THE HINDU + PIB JUNE 2019 COMPILATION Rice blast = caused by a fungus Magnaportheoryzae + one of the major diseases of the rice crop + researchers from ICAR-National Rice Research Institute (NRRI), Odisha have mapped out the diverse genes in rice that help in disease resistance + from 1980-1987 seven blast endemics have occurred in India + Fungicides Monkeypox = monkeypox virus is similar to human smallpox and belongs to the virus family Poxviridae + It is transmitted primarily through infected animals (rodents and primates) + Human-to-human transmission of monkeypox is possible but limited + The virus is transmitted to those in close contact through secretions of the respiratory tract and skin lesions. While the disease is largely self-limiting, in some cases it does cause complications leading to death. During monkeypox outbreaks, fatality varies from 1-10%, with most deaths seen in younger people + WHO notes that prior smallpox vaccination is highly effective in preventing monkeypox + Monkeypox occurs sporadically in Central and West Africa; cases have been reported from 10 African countries + It was first identified in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the disease has now become endemic. Chagos Islands = home to US military base of diego Garcia under lease from the UK since 1960s + ICJ recently ruled that UK must hand over Chagos islands to Mauritius and complete the process of decolonization + India too support Mauritius in this case Ottamthullal = is a dance and poetic performance form of Kerala + It was introduced in the 18th century by Kunchan Nambiar, one of the Prachina Kavithrayam (three famous Malayalam language poets) + It is accompanied by a mridangam (a barrel shaped double headed drum) or an idakka (drum and cymbal) Project Sashakt = It aims to strengthen the credit capacity, credit culture and credit portfolio of public sector banks + It is a five-pronged strategy towards resolution of 1 stressed assets, as recommended by Sunil Mehta Committee. Golden langur breeding project = Assam + The golden langur conservation project was undertaken at the Assam State Zoo in Guwahati during the 2011-12 fiscal + Funded by the Central Zoo Authority, an isolated and undisturbed site within the zoo was chosen to provide a natural habitat for the primates with a golden coat endemic to Assam + IUCN Status is Endangered + Apart from a 60 square mile area in north- western Assam, small populations are found in Bhutan and Tripura The rule of Nishan Izzuddeen = to PM Modi + the Maldives highest honour Red notice = NOT an international arrest warrant + issued by Interpol general secretariat + it is a request to locate and provisionally arrest an individual pending extradition +gives high international visibility to cases + Criminals and suspects are flagged to border officials making travel difficult + countries can request and share critical info linked to an investigation + Issued if police of one country request through their national central bureau and provide info on case + Interpol cannot compel any member country to arrest an individual subject to red notice + legal value given to a red notice is decided by the member country Sadikpur Sinauli = ancient site with chariots, swords and other objects pointing to the presence of a warrior class around 4,000 years ago + Uttar Pradesh + could be declared a site of national importance soon Senna Spectabilis = Invasive plants + which caused major threat to the wildlife habitat in the Nilgiri Biosphere reserve Oussudu lake = Puducherry 1 National maritime heritage museum = at Lothal in Gujrat + India and Portugal will cooperate in the setting up + project is being implemented by the Ministry of Shipping through its Sagarmala programme, with the involvement of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the State government and other stakeholders. Koundinya sanctuary = Andhra Pradesh TF/Gropued’action financiese = Intergovernmental organisation + 1989(Initiative of FtoA combat money laundering) + In 2001, mandate expanded to terrorist financing + G7cretariat at OECD in paris + monitor implementation through peer reviews + India is semember(39th country) + 49 recommendations(40 for money laundering and 9 for terror a ancing) + Informal and Non- permanent body ‘fin reylist’ = FATF(Financial action task force) + Pakistan(2nd time placed in this list)G G7 = Canada + USA + UK + France + Germany+ Itlay + Japan Asiatic golden Cat = Scientists have found that its coat comes in five other shades and types: cinnamon, gray, melanistic, ocelot and tightly rosetted + Golden is no longer the only colour the elusive Asiatic golden cat can be associated with. Its coat comes in five other shades in Arunachal Pradesh, scientists have discovered + Near Threatened + It is found across eastern Nepal through north-eastern India to Indonesia Idu Mishmi tribe = Arunachal Pradesh + (protesting against the declaration of Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary (DWS) as Tiger Reserve) + (traditionally follow an animist and shamanistic faith and believe that tigers are their elder siblings. Tigers are never hunted by Idu Mishmi and even If a tiger is killed in self-defense, it will receive the same burial as a human being) Kudremukh national park = Karnataka Balsams or jewel-weeds = these plants are highly sensitive to climatic conditions 2 such as extreme drought and extended exposure to sunlight + There are about 230 species of Balsams found in India and majority of them are found in the eastern Himalayas and Western Ghats + Consisting of both annual and perennial herbs, balsams are succulent plants with high endemism. Because of their bright beautiful flowers, these group of plants are of prized horticultural significance + between 2010 and 2019, 23 new species discovered from eastern Himalayas ‘Section 301 probe’ = by US Trade Representative (USTR) + any action that would be taken under Section 301 of US Trade Act of 1974 will be an “omnibus” investigation looking into a slew of steps like taxes and “discriminatory treatment” of US companies. Positive co-activator4(PC4) = new protein responsible for enhanced autophagy + founded by JNCASR research team + first time any study has shown that genome organisation is directly responsible for autophagy regulation in cells. Mrigal carp/white carp fish = Vulnerable + is a species of ray-finned fish in the carp family + Native to streams and rivers in India, the only surviving wild population is in the Cauvery River + It is widely aquafarmed and introduced populations exist outside its native range + It reaches a maximum length of 1 m (3.3 ft) UN security council 1267 Resolution = adopted unanimously in 1999 + on the situation in Afghanistan, the Council designated Osama bin Laden and associates as terrorists and established a sanctions regime to cover individuals and entities associated with Al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden and/or the Taliban wherever located + It is a consolidated list of people and entities it has determined as being 2 associated with Al Qaeda or the Taliban, and laws which must be passed within each member nation to implement the sanctions + Masood Azhar has been linked to Osama bin Laden and, hence, can be sanctioned under 1267 sanctions committee + India is not a member of UNSC and, therefore, technically not privy to UNSC deliberations + Indonesia is the current chair of 1267 Sanctions Committee and will continue till the end of 2019. Indonesia is supportive of the move to ban Azhar + (Triangular formula = on designation Azhar as global terrorist in the UN security council’s 1267 committee) UNSC(United Nations Security Council) = one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security + Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military action through Security Council resolutions + it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states + The Security Council consists of fifteen members. Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, and the United States— serve as the body’s five permanent members(Veto power) + Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members, elected on a regional basis to serve two-year terms. The body’s presidency rotates monthly among its members(IS INDIA MEMBER NOW????) Mangdechhu power project = India’s Bhutan hydel power project + 750 MW + Mangdechhu project is bagged by the Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) and it will be implemented on a bilateral basis + (Sunkosh reservoir project = Bhutan) Seven Summits challenge = daunting mountaineering feat that involves scaling the highest mountains of each of the seven continents + Mt. Elbrus (Russia/Georgia), Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania, Africa), Mt. Aconcagua (Argentina, South America), Mt. Kosciuszko(Australia), Mt. Denali(North America) and Vinson Massif(Antarctica) 3 National Rural drinking water programme (NRDWP) = 2009 + Centrally Sponsored Scheme + Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation + Aim of NRDWP is to provide every rural person with adequate safe water for drinking, cooking and other basic domestic needs on sustainable basis + Centrally Sponsored Scheme + It will enable the country to reach the goal of increasing coverage of sustainable Piped Water Supply 'Saavira Bhavigala Saradara' (master of thousand wells) = Karnataka region S-400 triumf = long range air defence system consists of a surface to air missile that can attack UAVs ,drones,cruise