Useful News Articles

A. GS1 Related

Nothing here today folks!

B. GS2 Related

21st century witnessing chaos, strife: Pranab

Category: Polity and Governance, International Relations

Topic: Government Initiatives, Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India

Key Points:

President Pranab Mukherjee made important statements during the passing-out parade of cadets at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai.
President Pranab Mukherjee has observed that the 21st century is witnessing chaos and strife of a very virulent nature. He went on to add that the country required men and women, who would work “tirelessly and selflessly, even at the peril of their lives.”
Apart from the 249 cadets, which included 32 women, who were commissioned as short service officers in various arms of the Indian Army, a total of 20 cadets from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Lesotho also completed their training at the Academy.

U.S., Russia clinch Syria agreement

Category: International Relations

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Key Points:

S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently capped another marathon meeting in Geneva, wherein they presented their latest ambitious push to end Syria’s devastating and complex war.
The potential breakthrough deal, would largely depend on compliance by Mr. Assad’s Russian-backed forces and U.S.-supported rebel groups, plus key regional powers such as Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
The new arrangement goes further by promising a new U.S.-Russian counter-terrorism alliance.

North says nukes are defence against U.S.

Category: International Relations

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Key Points:

North Korea sought to justify its weapons programme as a defence against US nuclear “blackmail”.
This development takes place as world powers debated ways to punish North Korea for its fifth and most powerful atomic test. The North also boasted that the test was of a nuclear warhead that could be mounted on a missile.
South Korea has maintained that the nuclear threat from North Korea was growing fast and called for tough new sanctions from the UN Security Council.
During a closed-door meeting, the UN Security Council strongly condemned the test and agreed to begin drafting a new resolution under Article 41 of the UN charter, which provides for sanctions.
South Korea, the United States, Japan, Russia and China have all condemned the blast.

C. GS3 Related

What are magnetars?

Category: Science and Technology

Topic: Developments

Key Points:

Astronomers had recently picked up strange X-ray bursts using NASA’s Swift telescope.
These strange bursts which were picked up, were very similar to that of a magnetar.
A magnetar is essentially an extremely dense type of neutron star that can produce magnetic fields trillions of times stronger than our sun’s.

What is a nuetron star?

Neutron stars are formed when stars that are larger than our sun explode as supernovae.
Even a regular neutron star has a magnetic field of a trillion gauss. Magnetars are 1,000 times more powerful than that, with a magnetic field of a quadrillion gauss.
Just to put this into perspective, The earth’s core has a magnetic field of 25 gauss. Magnetars can cause starquakes, or earthquakes on stars.
Because of its unique properties, a magnetar releases a blast of radiation that can be seen clear across the Milky Way.
The most powerful starquake that has been recorded till date came from a magnetar called SGR 1806-20, located about 50,000 light years away.

China’s BRICS trade pact idea finds no takers

Category: Economy

Topic: International Trade

Key Points:

China has made attempts to bring to the negotiating table a proposal for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the BRICS economies.

In response, India and three others in the BRICS bloc — Brazil, Russia and South Africa have cold-shouldered China’s attempt.
Although, China maintains that its proposal for a ‘BRICS FTA’ is aimed at boosting trade ties in the grouping through binding commitments on eliminating tariffs, BRICS members barring China are not keen on such a pact.
The BRICS members opposed to this initiative are apprehensive that it could lead to a surge in imports of Chinese goods into their territory — in turn, hurting local manufacturing.
Brazil has pointed out that it participates in FTA negotiations as part of the ‘Mercosur’ – a trading bloc and customs union of Latin American nations.
Brazil cited the recent political turmoil surrounding its regime change. India said it is already participating in negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (or RCEP, a proposed mega-regional FTA between the 16 Asia-Pacific nations including India and China).
During the forthcoming BRICS Trade Ministers Meeting, there could be talks for a cooperation agreement for an exchange of services trade data, in addition to discussions on the proposed ‘BRICS Visa’.
The proposed ‘BRICS Visa’ would essentially be a long-term multiple-entry visa for business persons to attend meetings and conferences, as well as for tourism and medical treatment purposes.

D. GS4 Related

E. Important Editorials: A Quick Glance

The Hindu

Editorials:

Stocktaking in the dengue war

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Initiatives

Key Points:

This year, Kerala has recorded 4,060 dengue cases, the highest in the country.
Unfortunately, Kerala is not battling dengue alone, making it essential for the state to look at an integrated and comprehensive prevention and control strategy inclusive of an effective vaccine.
In recent decades, dengue is being reported in huge numbers, thus underscoring the need to bring with it a substantial socioeconomic impact on individuals and society.

Interventions for Dengue Prevention:

Vector control is one of the interventions for dengue prevention.
This involves, community-level implementation of small interventions to prevent water accumulation in coolers, manhole lids, tyres and water tanks along with general cleanliness particularly in the urban areas.
But these initiatives alone would not be enough as, dengue mosquitoes are found inside homes as well.
Due to absence of a specific antiviral therapy for treatment of dengue, a comprehensive strategy is deemed necessary.
Since solitary vector control alone is unable to yield a satisfactory reduction in viral transmission, the implementation of a safe, efficacious and cost-effective dengue vaccine assumes importance of being a high public health priority.
Despite promising efforts made such as the initiatives taken by the World Health Organisation ((WHO) and Dengue Vaccine Initiative (DVI), a more comprehensive approach towards effective vaccine introduction, vector control techniques, robust and accurate surveillance, modelling studies, heat maps of global data and release of sterile mosquitoes need to be seriously taken into consideration.

F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn:

Health Organisation ((WHO)
Dengue Vaccine Initiative (DVI)
BRICS Trade Ministers Meeting
BRICS Visa
BRICS FTA
Magnetar

G. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS

BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS	Links to Refer
BRICS	http://brics2016.gov.in/content/innerpage/about-usphp.php

H. Fun with Practice Questions 🙂

Question 1: Which of the following demarcates North and South Korea?

a) 38th Parallel

b) 49th Parallel

c) 20th Parallel

d) 17th Parallel

Question 2: Consider the following statements,

A magnetar is essentially an extremely dense type of neutron star that can produce magnetic fields trillions of times stronger than our sun’s.
Neutron stars are formed when stars that are larger than our sun explode as supernovae.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Question 3: Consider the following statements,

Syria is bordered by Turkey, Iraq , Jordan, Lebanon and Israel.
Syria does not share a cost with the Mediterranean Sea.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Question 4: Consider the following statements,

BRICS brings together five major emerging economies, comprising 43% of the world population, having 37% of the world GDP and 17% share in the world trade.
India will host the 8th BRICS Summit during its Chairmanship which is scheduled to take place on 15-16 October 2016 in Goa. The theme of India’s BRICS Chairmanship is Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Question 5: Consider the following statements,

The Council is composed of 15 Members- five permanent members: China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly.
A State which is a Member of the United Nations but not of the Security Council may participate, without a vote, in its discussions when the Council considers that that country’s interests are affected.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Check Your Answers

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