ईरान से गतिरोध जारी
ब्रिटेन ने ईरानी गनबोटों (नौसैन्य पोतों) द्वारा ब्रिटिश सुपरटैंकर को निशाना बनाए जाने के बाद बढ़े तनाव के बीच कहा कि वह खाड़ी में दूसरा युद्धपोत भेज रहा है और क्षेत्र में चौकसी का स्तर बढ़ा रहा है। इस फैसले का खुलासा अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति डॉनाल्ड ट्रंप की तरफ से इस्लामी गणराज्य के परमाणु कार्यक्रम और पश्चिम एशिया में आतंकवादी समूहों के लिए उसके कथित समर्थन को लेकर उसके खिलाफ वाकयुद्ध तेज करने के बाद हुआ है।
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants-hindi/20886-2019-07-14-05-45-34
#Iran #DonaldTrump #US #British #IndiaNavy #nuclear #deadlock

मिशन चंद्रयान-2 की उल्‍टी गिनती
भारतीय अंतरिक्ष अनुसंधान केंद्र (Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO) के मिशन चंद्रयान-2 की उल्‍टी गिनती 14 जुलाई 2019 से शुरू हो जाएगी। इसरो प्रमुख (ISRO chairperson) डॉ. के सिवन (Dr K. Sivan) ने बताया कि इस मिशन के 20 घंटे के काउंटडाउन की 14 जुलाई को सुबह 6.51 बजे से शुरू होने की उम्मीद है। यह 15 जुलाई को तड़के 2 बजकर 51 मिनट पर श्रीहरिकोटा के सतीश धवन सेंटर से लॉन्च होगा।
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants-hindi/20885-2-20
#Chandrayaan2 #MissionMoon #ISRO #GSLV #Bahubali #Space #Satellite

Global MPI 2019
India lifted 271 million people out of poverty between 2006 and 2016, recording the fastest reductions in the multidimensional poverty index values during the period with strong improvements in areas such as “assets, cooking fuel, sanitation and nutrition, a report by the United Nations said. The 2019 global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) from the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) was released.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20891-global-mpi-2019
#Global #MPI2019 #UNDP #OPHI #India #UnitedNations #Jharkhand

Moon-forming disk discovered
Astronomers have made the first observations of a circumplanetary disk of gas and dust like the one that is believed to have birthed the moons of Jupiter, by using Earth’s most powerful array of radio telescopes.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20890-moon-forming-disk-discovered
#Moon #ALMA #VLT #PDS #VLT #MUSE #PDS #Earth #Astrophysical

Chandrayaan-2
Chandrayaan-2, India's most ambitious second lunar mission to be launched on July 15, will be the first of its kind as it will shed light on a completely unexplored section of the Moon - its South Polar region. Leveraging nearly a decade of scientific research and engineering development, the mission is aimed at helping in better understanding of the origin and evolution of the Moon by conducting detailed topographical studies, comprehensive mineralogical analyses, and a host of other experiments on the lunar surface. I
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20889-chandrayaan-2
#Chandrayaan2 #MissionMoon #ISRO #GSLV #Bahubali #Space #Satellite

First Indian woman CFO
The World Bank (WB) Group announced that Anshula Kant, an Indian national, has been appointed its next MD and CFO. Ms. Kant will be the first woman CFO of the Bank. Anshula brings more than 35 years of expertise in finance, banking, and innovative use of technology through her work as CFO of the State Bank of India, World Bank Group president David Malpass said.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20888-first-indian-woman-cfo
#CFO #Indianwoman #AnshulaKant #IBRD #ICSID #MIGA #IFC #ShriRamCollege

Committee to run golf in India
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has taken over the reins of the derecognised Indian Golf Union (IGU), forming a five-member 'golf governance committee' which will oversee all aspects concerning the "participation of athletes and officials in the Tokyo Olympic qualifiers/ events" until IGU's fresh election takes place.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20887-committee-to-run-golf-in-india
#IOA #golf #India #IGU #MukeshKumar #IGF #AGM #NSFs #Tokyo #KavitaSingh

Big banks merger
Finance Minister Niramala Sitharaman on 30 August 2019 announced measures for the banking sector. Sitharaman said the government is trying to create big next generation banks.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21346-big-banks-merger
#NiramalaSitharaman #PSBs #NPA #PNB #Bigbanks #angeltax

Central pillar of global disarmament
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said the legacy of nuclear testing is “nothing but destruction,” and in a world of rising tensions, our collective security depends on bringing a global treaty into force that bans nuclear explosions.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21345-central-pillar-of-global-disarmament
#CTBT #Nuclear #IAEA #UnitedNations #MrGuterres #global

India nudges Russia
India has nudged Russia to use its influence on oil suppliers cartel OPEC to balance the global oil market, ensuring adequate supply with responsible and reasonable price.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21344-india-nudges-russia
#India #Russia #DharmendraPradhan #OPEC #LNG #Sakhalin3 #Oil

Government bans import of PMAA
The government has banned the import of polymethyl methacrylate (PMAA), with effect from September 1, commerce and industry ministry said in a notification.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21343-government-bans-import-of-pmaa
#PMAA #Government #India #Crylux #methylmethacrylate #Acrylite

Global electricity grid plan
India has started consultations with the World Bank as its technical partner to implement an ambitious global electricity grid plan pitched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22597-global-electricity-grid-plan.html
#Global #gridplan #NITIAayog #ISA #electricity #WorldBank #Saarc

Strategic sale of NINL approved
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the strategic sale of Neelachal Ispat Nigam (NINL), in which multiple state-owned companies own a stake.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22596-strategic-sale-of-ninl-approved.html
#NINL #MMTC #BHEL #IPICOL #OMC #MECON #DIPAM

4,000-year-old pre-historic site destroyed
A 3,500 to 4,000 years old Chalcolithic-era site located at Maharashtra’s Aurangabad has been destroyed during a soil scooping work for a highway project. The site was to be excavated by Maharashtra archaeology department and Deccan College in February.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22595-4-000-year-old-pre-historic-site-destroyed.html
#historic #Maharashtra #Chalcolithic #Khandesh

US justifies killing Soleimani to UN
The United States told the United Nations that the killing of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani was self-defense and vowed to take additional action "as necessary" in the Middle East to protect US personnel and interests.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22594-us-justifies-killing-soleimani-to-un.html
#US #Soleimani #Article51 #killing #Islamic

Reliance Jio launches Wi-Fi calling
Reliance Jio on 8 January 2020 launched voice and video calling over Wi-Fi service, less than a month after rival Airtel launched a similar service in Delhi-NCR. The service allows customers to switch seamlessly from LTE to Wi-Fi-based calling when they are at home or office.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22593-reliance-jio-launches-wi-fi-calling.html
#Reliance #Jiolaunches #WiFi #DelhiNCR #VoLTE #WhatsApp

SC Directs Political Parties
The Supreme Court on 13 February 2020 put political parties on a tight leash by ordering them to publish the criminal history of their candidates for Assembly and Lok Sabha polls, along with reasons that goaded them to choose those with criminal antecedents over decent people, within 48 hours of the selection of the candidates.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22852-sc-directs-political-parties.html
#SC #DPP #ECI #MCC #BJP #LokSabha #DipakMisra

Major Port Authority Bill 2020
To provide autonomy to India''s top 12 major ports and improve their efficiency and competitiveness, the government on 12 February 2020 gave nod to much-awaited Major Ports Authority Bill to replace a 1963 law governing the sector and said it will be introduced in the ongoing session of Parliament.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22851-major-port-authority-bill-2020.html
#MPAB #NarendraModi #TAMP #JNPT #UnionCabinet

US gives Iraq sanctions waiver
The United States has granted Iraq a 45-day sanctions waiver enabling the country to continue importing vital Iranian gas and electricity supplies, two Iraqi officials said on 12 February 2020.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22850-us-gives-iraq-sanctions-waiver.html
#US #Iraq #IraqiCabinet #waiver #sanctions

WHO extends emergency status of Ebola
he UN health agency on 12 February 2020 said it was extending its global emergency designation for the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo but said the sharp decline in cases was "extremely positive".
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22849-who-extends-emergency-status-of-ebola.html
#WHO #Ebola #UN #DRC #ADF #NorthKivu

MWC 2020 cancelled
Global telecom industry body GSM Association on 13 February 2020 said it has decided to cancel the 2020 edition of the sector’s largest event Mobile World Congress due to health safety concerns around novel coronavirus outbreak.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22848-mwc-2020-cancelled.html
#MWC #GSM #NTTDocomo #telecom #Global #coronavirus

REMCs dedicated to the nation
Power Minister R K Singh on 28 February 2020 dedicated to the nation 11 Renewable Energy Management Centres (REMCs) for renewable energy integration.
Singh also inaugurated the Northern Region Renewable Energy Management Centre (NR-REMC) at a function in New Delhi.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22991-remcs-dedicated-to-the-nation.html
#REMCs #SLDCs #POSOCO #NLDC #RKSingh #CPSE

Global virus risk to maximum level
The World Health Organization on 28 February 2020 raised its global risk assessment of the new coronavirus to its highest level after the epidemic spread to sub-Saharan Africa and caused financial markets to plunge.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22990-global-virus-risk-to-maximum-level.html
#Global #WHO #TAG #SARS #COVID19 #microscope #virus

First glimpse of GISAT-1 satellite
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 28 February 2020 shared the first glimpse of Geo Imaging Satellite-1 (GISAT-1), that is scheduled to be launched on March 5 at 17:43 hours.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22989-first-glimpse-of-gisat-1-satellite.html
#GISAT1 #satellite #ISRO #GSLVF10 #ChandrayaanI

Wearable devices application rejected
The Indian Patent Office rejected Google’s application on wearable electronic devices, observing that it lacks inventive steps and the use and the method by which it is to be performed is not fully described in complete specification.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22988-wearable-devices-application-rejected.html
#Wearable #IPA #Google #satellite #OS

Biggest explosion since Big Bang
Astronomers have discovered the biggest explosion seen since the begining of the universe, originating from a super-massive black hole.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22987-biggest-explosion-since-big-bang.html
#BigBang #NASA #explosion #ICRAR #DrSimonaGiacintucci

New Prime Minister of Malaysia
Malaysia's kingnamed former interior minister Muhyiddin Yassin as the new prime minister on 29 February 2020 in a shock decision that sidelined old rivals Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim after a week of political turmoil.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22986-new-prime-minister-of-malaysia.html
#Malaysia #NewPrimeMinister #UMNO #AnwarIbrahim #alliance

Today's Headlines - 20 July 2023
IEEE finally brings Li-Fi
GS Paper - 3 (ICT)

Dr. Harald Haas (Professor of Mobile Communications at the University of Edinburgh) touted as the father of Li-Fi (Light Fidelity) was the first to coin this term in 2011. It is capable of delivering almost 100X times faster internet speed compared to the current crop of Wi-Fi routers. After two decades, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has formally announced the 'IEEE 802.11bb’ Light Communication Global standard.

About Li-Fi

Li-Fi works on optical wireless communications (OWC) technology. Unlike Wi-Fi routers, which use Radio Frequencies to transmit data, Li-Fi devices (with light-emitting diodes: LEDs) will deliver data through light or infrared light.
Li-Fi devices will be able to deliver internet speed close to 224 Gb per second. With such speed, users can download close to 20 high-resolution movies in a second.
However, the hardware capable of delivering such speed is yet to be developed. For now, with the IEEE 802.11bb standard specification, the speed is limited to 9.6Gbps.
For now, developers are working to optimise mixed use of Wi-Fi and Li-Fi at homes and offices.
It should be noted that Li-Fi has one disadvantage, it can't connect to devices in a different room separated by walls. Both the device and LED Li-Fi router has to be in the line of sight for internet support
It not only offers lightning-fast internet speed and also is said to be more reliable and safer compared to Wi-Fi and 5G cellular connectivity, as it is almost impossible to tap light from a far distance.
Besides connectivity with phones and computers, Li-Fi comes in handy in connecting with Internet-of-Things(IoT)-based smart home appliances for instant connection.
With the advancement in technology in the future, there is a possibility of companies coming up with multi-functional bulbs that support Li-Fi in every room of the office or the house for super-fast connectivity.

#upsc #news #IEEE #LiFi #drharaldhaas #internetspeed #wifirouters #institute #electrical #electronics #engineers #lightcommunication #global #technology #hardware #capable #multifunctional #bulbs

Today's Headlines - 25 July 2023
Marine heat waves gripped world’s oceans
GS Paper - 1 (Geography)

Sweltering temperatures have induced extreme heat warnings, wildfires and poor air quality in different regions. But it isn’t just on the land that the mercury has soared – the average daily global sea surface temperature is off the charts too. Ocean temperatures have remained at record-high levels, giving rise to marine heat waves (MHWs) around the globe.

What are marine heat waves?

A marine heat wave is an extreme weather event. It occurs when the surface temperature of a particular region of the sea rises to 3 or 4 degree Celsius above the average temperature for at least five days.
MHWs can last for weeks, months or even years, according to the US government’s agency National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
At present, MHWs have gripped the north-east Pacific, the southern hemisphere in the southern Indian Ocean and the Pacific, the north-east Atlantic, tropical North Atlantic, and the Mediterranean, according to a recent forecast of the non-profit science organisation Mercator Ocean International.
MHWs can have debilitating effects on both marine ecosystems and humans. They may cause the deaths of several marine species, alter their migration patterns, lead to coral bleaching and even impact weather patterns.
MHWs can make storms stronger and severely affect coastal communities. What’s more, these disastrous consequences are set to become even worse as the world continues to get warmer, making MHWs more intense and longer.

What is the impact of marine heat waves on ocean life?

Although an increase of 3 or 4 degrees Celsius in average temperatures may not be much for humans, it can be catastrophic for marine life.
For instance, MHWs along the Western Australian coast during the summer of 2010 and 2011 caused some “devastating” fish kills — the sudden and unexpected death of many fish or other aquatic animals over a short period and mainly within a particular area — as per a 2013 study in the Journal of Marine Systems.
A different study revealed that the same MHWs destroyed kelp forests and fundamentally altered the ecosystem of the coast. Kleps usually grow in cooler waters, providing habitat and food for many marine animals.
Another example is when high ocean temperatures in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean in 2005 led to a massive coral bleaching event.
Higher ocean temperatures, which are associated with MHWs, can make storms like hurricanes and tropical cyclones stronger.

#upsc #news #todayheadline #marine #worldoceans #temperatures #wildfires #MHWs #global #celsius #NOAA #ecosystems #humans #coastal #tropical #atlantic #caribbean #cyclones #debilitating #mediterranean #humans #devastating

Today's Headlines - 05 August 2023
Govt’s Bill on IIMs over their autonomy
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)

The government has brought a Bill in Parliament giving itself significant say in the appointment and removal of Directors of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), and in initiating inquiries. The Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, introduced in Lok Sabha, seeks to make changes in the law that governs the administration and running of IIMs. The proposed changes have triggered concern over their potential to erode the autonomy of the IIMs.

What is the purpose of the Bill?

The Bill seeks to amend the Indian Institutes of Management Act, 2017 which declared 20 existing IIMs as “institutions of national importance with a view to empower these institutions to attain standards of global excellence in management, management research and allied areas of knowledge.
Under the 2017 Act, the Director of an IIM is appointed by a Board of Governors, and the government has a limited say in the process.
The proposed amendments essentially seek to alter this situation, and to give the government an expanded role in the appointment of the IIM Director.

How is this change proposed to be effected?

Section 5 of the amendment Bill says that “After section 10 of the principal Act, the following section shall be inserted, namely— ’10A. (1) The President of India shall be the Visitor of every Institute’” covered under the IIM Act.
The Bill prescribes three primary roles for the Visitor: to make appointments, to audit the working of institutions, and to conduct an inquiry.

What is the current process of appointment of the Director?

Section 16(2) of the 2017 Act says “the Director shall be appointed by the Board, on such terms and conditions of service as may be prescribed.”
Section 16(1) says the “Director shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute and shall provide leadership to the Institute and be responsible for implementation of the decisions of the Board”.
Section 16(3) says “the Director shall be appointed out of the panel of names recommended by a search-cum-selection committee to be constituted by the Board”.
The Board chairperson will head the search-cum-selection committee, which will also have “three members chosen from amongst eminent administrators, industrialists, educationists, scientists, technocrats and management specialists”.

#upsc #news #headline #govtbill #autonomy #polity #parliament #institutes #management #IIMS #loksabha #purpose #bill #global #governors #section16 #chief #executive #officer #panel #eminent #administrators #educationists #scientists #technocrats

Today's Headlines - 07 August 2023
Satellite bus technology transfer to private firm
GS Paper- 3 (Space Technology)

ISRO said it has transferred the IMS-1 Satellite Bus Technology to Alpha Design Technologies Pvt. Ltd in a step towards enhancing private industry participation in the country's space sector. NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO, facilitated the technology transfer through an agreement signed during an event held at the NSIL headquarters 2, the space agency said.

More about the News

The technology transfer documents were formally handed over by D Radhakrishnan, Chairman and Managing Director of NSIL to Col. H S Shankar (Retd.), Chairman and Managing Director of ADTL.
ADTL is one of the two private players identified to receive the transfer of this technology through Interest Exploratory Note (IEN) published by NSIL.
This transfer marks the beginning of satellite bus technologies developed by ISRO being transferred to private industries. Further, the PSLV is under productionisation by a consortium of industries.
ISRO has been enabling private players to develop space technologies by facilitating and extending the expertise thus ensuring both out-bound and in-bound approaches.
By transferring the IMS-1 technology to the private sector, ISRO/DoS (Department of Space) aims to bolster India's industrial growth in the space sector and foster technological self-reliance, it further said, adding the development opens up new avenues for private players to contribute to space research and exploration, in line with India's vision to expand its presence in the global space market.

About Satellite bus

The satellite bus, developed by ISRO's U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), is a versatile and efficient small satellite platform designed to facilitate low-cost access to space.
The bus serves as a dedicated vehicle for various payloads, enabling earth imaging, ocean and atmospheric studies, microwave remote sensing, and space science missions while ensuring a quick turnaround time for satellite launches.
The IMS-1 bus, weighing about 100 kg, accommodates a 30kg payload. Solar arrays generate 330W power with a raw bus voltage of 30-42 V, ISRO said, adding it offers a 3-axis stabilised with four reaction wheels with a 1 Newton thruster that provides +/- 0.1 degree pointing accuracy.
It is a forerunner for IMS-2 bus technology, capable of improved features, and IMS-1 bus is utilised in previous ISRO missions like IMS-1, Youthsat and Microsat-2D.

About ADTL

Alpha Design Technologies Pvt. Ltd (ADTL) is an aerospace and defence company, with expertise in engineering, manufacturing, and system integration.
It has been a key player in various projects related to defence, space and homeland security, contributing significantly to India's technological progress in these domains.

#upsc #news #headline #satellite #technology #ISRO #Alpha #NSIL #DrRadhkrishnan #IEN #documents #PSLV #space #global #URSC #earth #launches #solar #accuracy #IMS #engineering #aerospace #ADTL #defence

Today's Headlines - 07 August 2023
Draft National Deep Tech Startup Policy
GS Paper - 3 (Economy)

The office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government put out a draft National Deep Tech Startup Policy (NDTSP) for public comment, following two versions that were iterated at high levels with other government departments, academia and stakeholder firms. The policy seeks to “ensure India’s position in the global deep tech value chain,” in areas such as semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and space tech.

More about the Policy

The policy seeks to bolster research and development in deep tech start-ups, which work on fundamental and technical problems, unlike firms that monetise technology with distinguished business models.
The policy also seeks to find approaches to provide financing to deep tech start-ups at critical moments, such as before they go to market with their products or ideas.
Additionally, the policy seeks to simplify the intellectual property regime for such start-ups, ease regulatory requirements, and proposes a slew of measures to promote these firms.
For instance, the NDTSP suggests that an Export Promotion Board be created to ease barriers of entry for Indian deep tech start-ups into foreign markets and those clauses to ease such market access be included in foreign trade agreements.
The policy also includes resource-intensive policy approaches to attract global talent, such as offering “networking opportunities to international deep tech startups and experts interested in relocating and contributing to the local ecosystem.
Since expertise and regulatory overview of different aspects of deep tech and its supply chains are under different Ministries, the policy suggests the creation of an “Inter Ministerial Deep Tech Committee” to regularly review the requirements of enabling the deep tech ecosystem to function better.

International agreement

The policy restates the government’s disappointment with international agreements that it argues have left India on the backfoot in terms of manufacturing and development power.
India’s experience with some aspects of international cooperation has had a deleterious effect on the domestic ecosystem. A key example of this is the Information Technology Agreement-I that India joined in 1997.
The policy calls for a more multi-pronged approach to protect Indian interests. The need of the hour is a coordinated, comprehensive push to optimally engage with international partners and multilateral institutions to push the Indian Deep Tech Ecosystem, the policy says.

#upsc #news #headline #Draftnational #Deeptech #Startup #policy #economy #principal #scientific #adviser #NDTSP #global #AI #semiconductors #artificial #intelligence #spacetech #fundamental #technical #technology #monetise #critical #property #resource #networking #indian #internationalagreement #ecosystem

Today's Headlines - 19 August 2023
WHO holds first traditional medicine summit
GS Paper - 3 (Health and Diseases)

The World Health Organization opened its first summit on traditional medicine with the group saying it was seeking to collect evidence and data to allow for the safe use of such treatments. Traditional medicines are a "first port of call for millions of people worldwide", the UN health agency said.

More about the summit

The two-day WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit takes place alongside a meeting of G20 health ministers in the Indian city of Gandhinagar.
The first global traditional summit, co-hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Ayush.
This summit is designed to foster political commitment and evidence-based action in the field of traditional medicine.
As a vital healthcare source for millions worldwide, traditional medicine will be closely examined and evaluated as a formidable force in addressing health and well-being needs.
With a wide array of engagement groups, working groups, and meetings, this event aims to represent the interests of the Global South countries within the G20 framework.
The theme of "One Earth, One Family, One Future" embodies India's philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
More about traditional medicine

The UN health agency defines traditional medicine as the knowledge, skills and practices used over time to maintain health and prevent, diagnose and treat physical and mental illness.
But many traditional treatments have no proven scientific value and conservationists say the industry drives a rampant trade in endangered animals -- including tigers, rhinos and pangolins -- threatening the existence of entire species.
Use of homemade remedies soared during the Covid-19 pandemic, including a green herbal drink based on Artemisia that was promoted by Madagascar's president as a cure.
The plant has a proven efficacy in malaria treatment, but its use to combat Covid was widely scorned by many doctors.
In China, traditional medicine has a distinguished history, but top European medical bodies have previously demanded it be subject to the same regulatory oversight as conventional medical methods.
Flashback

Of the WHO's 194 member states, 170 acknowledged their use of traditional and complementary medicine since 2018, but only 124 reported having laws or regulations for the use of herbal medicines -- while only half had a national policy on such methods and medicines.
About 40 percent of approved pharmaceutical products currently in use derive from a "natural product basis", according to the WHO, which cited "landmark drugs" that derive from traditional medicine, including aspirin, drawing on formulations using willow tree bark.

#upsc #news #headline #WHO #traditional #medicine #health #diseases #data #millions #worldwide #ministry #gandhinagar #global #vasudhaiva #kutumbakam #earth #framework #force #future #philosophy #agency #mental #illness #artemisia #species #pandemic #remedies #herbal #madagascar #european #regulatory #complementary #reported #pharmaceutical #products #natural

Today's Headlines - 22 August 2023
Extreme heat mean for the Mediterranean Sea
GS Paper - 3 (Environment)

Frequent heat waves cause huge damage to underwater ecosystems and researchers expect more of them in the future.

What are the solutions to heat stress?

Extreme heat has plagued the Mediterranean for weeks. Wildfires raged across at least nine countries in the region from Algeria to Greece.
But the soaring temperatures are not only a danger for people and ecosystems on land; they’re also harming marine life.
Without a doubt global climate change is the main reason for the heat waves in the sea. It’s causing the ocean to warm.
Why are high sea temperatures a problem?

In a warming world, marine creatures are in danger of suffocating. Gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide dissolve better at colder temperatures, so that means the warmer the water; the less oxygen is available to breathe.
Conversely, higher temperatures also cause an increase in metabolism, which in turn means animals have to breathe even more than usual). That combination also heightens the risk of death by starvation for marine life.
The rise in temperature accelerates metabolism, and the organisms need more food to maintain this metabolic rate.
Algal blooms are more common in hotter waters too. Such blooms can further deplete oxygen levels and produce toxins harmful for fish, marine mammals and birds, for instance.
What species and ecosystems are worst hit by marine heat waves?

High water temperatures are most harmful for animals living at the bottom of oceans, lakes or rivers.
These benthic species include corals, mussels, sponges, starfish and plants like sea grasses, and are often attached to rock or solid ground. They can’t migrate when it gets too hot.
Scientists observed mass deaths of benthic species along thousands of kilometers of Mediterranean coastline between 2015 and 2019.
Many benthic species are crucial to the marine ecosystem. They filter the water and keep seas, rivers and lakes clean by eating dead organisms.
Some species are an important food source for other creatures or are harvested by humans. Benthics like soft corals, seaweed and seagrasses provide some of the main ocean habitats.
Heat is particularly harmful for Posidonia oceanica or Neptune grass. And the large, slow-growing seagrass is found only in the Mediterranean. Previous heat waves have decimated the species, which is bad news for the climate.
What does extreme heat in the Mediterranean mean for people?

Warming seas are already affecting fishing activities in the area. Fishermen are catching fewer familiar species and instead are finding more invasive fish which they have difficulty selling.
Rabbitfish and lionfish are edible, but other invasive fish aren’t. Some are even poisonous, like the puffer fish.
Habitat loss could also lead to an overall decline in fish populations, while disappearing seagrass means coasts will be more exposed to future storms.
This could also have a knock-on effect for tourism because divers will be less likely to visit an impoverished underwater landscape.

#upsc #news #headline #extreme #mediterranean #sea #enviroment #heat #ecosystem #future #undrwater #wildfires #algeria #greece #global #climate #temperature #ocean #metabolism #algalblooms #birds #marine #oxygen #levels #lakes #rivers #soildground #benthic #mediterranean #coastline #foodsource #organisms #soft #corals #seaweed #rabbitfish #stroms #populations #lionfish #activities #neptunegrass #posidoniaoceanica #toxins #breathe

The 640-page NCF, an update on the draft released in April, was developed by a 13-member steering committee led by former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan.

#upsc #news #headline #national #curriculim #NCF #education #indian #school #vision #national #policy #interdisciplinarity #proposals #preparatory #secondary #grades #middlestage #nativetoindia #mathematics #arteducation #physical #enviromental #subjects #period #communication #writingskills #local #global #twolanguages #mandatory #history #journalism #semestersystem #bank #comprehensive #annualsystem #NCERT #development #academicsession #NEP #NCF #kKasturirangan #ISRO #commerce #science #humanities #english #sanskrit

Today's Headlines - 02 September 2023
The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)
GS Paper - 3 (Economy)

After Hindenburg, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has made fresh allegations of stock manipulation against the Adani Group. OCCRP’s report, published, claims that exclusive documents obtained by it show that “in at least two cases … [supposedly public] investors turn out to have widely reported ties to the group’s majority shareholders, the Adani family”, and helped manipulate Adani companies’ stock prices. The Adani Group has categorically rejected these allegations, terming them as a “concerted bid by Soros-funded interests” to “revive the meritless Hindenburg report”.

A global network of investigative reporters
OCCRP wasn’t really planned – it was born of necessity. We were all working on the same intractable problems in our own countries. But a couple of us realised this, and communicated. This is a quote from one of OCCRP’s co-founders, Drew Sullivan.
American Sullivan and Bulgarian Paul Radu, both investigative journalists, founded OCCRP in 2006, after they realised the similarities in their experiences of investigating and reporting on organised crime and systemic corruption.
Initially funded by the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), the OCCRP network first opened an office in Sarajevo.
Over the years, the OCCRP has grown from six journalists working in five countries to more than 150 journalists in 30 countries.
The idea is to have a global network of journalists with easy communication and information-sharing so that global networks of corruption and crime can be better understood and exposed.
The OCCRP also collaborates with regional partners, including Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ), Centro Latino Americano de Investigacion Periodistica (CLIP), and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). It is a member of the Global Investigative Journalism Network as well.
Impact over the years

As per its own records, since 2009 reporting by the OCCRP has directly led to 398 official investigations, 621 arrests and sentences, 131 resignations, and $10 billion+ in fines levied and money seized.
It has been involved in many high-profile probes over the years, including multiple investigations on Russia’s oligarchs and Vladimir Putin.
The OCCRP also worked on the Panama Papers project with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, producing more than 40 stories on corruption through the use of offshore entities, which won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize Journalism.
The organisation has been nominated for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for its work “contributing to peace by unmasking political corruption and organized crime.”

#upsc #news #headline #organised #crime #corruption #project #OCCRP #economy #hindenburg #manipulation #Adanigroup #shareholders #soros #interests #investigative #global #network #reporters #PaulRadu #journalists #systemic #sullivan #bulgarian #UNDEF #Sarajevo #Arab #ARIJ #CLIP #RFE #Network #Russia #oligarchs #vladimirputin #Panama #pulitzer #NobelPeacePrize

Today's Headlines - 04 September 2023
G20 agree to boost information flow to small business
GS Paper - 2 (International Relations)

Trade ministers from G20 nations agreed to a ‘Jaipur Call for Action’ to boost information flow to small businesses to increase their participation, while seeking to build a ‘generic framework’ for mapping global value chains, cautioning against concentration of suppliers and markets.

More about the agreement

In addition, 10 high level principles on digitisation of trade documents were also agreed upon as countries seek to reduce the cost of trading across borders.
Although a communique could not be issued given the divergent position on Ukraine with Russia and China sticking to their stands, and the G7 seeking to highlight the conflict, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal told reporters that the contents of the outcome document and the chairs summary were decided unanimously.
Every country has agreed to all the issues… only paragraph 32, which is less than a quarter of a page out of a 17-page document, is an area where we could not get consensus for obvious reasons.
Since the first G20 ministerial meeting under India’s presidency, a meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors in Bengaluru, the Ukraine conflict has driven a wedge between the members of the all-powerful alliance.
In the coming years, various agencies will work on putting together the framework to implement the decisions.
The move on global value chains will help all developing countries and cited the example of mobile manufacturing in India, arguing that it will help create a production eco-system and also generate jobs and investment.
The minister underlined the importance of MSMEs, an issue that was flagged by PM Narendra Modi.
There are concerns over Big Tech and its dominance. Equal and affordable access for all has to be ensured.
The push is in line with the government’s initiatives such as ONDC and UPI, which are open source frameworks offering ease to consumers as well as a level playing field to businesses.
The outcome document took note of theuncertain near-term outlook for global trade and investments and underlined the need for “rules-based, non-discriminatory, fair, open, inclusive, equitable, sustainable and transparent multilateral system, with WTO at its core”.
It also called for apredictable and transparent regime for services trade, with easier rules for movement of professionals across borders —an issue which is of particular interest to India.

#upsc #news #headline #G20 #boost #smallbusiness #internationalrelations #tadeministers #nations #jaipur #generic #framework #global #valuechains #markets #broders #levelprinciples #divergent #ukraine #russia #china #paragraph32 #document #ministerial #india #presidency #trading #borders #digitisations #decisions #ONDC #UPI #equitable #WTO

Today's Headlines - 05 September 2023
A sunrace of significant global missions
GS Paper - 3 (Space Technology)

In the wake of the Indian Space Research Organisation's successful launch of its inaugural solar mission, Aditya-L1,, let's embark on a journey through key missions from space agencies worldwide, all dedicated to unravelling the enigmatic secrets of the Sun.
A Sunrace
USA
US: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the US space agency, launched the Parker Solar Probe in August 2018. In December 2021, Parker flew through the Sun's upper atmosphere, the corona, and sampled particles and magnetic fields there. This was the first time ever that a spacecraft touched the Sun, according to NASA.
In February 2020, NASA joined hands with the European Space Agency (ESA) and launched The Solar Orbiter to collect data to find out how the Sun created and controlled the constantly changing space environment throughout the solar system.
Other active solar missions by NASA are Advanced Composition Explorer launched in August, 1997; Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory in October, 2006; Solar Dynamics Observatory in February, 2010; and Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph launched in June, 2013.
Also, in December, 1995, NASA, ESA and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) jointly launched the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).
Japan
JAXA, Japan's space agency, launched its first solar observation satellite, Hinotori (ASTRO-A), in 1981. The objective was to study solar flares using hard X-rays, according to JAXA. JAXA's other solar exploratory missions are Yohkoh (SOLAR-A) launched in 1991; SOHO (along with NASA and ESA) in 1995; and Transient Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE), along with NASA, in 1998.
In 2006, Hinode (SOLAR-B) was launched, which was the successor to Yohkoh (SOLAR-A), the orbiting solar observatory. Japan launched it in collaboration with the US and the UK. The objective of Hinode, an observatory satellite, is to study the impact of the Sun on the Earth.
Yohkoh's objective was to observe solar flares and the solar corona. It was the first satellite to track almost an entire 11-year solar activity cycle.
Europe
In October, 1990, the ESA launched Ulysses to study the environment of space above and below the poles of the Sun, giving scientists information about the variable effect the Sun has on the space surrounding it. Other than solar missions launched in collaboration with NASA and the JAXA, the ESA launched Proba-2 in October, 2001.
Proba-2 is the second of the Proba series, building on nearly eight years of successful Proba-1 experience, even as Proba-1 was not a solar exploratory mission. On-board Proba-2 were four experiments, two of them were solar observation experiments.
Proba stands for Project for On-Board Autonomy. Upcoming solar missions of the ESA include Proba-3, scheduled for 2024 and Smile, scheduled for 2025.
China
The Advanced Space-based Solar Observatory (ASO-S) was successfully launched by the National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in October, 2022. The ASO-S mission is designed to reveal connections among the solar magnetic field, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
Solar flares and CMEs are eruptive solar phenomena, thought to be driven by changes in the Sun's magnetic field.

#upsc #news #headline #sunrace #significant #global #missions #spacetechnology #indian #space #organisation #AdityaL1 #NASA #Solar #magnetic #fields #spacecraft #firsttime #orbiter #ESA #enviroments #spectrograph #JAXA #SOHO #japan #USA #EUROPE #CHINA #ASO #CMEs #autonomy #mission

Today's Headlines - 08 September 2023
G20 agrees to give African Union membership
GS Paper - 2 (International Relations)

Group of 20 nations agreed to grant the African Union permanent membership status, and leaders are expected to announce the decision during a summit in India. The move would give the 55-member African Union, which is currently classified as an “invited international organization,” the same status as the EU. It’s part of a drive to provide African countries with a stronger voice on global issues such as climate change and emerging-market debt, particularly as emerging markets in the so-called Global South take on a more prominent role in world affairs.

More about the News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is hosting the G20 summit, has made it a priority to grant the African Union full membership.
Countries like Germany, Brazil, and Canada have also expressed their support for African Union membership to the G20.
The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world's major developed and developing economies.
The members represent around 85% of global GDP, over 75% of global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.
The European Union is keen to take some credit for the G20 step. Leaders from the bloc plan to hold a high-level meeting with African leaders on the sidelines of the summit, which is being skipped by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Dubbed a “mini-summit,” the Europe-Africa meeting will include a discussion of the consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine on global food security — a situation that threatens to escalate after Putin refused to revive a UN-backed deal to allow grain shipments after talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Other topics include efforts to reform the global financial architecture, improving conditions for private investments and infrastructure projects in Africa, as well as the situation in the Sahel region.
Flashback
The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent.
It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999).

#upsc #news #headline #G20 #African #union #membership #internationalrelations #20nations #leaders #climatechange #market #organization #global #south #news #primeminister #NarenderaModi #G20Summit #germany #brazil #canada #intergovermentalforum #GDP #world #population #european #vladimirputin #projects #AU #55members #unity

Today's Headlines - 11 September 2023
National Strategy for Robotics
GS Paper - 3 (Emerging technology)

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has invited public comments as well as inputs from stakeholders on the draft "National Strategy for Robotics" (NSR). The strategy is aimed at "strengthening all pillars in the innovation cycle of robotic technology, while also providing a robust institutional framework for ensuring the effective implementation of these interventions. Presently, in terms of annual industrial installations, India ranks 10th globally as per the World Robotics Report, 2022.

What's in the draft?

The draft NSR proposes a policy framework for the implementation of robotics in various sectors, with the aim of making India a global robotics leader by 2030.
It also builds upon the mandates of the Make in India 2.0 plans, which identify robotics as one of the 27 sub-sectors to further enhance India's integration in the global value chain.
The draft has so far identified manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and national security as the four core sectors to prioritise robotics automation.
According to the current draft, MeitY will serve as the nodal agency for robotics, with a two-tier institutional framework to facilitate the implementation of the NSR.
The implementation will be directly undertaken under MeitY's 'National Robotics Mission' or the NRM.
The draft also proposes fiscal and non-fiscal interventions by the NRM, for upscaling innovation in robotics.
These interventions will be specifically aimed at developing funding mechanisms for robotics start-ups as well as promoting exports.
Major recommendations of the draft NFR

First and foremost, the NFR has recommended the creation of a robust regulatory framework, led by the Robotics Innovation Unit (RIU), an independent agency that will function under MeitY as a part of India AI.
The NFR also proposes the implementation of Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in Robotics.
The CoEs will be categorised under foundational and applied research. The NFR suggests that for application-based research, CoEs should enlist private sector intervention in priority sectors to help with experimental prototyping, as well as small-volume production for the initial phase of commercialisation.
The current draft also lays out clear plans for providing advisory support to start-ups, harnessing the research potential of higher education institutes, and the development of robotics industrial zones.
Why is the NFR needed?

Besides the aim of integrating robotics into the identified sectors, the draft also points out that "there is a general lack of adoption and growth of the robotics ecosystem in India."
The primary challenges are high import dependence, costly hardware components, and insufficient investments in research and development.
Robots consist of numerous complex and minute parts that need precise knowledge and skills for assembling.
The current state adoption of robotics in the country is "too ambitious, keeping in mind the lack of skilled resources, technical expertise impeding the growth of the robotics ecosystem in the country.

#upsc #headine #news #national #strategy #robotics #emerging #technology #ministry #technology #NSR #world #makeinindia #sectors #global #chain #policy #framework #Meity #pillars #cycle #healthcare #agriculture #security #implementation #draft #fiscal #nonfiscal #mechanisms #RIU #hardware #components #ambitious #resourses #technical #ecosystem