{"id":51157,"date":"2025-08-12T20:39:40","date_gmt":"2025-08-12T15:09:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=51157"},"modified":"2025-08-13T00:10:49","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T18:40:49","slug":"news-in-short-12-august-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/12-08-2025\/news-in-short-12-august-2025","title":{"rendered":"News In Short 12-August-2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>India Sends 5 Tonnes of Cowpea Seeds to Fiji<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS1\/Places in news<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India sent 5 metric tonnes of <strong>black-eyed cowpea<\/strong> seeds to Fiji as <strong>humanitarian aid to support agriculture<\/strong>, under its<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/27-02-2025\/india-look-east-policy-transformed-into-act-east\"> Act East Policy.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Fiji<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, surrounding the Koro Sea, about 2,100 km north of Auckland, New Zealand.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It\u00a0 consists of about 330 islands and 500 smaller islets and reefs.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The capital, Suva.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The largest islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, are volcanic, while smaller ones are coral-based.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The highest point is<strong> Mount Tomaniivi (1,324 m<\/strong>).\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"c5e5f3\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"981\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/08\/India-Sends-5-Tonnes-of-Cowpea-Seeds-to-Fiji-1024x981.png\" alt=\"India Sends 5 Tonnes of Cowpea Seeds to Fiji\n\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-51159\" style=\"--dominant-color: #c5e5f3; width:438px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/08\/India-Sends-5-Tonnes-of-Cowpea-Seeds-to-Fiji-1024x981.png 1024w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/08\/India-Sends-5-Tonnes-of-Cowpea-Seeds-to-Fiji-300x287.png 300w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/08\/India-Sends-5-Tonnes-of-Cowpea-Seeds-to-Fiji-768x736.png 768w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/08\/India-Sends-5-Tonnes-of-Cowpea-Seeds-to-Fiji-1536x1472.png 1536w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/08\/India-Sends-5-Tonnes-of-Cowpea-Seeds-to-Fiji.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: AIR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Perito Moreno Glacier\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS1\/Geography<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recently, scientists warned of accelerated melting in <strong>Argentina&#8217;s Perito Moreno Glacier <\/strong>due to temperature rise.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Perito Moreno Glacier(\u2018White Giant\u2019)\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is located near the city of El Calafate in the Argentine province of Santa Cruz, and comes under the Los Glaciares National Park\u00a0 which is\u00a0 a <strong>UNESCO World Heritage Site.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is a 30 km-long glacier located in the <strong>Andes mountain range<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It was formed around 18,000 years ago during the last Ice Age.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is\u00a0 a major freshwater source and a tourist attraction, known for dramatic ice calving events since 1917.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: IE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Nominations to J&amp;K Assembly Outside the Realm of Elected Government<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/ Polity and Governance<\/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 Union Ministry of Home Affairs has informed the Jammu and Kashmir High Court that the Union Territory\u2019s Lieutenant-Governor can nominate five members to the J&amp;K Legislative Assembly without the state government\u2019s \u201caid and advice\u201d.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Critics say this reduces the role of any future elected J&amp;K government, giving the Centre more control.<\/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>The <strong>Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, <\/strong>bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories (J&amp;K and Ladakh) and outlined legislative structure for J&amp;K.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The 2023 amendment<\/strong> to act added <strong>Sections 15, 15A, 15B<\/strong> to empower the LG to nominate;\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2 Kashmiri migrants (including 1 woman)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1 member from the Pakistan-occupied Jammu &amp; Kashmir (PoJK) community<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2 women, if not adequately represented.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The<strong> amendment <\/strong>increased Assembly strength from 114 to 119 (excluding 24 seats reserved for PoJK areas).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/jk-assemblys-nominated-seats-outside-the-realm-of-govt-l-g-has-statutory-powers-mha\/article69917126.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Ulchi Freedom Shield<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/IR<\/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><strong>South Korea and the United States<\/strong> will conduct major joint military drills under <strong>Ulchi Freedom Shield.<\/strong><\/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 an <strong>annual exercise <\/strong>designed to reinforce readiness and cooperation across all domains to <strong>defend the Korean Peninsula and the broader region.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>These exercises trace back to the 1960s<\/strong> (Taeguk Exercise) and have evolved through various iterations including Ulchi-Focus Lens and, in 2008, were renamed Ulchi-Freedom Guardian.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This year\u2019s drill will test upgraded responses to heightened North Korean nuclear threats as well as cutting-edge technologies used in modern wars.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: TH<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Etalin Hydroelectric Project<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Infrastructure<\/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>An expert panel of the Union Environment Ministry has recommended <strong>environmental clearance for the 3,087 MW Etalin hydroelectric project.<\/strong><\/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>Etalin is a large<strong> run-of-river project <\/strong>on the <strong>Dri and Tangon Rivers<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The project is located in <strong>Arunachal Pradesh\u2019s Dibang valley<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Dri River, after meeting Mathun, flows downstream and is joined by Tangon near Etalin village, where it is called <strong>Dibang River.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The project involves construction of <strong>concrete gravity dams to divert water through two separate waterway systems.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The project will be developed by the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) Ltd.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/india\/expert-panel-suggests-green-nod-for-3097-mw-arunachal-project-10183672\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Orbiting Carbon Observatories (OCO) Program<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Space<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Trump administration reportedly asked NASA to shut down <strong>Orbiting Carbon Observatories.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>OCOs are a series of dedicated<strong> Earth remote sensing satellite<\/strong>s that were designed specifically to <strong>observe atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2<\/strong>)\u00a0 from space in order to better understand the characteristics of climate change.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Timeline: <\/strong>The first mission, OCO (2009), failed due to a launch vehicle malfunction.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A replacement, OCO-2, launched in 2014, measures CO\u2082 levels and tracks photosynthesis in crops.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In 2019, OCO-3 was sent to the ISS, offering varied observation times compared to OCO-2\u2019s fixed daily schedule, thus enhancing data collection on CO\u2082 sources, sinks, and crop health.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Relevance <\/strong>: The OCO missions are crucial for monitoring atmospheric CO\u2082 globally, helping scientists understand climate change more accurately.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They revealed unexpected insights, like the key role of boreal forests in CO\u2082 absorption, and showed how forests can become carbon emitters.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>OCO data also aid in crop monitoring, drought tracking, and yield forecasting, benefiting farmers and policymakers alike.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source :IE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Otters\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Species 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><strong>Otters <\/strong>are set to make a comeback at the <strong>National Zoological Park in Delhi after more than 20 years.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The last otter at the zoo died in 2004.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Otters<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Otters are members of the <strong>mammalian family called Mustelidae.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Otters <\/strong>are mainly active around dawn and dusk, being, what is known as, <strong>crepuscular<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-dominant-color=\"636355\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #636355;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"301\" height=\"167\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Otters.png\" alt=\"Otters \" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-51158\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Distribution: <\/strong>They are found the world over, except in<strong> Australia, New Zealand, Madagascar, and other oceanic islands.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India is home to<strong> 3 of the 13 species <\/strong>of otters found worldwide, these are &#8211; Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra); Smooth-coated Otter (Lutra perspicillata) and Small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Habitat:<\/strong> Rivers, lakes, coastal areas, and kelp forests.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Diet: <\/strong>Carnivorous\u2014eat fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and sometimes small mammals or birds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sea otters are one of the<strong> few non-human animals to use tools<\/strong>\u2014they crack open shellfish with rocks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Threats: <\/strong>Habitat loss, pollution, and hunting for their fur.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>IUCN Status:\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata): <strong>Vulnerable<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Asian Small-Clawed Otter (Aonyx cinereus): <strong>Near threatened.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra): <strong>\u00a0Near Threatened.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/cities\/delhi\/delhi-zoo-travel-cage-fish-journey-10182967\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Pathaneer<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: Miscellaneous<\/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>In Tamil Nadu\u2019s Thoothukudi district, palmyra climbers harvest pathaneer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Pathaneer<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pathaneer, <\/strong>also known as palm nectar, is a traditional, refreshing, and sweet beverage made from the sap of palm trees.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The sap is processed into <strong>karupatti (palm jaggery)<\/strong> and <strong>panangkarkandu (palm candy).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It&#8217;s a popular drink in <strong>South India, Sri Lanka<\/strong>, and other parts of the world.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Extraction:\u00a0 <\/strong>Pathaneer is typically extracted from the unopened spadices (flower stalks) of <strong>coconut or palmyra palms.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The sap is collected in earthen pots, often with a bit of lime or calcium carbonate added to prevent fermentation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/tamil-nadu\/in-frames-sweet-sorrow\/article69915856.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<h3><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">India sent 5 metric tonnes of black-eyed cowpea seeds to Fiji as humanitarian aid to support agriculture, under its Act East Policy.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Fiji<\/strong><\/h3>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">It is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, surrounding the Koro Sea, about 2,100 km north of Auckland, New Zealand.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">It\u00a0 consists of about 330 islands and 500 smaller islets and reefs.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">The capital, Suva.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">The largest islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, are volcanic, while smaller ones are coral-based.\u00a0<\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/12-08-2025\/news-in-short-12-august-2025\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read\u00a0More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":51170,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/08\/upsc-news-in-short-12-august-2025.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51157","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=51157"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51157\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51167,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51157\/revisions\/51167"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51170"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51157"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51157"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51157"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}