Hubble Space Telescope
- NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has recently detected a massive globular cluster that orbits the Milky Way galaxy.
- The globular cluster is a huge gravitationally bound collection of stars believed to be 10 billion years old.
- They are denser and more spherical than open star clusters and typically contain stars which are thought to have formed at roughly the same time.
- Hubble space Telescope is the world's first large, space-based optical telescope, named in honor of astronomer Edwin Hubble.
- The Hubble is a joint project between NASA and the European Space Agency.
- Sun is the energy source of this space-based telescope.
- Hubble Telescope has tracked the Neptune’s Mysterious Shrinking Storm.
- Some of the interesting Hubble Discoveries are
- Creating a 3-D map of mysterious dark matter.
- Discovering Nix and Hydra, two moons of Pluto.
- Helping determine the rate of the universe's expansion.
- Discovering that nearly every major galaxy is anchored by a black hole.
- Helping refine the age of the universe.
Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES)
- It is an intergovernmental institution for the generation and application of early warning information.
- It was established in 2009, evolved from the efforts of countries in Africa and Asia, in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
- It works with a multi-hazard framework for the generation and communication of early warning information and capacity building for preparedness and response to trans-boundary hazards.
- It operates from its regional early warning center in Thailand.
- The State government of Odisha has recently entered into a collaboration with RIMES.
- It is to enhance early warning system for effective management of all kinds of disasters like flood, drought, heat wave, lightning and road accidents.
2021 Census
- The Registrar General of India (RGI) recently notified the amended census rules.
- The RGI issued the notification as the process for the 2021 Census kicks in.
- According to the notification, the data collected during the 2021 Census will be stored electronically.
- This is the first time to store date electronically since the decennial exercise was conducted in 1951 in Independent India.
- Any tampering with the data will invite punishment under the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Asia Pacific Trade Agreement
- The Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) was signed in 1975 as an initiative of UN- Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).
- It is previously named the Bangkok Agreement.
- There are 6-member states to APTA – Bangladesh, China, India, South Korea, Laos and Sri Lanka.
- Mongolia is soon to become the 7th member of APTA. It has concluded bilateral negotiation on tariff concessions with members of APTA.
- It is a preferential trade agreement (PTA), under which the basket of items as well as extent of tariff concessions are enlarged during the trade negotiating rounds.
- It is a truly region-wide trade agreement spanning East and South Asia, with potential to expand to other sub-regions, including Central Asia and the Pacific.
- APTA is the only operational trade agreement linking China and India.
- It is open to all developing member countries.
- It is the first plurilateral agreement among the developing countries in the region and has the longest effective implementation period amongst the trade agreements in the entire Asia-Pacific.
- Recently, India has agreed to provide tariff concessions on 3,142 products to APTA members from July 1.
Golden Globe Race
- It is being conducted to commemorate 50 years since the world’s first solo non-stop circumnavigation undertaken by Sir Robin Knox Johnston of UK in 1968.
- In this race, all the 18 participants are required to sail around the world, single-handed and non-stop.
- It commences from Les Sables d’Olonne harbour in France from June 2018 and expected to complete in April 2019.
- The uniqueness of the race is that boat designs and technology newer than 1968 is not permitted, hence use of GPS, satellite communication, navigational aids, etc is forbidden.
- Commander Abhilash Tomy of the Indian Navy is the only invitee from Asia to participate in the Golden Globe Race.
- He will sail the boat 'Thuriya', an indigenously built sailing vessel.
- He has already covered 53,000 nautical miles under sail, including a solo non-stop circumnavigation of the globe in 2012-13 onboard Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Mhadei.
Source: The Hindu, PIB