{"id":54327,"date":"2020-01-09T21:00:23","date_gmt":"2020-01-09T15:30:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogadmin.forumias.com\/?p=54327"},"modified":"2020-02-26T16:44:45","modified_gmt":"2020-02-26T11:14:45","slug":"auto-draft-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/auto-draft-13\/","title":{"rendered":"9 PM Current Affairs Brief \u2013 January 9th, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/science\/ligo-team-detects-second-merger-of-two-neutron-stars\/article30510613.ece\">LIGO\nteam detects second merger of two neutron stars<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong>\nFor the second time ever, the Laser Interferometer\nGravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)&nbsp;has&nbsp;detected gravitational wave\nsignals. The gravitational eave event is likely due to the collision of two\nneutron stars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Neutron\nStars:<\/strong> Neutron stars are the remnants of giant\nstars that died in a fiery explosion known as a supernova. They have a mass of about\n1.4 times that of the sun. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Gravitational\nwaves:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Gravitational waves are ripples\nin space-time caused by massive objects (e.g. neutron stars or black holes) moving\nwith extreme accelerations.<\/li><li>Albert Einstein predicted the\nexistence of gravitational waves in 1916 in his general theory of relativity.<\/li><li>The first gravitational-wave\ndetection of merging neutron stars was spotted by LIGO in 2017.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>LIGO<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>LIGO is the world&#8217;s largest\ngravitational wave observatory.<\/li><li>It operates three gravitational-wave\ndetectors: Two are at Hanford, USA, and one is at Livingston, USA.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Additional\nInformation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>LIGO\nIndia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It is a planned advanced\ngravitational-wave observatory&nbsp;and will be a part of the global network of\nLIGO Observatories.<\/li><li>LIGO India will come up, near\nAundha in Hingoli district of Maharashtra<\/li><li>The project will be jointly\nfunded by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Department of Science\n&amp; Technology (DST)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/world\/south-asia\/in-a-first-china-pak-navies-deploy-submarines-in-strategic-arabian-sea-drills\/articleshow\/73155123.cms\">In\na first, submarines of China, Pakistan rehearse in Arabian Sea<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News<\/strong>: China and Pakistan are holding nine-day naval exercise in the\nnorthern Arabian Sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The naval exercise has been\nnamed \u201cGuardians of Sea\u201d<\/li><li>It aims to enhance all-weather\nstrategic partnership between China and Pakistan.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Additional\nInformation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The Arabian Sea region is\nstrategically important for India as major ports including Kandla, Okha ,\nMumbai, Nhava Sheva (Navi Mumbai), Mormug\u00e3o, New Mangalore, and Kochi are\nlocated there<\/li><li>Further, Arabian Sea provides\nentry to the Indian Ocean where China currently has built a logistics base at\nDjibouti in the Horn of Africa.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/worlds-most-efficient-lithium-sulfur-battery-developed-how-does-it-work-why-does-it-matter-6206791\/\"><strong>Lithium-sulphur\nbattery<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong> Researchers from Australia have claimed that\nthey have developed the world\u2019s most efficient lithium-sulphur (Li-S) battery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About lithium-sulphur (Li-S) battery<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It is a type of rechargeable battery with lithium or lithium alloys as\nanodic material and sulphur as cathodic material.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Advantages:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>lower cost of production due to use of sulphur,<\/li><li>capable of storing up to 10 times more energy than lithium-ion ones<\/li><li>energy efficient<\/li><li>improved safety<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Disadvantages:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>battery physically breaks apart under the stress from repeated charging\nand discharging of the battery<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Additional Information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Lithium- ion battery<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It is a type of rechargeable battery which use an intercalated lithium\ncompound as the material at the positive electrode and typically graphite at\nthe negative electrode. <\/li><li>Lithium-ion batteries are commonly used for portable electronics,\nelectric vehicles and in aerospace applications.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Advantages:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>low maintenance<\/li><li>self-discharge is less<\/li><li>lithium-ion cells cause less harm when disposed<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Disadvantages<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Susceptibility to overheating <\/li><li>Prone to damage at high voltages<\/li><li>Start losing their capacity over time<\/li><li>High cost due to need for rare earths<\/li><li>safety hazard<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Did\nyou Know<\/strong>? John B. Goodenough, M. Stanley\nWhittingham and Akira Yoshino received Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2019 for the\ndevelopment of lithium-ion batteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/business\/cabinet-clears-ordinance-to-remove-restrictions-on-coal-block-bidding-6206950\/\">Cabinet\nclears Ordinance to remove restrictions on coal block bidding<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong> The Union Cabinet has approved the Promulgation of Mineral Laws\n(Amendment) Ordinance 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It amends Mines and Minerals\n(Development and Regulation) Act 1957 and Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act\n2015.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key\nfeatures:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Allows companies that do not\nhave coal mine operations in India to also participate in coal block auctions.<\/li><li>It provides for composite\nprospecting licence-cum-mining lease for coal and lignite blocks.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Significance:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>access to high-end technology\nfor underground mining used by global miners<\/li><li>Boost to production and mining\nefficiency<\/li><li>Less imports<\/li><li>assured coal supply<\/li><li>accountable allocation of coal<\/li><li>affordable fuel leading to\naffordable electricity prices for consumers<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.livemint.com\/industry\/banking\/shivalik-mercantile-coop-gets-rbi-s-in-principle-nod-for-small-finance-bank-11578323126092.html\">RBI\ngives in-principle nod to Shivalik Mercantile to convert to SFB<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong> The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted in-principle approval to\nUttar Pradesh-based Shivalik Mercantile Co-operative Bank Ltd to convert to a\nsmall finance bank (SFB).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nSmall Finance Banks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It is a private financial\ninstitution set up with the objective of financial inclusion. <\/li><li>They undertake basic banking\nactivities of acceptance of deposits and lending to un-served and underserved\nsections such as small business units, small and marginal farmers, micro and\nsmall industries and unorganised sector entities.<\/li><li>Small Finance Banks were\ncreated in 2014.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Scope\nof Activities<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"\"><tbody><tr><td>\n <strong>What they can\n do?<\/strong>\n <\/td><td>\n <strong>What they\n cannot do?<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\n Take small deposits and disburse loans\n <\/td><td>\n Lend to big corporates and groups\n <\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\n Distribute mutual funds, insurance products and other simple\n third-party financial products\n <\/td><td>\n Cannot open branches with prior RBI approval for first five years\n <\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\n Lend 75% of their total adjusted net bank credit to priority\n sector\n <\/td><td>\n Other financial activities of the promoter must not mingle with\n the bank\n <\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\n Maximum loan size would be 10% of capital funds to single\n borrower, 15% to a group\n <\/td><td>\n It cannot set up subsidiaries to undertake non-banking financial\n services activities\n <\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\n Minimum 50% of loans should be up to 25 lakhs\n <\/td><td>\n Cannot be a business correspondent of any bank\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Additional\nInformation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Comparison\nbetween Payment Banks and Small Finance Banks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/newsite\/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=197272\"><strong>800 FPOs\nregistered on Farmer Connect Portal of APEDA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong>Recently,800\nFarmer Producer Organisations(FPOs) have registered on Farmer Connect Portal of\nAgricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority(APEDA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nFarmer Connect Portal:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Farmer Connect Portal has been\nestablished by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development\nAuthority(APEDA) on it\u2019s website.<\/li><li>The portal provides a platform for\nFarmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and Farmer Producer Companies(FPCs) to\ninteract with exporters.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Market\nIntelligence Cell:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>A Market Intelligence Cell has also\nbeen set up by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development\nAuthority(APEDA)<\/li><li>The cell aims to provide e-market\nintelligence reports comprising detailed market analysis, international trade\nissues, current scenario of the interest to Indian exporters in important\nmarkets and statistical information.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nAPEDA:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>APEDA was established by the\nGovernment of India under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export\nDevelopment Authority Act passed by the Parliament in 1985.<\/li><li>It comes under the Ministry of\nCommerce and Industries,Government of India.<\/li><li>It is mandated with the\nresponsibility of promotion and development of the export of agricultural and\nits allied products.<\/li><li>It also provides support to\nexporters to set up infrastructure like pack houses and cold storages.<\/li><li>It also helps exporters to exhibit\ntheir products in several national and international expos and exhibitions.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/newsite\/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=197334\"><strong>Operation\nSankalp<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong>Indian\nNavy had commenced Maritime Security Operations code named Operation SANKALP in\nthe Gulf Region in Jun 2019 to ensure safe passage of Indian Flag Vessels\ntransiting through the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nOperation Sankalp:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Indian Navy had initiated\n&#8216;Operation Sankalp in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman as a measure to\nensure the safety and security of Indian ships.<\/li><li>The operation was initiated in the\naftermath of escalating tension in the Gulf of Oman where two oil tankers were\nattacked.Further,the tensions in the Middle East are again on the rise after\nthe US had killed Iran\u2019s major general Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike<\/li><li>Indian Navy Ships INS Chennai and\nINS Sunayna were deployed to undertake maritime security operations in the Gulf\nof Oman and the Gulf of Persia.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Furthermore,Indian Naval aircraft\naerial surveillance is also being carried out in the region.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nPersian Gulf:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Persian Gulf is also called as the\nArabian Gulf.The Gulf is an extension of the Indian Ocean(Gulf of Oman) through\nthe Strait of Hormuz and lies between Iran to the northeast and the Arabian\nPeninsula to the southwest.<\/li><li>It is bordered on the north,\nnortheast and east by Iran, on the southeast and south by part of Oman and the\nUnited Arab Emirates; on the southwest and west by Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi\nArabia and on the northwest by Kuwait and Iraq.<\/li><li>The area has approximately\ntwo-thirds of the world\u2019s estimated proven oil reserves and one-third of the\nworld\u2019s estimated proven natural gas reserves.<\/li><li>A considerable amount of sea trade\npasses through the gulf, leading to heavy traffic in the region.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About Gulf\nof Oman:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman is\na gulf that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then\nconnects to the Persian Gulf.<\/li><li>It borders Iran and Pakistan on the\nnorth,Oman on the south and the United Arab Emirates on the west.<\/li><li>It offers the only entrance from\nthe Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean into the Persian Gulf, thus the world\u2019s\nmajor oil exporters and importers have a joint interest in its security.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1598722\"><strong>Cabinet\napproves Memorandum of Understanding between India and Sweden on cooperation in\nPolar Science<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong>Union\nCabinet chaired by the Prime Minister has approved the Agreement on cooperation\nin polar science between India and Sweden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About the\nagreement:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The agreement between India and\nSweden in polar science will enable sharing of the expertise available with\nboth Countries.<\/li><li>The agreement becomes significant\nas both India and Sweden are signatories to the Antarctic Treaty and the\nProtocol to the Antarctic Treaty on Environmental Protection.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Sweden is also one of the eight\nArctic States and is one of the Member State in the Arctic Council whereas India\nhas the Observer Status in the Arctic Council.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nAntarctic treaty:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The Antarctic Treaty was signed in\nWashington in 1959 by twelve countries whose scientists had been active in and\naround Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of\n1957-58.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The treaty entered into force in\n1961 and has since been acceded to by many other nations.The total number of\nParties to the Treaty is now 54.<\/li><li>The important provisions of the\ntreaty are (a)Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes only (b)Freedom of\nscientific investigation in Antarctica and cooperation shall continue and\n(c)Scientific observations and results from Antarctica shall be exchanged and\nmade freely available.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nProtocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The Protocol on Environmental\nProtection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed in Madrid in 1991 and entered\ninto force in 1998.&nbsp;<\/li><li>It designates Antarctica as a\nnatural reserve, devoted to peace and science.It sets forth basic principles\napplicable to human activities in Antarctica.<\/li><li>The treaty prohibits all activities\nrelating to Antarctic mineral resources, except for scientific research.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nArctic Council:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Arctic Council was formally\nestablished in 1996 by The Ottawa Declaration.<\/li><li>It is an intergovernmental forum\nfor promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic\nStates.<\/li><li>The members of the Arctic Council\ninclude (a)Canada (b)Denmark, (c)Finland (d)Iceland (e)Norway (f)Russia\n(g)Sweden and (h)United States.In addition, six organizations representing\nArctic indigenous peoples have status as Permanent Participants.<\/li><li>Further,Observer status in the\nArctic Council is open to non-Arctic states. Besides India,12 other nations,\nincluding China, France, Germany, Japan, UK, Switzerland and the Netherlands\nhave the observer status.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-who-was-ashfaqullah-khan-the-27-year-old-freedom-fighter-hanged-by-the-british-6206893\/\"><strong>Explained:\nWho was Ashfaqullah Khan, and why did the British hang him?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong>Recently,Uttar\nPradesh government has announced that it will build a 121-acre zoo named after\nAshfaqullah Khan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nAshfaqullah Khan:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Ashfaqulla Khan (1900 \u2013 1927) was a\nfreedom fighter in the Indian independence movement.He was born in\nShahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh.<\/li><li>In 1920,Mahatma Gandhi had launched\nhis Non-cooperation movement against the British rule in India.&nbsp;<\/li><li>But after the Chauri Chaura\nincident in 1922,Mahatma Gandhi decided to withdraw the call for this\nmovement.&nbsp;<\/li><li>At that point, many young people\nincluding Ashfaqulla Khan became revolutionaries and turned to organisations\nlike Hindustan Socialist Republican Association.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Kakori\nConspiracy case:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The Kakori train robbery was a\nconspiracy against the British Empire to help Indian freedom fighters achieve\nfreedom as soon as possible.<\/li><li>The robbery was carried out by the\nHindustan Republic Association in the Kakori town of the United Provinces (now\nUttar Pradesh) on 9 August 1925.<\/li><li>The Hindustan Republican\nAssociation(HRA) was a revolutionary party formed in 1924 by a youth group of\nthe Indian National Congress disgruntled over Mahatma Gandhi\u2019s sudden call to\nstop the non-cooperation movement.<\/li><li>The main freedom fighters arrested\nfor their involvement in the Kakori conspiracy case were Ram Prasad Bismil,\nAshfaqulla Khan, Roshan Singh, Chandrasekhar Azad among others.<\/li><li>During the trial,Ram Prasad Bismil,\nThakur Roshan Singh, Rajendra Nath Lahiri and Ashfaqullah Khan were given death\nsentences and others were given life imprisonment.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.newsonair.com\/Main-News-Details.aspx?id=377370\"><strong>Avalanche\nwarning issued for Leh, Ladakh<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong>Snow\nand Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) has issued an Avalanche warning to Leh\nin Ladakh region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nAvalanche:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Avalanche is a mass of snow, often\nmixed with ice and debris which travels down mountain sides destroying\neverything in its path.<\/li><li>It is caused when the force of\ngravity on the snow cover exceeds its mechanical strength.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The necessary factors for an\navalanche are (a) snow cover (b) a weak layer in the snow cover (c) a trigger\nto initiate movement and d) steep slope.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Jammu &amp; Kashmir, Himachal\nPradesh and Uttarakhand are among the most avalanche vulnerable regions in\nIndia.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Types of\nAvalanche:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Powder avalanche:<\/strong>This\ntype of avalanche is a fast moving, very destructive avalanche.These avalanches\ncan travel up to 160 kilometers per hour or 100 miles per hour.Powder\navalanches are usually triggered by something small, such as a piece of ice or\na rock.<\/li><li><strong>Wet avalanche:<\/strong>These\navalanches are slow-moving and consist of snow, ice, rock and other\nmaterial.These avalanches look like slow-moving water but have enormous force\nbehind them.<\/li><li><strong>Slab avalanches<\/strong>:These\navalanches occur when a slab of snow breaks free and flows down a slope.This\ntype of avalanche is usually triggered by humans and therefore causes the most\nfatalities.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About Snow\nand Avalanche Study Establishment(SASE):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The responsibility of dealing with\nthe different aspects of avalanches rests with the Snow and Avalanche Study\nEstablishment (SASE).<\/li><li>SASE is a laboratory of the Defence\nResearch and Development Organization(DRDO).It is located near Manali, Himachal\nPradesh.<\/li><li>Its primary function is research in\nthe field of snow and avalanches to provide avalanche control measures and\nforecasting support to Armed forces.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/army-gets-working-on-government-owned-contractor-operated-model-to-improve-efficiency\/article30506622.ece\"><strong>Indian\nArmy begins work on GOCO Model<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong>Indian\nArmy has began its work on the GOCO (Government Owned Contractor Operated)\nModel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About GOCO\nModel:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The GOCO model was one of the\nrecommendations of the Lt. Gen. DB Shekatkar (Retd.) committee to enhance combat\ncapability and re-balancing defence expenditure.<\/li><li>In GOCO model, the assets owned by\ngovernment will be operated by the private industries.<\/li><li>The Private companies need not make\ninvestments on land, machinery and other support systems.<\/li><li>The missions are set by government\nand the private sectors are given full independence in implementing the\nmissions using their best practices.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Significance\nof the model:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The main advantage of the model is\nthat the targets are achieved in lesser time frame.<\/li><li>It will also boost the\ncompetitiveness among the private entities.<\/li><li>It also helps in reducing\ngovernment expenditure on armed forces and increase combat capability of the\narmy.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.business-standard.com\/article\/news-ani\/cabinet-approves-agreement-with-mongolia-on-cooperation-in-use-of-outer-space-120010801302_1.html\"><strong>Cabinet\napproves agreement between India and Mongolia on Cooperation in the Exploration\nand Uses of Outer Space<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong>Cabinet\napproves agreement between India and Mongolia on Cooperation in the Exploration\nand Uses of Outer Space for Peaceful and Civilian Purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>India-Mongolia\nouter space cooperation agreement:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The Union Cabinet has approved an\nagreement between India and Mongolia on cooperation in the exploration and uses\nof outer space for peaceful and civilian purposes.<\/li><li>The agreement enables the countries\nto pursue research in planetary exploration, space system and application of\nspace technology.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The plan is to set up a Joint\nWorking Group by drawing members from ISRO (Indian Space Research\nOrganisation), DOS (Department of Space). Communications and Information\nTechnology Authority(CITA) of Mongolia.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The finances for the project are to\nbe approved by the countries in stage-by-stage basis.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Additional\ninformation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>India-Mongolia\nRelations:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>India has established diplomatic\nrelations with Mongolia in December 1955.<\/li><li>Mongolia along with India and\nBhutan co-sponsored famous UN Resolution for the recognition of Bangladesh as\nan independent country in 1972.<\/li><li>The first-ever visit by Indian\nPrime Minister to Mongolia was in 2015 to mark the 60th anniversary of the\nestablishment of diplomatic relations between India and Mongolia.<\/li><li>During the visit,Indian PM had\nannounced a credit line of US$1 billion for infrastructure sector in\nMongolia.This is currently being utilized by Mongolia to build a first oil\nrefinery.<\/li><li>Mongolia is one of the 29 resource\nrich developing countries in the world according to the International Monetary\nFund.&nbsp;<\/li><li>In 2018, India exported 51.6\nmillion USD of goods to Mongolia and imported goods with 1 million\nUSD.However,this is very little as compared to that of its neighbours China and\nSoviet Union.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.newsonair.com\/News?title=Govt-issues-revised-norms-for-mutual-legal-assistance-in-criminal-matters-with-other-nations&amp;id=377430\"><strong>Govt\nissues revised norms for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters with other\nnations<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong>Government\nhas revised guidelines for seeking assistance from foreign countries under the\nMutual Legal Assistance Treaty(MLAT).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About the\nguidelines:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>These guidelines were made in the\nbackdrop of complaints against the bureaucratic delays in the Ministry of Home\nAffairs(MHA) on MLAT issues.<\/li><li>The guidelines have provisions for\nservice of documents to authorities of foreign country preferably within ten\ndays of receipt of request in respect of offences committed against women and\nchildren.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nMutual Legal Assistance Treaty(MLAT):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>A mutual legal assistance treaty\n(MLAT) is an agreement between two or more countries for the purpose of\ngathering and exchanging information in an effort to enforce public or criminal\nlaws.<\/li><li>MLATs can be bilateral (country to\ncountry), multilateral, regional (any regional grouping example ASEAN) and\ncountry to regional (India with all the countries of European Union).<\/li><li>This assistance may take the form\nof (a)examining and identifying people (b)places and things (c)custodial\ntransfers and (d)providing assistance with the immobilisation of the\ninstruments of criminal activity.<\/li><li>Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is\nthe nodal Ministry and the Central authority for seeking and providing mutual\nlegal assistance in criminal law matters.<\/li><li>Currently,India has Mutual Legal\nAssistance Treaties(MLAT) with 42 countries and is signatory to various\nInternational Conventions for cooperation in criminal matters.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-what-is-epiphany-festival-who-are-the-3-kings-celebrated-on-this-day-6206710\/\"><strong>Explained:\nWhat is Epiphany festival<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong>Recently,the\nEpiphany festival has been celebrated in parts of India such as Goa and Kerala.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nEpiphany festival:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Epiphany is a feast day or a day of\ncommemoration.It is among the three oldest and major festival days in\nChristianity.The two others being Christmas and Easter.<\/li><li>This festival is celebrated in\nChristianity to mark the visit of the Magi (meaning the Three Wise Men or Three\nKings) to the Infant Jesus (Christ from his nativity until age 12).<\/li><li>This day also commemorates the baptism\nof Jesus in the Jordan River.<\/li><li>In Goa, the celebration is known by\nits Portuguese name \u2018Festa dos Reis\u2019 and in parts of Kerala by its Syriac name\n\u2018Denha\u2019.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Additional\ninformation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Easter\nFestival:<\/strong>Easter is a Christian festival.The day marks the resurrection of\nJesus Christ after he rose from the dead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1598745\"><strong>CCI\nReleases \u2018Market Study on E-commerce in India\u2019<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong>The\nCompetition Commission of India(CCI) has released a Report titled \u2018Market Study\non E-commerce in India: Key Findings and Observations\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key\ntakeaways from the study:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The E-Commerce Sector was\nestablished in 2009.However, the sector gained momentum in 2014.&nbsp;<\/li><li>In 2017, the sector held 3,500\nmillion USD investment.There are around 4757 E-commerce start-ups in India\ntoday in 2019.<\/li><li>The revenue from the E-Commerce\nsector is growing at the rate of around 51%.&nbsp;<\/li><li>In July 2018, the number of online\ntransactions in the E-Commerce sector was 1 million to 1.2 million per day.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Problems in\nthe E-Commerce Sector:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Deep Discounting<\/strong>:The\nstudy said that in e-commerce platforms,deep discounting was the key factor\ninfluencing competition.The discounts are so high that it impairs the ability\nof brick and mortar players to compete in the market.<\/li><li><strong>Contract Terms<\/strong>:The\nstudy has also found that online platforms exercised superior bargaining\nposition by imposing unfair contract terms on sellers.<\/li><li><strong>Data Collection:<\/strong>There\nis also a lack of transparency on the data that is collected on the platforms\nand shared with third-party entities.<\/li><li><strong>Manipulation:<\/strong>The\nstudy has also noted that there are three elements which are susceptible to\nmanipulation by E-commerce platforms namely the search results,\nsellers\u2019\/service providers\u2019 data and user review\/rating mechanisms.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Recommendations\nto E-commerce Companies:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>To reduce information symmetry and\nincrease transparency.This will increase competition among the stakeholders<\/li><li>To set out terms and conditions\nthat will prevent the business users from influencing search ranking.&nbsp;<\/li><li>To set up a transparent policy on\ndata collection of customers, product rating policies.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Additional\ninformation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nCompetition Commission of India:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Competition Commission of India is\na statutory body of the Government of India established in 2003.<\/li><li>The commission is responsible for\nenforcing the Competition Act,2002 throughout India and to prevent activities\nthat have an appreciable adverse effect on competition in India.<\/li><li>CCI consists of a Chairperson and 6\nMembers appointed by the Central Government.<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>LIGO team detects second merger of two neutron stars News: For the second time ever, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)&nbsp;has&nbsp;detected gravitational wave signals. The gravitational eave event is likely due to the collision of two neutron stars. Facts: Neutron Stars: Neutron stars are the remnants of giant stars that died in a fiery explosion&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/auto-draft-13\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">9 PM Current Affairs Brief \u2013 January 9th, 2020<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":48116,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54327","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-9-pm-brief","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/9-PM-Brief.png?fit=1000%2C500&ssl=1","views":{"total":0,"cached_at":1700805713,"cached_date":1704944890},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54327","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54327"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54327\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54327"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54327"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54327"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}