Joe Biden Calls Grand Canyon One Of "Nine" Wonders Of The World

Grand Canyon

• Location: It is a massive geological formation located in the state of Arizona, USA.
• The canyon was carved by the Colorado River over millions of years and exposes a stunning cross-section of Earth''s geological history.
• It cuts across the Grand Canyon National Park.
• The 1.5-kilometer deep gorge ranges in width from 500 m to 30 km.
• Distinct Rock Layers:
  • The exposed rock layers in the Grand Canyon represent different periods of Earth''s geological history.
  • The rocks date back as far as 1.8 billion years, providing a unique record of the planet''s past.

Canyon

• A canyon is a deep, narrow valley with steep sides or cliffs, often carved by the erosional forces of a river or other natural processes over a long period of time.
• Canyons can vary in size from small, winding gorges to massive, awe-inspiring chasms like the Grand Canyon.
• Geological Layers: Canyons often expose layers of different rock types and geological formations, providing a glimpse into the Earth''s history.

Investors from Mauritius, Singapore, Cyprus under Taxman’s lens for CCD gains

Compulsorily Convertible Debentures

• It is a type of bond which must be converted into stock by a specified date.
• It is classified as a hybrid security, as it is neither purely a bond nor purely a stock.
• A debenture comes in two forms
  • Non-convertible debenture: It cannot be converted into equity shares of the issuing company. Instead, debenture holders receive periodic interest payments and get back their principal at the maturity date, just like most bondholders.
  • The interest rate attached to them is higher than for convertible debentures.
  • Convertible debentures: May be converted into the company’s equity after a set period of time. That convertibility is a perceived advantage, so investors are willing to accept a lower interest rate for purchasing convertible debentures.

Debenture

• A debenture is a medium- to long-term debt security issued by a company as a means of borrowing money at a fixed interest rate.
• Unlike most investment-grade corporate bonds, it is not secured by collateral.
• It is backed only by the full faith and credit of the issuing company.

Cott-Ally mobile app has been developed for farmers to increase awareness about MSP rates, nearest procurement centers, payment tracking, best farm practices etc.

Cott-Ally App

• The Cotton Corporation of India Limited I has developed a mobile app - “Cott-Ally” exclusively for the cotton farmers.
• Objective:
  • To maximise the use of the digital media among the farmers to increase the reach of all government schemes especially in the cotton farming sector.
  • To have direct interaction and outreach with the cotton farmers in their regional languages.
• The various features of “Cott-Ally” are as follows:
  • Easy to operate in regional languages.
  • MSP cotton rates state-wise, variety-wise and quality-wise can be seen.
  • Farmers can track real time payment status of their kapas sold to CCI under MSP.
  • Contact details of procurement centers opened by the CCI.
  • Direct interaction with CCI through Live chat to resolve doubts & grievances, if any.
  • General information on quality management of cotton crop and other related information.
  • Can be downloaded from google play store for android mobile/app store for Apple mobile.

Indian Navy to conduct bilateral exercise ‘Zayed Talwar’ with UAE

Exercise Zayed Talwar

• Two ships of the Indian Navy, INS Visakhapatnam, and INS Trikand are participating in the exercise.
• During the visit, the ships will undertake professional interactions with UAE Naval Force on multiple elements of maritime operations.
• They will further share best practices to enhance cooperation and strengthen ties between the two navies.
• This exercise will boost the maritime partnership between the two navies and foster a common understanding of the security challenges in the region.

INS Visakhapatnam

• It is the lead ship and the first of the Indian Navy''s Visakhapatnam-class stealth guided-missile destroyers.
• It was commissioned on November 21, 2021, is one of the largest destroyers in Indian Navy service.
• Features:
  • Displacement: 7,400 tonnes.
  • Propulsion: It is propelled by four powerful Gas Turbines, in a Combined Gas and Gas (COGAG) configuration.
  • Speed: It is capable of achieving speeds in excess of 30 knots.
  • The ship has enhanced stealth features resulting in a reduced Radar Cross Section (RCS) achieved through efficient shaping of hull, full beam superstructure design, plated masts and use of radar transparent materials on exposed decks.
  • The ship is equipped to fight under Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) warfare conditions.

CBI Academy joins Interpol Global Academy Network

Interpol Global Academy Network

• It was launched in 2019 with the aim of supporting Interpol in leading a global approach to Law Enforcement Training.
• It is a network of trusted law enforcement education institutions, both regional and national in scope.
• Members of the Global Academy support the creation and delivery of select digital and face-to-face training courses, covering INTERPOL’s tools and services, crime areas, and other law enforcement topics.
• They also help identify and coordinate responses to training needs and contribute to a knowledge exchange platform to advance law enforcement education through cutting-edge training tools and methodologies.
• The CBI Academy had become the 10th member of Interpol Global Academy Network.

Interpol

• Mandate: It is an international organization facilitating international police cooperation against cross-border terrorism, trafficking, and other crime.
• Governance: All decisions regarding the activities of INTERPOL are made by the General Assembly which is its supreme governing body which meets annually.
• Status: It is ‘NOT’ a unit or part of a united nation system. It is an independent international organization.
• In each country, **an INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB)**provides the central point of contact for the General Secretariat and other NCBs.
• Each NCB is run by police officials of that country and usually sits in the government ministry responsible for policing. (Union Home Ministry in India.)
• Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) represents Interpol in India as the country''s national central bureau.

Manipur: Apex body of Hmar tribes supports United Naga Council''s rally

Hmar community

• Hmar tribe, also called Mhar or Mar, are the dwellers of the North Eastern Part of India.
• They inhibit the northeastern states of Manipur, Assam, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Tripura.
• The Hmars belong to the Chin-Kuki-Mizo group of tribes and are recognised as Scheduled Tribe under the Constitution of India.
• Origin:
  • Hmar Tribes claim their origin from the Singlung, which is located in central or south-west China.
  • The ancestors of Hmar belong to the Chinese dynasty. They are found in the Rippaimukh area, Jiribam and Khuga areas and Churachandpur area of Manipur.
  • Hmar tribes mostly reside in the southern area of Manipur, especially in the districts of Churachandpur and its neighbouring regions.
• Clans:
  • The Hmar society is based on clan system.
  • Each clan had a dialect of its own, though nowadays a common dialect used by the Hmar People was developed by Christian missionaries.
  • The chief of the village council is called "Lal". Everybody follows his leadership and directive.
• Society:
  • The society is patrilineal and patriarchal in nature.
  • Father is the head of the family. Joint family is common among them.
  • The clan is not exogamous in Hmar society.
  • They practice both inter-clean and intra-clan marriage.
  • Hmars built their villages on hill -tops & houses are constructed on wooden planks.
• Economic Life:
  • The Hmar tribes depend on forest products.
  • Shifting cultivation is the main and traditional occupation and blacksmith, carpentry, poultry, basketry, priesthood, herbal medicine are subsidiary occupation.

Amazon nations seek common voice on climate change, urge developed world to help protect rainforest

Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization

• It is an intergovernmental organization formed by the eight Amazonian countries by signing the Amazon Cooperation Treaty (ACT).
• The Amazon Cooperation Treaty was drafted and signed on July 3, 1978.
• In 1995, the eight nations decided to create the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), to strengthen and implement the objectives of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty.
• Member countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
• It was founded to promote the preservation of the Amazon basin and regulate Amazonian development through international cooperation.
• It is the only socio-environmental block in Latin America.
• It works in different dimensions within the framework of the implementation of the ACT: political-diplomatic, strategic, and technical, building synergies among governments etc.
• It has four official languages: Dutch, English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
• The Directorate of the Permanent Secretariat and the coordination of the projects plan and execute their activities in close collaboration and through consultations with the Member Countries.

Amazon Rainforest

• It is large tropical rainforest occupying the drainage basin of the Amazon River and its tributaries in northern South America.
• It is bounded by the Guiana Highlands to the north, the Andes Mountains to the west, the Brazilian central plateau to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.

Over 37 lakh informal micro-enterprises have registered on the Udyam Assist Platform in seven months

Udyam Assist Platform

• The Government launched UAP under the MSME formalization project on 11.01.2023 to bring Informal Micro Enterprises (IMEs) under the formal ambit for availing benefits under Priority Sector Lending.
• The platform has been developed by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
• The Government of India has clarified that IMEs are those enterprises which are unable to get registered on the Udyam Registration Portal (URP) due to lack of mandatory required documents such as Permanent Account Number (PAN) or Goods and Services Tax Identification Number (GSTIN).
• Benefits:
  • A large number of IMEs aren’t registered under GST. To facilitate such IMEs to get a registration certificate through Assist mode of Designated Agencies (Das) such as banks/ NBFCs/MFIs, who have information about IMEs available with them.
  • The certificate issued on the Udyam Assist Platform (UAP) would be treated at par with Udyam Registration Certificate for IMEs for availing of the benefits of Priority Sector Lending (PSL).
• Implementation Process:
  • Registration of DAs, who are eligible regulated entities to assist IMEs for generation of Udyam Registration in the UAP.
  • Registration of IMEs by the DAs. IMEs are not required to share any documents for registration with DAs separately.
  • DAs have to share the required information as available with them of IMEs on UAP.
  • The registered IMEs can then download their certificate from UAP.
  • The Udyam Registration Number (URN) generated for enterprises via UAP is of an exclusive number series called the Udyam-I.

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)

• It was established under an Act of Parliament in 1990.
• SIDBI is the Principal Financial Institution engaged in the promotion, financing & development of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector and the coordination of the functions of the various institutions engaged in similar activities.
• The main objective of SIDBI is to offer loans (both direct and indirect) to MSMEs to help in addressing the development and financial gaps in the ecosystem of MSMEs.
• SIDBI helps MSMEs in acquiring the funds they require to grow, market, develop and commercialize their technologies and innovative products.
• It was made responsible for administering Small Industries Development Fund and National Equity Fund.

Complaint against Raghav Chadha now with RS Privileges Committee

Parliamentary privilege

• Parliamentary privilege refers to rights and immunities enjoyed by Parliament as an institution and MPs in their individual capacity, without which they cannot discharge their functions as entrusted upon them by the Constitution.
• Are these parliamentary privileges defined under law?
  • According to the Constitution, the powers, privileges and immunities of Parliament and MP''s are to be defined by Parliament.
  • No law has so far been enacted in this respect. In the absence of any such law, it continues to be governed by British Parliamentary conventions.
• What is breach of privilege?
  • A breach of privilege is a violation of any of the privileges of MPs/Parliament.
  • Among other things, any action ''casting reflections'' on MPs, parliament or its committees; could be considered breach of privilege.
  • This may include publishing of news items, editorials or statements made in newspaper/magazine/TV interviews or in public speeches.

Committee of Privileges

• This committee consists of 15 members in Lok Sabha (10 in case of Rajya Sabha) nominated by the Speaker(Chairman in case of Rajya Sabha).
• In the Rajya Sabha, the deputy chairperson heads the committee of privileges.
• Powers and Functions:
  • The committee examines every question involving a breach of privilege of the House or of the members or of any Committee thereof referred to it by the House or by the Speaker/Chairman.
  • It also determines with reference to the facts of each case whether a breach of privilege is involved and makes suitable recommendations in its report.
  • It also states the procedure to be followed by the House in giving effect to its recommendations.
  • When a question of privilege is referred to the Committee by the House, the report of the Committee is presented to the House by the Chairman or, in his absence, by any member of the Committee.
  • Where a question of privilege is referred to the Committee by the Speaker, the report of the Committee is presented to the Speaker who may pass final orders thereon or direct that it be laid on the Table of the House.
  • The Speaker/Chairman may refer to the Committee any petition regarding the disqualification of a member on the ground of defection for making a preliminary inquiry and submitting a report to him.
  • The procedure to be followed by the Committee in these cases is so far as may be the same as in applicable to questions of breach of privilege.

21 poachers nabbed, 165 guns seized in Similipal after two forest guards killed

Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR)

• Location: STR is located within the Mayurbhanj District, in the Northernmost part of Odisha.
• It is surrounded by high plateaus and hills, the highest peak being the twin peaks of Khairiburu and Meghashini(1515m above mean sea level).
• It was declared a ''Tiger Reserve'' in the year 1956 and included under the national conservation programme ''Project Tiger'' in 1973.
• The STR, along with a ''transitional area'' of 2250 sq. km, was included as a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves by UNESCO in the year 2009.
• Terrain: The terrain is mostly undulating and hilly, interspersed with open grasslands and wooded areas.
• Vegetation: It is a mix of different forest types and habitats, with Northern tropical moist deciduous dominating some semi-evergreen patches.
• It is the only landscape in the world that is home to melanistic tigers.
• The region around STR is home to a variety of tribes, including Kolha, Santhala, Bhumija, Bhatudi, Gondas, Khadia, Mankadia and Sahara.
• Flora:
  • An astounding 1078 species of plants, including 94 species of orchids, are found here.
  • Sal is the dominant tree species here.
• Fauna: Leopard, Gaur, Elephant, Langur, Barking and Spotted Deer, Sloth Bear Mongoose, Flying Squirrel, Porcupine, Turtle, Monitor Lizard, Python, Sambar, Pangolin etc.