We4u IAS

  NOTA (None Of The Above): ·         NOTA meaning ‘None of the Above’ options has been an integral part of the Indian voting system for the past eight years. ·         This enables the voter to officially register a vote of rejection for all candidates who are contesting an election. If a voter chooses to press NOTA on the EVM, it indicates that the voter has not chosen to vote for any party. ·         The Supreme Court of India on September 2013, ruled that the right to register a ‘none of the above’ vote in elections should apply while ordering the Election Commission of India (ECI) to provide a button for the same in the electronic voting machines. ·         The NOTA option was first used in the 2013 assembly elections held in four states — Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and the Union Territory, Delhi. More than 1...

  Deepfakes ·        Deepfakes are synthetic media that use AI to manipulate or generate visual and audio content, usually with the intention of deceiving or misleading someone. Introduction to Deepfake Technology ·        Deepfake technology, a portmanteau of "deep learning" and "fake," refers to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to create or manipulate audio and visual content to generate realistic but fabricated media. ·        While initially popularized for entertainment purposes, deepfake technology has raised concerns due to its potential misuse, posing significant challenges to various aspects of society. Understanding the Mechanism of Deepfake Creation Deep Learning Algorithms: Deepfake technology employs sophisticated deep learning algorithms, particularly Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and autoencoder models, to analyze and synthesize ...

  Sachchidananda Sinha ·        Sachchidananda Sinha (10 November 1871 – 6 March 1950) was an Indian lawyer, parliamentarian, and journalist. He was the first President of the Indian Constitutional Assembly which drafted the Constitution of India. ·        He, along with Mahesh Narayan, is considered to be the main architects of the modern state of Bihar. Role in India’s Independence Movement ·        Although Sinha was considered a moderate, he preferred to call himself a “constitutional nationalist” to signal his belief that Indians should adopt constitutional means to attain freedom. As such, he did not actively participate in the various movements of the freedom struggle. Contribution to Constitution Making ·        Sinha was elected to the Constituent Assembly from Bihar on a Congress Party ticket. He served as interim President of the Assembly befo...

  R. VENKATARAMAN Ramaswamy Venkataraman (1910 – 2009) was an Indian lawyer, Indian independence activist and politician who served as a Union Minister and as the eighth President of India. Freedom Movement: ·        He actively participated in the 'Quit India Movement of 1942', which resulted in his detention for two years under the British Government's Defence of India Rules. ·        He was appointed as the member of the Constituent Assembly and the provisional cabinet. Political career: ·        He was elected to the Lok Sabha four times. He also served as a State minister under K. Kamaraj and M. Bhaktavatsalam. ·        In 1977, Shri Venkataraman was elected to the Lok Sabha and served as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. ·        In 1980, he was re-elected to the Lok Sabha and was appointed Union Minister ...

  Amaterasu: ·        It is one of the highest-energy cosmic rays ever detected. ·        It has been named Amaterasu after the Japanese sun goddess. ·        It has an energy exceeding 240 exa-electron volts (EeV). That is millions of times more than particles produced in the Large Hadron Collider, the most powerful accelerator ever built, and equivalent to the energy of a golf ball travelling at 95mph. ·        It comes only second to the Oh-My-God particle, another ultra-high-energy cosmic ray that came in at 320 EeV, detected in 1991. ·        Amaterasu appears to have emerged from the Local Void, an empty area of space bordering the Milky Way galaxy. What are Cosmic Rays? ·        They are echoes of violent celestial events that have stripped matter of its subatomic structures and hurled ...

  Loktak Lake ·        It   is a freshwater lake in the Manipur state of   Northeast India. ·        It hosts hundreds of floating islands called Phumdis with multiple plant species and Keibul Lamjao National Park, the only floating national park in the world. ·        The park is the last natural refuge of the endangered Sangai (state animal). ·        The lake is designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on 23 March 1990. ·        It was also listed under the Montreux Record in 1993, “a record of Ramsar sites where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring or are likely to occur”. ·        Loktak Day is observed every year on the 15th of October at the periphery of the Loktak lake.

  Keibul Lamjao National Park It is the world’s only floating national park. Location: ·        It is located in the Bishnupur district in Manipur. ·        The park is located in the southwestern part of the famous Loktak Lake, which is well known for the floating biomass called phumdis. ·        This is the last natural habitat of the endangered brow-antlered deer(Sangai deer), the dancing deer of Manipur. Vegetation: ·        The park is a combination of wetland, terrestrial and aquatic Flora: ·        It comprises of Saccharum munja (Khoimom), Zizania latifolia (Wild Rice) (Ishing kambong), Eiranthus procerus (Singnang), bengalensis, Cynodon dactylon (Tinthou), Discorea bulbifera (Phumha) etc. ·        Another kind of aquatic flora, phumdis, can be found in two types phumdi aruppa (sinking) and phumd...

  Sangai deer: ·        Scientific Name: Rucervus eldii ·        Common Name: Sangai, Brow antlered deer, Dancing Deer. ·        Habitat and Distribution: It is found only in Keibul Lamjao National Park. Features: ·        It is a medium-sized deer, with uniquely distinctive antlers, with extremely long brow tine, which forms the main beam. ·        It has a dark reddish-brown winter coat, which turns paler in summer. ·        Conservation Status: ·        Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule-1 ·        IUCN Red List: Endangered

  Cyclone Michaung Why in News: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an “orange” alert for Tamil Nadu and coastal and interior Andhra Pradesh due to the potential landfall of cyclone Michaung. About Cyclone Michaung ·        Uncommon Intensity: December cyclones in the North Indian Ocean typically do not reach high intensities. Michaung, with its severe storm classification, is an exception. ·        Upgraded Intensity: Initially predicted as a tropical cyclone, IMD upgraded Michaung to a ‘severe’ storm due to its unexpected intensification. ·        Heat Index Contribution: The intensification is attributed to the above-normal heat index values off the southern Andhra Pradesh coast. Cyclone: ·        It is a large-scale system of air that rotates around the centre of a low-pressure area. ·        It is u...

  Africa Green Industrialisation Initiative (AGII) ·        Africa Green Industrialisation Initiative (AGII) was recently launched at the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). ·        It was launched by representatives of Kenya, Angola, Burundi, Djibouti, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal and Zambia, and COP28 President. Aim: It is the ambitious programme to upscale and accelerate green industries and businesses across Africa. Launched by: The presidents and representatives from Kenya, Angola, Burundi, Djibouti, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal and Zambia, as well as COP28 President Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber. A Collaborative Approach: The initiative will bring together African Governments, initiative’s partners and other supporting institutions to offer accelerated end-to-end green growth solutions for committed go...