China launches second Tiangong space station module

• The 23-tonne Wentian (“Quest for the Heavens”) laboratory module was launched on the back of China’s most powerful rocket, the Long March 5B from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre on the southern island of Hainan. The launch was "a complete success".
• China began constructing the space station in April 2021 with the launch of the Tianhe module, the main living quarters, in the first of 11 crewed and uncrewed missions in the undertaking.
• The Wentian lab module, 17.9 m long, will provide space for experiments, along with the other lab module yet to be launched — Mengtian (“Dreaming of the Heavens”).
• Mengtian is expected to be launched in October and, like Wentian, is to dock with Tianhe, forming a T-shaped structure.

Men on ''marriage strike'' against marital rape laws

• Heteropessimism can be defined as public declarations of dissatisfaction with heterosexual relationships, by people who continue to be in those relationships.
• Heteropessimism has been caused and shaped by larger social, economic and political currents.
• the realisation for heterosexual people that dating is really hard (and in many cases, violent or even fatal), and the hard-won prize of marriage is not what it was touted to be, can lead to disillusionment from romantic relationships.

Study sheds light on prey-predator relationship in Himachal

• According to the study carried out in Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh, the snow leopard detection probability was high if the site was used by its prey species — Siberian ibex and blue sheep. Whereas, in the case of the prey species, the probability of detection was low when the predator was present and detected.
• Snow leopards use rugged mountainous areas or non-forested areas covering an altitude between 3,200 metres to 5,200 metres.
• Habitat covariates such as barren area, grassland, aspect, slope and distance to water were important drivers of habitat use for the snow leopard as well as its prey species.
• Classified as ‘Vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red list and listed in Schedule-I species of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, snow leopards are elusive mountain cats.

Challenges of fiberisation ahead of India’s 5G deployment?

• The process of connecting radio towers with each other via optical fibre cables is called fiberisation.
• It helps provide full utilisation of network capacity, and carry large amounts of data once 5G services are rolled out. It will also aid in providing additional bandwidth and stronger backhaul support.
• The backhaul is a component of the larger transport that is responsible for carrying data across the network.
• It represents the part of the network that connects the core of the network to the edge. As a result, fibre backhaul remains an important part of transport across all telecoms.
• Fibre-based media, commonly called optical media, provides almost infinite bandwidth and coverage, low latency and high insulation from interference.

Wind power rates may bottom out

• However, wind industry experts say this alone will not necessarily improve the sector’s fortunes.
• India has committed to installing 60,000 MW of wind power projects by 2022, but has met only two-thirds of the target.
• While reverse auctions were the norm for all renewable energy projects, including solar and wind projects since 2015, the government’s change of stance signals that the rock-bottom prices associated with clean energy projects — per unit solar power costs have fallen to ₹2.40 a unit — do not reflect the true costs of renewable energy.
• The cost of large tracts of land required to install wind turbines is among the reasons cited for the dwindling health of the sector.

Dharmendra Pradhan calls for including info about Anusilan Samity in NCF

• Anusilan Samity was a prominent secret revolutionary society operating from Bengal in the 20th century with a mission to overthrow colonial rule and give momentum to India’s struggle for freedom.
• Founded by Satish Chandra Pramatha Mitra, Aurobindo Ghose and Sarala Devi, Anusilan Samity was one among the many illustrious institutions from the land of Bengal.
• Legends like, Deshabandhu Chittaranjan Das, Surendranath Tagore, Jatindranath Banerjee, Bagha Jatin were associated with Anusilan Samity. Hedgewar was also an alumnus of the Samity.

No port, vessel related charges on coastal shipping for six months

• The decision has been taken to provide some quick respite to Port sector from the impact of Global increase in price of fuel.
• The cost of Marine fuel - Low Sulphur High Flash High Speed Diesel has increased from 76 thousand rupees per Kiloliter to one lakh 21 thousand rupees per Kiloleter.
• The rising fuel cost at international level is now making the local Ro-Pax and Passenger Ferry operations unviable. Exemption of vessel and port related charges will provide the necessary breather to this sector for the next six months.