World Customs Organisation (WCO)
- India has become the Vice-Chair (Regional Head) of the Asia Pacific Region of WCO for a period of two years (2018-2020).
- WCO established in 1952, is an independent intergovernmental body whose mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administrations.
- WCO is the only international organization with competence in Customs matters.
- It represents 182 Customs administrations across the globe that collectively process approximately 98% of world trade.
- The organisation has divided its membership into six regions. Each of the regions is represented by an elected vice-chairperson to the WCO council.
- It is considered as the voice of the International Customs community.
Social Media Communication Hubs
- The Supreme Court recently took a strong note of the social media communication hub proposed by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
- It is a hub for monitoring online data and will be setup in each district across the country.
- Using this analytical tool, the Centre wishes to track social media movements in every district of the country to predict a global public perception.
- It may also help in tackling fake news and the Centre will gauge people’s reactions to their schemes and strategies.
- The SC has observed that it would result in creating a surveillance state.
MeerKAT radio telescope
- MeerKAT telescope is a scientific mega-project in South Africa.
- It will be an array of 64 interlinked receptors to unlock cosmic conundrums from dark energy to detecting extraterrestrial life.
- A receptor is the complete antenna structure, with the main reflector, sub-reflector and all receivers, digitisers and other electronics installed.
- It will be incorporated into the complex Square Kilometre Array (SKA) instrument.
- It is the biggest radio telescope of its kind in the southern hemisphere.
Golden Jackel
- Destruction of mangrove cover in the Bandar Reserve Forest is forcing the golden jackal out of its habitat.
- The conservation status of the animal is the ‘least concern’ and it preys on wild crab and fish.
- The Golden Jackal is widespread in North and north-east Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Eastern Europe and the entire Indian Subcontinent.
- In India, jackal populations achieve high densities in pastoral areas such as Kutch, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Haryana.
- It is present in all protected areas of India except for those in the high elevation regions of the Himalayas.
- The species is included in CITES Appendix III (in India).
- Jackals feature on Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) of India and are afforded the least legal protection (mainly to control trade of pelts and tails).
Harrier birds
- Harrier birds are migratory raptor species that regularly visits vast swathes of India.
- India has one of the largest roosting sites in the world for Pallid Harriers and Montagu’s Harriers.
- Recent reports highlights that the numbers of birds visiting the site are declining.
- While a general declining trend was observed in all the monitored sites, researchers noted the most dramatic changes at the Rollapadu Bustard Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool district.
- In Hessarghatta on the outskirts of Bengaluru, Western Marsh Harriers declined significantly, leaving the area nearly deserted.
- The gravest concern is the loss of grasslands, either to urbanisation or to agriculture.
- Excessive use of pesticides in farms in and around the roosting sites could also be a reason for the lowered population counts.
Source: The Hindu, PIB
