Advertisement

Hindu Notes from General Studies-01

Editorials are covered separately. HINDU NOTES are available free date wise| CLICK HERE

Ocean heatwaves devastate wildlife

News

  • Invisible to people but deadly to marine life, ocean heatwaves have damaged ecosystems across the globe and are poised to become even more destructive, according to the first study to measure worldwide impacts with a single yardstick.

Findings

  • The number of marine heatwave days has increased by more than 50 percent since the mid-20th century.
  • Globally, marine heatwaves are becoming more frequent and prolonged, and record-breaking events have been observed in most ocean basins in the past decade.
  • Above the ocean watermark, on Earth’s surface, 18 of the last 19 years have been the warmest on record, leading to more severe storms, droughts, heatwaves and flooding.
  • Compared to hot spells over land, which have claimed tens of thousands of lives since the start of the century, ocean heatwaves have received scant scientific attention. But sustained spikes in sea-surface temperatures can also have devastating consequences.
  • A 10-week marine heatwave near western Australia in 2011, for example, shattered an entire ecosystem and permanently pushed commercial fish species into colder waters.
  • Even if humanity does manage to cap global warming at “well below” 2C , as called for in the Paris climate treaty, marine heatwaves will sharply increase in frequency, intensity and duration, earlier research has shown.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

India, Russia sign deal on nuclear submarine

News

  • India sealed a $3-billion deal with Russia for leasing a nuclear-powered attack submarine for the Indian Navy for a period of 10 years.

Beyond News

  • The two countries signed an inter-governmental agreement capping months of negotiations on price and other aspects of the deal.
  • Under the pact, Russia will have to deliver the Akula class submarine, to be known as Chakra III, to the Indian Navy by 2025.
  • It will be the third Russian submarine to be leased to the Navy.
  • India has been significantly bolstering its naval prowess in the backdrop of China’s attempts to expand its influence in the Indian Ocean region.

India excluded again from student visa relaxation list

News

  • India is, once again, not included in an expanded list of countries from where students applying for visas will be subject to less stringent documentation requirements, details provided showed.

Beyond News

  • This follows last year’s controversy when the failure to include India triggered much criticism, particularly after the U.K. sought to suggest that the exclusion related to New Delhi’s decision to pull out of a Memorandum of Understanding on the return of illegal migrants.
  • Among the new countries to which the “streamlined documentary requirements” apply are Peru, Kazakhstan, Mauritius and Oman.
  • The changes are part of a wider update to Britain’s immigration system that will introduce two new visa routes for setting up businesses in the U.K. including a “start-up” route and an equivalent one for more seasoned business people. In both cases, business experts will be involved.
  • The government has also updated its rules governing a fast-track visa scheme for wealthy investors which has been used by many Indians. The scheme, which is open to those who invest at least £2 million in U.K. government, shares or businesses, offers a faster route to settlement in the country.
  • Amid concerns that the route has been abused for illicit money flows, applicants will be “required to prove that they have had control of the required £2 million for at least two years, rather than 90 days, or provide evidence of the source of those funds”.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

Delhi tops list of most polluted cities

News

  • The national capital has topped the list of the most polluted cities in the world in a recent study conducted by environment NGO Greenpeace India.

Beyond News

  • New Delhi was ranked first among 62 polluted cities in the report, Global Air Pollution 2018.
  • The report accompanies an extended online interactive display of the world’s most polluted cities, allowing further exploration of air quality across different regions and subregions in 2018.
  • The real-time status of all included locations, together with many more, can also be explored through the IQAir AirVisual Air Quality Map, which brings together live air quality readings in one accessible place.
  • The report measures the air quality in terms of PM2.5 data as aggregated through the IQAir AirVisual platform in 2018.

Pak registers FIR against “unidentified” IAF pilots for bombing 19 trees in Balakot: Report

News

  • Pakistan registered a First Information Report against “unidentified pilots” of the Indian Air Force (IAF) for bombing and destroying 19 trees in the Balakot area, days after India’s preemptive strike against the Jaish-e-Mohammed’s largest terrorist training camp in the country.

Beyond News

  • The FIR was filed by the forestry department against pilots of the IAF for bombing and destroying trees in the Balakot area.
  • The FIR, registered against “unidentified IAF pilots”, also details the damage suffered by 19 trees after the Indian fighter jets “hastily dropped their payload”.
  • India said IAF jets, in the face of imminent danger, launched a preemptive strike on Balakot in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. But the Pakistani military said the IAF jets released their payload which “had free fall in open area.”
  • Pakistan also plans to lodge a complaint against India at the United Nations, accusing New Delhi of “eco-terrorism.”
  • The Indian warplanes bombed Jabba Top, a hilly forest area near the northern town of Balakot, about 40km from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
  • The United Nations states that “destruction of the environment, not justified by military necessity and carried out wantonly, is clearly contrary to existing international law”, the report quoted the UN General Assembly resolution 47/37 as saying.

Indian Army to undergo major reforms

Army bullet proof jacket

News

  • In a major move, Defence Minister has approved the first batch of reforms in the Army which include relocation of 229 officers from the Army headquarters, creation of a new post of Deputy Chief for Military Operations and Strategic Planning, and setting up new wings for vigilance and human rights issues.

Beyond News

  • Finalised after 12 independent studies, the reforms are intended to make the 1.3 million-strong force leaner and meaner.
  • The sources said the number of officers being moved out was 20% of the number of officers in the Army headquarters in the national capital, and they would be deployed in forward locations along the borders with China and Pakistan.
  • The post of Deputy Chief of the Army Staff, Strategy, is being created to deal with military operations, intelligence, strategic planning and operational logistics.
  • The reforms will also include restructuring the Army’s officer cadre, bringing down age of key commands, arresting rising revenue expenditure and “rightsizing” the force.

CLICK HERE TO SEE DATE WISE CURRENT AFFAIRS

WHY IASTODAY IS BEST IN ONLINE COACHING?
FEATURESIASTODAY.inOTHERS
DAILY ANSWER REVIEWYES (in 60 minutes for core batch -before 10 PM for all lower courses)NO ( Not even weekly)
EXPERT SUPPORT24 hours x 7 days (In MASTER PLUS and above)NO/ During office hours only
GUARANTEE For Service & fee paid.Guaranteed till you clear (In LIFETIME membership)No guarantee at any cost.
Dedicated exclusive static testsYES(in MASTER PLUS and above)NO
TEST TYPEFull length similar to UPSC (In all dedicated courses)DEPENDS
FULL STATIC SYLLABUS COVERAGEYES (In all dedicated courses)DEPENDS
Full Day to Day current affairs coverageYES with review (All mains courses)NO
TEST REVIEW & MARKSYES throughout the course duration (In MASTER PLUS and above)YES during initial days.
NO after few tests
Effective cost for 30 MAINS static tests with reviewRs.10,000 (Master plus - Writing skill development 1 year)More than Rs.26,000
Flexible scheduleUnlimited. Reschedule based on demands.No flexibility.
Max delay in Mains Test review24 hours for core and In 4 working days for lower courses.Over 15 days
INDIVIDUAL MARKSYES (In all dedicated courses)NO
UPDATED NOTESYES(in all dedicated courses)NOT UPDATED

IASTODY DEDICATED COURSES IN A GLANCE

For 2023 & 24 Aspirants:
  1. Prelims TEST SERIES -PRO 2024- More than just a prelims test series for 2024 aspirants. 2024 PRELIMS in an integrated manner with mains and interview together with daily writing and review. {CLICK HERE for details}
  2. WRITING SKILL DEVELOPMENT(Daily review) (2 months- 6 months) Next is writing skill development- Available for 2 months and 6 months fixed. This can be used for 2024 or even 2025. Your answer will be reviewed as beginner in first day. Next day feedback will be based on first day performance and so on. You will develop a writing skill development better than aspirants outside IASTODAY by the end of this course- CLICK HERE TO KNOW MORE 
  3. DAILY REVIEW (Beginner) 2024 - Till mains 2024 We have Daily review (beginner) course available till Mains 2024. This course have 3 phases ie, Novice and then beginner phase till prelims examination and aggressive mode post prelims exam- You will write 1 answer a day as novice, then 2 till prelims and there after 4 daily.- CLICK HERE TO KNOW MORE
  4. ESSAY TEST SERIES 2023 & 24-Dedicated Essay test series for scoring high is now available for  2024. Real time exam environment, 24 hours accessibility and more @ a nominal fees-{CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS}
  5. Affordable Integrated Marathon (AIM 2024)-Dedicated All in one low cost series covering prelims test series, mains test series, daily answer review, interview, essay, optional and more in single version at lowest ever possible affordable version. Real time exam environment, 24 hours accessibility and more @ a nominal fees in comparison to features-{CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS}
  6. MASTER PLUS 2024-Dedicated mains 2024 @ Rs.50/day effective. Flagship MAINS 2024 program with all features including 29 mains tests, Daily answer review in 3-4 hours & value added notes and much more -{CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS}.
  7. PREMIUM 2024 - Full coverage @ Rs.55/day effective. Our Flagship prelims to interview with all premium features including daily answer review in 60 minutes, Prelims ,interview and much more -{CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS}.