NORTH KOREA CONDUCTS 2nd NUCLEAR TEST

Unfazed by global pressure, a defiant North Korea today conducted a second “more powerful” nuclear test and test-fired three missiles, triggering an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting and calls for a global “action” against a “reckless” Pyongyang.

Russian experts said the North Korean blast was up to 20 times more powerful than the its first nuclear test on October 9, 2006. Some South Korean experts said the power of the second blast was comparable to the bombs which hit Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.

Japan, South Korea and the U.S. — along with China and Russia — (six party talks) have been negotiating since 2003 to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear programmes in exchange for energy aid and security guarantees.

CYCLONE ALIA HITS WEST BENGAL

The cyclone named alia has hit west bengal and parts of bangladesh.The storm disrupted life and paralysed transport in Kolkata. Gales swept through at more than 80 km an hour, causing trees to fall at more than a hundred places, killing five persons and injuring others.

Naming cyclones

List of cyclone names in north Indian ocean

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) jointly established the Panel on Tropical Cyclones in 1972 as an intergovernmental body. Its membership comprises countries affected by tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Originally its member countries were Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Later Maldives joined this Panel in 1982 followed by Sultanate of Oman in 1997.This is responsible for naming conventions.

All over the world, Cyclone advisories are given by RSMC(regional specialised meteorological center).there are 6 centers in the world.They are co -ordinated by WMO(World meteorological station),Geneva-swiss.


WARNING SYSTEM IN INDIA

Tropical cyclone warnings in India are provided through three Area Cyclone Warning Centres (ACWCs) located at Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai and three Cyclone Warning Centres at Bhubaneswar, Visakhapatnam and Ahmedabad. The entire cyclone warning work is coordinated by the Deputy Director General of Meteorology (Weather Forecasting) at Pune and Deputy Director General of Meteorology (Cyclone Warning) at New Delhi.Tropical cyclone warnings from RSMC tropical cyclones, New Delhi are provided to All India Radio, New Delhi and to Doordarshan, New Delhi for broadcast and telecast respectively.

GATEWAY TO FACTUAL QUERIES

Wolfram Alpha ( www.wolframalpha.com) is all about.

It would be simpler to understand Wolfram Alpha as a service provided over the Internet for obtaining answers based on “factual information rather than opinion,”.This includes the weather, the number of calories in your lunch or financial calculations for your shares.

The data is pulled from many sources and then we work with that data with both human and computer intelligence. We put it into a standardised structure, add meaning and we work out how to compute results from it. It uses mathematica software.

NEW GOVT.'S FISCAL AGENDA

The revised budget estimates for 2008-09 raise many important issues with medium and long term fiscal repercussions.

An important one is the ability of the government to handle the massive increase of expenditure efficiently - budgetary provisions are made without working out project schemes in detail , thus resulting in implementation deficiency and cost over - runs.

transfer of central plan assistance Rs. 87,053 crore directly to state district level autonomous body societies and non-government organisations and not through State governments poses special problems in monitoring the use of funds

Special arrangements like special purpose vehicles (SPV) and Public Private Partnership (PPP) raise problems in monitoring whether full benefits of government funding are realised.

SUPERVISORY MECHANISM

Review of ongoing schemes, projects and activities is crucial to eliminate non-priority and non-productive expenditure. This should cover Plan and non-Plan expenditure including subsidies.

A Fiscal Code of Conduct has to be prepared as guideline for proper implementation of the Act in letter and spirit. Till now we have seen a mechanical compliance with quantitative targets and efforts to stick to deficit targets through off budget items rather than focusing on the basic revenue and expenditure reforms.

Results of progress can be periodically publicized through various means of media including internet.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/25/stories/2009052550011300.htm

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by the space shuttle in April 1990. It is named after the American astronomer Edwin Hubble.

The HST is a collaboration between NASA and the European Space Agency, and is one of NASA's Great Observatories, along with the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the Spitzer Space Telescope.

The Hubble is the only telescope ever designed to be serviced in space by astronauts. There have been five servicing missions, the last occurring in May 2009. Servicing Mission 1 took place in December 1993 when Hubble's imaging flaw was corrected. Servicing missions 2, 3A, and 3B repaired various sub-systems and replaced many of the observing instruments.STS-125 was launched in May 2009, and installed two new instruments and made numerous repairs. Assuming testing and calibration of the new equipment goes well, the Hubble should resume routine operation in September 2009.

telescope to function until at least 2014, when its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), is due to be launched. The JWST will be far superior to Hubble for many astronomical research programs.

Another similar effort is the European Space Agency's Herschel Space Observatory, launched on May 14, 2009. Like JWST, Herschel has a mirror substantially larger than the Hubble, but observes only in the infrared.It was launched with Plank spacecraft.

Hindu opinion

END - USER VERIFICATION AGREEMENT WITH U.S

The agreement is needed for important defence purchases

This will avoid fresh negotiations and signing of documents each time India wants bare minimum requirements for purchases.

The agreement is currently needed for acquisitions such as the Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft for the Indian Navy and other defence procurement.

As per the U.S. laws, all foreign military sales are guided by the Golden Sentry programme that is governed by its Department of Defence while the Blue Lantern programme is governed by the Department of State.

This is to ensure that the product sold to a country is being used for the stated purpose.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/25/stories/2009052559421400.htm

PEACE PIPELINE

Iran and Pakistan on Sunday signed a deal to lay a gas pipeline for taking Iranian gas to Pakistan.

As originally proposed, the project envisages construction of 1,100 km of pipeline in Iran, 1,000 km in Pakistan and 600 km in India. It will help to transfer 150 million cubic metres of gas a day. Construction of the 56-inch-diameter pipeline will be completed in five years.

project was conceptually attractive, but the turbulence in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province posed practical difficulties in its implementation.This makes india rethink about india joining the project.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/25/stories/2009052556920100.htm

PROJECT HIGHNOON

- A Project by EU to assess the impact of retreat of himalayan glaciers and possible changes of monsoon on distribution of water resources in north India.

- A project involving research insti. from netherlands,Britain,swiss & India.TERI, IIT DELHI & Kharagpur to participate

- aim is to integrate available climate data,hydrological data and state of art regional models. also link results of estimation and applicable adaptive measures.

- develop scenarios for snow melt and monsoon patterns and various simulation models.

Read full excerpts here

S.M.KRISHNA spells FOREIGN POLICY

1. Stengthen ties with the country's neighbours
2. consoliate strategic partnership with U.S,Russia,China,japan and E.U
3. Continue Look east Policy
4. aim of non aligned foreign policy and strengthening its autonomy
5. economy : sustain growth rate of 9 - 10%
   
6. pakistan : friendship tie if islamabad took credible action to dismantle terror infrastructure
7. Srilanka : Political steps towards the effective devoltion of power within Srilankan constitution in such a way, all including tamil can feel at home and lead dignified living at their own free will

also see

Invasive Alien Species

International day for biological diversity -- may 22

Invasive alien species are plants, animals, pathogens and other organisms that are non-native to an ecosystem, and which may cause economic or environmental harm or adversely affect human health.Since the 17th century, invasive alien species have contributed to nearly 40% of all animal extinctions for which the cause is known

threat

Invasive alien species exacerbate poverty and threaten development through their impact on agriculture, forestry, fisheries and natural systems, which are an important basis of peoples’ livelihoods in developing countries. This damage is aggravated by climate change, pollution, habitat loss and human-induced disturbance.

Is all alien invasive ?

NO ! For a species to become invasive, it must successfully out-compete native organisms for food and habitat, spread through its new environment, increase its population and harm ecosystems in its introduced range.There are many plants which are not invasive.

Dont repeat History !!!

History is rich with tales of the disastrous outcomes of some intentional introductions such as that of the Nile Perch, which resulted in the extinction of more than 200 other fish species. Careless behavior leads to unintentional introductions. So-called ‘accidents’ now account for the majority of successful invasions.

what can we do ?

awareness about invasive alien species is needed to reach public.

Once you are in the know, remove invasive plants from your land and replace them with alternative non-invasive plants suited to your site and needs.

know more

also this article on hindu

national biodiversity authority india

National Biodiversity Authority India setup in october 1,2003 in chennai under Ministry of environment and forestry.

CHAIRPERSON --- Dr.P.L.Gautam

It also includes members from ministries of

(i) Environment and Forests, two members of whom one shall be ADG (Forests) or DG (Forests)

(ii) Tribal Affairs

(iii) Agricultural Research and Education

(iv) Biotechnology

(v) Ocean Development

(vi) Agriculture and Cooperation

(vii) Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy

(viii) Science and Technology

(ix) Scientific and Industrial Research.

theme 2009 is Invasive Alien Species.

BIODIVERSITY IN INDIA

India has documented over 45,000 species of flora and 75,000 known species of fauna and contains with its borders two of the world's 10 biogeographic zones. The country is one of the world's 12 megacentres of biodiversity.

Contained within the subcontinent are tropical wet evergreen forests, deserts and alpine vegetation and vast coastal systems.

To conserve such a natural gift, India is party to the Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD) 1992 which recognizes the sovereign rights of states to use their own Biological Resources.

In order to help in realizing the objectives of CBD, India has enacted an umbrella legislation called the biological Diversity Act 2002(No.18 of 2003) aimed at conservation of biological resources and associated knowledge as well as facilitating access to them in a sustainable manner and through a just process.

The Biodiversity Bill 2002 seeks to create a three tier structure

(i) At the national level, a National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), set up at Chennai. The approval of this authority will be needed by any foreign company, entity or individual for obtaining any form of intellectual property rights (IPRs) on an invention based on a biological resource or traditional knowledge originating in India. NBA will also develop guidelines for granting this approval and for sharing benefits arising from such an invention.

(ii) At the state: level, each state will constitute a State Biodiversity Board (SSB), which will have to be intimated by domestic firms, entities or individuals, of any commercial utilization of biological resources; however, they will, simply register and will not need th approval of NBA. The Bill exempts hakims, vaids and practitioners of Indian Systems of medicine from this obligation of intimating SSB for using the biological resources; the. practices that are currently in use in agriculture, poultry, animal husbandry and bee-keeping are also exempted,

(iii) At the local level, each local body (Gram Panchayat or MandaI Panchayat) will constitute a Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC), which will maintain registers (called Peoples Diversity Register) of local resources and knowledge, and will also promote conservation, documentation and sustainable use of biological resources at the grass root level.

FAQ in biodiversity

India - Brazil economic sync

India exports minerals, fuels, iron and steel, energy equipments to Brazil and imports sugar as Brazil is the largest producer of sugar.

Brazil is also important exporter of iron ore, vegetable fat, ethanol and leather.

Dairy products, food processing, high end fashion, leather, machining equipment, technology and healthcare were broad areas for potential collaboration.

snow leopards

Three snow leopard cubs born at the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in Darjeeling in West Bengal . The PNHZP is the only zoological park in the country that has successfully carried out the breeding programme of endangered snow leopards, in addition to red pandas and Tibetan wolves.

project snow leopard

snow leopard

RBI on Fiscal Consolidation

RBI spells that “Given the still soft economy, the pressure to provide more stimulus will persist. While this may help in the near term, the sustainability of recovery requires returning to responsible fiscal consolidation,”

Challenge for RBI would be “The challenge for fiscal policy is to balance immediate support for the economy with a need to get back on track on the medium-term fiscal consolidation process,”

how will be 2009-10 ?

There is guarded optimism about the coming year in some quarters. The industrial and financial climate is expected to benefit from the huge tax concessions and high government spending. Reports indicate that the tax concessions for Rs. 60,000 crore in a full year and those announced after the interim budget have had a stimulating impact. The latest concessions will cost the Exchequer Rs. 23,000 crore in a full year and Rs. 3,000 crore in 2008-09.

The RBI believes that it has to “take calibrated monetary policy actions as necessary and at the appropriate time” to maintain the flow of credit to productive sectors.

RBI & Fiscal consolidation

What caused the global economic crisis?