Lake Turkana is in northern Kenya, extending into Ethiopia. It lies in the Eastern Rift Valley and is fed by three rivers, with the Omo River contributing 90% of its water.
It is Africa’s fourth-largest lake and the world’s largest permanent desert lake, also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The surrounding region supports about 1 million people, relying on pastoralism, fishing, and some farming. The lake’s semi-saline waters, high evaporation rates, and fluctuating levels have hindered sustainable development, with past fishery commercialization attempts failing due to unpredictable conditions.
Economic Affairs
2. What is ‘Cheque Truncation System (CTS)’, recently seen in news? – The process of stopping the physical movement of a cheque and using its electronic image instead
The RBI recently introduced Continuous Clearing of Cheques under the Cheque Truncation System (CTS) for faster cheque clearance.
CTS is an online system that captures and transmits cheque images and Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) data electronically, eliminating the need for physical cheque movement.
CTS uses a PKI-based security system with dual access control, user ID, passwords, cryptobox, and smart card interfaces.
Only CTS-2010 compliant cheques, with standard security features like watermarks and invisible ink logos, are accepted for clearing. Standardization helps banks in processing and recognizing cheques efficiently.
3. Reserve Bank of India has increased the UPI payment limit from Rs 1 lakh to how much? – Rs 5 lakh
In the javelin throw event at the Paris Olympics 2024, India’s Neeraj Chopra performed brilliantly and won the silver medal with his season’s best throw (89.45m).
Meanwhile, Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan won the gold medal with an Olympic record.
Anderson Peters of Grenada won the bronze medal with a throw of 88.54 metres.
5. Indian men’s hockey team won bronze medal in Paris Olympics, who is the captain of this team?- HarmanpreetSingh
The Indian men’s hockey team came back from a goal down to beat Spain 2-1 and win the bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Along with this, experienced goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has also announced his retirement from hockey.
India has won consecutive medals in hockey for the first time since Munich 1972, played 52 years ago. The Netherlands team won the gold medal and Germany won the silver medal.
Short News
Important Days & Weeks
6. Which day is observed as “International Day of Indigenous Peoples”? – 9 August
The International Day of Indigenous Peoples is observed annually on August 9 since 1995.
It aims to raise awareness about the contributions and rights of indigenous, or tribal, peoples, who are among the most vulnerable globally.
The UN General Assembly declared this day in 1994 to mark the first meeting of the Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982. The theme for 2024 is “Protecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact,” highlighting the need to safeguard these communities.
Miscellaneous
7. Mpox (also known as Monkeypox), recently seen in the news, is caused by which pathogen? – Virus
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently held an emergency meeting to address a surge in monkeypox (Mpox) cases, particularly in Congo.
Mpox, a viral zoonotic disease related to smallpox, was first identified in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. t spreads through direct contact with infected animals or people, and symptoms include skin rashes, fever, and muscle aches.
There is no specific treatment; supportive care is crucial.
