1. Exercise AGNI WARRIOR
Recently, the 13th edition of Exercise AGNI WARRIOR (XAW-2024) concluded at Field Firing Ranges, Devlali (Maharashtra).
About Exercise AGNI WARRIOR:
- It is a joint military exercise between the Indian Army and Singapore Armed Forces.
- It witnessed participation by the Singapore Armed Forces contingent comprising personnel from the Singapore Artillery and the Indian Army contingent personnel from the Regiment of Artillery.
- The aim of XAW-2024 was to maximise mutual understanding of drills and procedures to achieve jointness as a multinational force under the United Nations Charter.
- The exercise showcased joint firepower planning, execution and use of New Generation Equipment by the Artillery of both Armies.
- The exercise involved extensive joint preparation, coordination, understanding of each other’s capabilities, procedures and evolution of common interface between Indian and Singapore Artillery procedures.
- It marked the culmination of successful training by Singapore Armed Forces troops exposing them to intricacies of Fire Power planning. Both sides utilised niche technologies during the exercise and exchanged best practices as part of the joint training.
2. Tungsten Mining
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister recently wrote to the Prime Minister seeking the cancellation of rights granted by the Centre to a private firm to mine tungsten in Nayakkarpatti Tungsten Block in Madurai district.
About Tungsten:
- Tungsten is a chemical element with the symbol W, and atomic number 74.
- Classified as a transition metal, Tungsten is a solid at room temperature.
- It is a naturally occurring element. It occurs in rocks and minerals combined with other chemicals, but never as a pure metal. It is found in nature in mineral forms like wolframite and scheelite.
- Elemental tungsten is a white to steel gray metal (depending on the purity) that can be used in pure form or mixed with other metals to make alloys.
- Features:
- One of the densest metals, with a density of 19.3 g/cc
- Highest melting point of all metals at 3410 °C
- Lowest vapor pressure of all metals with 4.27 Pa at 3410 °C
- Highest tensile strength of all metals over 1650 °C
- Uses:
- Tungsten alloys tend to be strong and flexible, resist wear, and conduct electricity well.
- Tungsten is used in products such as x-ray tubes, light bulbs, high-speed tools, welding electrodes, turbine blades, golf clubs, darts, fishing weights, gyroscope wheels, phonograph needles, bullets, and armor penetrators.
- It is also used as a catalyst to speed up chemical reactions.
- Chemical compounds of tungsten are used for many purposes.
- Cemented tungsten carbide is a hard substance used to make grinding wheels and cutting or forming tools.
- Other tungsten compounds are used in ceramic pigments, as fire retardant coatings for fabrics, and as color-resistant dyes for fabrics.
- Major producers: China (dominates global production), Vietnam, Russia, and North Korea.
- It has been classified as a Critical Mineral by the Government of India.
3. Key Facts about Lothal
An IIT Delhi student died and three others were injured after soil collapsed on them when they entered a pit near the archaeological site of Lothal in Gujarat for research recently.
About Lothal:
- Lothal is an excavated site situated in the Bhal region in Dholka, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
- It is one of the prominent cities of the ancient Indus Valley civilization (IVC). The origin and history of Lothal can be dated back to 2400 BC.
- Lothal was one of the southern cities of the IVC, located in the Gulf of Khambat region.
- It is the only port town of the IVC.
- Lothal was discovered by SR Rao, an Indian archaeologist, in 1954.
- Literally called 'Mound of the Dead', this ancient and desolate ruined city of Lothal provides insight into the life of the Harappan culture and the IVC.
- Like other cities of the Indus Valley Civilization, Lothal too had excellent architecture and town planning.
- Excavations have revealed that the town was divided into two parts.
- The upper part, or acropolis, was where the ruler and other important people of the city lived, while the lower part was meant for the common people.
- The entire city had a scientific drainage system, well-laid paved roads, and a bath for every house, some of which were double-storied and built on mud platforms.
- The most architecturally sophisticated part of Lothal was its dockyard, which provided berthing facilities for the ships.
- It is the world’s oldest known artificial dock, which was connected to an old course of the Sabarmati River.
- Lothal has enjoyed the status of being the leading center of trade in bygone times.
- It was actively involved in the trade of beads, gems, and expensive ornaments that were exported to West Asia and Africa.
- Pottery was another flourishing industry.
- The ruins of a fire altar suggest that the people of Lothal worshipped the fire god along with the sea god.
Source : IIT Delhi research student killed, three injured in cave-in at Lothal archaeological site in Gujarat
4. Notre-Dame Cathedral
The French President recently praised the more than 1,000 craftspeople who helped rebuild Paris' Notre-Dame Cathedral in what he called "the project of the century", five and a-half years after fire gutted the Gothic masterpiece.
About Notre-Dame Cathedral:
- It is a cathedral church located in Paris, France.
- It is the most famous of the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages and is distinguished for its size, antiquity, and architectural interest.
- The Notre Dame Cathedral with its sculptures and stained-glass windows show the heavy influence of naturalism, unlike that of earlier Romanesque architecture.
- Construction:
- It was one of the very first Gothic cathedrals, and its construction took place throughout the Gothic period. It features all the Gothic styles, from early to rayonnant.
- The cathedral was initiated by Maurice de Sully, bishop of Paris.
- The foundation stone was laid by Pope Alexander III in 1163, and the high altar was consecrated in 1189.
- The choir, the western facade, and the nave were completed by 1250, and porches, chapels, and other embellishments were added over the next 100 years.
- It has been the setting for many historical events, notably, the coronation of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in 1804, the marriages of several Kings of France, including Francis II in 1558 and Henry IV of France in 1572.
- On April 15, 2019, a devastating fire engulfed Notre-Dame, destroying the roof and the iconic spire.
- It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
5. What is Aortic Stenosis?
A large population study indicates that insulin resistance may be an important risk factor for the development of heart valve disease — aortic stenosis.
About Aortic Stenosis:
- The Aortic valve keeps blood flowing from your heart’s lower left chamber (left ventricle) to the aorta, which is the main artery bringing blood from the heart to the body.
- Aortic stenosis occurs when the aortic valve narrows and blood cannot flow normally. The condition may range from mild to severe.
- Over time, aortic valve stenosis causes your heart’s left ventricle to pump harder to push blood through the narrowed aortic valve.
- The extra effort may cause the left ventricle to thicken, enlarge, and weaken.
- If not addressed, this form of heart valve disease may lead to heart failure.
- Main Cause:
- It is most commonly caused by atherosclerosis, a calcium buildup on the aortic valve over time.
- These calcium deposits that often come with age make the valve tissue stiff, narrow, and unyielding.
- Symptoms:
- Many people with aortic stenosis don't experience noticeable symptoms until the amount of restricted blood flow becomes greatly reduced.
- Symptoms of aortic stenosis may include:
- Chest pain
- Rapid, fluttering heartbeat
- Trouble breathing or feeling short of breath
- Feeling dizzy or light-headed, even fainting
- Difficulty walking short distances
- Decline in activity level or reduced ability to do normal activities
- Treatment: Treatment of aortic stenosis depends on how severe the condition is. Treatment may include surgery to fix or replace the valve.
6. What are Bromalites?
New research using fossilized feces and vomit, known as bromalites, highlights how dinosaurs rose to dominance during the Triassic Period.
About Bromalites:
- Bromalites are fossil traces of organisms, consisting of material from their digestive system.
- They are the group of ichnofossils that record the consumption, processing, and elimination of material through digestive systems.
- Each main stage of processing has been ascribed to distinct bromalite subgroups, with little evidence for transitions between these stages.
- The most famous bromalites are fossilized feces, also known as coprolites.
- However, other types are recognised, including: regurgitalites (fossilised remains of vomit or other regurgitated objects such as owl pellets); cololites (intestinal contents); and gastrolites (stomach contents).
- Bromalites provide behavioural data including predation, scavenging, and vomiting.
- They are important indicators of dietary habits and potential predator-prey relationships; therefore, they largely enhance our comprehension of trophic interactions.
- Bromalites are often studied alongside other trace fossils to reconstruct ancient ecosystems.
7. What is C-PACE (Centre for Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit)?
Recently, the Central Government informed the Lok Sabha that corporate exits are now happening in 70-90 days under the Centre for Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit (C-PACE).
About C-PACE (Centre for Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit):
- It has been set up to centralise the process of striking off companies from the MCA Register.
- C-PACE is in operation through the Registrar of Companies (RoC)for the purposes of exercising functional jurisdiction of processing and disposal of applications.
- It will work under the supervision of the Director General of Corporate Affairs (DGCoA).
- It was established to facilitate and speed up the voluntary winding up of companies to less than six months with process re-engineering.
- It is part of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs’ efforts towards ease of doing business and ease of exit for companies.
- Location: It is located at the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs in Gurgaon.
- Significance of C-PACE: It will reduce the burden on the registry and provide stakeholders with hassle-free filing, timely and process-bound striking off of their company’s names from the register.
- Rules to remove company from the Registrar of Companies
- Section 248 of the Companies Act provides for the removal of the name of the company from the RoC if it is not carrying on any business or operation for a period of two immediately preceding financial years and has not made any application within the said period for obtaining the status of a dormant company under Section 455.
8. WOH G64 Star
Recently, for the first time, scientists have succeeded in taking a zoomed-in picture of the WOH G64 star which is located in another galaxy.
About WOH G64 Star:
- It is the massive star that has been imaged with remarkable sharpness by the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope Interferometer (ESO’s VLTI).
- It dwells in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf or satellite galaxy that orbits our Milky Way, which also happens to be one of the closest galaxies to us.
- It was discovered in the 1970s by Bengt Westerlunds, Olander, and Hedin. Incidentally, the WOH in its name is the acronym for the names of its three discoverers.
- The star is believed to be around 1,60,000 light years away from Earth.
- It is classified as a red supergiant owing to its size, which is roughly 2,000 times that of the Sun.
- The new photo has revealed that WOH G64 is entering the last stages of its life. In recent years, the star has blown off its outer layer, and it is now surrounded by wreaths and arcs of gas and dust.
What are Magellanic Clouds?
- These are irregular galaxies that share a gaseous envelope and lie about 22° apart in the sky near the south celestial pole.
- They are comprised of two irregular galaxies, the Large Magellanic Cloud(LMC) and the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), which orbit the Milky Way once every 1,500 million years and each other once every 900 million years.
- These companion galaxies were named for the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, whose crew discovered them during the first voyage around the world (1519–22).
- Magellanic Clouds were formed at about the same time as the Milky Way Galaxy, approximately 13 billion years ago.
- They are presently captured in orbits around the Milky Way Galaxy and have experienced several tidal encounters with each other and with the Galaxy.
- They contain numerous young stars and star clusters, as well as some much older stars.
9. Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme
Recently, the Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $98 million loan to improve horticulture crop farmers’ access to certified disease-free planting materials which aligns with India’s Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme.
About Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme:
- It is designed to address critical issues in horticulture by providing access to high-quality, virus-free planting material.
- The Program will aim to:
- Enhance the yield of horticulture crops,
- Disseminate and adopt climate resilient varieties,
- Protect the ecosystem through proactive virus and disease control measures.
- Components
- Under this programme 9 world class state-of-the-art Clean Plant Centers (CPCs) equipped with advanced diagnostic therapeutics and tissue culture labs.
- A robust certification system will be implemented to ensure thorough accountability and traceability in planting material production and sale.
- It also prioritizes affordable access to clean plant material for all farmers, actively engages women farmers, and addresses the diverse agro-climatic conditions across India by developing region-specific clean plant varieties and technologies.
- Implemented by: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare through the National Horticulture Board (NHB) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
- Significance: The programme is poised to deliver numerous benefits across various stakeholders, from farmers to consumers, and bolster India's position in the global fruit market.
10. Ramappa Temple
The Union Government has approved loans under the Special Assistance to States/Union Territories for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme to develop Ramappa Region Sustainable Tourism Circuit.
About Ramappa Temple:
- It is also known as the Rudreshwara temple, is a Kakatiya style Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva, located in Telangana.
- Patronage: The medieval Deccan Ramappa Temple which dates back to 1213 AD, was built by the patronage of the Kakatiya ruler Kakati Ganapathi Deva under the authority of his Chief Commander Rudra Samani.
- The temple got its name Ramappa because of its chief sculptor Ramappa. Ramappa Temple is probably the only temple in India that is named after the architect.
- Architectural features:
- Earthquake-proof: Made out of clay mixed with acacia wood, chaff and myrobalan fruit (a family of amla), the bricks used in building the gopuram of the temple are light enough to float on water. Using this technique has made the temple light, meaning, in case of a natural event like an earthquake, the probability of it collapsing would be very low.
- Sandbox technique: The temple construction was done using the sandbox technique. This is a technique where the foundation pit is filled with a mixture of sand-lime, jaggery and black myrobalan fruit. This mix acts as a cushion in case of earthquakes.
- The temple’s pillars produce musical notes.
- In 2021, the temple was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as "Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana".