1. Thanatotheristes Degrootorum

Why in News?

• The scientists have recently revealed that a dinosaur fossil, found in Alberta in Canada (2010), belongs to a new species of

About:

• The new species has been named ‘Thanatotheristes degrootorum’ (means “reaper of death”).
• The species is the oldest tyrannosaur known from northern North America.
• Tyrannosaurs were one of the largest meat-eating dinosaurs to have ever lived, with very large and high skulls.
• They did not have one general body type; rather different tyrannosaur species evolved distinct body sizes, skull forms and other such physical features.
• The found fossils are important to understand the Late Cretaceous period, which is the period when tyrannosaurs roamed the Earth.
• Cretaceous Period, in geologic time, is the last of the three periods of the Mesozoic Era.
• The Cretaceous began 145.0 million years ago and ended 66 million years ago; it followed the Jurassic Period and was succeeded by the Paleogene Period.

2. Melting of Thwaites Glacier

Context:

• A new study has recently detected the presence of warm water at a vital point beneath the Thwaitesglacier as the cause of its melting.

Thwaites Glacier:

• It is often called the Doomsday Glacier.
• It is 120 km wide, fast-moving glacier located in west Antarctica. Because of its size it contains enough water to raise the world sea level by more than half a metre.
• Its melting already contributes 4%to global sea-level rise each year. It is estimated that it would collapse into the sea in 200-900
• It is important for Antarctica as it slows the ice behind it from freely flowing into the ocean.
• It has found the amount of ice flowing out of it has nearly doubled over the past 30 years.

3. National Institute of Smart Government (NISG)

Context:

• Recently, the Punjab’s Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA) and the National Institute of Smart Government (NISG) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for capacity building on e-government services in the State.

National Institute of Smart Government:

• It is a not-for-profit company set up in a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) under the recommendations of the National Taskforce on Information Technology and Software Development, with 51% equity contributed by the private sector and 49% by the public sector.
• It is registered as a Section 25 company in 2002 with its headquarters at Hyderabad.
• The main idea is to bring the revolution in Information and Communication Technologies which necessitates the government to keep up with the changing environment and revolutionize the way the Government interacts with citizens and business entities.
• Its Important Stakeholders are NASSCOM, Government of India, Andhra Pradesh, IL&FS, Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya and Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation.

4. National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Why in News?

• Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) is preparing the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage:

• SNA is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture is the nodal agency for the Scheme for ‘Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage and Diverse Cultural Traditions of India’.
• As of now, SNA is collaborating with Zonal Cultural Centers of Ministry, collating and preparing a list of ICH elements for National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
• List of ICH elements is being compiled and at least 100 elements will be documented by March, 2020 and the aim is to document at least 20 new elements in ICH list every year.
• Along with this establishment of an ‘Indian Institute for Culture’ is at conceptual stage and a mission called National Culture Mapping portal is being conceptualized for aggregating art forms and artists. It is in pilot phase.

5. Ajeya Warrior

Why in News?

• The Fifth Edition of ‘Ajeya Warrior’ is a joint military exercise held between India-UK is conducted at Salisbury Plains, United Kingdom from 13th-26th February, 2020.

About the Exercise:

• It was held for the first time in 2013.
• It aims to conduct company level joint training with emphasis on counter terrorist’s operation in Urban and Semi Urban areas.
• It will also promote defence cooperation and enhance interoperability while sharing experiences between both the armies.

Other Exercises:

• Exercise Konkan is an annual maritime bilateral exercise between Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Britain.
• Exercise Indradhanush is a joint bilateral air exercise between India and the UK