- CARBON FARMING
- Implementing regenerative agricultural practices that restore ecosystem health
- While improving agricultural productivity and soil health And mitigating climate change by enhancing carbon storage in agricultural landscapes
- And reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Regions with extensive agricultural land, such as the Indo-Gangetic plains and the Deccan Plateau, are well suited to adopt carbon farming Whereas the mountainous terrain of the Himalayan region is less so.
- In recent years, the practice of carbon trading in the agriculture sector has become important around the world, but especially in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and Canada
2. PERMANENTLY DELETING LOGS CAN HELP MAKE E- RUPEE ANONYMOUS
- The e-Rupee is India’s version of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), which is a digital form of fiat money issued and regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
- Unlike cryptocurrencies which are decentralised and generally not issued by a state, the e-Rupee is a sovereign currency in digital form and represents a direct liability of the central bank
- Key Features of India’s CBDC (e-Rupee) Anonymity: Addressing the privacy concerns associated with digital transactions, RBI aims to make CBDC transactions potentially anonymous like cash transactions. This could be achieved through technological solutions like the permanent deletion of transaction details after necessary audit and compliance requirements are met.
- Offline Capability: One of the distinctive features the RBI is working on is the ability to transfer CBDC even in offline mode, enhancing accessibility for users without consistent internet access.
- Programmability: The e-Rupee can be programmed for specific purposes. This feature can aid in improving financial inclusion by directing money to be used for specific subsidies, benefits, or schemes directly, ensuring that the funds are used for the intended purposes.
- Security and Regulation: Being issued by the central bank, the e[1]Rupee will be as secure as any other form of currency issued by RBI and will be regulated to prevent issues such as fraud and counterfeiting.
3. HAMAS ACCEPTS CEASEFIRE PROPOSAL BY EGYPT, QATAR
- The Israel-Hamas conflict is rooted in longstanding political and territorial disputes between Israel and the Palestinian territories. Hamas, a Palestinian militant organisation, has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007 and has often been in conflict with Israel, which views Hamas as a terrorist organisation
- Timeline of Recent Developments May 2021: The most recent large-scale conflict erupted in May 2021, following tensions in Jerusalem and a violent crackdown on Palestinian protesters by Israeli security forces Hamas launched rockets into Israel, triggering airstrikes by Israel on Gaza.
- October 2023: The conflict reignited, leading to a prolonged exchange of fire between Hamas and Israel The violence has been marked by rocket attacks, airstrikes, and civilian casualties
- May 2024: Hamas accepted a ceasefire proposal, facilitated by Egypt and Qatar, to halt the conflict The proposal included staged steps where Hamas would release hostages in exchange for Israeli troop withdrawals.
- Ceasefire Negotiations Hosts: Egypt and Qatar are leading the mediation efforts for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel
- Egypt, given its geographical proximity and historical involvement in mediating between Israel and Hamas, plays a crucial role
- Qatar, with its influence over Hamas and financial resources, is also key in these negotiations
- Outcome — Hamas has accepted a ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar to potentially end the ongoing seven-month conflict with Israel in Gaza. This development occurred shortly after Israel directed 100,000 Palestinians to evacuate Rafah — suggesting a possible ground invasion might be imminent
- The ceasefire plan involves a staged process Where Hamas will release hostages in exchange for Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza
- It remains uncertain if this will fully address Hamas’s demands for ending the war and a complete Israeli pullback
4. HOG DEER
- It is a solitary creature but is sometimes spotted feeding in small groups in open fields when food is plentiful.
- For the most part, it is sedentary and does not migrate.
- Males tend to be territorial and mark their territory with glandular secretions.
- This species exhibits sexual dimorphism. The females are slightly smaller than males and lack antlers.
- It has a native geographic range throughout India, including the Himalayan foothills and Southeast Asia.
- Humans have introduced free-ranging populations of this deer in Sri Lanka, Australia and the United States, including Texas, Florida, and Hawaii.
- It appears to prefer dense forests; however, they are often observed in clearings, grasslands and occasionally wet grasslands.
- This variation is usually associated with time of year and food distribution.
- Conservation status
- IUCN: Endangered
- Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Scheduled I
5. HIGH FREQUENCY PLASMA WAVES
- Scientists have examined the existence of high-frequency plasma waves in the Martian plasma environment by making use of the high-resolution electric field data from the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN) spacecraft of NASA.
- These waves could be either electron oscillations that propagate parallel to the background magnetic field (Langmuir waves) or electron oscillations that propagate perpendicular to the background magnetic field (upper-hybrid type waves) in the magneto sheath region of Mars.
- They observed two distinct wave modes with frequency below and above the electron plasma frequency in the Martian magnetosphere.
- These waves are either broadband- or narrowband-type with distinguishable features in the frequency domain.
- The broadband waves were consistently found to have periodic patchy structures with a periodicity of 8–14 milliseconds.
ONE LINER
- World Asthma Day 2024 observed on May 7, 2024. Theme – Asthma Education Empowers
- India’s first Constitution park. Jointly developed by Indian Army and Punit Balan Group was inaugurated in Pune
