Honduras Latest News

Recently, India has dispatched humanitarian assistance of 26 tons to Honduras in the wake of the recent Tropical storm SARA.

About Honduras

• It is located in Central America.
• Honduras Bordered by
  • It is bordered by Guatemala to the west; by El Salvador to the southwest; and by Nicaragua to the southeast.
  • It is also bounded by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca to the south and by the Caribbean Sea at the Gulf of Honduras to the north.
• Climate: The climate is generally hot, with high humidity in the tropical coastal lowlands becoming modified by elevation toward the interior. 
• Terrain: More than three-fourths of the land area of Honduras is mountainous.
• Highest Peak: Mount Las Minas. 
• Major Rivers: The Coco River forms the border with Nicaragua and other important rivers are Patuca & Ulúa.
• The major bodies of water are Lake Yojoa, which is the only significant lake in the entire nation, and the Caratasca Lagoon in the northeast.
• Natural Resource: Timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower.
• Capital: Tegucigalpa

Honduras FAQs

Q1. What is Honduras famous for?

Ans. Honduras is best known for the production and export of agricultural products (coffee, tropical fruits and sugar cane) as well as for its textile industry (maquila).

Q2. What are the major landforms in Honduras?

Ans. Honduras has four distinct regions: the central highlands, Pacific lowlands, eastern Caribbean lowlands, and northern coastal plains and mountains.

Source: NOA

Selenium Latest News

Medical experts have linked cases of sudden hair loss affecting 279 people in Maharashtra's Buldhana district to high selenium content found in wheat supplied through local ration shops from Punjab and Haryana.

About Selenium

• It is a trace mineral, which means that the body only needs a small amount of it. 
• It is a mineral found in the soil and naturally appears in water and some foods.
• Soil and ground water contain inorganic forms of selenium that plants accumulate and convert to organic forms, mostly selenomethionine and selenocysteine and their methylated derivatives.
• Selenium is a constituent of 25 selenoproteins, including thioredoxin reductases, glutathione peroxidases, and selenoprotein P.
• Human bodycan’t produce Selenium on its own. You have to get it through diet.
• The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of Selenium for adult men and women 19+ years of age is 55 micrograms daily. Women who are pregnant and lactating need about 60 and 70 micrograms daily, respectively.
• Food Sources of Selenium: Protein foods from animals are generally good sources of selenium. Seafood, organ meats, and Brazil nuts are the foods highest in selenium
• Health benefits: Selenoproteins play critical roles in thyroid hormone metabolism, DNA synthesis, reproduction, and protection from oxidative damage and infection.

Selenium FAQs

Q1: What is the main function of selenium?

Ans: It help to make DNA and protect against cell damage and infections;

Q2: Where is selenium found naturally?

Ans: It occurs naturally in Earth's crust, its presence in air, water, and soil

Source: TH

Kalakkad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve Latest News

Recently, the post-monsoon wildlife census at Kalakkad Division of Kalakkad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) commenced.

About Kalakkad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

• It is located in the Southern Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu. 
• It includes three main sanctuaries: Kalakad Sanctuary, Mundanthurai Sanctuary, and a part of Kanyakumari Sanctuary.
• It is nestled between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the Agastya Malai Hill Range forms the core area of the sanctuary and is part of one of the world's 18 biodiversity hotspots. 
• It is also known as the “River Sanctuary”, with as many as 14 rivers originating from this Tiger Reserve.
• Terrain: Undulating with several valleys and porous rocks.

Vegetation of Kalakkad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

• It varies from thorny shrub jungles to lush evergreen forests.
• It also consists of savannah woodlands, and grasslands; there are tea and coffee plantations within the reserve.

Flora and Fauna of Kalakkad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

• Flora: Important species include Sarcandra, Paphiopedulum, druryi, Hopea parviflora, Hopea utilis, Calophylum elatum, Cullenia exarillata, etc.
• Fauna: Tiger, leopard, rusty spotted cat, sloth bear, elephant, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, mouse deer, nilgiri langur, slender loris, bonnet macaque,lion tailed macaque, etc.

Kalakkad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve FAQs

Q1: Which district is Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in?

Ans: Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu

Q2: Which river flows through Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve?

Ans: The Servalar River is a tributary of the Thamirabarani River and flows through the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger

Q3: What is the evergreen forest?

Ans: An evergreen forest is a forest made up of trees that keep their leaves all year. Evergreen forests can be found in a variety of climates, including tropical, temperate, and cold. 

Source: TH

Spices Board Latest News

The Spices Board is working with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and other regulatory agencies to bring in more regulations for the industry.

About Spices Board

• It is a statutory body constituted on 26th February 1987 under the Spices Board Act 1986, with the merger of the erstwhile Cardamom Board (1968) and Spices Export Promotion Council (1960). 
• It is one of the five Commodity Boards functioning under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• It is responsible for the overall development of the cardamom industry and export promotion of 52 spices listed in the schedule of the Spices Board Act, 1986. 
• The primary function of the Board includes the development of small and large cardamom, promotion, development, regulation of export of spices, and control on the quality of spices for export. 
• The Board is an international link between the Indian exporters and the importers abroad.
• It also undertakes research activities on cardamom (small & large) under the Indian Cardamom Research Institute.

Spices Board FAQs

Q1. Where is the headquarters of the Spices Board of India?

Ans. Kochi, Kerala.

Q2. Which state is called the land of spices?

Ans. Kerala is known as the land of spices.

Q3. Which is the king of spices?

Ans. Black Pepper is considered the 'king of spices.

Source: TH

Slender-Billed Gull Latest News

Birders in Chennai recently recorded a rare shorebird, the slender-billed gull, at the Pallikaranai marshland.

About Slender-Billed Gull

• It is a medium-sized seabird species.
• Scientific Name: Chroicocephalus genei

Slender-Billed Gull Distribution

• It breeds very locally around the Mediterranean and the north of the western Indian Ocean (e.g. Pakistan) on islands and coastal lagoons. 
• Most of the population is somewhat migratory, wintering further south to north Africa and India, and a few birds have wandered to western Europe. 
• In India, it is considered a regular along the western coast with several records from wetlands of northern India.

Slender-Billed Gull Features

• It is 37 to 40 cm long with a 90 to 102 cm wingspan.
• It has a pale grey body, a white head and breast, and black tips to the primary wing feathers. 
• The head and dark red bill have an elongated tapering appearance, and this bird also appears long-necked.
• The legs are dark red, and the iris is yellow. 
• About half of the slender-billed gull's food is fish. It flies a few metres above the surface of the water and dives into the water when it sees suitable prey. 
• Conservation Status: ‘Least Concern’ under the IUCN Red List.

Key Facts About Pallikaranai Marshland

• It is a freshwater marsh and partly saline wetland situated about 20 kilometres south of the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
• It serves as an aquatic buffer of the flood-prone Chennai and Chengalpattu districts.
• It encompasses 65 wetlands through two outlets, viz., Okkiyam Madavu and the Kovalam Creek, and falls into the Bay of Bengal.
• On its eastern periphery, the marsh is flanked by the Buckingham Canal.
• Parts of the marsh are well below the mean sea level and qualify as low-lying basins. 
• It is one of the Ramsar sites in India.

Slender-Billed Gull FAQs

Q1. How do you identify a slender-billed gull?

Ans. It is a medium-sized gull with a long, slender bill.

Q2. What do slender-billed gulls eat?

Ans. The diet of the species consists mainly of fish (50 % of the diet), as well as insects and marine invertebrates.

Q3. How big are slender-billed gulls?

Ans. It is 37 to 40 cm long with a 90 to 102 cm wingspan.

Source: TOI

Caspian Sea Latest News

Environmental activists are quite concerned and alarmed over the rapidly declining water levels of the Caspian Sea. 

About Caspian Sea

• It is the world’s largest water body that is enclosed or bordered by land on all sides. 
• This massive lake is located between Asia and Europe.
• The sea’s name derives from the ancient Kaspi peoples, who once lived in Transcaucasia to the west.
• It is an endorheic basin (drainage basin without an outflow).
• It covers a total surface area of about 386,400 sq.km. and is about 1,200 km long and 320 km wide. 
• Bordering countries: It is bordered by Russia and Azerbaijan on the west, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan on the north and east, and Iran on the south. 
• The composition of the water of the Caspian Sea also varies from almost fresh in the northern parts of the lake to saltier southwards. 
• The mean salinity of the Caspian Sea is now about one-third that of the oceans. 
• Three major rivers—the Volga, the Ural, and the Terek—empty into the Caspian from the north. 
• Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is the largest city on the Caspian. Another important city along the Caspian is Iran’s Nowshahr.
• The sea contains as many as 50 islands, most of them small. The largest are Chechen, Tyuleny, Morskoy, Kulaly, Zhiloy, and Ogurchin.
• The sea is also known for its abundance of energy resources (oil and natural gas reserves in offshore fields and onshore on the coast of the sea).
• It is the source of most of the world’s caviar. 

Caspian Sea FAQs

Q1. Which countries border the Caspian Sea?

Ans. It is bordered by Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Iran.

Q2. Where is the Caspian Sea located?

Ans. It is located between Asia and Europe.

Q3. Which is the largest lake in the world?

Ans. The largest lake in the world by surface area is the Caspian Sea.

Source: TOI

Black Plastic Latest News

Black Plastic made headlines as a recent study claimed that the material contained toxic flame retardants which could be leaching into food at hazardous levels.

About Black Plastic

• It is a type of plastic used to make everyday items like food trays, containers, and utensils.
• It is often made from recycled electronic waste such as computers, TVs, and appliances.
• These are more likely to contain unregulated amounts of toxic chemicals including heavy metals and flame retardants.
• The issue is that these electronics typically contain substances such as the flame retardant bromine; antimony; and heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury.
• These electronics comprise flame retardants in a bid to prevent fire hazards.

Impact of Black Plastic on Human Health

• The aforementioned substances and heavy metals are known to be toxic to humans at high levels of exposure.
• Children are particularly vulnerable as they often come into prolonged contact with toys that could expose them to harmful chemicals through direct handling or ingestion.
• Toxic chemicals in black plastic kitchen utensils could leach into food during heating, compounding the risk of exposure for households using these products regularly.
• Studies have shown that chemicals in black plastic, such as BPA and phthalates, disrupt the endocrine system, leading to potential reproductive health issues, obesity, and diabetes.
• It is difficult to recycle and often ends up in landfills or incinerators, releasing toxic substances like dioxins and furans into the air.

Black Plastic FAQs

Q1: Why black plastic is not recyclable?

Ans: Black plastic is not easily recyclable because the carbon black pigment used to color it absorbs near-infrared (NIR) light.

Q2: What are the disadvantages of black plastic?

Ans: Black plastics can contain unregulated amounts of toxic chemicals such as phthalates and flame retardants, as well as heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, nickel, chromium, and mercury. 

Q3: What are black plastics?

Ans: These are made from the plastics in recycled electronics such as televisions and computers.

Source: IE

Bhitarkanika National Park Latest News

Bhitarkanika National Park, known for hosting large numbers of migratory birds during winter, is witnessing an early departure of these avian visitors.

About Bhitarkanika National Park

• Location: It is located in the Kendrapara district of Odisha.
• The National park is essentially a network of creeks and canals which are inundated with waters from the Brahmani, Baitarani, Dhamra, and Patasala rivers forming a unique ecosystem.
• It is spread over a vast area of 672 sq.km.
• It is India’s second largest mangrove ecosystem after the Sunderbans.
• It houses a variety of brooks, backwaters, estuaries, deltas, and mud huts. 
• Proximity to the Bay of Bengal makes the soil of the area enriched with salt; the vegetation and species of the sanctuary are comprised of those that are mainly found in the tropical and subtropical intertidal regions.
• It is also designated as the second Ramsar site in Odisha after the Chilika Lake.
• Flora: Mangrove species, casuarinas, and grasses like the indigo bush.
• Fauna:
  • It is home to the largest congregation of the endangered Salt Water Crocodile in the country.
  • The Gahirmatha Beach, which forms the boundary of the park in the east, is the largest colony of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtles.
  • It is also home to numerous animals like hyenas, wild boar, Chitals, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Wild Boar, Jungle cat, Wild Pigs, etc., and migratory birds, which make it their home during the winter season, lending a vibrant hue to the eco system.

Bhitarkanika National Park FAQs

Q1. Which river flows through Bhitarkanika?

Ans. Brahmani, Baitarani, Dhamra, and Patasala rivers

Q2. Why is Bhitarkanika National Park famous?

Ans. It is famous for its mangrove forests, estuarine ecosystem, and rich biodiversity.

Q3. Is Bhitarkanika a Ramsar site?

Ans. Yes, Bhitarkanika National Park is a Ramsar Site.

Source: NIE

Spinal Muscular Atrophy Latest News

Recently, clinical neuroscientists said that they have managed to treat a deadly motor neuron disease spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in a baby who was still in the womb.

About Spinal Muscular Atrophy

• It is a debilitating genetic condition which affects motor neurons that control movement, and leads to progressive muscle weakening.
• Types of SMA: There are five subtypes of SMA- type 0, 1, 2, 3, 4. Healthcare providers classify them based on the age of onset, as well as the severity and life expectancy.

Symptoms of Spinal Muscular Atrophy

• Its symptoms vary and may be mild or disabling, but involve a weakness of the muscles that control movement. Involuntary muscles are not affected, such as those in the heart, blood vessels and digestive tract.
• The weakness in SMA tends to be more severe in the muscles that are close to the center of your body than in the muscles farther away from your body’s center.

Causes of Spinal Muscular Atrophy

• The condition is caused by mutations in the survival motor neuron gene (SMN1) which causes a deficiency of a protein crucial for the survival of motor neurons in the spinal cord.
• Prevalence: About one in every 10,000 births have some form of the condition making it a leading genetic cause of death in infants and children.

Symptom Management Therapies of Spinal Muscular Atrophy May Include

• Unfortunately, there isn’t a cure for SMA. Treatment for SMA mainly seeks to manage symptoms and prevent complications.
• Physical therapy, which can help improve posture, prevent joint immobility and slow muscle weakness.
• Between 2016 and 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved treatments that can significantly improve the course of SMA. They include: Disease-modifying therapy and Gene replacement therapy.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy FAQs

Q1. What is spinal muscular atrophy?

Ans. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a disorder affecting the motor neurons—nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement.

Q2. What are the early signs of spinal muscular atrophy?

Ans. Early signs are limited movement, can't sit without support, and have trouble breathing, feeding, and swallowing.

Q3. What is the difference between muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy?

Ans. In SMA, the motor neurons that serve the muscles that are located in the spinal cord are destroyed. In MD, the damage is often occurring to the muscle fibers themselves.

Source: IE