Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

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India urged to join Belt and Road Initiative

News

• China counseled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which had already drawn wide international support.

Beyond News

• Hua was responding to a question on remarks by the Russian ambassador to India backing a dialogue between New Delhi and Beijing on the BRI.
• India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May, objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passed through Kashmir.
• Referring specifically to CPEC, Ms. Hua, in a veiled reference to India, said the project did not target “third countries” or prejudice China’s position on territorial disputes.

India sends fuel shipment to Sri Lanka

 News

• Following Sri Lanka’s request for emergency shipment of fuel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured President Maithripala Sirisena of “all possible assistance.”

Beyond News

• The two leaders spoke over telephone and a 21,000 kilolitre-shipment left Paradip Refinery in Odisha on Wednesday, according to a press statement issued by the Indian High Commission in Colombo.
• Lanka IOC, the Indian Oil Corporation subsidiary in Sri Lanka, has made 3,500 kilolitres from its stock available to the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), with which it controls retail distribution of fuel in Sri Lanka.
• On Friday, a sudden fuel shortage gripped the country after CPC rejected a recent 35,000 metric tonne-shipment procured by LIOC, on grounds of contamination. Reports of the shortage sparked panic-buying across the island, intensifying the problem over the last few days.

Pak. to help Indian pilgrims

 News

• Pakistan will provide “all possible” support to pilgrims from India during the coming celebration of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak which falls in 2019.

Beyond News

• During a meeting with a delegation said Pakistan was committed to ensuring smooth pilgrimage for citizens from India.
• The High Commissioner told the delegation that the Government of Pakistan was fully cognisant of the importance of Baba Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary in 2019 and would extend all possible facilitation on that auspicious occasion.
• The Pakistani declaration came days after Islamabad allowed 2,600 Indian pilgrims to visit Nankana Sahib to celebrate the annual festivities around the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak in Talwandi Sahib, Pakistan, during November 2-11, 2017.

British Royals arrive in India

 News

• Britain’s Prince Charles arrived on a two-day visit, during which he will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and invite him for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held next year in the U.K.

Beyond News

• The visit is a part of their 10-day tour of four nations — Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and India.
• Ahead of the visit, the External Affairs Ministry had said it was aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between India and U.K.
• Climate change, sustainable development goals, economic cooperation and the upcoming CHOGM, which will take place in April 2018 in the U.K. are among the issues to be discussed during the meeting between the Prince and Mr. Modi.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

The ‘white’ brothers of Nilgiris

News

The rare, pale-skinned ‘white’ tiger was spotted for the first time in the Nilgiris earlier this year by a wildlife photographer.

Beyond News

• Neither of these animals are 100% white. They are pale, with coats much lighter than the usual orangey yellow.
• It now turns out that this animal is not the only one of its kind. It has a family, and its brother is also ‘white’, though its mother and sister have normal yellow coats.
• It is believed by wildlife experts that the tigers’ coats are pale due to reduced levels of the pigment melanin in a phenomenon called ‘leucism’.

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