CURRENT-AFFAIRS

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• Researchers recently explored the bottom of Lake Michigan after discovering unusual circles on the lakebed in 2022, and their latest findings reveal that these circles are actually craters.
• About Lake Michigan:
• Lake Michigan is the third largest of North America's five Great Lakes and the only one entirely located within the United States. It ranks as the fourth largest freshwater lake and the fifth largest lake in the world by surface area. Stretching 517 kilometers from north to south, it reaches a maximum width of 190 kilometers. The lake's drainage basin covers an area of 118,095 square kilometers.
• Lake Michigan is directly connected to Lake Huron through the expansive Straits of Mackinac, which helps maintain balanced water levels between the two lakes, causing them to function almost as a single body of water. Several rivers, including the Fox-Wolf, Grand, St. Joseph, and Kalamazoo, flow into Lake Michigan from its drainage basin.
• The lake is home to diverse natural habitats, such as tallgrass prairies, expansive savannas, and the world’s largest freshwater sand dunes. It supports a rich array of plant and animal life, including many rare or endangered species, such as the Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly and the Dwarf Lake Iris.

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• A female elephant recently lost her life due to suspected electrocution near a tribal community adjacent to the Peechi wildlife sanctuary in Kerala's Thrissur district.
• About Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary:
  • Located in Thrissur District, Kerala, the Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary covers an area of 125 square kilometers and was established in 1958. It lies within the catchment area of the Peechi and Vazhani Dams and is part of the Palapilli-Nelliampathy forests, marking the northern boundary of the Chimmini Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • The sanctuary features a variety of forest types, including tropical evergreen, tropical semievergreen, and moist deciduous forests. The terrain is undulating, with altitudes ranging from 100 to 914 meters, the highest peak being Ponmudi.
  • Home to over 50 species of orchids and numerous rare medicinal plants, the sanctuary also boasts commercially valuable trees such as teak and rosewood. Its wildlife includes more than 25 species of mammals, ranging from carnivores like leopards, tigers, and foxes to herbivores such as elk, deer, barking deer, spotted deer, gaur, and elephants.

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• Jordan has become the first country in the world to eradicate leprosy, receiving official recognition from the World Health Organization (WHO).
• About Jordan:
  • Jordan is an Arab nation located in Southwest Asia, situated in the rocky deserts of the northern Arabian Peninsula. The country is named after the Jordan River, which flows along its western border. It covers an area of approximately 91,880 square kilometers.
  • Jordan shares its borders with several countries: Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the southeast and south, and Israel and the West Bank to the west. The capital and largest city is Amman, which was established as the capital by the Ammonites in the 13th century BCE.
  • The country features a 26-kilometer coastline along the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea) in the southwest, where its sole port, Al-Aqabah, is located. Jordan is divided into three main physiographic regions from east to west: the desert, the uplands east of the Jordan River, and the Jordan Valley, which is part of the extensive East African Rift System.
  • The desert area predominantly lies within the Syrian Desert, an extension of the Arabian Desert, occupying more than four-fifths of the country’s land. The Jordan Valley is home to the Dead Sea.
  • The official language is Arabic, and the currency is the Jordanian dinar.

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• Two individuals tragically lost their lives when a boundary wall near the Mahakal Temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, collapsed recently due to heavy rainfall.
• About Mahakaleshwar Temple:
• The Mahakaleshwar Temple is a revered Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Located in the ancient city of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, it stands on the banks of the holy Shipra River. This temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva.
• While the exact date of establishment remains uncertain, the earliest mentions of the Mahakal date back to the 6th century BC. The temple as it exists today was reconstructed in the 18th century AD. It is also recognized as one of the seven 'Mukti Sthal' or sacred sites for liberation in India.
• Architecture:
• The temple features a five-story structure, with the main shrine situated underground. The complex includes a spacious courtyard adorned with exquisite sculptures influenced by the architectural styles of the Chalukya, Maratha, and Bhumija traditions.
• Its foundation and platform are constructed from stone, and the upper structure is supported by strong, well-designed pillars. The temple is notable for its impressive lingam sculptures of Mahakaleshwar.
• Additionally, images of Ganesh, Parvati, and Karttikeya are placed in the west, north, and east of the sanctum sanctorum. The temple complex also includes a tank built in the sarvatobhadra style.

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• The chikungunya outbreak in Pune and surrounding areas has been linked to the Indian Ocean lineage of the virus, as reported by scientists at the National Institute of Virology (NIV).
• About Chikungunya:
  • Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans through the bites of mosquitoes infected with the chikungunya virus. The term comes from the Makonde language of Africa, meaning "bent over in pain."
• Transmission:
  • The virus is primarily spread by the Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti and Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus mosquitoes, which are also capable of transmitting dengue and Zika viruses. Notably, chikungunya is not transmitted from person to person. The disease was first identified during an outbreak in southern Tanzania in 1952 and has since been reported in nearly 40 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
• Symptoms:
  • Symptoms typically arise 4 to 8 days after a mosquito bite, although they can manifest anywhere from 2 to 12 days later. The most common symptom is a sudden onset of fever, often accompanied by joint pain. Other symptoms may include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue, and rash. Serious complications are rare, but atypical severe cases can lead to long-term symptoms and, in some instances, death, particularly among older individuals.
• Treatment:
  • Currently, there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for chikungunya virus infections. The primary aim of treatment is to alleviate symptoms through rest, hydration, and medications.

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• The Union Cabinet has recently given the green light for the establishment of a National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) in Mumbai.
• This center will be set up as a Section 8 Company under the Companies Act, 2013 in India. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry and the Confederation of Indian Industry will partner with the Government of India to represent industry interests.
• The initiative aims to develop a world-class talent pool in India to serve both the domestic and global entertainment industries. Provisionally named the Indian Institute for Immersive Creators (IIIC), this center seeks to transform the AVGC sector and drive innovation in immersive technologies. It will be modeled after esteemed institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs).
• Key Objectives of the NCoE (IIIC):
  • Focus on creating Indian intellectual property (IP)
  • Leverage cultural heritage for modern applications
  • Generate a multiplier effect in the industry
  • Foster an industry-led initiative in collaboration with state and academia
  • Provide an integrated approach to education, skills development, and innovation
  • Adopt a hub-and-spoke model for development, with IIIC as the hub and multiple centers as spokes dedicated to innovation and research, promoting a robust startup ecosystem
• Significance:
  • This initiative is poised to enhance the economy by generating new job opportunities in the rapidly expanding AVGC sector. As a global filmmaking hub, India’s advancements in technology and infrastructure will facilitate the production of high-quality content, positioning the country as a leader in technological innovation and creativity.

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• Recently, the Union Minister of Food and Public Distribution announced that India has emerged as the world's third-largest producer and consumer of ethanol.
• About Bioethanol:
  • Bioethanol is an agricultural by-product primarily derived from processing sugar from sugarcane, but it can also be obtained from other sources like rice husk and maize. It appears as a clear, colorless liquid with a distinct vinous odor and a sharp taste. Since ethanol is produced from plants that capture solar energy, it is classified as a renewable fuel.
  • In India, the main production method involves fermenting sugarcane molasses. Ethanol blending refers to the practice of mixing ethanol with petrol to reduce reliance on fossil fuels when driving.
  • To enhance ethanol supplies, the Government of India has authorized the procurement of ethanol from alternative sources beyond molasses, known as first-generation ethanol or 1G. In addition to molasses, bioethanol can be produced from materials such as rice straw, wheat straw, maize cobs, corn stover, bagasse, bamboo, and woody biomass, which are categorized as second-generation ethanol sources.
• Applications:
  • Ethanol serves as a vital industrial chemical; it is utilized as a solvent, in the synthesis of various organic chemicals, and as an additive in automotive gasoline.