Swahid Diwas
Syllabus: GS1/History; GS2/Governance
In News
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi honoured the courage of those who participated in the historic Assam Movement on Swahid Diwas.
Swahid Diwas
- It is observed annually on December 10 to honour those who sacrificed their lives during the Assam Movement – a mass agitation launched in 1979 by the Assam Students’ Union (ASU) and the All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad (AAGSP) against large-scale infiltration from Bangladesh.
- The movement culminated in 1985 with the signing of the historic Assam Accord, ensuring detection and deportation of illegal foreigners and guaranteeing constitutional, legislative, and administrative safeguards to protect Assamese identity, culture, and heritage.
Source :Air
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Syllabus: GS3/ Economy
In News
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised India’s growth forecast for FY26 to 7.2%, from 6.5%.
About ADB
- ADB was established in 1966 as a regional development bank to promote social and economic development in Asia and the Pacific.
- Its headquarters is in Mandaluyong, Manila, Philippines.
- Its membership includes both regional (Asia-Pacific) and non-regional countries, with around two-thirds of UNESCAP members plus developed donor countries participating.
- India joined ADB in 1966 as a founding member.
- Major shareholders include Japan and the United States (15.6% each), followed by China (6.4%), India (6.3%) and Australia (5.8%), reflecting both regional and non‑regional stake.
Source: AIR
GlowCas9
Syllabus: GS3/ Science & Technology
In News
- GlowCas9 is a newly engineered variant of the CRISPR Cas9 enzyme that emits light while editing DNA.
About
- GlowCas9 is a bioluminescent Cas9 created at the Bose Institute, Kolkata, by fusing Cas9 with a split nano‑luciferase enzyme derived from deep‑sea shrimp proteins.
- CRISPR uses a guide RNA to direct the Cas9 enzyme to a specific DNA sequence.
- Cas9 makes a precise cut, enabling gene correction.
- Bioluminescent Cas9 opens a new direction for “theratracking” – simultaneously performing therapy and tracking it at the molecular level.
Source: AIR
CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP20)
Syllabus: GS3/ Environment
Context
- The 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP20) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) has concluded in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, marking the 50th anniversary of the Convention.
About CITES
- Overview: CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments.
- Aim: To ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species.
- History: CITES was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of IUCN (The World Conservation Union).
- The text of the Convention was agreed in 1973, and came into force in 1975.
- CITES lists species in three appendices based on the level of protection required:
- Appendix I: Species threatened with extinction and Commercial trade is strictly prohibited.
- Appendix II: Species are not necessarily threatened with extinction but may become so if trade is not regulated. Trade is allowed but controlled through permits.
- Appendix III: Species protected in at least one country which has asked other CITES Parties for assistance in controlling trade.
- CITES is legally binding on the Parties – in other words members have to implement the convention, however it does not take the place of national laws.
- The CITES Secretariat is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme and is located at Geneva, Switzerland.
Source: DTE
Great Barrier Reef
Syllabus: GS3/ Environment
In News
- A combination of extreme heat stress and a rare coral disease has wiped out 75 per cent of Goniopora colonies at a site on the Great Barrier Reef.
About Coral Reef
- It is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals.
- Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate.
- The coral polyps live in an endosymbiotic relationship with algae.
- Temperature: 20°C- 35°C; Salinity: Between 27% to 40%.
- Shallow Water: Coral reefs grow better in shallow water; less than 50 m.
- Great Barrier Reef: Located in the Coral Sea, Australia (World Heritage Site).
- Coral reefs in India: Gulf of Kutch, Gulf of Mannar, Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep Island and Malvan.
Source: DTE
Western Tragopan
Syllabus: GS3/Species
In News
- Recent studies show that suitable habitats of western tragopan exist in Jammu & Kashmir but human disturbance and fragmentation still threaten the bird’s survival.
Western Tragopan
- It is one of India’s rarest pheasants and Himachal Pradesh’s state bird.
- It now survives only in small fragmented pockets across the western Himalayas.
- The IUCN estimates only 3,000–9,500 mature individuals remain, all in a single subpopulation, with about a quarter found in the western Himalayas and northern Pakistan.
- Threats: It faces threats due to habitat loss, hunting, and other anthropogenic factors.
- Protection status: IUCN Red List of Threatened species classified it as Vulnerable.
- Other steps: The Sarahan pheasantry in Shimla has over the years seen successful captive breeding of western tragopan.
Source :TH
Previous article
Global Environment Outlook
Next article
News In Short 11-12-2025
