Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary to offer ‘canopy walk’ facility by mid-Feb

• The canopy walk facility at a height of 25 feet at the Dalma Sanctuary will be set up soon.

Location:

• It is located 10 kilometres from the city of Jamshedpur in the state of Jharkhand.
• It is situated around the Dalma Hills on the Chota Nagpur Plateau.
• The Sanctuary gets its name from the "Dalma mai" a local goddess who is revered and worshipped by the local people and the people of adjoining villages of Dalma.
• Inaugurated in 1975, it contains a significant population of Indian Elephants.
• The sanctuary covers almost 193 sq. km. of forest area.
• The entire forest of Dalma Sanctuary falls in the catchment of the Subarnarekha River and Dimna Lake of Jamshedpur.
• Vegetation: The forests of Dalma come under the category "Dry peninsular Sal" and "Northern dry mixed deciduous Forest".
• Flora: Medicinal plants like Ananatmula, Satawari, Sarpagandha, etc. are abundant in the sanctuary. Various types of trees, climbers, herbs, shrubs, and orchids are found here.

Fauna:

• Besides elephants, the sanctuary has a considerable population of other wildlife like barking deer, wild boar, giant squirrel, porcupine, pangolin, sloth bear, etc.
• Commonly seen birds in the sanctuary are falcons, golden orioles, Indian tree pie, paradise fly catchers, grey hornbills, Indian peafowl, etc.

DRI seizes alloy containing 16.67 kg gold and 39.73 kg silver worth over Rs. 10 crore, at FPO Delhi in Operation Black Gold

• The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers developed an intelligence and intercepted seven consignments which had arrived from Hong Kong at the Foreign Post Office in New Delhi.
• Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) is the premier intelligence and enforcement agency of the Government of India on anti-smuggling matters.
• It works under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
• It came into existence on December 4, 1957.

Functions:

• Collection of intelligence about smuggling of contraband goods, narcotics, under-invoicing, etc. through sources in India and abroad, including secret sources.
• Analysis and dissemination of such intelligence to the field formations for action and working on such intelligence, where necessary.
• Keeping watch over important seizures and investigation cases. Associating with or taking over the investigations which warrant specialised handling by the Directorate.
• Guiding important investigation/prosecution cases. Keeping liaison with foreign countries, Indian Missions, and Enforcement agencies abroad on anti-smuggling matters.
• To keep in liaison with C.B.I. and through them with the To refer cases registered under the Customs Act to the Income Tax Department for action under the Income Tax Act.
• To keep statistics of seizures, and prices/rates etc. for watching trends of smuggling and supply required material to the Ministry of Finance and other Ministries.
• To study and suggest remedies for loopholes in law and procedures to combat smuggling.
• The DRI, with its Headquarters in New Delhi, has 12 zonal units, 35 regional units, and 15 sub-regional units.

Dr Nitya Anand, man who discovered India''s first oral contraceptive pill ''Saheli'', dies at 99

• Saheli is the world’s first and only oral non-steroidal contraceptive pill.
• ‘Saheli’, aka Centchroman (ormeloxifene 30mg), is the only non–steroidal pill with zero side effects available in the world.
• The pill, launched by HLL in 1991, is free from side effects like weight gain, nausea, vomiting and headaches as it contains the molecule Centchroman (ormeloxifene) as the active ingredient.
• All common brands of oral contraceptive pills contain hormones like oestrogen or progesterone, or a combination of both; only Saheli is free of these steroids and hence has no side effects.
• This drug was included in the National Family Welfare Programme in 1995.

Oestrogen and Progesterone:

• Oestrogen (also called ''estrogen'') and progesterone are hormones that are important for sexual and reproductive development in women.

Production:

• The ovaries are a pair of ova-producing organs (that is, they produce egg cells) that maintain the health of the female reproductive system.
• In addition to their role in producing ova, the ovaries also have the distinction of being an endocrine gland because they secrete hormones—primarily estrogen and progesterone.
• They are both important for the menstrual cycle and maintenance of pregnancy in females and are combinedly prescribed in birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy for menopause.
• While they are often thought of as ‘female hormones’, oestrogen and progesterone are also found in men.

PM inaugurates Diamond Jubilee celebration of Supreme Court

• The Prime Minister inaugurated the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the Supreme Court.

History:

• The Supreme Court of India is the apex judicial body under the Constitution of India.
• Article 124 of the Constitution states that “There shall be a Supreme Court of India.”
• The Supreme Court came into existence on January 26, 1950, with the coming into force of the Constitution.
• On January, 28, 1950, two days after India became a Sovereign Democratic Republic, the Supreme Court was inaugurated.
• The Supreme Court initially functioned from the old Parliament House till it moved to the present building located on Tilak Marg, New Delhi, in 1958.
• The first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, inaugurated the present building of the Supreme Court of India on August 4, 1958.

Number of Judges:

• The original Constitution of 1950 envisaged a Supreme Court with a Chief Justice and 7 puisne Judges, leaving it to Parliament to increase this number.
• Considering the increase in workload, Parliament increased the number of Judges from 8 in 1950 to 11 in 1956, 14 in 1960, 18 in 1978, 26 in 1986, 31 in 2009, and 34 in 2019 (current strength).
• Today, the judges sit in benches of two and three and come together in larger benches of 5 and more (Constitution Bench) to decide any conflicting decisions between benches of the Supreme Court or any substantial questions concerning the interpretation of the Constitution.
• The proceedings of the Supreme Court are conducted in English.

Powers and Functions:

• The Supreme Court has original, appellate, and advisory jurisdiction.
• It serves both as the final court of appeals and the final interpreter of the Constitution.
• Its exclusive original jurisdiction extends to any dispute between the Government of India and one or more States or between the Government of India and any State or States on one side and one or more States on the other, or between two or more States, if and insofar as the dispute involves any question (whether of law or fact) on which the existence or extent of a legal right depends.
• In addition, Article 32 of the Constitution gives extensive original jurisdiction to the Supreme Court for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights.
• It is empowered to issue directions, orders, or writs, including writs in the nature of habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto, and certiorari, to enforce them.
• The Supreme Court has been conferred with the power to direct the transfer of any civil or criminal case from one High Court to another High Court or from a Court subordinate to another High Court.
• Under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, International Commercial Arbitration can also be initiated in the Supreme Court.
• The appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court can be invoked by a certificate granted by the High Court concerned under Article 132(1), 133(1) or 134 of the Constitution in respect of any judgement, decree, or final order of a High Court in both civil and criminal cases, involving substantial question of law as to the interpretation of the Constitution.
• Appeals also lie to the Supreme Court in civil matters if the High Court concerned certifies:
• that the case involves a substantial question of law of general importance, and
• that, in the opinion of the High Court, the said question needs to be decided by the Supreme Court.
• In criminal cases, an appeal lies to the Supreme Court if the High Court
• has on appeal reversed an order of acquittal of an accused person and sentenced him to death or to imprisonment for life or for a period of not less than 10 years, or
• has withdrawn for trial before itself any case from any Court subordinate to its authority and has in such trial convicted the accused and sentenced him to death or to imprisonment for life or for a period of not less than 10 years, or
• certified that the case is a fit one for appeal to the Supreme Court.
• Parliament is authorised to confer on the Supreme Court any further powers to entertain and hear appeals from any judgement, final order or sentence in a criminal proceeding of a High Court.
• The Supreme Court also has a very wide appellate jurisdiction over all Courts and Tribunals in India in as much as it may, in its discretion, grant special leave to appeal under Article 136 of the Constitution from any judgement, decree, determination, sentence or order in any cause or matter passed or made by any Court or Tribunal in the territory of India.
• The Supreme Court has special advisory jurisdiction in matters which may specifically be referred to it by the President of India under Article 143 of the Constitution.
• Election Petitions under Part III of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952, are also filed directly in the Supreme Court.
• Under Articles 129 and 142 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court has been vested with power to punish for contempt of Court, including the power to punish for contempt of itself.
• The Supreme Court can reconsider its final judgement or order by way of a curative petition on limited grounds after the dismissal of the review petition.
• As the highest court in India, the Supreme Court’s judgments are binding on all other courts in the country.

MAGICAL: Astronaut Captures Stunning Alpenglow Phenomenon near Hindu Kush from ISS

• Alpenglow is a natural phenomenon when mountain slopes are illuminated by the sun as it rises or sets.
• The slopes turn a rosy, reddish, or orange hue depending on the angle of the sun and atmospheric conditions.
• It occurs during the twilight hours before or after sunset. It can also occur in the first minutes after the sun rises or sets.
• Alpenglow typically occurs in the range of colours between red, pink, and orange. This is because these are the longest warm rays of electromagnetic waves (light) — they reach various surfaces, while cold rays are shorter and disappear faster in the atmosphere.
• Its vibrancy and colour depend on the location of the sun, the angle of the light, and other atmospheric conditions like clouds, humidity, and particulates.
• It can change quickly depending on how fast the sun sets on any given day.

Alabama''s new execution method: What is nitrogen hypoxia?

• Alabama successfully executed a man who spent decades on death row using a new method called nitrogen hypoxia.
• Hypoxia is a medical term for a state of insufficient oxygen in the body.
• Nitrogen hypoxia is a process where pure nitrogen gas, or nitrogen gas at concentrations high enough to be lethal, is inhaled to the point of causing asphyxiation.
• It is a relatively new alternative to more common forms of capital punishment, like lethal injection and electrocution.
• In this method of execution, a respirator mask is placed over the inmate''s face, and pure nitrogen is pumped into the person''s lungs instead of oxygen.
• It leads to unconsciousness and then death from lack of oxygen.

Key facts about Nitrogen

• It appears as a colourless odourless gas.
• It makes up the major portion of the atmosphere.
• It is important for plant growth and can be ‘fixed’ by lightning or added to soils in fertilisers.
• It is important to the chemical industry. It is used to make fertilisers, nitric acid, nylon, dyes and explosives.
• Nitrogen gas is also used to provide an unreactive atmosphere. It is used in this way to preserve foods and in the electronics industry during the production of transistors and diodes.
• Large quantities of nitrogen are used in annealing stainless steel and other steel mill products. Annealing is a heat treatment that makes steel easier to work.
• Liquid nitrogen is often used as a refrigerant. It is also used to rapidly freeze foods, helping them to maintain moisture, colour, flavour and texture.

Outbreak of Western Equine Encephalitis Virus in Argentina

• The International Health Regulations National Focal Point (IHR NFP) in Argentina alerted the World Health Organization of a human case of Western Equine Encephalitis Virus (WEEV) infection.
• Western Equine Encephalitis Virus is a mosquito-borne infection caused by the Western Equine Encephalitis Virus (WEEV), which belongs to the Togaviridae family of viruses.
• The virus has an approximately 11.5 kilobases long single-stranded RNA genome.
• It is a recombinant of the eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) and a Sindbis-like virus.
• Passerine birds are thought to be the reservoir and equine species as intermediate hosts.
• The primary mode of transmission of the infection to humans is through mosquitoes which act as vectors for the virus.
• Symptoms:
• While most of the infections are asymptomatic, the infection may lead to severe consequences in rare cases.
• An estimated 4-5% of cases may manifest as infection/inflammation of the brain, resulting in neurological symptoms and sequelae of disease.
• Treatment: With no specific antiviral treatment, symptomatic care is crucial, especially for neurologic symptoms.

Padma honour for Jammu Dogri dancer, Kashmir woodcarver & Shimla vocalist.

• The Union Government of India conferred Padma Shri award to Jammu’s Dogri folk dancer Romalo Ram.
• Dogri folk dance is a dance performed in Duggar region of Jammu.
• It is generally performed by a group of artists whose main leader sings the song as well as dances while others are in the sitting position providing beats of Drums and Chimta.
• It is performed in functions and social gatherings.
• There are other varieties of this dance with the men and women or only women performing dance in groups to the music of some famous folk song in colourful traditional dresses.
• Dogra folk-dances have an important role as a part of worship, ceremonies and a pastime but the main force behind the folk-dances is the celebratory mood.
• Other dance forms of Jammu region: Dheku, Phummani, jagran, Ckauki, Chhajja, Kuddha, Hirana etc. are the main dances. Bhagtan, Raas , Chandrauli etc. are main folk-drama styles.

Unlocking the science of E Ink displays: Why we believe they must catch on.

• With their crisp, paper-like screens, E-Ink displays like the Kindle are a pleasure to read on.
• E-Ink displays are a special type of screen technology often used in e-readers like the Amazon Kindle.
• The technology was originally developed in the 1990s at MIT and is now owned by E Ink Corporation.

Working:

• The screens work using tiny microcapsules filled with positively charged white particles and negatively charged black ones suspended in fluid inside the display.
• By applying positive or negative electrical charges to different areas of the screen, the white or black particles can be made to rise to the surface, creating the text and images on the display.
• Unlike LCD and LED displays that use a backlight, E Ink displays reflect light – just like paper. This makes them easier on the eyes for long reading sessions.
• They also require very little power since they don’t need a backlight and only use energy when the image changes.
• The lack of backlighting also means that they are easier to read under brighter lighting conditions, which isn’t the case with LCD/LED displays at all – legibility actually takes a hit under bright sunlight.

Advantages:

• They consume very little power compared to LCD and OLED displays. An E Ink display only draws power when the image is changed, meaning it can display a static image for weeks or months without needing a charge.
• They cause less eye strain for the user.

Disadvantages:

• It has a slow refresh rate compared to LCD and OLED displays, making them unsuitable for video or animation.
• It has limitations on colour and resolution compared to other display technologies.
• The niche nature of E-Ink manufacturing means the displays remain expensive, especially in larger sizes.
• Other applications: It is used in bus stop displays and walking direction signs and restaurants menu boards etc.