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2nd Oct Current Affairs News Analysis | Prelims & Mains 2020
National butterfly
HEADLINES:
Poll to select national butterfly takes wing
WHY IN NEWS:
Seven winged beauties are on the final list chosen by nature lovers in country
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Conservation of Biodiversity : Flora and Fauna
ISSUE:
NATIONAL BUTTERFLY CAMPAIGN
- The National Butterfly Campaign has revived focus on the relevance of the charming, scaly winged insects in enhancing biodiversity.
- Several countries, including Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia and Bhutan, have national butterflies.
- The National Butterfly Campaign Consortium prepared a long-list of 50 butterflies that was further trimmed to seven.
KEY CONTENDERS
- Krishna Peacock (Papilio krishna)
- Indian Jezebel or Common Jezebel (Delias eucharis)
- Orange Oakleaf (Kallima inachus)
- Five-bar Swordtail (Graphium antiphates)
- Indian Nawab, Yellow Gorgon and
- Northern Junglequeen (Stichophthalma camadeva) are the contenders for the premier position.
Common Jezebel
IASbhai WINDUP:
- A country-wide online poll that commenced on September 11 to identify the most-favoured butterfly species has currently generated 42,090 votes.
- Maharashtra recording the highest number — 16,210.
- Several people have also cast their votes in West Bengal (3,029) and Karnataka (2,435), while 786 from Kerala have also joined the campaign.
- The public poll, which can be accessed on https://forms.gle/u7WgCuuGSYC9AgLG6, will continue till October 8.
SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB | 2nd Oct Current Affairs News Analysis
Nanofiber yarns
HEADLINES:
IIT-M makes sutures with nanofiber yarns
WHY IN NEWS:
These are bio-absorbable and can deliver a higher load of antibiotics
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Nano Science : Nano-technology
ISSUE:
NANOFIBER YARN
- A team of researchers at IIT Madras is ready with a prototype of suture thread made of nanofiber yarns.
- The suture material uses nanofibers woven as yarn using certain specific techniques, and the strength can be varied depending on the target tissue (skin, muscle, cartilage)
- Each strand has a good tensile strength, besides degrading rapidly and mimics the collagen fibrils of body tissues.
- Several innovations globally in suture material have advanced infection control and achieved in some cases, better recovery among patients.
- Even as other options such as staples, glues and strips have become available.
NANOFIBERS
- In tissue engineering thread like structures are created by twisting nanofibers together using custom-made machinery.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- Several experiments were done to prove its compatibility, mechanical strength, stem cell interaction and immune responses.
- Experiments on antibacterial property also were done to check compatible with prescribed norms in surgical procedure.
SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB | 2nd Oct Current Affairs News Analysis
ICGS Kanaklata Barua
HEADLINES:
GRSE’s fast patrol vessel ICGS Kanaklata Barua commissioned
WHY IN NEWS:
GRSE, a Mini Ratna Category 1 company and a leading shipyard, delivered the vessel to the Indian Coast Guard .
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: ICGS : Defence
ISSUE:
FPV ICGS KANAKLATA BARUA
- The “ICGS Kanaklata Barua” was commissioned at the GRSE Fitting Out Jetty (FOJ) Unit .
BUILT BY
- It is in the series of five fast patrol vessels (FPV) for the Indian coast was commissioned on Wednesday.
- This takes the organisation’s delivery count to 105 warships.
FEATURES
- These powerful, fuel-efficient platforms are designed to perform multipurpose operations .
- “The vessels are designed for a maximum speed of 34 knots with an endurance of more than 1,500 nautical miles.”
- The vessel is equipped with three main engines of MTU make and built at GRSE with advanced control systems.
- It also supports ‘Water Jet’ units and an ‘Integrated Bridge System’ integrating all communication and navigation systems.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- The ship is fitted with 40/60 gun as the main armament.
SOURCES:IE | 2nd Oct Current Affairs News Analysis
Malabar drills
HEADLINES:
No decision yet on Australia’s participation in Malabar drills
WHY IN NEWS:
Quad countries will hold a ministerial meeting this month
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 2 : 3 : IR : Defence : Exercises
ISSUE:
ONGOING DISCUSSIONS
- The inclusion of Australia in the Malabar Exercise — the trilateral naval exercises between India, the U.S. and Japan — was still being discussed.
- The ‘Quad’ — India, Australia, the U.S. and Japan — the countries will discuss a comprehensive set of issues.
- The actual agenda is going to be kept “close-hold” [a security classification] among the countries.
STRONG PARTNERSHIP
- The Quad partnership are “increasingly strong”, The agenda would cover defence, economic areas and, especially, COVID-19.
- India has been reluctant to include Australia in the Malabar naval exercises, which include three of the four Quad members.
- A militarisation of the Quad could be viewed by China as a strategy to contain it, not something India has wanted to do.
- The agenda for the U.S.-India 2+2 ministerial dialogue is expected to be “comprehensive, wide-ranging and strategic”.
- Providing an overview of the ‘U.S.-India Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership’ the official called the relationship “one of the most important partnerships in the world”.
UNSC SEAT
- India and other G4 countries (Brazil, Germany and Japan) declared that they were looking for text-based negotiations and results within specified time frames for UN Security Council reform.
- The U.S. has supported India’s quest for a permanent seat on the Security Council.
- USA supports a reformed UN Security Council that includes India as a permanent member.
IASbhai WINDUP:
U.S REPLY ON CHINESE INTRUSION
- We encourage India and China to use their existing bilateral channels to discuss those and not resort to military force.
- We strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by incursions ( by military or civilian incursions) across the border
SOURCES:THE HINDU | 2nd Oct Current Affairs News Analysis
Manufacturing PMI
HEADLINES:
Manufacturing PMI sees fastest growth in 8 years
WHY IN NEWS:
Sept. survey shows more job cuts
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:Economy
ISSUE:
- It has touched a more than eight-and-a-half-year high supported by accelerated increases in new orders and production.
- India’s manufacturing sector activity improved for the second straight month in September.
WHAT IS THE PURCHASING MANAGERS’ INDEX?
- The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) is an index of the prevailing direction of economic trends in the manufacturing and service sectors.
- The purpose of the PMI is to provide information about current and future business conditions to company decision makers, analysts, and investors.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) is a measure of the prevailing direction of economic trends in manufacturing.
- The value and movements in the PMI and its components can provide useful insight to business decision makers, market analysts, and investors
EXPORT ORDERS
- The upturn in total sales was supported by a renewed expansion in new export orders, the first since prior to the escalation of the COVID-19 outbreak.
- While inputs were purchased at a sharper rate and business confidence strengthened.
- Despite strong growth of order book volumes, Indian goods producers signalled another reduction in payroll numbers.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- While uncertainty about the COVID-19 pandemic remains, producers can at least for now enjoy the recovery.
SOURCES:THE HINDU | 2nd Oct Current Affairs News Analysis
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