Successful Trial of 'Nirbhay' Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile                                                                        

MoU between India and Republic of Korea                                                                                             

MoU between India and Brazil                                                                                                                  

Continuation of Phase 4 of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)                                

Monsoon likely to be ‘normal’ this year, says meteorological dept.                                                    

Tiger reserve status for Nandhaur sought                                                                                              

Plea in SC seeks entry of women into mosques                                                                                    

China is using AI to profile Uighur Muslims                                                                                           

Global measles cases up 300% year-on-year: WHO                                                                            

‘First’ 3D printed heart has human tissues and vessels                                                                      

Successful Trial of 'Nirbhay' Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile

GS PAPER - 03 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY   - Achievement of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

Context :

• Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test fired indigenously designed & developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile “Nirbhay” from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur Odisha.

Nirbhay :

• India’s first indigenously designed and established long-range cruise missile

• Its objective was to prove the repeatability of boost phase, cruise phase using waypoint navigation at very low heights.

• The missile can be launched from multiple platforms and is capable of carrying conventional and nuclear warheads.

• It is a two-stage missile powered by Solid rocket motor booster.

• It is capable of carrying warheads of up to 300kg at a speed of 0.6 to 0.7 Mach (sub-sonic).

• It has an operational range of 1000 km (long range).

• The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk.

• The missile demonstrated its sea-skimming capability to cruise at very low altitudes.

                                                                                                                                      Source :- PIB

MoU between India and Republic of Korea

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS  - Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests

Context :

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, was apprised about an MoU signed in February 2019 between India and the Republic of Korea.

More about the news:

• Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, Government of India and The Ministry of Science and ICT (Korea Post), Government of the Republic of Korea have mutually agreed to jointly issue Postage Stamps on the theme “Queen Hur Hwang-ok of Korea”.

• The joint stamps will be released on a mutually agreed date by the end of 2019.

                                                                                                                                     Source :- PIB

MoU between India and Brazil

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests

Context :

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, was apprised about an MoU signed in May 2018 between India and Brazil.

More about the news:

• The MoU has been signed to strengthen the ties between India and Brazil to work out the future agenda for the collaboration for innovation in Science & Technology diplomacy to evolve a concrete strategic plan in the area of biotechnology education, training and research.

The broad areas of collaboration are:

• Biomedicine and health, especially biotech based products

• Agriculture breeding practices

• Biofuel and bio-energy

• Nanotechnology and Bioinstrumentation

• Biodiversity and Taxonomy

                                                                                                                                Source :- PIB

Continuation of Phase 4 of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)

GS PAPER - 03 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - Achievement of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

Context :

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved ongoing GSLV continuation programme Phase-4 consisting of five GSLV flights during the period 2021-2024.

• The GSLV Programme – Phase 4 will enable the launch of 2 tonne class of satellites for Geo-imaging, Navigation, Data Relay Communication and Space Sciences.

Benefits :

• The GSLV Continuation Programme - Phase 4 will meet the launch requirement of satellites for

1. providing critical Satellite Navigation Services,

2. Data Relay Communication for supporting the Indian Human spaceflight programme and

3. interplanetary mission to Mars.

• This will also ensure the continuity of production in Indian industry.

Major impact :

• The operationalization of GSLV has made the country self-reliant in the launching capability of 2 tonne class of satellites for communication & meteorological satellites.

•  sustain & strengthen the capability

• self-reliance in the launching of similar satellites for national requirements including next generation navigation satellites,

• data relay communication satellites and interplanetary missions.

Background :

• GSLV has enabled independent access to space for 2 tonne class of satellites to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). One of the very significant outcomes of the GSLV Continuation Programme is the mastering of the highly complex cryogenic propulsion technology, which is an essential technological capability to launch communication satellites to GTO. This has also paved the way for the development of a high thrust Cryogenic engine & stage for the next generation launch vehicle i.e. GSLV Mk-lll. 

• With the recent successful launch of GSLV-F11 on 19th December 2018, GSLV has successfully orbited 10 national satellites. GSLV with the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage has established itself as a reliable launch vehicle for communication, navigation and meteorological satellites and also to undertake future interplanetary missions.

• GSLV Continuation Programme was initially sanctioned in 2003, and two phases have been completed and the third phase is in progress and expected to be completed by Q4 of 2020-21.   

                                                                                                                                    Source :- PIB

Monsoon likely to be ‘normal’ this year, says meteorological dept.

GS PAPER - 01 GEOGRAPHY - Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.,

Context :

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said monsoon rains are expected to be normal in 2019- 96% of the Long-term average (LPA).

Key Highlights :

• The IMD defines normal rainfall as between 96% and 104% of the Long Period Average (LPA). LPA (50year average) of monsoon rains in India is 89 cm.

• IMD’s prediction is contradictory to what Skymet, India’s only private weather forecaster has predicted. Skymet has said that it expects the 2019 monsoon rains to be “below normal”.

• IMD’s optimistic assessment of monsoon rains is based on global climate models which has projected a ‘weakening El Nino.’

1. A temperature rise greater than 1 degree C for three consecutive months, is considered a ‘strong’ El Nino. A 0.5C -1C rise is called ‘weak El Nino conditions.  At present, the El Nino is 0.9 C.

2. A strong El Nino results in reduction and uneven distribution of rainfall across the Indian sub-continent. This is because the trade winds coming from South America which normally blow westward towards Asia during Southwest Monsoon gets weakened due to the warming of the Pacific Ocean. Therefore, moisture and heat content gets limited and this leads to poor rainfall in the region.

                                                                                                                                   Source :- Down to Earth

Tiger reserve status for Nandhaur sought

GS PAPER - 03 ENVIRONMENT- Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Context :

• Authorities at the Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary has planned to seek Tiger Reserve status for the sanctuary.

Need Tiger Reserve Status for NANDHAUR :

• The number of tigers at the sanctuary when it came into being in 2012 was nine which rose to 27 in 2018. The number is set to cross 32 this year

• Steady Rise in  the number of tigers in the sanctuary over the years and the growing trend indicates that the sanctuary with the limited resources at its disposal may not be able to efficiently handle its responsibilities for long. The Tiger reserve status would ensure better funds and management of the sanctuary.

Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary in Uttarakhand.

•  It is situated close to the Nandhaur River in Kumaon region.

• The Nandhaur Sanctuary lies between the Gola and Sarda rivers

• It is a part of the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL), a forest zone that spreads across the Indian states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and the low lying hills of Nepal.

• The tiger, the Asian elephant and the Indian rhinoceros are three flagship species of the region.

                                                                                                                                                                        Source :- Business Standard

Plea in SC seeks entry of women into mosques

GS PAPER  - 01 SOCIAL ISSUES - Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.

Context :

• The Supreme Court Tuesday agreed to hear a plea seeking permission for Muslim women to enter mosques to offer prayers and asked the Centre to respond to it.

Background :

• A a Writ Petition filed in the SC - seeking to declare the practices of prohibition of entry of Muslim Women in Mosque in India as illegal, unconstitutional for being violative of Articles 14, 15, 21, 25 and 29 of the Constitution.

• The petition filed by a Muslim couple places heavy reliance on the SC verdict in Sabarimala case, which had overturned the ban on entry of women in the age group of 10 to 50 years to the temple.

Petitioner Contention :

• the act of prohibition of females from entering mosque is void and unconstitutional as such practices are not only repugnant to the basic dignity of a woman as an individual but also violative of the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 15, 21 and 25 of the Constitution.

• The petition states that the Quran does not differentiate between man and woman. They have also alleged that there are no records stating that the Holy Quran and Prophet Muhammad had opposed women entering mosques and offering prayers.

• Further,the petition has said that women are allowed in mosques in Saudi Arabia,UAE,Egypt,US,UK and Singapore.

• At present, women are allowed to offer prayers at mosques under Jamaat-e-Islami and Mujahid denominations, while they are barred from mosques under the predominant Sunni faction.

• Even in the mosques where women are allowed, there are separate entrances and enclosures for worship for men and women.

• There is no such gender discrimination to offer worship in Mecca, the holy city. The faithful, both men and women, together circle the Kaaba".

Conclusion :

• Religion cannot be used as cover to deny rights of worship to women and it is also against human dignity. Prohibition on women is due to non-religious reasons and it is a grim shadow of discrimination going on for centuries

• It is high time that a robust law be enacted so as to bring women on the great platform of true equality. The enactment, as well as its implementation in letter and spirit, would provide the legitimate right and liberty in religion to Indian women.

                                                                                                                                   Source :- The Hindu

China is using AI to profile Uighur Muslims

GS PAPER - 03 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.

Context :

• The Chinese authorities are using a vast, secret system of advanced facial recognition technology to track and control the Uighurs. It is the first known example of a government intentionally using artificial intelligence for racial profiling.

Background :

• The Uighurs are mostly Muslims, and number about 11 million in western China’s Xinjiang region.

• They see themselves as culturally and ethnically close to Central Asian nations, and their language is similar to Turkish.

• The tension and recent violence between the Uighurs and China is mainly caused by economic and cultural factors. Priority given to Hans Chinese. There’s been a mass migration of Han Chinese (China’s ethnic majority) to Xinjiang, and the Uighurs feel their culture and livelihoods are under threat.

• Uighurs also react vehemently to gradual curtailment of their commercial and cultural activities, restrictions on Islam, strict control over religious schools in the region by China.

More about the news:

• The Chinese government has drawn wide international condemnation for its harsh crackdown on ethnic Muslims in its western region, including holding as many as 1 million of them in detention camps.

• The facial recognition technology, which is integrated into China’s rapidly expanding networks of surveillance cameras, looks exclusively for Uighurs based on their appearance and keeps records of their comings and goings for search and review.

• The practice makes China a pioneer in applying next-generation technology to watch its people, potentially ushering in a new era of automated racism.

• The technology and its use to keep tabs on China’s 11 million Uighurs were described by five people with direct knowledge of the systems.

Breaking new Ground :

• China has broken new ground by identifying one ethnic group for law enforcement purposes.

• It has devoted major resources toward tracking Uighurs, citing ethnic violence in Xinjiang and Uighur terrorist attacks elsewhere.

• Beijing has thrown hundreds of thousands of Uighurs and others in Xinjiang into reeducation camps.

• It was found that, in practice, the systems are imperfect. Often, their accuracy depends on environmental factors like lighting and the positioning of cameras. And while facial recognition technology uses aspects like skin tone and face shapes to sort images in photos or videos, it must be told by humans to categorise people based on social definitions of race or ethnicity. Chinese police, with the help of the startups, have done that.

• Critics have labeled China negatively for its gladiatorial show of tech-enabled authoritarianism and power over Uighurs.

                                                                                                                                    Source :- The Hindu

Global measles cases up 300% year-on-year: WHO

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context :

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that measles cases worldwide rose by 300% during the first three months of 2019 compared with the same period in 2018.

Key Highlights :

• Many countries are in the midst of sizeable measles outbreaks, with all regions of the world experiencing sustained rises in cases.

• According to the WHO, measles remains an important cause of death among young children globally. When more than five cases of measles are reported in a place in a short span of time, it is considered an outbreak.

• Africa has seen a 700% increase in cases in the first three months of 2019 compared to 2018.

• Further, Madagascar is the hardest-hit country, reporting more than 69,000 cases in its ongoing measles outbreak.         

                                                                                                                                                                       Source :- The Hindu

‘First’ 3D printed heart has human tissues and vessels

GS PAPER - 03 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.

Context :

• Scientists in Israel unveiled a 3D print of a heart with human tissue and vessels. The medical breakthrough raises possibility for transplants into patients in future.

3D printed Heart :

• The heart marked “the first time anyone has successfully engineered and printed an entire heart replete with cells, blood vessels, ventricles and chambers.

• 3D-print the structure of a heart have been made in the past, but not with cells or with blood vessels.

• Researchers must now teach the printed hearts “to behave” like real ones. Then they plan to transplant them into animal models.

Significance :

• Cardiovascular disease is the world’s leading cause of death, according to the World Health Organization, and transplants are currently the only option available for patients in the worst cases.

• But the number of donors is limited and many die while waiting.

• When they do benefit, they can fall victim to their bodies rejecting the transplant — a problem the researchers are seeking to overcome.

• Using the patient’s own tissue could eliminate the risk of an implant provoking an immune response and being rejected.

• Challenges that remain include how to expand the cells to have enough tissue to recreate a human-sized heart.

                                                                                                                                                  Source :- The Hindu

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------