Blog
New Headlines-18th Jan
China lifts block, UNSC lists LeT’s Abdul Rehman Makki as global terrorist.
Bahawalpur-born Makki, already a US-designated terrorist, is also the head of the political affairs wing of the Jama’at-ud-Dawah, a member of JuD’s markazi (central) team and daawati (proselytisation) team. Brother-in-law of JuD and LeT chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Makki has been the head of LeT’s foreign relations department and a member of its shura (governing body).His listing by the UNSC is significant and is similar to the listing of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist in June 2019 when Beijing lifted its block.
China’s population drops for first time in 60 years
China saw its population fall by roughly 850,000 last year – its first drop in six decades, bringing its population to around 1.41 billion at the end of 2022. The drop, the worst since 1961, also makes it more probable that India will become the world’s most populous nation this year. The year 1961 was the last of China’s Great Famine, a result of Mao Zedong’s large-scale changes in state policies. One cause behind the fall in numbers in China is the one-child policy imposed between 1980 and 2015, limiting the number of children couples could have to one.
SC directs the opening of Chambal Mini Hydel Project
The Supreme Court (SC) directed the resumption of Chambal Mini Hydel Project, which was closed down as a result of termination of contract between Madhav Infra Projects Ltd and Madhya Pradesh Madhya Kshetra Vidyut Vitran Co Ltd.SC said that closure of the hydro plant is detrimental to the public interest “as not only will it deteriorate the functional condition of the plant, the nonproduction of energy will also be a national loss”.
The court added that even though the bone of contention is the rate being charged by Madhav Infra for supply of energy, these are issues which can be effectively resolved in appropriate proceedings. The dispute regarding charges for the produced energy is not a sufficient or valid ground to keep the plant defunct
Fourth industrial revolution: World Economic Forum advocates it; others fear corporate takeover; who is right
The first industrial revolution used water and steam power to mechanise production (1800s). The second used electric power to create mass production (early 1900s). The third used electronics and information technology to automate production (late 1900s). The 4IR, which is building on the third revolution, has data at its core. The term 4IR was coined by Klaus Schwab, executive chairperson of the World Economic Forum (WEF), in 2016 when he described it as an industrial revolution that “does not change what we are doing, but changes us”.
Ever since, the concept has divided the world over its utility and its impact on our future. On the one hand, a group of technologists, who call themselves futurists, claim that artificial intelligence and other associated technologies will enhance human beings in the future.
Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope in Pune helps detect atomic hydrogen from far-away galaxy
A radio signal originating from atomic hydrogen in an extremely distant galaxy was detected by the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) located in Pune. This is the largest astronomical distance over which such a signal has been picked up. Atomic hydrogen is the basic fuel required for star formation in a galaxy. When hot ionised gas from the surrounding medium of a galaxy falls onto the universe, the gas cools and forms atomic hydrogen. This then becomes molecular hydrogen and eventually leads to the formation of stars.
3,026 people, 2 million ha crops: How 314 days of extreme weather events affected India in 2022
