Daily Current Affairs and News Analysis 16-02-2025

National Women’s Day: Observed annually in India on February 13th to commemorate Sarojini Naidu’s birth anniversary. The day honors her contributions to the freedom movement and women’s empowerment, promoting gender equality and leadership.

“Nightingale of India”: Sarojini Naidu was famously known as the “Nightingale of India” for her lyrical poetry, which beautifully captured India’s culture, the struggle for independence, and the fight for women’s rights.

Birth and Early Life: Born on February 13, 1879, in Hyderabad. She was highly intelligent from a young age, encouraged by her scientist and educator father.

Freedom Fighter and Political Leader: A renowned Indian poet, freedom fighter, and politician, she significantly contributed to India’s independence movement. She participated in key movements like the Non-Cooperation Movement and the Salt Satyagraha.

Pioneer for Women’s Rights: She championed women’s suffrage, heading the All-India Women’s Deputation in 1917 and founding the Women’s India Association. She became the fourth president of the All India Women’s Conference (AIWC) in 1930.

Firsts in Leadership: She became the first Indian woman to preside over the Indian National Congress (1925) and the first Indian woman to be appointed as a state governor (Uttar Pradesh, 1947).

Literary Works: She was a celebrated poet, with published works including Songs; The Golden Threshold, Bird of Time, The Broken Wing, and The Feather of the Dawn.

• Achieve zero fatalities in sanitation work.
• Ensure all sanitation work is performed by skilled workers.
• Eliminate direct contact of sanitation workers with human waste.
• Empower sanitation workers by forming Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to run their own sanitation enterprises.
• Provide alternative livelihood options for sanitation workers.

Rare sighting: A pair of endangered White-Winged Ducks (Deo Hanh), Assam’s state bird, was recently spotted in Dihing Patkai National Park.

Endangered status: Classified as “Critically Endangered” on the IUCN Red List since 1994, making them one of the most threatened waterfowl species.

Habitat: Prefers freshwater wetlands, swamps, slow-moving streams, and dense tropical forests. Found in parts of South and Southeast Asia.

Location in India: Primarily found in Assam (Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, Kaziranga National Park), Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur. The recent sighting highlights its presence in Dihing Patkai National Park.

Characteristics: Black body, white head spotted with black, conspicuous white wing patches, red or orange eyes.

Conservation Efforts: A “White-Winged Duck Recovery Project” is underway, including passive acoustic monitoring and habitat identification. Active conservation efforts are being implemented to help restore their population.

Threats: Population decline due to hunting and habitat loss, particularly deforestation. Historical population in India was around 300-400, but the current figure is unknown.

Significance: The White-Winged Duck is a crucial indicator of wetland and forest health, and its survival is critical for biodiversity conservation.

• Why Important: Shows the need for continued vigilance and enforcement to protect the reserve’s fauna.

• Why Important: Provides geographical context and clarifies its administrative location for further reporting.

• Why Important: Showcases its long-standing importance in conservation efforts and its international recognition.

• Why Important: Emphasizes the rich biodiversity and ecological significance of the reserve, making it a crucial conservation area.

• Why Important: Highlights the challenges and dangers facing wildlife conservation efforts.

• Why Important: Provides a comprehensive overview of the landscape, making the conservation effort relevant to protecting a diverse ecosystem.

Mount Etna Eruption: Europe’s tallest and most active volcano, Mount Etna, has erupted, spewing lava and ash.

• Why: This is a significant natural event, potentially impacting local communities and air travel.

Geographic Significance: Located in Sicily, Italy, and positioned on a convergent plate boundary. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the most active volcanoes in the world.

• Why: Highlights the volcano’s geological importance and its potential for future activity. It is also a Decade Volcano.

Cooperative Bank Investigations: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating 18 cases of money laundering in Kerala involving cooperative banks and societies.

• Why: Points to financial irregularities, including illegal loans, overvalued properties, and multiple loans on the same property. This will probably affect the peoples who
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  have money in these societies

• Dietary: Emphasize a high-fiber diet with whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and reduce red meat consumption.
• Lifestyle: Promote regular physical activity, adequate hydration, and avoidance of smoking and alcohol.

• Colonoscopy: Recommended for individuals over 45 years old.
• Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT): Used to detect hidden blood in stool.

Development Approval: The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has approved the use of 0.0442 hectares of forest land from Anamudi Shola National Park for constructing a weir across the Silandhi river. (Why: This signifies a change in land use within the protected area, impacting its conservation status.)

Location: Situated in the Western Ghats region of Kerala. (Why: This highlights its ecological significance as part of a globally recognized biodiversity hotspot.)

Surrounding Protected Areas: Bordered by Eravikulam National Park, Pampadum Shola National Park, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, and Mathikettan Shola Park. (Why: This emphasizes the park’s role in a larger conservation network, contributing to ecosystem connectivity.)

Ecosystem Diversity: Consists of southern subtropical hill forests, southern montane wet temperate forests, and moist deciduous forests. (Why: This points to the variety of habitats and associated flora and fauna the park supports.)

Unique Forest Features: The dense shola woods house a dense patch of stunted trees with a luxurious presence of lichen, mosses, and climbers. (Why: This underscores the unique biodiversity and microclimates characteristic of shola forests.)

Rich Biodiversity: Home to around 174 species of herbs and shrubs, 62 species of trees, and around 40 species of climbers, with several endemic species. Also harbors a diverse fauna including leopards, civet cats, wolves, Indian bison, wild boars, elephants, tigers, Panthers, and sloth bears. (Why: This underscores its value in terms of biodiversity conservation.)

Highest Peak: Anamudi is the highest peak and one of the three ultra-prominent peaks in South India. (Why: This provides a geographical reference to Anamudi and its significance.)

Silandhi river: The river that flows through Anamudi Shola National Park. (Why: To identify the water body involved.)

Location & Geography: The Gulf of Eilat, also known as the Gulf of Aqaba, is located at the northeastern end of the Red Sea. It’s east of the Sinai Peninsula and west of the Arabian Peninsula. It’s a narrow sea inlet bordered by land on three sides, formed by seismic activity within the East African Rift System.

Coral Reef History: A recent study indicates the coral reefs in the Gulf of Eilat experienced a significant 3,000-year period of suppressed growth, from approximately 4,400 to 1,000 years ago. This suggests environmental sensitivity to past climate changes, potentially linked to global cooling and decreased sea levels.

Ecological Significance: The Gulf sustains unique and diverse aquatic ecosystems and is renowned for its rich coral reefs, making it an essential habitat for marine life.

Strategic Importance: The Tiran Strait connects the Gulf to the Red Sea, creating a crucial passage between Asia and Africa.

Bordering Nations: The Gulf is bordered by Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.

Key Cities: Major cities along the northern end of the Gulf include Eilat (Israel), Aqaba (Jordan), and Taba (Egypt).