BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER

• Context: Rivers in Brahmaputra and Baraka Basin are flowing in severe flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal

About Brahmaputra River:

• The Brahmaputra rises in Tibet east of Mansarowar lake very close to the sources of the Indus and the Satluj.
• It is slightly longer than the Indus, and most of its course lies outside India.
• It flows eastwards parallel to the Himalayas.
• On reaching the Namcha Barwa (7757 m), it takes a ‘U’ turn and enters India in Arunachal Pradesh through a gorge.
• Here, it is called the Dihang and it is joined by the Dibang, the Lohit, and many other tributaries to form the Brahmaputra in Assam
• In Tibet the river carries a smaller volume of water and less silt as it is a cold and a dry area.
• In India it passes through a region of high rainfall.
• Here the river carries a large volume of water and considerable amount of silt.
• The Brahmaputra has a braided channel in its entire length in Assam and forms many riverine islands.
• Every year during the rainy season, the river overflows its banks, causing widespread devastation due to floods in Assam and Bangladesh.
• Unlike other north Indian rivers, the Brahmaputra is marked by huge deposits of silt on its bed causing the river bed to rise.
• The river also shifts its channel frequently

PLOONET

• If the moon turns rogue as it moves nearer to its star, breaking away — or being forced out of its orbit by the planet — and going off on its own trip in effect behaving like a planet in its own right.
• The researchers explain that the angular momentum between the planet and its moon results in the moon escaping the gravitational pull of its parent.
• They concede, however, that ploonets remain hypothetical.

SAGAR MAITRI MISSION-2

• Context: INS Sagardhwani embarks on mission Sagar Maitri
• INS Sagardhwani, an oceanographic research vessel of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, embarked on a two-month-long Sagar Maitri Mission-2 from Southern Naval Command in Kochi

About Sagar Maitri

• It is a unique initiative of the DRDO which aligns with the broad objective of ‘Safety and Growth for All in the Region’ (SAGAR)
• Aim: To promote closer cooperation in socio-economic aspects as well as greater scientific interaction, especially in ocean research among Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) countries
• Objectives: Data collection from the entire North Indian Ocean, focusing on the Andaman Sea and adjoining seas and establishing long-term collaboration with eight IOR countries in the field of ocean research and development
• The other IOR countries include Oman, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Myanmar.

About INS Sagardhwani:

• It is a marine acoustic research ship (MARS) owned by the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), a DRDO laboratory and is maintained and operated by the Indian Navy, and based at Southern Naval Command, Kochi.
• It was commissioned on July 30, 1994.
• The ship is fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, including the latest wave height measuring radar, and is exclusively used for the scientific and research programmes.

REPORT: INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION (ILO)<

• The report titled “Working on a warmer planet: The impact of heat stress on labor productivity and decent work” recently released by ILO

About the Report:

• Rising temperatures and increasing heat stress at work will lead to the loss of 80 million full time jobs and to global economic losses of $2.4 trillion in 2030.
• People who work outdoors mainly in the agricultural and construction sectors will be most affected by rising temperatures.
• Agriculture will account for 60 percent of global working hours lost due to heat stress, followed by the construction sector with an estimated loss of 19 percent.
• Southern Asia and western Africa are the most seriously affected regions
• Heat stress is concentrated in countries, in regions with existing decent work deficits, a large share of informal employment, extended working poverty, and limited social security coverage,
• Workers in wealthy countries also will be affected by excessive heat, but to a much lesser extent than those in poor countries.
  The ILO urges governments to enact policies to address heat stress risks and protect workers.
• These include the creation of better working conditions and improving early warning systems for heat events.
• It also calls for enhancing occupational safety and health to help people tackle heat-related hazards.
• Context- The ‘Brindavana’ (tomb) of Sri Vyasaraja Tirtha, a renowned saint of the Madhwa tradition at Anegundi near Hampi, was found razed.

HAMPI

• The austere, grandiose site of Hampi was the last capital of the Kingdom of Vijayanagar.
• Its fabulously rich princes built Dravidian temples and palaces which won the admiration of travellers between the 14th and 16th centuries.
• Location: Hampi’s spectacular setting is dominated by river Tungabhadra, craggy hill ranges and open plains, with widespread physical remains.

Features of Hampi

• Hampi houses the famous Virupaksha Temple, Vithala Temple and Nandi Statue.
• Group of Monuments at Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• They are Dravidian temple and palaces that won the admiration of travelers between the 14th and 16th centuries.
• The Vitthala temple in Hampi is an excellent example of Vijayanagar style.
• The monolithic statues of Lakshmi, Narasimha and Ganesha are noted for their massiveness and grace.
• The Krishna temple, Pattabhirama temple, Hazara Ramachandra and Chandrasekhara temple and also the Jain temples, are other examples.
• Majority of these temples in Hampi were provided with widespread bazaars flanked on either side by storied Mandapas.
• Virupaksha Temple, Hampi
• It is located in Hampi in Karnataka on the banks of the Tungabhadra river
• It is dedicated to Lord Shiva
• It is built in 735 AD by a queen of Vikramaditya II to celebrate the victory over the Pallavas of Kanchipuram.

CERCOPITHECUS ROLOWAY MONKEY

• Context: IUCN added more than 7000 animals, fish and plants to its endangered “Red List”

About Roloway Monkey:

• It is endemic to tropical West Africa
• It has a white beard, chest, and throat; there are a white stripe along each thigh and a deep reddish or orange patch on its back.
• On the inside of the thighs, the fur is whitish, yellowish, or reddish.
• The body length ranges from 40 to 55 cm and its weight is between 4 and 7 kg
• Roloway monkeys consume a diverse array of varying insects, fruit, seeds, and flowers. They can feed on the plant parts of roughly 130 species of trees, climvbers, and epiphytes.

IUCN RED LIST	CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
CITES	APPENDIX I