Daily Current Affairs and News Analysis 25-02-2025

Rare Sighting in Chennai: Slender-billed gulls, a rare shorebird, were recently spotted at Pallikaranai marshland in Chennai.

Identification: Medium-sized bird with a long, slender bill, pale grey body, white head and breast, black wingtips, and dark red legs. It is 37-40 cm long with a 90-102 cm wingspan.

Habitat & Diet: The species breeds around the Mediterranean and the north of the western Indian Ocean. Its diet consists mainly of fish (50%), along with insects and marine invertebrates.

Migration & Distribution: Migratory, wintering in North Africa and India. In India, it’s a regular along the western coast. Sightings in Chennai are less common, with previous sightings at Kelambakkam, Nemmeli salt pans, Kovalam Creek and Pulicat Bird Sanctuary.

Conservation Status: ‘Least Concern’ under the IUCN Red List.

Significance of Pallikaranai Marshland: The marshland is a freshwater marsh and partly saline wetland, acting as an aquatic buffer for flood-prone areas and a Ramsar site.

Reasons for Increasing Sightings: Expansion of range and absence of predators are leading to more sightings.

Feeding Behavior: They are known to feed at landfill sites, potentially contributing to their increased presence.

Health Crisis: An outbreak of sudden hair loss (alopecia totalis) has affected 279 people in Buldhana district, Maharashtra.

Cause: The outbreak is linked to excessive selenium intake from wheat supplied through local ration shops, originating from Punjab and Haryana.

Selenium Overload: Wheat from these regions contained significantly higher selenium levels (600 times more) compared to locally grown varieties. Affected individuals showed elevated selenium levels in blood, urine, and hair, and decreased zinc levels.

Social Impact: The hair loss caused significant social challenges, including disrupted education and marriage prospects, leading to shaving of heads to avoid stigma.

Symptoms: Patients displayed symptoms like headache, fever, scalp itching, tingling, and gastrointestinal issues.

Selenium Basics: Selenium is an essential trace mineral found in soil, water, and food. The body needs it in small amounts for thyroid hormone metabolism, DNA synthesis, reproduction, and protection from cell damage and infections. The recommended daily intake is around 55-70 micrograms.

Source of Problem: The investigation revealed that the high selenium content was inherent in the grain, attributed to high selenium bioavailability from Punjab and Haryana’s soil.

Wheat Source: The wheat was obtained from regions with high selenium content, contributing to the health crisis.

Consequences: The condition developed rapidly, causing total baldness within days.

Remedy and Prevention: Authorities have advised against consuming the selenium-rich wheat. Some people have reported partial hair regrowth after discontinuing consumption.

Call for Regulation: The outbreak underscores the need for stronger regulation of government food supplies, particularly in areas dependent on rations.

• Why: This annual exercise helps monitor the wildlife population, track changes, and assess conservation efforts.

• Why: Its location makes it a crucial area for biodiversity conservation.

• Why: The diversity of habitat, climate, and various water resources, which support a wide array of flora and fauna.

• Why: This highlights the reserve’s critical role in protecting globally significant biodiversity.

• Why: This diverse habitat supports a variety of species, making it an important area for conservation.

• Why: Protecting this rich biodiversity is a primary goal.

• Why: This advanced method enhances accuracy in wildlife monitoring.

• Why: To ensure a thorough assessment of the wildlife population within the reserve.

• Why: This will provide in-depth data about the animals and their health.

Deployment: Russia recently deployed autonomous launchers of the RS-24 Yars ICBMs on combat patrol routes. This action is significant because it underscores Russia’s ongoing nuclear posture and readiness.

Type: The RS-24 Yars is a Russian intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), designed to deliver nuclear warheads over long distances. This is important as it directly relates to global strategic stability and nuclear deterrence.

Features: It’s a solid-fueled, three-staged missile launched from silos or mobile launchers. The missile is 22.5 meters in length and 2 meters in diameter, weighing approximately 49,000 kg. This is a part of military hardware that requires attention.

Range: The Yars has a range of 2,000 km to 10,500 km. This range demonstrates the missile’s capability to strike targets at a vast distance, showcasing Russia’s global reach.

Warheads: The Yars can carry up to 10 MIRVs (Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicles), each equipped with a thermonuclear warhead, increasing the destructive capacity.

Stealth and Defence: The Yars is equipped with both active and passive decoys and can manoeuvre during flight, enhancing its ability to penetrate missile defense systems.

Guidance: The Yars uses an upgraded guidance system of inertial and Glonass systems. This is important for its accuracy and strategic relevance.