Category-I Licence to UAE
- India has classified Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) from the UAE as eligible for taking up preferential Category-I FPI licence.
- Category I licence exempts overseas investors into India-dedicated funds from the ambit of indirect transfer taxes under the Income Tax Act, 1961.
- This means that the funds from UAE would get the benefit from indirect transfer provisions under the Income-tax Act, 1961.
- Funds, however, must still pay the Securities Transaction Tax (STT) and capital gains tax on investment gains in Indian assets.
- Usually, Category-I licence would be given to only the FATF countries.
- But now the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) rules were changed to include non-FATF countries.
- After Mauritius, UAE is the second non-FATF (Financial Action Task Force) Country to be given this exemption.
- Other two categories - Category II and III.
Arjun Main Battle Tank
- It was initiated in 1972 by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) with Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE) as the lead Laboratory.
- It is a state-of-the-art Main Battle Tank (MBT) with superior fire power, high mobility, and excellent protection.
- The Mk 1 prototype of Arjun has been manufactured. Mk-1A version has 14 major upgrades on the earlier version.
- The breakthroughs achieved by CVRDE during the development are in the Engine, Transmission, Hydro-pneumatic Suspension, Hull and Turret, and Gun Control System.
- Two types of ammunition have been indigenously developed for this armament, viz,
- Fin Stabilized Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot (FSAPDS)
- High-explosive squash head (HESH).
- Arjun has a computer-controlled integrated fire control system with day-cum-night stabilized sighting system and 120 mm calibre rifled gun.
- All round protection from anti-tank ammunition is achieved by the newly developed KANCHAN armour to a degree much higher than available in present generation tanks.
Mandarin Duck
- Rare Mandarin duck has been found floating in the Maguri-Motapung beel (or wetland) in Assam’s Tinsukia district.
- It is a small-exotic looking bird native to East Asia (Eastern China and Southern Japan).
- It is closely related to North American wood duck.
- The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) status of Mandarin duck is ‘Least Concern’
Maguri Motapung Beel
- It is declared as an Important Bird Area by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).
- The wetland is located close to the Dibru Saikhowa National Park in Upper Assam. It has a grassland adjacent to it.
- The entire ecosystem (grassland and wetland) is home to a number of endemic bird species, like Black-breasted parrotbill and Marsh babbler.
Chittaura Lake
- Foundation stone of Maharaja Suheldev Memorial and development work of Chittaura Lake would be laid by the Prime Minister soon.
- Chitaura Jheel or lake is a Hindu pilgrimage site, centred around a pond in Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh, India.
- It is also known as Ashtwarka jheel. River Teri Nadi flows from this lake.
- The site is believed to be the place where the fight between Raja Sukhdeo and Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud took place in June 1033.
- Ashtwarka Muni, the Guru of Maharaja Janak used to live here in his ashram. Every year, a fair is organized here on Basant Panchami.
BL Lacertae Blazer
- Indian astronomers have detected one of the strongest optical flares from a feeding super massive black hole called BL Lacertae blazar.
- This was detected with the help of Sampurnanand Telescope (ST) and 1.3 m Devasthal Fast Optical Telescopes located in Nainital.
- This detection can help tracing the events at different stages of the Universe’s evolution.
- It can help trace the source of emission and mass of the black hole.
- Located 10 million light-years away, BL Lacertae blazar is one among the 50 most prominent blazars which can be observed with a small telescope.
- Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT) had predicted that BL Lacertae blazar is among the three or four blazars to be experiencing flares.
- [WEBT is an international consortium of astronomers.]
Blazars
- Blazars are feeding super massive black holes in far off galaxies.
- They are one of the most energetic and luminous objects in the Universe that are known for their complicated emission mechanism.
- They emit jets of charged particles travelling at nearly the speed of light.
World Sustainable Development Summit 2021
- It is the annual event of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
- The theme of the 2021 Summit was ‘Redefining our common future: Safe and secure environment for all’.
- It brings together governments, civil society and the thinkers in the fields of sustainable development, energy and environment sectors on a single common platform,
- In the fight against climate change,
- To accelerate action towards sustainable development.
- It was earlier known as Delhi Sustainable Development Summit.
Source: AIR, PIB, The Indian Express, The Hindu, Business Standard, Economic Times, Financial Express
