< Daily Current Affairs & Important Editorials

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Lake Titicaca

GS- I >> Geography >> Lake

Context: Recently, the water levels at Lake Titicaca are now reaching record lows, worsened by the El Nino weather phenomenon, compounding a long dry spell and rare high temperatures.

About Lake Titicaca:

• Highest navigable body of water globally, located at 3,810 meters above sea level.
• On the border of Peru and Bolivia.
• Second-largest Lake in South America.
• Tiquina strait separates it into two bodies of water.
• Averages 140-180 meters in depth and part of Andes Mountain.
• Designated Ramsar Site of International Importance.
• More than 25 rivers drain into it, including the Ramis.
• 41 islands, with Titicaca Island being the largest.
• Lake Titicaca is known for its cultural and ecological significance.

 

Source: www.reuters.com

AAINA Dashboard for Cities Portal

GS- II >> Social Justice >> Government Scheme

Context: Recently, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs launched ‘AAINA Dashboard for Cities’ portal.

About AAINA Dashboard for Cities Portal:

• The primary objectives of the AAINA Dashboard are to help cities to
  • see how they are faring vis-à-vis other cities;
  • inspire them by pointing to possibilities and areas of improvement and
  • providing opportunity to learn and engage with frontrunners.
• The Dashboard will present the data submitted by the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) on the basis of indicators across five broad pillars viz.
  • Political & Administrative Structure;
  • Finance;
  • Planning;
  • Citizen Centric Governance and
  • Delivery of Basic Services.
• The ULBs will submit their data, including audited accounts, and self-reported performance metrics by logging in to the dashboard’s portal. ULBs would be free to update the information initially provided by them, anytime on the portal as per need.
• The Dashboard has been envisaged as a permanent platform for ULB related data, that would be updated on a regular basis.
• With active cooperation of all ULBs, the ‘AAINA Dashboard for Cities’ aims to create a robust database of the key performance metrics of Urban Local Bodies, which could be accessed by all stakeholders, and subsequently would open for public view once it gets populated.
• The Ministry through Digital India Corporation will provide handholding support to ULBs / States in the data submission process on a need basis.

Source: pib.gov.in

Dnieper River

GS- II >> International Relations >> Europe

Context: Ukraine says it now has a foothold on the eastern bank of the Dnieper River near Kherson city.

About Dnieper River:

• Fourth-longest European river, after Volga, Danube, and Ural.
• Known as Dnepr in Russian, Dnipro in Ukrainian, and Dnyapro in Belarusian.
• Located in Eastern Europe, draining Belarus and Ukraine with numerous tributaries.
• Historically, a significant barrier dividing Ukraine into right and left banks.

Course and length of Dnieper River:

• Originates in the low Valday Hills west of Moscow, Russia.
• Flows 1,368 miles through western Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.
• Empties into the Black Sea.
• Waterway spans approximately 300 miles in Russia, 430 miles in Belarus, and 680 miles in Ukraine.

Passes via urban centres: Passes through Russian cities like Smolensk and Dorogobuzh, Mogilev in Belarus, and Ukrainian cities Kiev, Cherkasy, Dnipro, and Zaporizhia.

Tributaries: Boasts around 32,000 tributaries, including the Sozh, Desna, Trubizh, Bilozerka, Drut, Berezina, and Prypiat Rivers.

Source: apnews.com

Payment Aggregator-Cross Border (PA-CB)

GS- III >> Economy >> Banking

Context: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has brought under its direct regulation all entities facilitating cross-border payments for import and export of goods and services and termed as PA-CB.

About Payment Aggregator-Cross Border (PA-CB):

• PA-CB facilitates cross-border online payments for the import and export of permissible goods and services. The RBI has set a minimum net worth requirement of Rs 15 crore for these entities, which will be categorised as PA-CB.
• They will be accountable for ensuring that they do not facilitate payment transactions for the import of any restricted or prohibited goods and services.
• If the amount involved exceeds Rs 2.5 lakh, the PA-CB must carry out due diligence on the buyer as well.

About Payment Aggregator (PA):

• A PA (also known as a merchant aggregator) is a third-party service provider that allows merchants to accept payments from customers by integrating it into their websites or apps.
• It facilitates different types of payment transactions, including cash and cheques, online payments through multiple payment sources, or offline touchpoints.
• It allows merchants to accept bank transfers without setting up a bank-based merchant account. It means a merchant need not have a merchant account directly with the bank.
• A PA in India is incorporated under the Companies Act 2013.
• A PA can be a bank or a non-bank entity.
• Since a PA handles funds, it requires a license from the RBI.
• Only non-bank payment aggregators require unique authorization from the RBI, as ‘handling funds’ is considered a part of the normal banking relationships for bank PAs.
• Examples: Amazon (Pay) India, Google India, Razor pay, Pine Labs, etc.

About Payment Gateway:

• It is a software service that connects your bank account to the platform where you need to transfer your money.
• It authorises you to conduct an online transaction through different payment modes like net banking, credit card, debit card, UPI, or other online wallets.
• A Payment gateway plays the role of a third party that securely transfers your money from the bank account to the merchant’s payment portal.

Difference between Payment Aggregator and Payment Gateway:

• A payment gateway is software that allows online transactions to take place, while a payment aggregator is the inclusion of all these payment gateways.
• While a payment gateway is an intermediary, the payment aggregator is the interface where the payment gateway processes the transactions.
• Most payment aggregators own payment gateways to offer various exclusive services to their merchant customers.

Source: www.thehindubusinessline.com

Arrow-3 Missile Defence System

GS- III >> Science & Technology >> Defence

Context: Israel’s Arrow 3 has made its 1st-ever interception, downing likely Yemen-fired missile.

About Arrow-3 Missile Defence System:

• An exo-atmospheric anti-ballistic missile defence system designed for long-range threat engagement.
• Jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries and the US Missile Defence Agency.
• Deployed in 2017, serving as the top layer of Israel’s advanced air-defence network.
• Targets ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere.

Features of Arrow-3 Missile Defence System:

• Utilizes two-stage solid-fuelled interceptors for engaging short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.
• Comprises a launcher, radar, and battle management system.
• Offers a range of 2,400 km and intercepts threats at an altitude of 100 km.
• Equipped with early warning and fire control radar, providing extended-range acquisition and multi-target tracking capabilities.

Functionality of Arrow-3 Missile Defence System:

• Operates on hit-to-kill technology, destroying incoming missiles.
• Launched vertically, with a change in direction toward the estimated interception point.
• High-resolution electro-optical sensor acquires the target for the kill vehicle, hitting and destroying the warhead.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com