PMO gets into act in satellite spectrum row of Musk, Ambani

Satellite Spectrum

• The Satellite or orbit spectrum is a segment of radio spectrum made available when satellites are placed into orbit.
• This spectrum is part of the broader radio frequency spectrum, which encompasses all electromagnetic frequencies used for various wireless communications and broadcasting purposes.
• This spectrum is a limited resource for every country, utilised by firms to implement satellite broadcasting, communication satellites, and weather satellite services.
• This spectrum is divided into many different frequency bands. The choice of bands depends on many factors, including the specific applications.
• The frequency is an integral part of the satellite’s construction and doesn’t change after launch.
• How does frequency impact the data transfer?
  • In simple terms, the frequency of a signal refers to the number of times the underlying wave oscillates per second.
  • The higher the frequency, the faster the waves appear to move, and the more data can be transmitted per second.
  • However, higher frequencies also mean shorter wavelengths (that is, the length between the start and end of each wave), which can lead to a reduction in the strength of the signal over a distance (called signal attenuation) and an increased risk of signal interference.
• Satellites generally transmit on a frequency between 1.5 and 51.5 gigahertz (a gigahertz, or GHz, equals one billion hertz). High-speed broadband operates at the higher end of the spectrum.
• The International Telecommunication Union, or ITU, is the United Nations institution that coordinates the allocation of frequencies globally.
• The ITU has allocated parts of this spectrum range to specific categories of services, and has identified those frequencies best suited for transmissions via satellite.

International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• It is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies.
• It is an intergovernmental organization that coordinates between governments and private sector bodies with respect to global telecommunication and information communication technology (ICT) services.
• It was established in 1865 as International Telegraph Union.
• In 1947 the ITU became a specialized agency of the United Nations.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Membership: It has a membership of 193 countries and nearly 800 private sector entities and academic institutions.
• Functions:
  • allocate global radio spectrum and satellite orbits;
  • coordination and setting of technical standards related to telecommunication/ICT;
  • strive to improve access to ICTs in underserved communities worldwide;
• India and ITU: India has been an active member of the ITU since 1869 and has been a regular member of the ITU Council since 1952.

Phonotaxis: First sound, then motion

Phonotaxis

• Scientists call phonotaxis as the movement by an animal in response to a sound.
• It has mostly been observed among crickets, moths, frogs, and toads, among a few other creatures.
• There are two types of phonotaxis
  • Positive phonotaxis: The purpose of positive phonotaxis is attraction. It usually happens when the females of a particular species – including those of crickets and frogs – are attracted to the sounds made by the males.
  • Negative phonotaxis: It serves to repel or warn, such as when the sound of a predator nearby signals to an animal that it needs to move away. Crickets in particular have been found to steer themselves away from low-intensity ultrasound typically associated with bats (which use it for echolocation).
• In 1984, scientists found that Mediterranean house geckos (Hemidactylus turcicus) use positive phonotaxis to their advantage.
• The fields that these geckos inhabited were also home to male decorated crickets (Gryllodes supplicans), which used species-specific sounds to attract the females from their burrows.
• The geckos recognised and followed this call until they reached the burrow, where they consumed the female crickets.

What is Hemochromatosis, the rare genetic disorder that causes organ dysfunction?

Hemochromatosis

• It is an inherited condition where iron levels in the body slowly build up over many years.
• This health condition is primarily classified into two types:
  • Hereditary hemochromatosis: It is driven by a mutation in the HFE gene, resulting in individuals being homozygous for the C282Y variant.
  • This genetic anomaly sets the stage for a lifelong struggle with excessive iron absorption within the intestines.
  • Secondary hemochromatosis: It is typically caused by external factors like frequent blood transfusions, excessive iron supplementation, or certain medical conditions.
  • The iron accumulation in secondary hemochromatosis is often more rapid and can have a similar impact on organ function
• Symptoms of haemochromatosis usually start between the ages of 30 and 60.
• Common symptoms include: Feeling very tired all the time (fatigue), weight loss, weakness and joint pain etc
• Treatment:
  • Phlebotomy is the standard treatment for primary hemochromatosis.
  • Iron toxicity can be reduced by removing red blood cells, the body''s main mobilizer of iron.
  • Phlebotomy is usually performed once or twice a week.

World''s longest snake species found at IIT-Madras

Reticulated python

• It is a member of the family Pythonidae.
• These snakes come in a wide variety of color patterns, and many of the variations can be based on their location.
• It is a heavy-bodied, very long snake with a proportionately large head.
• Like most other python species, it has heat-sensing pits.
• The pits are deep and well-developed, located on the front upper and lower labials and the lower rear labials.
• This species, despite its striking color patterns, camouflage well within its environment.
• It’s an example of disruptive coloration, a type of camouflage where the animal’s pattern helps break up the outlines of its body. This pattern helps this giant snake disappear into the bush and allows it to ambush its prey.
• Distribution: This species has a broad range across southeastern Asia, including the Nicobar Islands, Myanmar, across to Indochina, Philippines, and Malaysia.
• Habitat: These tropical snakes are classically associated with lowland rainforests and wetlands.
• Conservation status
  • IUCN: Least concern

Annual joint hadr exercise 2023 – (chakravat 2023)

CHAKRAVAT

• It is an Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief HADR Exercise (AJHE)
• Since its first edition in 2015, the Annual Joint HADR Exercise, CHAKRAVAT has transformed itself into a multi-agency endeavour.
• It involves participation of all three Services, Paramilitary Forces, as well as several disaster response organisations, NGOs, academic institutions and international organisations.
• The 2023 edition would further synergise efforts at the national level among all stakeholders, as well as witness participation from eight countries of the Indian Ocean Region.
• The exercise has been conducted by the Indian Army, Indian Navy (IN) and Indian Air Force (IAF) in rotation since 2016.
• The 2023 edition of the exercise is being hosted by the Indian Navy at Goa.
• The exercise will witness participation from various national agencies namely, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), National Institute for Disaster Management (NIDM), Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, Coast Guard, Indian Metrological Department (IMD) and other organizations.
• Logo of the event: The Logo for this year’s exercise depicts crests and logos of all participating agencies and flags of all nations subsumed into one single entity to signify that HADR will hinge on joint and integrated action by the all the agencies.

Tanzania to join Big Cat and Global Biofuels Alliances after President Suluhu''s meet with PM Modi

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)

• It was launched by India on April 9, 2023, for the conservation of seven big cats, namely Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma harbouring our planet.
• Membership: It is open to 97 ''range'' countries, which contain the natural habitat of these big cats, as well as other interested nations, international organizations, etc.
• It will provide a platform for the member nations to share knowledge and expertise and extend support to recovery efforts in potential habitats.
• Its major activities will include advocacy, partnership**, knowledge e-portal**, capacity building, eco-tourism, partnerships between expert groups, and finance tapping.
• IBCA will also assist existing species-specific inter-governmental platforms to boost conservation efforts.
• Funding: After the first five years, which will be supported by India''s ''total grant assistance'' of $100 million, the IBCA is expected to sustain itself through membership fees and contributions from bilateral and multilateral institutions and the private sector.
• Governance Structure:
  • A General Assembly consisting of all member countries.
  • A Council of at least seven but not more than 15 member countries elected by the General Assembly for a term of 5 years, and a Secretariat.
  • Upon the recommendation of the Council, the General Assembly will appoint the IBCA Secretary General for a specific term.

2023 Economics Nobel Prize

• It has been awarded to economist Claudia Goldin for advancing the understanding of women’s labour market outcomes.
• The Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences is also known as the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences.
• Goldin is only the third woman to win the prize since it was first introduced in 1969.
• Her Research:
  • She provided the first comprehensive account of women’s earnings and labour market participation through the centuries.
  • Her research reveals the causes of change as well as the main sources of the remaining gender gap.
  • She showed that female participation in the labour market did not have an upward trend over a 200-year period, but instead forms a U-shaped curve.
  • The participation of married women decreased with the transition from an agrarian to an industrial society in the early nineteenth century, but then started to increase with the growth of the service sector in the early twentieth century.
  • Goldin explained this pattern as the result of structural change and evolving social norms regarding women’s responsibilities for home and family.
  • Historically, much of the gender gap in earnings could be explained by differences in education and occupational choices.
  • However, Goldin has shown that the bulk of this earnings difference is now between men and women in the same occupation, and that it largely arises with the birth of the first child.
  • She highlighted the role played by marriage, parenthood, and contraceptive pills in women''s education, career, and salary trajectories.

SC agrees to hear telcos curative plea on AGR dues in open court

Curative Petition

• It is the last resort to the highest court that can be petitioned for redressal of grievances in court, and its ruling is final.
• It is a way to ask the court to review and revise their own decision, and it is filed after a review petition is dismissed or used.
• It is the final and last option for the people to acquire justice, as mentioned and promised by the Constitution of India.
• Objective: It is meant to ensure there is no miscarriage of justice and to prevent abuse of process.
• Evolution:
  • The concept of curative petition o**riginated from the case of Rupa Ashok Hurra Vs. Ashok Hurra and another case (**2002) where the following question arose before the court of law: ''whether an aggrieved person is entitled to any relief against the final judgment/order of the Supreme Court, after the dismissal of a review petition?''.
  • The court used the Latin maxim “actus curiae neminem gravabit”, which means that an act of the court shall prejudice no one.
  • The maxim becomes applicable when the court is under an obligation to undo a wrong done to a party by the act of the court itself.
  • This led to the creation of the concept of a curative petition by the Supreme Court to prevent the miscarriage of justice and to prevent the abuse of process.
  • In this case, a five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court unanimously held that in order to rectify gross miscarriage of justice, the court will allow the curative petition filed by the victim.
• Constitutional Backing:
  • The concept evolved in the case of Rupa Ashok Hurra Vs, Ashok Hurra is not newer to the constitution itself.
  • Article 137 of the Indian Constitution broadly supports the idea of a curative petition.
  • It states that the "Supreme Court has the power to review any judgment pronounced (or order made) by it if the matter concerns the laws and rules made under Article 145.
• Criteria for admission:
  • The court ruled that a curative petition can be entertained if the petitioner establishes there was a violation of the principles of natural justice and that he was not heard by the court before passing an order.
  • It will also be admitted where a judge fails to disclose facts that raise the apprehension of bias.
  • The SC has held that curative petitions must be rare rather than regular and be entertained with circumspection.
  • A curative petition must be accompanied by certification by a senior advocate, pointing out substantial grounds for entertaining it.
• Who hears Curative petitions?
  • A curative petition must first be circulated to a bench of the three senior-most judges and the judges who passed the concerned judgment, if available.
  • Only when a majority of the judges conclude that the matter needs hearing should it be listed, as far as possible, before the same bench.
  • A curative petition is usually decided by judges in chamber, unless a specific request for an open-court hearing is allowed.
  • It shall be open to the Bench at any stage of consideration of the curative petition to ask a senior counsel to assist it as amicus curiae.
  • In the event of the bench holding at any stage that the petition is without any merit and vexatious, it may impose exemplary costs on the petitioner.

Unemployment rate declined, says Centre''s survey

• The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for persons of age 15 years and above and the Worker-Population Ratio (WPR) improved during the period.
• The LFPR in urban areas increased from 47.5% in April-June 2022 to 48.8% in April-June 2023 for persons of age 15 years and above.
• The WPR in urban areas increased from 43.9% in April-June 2022 to 45.5% in similar months in this year for persons of age 15 years and above.
• For male, it increased from 68.3% to 69.2% and for female, it increased from 18.9% to 21.1% during this period.

Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)

• Considering the importance of availability of labour force data at more frequent time intervals, National Statistical Office (NSO) launched Periodic Labour Force Survey in April 2017.
• Objective:
  • To estimate the key employment and unemployment indicators (viz. Worker Population Ratio, Labour Force Participation Rate, Unemployment Rate) in the short time interval of three months for the urban areas only in the ‘Current Weekly Status’ (CWS).
  • To estimate employment and unemployment indicators in both ‘Usual Status’ (ps+ss) and CWS in both rural and urban areas annually.
• The indicators of this survey are defined as follows
  • **Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR):**LFPR is defined as the percentage of persons in labour force (i.e. working or seeking or available for work) in the population.
  • Worker Population Ratio (WPR): WPR is defined as the percentage of employed persons in the population.
  • Unemployment Rate (UR): UR is defined as the percentage of persons unemployed among the persons in the labour force.
  • Current Weekly Status (CWS): The activity status determined on the basis of a reference period of last 7 days preceding the date of survey is known as the current weekly status (CWS) of the person.
• This survey is conducted by the National Sample Survey (NSO), working under Ministry of statistics and programme implementation (MoSPI).

One Indian Army soldier killed, 3 missing after avalanche hits Mount Kun in Ladakh; search op underway

Mount Kun

• Mount Kun, with a height of 7077 meters, is the second-highest peak of the Nun Kun massif.
• The massif is located near Sankoo in the Suru valley, Kargil district, Ladakh.
• The twin peaks of Nun (7135 meters) and Kun are separated by a snow plateau that extends for around 4 kilometers.
• They are among the highest peaks in the Zanskar Range on the Indian side of the Line of Control.
• These two towering peaks and their satellites; Barmal, White Needle and Pinnacle Peak form a horseshoe above the Suru river on the boarder of Kashmir and Zanskar.
• Mountaineering:
  • The first person to climb the Kun peak was Italian mountaineer Mario Piacenza in the year 1913.
  • However, it took 58 years for an Indian Army Expedition to successfully climb the mountain again.
  • The climb to the summit is technically challenging and demands extensive knowledge of mountaineering techniques like using ice axes, roping up procedures, crampons, and jumar climbing.

Zanskar Range:

• The Zanskar Range is situated in the Ladakh region of northern India.
• It lies to the north of the Great Himalayan Range and runs parallel to it.
• The range stretches for approximately 400 kilometers (250 miles) from the western end of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh to the eastern border of Ladakh with Tibet.
• It separates Ladakh from the valleys of Kashmir and the Chenab River on one end, and Kinnaur from Spiti in the Himachal Pradesh region.
• Elevation:
  • The average height is about 6,000 m (19,700 ft).
  • The highest peak in the Zanskar Range is Kamet, which is 7,756 meters (25,446 feet) high.
• Passes: Most important passes are Zojila, Shipki, Lipu Lekh (Lipulieke), and Mana.
• Rivers:
  • Many rivers originating in different branches of this range flow northward, and join the great Indus River.
  • These rivers include Shingo River, Zanskar River, Hanle River, Suru River (Indus), and Khurna River.