GK General Knowledge

Dubbed the Spiranthes hachijoensis , it was a previously unknown species.
Tokyo:A new species of orchid with delicate, glass-like blooms has been discovered by Japanese scientists, who found the pink and white plant hiding in plain sight.
Despite its presence in Japan s parks and gardens, it took researchers at Kobe University a decade to confirm that the plant -- dubbed the Spiranthes hachijoensis -- was a previously unknown species.
It was a surprise to discover a new species of spiranthes, which is so common that you can see it in parks, gardens and among potted plants, lead researcher Kenji Suetsugu told AFP Thursday.

Jr NTR, Janhvi Kapoor and SS Rajamouli at the event. (courtesy: US Stocks Slump After Fed Rate Hike, Concerns On Economy
The tumble came after European markets made timid gains ahead of the central bank s rate decision. (File)
New York:Wall Street stocks slumped Wednesday as the US Federal Reserve continued hiking interest rates to fight inflation, while noting that banking sector turmoil could weigh on the economy.
The tumble came after European markets made timid gains ahead of the US central bank s rate decision, and follows a relief rally earlier this week.
Stocks had gained after financial authorities moved to prevent contagion in the banking sector, following the collapse of three US regional lenders this month.

ChatGPT was tasked with writing a tweet that will get a reaction from Elon Musk
Elon Musk has a reputation for being incredibly active on Twitter. The billionaire regularly makes headlines due to his witty and interesting tweets and often replies to posts that have tagged him. This time, aTwitter user usedan AI chatbot to bait Elon Musk, and the result ispretty interesting.
The Twitter user who goes by the name @SamTwits taskedChatGPTwith writing a tweet that Mr Musk would reply to or like. Heasked OpenAI s ChatGPT AI chatbot to compose a tweet that is statistically more likely to get a like or comment from Elon Musk.
Exciting times for space exploration! Looking forward to seeing how @SpaceX will continue pushing the boundaries and expanding our knowledge of the universe! ChatGPT responded with a rocketship emoji and the hashtags #SpaceX #Mars #Exploration.

Rahul Gandhi had said How come all thieves share the Modi surname?
New Delhi/Surat:Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison on Thursday in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi s surname by a court in Gujarat s Surat. However, he was granted bail and his sentence was suspended for 30 days to let him appeal the decision.
The case was filed against Mr Gandhi by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi for saying How come all thieves have the common surname Modi?
The Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad made the remarks while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, targetting PM Modi over his last name which he shares with fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi.

The Fed s latest statement no longer says that ongoing increases in rates will likely be appropriate.
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point, but indicated it was on the verge of pausing further increases in borrowing costs after the recent collapse of two U.S. banks.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell sought to reassure investors about the soundness of the banking system, saying that the management of Silicon Valley Bank failed badly, but that the bank s collapse did not indicate wider weaknesses in the banking system.
These are not weaknesses that are running broadly through the banking system, he said, adding that the takeover of Credit Suisse seemed to have been a positive outcome.

The past seven nights have seen spontaneous demonstrations in Paris.
Paris:Hundreds of thousands of people were set to strike and demonstrate in France on Thursday after President Emmanuel Macron vowed to push on with a deeply unpopular pension reform despite escalating anger across the country.
Protests against the legislation -- which lifts the retirement age by two years to 64 -- have drawn huge crowds in rallies organised by unions since January.
Labour unions said Thursday s ninth nationwide day of action would draw huge crowds against what they described as Macron s scorn and lies.

You can incorporate yogurt into your daily diet in variety of ways and can obtain many benefits
Yogurt is a delicious and nutritious food that has been enjoyed for centuries. It is a versatile ingredient that can be eaten on its own, added to smoothies, used as a marinade, or even used in baking. In this article, we discuss the numerous benefits of adding yogurt to your daily diet and provide five easy ways to incorporate it into your meals.
5 Reasons why you should add yogurt to your daily diet:1. Yogurt is high in proteinOne of the standout benefits of yogurt is that it is a great source of protein. Most varieties of yogurt contain between 8-10g of protein per serving, which can help keep you feeling full and satisfied throughout the day. Additionally, yogurt contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies need to function properly.
2. Yogurt helps boost gut healthYogurt is known for its probiotic content, which are good bacteria that help to improve gut health. Probiotics can help to maintain a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut, reducing the risk of digestive issues such as diarrhoea and constipation. They may also help boost the immune system and decrease inflammation.
3. Yogurt can help maintain a healthy weightStudies have shown that yogurt can help individuals maintain a healthy weight. Eating yogurt has been found to be associated with a lower risk of obesity and weight gain over time. High-protein foods like yogurt can also help to keep you feeling full and satisfied, so you are less likely to overeat later on.
4. Yogurt can help support bone healthYogurt is a great source of calcium, which is important for strong, healthy bones. In fact, a single serving of yogurt can contain 30% of the daily recommended amount of calcium. Additionally, some yogurts are fortified with vitamin D, which helps the body to absorb calcium more easily.
5. Yogurt may help reduce the risk of chronic diseasesResearch has shown that adding yogurt to your diet can help to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. The probiotics in yogurt may help to reduce inflammation and improve cholesterol levels, both of which are important for heart health. Additionally, the high calcium content in yogurt can help to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as osteoporosis.
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Homable films shared this image. (courtesy: hombalefilms )
New Delhi:On the occasion of Ugadi, the makers of Kantara 2 have started the work on the film s script.
On social media, Hombale films shared the update. On this auspicious occasion of Ugadi & New Year, we are delighted to announce that the writing for the second part of #Kantara has begun. We can t wait to bring you another captivating story that showcases our relationship with nature. Stay tuned for more updates, a post read on the Instagram page of Homable Films.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Hombale Films (@hombalefilms)
Fans became excited after knowing this update.Actor-director Rishabh Shetty announced the prequel of the movie Kantara at an event marking the celebration of the movie hitting hundred days at the box office
Rishabh said at the occasion, We are very pleased and thankful to the audience who had shown immense love and support to Kantara and taking the journey ahead, with the blessing of almighty Daiva the film has successfully completed 100 days and I would like to take this opportunity to announce the prequel of Kantara. What you have seen is actually Part 2, Part 1 will come next year. The idea has been flashed into my mind while I was shooting for Kantara because the history of Kantara has more depth to it, and currently, if the writing part is concerned we are in the middle of digging into more details. As the research is still progressing, it would be very early to reveal details about the film.

There was no immediate response from the United States.
Beijing:The Chinese military said it had tracked a US warship in the South China Sea on Thursday and warned it to leave waters claimed by Beijing.
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea -- a strategic waterway through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually -- despite an international court ruling that the assertion has no legal basis.
The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have overlapping claims in the sea, while the United States sends naval vessels through it to assert freedom of navigation in international waters.

Home Minister Amit Shah after he virtually inaugurated the Sharda Devi temple at Teetwal in Kupwara
Srinagar:The government will make efforts to open a corridor in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) for Sharda Peeth pilgrimage on the lines of the Kartarpur corridor in Punjab.
The move will necessitate engagement with Pakistan and reopening of the Line of Control (LoC) at Teetwal in Jammu and Kashmir s Kupwara, which has been closed indefinitely after special status to Jammu and Kashmir was scrapped in August 2019.
The announcement was made by Home Minister Amit Shah after he virtually inaugurated the Sharda Devi temple at Teetwal in Kupwara district today.

Kerala has always adopted a strong stand against communalism, said Pinarayi Vijayan (File)
Kannur, Kerala:Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said the state has always opposed communalism of any kind as it poses a threat to the society and BJP will not be able to propagate its agenda in the state.
Taking on the BJP-led government at the Centre, Mr Vijayan claimed that it was silencing the voice of the opposition in Parliament.
The veteran Left leader was speaking at the A K G memorial programme at Perallassery near here.

The star suffered minor injuries .
Hollywood actor Dick Van Dyke suffers minor injuries after he loses control of his car while driving and crashes it into a gate in Malibu. The veteran actor lost control of his Lexus on slick roadways in Malibu, California, which had just seen heavy rain.
According to CNN, the Malibu Police Department confirmed that the 97-year-old actor, who starred in the classic children s films Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mary Poppins, suffered minor injuries.
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Video of dogs chasing away a lion in Gujarat goes viral
Indian Forest Service officer Susanta Nanda, who is well-known for sharing interesting wildlife content, posted a video of dogs chasing away a lion in Gujarat.
In the video, the lion can be seen freely roaming around in the village before a pack of dogs come rushing in, chasing away the majestic lion. The big cat soon ran towards a herd of cows that were standing nearby.
Watch the video here:

Longest beard on a living person
When the hair on his chin was measured at an astounding 8 feet and 3 inches long, a Canadian Sikh who already owned the Guinness World Record for the world s largest beard on a living person beat his own record in Canada.
According to the Guinness World Record, the Canadian resident initially had his beard measured in 2008, when it was 2.33 m (7 ft 8 in) long, smashing the previous record of 1.77 m (5 ft 9 in) held by Birger Pellas (Sweden). Sarwan then had his beard measured again on the set of Lo Show dei Record in Rome, Italy, in 2010, extending his record with a beard of 2.495 m (8 ft 2.5 in).
But when remeasured on October 15, 2022, it had grown even longer. It s a little grayer these days, but more fabulous than ever.

Ms Monfries shared the video on her Twitter handle
An Australian news anchor broke into laughter when a guest suffered a Zoom fail. Alice Monfries, from Nine News Adelaide, couldn t help laughing after her interviewee, Mark Borlace from the Royal Automobile Association had technical issues while trying to apply a Zoom background. The Live TV guest mistakenly chose a pizza hat filter during the call.
Ms Monfries shared the video on her Twitter handle with a caption that reads, If only we could have run the whole thing.. including his profanities. Very very funny. I m still giggling!
The video shows how Mr Borlace struggled to find the correct Zoom background for his call to blur out the background. The man initially found himself with an underwater ocean background and then he accidentally changed it to a pizza hat.

Trump would become 1st former president to ever be charged with a crime if panel votes to indict (File)
New York:A New York grand jury will not meet after all Wednesday, US media reported, delaying a decision on whether to charge ex-president Donald Trump over hush money paid to a porn star.
The panel, which operates in secret, usually gathers on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, leading to speculation that a vote on a historic indictment of a former president was imminent.
Wednesday s session was called off, however, unnamed law enforcement officials told multiple US outlets without giving a reason for the pause. The New York Times reported that interruptions in grand jury proceedings are not unusual.

Noida Police had arrested three employees of Marion Biotech. (Representational)
Noida:The manufacturing licence of Noida-based pharmaceutical firm Marion Biotech was cancelled on Wednesday by Uttar Pradesh authorities, according to officials.
Marion Biotech s cough syrup Dok-1 was linked with the death of 18 children in Uzbekistan. The incident which happened last December had prompted central and state drug authorities in India to launch a probe into the matter.
The firm s licence was under suspension since January after which a detailed inquiry was initiated. Now the licence of the firm has been cancelled by the Uttar Pradesh Drugs Controlling and Licensing Authority. The firm can no longer manufacture the syrup, a government official said.

Himanta Biswa Sarma has sought apology from a Maharashtra MLA over Assam dog meat remark
Guwahati:Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has written a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over comments by an MLA on sending stray dogs to Assam, referring to dog meat consumption.
Multiple police cases have been filed against Maharashtra MLA Bachchu Kadu in Assam.
Mr Kadu made the statement on dog meat consumption in Assam during a session of the Maharashtra assembly on March 4.

It is not possible for the Centre to continue with an iron-fist approach , said Mehbooba Mufti (File)
Srinagar:PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday vowed not to contest assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir till Article 370 is restored, saying it might be a foolish decision, but the issue is an emotional one for her.
In an interview with PTI here, the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister also said that assembly elections are not happening in the Union Territory as the Centre is scared that if there is an elected government, then it will not be able to pursue its hidden agenda .
The Centre in 2019 had abrogated Article 370, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and divided it into two Union Territories -- J-K and Ladakh.