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Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

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India, South Africa seal partnership deal

News

  • India and South Africa agreed on a three-year strategic partnership agreement to boost relations.
  • The agreement, signed during the visit of President Cyril Ramaphosa, will cover defence and security, blue economy cooperation and sustainable development.

Beyond News

  • At the end of the delegation-level talks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the scope for cooperation.
  • India also invited South Africa to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and congratulated it on securing the non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for 2019-20.
  • A joint statement acknowledged the growing interaction between the Navies of the two countries, and the Indian leader welcomed the South African participation in the India-Africa Field Training Exercise next March.

The statement reiterated the role of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) that ensures freedom of navigation by keeping sea lanes free and secure.

Now, Donald Trump wants India to cut duties on American whisky

News

  • S. President Donald Trump has said he struck a “very fair deal” with India by making it cut the tariffs on the iconic motorcycle Harley-Davidson by half in just about two minutes, but rued the “high” Indian duties on American whisky.

Beyond News

  • India last year slashed the customs duty on imported motorcycles like Harley-Davidson to 50 per cent after Trump called it “unfair” and threatened to increase the tariffon import of Indian bikes to the U.S.
  • At a White House event on the Reciprocal Trade Act, Mr. Trump flashed out a green colour board with examples of non-reciprocal tariffs from various countries.
  • Trump, however, pointed out to the high tariff by India on import of wines.
  • The Reciprocal Trade Act, which Mr. Trump was expected to highlight in his now-delayed State of the Union address, would give him authority to levy tariffs equal to those of a foreign country on a particular product if that country’s tariffs are determined to be significantly lower than those charged by the United States.
  • It would also allow Mr. Trump to take into account non-tariff barriers when determining such tariffs. Mr. Trump alleged that many countries all over the world has taken advantage of the US.
  • Trump said the Reciprocal Trade Act would help to solve the problem once and for all.
  • The Reciprocal Trade Act will be an incredible tool to bring foreign countries to the negotiating table and to get them to lower tariffs on US products and also to get rid of their trade barriers. America cannot lose almost $800 billion on trade like has been done for many years.

Broadcast advertisement rates hiked

News

  • Ahead of the election, the government has increased the advertisement rates it offers to private television channels.
  • The decision will mean an increase of 11% for most channels.

Beyond News

  • The last increase was effected in 2017, and the one before in 2012.
  • Sources in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said the hike did not follow any schedule.
  • Differential rates will be offered to news and non-news channels, depending on their reach.
  • The fiat comes days after the Centre raised by 25% the rates at which the Bureau of Outreach and Communication releases its advertisements to print media.
  • The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has taken a decision to revise the advertisement rates offered by BOC to private TV channels.
  • The revision would lead to an increase of 11% over the 2017 rates for most private television channels and it could be even higher for some others, depending upon their reach and ratings.
  • The decision would also make it easier for television channels to be empanelled with the BOC to take advantage of the higher rates.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

China clones gene-edited monkeys for sleep disorder research

News

  • Chinese scientists have made clones of a gene-edited macaque to aid research of circadian rhythm disorders that are linked to sleep problems, depression and Alzheimer’s disease.

Beyond News

  • It was the first time multiple clones had been made from a gene-edited monkey for biomedical research. The clones were born at the Institute of Neuroscience at the China Academy of Sciences in Shanghai.
  • A gene-edited monkey most prone to the disorder was selected as a donor, and its fibroblasts were used to make five cloned monkeys.
  • The clones would pave the way for more research into such problems in humans, which have become a major mental health concern.
  • The cloned monkeys already show signs of “negative behaviour”, including sleep disorders, as well as elevated levels of anxiety and “schizophrenia-like behaviours”.

ISRO tastes first success of 2019, places military satellite Microsat-R in orbit

ISRO indian space

News

  • Under a starry night and a waning gibbous moon, ISRO’s PSLV C-44 broke the silence over a brimming Pulicat lake as it lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR, to successfully place in orbit military satellite Microsat-R.

Beyond News

  • The mission, with a modified PSLV with just dual strap-on motors (PSLV-DL), marked another first for ISRO – it provided an alternative to its normal six strap-on motors. This will enable the rocket to carry slightly higher payloads than its Core-Alone version.
  • Towards the end of the first stage, the rocket’s plumes were white with its tail end burning bright red even as a large flock of birds passed on the horizon. A second later, as the rocket soared further into the night sky, the second stage ignition burned a bright orange propelling the rocket ahead.
  • Microsat-R was placed in orbit 13 and-a-half minutes after lift-off. It is the first time an Indian satellite was being placed by ISRO in a low orbit at an altitude of 274 km.
  • ISRO also used this launch as an opportunity to demonstrate the usability of the fourth stage of the rocket after the satellites are ejected into orbit. 
  • The fourth stage used to just become yet another piece of space debris. However, ISRO has found a way to make use of this stage with student satellite Kalamsat, made by Space Kidz India, weighing just 1.26kg, attached to it.
  • Another innovation is making the fourth stage an experimental platform to do technology demonstrations and carrying out science experiments by students.
  • This would enable any agency that wants to conducts experiments in space to use the fourth stage till it disintegrates naturally. The fourth stage may be orbiting in space for six months to a year. ISRO is aiming to use this time-frame to enable agencies to run short time experiments.

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