Polar bears in key Canada region dying: Causes, effects

• Polar bears in Canada’s Western Hudson Bay, an inland sea connected to the Arctic Ocean, are dying at a fast rate, according to a new government survey, the Associated Press reported recently. It also revealed that females and younger polar bears are the worst affected.
• At the time of the survey, conducted by air in 2021, researchers calculated that there were 618 bears left in Western Hudson Bay — the region includes Churchill, the town that is known as ‘the Polar Bear Capital of the World’.
• When the last survey took place in 2016, there were 842 bears in the area.
• According to the researchers, Western Hudson Bay has witnessed a drop of around 50% in the population of polar bears since the 1980s.

Importance of polar bears:

• Polar bears are one of the most significant predators in the Arctic region and they keep biological populations in balance.
• The big kills made by them serve as a food resource for scavengers like Arctic foxes and Arctic birds.
• If polar bears aren’t able to hunt animals like seals, it can severely impact the food chain and health of the ecosystem.
• Researchers have also found that once polar bears can’t find seals to eat, they would quickly move to kill and survive on other creatures in the Arctic region.
• This would threaten the existence of species like the Arctic fox or the walrus.
• Moreover, it might also cause the overpopulation of seals, which could endanger the existence of crustaceans and fish that are an important food source for local human populations as well as other Arctic wildlife.
• The polar bear is classified as “vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List.

Union government urged to include Srimukhalingam temple in UNESCO list

• Some architectural masterpieces were created by the rulers of the Eastern Ganga dynasty in the then-capital of the Kalinga kingdom.
• Srimukhalingam temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, known as Sri Mukha Lingeswara Swamy, housing 3 Ancient Temples at one Location.
• The Trinity of Madhukeswara, Someswara and Bheemeswara Temples are a testimony to the magnificent architectural skills of Kalinga Kings.
• This temple is built in Kalinga architectural style on the banks of the Vamsadhara river.

What are ‘dark patterns’ in the Internet

• What it is? It is a user interface that has been crafted to trick or manipulate users into making choices that are detrimental to their interests.
• The term ''Dark Patterns'' was coined by user experience designer Harry Brignull in 2010.
• Dark patterns endanger the experience of internet users and make them more vulnerable to financial and data exploitation by BigTech firms.
• Dark patterns confuse users, introduce online obstacles, make simple tasks time-consuming, have users sign up for unwanted services or products and force them to pay more money or share more personal information than they intended.
• In the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken note of dark patterns and the risks they pose. In a report released in September, 2022, the regulatory body listed over 30 dark patterns.
• The FTC report outlined its legal action against Amazon in 2014, for a supposedly free children’s app that fooled its young users into making in-app purchases that their parents had to pay later for.

Types of dark patterns

In India, The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has recognised four dark patterns and these are the proposed areas of extension to the ASCI code on misleading ads.

• Drip pricing: It is a pattern when the total price is only revealed at the very end of the buying process.
• Bait and switch: It is a pattern that occurs when a user takes an action expecting one outcome, but instead is served an outcome they didn''t want.
• False urgency: It is a dark pattern that refers to misleading information on quantities of a particular product.
• Disguised advertising: It is a pattern when an advertisement mimics editorial content.

PM Modi takes part in program marking ''Veer Bal Diwas''

• On December 26, 1707, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh attained martyrdom when they were executed on the orders of Aurangzeb.

Guru Gobind Singh

• He was the 10th Sikh guru.
• He became the Sikh guru at the age of nine, following the demise of his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru.
• Also known for his significant contributions to the Sikh religion, including the introduction of the turban to cover hair.
• He is renowned for founding the principles of Khalsa or the Five ‘K’s i.e kesh (uncut hair), kanga (wooden comb), kara (iron or steel bracelet), kirpan (dagger) and kachera (short breeches).
• He fought against the Mughals later in the battle of Muktsar in 1705.
• Guru Gobind Singh was killed by a Mughal assassin in 1708, a year after the death of Aurangzeb.

Fewer polluted river stretches but worst stretches unchanged

• The CPCB network monitors water quality at 4,484 locations in 28 States and seven Union Territories including rivers, lakes, creeks, drains and canals.
• The number of polluted river stretches categorised in ‘Priority 1 to 5.
  • **Priority 1:**River stretches with a BOD exceeding 30 mg/L are considered the most polluted and thus need the most urgent remediation.
  • Priority 2: Indicating a BOD of 20-30 mg/L.
  • Priority 3: BOD between 10-20 mg/l
  • Priority 4: BOD between 6-10 mg/l.
  • Priority 5: Indicating 3-6 mg/L.
• While Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh had the maximum number of ‘Priority 1’ river stretches (6), Maharashtra had the maximum number of polluted river stretches i.e. 55, followed by Madhya Pradesh (19), Bihar (18), Kerala (18), Karnataka (17) and Uttar Pradesh (17).

What is Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)

• BOD is defined as the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by bacteria in decomposing the organic wastes present in water. The higher value of BOD indicates low dissolved oxygen content of water.

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)

• The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India is a statutory organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• It was established in 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
• CPCB was entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

States’ apathy has made gram nyayalayas ‘almost defunct’, says Parliamentary panel

• The panel said even after more than 12 years of coming into force the Gram Nyayalayas are yet to take off in the country. Only 15 states have notified them and about half of those are yet to be operationalized.

Gram Nyayalayas

• The Law Commission of India, in its 114 Report, had suggested the establishment of Gram Nyayalayas for providing affordable and quick access to justice to the citizens at their doorsteps.
• Gram Nyayalayas or village courts are established under the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 for speedy and easy access to the justice system in the rural areas of India.

Composition:

• The Gram Nyayalayas are presided over by a Nyayadhikari, who will have the same power, enjoy the same salary and benefits as a Judicial Magistrate of First Class.
• Appointment: By the State Government in consultation with the respective High Court.
• Jurisdiction: Over an area specified by a notification by the State Government in consultation with the respective High Court.
• The Court can function as a mobile court at any place within the jurisdiction of such Gram Nyayalaya, after giving wide publicity in that regard.
• They have both civil and criminal jurisdiction over the offences.
• The pecuniary jurisdiction of the Nyayalayas is fixed by the respective High Courts.
• Gram Nyayalayas has been given the power to accept certain evidence which would otherwise not be acceptable under the Indian Evidence Act.

Procedure

• Gram Nyayalayas can follow special procedures in civil matters, in a manner it deems just and reasonable in the interest of justice.
• Gram Nyayalayas allow for conciliation of the dispute and settlement of the same in the first instance.

Appeals:

• An appeal in criminal cases shall lie to the Court of Session, which shall be heard and disposed of within a period of six months from the date of filing of such appeal.
• An appeal in civil casesshall lie to the District Court, which shall be heard and disposed of within a period of six months from the date of filing of the appeal.

‘Many ministries not sharing records’: National Archives head says no documents on 1962, 1965, 1971 wars

• The National Archives of India is the custodian of the records of enduring value of the Government of India.
• Established on 11 March, 1891 at Calcutta (Kolkata) as the Imperial Record Department, it is the biggest archival repository in South Asia.
• It has a vast corpus of records viz., public records, private papers, oriental records, cartographic records and microfilms, which constitute an invaluable source of information for scholars-administrators and users of archives.
• The Director General of Archives, heading the Department has been given the mandate for the implementation of the Public Records Act, 1993 and the rules made there under, the Public Records Rules, 1997 for the management, administration and preservation of public records in the Ministries, Departments, Public Sector undertakings etc. of the Central Government.
• Located at the heart of New Delhi, the Department functions as an Attached Office of the Ministry of Culture.
• The NAI keeps and conserves records of the government of India and its organisations. It does not receive classified documents.

PM says, soon India will completely eradicate Kala Azar disease

• Kala Azar or black fever is a disease caused by infection with Leishmania parasites. It is transmitted by . It is also known as visceral leishmaniasis or black fever or Dum-Dum fever.

  female sandfly - Phlebotomus argentipes

• Types:

  • Cutaneous leishmaniasis: This is another form of Kala-azar which results in skin lesions – mainly ulcers on the exposed parts of the body, which creates scars and serious disability. The lesions usually are painless but can be painful, particularly if open sores become infected with bacteria. Types of Cutaneous leishmaniasis:
  • Mucosal Leishmaniasis: In this type of Cutaneous leishmaniasis, the infection results from the dissemination of parasites from the skin to the naso-oropharyngeal mucosa.

• Symptoms

• Initially, leishmania parasites cause skin sores or ulcers at the site of the bite. If the disease progresses, it attacks the immune system.

• Kala azar presents after two to eight months with more generalized symptoms including prolonged fever and weakness.

• Treatment: Treatment of Kala Azar is done through liposomal AmB – this is the drug of choice for immunocompetent patients. There are other treatment options available such as paromomycin, miltefosin and multidrug therapy treatment.

Bomb cyclone continues to batter US as death toll mounts to 34, millions still without power

• A bomb cyclone is a mid-latitude storm in which the central pressure drops fast at one millibar per hour for at least 24 hours. However, the millibar readings can change based on where the storm is forming.
• This quickly increases the pressure difference, or gradient, between the two air masses, making the winds stronger. This process of rapid intensification has a name: bombogenesis.
• As the winds blow, the rotation of the Earth creates a cyclonic effect. The direction is counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere (when viewed from above).
• Formation:
  • A bomb cyclone is formed when the air of different air masses (cold, dry) comes together.
  • As the warm air rises, it creates a cloud system lowering air pressure and forming into a storm circulating counterclockwise around the low-pressure area.
• Characteristics:
  • The bomb cyclone will be characterised by cold winds, which are also expected to pick up, and wind chill temperatures could drop to dangerous lows far below zero — enough to cause frostbite within minutes.
  • The dangerous storm is expected to hit everyone east of the Rockies — around two-thirds of the country.

PM pays tribute to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya at Parliament

• Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya was born on December 25, 1861, in Allahabad**, Uttar Pradesh.** He is known for his contribution to India''s education system and his role in the Indian Independence movement.
• Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya was given the title of ''Mahamana'' or great soul by Mahatma Gandhi, who considered him as an elder brother.
• In 2014, Pandit Malviya was posthumously conferred with Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award.
• In 2016, the Indian Railways started the Varanasi-New Delhi Mahamana Express in the leader’s honour.

Major contributions:

• Banaras Hindu University: He played a key role in the Indian independence struggle against British rule and founded the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1916. At the BHU, he served as Vice-Chancellor from 1919 to 1938.
• Hindu Mahasabha: Malaviya was one of the early leaders of the Hindu Mahasabha, and helped found it in 1906. He was a social reformer and a successful legislator, serving as a member of the Imperial Legislative Council for 11 years (1909–20).
• Scout and Guide: He was also one of the founders of Scout and Guide in India.
• ''Satyamev Jayate'': One of the most famous slogans, ''Satyamev Jayate'' was said by Pandit Malviya in the session of 1918 when he was the President of the Indian National Congress.
• President of INC: Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya was the President of Indian National Congress for four sessions (1909, 1913, 1919 and 1932). Pandit Malviya played a big role in the Civil Disobedience and Non-cooperation movement which were led by Mahatma Gandhi.
• Role in media: He was the chairman of Hindustan Times from 1924 to 1946 and he also founded many Hindi and English newspapers, namely: The Leader, Hindustan Dainik, Maryada etc.
• Malaviya espoused free and compulsory primary education, opposed the system of indentured labour in the British Empire, and supported the nationalisation of railways.