About Thamirabarani River:

• The Thamirabarani River – also known as the Tamraparni River or Porunai River, a rare perennial river in southern India flowing entirely through the Tamil Nadu
• The river contains a small amount of copper, which gives the river water a distinct reddish tinge.
• In Tamil, copper is called Thamiram and hence the river is named Thamirabarani.
• Porunai is its classical name in Sangam literature, where it has extensive literary references.
• Course:
  • It originates from the Agastyarkoodam peak of the Pothigai hills of the Western Ghats.
  • It flows entirely within Tamil Nadu before meeting the Gulf of Mannar near Tuticorin.

• Major Tributaries: Gadananathi River, the Manimuthar River, and the Pachaiyar River.
• Prominent dams include:
  • Papanasam Dam
  • Karaiyar Dam
  • Manimuthar Dam
  • Servalar Dam
  • Gadananathi Dam
• Major Waterfalls:
  • Banatheertham Falls
  • Agasthiyar Falls
  • Kalyana Theertham
• Temples like Papanasam Temple and Agasthiyar Temple are located along its banks.
  • Biodiversity:
    • It is one of the richest rivers in the world with fish.
    • All the three species of otters in India, the Eurasian otter, the smooth-coated otter, and the Asian small-clawed otter, inhabit the Thamirabarani River.

About Hyperkeratosis:

• Hyperkeratosis is a condition that causes skin to thicken in certain places.
• The thickening occurs when body produces too much keratin, a protein found in your skin’s outer layer.
  • Keratin helps to protect the body against infiltration by water and other chemical and biological agents with which it comes in contact every day.
• Hyperkeratosis can affect any area of body. Anyone can get hyperkeratosis. Some people have it at birth. Other people develop this condition as children or adults.
• There are two main types of hyperkeratosis:
  • Non-pressure-related hyperkeratosis: Thickening of your skin due to genetics.
  • Pressure-related hyperkeratosis: Thickening of your skin due to inflammation, irritation, or pressure.
• Several factors may cause hyperkeratosis, including:
  • Allergies.
  • Autoimmune diseases.
  • Chronic inflammation of the skin (dermatitis).
  • Infections of the skin, including HPV (human papillomavirus).
  • Genetics.
  • Medications, including chemotherapy.
  • Pressure or rubbing of your skin.
  • Psoriatic arthritis.
  • Reactions to chemicals, including tattoo ink.
  • Skin infections.
  • Sun exposure.
  • Vitamin A deficiency.
• Forms of hyperkeratosis include:
  • actinic keratosis, which causes rough, sandpaper-like patches of skin to develop as a result of excess skin exposure
  • calluses
  • corns
  • eczema
  • epidermolytic hyperkeratosis, an inherited skin disorder present at birth
  • lichen planus, a condition that causes white patches to grow on the inside of the mouth
  • plantar warts
  • psoriasis
  • Warts

About Maori:

• The Maori Tribe is an indigenous tribe, which has inhabited New Zealand for centuries.
  • New Zealand consists of two islands, the North Island and the South Island.
  • The South Island is larger and more mountainous than the North Island.
  • The vast majority (86%) of present-day Maori live on the North Island.
• They first arrived on the islands in the early 13th century.
• Today Māori make up about a sixth of New Zealand’s population.
• Culturally, they are Polynesians, most closely related to eastern Polynesians.
• Maori culture has endured centuries of torture and struggle, first in the hands of the ‘Crown’, and later others who wished to claim a spot on their land.
• Language:
  • Maori is classified as part of the Polynesian group of the Eastern Oceanic Branch of the Austronesian languages.
  • Approximately one-third of the Maori still speak their ancestral language, with the vast majority fluent in English as well.
  • The Māori language is an official language of New Zealand.
• At the center of Māori tradition is the marae—a sacred, communal meeting ground.
  • The marae usually consists of buildings and an open space.
  • It is used within the community for important meetings, communal meals, arts and crafts, and cultural shows.
• A famous aspect of Maori culture is the Haka, a powerful war dance known for its intensity, facial expressions, and rhythm.
• Their distinctive costumes serve as a visual expression of their heritage, reflecting their deep connection to the land and ancestral spirits.
• Another very prominent identity of the Maori people is their tattoos, which can be seen on their faces.
  • These tattoos are called ‘ta moko’ which is a traditional Maori art form, deeply symbolic and respected.
  • Ta moko designs are unique to each person and are a depiction of their social status, their genealogy, what they have done for society, and more.
• In recent decades, there has been a resurgence of Māori culture and activism, particularly following the civil rights movements in the 1960s and the establishment of the Treaty of Waitangi Act in 1975, which allowed for claims regarding historical grievances.

What is Waka?

• Waka means a canoe or vessel.
• However, in Maori culture, the meaning of waka goes far beyond that of a boat. It symbolises a shared journey, unity, and cooperation.

About Australian Grass Owl:

• Australian grass owl, also known as the Eastern grass owl, is an elusive species of owl in the family Tytonidae.
• Scientific Name: Tyto longimembris
• Habitat and Distribution:
  • It lives in eastern, southern and southeast Asia, parts of New Guinea, Australia (mainly in Queensland) and the western Pacific.
  • It has also been found in the coastal islands.
  • It prefers grassland habitat, including savanna, floodplains and agricultural fields.
  • One of the most remarkable aspects of this species is its preference for roosting and nesting on the ground, a behavior uncommon among owls.
  • The owl constructs its nest amidst tall grass, meticulously hidden from view.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Key Facts about Maguri Motapung Beel:

• It is a large freshwater wetland located near the Motapung village of Assam’s Tinsukia district.
• It is located in the south bank of the Dibru River, which is a channel of the mighty Brahmaputra
• The Beel is connected to the Dibru River by a system of channels and is very rich in aquatic life.
• The wetland was declared an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) in 1996.
• The lake supports many species of birds and a large human population, most of which depend on fishing for a livelihood.
• It is a major stopover for wintering migratory birds. It hosts species like the Greater Adjutant Stork, Spot-billed Pelican, and various migratory waterfowls during winter months. 

About New Species of Jumping Spiders:

• All three species of jumping spiders belong to the genus Onomastus.
• The new species are:
  • Onomastus brahmagiri: It was discovered in the Brahmagiri Hills of the Western Ghats in India.
  • Onomastus silentvalley: It was discovered in the shola forests of Silent Valley National Park, Kerala.
  • Onomastus wijesinghei: It was discovered in the montane forests of Sri Lanka.
• Onomastus belongs to one of the oldest lineages of jumping spiders and is restricted to the Oriental region.
• The newly described species are known only from isolated montane forests and are believed to have limited dispersal ability.
• The findings support the “sky island” concept, in which isolated montane habitats act as natural islands, promoting long-term geographic isolation, speciation, and high levels of endemism.

About Eärendil-1:

• It is the first satellite planned by US startup Reflect Orbital.
• Purpose: Its purpose is to reflect sunlight towards specific spots on the earth at nighttime.
• Working:
  • It is a single satellite in a non-geostationary orbit fit with a “deployable, highly specular thin-film reflector”.
  • The reflector will be motorised and can be steered to different orientations.
  • It is intended to use this technology to extend the usable hours for solar panels and provide light during “critical operations” like emergency or humanitarian missions.
• Orbital Profile: The satellite will operate at a LEO altitude between 600 kilometers and 650 kilometers.
• Significance: It makes clean, abundant energy available on demand and that its technology can help alleviate energy concerns, aid with disaster responses, fulfill industrial needs and boost agriculture.

About Dudhwa Tiger Reserve:

• Location: It is located on the Indo-Nepal border in the district of Lakhimpur-Kheri in Uttar Pradesh.
  • It includes the Dudhwa National Park and two nearby sanctuaries, viz. Kishanpur and Katerniaghat.
• Topography: It is a typical Tarai-Bhabar habitat of the upper Gangetic plains biogeographic province.
• Rivers: The Sharda River flows by the Kishanpur WL Sanctuary, the Geruwa River flows through the Katerniaghat WL Sanctuary, and the Suheli and Mohana streams flow in the Dudhwa National Park, all of which are tributaries of the mighty Ghagra River.
• Vegetation: The vegetation is of the North Indian Moist Deciduous type, containing some of the finest examples of Sal forests in India.
• Flora: It mainly consists of Sal Forest along with its associate tree species like Terminalia alata (Asna), Lagerstroemia parviflora (Asidha), Adina cordifolia (Haldu), etc.
• Fauna: Tiger, leopard, Swamp deer, Rhinoceros, chital, hog deer, barking deer, Sambhar, wild boar, and Ratel.

There are about 400 species of birds in the park, such as the Florican and black-necked storks.

About Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora:

• CITES was adopted in 1973 and entered into force in 1975.
• It is a global agreement between 185 Parties (184 countries and the European Union) that regulates international trade in wild animals and plants.
• It aims to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants is legal, sustainable and traceable, and does not threaten the survival of the species in the wild.
• Functions:
  • CITES regulates international trade in specimens of species of wild animals and plants based on a system of permits and certificates issued under certain conditions.
  • It covers export, re-export, import and landing from the high seas of live and dead animals and plants and their parts and derivatives, including any processed products. 
  • Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties – in other words, they have to implement the Convention–it does not take the place of national laws.
• CITES Secretariat: Geneva, Switzerland (administered by the United Nations Environment Programme )
• Representatives of CITES nations meet every two to three years at a Conference of the Parties (or COP) to review progress and adjust the lists of protected species, which are grouped into three categories with different levels of protection:
• Appendix I:
  • It includes species threatened with extinction and provides the greatest level of protection, including a prohibition on commercial trade.
• Appendix II:
  • It includes species that are not currently threatened with extinction but may become so without trade controls. 
  • Regulated trade is allowed if the exporting country issues a permit based on findings that the specimens were legally acquired and the trade will not be detrimental to the survival of the species or its role in the ecosystem.
• Appendix III:
  • It includes species for which a country has asked other CITES parties to help control international trade. 
  • Trade in Appendix III species is regulated using CITES export permits (issued by the country that listed the species in Appendix III) and certificates of origin (issued by all other countries).
  • Countries may list species for which they have domestic regulations in Appendix III at any time.

About Negotiated Dealing System-Order Matching:

• It was launched in 2005 by the Reserve Bank of India.
• It is a screen based electronic anonymous order matching system for secondary market trading in Government securities owned by RBI.
• Presently the membership of the system is open to entities like Banks, Primary Dealers, Insurance Companies, Mutual Funds etc.
• All central government securities, state government securities and treasury bills are tradable on the NDS-OM Web Module.
• Additionally, it allows members to negotiate bilaterally through “Request for Quote”
• The system is designed to bring transparency to secondary market transactions while enabling members to place bids and offers directly on the NDS-OM screen.
• There are two types of NDS-OM members, including:
  • Direct Members: Direct members have current accounts with the RBI and can directly settle trades on NDS-OM.
  • Indirect Members: Indirect members do not have current accounts with the RBI and must settle through NDS-OM members that have direct accounts.
  • Most foreign institutional investors have indirect access, while resident entities may have direct access.
• Trade Settlement: Under this trades are settled at T+1 and guaranteed by Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL).
• Benefits:
  • Wider market access; level playing field for all.
  • Immediate dissemination of market info
  • Lower transaction cost.