FocusCivils

DeepFake

Deep synthesis is defined as the use of technologies, including deep learning and augmented reality, to generate text, images, audio and video to create virtual scenes.
Deepfakes are a compilation of artificial images and audio put together with machine-learning algorithms to spread misinformation and replace a real person's appearance, voice, or both with similar artificial likenesses or voices. It can create people who do not exist and it can fake real people saying and doing things they did not say or do.

What is a ‘bad bank’? A bad bank is a financial entity set up to buy non performing assets (NPAs), or bad loans, from banks. The aim of setting up a bad bank is to help ease the burden on banks by taking bad loans off their balance  sheets and get them to lend again to  customers without constraints. After the purchase of a bad loan from a bank, the bad bank may later try to restructure and sell the NPA to  investors who might be interested in  purchasing it. A bad bank makes a profit in its  operations if it manages to sell the loan at a price  higher than what it paid to acquire the loan from a commercial bank. However,  generating profits is usually not the primary  purpose of a bad bank — the objective is to ease the burden on banks, of holding a large pile of stressed assets, and to get them to lend more actively. 

Buddha Purnima
The Prime Minister has recalled the principles of Lord Buddha and reiterated his commitment to fulfill them on the occasion of Buddha Purnima.
He also visited Nepal during this special occasion. This will be PM Modi fifth visit to Nepal since 2014, and first by any Indian Prime Minister to Lumbini.
“India and Nepal’s ever-strengthening friendship and our closeness will benefit the entire humanity in the kind of global conditions that are emerging," PM Modi said while addressing the International Buddhist Conference. He also laid the foundation stone for the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage in the Lumbini Monastic Zone.
• Buddha Purnima is celebrated to mark the birth of Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.

It is also known as Vesak. In 1999, it became an UN-designated day, to acknowledge the contribution of Buddhism to society.

•It is considered a 'triple-blessed day' - as Tathagata Gautam Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and Maha Parnirvana.

The concept of ahimsa was its chief contribution. Later, it became one of the cherished values of our nation.
Its contribution to the art and architecture of India was notable. The stupas at Sanchi, Bharhut, and Gaya are wonderful pieces of architecture.
It promoted education through residential universities like those at Taxila, Nalanda, and Vikramasila.
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Hornbill Festival
The Hornbill Festival, which is called the ‘Festivals of Festivals’, is a 10-day annual cultural fest of Nagaland celebrated from 1st December as the State of Nagaland was formally inaugurated on December 1st, which showcases the rich and diverse Naga ethnicity through folk dances, traditional music, local cuisine, handicraft, art workshops, etc.
•The Festival is celebrated in Nagaland to encourage inter-tribal interaction and to preserve, protect and revive the uniqueness and richness of the Naga heritage. It is organized by State Tourism and Art & Culture Departments and also supported by Union Government.
•The festival pays tribute to Hornbill, the most admired and revered bird for the Nagas for its qualities of alertness and grandeur.

Flying squirrel...
A research conducted by the Forest Department of Uttarakhand has found the presence of 5 species of flying squirrels in the state.
• India is home to 13 species of flying squirrels, out of which Uttarakhand has now become home to 5 species.
These five species are:
• Kashmir flying squirrel
• Indian giant flying squirrel
• Red giant flying squirrel
• White - bellied Flying squirrel
• Woolly flying squirrel
This is the first time that such a study has been done officially by any forest department in the country.
Six places Ranikhet, Devprayag, Ranichauri, Deoban, Govind Wildlife Sanctuary and Bhairon Ghati were selected for this study.
The purpose of this study is to formulate a conservation strategy to protect and preserve the habitat of these species.

Generalised system of preference
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) is an umbrella that comprises the bulk of preferential schemes granted by industrialized nations to developing countries.
It involves reduced Most Favored Nations (MFN) Tariffs or duty-free entry of eligible products exported by beneficiary countries to the markets of donor countries.

Recently USA excluded India from the list of beneficiaries of this program.

Most Favored Nations (MFN)

As per the WTO’s General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade’s MFN principle, each of the WTO member countries should “treat all the other members equally as ‘most-favoured’ trading partners.”
According to the WTO, though the term ‘MFN’ “suggests special treatment, it actually means nondiscrimination.”

Javan Rhinoceros

IUCN Status: Critically endangered

They are spread across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Indonesia and Malaysia.
They are Left mainly in Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia.
These countries are also known as Asian Rhino Range Countries.

The three species of Rhino in Asia — Greater one-horned, Javan and Sumatran.
Javan and Sumatran Rhino are critically endangered and the Greater one-horned (or Indian) rhino is vulnerable in the IUCN Red List.
Only the Great one-horned rhino is found in India.

Karakattam Dance

Kerala Nattukala Kshema Sabha has demanded that Karakattam (known as Kumbakkali in certain parts) be recognised as agricultural art form of Kerala.
• Karakattam is an ancient folk dance of Tamil Nadu performed in praise of the rain goddess Mariamman. It’s performed in different parts of Kerala as well.
• It is performed at festivals, roadshows and primarily at Mariamman festivals.

• It involves balancing a large number of pots of decreasing size on the head of the dancers while dancing and expressing theme of the dance.
• Mariamman pooja is held in the month of Medam after Makarakkoythu (harvest season) in Kerala.

Ramayana Vatika, Haldwani, Nainital Uttarakhand
The country's first Ramayana Vatika has been prepared in Haldwani, Uttarakhand with all the plants and medicines mentioned in Valmiki Ramayana. During the exile of 14 years, the forests through which Lord Rama passed, the vegetation that existed at that time has been preserved here.
The garden has sections named Chitrakoot, Dandakaranya, Panchvati, Kishkindha, Ashok Vatika and Dronagiri. All six forests are said to be visited by Lord Rama during his exile period.
The garden also has all 140 species of plants.
The aim behind the project is to educate people about the importance of environment and ecology through popular and revered scriptures.
Each one of the forests associated with Lord Rama denotes a different type of forest.
Chitrakoot and Dandakarnya represent tropical deciduous forests, Panchvati is largely tropical dry deciduous forests while Kishkindha comprises of species to form dry and moist deciduous forests. Ashok Vatika where Sita was held captive by Ravana represents evergreen forest while Dronagiri is largely alpine forest.

India's first house built using h**p in Uttarakhand.
An architect couple, Gaurav Dixit and Namrata Kandwal has built India’s first ‘h**pcrete’ house in Pauri, Yamkehswar Block, Uttarakhand. The technology uses h**p plant or ‘bhang’ in a mix of wood, mud, water and other minerals as a building mixture. This technology is prevalent in other countries such as Australia and New Zealand. The house is spread over 800 sq ft and cost Rs 30 lakh to build. It is built using farm waste h**p and therefore it is eco-friendly and affordable.
The house is entirely powered using solar, with energy harvested through panels installed on the rooftop.
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MEDARAM JATARA

Recently, Ministry of Tribal Affairs has sanctioned ₹2.26 Crores for Medaram Jathara.
• It is the second-largest fair of India, after the Kumbh Mela.
• It is celebrated by the tribal community of Telanganafor four days.
• It is biennially celebrated and organized by the Koyas tribes in collaboration Telangana government.
• It is a festival with no Vedic or Brahmanic influence.
• Jampannavagu river (a tributary to river Godavari) is
worshiped as one of the parts of rituals.
• It assists the tribals to preserve their unique Tribal
Traditions, Culture and Heritage.

Nanda Raj Jaat Yatra
Nanda Devi is one of the main deities of Uttarakhand region. Yatra takes place in honor of the great Nanda Devi.
It is also popular as Himalayan Mahakumbh is a grand yatra which goes on for weeks.
It is considered to be the avatar of Goddess Parvati and she is said to have left her village on the birth of Chausingha Khadu (four horned sheep) and went towards Nanda Devi Parbat. This whole pilgrimage takes 19 days and covers about 280kms and starts in Nauti village and ends Homkund.
What makes it more special is Nanda Devi Rat Jat Yatra takes place after every 12 years. The last one occurred in 2014 and the next one will be held in 2026.
It is said to be one of the toughest pilgrimage due to some reason. There is also a vast change in altitude while travelling from one place to another. It starts from 1050 mts and reaches to the highest of 5000 mts in Roopkand. Also at the beginning of the pilgrimage it rains quite heavily, which the people consider to be the result of their Goddess Nanda Devi’s crying as she has to leave her maternal home to go to the paternal house. The passing of the Roopkand is also another challenge as it is called the mysterious Lake. Usually people do not inhabit near it still there are skulls and skeletons found near the lake which is supposedly of centuries back...
This yatra brings together all the tribes of the northern part of India specially those of Gharwal and Kumaon region. ....
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