Mysticellus franki
- It is a mysterious narrow-mouthed frog that was spotted in the seasonal roadside puddles in Kerala’s Wayanad district.
- It is a new species and belongs to a completely new genus, Mysticellus.
- Mysticellus is named after Latin ‘mysticus’, meaning mysterious; and ‘ellus’ meaning diminutive as the frog is just around 3 cm long.
- The species is named after evolutionary biologist Franky Bossuyt from Brussel’s Vrije Universiteit.
- Adults have two black spots that look like eyes on their backs, a defensive feature that probably helps startle predators.
- The frogs’ calls are extremely different as it resembles that of insects.
- Genetic studies further revealed that the frog is around 40 million years old and its nearest relatives live more than 2,000 km away, in Southeast Asia (including Indo-Burma, Malaysia and Vietnam).
- The genetic studies add strength to the theories that India and Southeast Asia were connected in the past by land bridges.
National Commission for Safai Karmacharis (NCSK)
- The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for Extension of tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karmacharis (NCSK) for 3 years.
- The NCSK was established as per the provisions of the NCSK Act 1993.
- The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act, 1993 lapsed with effect from 2004.
- After that, the Commission is acting as a Non-Statutory body of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment whose tenure is extended from time to time through Government Resolutions.
- The major beneficiaries are the Safai Karamcharis and persons engaged in manual scavenging in the country since the NCSK will work for their welfare and upliftment.
- As per the provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, the NCSK has been assigned the work to monitor the implementation of the Act.
- It also tenders advice for the act’s effective implementation to the Centre and State Governments and enquire into complaints regarding contravention/non-implementation of the provisions of the Act.
e-AUSHADHI
- The e-AUSHADHI portal was launched for online licensing of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy drugs and related matters.
- This new e-portal is an acronym for Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy Automated Drug Help Initiative.
- It is intended for increased transparency, improved information management facility, improved data usability and increased accountability.
- It will provide real time information of the licensed manufactures and their products, cancelled and spurious drugs, contact details of the concerned authority for specific grievances.
Gross Domestic Knowledge Product (GDKP)
- The Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation in collaboration with Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) held a one-day workshop on the emerging concept Gross Domestic Knowledge Product (GDKP).
- GDKP provides a fundamental measure of growth by including a wide range of factors that involve the creation and accumulation of knowledge.
- GDKP creates a comparable measure of the production of individual wealth based on knowledge.
- GDKP creates a optimal capital investment measure for private companies in knowledge rather then in other forms of capital investments.
- GDKP is based on four basic pillars
- Knowledge items (Ki)
- Country’s Knowledge Producing Matrix (CKPM)
- Country’s Knowledge User Matrix (CKUM)
- Cost of Individual Learning, compared to the Cost of Living
Guidelines for audio devices
- World Health Organization and International Telecommunications Union issued a non-binding international standard for the manufacture and use of audio devices.
- WHO considers a volume above 85 decibels for eight hours or 100 decibels for 15 minutes as unsafe.
- The safe listening devices and systems standard calls for“sound allowance” software to be included in all audio devices.
- It will track the volume level and duration of a user’s exposure to sound, and to evaluate the risk posed to their hearing.
Nord Stream 2
- Nord Stream 2 is a gas pipeline project.
- Its purpose is to bring Russian gas under the Baltic Sea direct to Germany.
- The decision to build Nord Steam 2 was based on the successful experience in building and operating the Nord Stream gas pipeline.
- So it is an expansion of the Russia’s existing Nord Stream gas pipeline.
- It will also ensure a highly reliable supply of Russian gas to Europe.
Source: PIB, The Hindu, Indian Express
