Important Current Affairs 6th September 2018 English

                                                                     

Important Current Affairs 6th September 2018    

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                                                         (International News)

Cyient JV bags an order from the Indian Army for SpyLite mini UAV systems

Cyient Solutions & Systems Pvt. Ltd., a joint venture between IT firm Cyient and BlueBird Aero Systems of Israel, has bagged an order from the Indian Army to supply mini UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) systems for high altitude aerial surveillance. The order is for the SpyLite mini UAV systems.

SpyLite mini UAV systems

SpyLite is an advanced, combat-proven, electric, mini unmanned aerial system that is fully autonomous.

From launch to accurate parachute recovery, it delivers enhanced reliability even in severe weather conditions, assuring long endurance and high operational availability.

It has high performance; diverse capabilities, high reliability, low lifecycle cost and ease of use were the features of SpyLite.

The firm provides Unmanned Aerial System -based intelligence gathering, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities for defence, homeland security and civilian applications.

Lockheed Martin's F-16 fighter jets will be produced in India

The wings of Lockheed Martin's F-16 fighter jets will be produced in India, the American security and aerospace giant announced, in a major boost to the 'Make in India' initiative.

Maryland-based Lockheed Martin has entered into an agreement with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) for the production of the wings. 
Lockheed recently submitted a comprehensive, fully compliant 600-plus page Request for Information (RFI) response to the Indian Air Force.

Producing F-16 wings in India will strengthen Lockheed Martin's strategic partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Limited and support the 'Make in India' initiative of the government, officials of the company said.

F-16 Block 70

The F-16 Block 70 features advanced avionics, a proven Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, a modernised cockpit, advanced weapons, conformal fuel tanks, an automatic ground collision avoidance system, an advanced engine and an industry-leading extended structural service life of 12,000 hours.

To date, 4,604 F-16s have been procured by 28 customers around the world. Approximately 3,000 operational F-16s are flying today with 25 leading air forces, including the US Air Force.

Vice President to visit participate in 2nd World Hindu Congress

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu to visit United States of America on September 8-9, 2018 to address the 2nd World Hindu Congress being held in Chicago on the occasion of 125th Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s Historic Speech at the Parliament of the World's Religions in 1893.
 The Vice President will also participate in a programme organized by 14 Telugu Associations of the US at Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago. He will also participate in bilateral discussions with several world leaders, who are attending this event, on the sidelines of this Congress.

About WHC
The World Hindu Congress (WHC) is a global platform for Hindus to connect, share ideas, inspire one another, and impact the common good. It offers Hindus an opportunity to introspect towards improvement and tap into our collective resources to seek tangible solutions to the most pressing issues of our age. It is held once every four years.
WHC 2014
The inaugural WHC, held in November 2014, saw 1800 delegates from 53 countries. Guided by the Hindu principle of Sangachchhadhwam Samvadadhwam or “Step together. Delegates represented the best and brightest from a wide array of fields -- the arts; academia; business; community, social, and humanitarian organizations; government; industry; media; medicine; science; and technology. 

 
                                               (Science and Space)

Japan Will Soon Conduct the First Test of Elevator Movement in Space

A Japanese team working to develop a “space elevator” will conduct a first trial this month, blasting off a miniature version of the apparatus and monitoring equipment on satellites to test the technology.

The test equipment, produced by researchers at Shizuoka University, will hitch a ride on an H-2B rocket being launched by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency from the island of Tanegashima next week.

The “elevator” in the test is a box only six centimeters (2.4 inches) long and three centimeters (1.1 inches) high and wide (at full scale, the box will be large enough to transport actual supplies to space).

India and France to Collaborate On Human Space Mission 'Gaganyaan'

 
India and France have announced a working group for Gaganyaan, ISRO's first manned mission announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Independence Day.
The announcement was made at the sixth edition of the Bengaluru Space Expo by French space agency president Jean-Yves Le Gall.
India plans to send three humans to space before 2022. The Indian Space Research Organisation's mission is significant as it would make India one of the four countries in the world after Russia, US and China to launch a manned space flight.
National Centre for Space Studies 
The National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) is the French government space agency. Its headquarters are located in central Paris and it is under the supervision of the French Ministries of Defence and Research.
ISRO and CNES, the French space agency, will be combining their expertise in fields of space medicine, astronaut health monitoring, life support, radiation protection, space debris protection and personal hygiene systems.

                                                                (National News)
Cabinet approves establishment and operationalization of permanent campus of seven new IIMs 

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the establishment and operationalization of permanent campus of seven new Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) at Amritsar, Bodh Gaya, Nagpur, Sambalpur, Sirmaur, Vishakhapatnam and Jammu, and their recurring expenditure at a total cost of Rs 3775.42 crore (Rs 2999.96 crore asNon-Recurring and Rs 775.46 Crore as Recurring Expenditure). 

These IIMs were established in the year 2015-16/2016-17. These institutes are presently functioning from transit campuses.

Tourism Ministry Sanctions Projects of Rs. 80.37 Crores for Development of Rural Circuit in Kerala

 The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned the project “Development of Rural Circuit: Malanad Malabar Cruise Tourism Project’ in Kerala under Swadesh Darshan Scheme for Rs. 80.37 Crores. 
The project focuses on development of water based thematic cruise experiences in and around Valapattanam and Kuppam Rivers of Kannur District. The three thematic cruises developed under the project are as follows:
a) Malabari Cuisine and Culinary Cruise in Valapattanam River (Muthappan Cruise) - Cruise starts from Valapattanam to Munambu Kadavu in Valapattanam River with an effective Cruise Length of 40 km.
b) yyam Cruise in Valapattanam River - Cruise starts from Valapattanam to Pazhayangadi in Valapattanam River with an effective length of 16 km.
c) Mangrove Cruise in Kuppam River - Cruise starts from Pazhayangadi to Kuppam in Kuppam River with an effective Cruise length of 16 km.

BEL bags order to supply surface-to-air missiles
 
State-run Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) has bagged an order worth Rs 9,200 crore for supply of seven Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM) systems to Mazagon Dock and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers. The contract takes BEL's order book to over Rs 50,000 crore.
"The company has entered into contracts worth about 9,200 crore with Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) to supply LRSAM systems to be fitted onboard seven ships to be built by these two shipbuilders. According to the BEL, this is the highest-ever single value order it has bagged so far.
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd, abbreviated as GRSE, is one of India's leading shipyards, located in Kolkata, West Bengal. It builds and repairs commercial and naval vessels. Presently GRSE has also started building export ships in a mission to expand its business.

GM mustard trials may get nod soon
 
The environment ministry is set to convene this month a “special meeting” of the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) to decide on field-trial approvals for the controversial transgenic mustard developed by the University of Delhi’s Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP)
The CGMCP had earlier applied to grow transgenic mustard (DMH-11) in plots in Delhi and Punjab to test the plant’s effects on honeybees after the GEAC, which had initially cleared the GM crop for “commercial cultivation”, backtracked and demanded more tests and additional data on honeybees and other pollinators and on soil microbial diversity.
WHAT IS GM MUSTARD? 
Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 or DMH-11 is a genetically modified variety of mustard, developed by a team of scientists at Delhi University led by former vice-chancellor Deepak Pental under a government-funded project.
It uses a system of genes from soil bacterium that makes mustard — generally a self-pollinating plant — better suited to hybridisation than current methods.
GM mustard is modified so it is able to absorb huge amounts of herbicide known as glufosinate, a known neurotoxin.

Supreme Court verdict on Section 377

 
The Supreme Court decriminalised a portion of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, a colonial era provision that criminalises private consensual sexual acts between same sex adults.

What is Section 377 of IPC?
Section 377 of the IPC states: “Whoever voluntarily has carnal inter¬course against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with 1 [imprisonment for life], or with impris¬onment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.” This archaic British law dates back to 1861 and criminalises sexual activities against the order of nature.
Background:

In 2009, in a landmark judgment, the Delhi High Court described Section 377 as a violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution. 
The Supreme Court in 2013 overruled the Delhi High Court’s order and reinforced criminalisation of homosexuality stating that Parliament’s job was to scrap laws. 
This judgment by the apex court was highly criticised by the LGBTQ community in India and was seen as a setback for human rights.
In January 2018, the Supreme Court said a larger group of judges would re-consider the previous judgment and examine Section 377’s constitutional validity. Revisiting their 2013 verdict, the top court added that it will decide on a curative petition by five persons. The Supreme Court had then said: “The section of people who exercise their choice should never remain in a state of fear.”