India US to sign Rs 2400 crore deal for missiles, torpedoes for Indian Navy

Mark 54 Anti-Submarine Torpedo:

• The MK 54 lightweight torpedo is the primary anti-submarine warfare weapon used by U.S. Navy surface ships, fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.
• It was developed by Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in collaboration with the US Navy.
• It was previously known as Lightweight Hybrid Torpedo (LHT).
• It is used in both deep and shallow waters, as well as in acoustic environments.
• It is capable of tracking, classifying and attacking underwater targets.
• Features:
  • The torpedo has a length of 2.71m, a diameter of 32.3cm and weight of 275.7kg.
  • The warhead carried by the weapon is high explosive and weighs 43.9kg.
  • It is powered by a reciprocating external combustion engine, which burns Otto II liquid fuel.
  • The propulsion system allows the torpedo to cruise at a speed of 74.1km per hour.
  • MK 54 torpedoes are equipped with processing algorithms that help them in detecting false targets or countermeasures and then hunt the identified threats.

Sale of Electoral Bonds at Authorized Branches of State Bank of India (SBI)

Electoral Bonds:

• The electoral bond scheme was launched by the Union government in 2018.
• What is it? It is a bearer instrument, like a promissory note that can be bought by any Indian citizen or company incorporated in India.
• The citizen or corporate can then donate the same to any eligible political party of his/her choice.
• The bonds are similar to bank notes that are payable to the bearer on demand and are free of interest.
• An individual or party is allowed to purchase these bonds digitally or through cheque.
• Working:
  • EBs are issued/purchased for any value, in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1,00,000, Rs 10,00,000 and Rs 1,00,00,000.
  • The electoral bonds are available for purchase for 10 days at the beginning of every quarter.
  • SBI is the only bank authorized to sell these bonds.
  • Anonymous cash donations were capped at Rs 2,000.
  • EBs have a life of only 15 days during which it can be used for making donations to political parties.
  • Eligibility: Only political parties registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and which secured not less than 1% of votes polled in the last general election to the House of the People or the Legislative Assembly of the State, are eligible to receive electoral bonds.
  • The bond can be encashed by an eligible political party only through a designated bank account with the authorized bank.
  • The political parties have to disclose the amount to the Election Commission.
  • The electoral bonds will not bear the name of the donor.

Kamarajar Port to be able to handle cape size vessels in a few years

• Kamarajar Port (erstwhile Ennore Port) is the 12th major port of India.
• It is located on the Coromandel Coast about 24 km north of Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
• It is the only corporatized major port in India and is registered as a company.
• The port was declared as a major port under the Indian Ports Act, 1908 in March 1999.

House panel suggests study on impact of black carbon on Himalayan glacier

• Black carbon is the sooty black material emitted from gas and diesel engines, coal-fired power plants, and other sources that burn fossil fuel.
• It is formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, wood and other fuels.
• It comprises a significant portion of particulate matter or PM, which is an air pollutant.
• It is a short-lived climate pollutant with a lifetime of only days to weeks after release in the atmosphere.
• It is an important contributor to warming because it is very effective at absorbing light and heating its surroundings. It contributes to warming by converting incoming solar radiation to heat.
• It has a warming impact on climate that is 460-1,500 times stronger than CO2.
• It also influences cloud formation and impacts regional circulation and rainfall patterns.
• When deposited on ice and snow, black carbon and co-emitted particles reduce surface albedo (the ability to reflect sunlight) and heat the surface.

India-Sri Lanka maritime exercise begins in Colombo

SLINEX - 2023:

• Exercise SLINEX is an annual bilateral maritime exercise between Indian Navy and Sri Lanka Navy.
• SLINEX - 2023 is the 10th edition of the annual exercise.
• SLINEX-2023 will aim to enhance interoperability, improve mutual understanding and exchange best practices and procedures in multi-faceted Maritime operations between both Navies.
• The exercise is being conducted in two phases, the Harbour Phase followed by the Sea Phase.
• The Indian Navy will be represented by INS Kiltan (Advanced Anti Submarine Warfare Corvette) and INS Savitri (Offshore Patrol Vessel), while the Sri Lanka Navy will have SLNS Gajabahu (Advance Offshore Patrol Vessel) and SLNS Sagara (OPV) in the exercise.
• SLINEX is in consonance with India’s policy of ‘Neighbourhood First’ and Prime Ministers'' vision of ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)’.

Triple trouble for Gulf of Mannar islands, study finds

Prosopis chilensis:

• The Prosopis chilensis is also known as Chilean mesquite.
• It is a small to medium-sized legume tree that grows up to 12 m in height and 1 m in diameter.
• It is a drought-resistant plant native to the arid regions of four South American countries namely Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.

Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve (GoMBR):

• The Gulf of Mannar is one of the biologically richest coastal regions of India.
• It is the first Marine Biosphere Reserve in South and South East Asia.
• In India, the Gulf of Mannar region in Tamil Nadu is one of the four major coral reef areas and the others are the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat, Lakhsadweep and Andaman and Nicobar islands.
• It is designated as a Biosphere Reserve.
• This Biosphere Reserve encompasses a chain of 21 islands (2 islands already submerged) and adjoining coral reefs off the coasts of the Ramanathapuram and the Tuticorin districts.

Scientists Find Deepest-Ever Fish, 5 Miles Beneath Ocean''s Surface

• Scientists dropped an autonomous "lander" camera into the Izu-Ogasawara Trench near Japan and filmed the snailfish.

Snailfish:

• The Snailfish is also called a sea snail and it is a deep-sea fish.
• Features:
  • There are over 400 known species of snailfish, and they range in size from just a few centimetres to nearly a meter in length.
  • They are Elongated, soft, tadpole-shaped fish with loose and scaleless, though sometimes prickly, skins.
• They are well adapted to life in the extreme environment of the deep sea
• Snailfish are found in cold water in the North Atlantic, North Pacific, Arctic and Antarctic seas.

Izu-Ogasawara Trench:

• It is located in the western Pacific Ocean, on the boundary between the Philippine Sea Plate and the Pacific Plate.
• It is one of the most seismically active regions on Earth.
• The trench is formed by the Pacific Plate subducting beneath the Philippine Sea Plate.

Kathua''s ''Basohli Painting'' gets GI tag

• Basholi paintings originated in the Basholi region of Jammu and Kashmir.
• It is a reputed school of miniature paintings known for its vivid, evocative colours, bold lines, and deep-set facial patterns.
• It is considered the first school of Pahari paintings
• Patronage: The Basholi painting style flourished during the 17th and 18th centuries under the patronage of local rulers and wealthy merchants.
• Features of the Basholi painting
  • It has peculiar characteristics, they have perfect geometrical patterns, bright colours and glossy enamel.
  • Colours used: Ochre yellow, brown, and green grounds predominating.
  • The figures in the paintings are shown clad in rich costumes, stylised faces and large bulging eyes lent unique individuality to these paintings.
  • Themes: The portraits of local rulers, Radha-Krishna, and Madhava-Malati love themes and themes from the Bhagavata Purana.
  • These are painted on paper, cloth, or wood using natural pigments and dyes.

Geographical Indication Tag

• A Geographical Indication is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
• Geographical indications are typically used for agricultural products, foodstuffs, wine and spirit drinks, handicrafts and industrial products.
• The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 seeks to provide for the registration and better protection of geographical indications relating to goods in India.
• This GI tag is valid for a period of 10 years following which it can be renewed.

Anushka Sharma is liable to pay tax as she owned copyright on her stage performances: Sales Tax dept tells HC

Performer’s rights:

• Performers'' rights refer to the legal rights granted to actors, singers, musicians, dancers, and other performers for their creative works.
• The first significant development in the protection of performers'' rights came with the adoption of the Rome Convention in 1961.
• Performers'' rights are protected under various international treaties such as the Rome Convention for the Protection of Performers and the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty.
• In 1996, WIPO Performance and phonogram Treaty (WPPT) came into existence.
• In this treaty**, the moral rights of the performers were recognized** for the first time in any international treaty.
• In India, performer rights were recognised under the Copyright Act of 1957 in the year 1994.
• The copyright Act is also in conformity with 2 WIPO internet treaties concluded in 1996 namely, the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) and WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT).
• The duration of the protection of the performer’s rights is 50 years from the end of the year in which the performance was fixed or it took place.

Copyrights

• A legal right granted to an intellectual property owner is copyright.
• It helps protect the creator of the original material so that no one can duplicate or use it without authorization.

World Intellectual Property Organisation

• It is an organisation based in Geneva and it works with the vision of encouraging creative activity and promoting the protection of Intellectual Property throughout the world.
• WIPO is one of the 15 specialised agencies of the United Nations.
• Currently, there are 193 members of the World Intellectual Property Organisation.

Some people living near Colombian volcano are loath to evacuate

Nevado del Ruiz Volcano:

• Nevado del Ruiz is an ice-clad stratovolcano located in the Andes Mountains of Colombia, South America.
• It is part of the former Ruiz-Tolima volcanic complex as well as the dangerous Pacific Ring of fire.
• Previous eruption
  • The volcano has erupted several times in the past, with the most catastrophic eruption occurring on November 13,
  • Since the 1985 eruption, has remained active, with several smaller eruptions occurring in the years following the disaster.

Stratovolcano

• Stratovolcano is also called a composite volcano.
• This volcanic landform is characterized by a conical shape formed by layers of volcanic material deposited during successive volcanic eruptions.
• These volcanoes tend to slope gently at the base but rise quickly near the summit to form tall mountain peaks.
• They are typically found above subduction zones, and they are often part of large volcanically active regions, such as the Ring of Fire that frames much of the Pacific Ocean.

Pacific Ring of fire:

• It also known as the Circum-Pacific Belt is a path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.
• Its length is approximately 40,000 kilometres (24,900 miles).
• It traces boundaries between several tectonic plates—including the Pacific, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, Indian-Australian, Nazca, North American, and Philippine Plates.