics essential for deep-space missions.
• Significance of location of Ladakh's Leh: 
  • Ladakh’s isolation, dry climate, and high-altitude, barren terrain provide Mars- and Moon-like conditions, making it ideal for analog simulations.