{"id":34581,"date":"2024-12-31T18:28:53","date_gmt":"2024-12-31T12:58:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=34581"},"modified":"2024-12-31T18:28:54","modified_gmt":"2024-12-31T12:58:54","slug":"news-in-short-31-december-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/31-12-2024\/news-in-short-31-december-2024","title":{"rendered":"News In Short 31-12-2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Sea otters<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus:GS3\/Species&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Sea otters are helping control the population of green crabs, an invasive species, in California&#8217;s Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Green crabs, native to Europe, arrived in North America in the 1800s and have been damaging seagrass beds, outcompeting native species, and disrupting coastal ecosystems since the 1980s.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Sea otters\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They are the smallest marine mammal, yet the largest member of the weasel family.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unique Characteristics: <\/strong>Lives entirely in the water throughout its life.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Has the densest fur of any animal on Earth (1 million hairs per square inch).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It Uses tools to hunt and feed, including rocks to crack open shells and pry abalone off rocks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The only marine mammal capable of flipping over boulders to search for food.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Habitat and Diet: <\/strong>Inhabit coastal areas with shallow water.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Eat on the ocean floor and perform activities such as eating and grooming at the surface.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sea otters have high metabolic rates and eat about 25% of their body weight daily.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consume over 100 prey species including sea urchins, clams, mussels, and crabs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Geographical Range:<\/strong> Found in Canada, Japan, Mexico, Russia, and the United States.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ecological Importance: <\/strong>Known as a keystone species, they regulate populations of herbivores like sea urchins, preventing them from destroying kelp forests.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Help maintain the health of coastal marine ecosystems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Threats:\u00a0 <\/strong>Threatened by oil spills and other forms of pollution.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pollution from chemicals and disease-causing organisms in the water harms Sea Otters, affecting their prey and leading to illness and death.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Conservation Status: <\/strong>\u00a0Classified as endangered by the IUCN.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: TH<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Balkan Blues<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS1\/ Art and Culture<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Balkan Blues, a traditional musical form, was recently included in UNESCO\u2019s National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sevdalinka<\/strong>, commonly referred to as the Balkan Blues, is a <strong>melancholic urban love song<\/strong> originating in the Balkan region.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Its roots trace back to the <strong>16th century<\/strong>, reflecting a synthesis of South Slavic oral poetry and the musical influences of the <strong>Ottoman Empire.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Features<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Musical Expression: <\/strong>It is often performed a capella or with accompaniment from traditional instruments such as the tamburica (a lute-like instrument).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cultural Transmission: <\/strong>The art of Sevdalinka has been preserved through oral traditions, with performances being a central element of family gatherings and community events.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)<\/strong>\u00a0<br>&#8211; Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) refers to cultural practices, traditions, expressions, knowledge, and skills that are passed down through generations and form an integral part of a community\u2019s identity and cultural heritage.\u00a0<br>&#8211; Unlike tangible heritage (such as monuments or artifacts), ICH is not physical in nature but exists in the form of traditions and living expressions.<br><strong>UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list<\/strong><br>&#8211; The UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list aims to recognize and safeguard cultural practices, traditions, and expressions that are integral to human creativity and diversity.\u00a0<br>&#8211; It stems from the <strong>2003<\/strong> Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, coming into force in <strong>2008<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ddnews.gov.in\/en\/bosnias-balkan-blues-earns-unesco-recognition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>DDNews<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Vasilopita\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus:Miscellaneous&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The vasilopita is an integral part of Greek New Year celebrations<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Vasilopita\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Vasilopita is a traditional Greek cake baked to celebrate the New Year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A coin, known as flouri, is hidden inside the cake, and the person who finds it is believed to receive good fortune, love, and health for the year ahead.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Origin of the Tradition: <\/strong>The tradition is rooted in legends associated with Saint Basil, who is akin to Santa Claus in Greece.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tribute: <\/strong>Vasilopita means &#8220;Sweet Bread of Basil&#8221; and honors Saint Basil, a bishop known for his generosity.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The first slice is dedicated to Jesus Christ, the second to the Virgin Mary, and the third to Saint Basil.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source :IE<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Tamu Lhosar Festival<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus:GS1\/Culture&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Tamu Lhosar was recently observed in Nepal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tamu Lhosar Festival\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is celebrated by the Gurung community to mark the New Year and bid farewell to the past year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In the Gurung language, &#8220;Lho&#8221; means year, and &#8220;Sar&#8221; denotes change.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tamu Lhosar is celebrated on the 15th of the Nepali month Push (December-January).\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The festival coincides with the longest night of the year, after which the night\u2019s duration begins to shorten.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Celebration Areas<\/strong>: The festival is observed with great enthusiasm in districts of Nepal with a significant Gurung population, including Lamjung, Gorkha, Tanahun, Syangja, Manang, Kaski, and Parbat.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cultural Programs<\/strong>: Gurung community members organize feasts and cultural events to celebrate the occasion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: Air<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>State Funeral<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus:Miscellaneous&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh &nbsp; was given a state funeral&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>State Funeral:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A state funeral is a ceremonial event for important figures, following set rules, involving public mourning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is typically reserved for the death of the President, Prime Minister, a former President, or a Governor in India. However, in individual cases, the government may order a state funeral for other dignitaries.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rules for State Funeral: <\/strong>The funeral is attended by gazetted officers and service personnel dressed in formal state attire.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Ministry of Defence organizes the arrangements, following notifications from the Ministry of Home Affairs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Do you know?<\/strong><br>-National mourning is declared by the Centre or state governments for leaders or individuals with significant contributions to the country.<br>&#8211; <strong>Official Protocol During Mourning: <\/strong>During national mourning, the national flag is flown at half mast.<br>1. During national or state mourning, official entertainments are suspended, except for Republic Day, Independence Day, or Mahatma Gandhi&#8217;s birth anniversary. Mourning is resumed after such interruptions.<br>&#8211; <strong>Flag Code for State Funerals:<\/strong> In a state funeral, the national flag is draped over the bier or coffin, with the saffron side towards the head.<br>&#8211; The flag is not lowered into the grave or burned with the body, as per Section 3.58 of the Flag Code of India, 2002.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: IE<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>RBI\u2019s Financial Stability Report (FSR)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Economy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the Financial Stability Report (FSR), underscoring improvements in the banking sector&#8217;s asset quality and financial resilience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Highlights from the FSR<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Gross Non-Performing Asset (GNPA) Ratio: <\/strong>Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) achieved a remarkable <strong>12-year low GNPA ratio of 2.6%<\/strong> as of September 2024.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Provisioning Coverage Ratio (PCR): <\/strong>Improved to 77%, driven primarily by proactive provisioning from Public Sector Banks (PSBs).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Slippage Ratio:<\/strong> Marginally increased to 0.7%, indicating controlled accretions to NPAs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Household Debt Trends:<\/strong> India\u2019s household debt stood at <strong>42.9% of GDP<\/strong> in June 2024, relatively low among emerging markets but on a rising trajectory.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Growth Projections:<\/strong> India\u2019s Real GDP is projected to grow at <strong>6.6% in 2024-25, <\/strong>driven by:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Revival in rural consumption.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increased government consumption and investments.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strong services exports.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Financial Stability Report (FSR)<\/strong><br>&#8211; The Financial Stability Report (FSR) is a <strong>biannual publication<\/strong> by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) that assesses the stability and resilience of the Indian financial system.\u00a0<br>&#8211; It offers insights into the health of various components of the financial sector, including <strong>banking, non-banking financial institutions (NBFCs), mutual funds, insurance companies, and financial markets<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/business\/indias-financial-system-remains-stable-bolstered-by-healthy-balance-sheets-of-banks-nbfcs-rbis-fsr\/article69044202.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Pangong Tso\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: Places in News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recently the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was inaugurated on the banks of Pangong Tso Lake at an altitude of 14,300 feet.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is <strong>one <\/strong>of the <strong>world\u2019s highest saltwater<\/strong> lakes at an altitude of <strong>4,350 meters <\/strong>above sea level, located in the <strong>eastern Ladakh region of northern India.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It derives its name from the Tibetan word, <strong>\u201cPangong Tso\u201d,<\/strong> which means<strong> \u201chigh grassland lake\u201d.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>western part of the lake lies in Indian territory<\/strong>, while the eastern part is under Chinese control.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is saline and <strong>does not support any aquatic life,<\/strong> though it is home to some migratory bird species.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Changing hues: <\/strong>The lake showcases different shades of <strong>blue, green, and sometimes even red,<\/strong> depending on the angle of the sunlight and the weather conditions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/113934\/OPS\/GJMDPM139.1+G1QDPO58F.1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Good Governance Index\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Governace<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Centre has decided not to release the Good Governance Index 2023.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The next edition is planned to be published in <strong>2025<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It was launched on <strong>December 25, 2019,<\/strong> the birth anniversary of late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee which is observed as <strong>Good Governance Day.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The index covers over <strong>50 indicators<\/strong> across sectors, including agriculture, economic governance, public health, and citizen-centric governance.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tamil Nadu and Gujarat<\/strong> got first place among big states in the 2019 and 2021 rankings, respectively.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Good Governance Day<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The day is celebrated on the<strong> 25th of December every year<\/strong> on the birth anniversary of <strong>former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>In 2014<\/strong>, the government announced that December 25 would be celebrated as Good Governance Day.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It was established with the slogan &#8220;<strong>Good Governance through e-Governance.&#8221;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/india\/govt-release-of-good-governance-index-2023-plans-next-edition-in-2025-9751461\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sea otters are helping control the population of green crabs, an invasive species, in California&#8217;s Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34581"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34581\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34582,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34581\/revisions\/34582"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}