Karakoram Anomaly

• Karakoram Range is resisting glacial melt due to global warming, defying the trend of glaciers losing mass across the globe, with the Himalayas being no exception.
• They have attributed this phenomenon called ‘Karakoram Anomaly’ to the recent revival of western disturbances (WDs).  
• A recent study conducted under his supervision has postulated a new theory to explain this defiance of the impacts of global warming in certain pockets as opposed to other glaciers of the region.
• It is for the first time that a study brought forth the importance that enhanced WD-precipitation input during the accumulation period plays in modulating regional climatic anomalies.  
• While previous studies have highlighted the role of temperature in establishing and sustaining the anomaly over the years, it is for the first time that the impact of precipitation in feeding the anomaly has been highlighted.

Zero Coupon Zero Principal instruments (ZCZP)

• This will help many organizations including corporates to utilize their fund marked for social responsibility and also help non-profit organizations to get funds in a more transparent manner.
• In simple words, neither any interest is paid nor principal is repaid under ZCZP.
• Zero Coupon-Zero Principal instrument means an instrument issued by a not-for-profit organization that shall be registered with the social stock exchange (SSE) segment of a recognized stock exchange in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
• The new notification is a follow-up to the announcement in the FY20 Budget.
• Finance Minister has quoted "It is time to take our capital markets closer to the masses and meet various social welfare objectives related to inclusive growth and financial inclusion"

Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011

• Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), Rules 2022 has allowed electronic products to declare certain mandatory declarations through the QR Code for a period of one year, if not declared in the package itself.
• This amendment will allow the industry to declare the elaborated information in digital form through the QR Code.
• It will allow important declarations to be declared effective on the label in the package while the other descriptive information can be conveyed to the Consumer through the QR Code.
• The Department to enable greater use of technology in this digital era to declare the mandatory declaration through the QR Code which can be scanned to view the declarations like the address of the manufacturer or packer or importer, the common or generic name of the commodity, the size, and the dimension of the commodity& customer care details except for the telephone number & e-mail address.
• Earlier, all the prepackaged commodities including the electronic products are required to declare all the mandatory declarations as per the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), Rules 2011 on the package.

Minority status

• Minority status of religious and linguistic communities is “State-dependent”, the Supreme Court.
• The court was hearing a petition filed by a Mathura resident complaining that followers of Judaism, Bahaism, and Hinduism, who are the real minorities in Ladakh, Mizoram, Lakshadweep, Kashmir, and Nagaland, cannot establish and administer educational institutions of their choice because of non-identification of ‘minority’ at State level.
• Hindus residing in certain States were unable to exercise their rights under Articles 29 and 30 in the absence of a specific notification declaring them a minority.
• The Supreme court indicated that a religious or linguistic community that is a minority in a particular State can claim protection and the right to administer and run its own educational institutions under Articles 29 and 30 of the Constitution. 

Sannati site

• The ancient Buddhist site on the bank of Bhima river near Kanaganahalli (forming part of Sannati site) in Kalaburagi district.
• An ‘abandoned well’ in the eyes of local villagers turned out to be the magnificent Maha Stupa, which was referred to as Adholoka Maha Chaitya (the Great Stupa of the netherworlds) in the inscriptions, and, the stone portrait of Emperor Ashoka, surrounded by his queens and female attendants.
• While the Stupa is believed to be one of the largest of its time, the stone portrait is considered to be the only surviving image of the Mauryan Emperor which had the inscription ‘Raya Asoko’ in Brahmi on it.
• The Maha Stupa is believed to have been developed in three constructional phases  Maurya, Early Satavahana, and Later Satavahana periods stretching from 3rd Century B.C. to 3rd Century A.D.