By Udbhav Bhargava

The News 

Winter diesel may soon be used by the Indians armed forces for operations in high altitude areas such as Ladakh. The Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) has sought the permission of the armed forces’ Directorate-General for Quality Assurance (DGQA) to allow winter diesel use for military vehicles.

What happens to fuel in Low temperatures? 

Standard diesel fuel contains paraffin wax which is used to improve viscosity and lubrication. The paraffin wax gets thicker or “gels” at low temperatures, which impedes the fuel flow in the car engine. Gel point is the temperature at which solid diesel fuel melts and cannot flow by gravity or be pumped into fuel lines any more. This phenomenon happens when a fuel reaches a temperature that is low enough that ample wax crystals have formed to prevent any movement in the oil.

For diesel this is usually around −8 °C and for petrol this is at -68 °C. Use of kerosene to dilute diesel to make it functional can seem like an improvisation that can help but it will cause more air pollution and harm to modern diesel engines, contrary to common opinion. If improvised, then fuel tank preheating can be fatally risky. A rational alternative may be to apply anti-gel additives to diesel or biodiesel where the temperature is supposed to cool. They serve to reduce the formation of wax crystals in the fuel, thereby reducing the fuel’s pour point and gel point.

The armed forces in these areas are fuelled by winter-grade diesel in cold deserts, like Ladakh. IOCL and other oil marketing firms are supplying armed forces with Diesel High Sulphur Pour Point (DHPP -W) for operations in those areas which also have a -30 ° C pour point.

What is Winter Diesel?

The winter-grade diesel produced by IOC has a low pouring point (the temperature below which the liquid loses its flow characteristics) of -33 ° Celsius, enabling it to withstand the harsh winter weather conditions in Ladakh. It also follows the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) BS-VI Grade specification. The winter-grade diesel is provided by the Indian Oil Corporation Limited Panipat Refinery. The special winter-grade diesel would help the the challenges for transport and mobility faced by local citizens during the harsh winter months.

By Udbhav Bhargava

Germany’s parliament was preparing to pass new legislation finalizing the phase-out of coal as an energy source. Both houses of parliament were to vote on the roadmap that envisions the phase-out of coal between now and 2038. Germany is the first industrialized country that leaves behind both nuclear energy and coal energy.   

The environmental pressure groups do deserve some credit for the change. Greenpeace and other environmental organizations have protested vociferously against the proposal, including by lowering a banner down the Reichstag building door. We claim that the road map of the government does not curb greenhouse gas emissions from Germany quickly enough to achieve the goals set out in the Paris Climate Agreement.

Carbon Emissions and Nuclear Energy – hindrances 

However, Germany has demonstrated low results in relation to more recent European targets for rising carbon emissions. In Germany, the growing share of RES has not been enough to cut carbon emissions.

The share of RES has not been effective to eliminate pollution in Germany due to a decrease in nuclear power alone and the continuous maintenance of high coal-fired electricity products. Another reason is, nearly forty years after the start of the German energy transition, Germany remains the world’s largest lignite (brown coal) producer, with lignite and hard coal supplying nearly 40 per cent of its electricity. These reasons have hampered renewables to have a larger share in the ‘energy pie’. Germany will miss its own 2020 climate target by about 7%, but is determined to cover it up and augment its renewables energy generation.

Positive outcomes of the energy shift

German shift to renewable energy sources originated from bottom-up efforts by individuals and private-owned businesses supporting renewable energy sources. RES share in total power generation rose from 3 percent in 1990 to 40 percent in 2018. This has generated about 350,000 new jobs and has spread fairly evenly across the world.

Impact of Fukushima nuclear disaster

The nuclear catastrophe of 2011 at Fukushima in Japan resulted in massive anti-atomic power demonstrations across Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel announced two months after the incident that all the plants would be demolished in the next decade. Germany will be the second nation to shut down all its nuclear power stations after Italy.

Final stretch of the phase-out

Germany has vowed to start decommissioning all of its 17 nuclear power facility by the end of 2022. In December 2019, Operators began shutting down the Philippsburg nuclear power plant in southern Germany. It was the only nuclear plants still operating in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg. 2050 and 2038. Germany is planning to become neutral of greenhouse gas by 2050. It has set the tentative target of reducing emissions by at least 55 per cent compared to rates in 1990. Germany wants to phase out coal power by 2038 to attain this goal.

By Udbhav Bhargava

The ‘Necklace of Diamond’ is India’s reaction to China’s ‘String of pearls.’ This is part of a multi-stakeholder strategy to combat the aspirations of China in the Indian Ocean region and the Indo-Pacific region.

What is ‘String of pearls’?

The ‘Pearl String’ strategy of China ensures that maritime bases are established in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Djibouti to enhance its influence and military network. India claims that China is seeking to encircle the Indian Ocean with a network of dual-use port facilities. Concern-Choke points for defense, energy and stability. Sea lines run through several major maritime choke points like the Mandeb Strait, the Malacca Strait, the Hormuz Strait and the Lombok Strait. These pearls are positioned close to many of those Chinese choke points.

Diplomatic Debt traps 

Sri Lanka had depended heavily on China to develop a port in Hambantota for $1.5 billion. After the port worked at a loss and was unable to produce enough revenue to repay the loan to Beijing, the port was leased to China for 99 years in exchange for $1.1bn which eased its situation.

Encircling India. China through several measures, such as, debt traps, CPEC, Belt and road projects, et cetera has established or expedited the establishment of ports and naval bases.

India’s Counter

India has been creating a “Necklace of Diamonds” to counter the “String of Pearls” created by China. The ‘Necklace’ comprises

1. Changi Naval Base in Singapore

2. Chabahar Port in Iran

3. Assumption Islands in Seychelles

4. Sabang port in Indonesia

5. Duqm Port in Oman

Changi Naval base, Singapore 

In 2018, PM Modi signed the India-Singapore Bilateral Navy Cooperation Agreement which allows logistical support for Indian Navy vessels, including refueling at the Changi naval base in Singapore. Benefit-The Malacca Strait is known as one of the world’s most significant (and busiest) shipping lanes. This is the main lane for shipping between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Chabahar Port in Iran 

The port of Iran offers links to Afghanistan, and a significant trading route to Central Asia.

Assumption Island, Seychelles

India buttresses its position to fight the Chinese who established and operated nearby Gwadar Port in Pakistan from Assumption Island naval base. India and Seychelles decided in 2015 on building the naval base for that area. This base is of strategic significance for India as China wants to expand its influence on the African continent via the maritime route and the island of Assumption lies on the main coast.

Sabang Port, Indonesia 

In 2018, India got the military access to Sabang Port which is located right at the entrance of Malacca Strait, near the Nicobar Islands. A large chunk of trade and crude oil passes on to China through this region.

Duqm Port, Oman

India also got military access to the Port of Duqm in 2018. It sits on Oman’s south-eastern seaboard. The harbor facilitates crude imports from the Persian Gulf from India. In addition, Indian facilities are located right between the two major Chinese pearls — Djibouti and Gwadar. Besides that, India is building strong naval ties with Vietnam, Japan, France, Australia and the US.

Introduction

The word “adultery” derives its origin from the French word “avoutre”, which has evolved from the Latin verb “adulterium” which means “to corrupt”. The dictionary meaning of adultery is that a married man commits adultery if he has sex with a woman with whom he has not entered into wedlock.

Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code was a section dealing with adultery. Only a man who had consensual sexual intercourse with the wife of another man without his consent could have been punished under this offence in India. The law became defunct on 27 September 2018 by a judgement of the Supreme Court of India.The Supreme Court called the law unconstitutional because it “treats a husband as the sole master.” However it is still a sufficient ground for divorce as ruled by the Supreme Court.

The offence of adultery is non-cognizable (a case in which a police officer cannot arrest the accused without an arrest warrant). Also, it is a bailable offence.

The offence of adultery is compoundable by the husband of the woman with whom adultery is committed. Compoundable offences are those where the court can record a compromise between the parties and drop charges against the accused. [Section 320 CrPC].

Section 497 read as follows:

Adultery.—
Whoever has sexual intercourse with a person who is and whom he knows or has reason to believe to be the wife of another man, without the consent or connivance of that man, such sexual intercourse not amounting to the offence of rape, is guilty of the offence of adultery, and shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or with both. In such case the wife shall [not] be punishable as an abettor

The Court began to hear the arguments on this petition on 1 August 2018. The Court said that if the party challenging this section can simply prove that it violates Article 14 of the Constitution of India, then the section will be struck down.

A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court on 27 September 2018 unanimously ruled to scrap Section 497 and it is no longer as a offence in India

While reading the judgment, Chief Justice Dipak Misra said, “it (adultery) cannot be a criminal offence,” however it can be a ground for civil issues like divorce.

In October 2017, Joseph Shine, a non-resident Keralite, filed public interest litigation under Article 32 of the Constitution. The petition challenged the constitutionality of the offence of adultery under Section 497 of the IPC read with Section 198(2) of the CrPC.

Section 497 IPC criminalised adultery by imposing culpability on a man who engages in sexual intercourse with another person’s wife. Adultery was punishable with a maximum imprisonment of five years. Women, including consenting parties, were exempted from prosecution. Further, a married woman could not bring forth a complaint under Section 497 IPC when her husband engaged in sexual intercourse with an unmarried woman. This was in view of Section 198(2) of CrPC which specified how a complainant can file charges for offenses committed under Sections 497 and 498 IPC.

Section 497 was unconstitutional as the very basis for criminalising adultery was the assumption that a woman is considered as the property of the husband and cannot have relations outside of marriage. The same restrictions, however, did not apply in case of the husband. Section 497 violates right to privacy as well as liberty of women by discriminating against married women and perpetrating gender stereotypes.

On 27.09.2018, a 5 Judge Bench of the Supreme Court unanimously struck down Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code as being violative of Articles 14. 15 & 21 of the Constitution.

Conclusion

The most important reason for debate to get re-ignited is the drastic change in the social status of women. Gone are the days when Women were suppressed or subjugated lot. The practices of sati, child marriage, polygamy, etc, have been done away with.

Today there are laws against these evils and also laws providing effective relief against heinous acts such as domestic violence, dowry and others. Almost all professional colleges has a quota for women. Thus women today are in no way inferior to men or suppressed, and are at par with the opposite sex. The effective implementation of these laws and other women friendly provisions in the constitution insures that women, today, have an edge in the society. All this has resulted in them gaining the power of choice. They can no longer be classified as victims in cases of adultery

The biggest reality show of Telugu bigg boss is gearing for season 4 ,the host Nagarjuna confirmed his presence in the show as host,the housemates have been decided by the team

Now, the team is constructing Bigg boss house for the show, the housemates are going for COVID tests, and the housemates are going for isolation for 14 days before entering the house

The show is starting from August 30 and going to be telcast in star maa Telugu and hotstar

A 23-year-old, Aishwarya developed labor pains during the wee hours of the morning. Her husband and mother rushed her to the Rapussal Primary Health Centre (PHC).

“It was 2 am when we went to the PHC. The staff there said that the baby’s head was turning, and asked us to go to the Pudukkottai Medical College Hospital,” said Gopalakrishnan.

On their way to MCH, Aishwarya experienced excruciating pain and discomfort, and that’s where the ambulance driver, and the emergency medical technician stopped the ambulance and helped Aishwarya deliver her baby.

“The lives of both the mother and the baby were at stake here, and that is when we decided to proceed with the delivery,” said the medical technician.

“I could see their struggle while delivering the baby. It was a little complicated, yet they managed it well. They made us feel very comfortable. We will be forever grateful to them,” said Gopalakrishnan.

The new born’s parents were incredibly delighted and grateful to them for saving the lives of the mother as well of the child.

Devabaskaran, the ambulance driver, and Boopathiraja, the emergency medical technician, had helped with deliveries for over 10 women in the past year itself.

A. Karuppuraja, a student of Pothakudi village said that a common switchboard near his house has the switches for all the 35 streetlights.

“When the lockdown began, I saw a bird filling the box with straw and leaves, when I looked into it, I could see 3 greenish-blue eggs with spots,” said the 20 y/o.

The village youngsters had a common WhatsApp group called Pottakudi Ilaingnargal Kuzhu. Karuppuraja shared the bird story and all the 35 members decided to ensure the bird nested in peace for the eggs to hatch.

The group members went around the village convincing the nearly 100 households to refrain from switching the streetlights til the nesting period gets over. H. Kaleeswari, the President of Panchayat joined in too.

“Some readily agreed. Others called it stupid to switch of light for a small bird. But we managed to convince everyone and the entire village has gone without streetlights for 35 days now,” said N. Muruganantham, a villager.

The villagers said that they would clean the box and restore the power once their “winged visitors” leave.

For now they are managing with the help of torches and flash lights from mobile phone to continue their routine.

The Big Four is a novel by Agatha Christie published in the year 1927 which has a very intriguing story. The action in the novel begins from the very first moment when Captain Hastings arrives at his friend, Hercule Poirot’s place. They have an unexpected guest at his place. He has some very important information to give but is killed at the detective’s very place in his absence. This is related to a case Poirot had shown interest in lately. Further some incidents occur which again point to the same case. What is in common, is the number Four.

The novel series a very consistent fight between the people who make up the four the Big Four. Everytime it seems that Poirot has got to them seem to go even farther. It has the power of science, money, criminal brain and artistic mastery against Poirot’s own brain which he famously calls “little grey cells”. There are a lot of red herrings Agatha Christie has employed in such a way that you can’t help but read along. The story is told by Hastings who has his share of adventures and a very significant part to play in the novel. For the first time you will be introduced to a relation of Poirot: Poirot has endured a lot more than in any of his novels that I have read.

Christie has employed a very revealing/unrevealing kind of story telling style. You seem to know a lot of things but yet you know nothing. At some places you are able to guess what Poirot has posed as a question to Hastings but not always is that assumption true. But at the same time I am not very satisfied with the ending of the novel. It would have been better if Christie would have given more explaination. because during the endpoint it seems to have done his action all in the background. Evan Hastings is unaware of them. Nevertheless this book is worth reading.

Depression is different from usual mood fluctuations and short-lived emotional responses to challenges in everyday life. Especially when long-lasting and with moderate or severe intensity, depression may become a serious health condition. It can cause the affected person to suffer greatly and function poorly at work, at school and in the family. At its worst, depression can lead to suicide. Close to 800 000 people die due to suicide every year. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in 15-29-year-olds.The burden of depression and other mental health conditions is on the rise globally.depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors, according to the NIMH. Certain medical conditions may also trigger depression, including an underactive thyroid gland, cancer, heart disease, prolonged pain and other significant illnesses.

Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person’s thoughts, behavior, feelings and sense of well-being. People with depressed mood can feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, ashamed or restless. Depressed mood is a feature of some psychiatric syndromes such as major depressive disorder but it may also be a normal reaction to life events such as bereavement, a symptom of some bodily ailments or a side effect of some drugs and medical treatments.

Deepression is as “living in a black hole” or having a feeling of impending doom. However, some depressed people don’t feel sad at all—they may feel lifeless, empty, and apathetic, or men in particular may even feel angry, aggressive, and restless. Whatever the symptoms, depression is different from normal sadness in that it engulfs your day-to-day life, interfering with your ability to work, study, eat, sleep, and have fun. The feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and worthlessness are intense and unrelenting, with little, if any,

The medical community does not fully understand the causes of depression. There are many possible causes, and sometimes, various factors combine to trigger symptoms.

Factors that are likely to play a role include:

• genetic features
• changes in the brain’s neurotransmitter levels
• environmental factors
• psychological and social factors

A person should only take these medications as their doctor prescribes. Some drugs can take a while to have an impact. By stopping the drug, a person may not experience the benefits that it could offer.

Some people stop taking medication after symptoms improve, but this can lead to a relapse.

Raise any concerns about antidepressants with a doctor, including any intention to stop taking the Some people use natural remedies, such as herbal medicines, to treat mild-to-moderate depression.

Development of personality also plays an significant part in our lives. And everywhere we go our attitude significantly influences that everything. As the attitude of an individual determines their behaviour and tends to decide their attributes that people look for. In order to be successful in today’s environment one must still be clever and quick-witted.It’s not only about how much commitment you bring into your job, but it’s also about how much confidence you have to do about what you do. Let’s talk about someone you respect. What kind of attitude do they possess? They should typically hold certain decent and appropriate personality characteristics to adopt.

So lets talk about the tips used to develop our personality:

Know yourself:

While shaping our personalities One must proceed by having a close look at themselves, examining their qualities, strengths and shortcomings and everything that needs to be improved on. One does not steer away from acknowledging their faults and seek to improve as best as possible.

Bring positivity in your outlook:

While improving personality, you should learn to put optimistic environment around you and the more optimistic your thoughts and behavior can be, the more your personality will be attracted. The way we perceive impacts a lot on the way we behaved.If one thrives in his mind with optimistic thinking so it always gives him a boost of trust and strengthens his personality. Life situations and circumstances will still be complete ups and downs.

 Have an opinion:

Never be afraid to place your opinion or view in front of people, it really impacts greatly on your personality. Never shy away from projecting your opinions even if they happen to conflict with those of other people.Getting a perspective and being willing to bring it out with conviction not only serves to keep the discussions engaging, it also lets you seem more confident and informed towards other individuals. It’ll make you feel important too

Meet new people

Meeting new and varied styles of people is a positive step towards widening your horizons and opening yourself to more things. You have a opportunity to know more about different communities and behaviors and that has a profound impact on your own personality.

Be a good listener

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”  True it is. Being a good listener may not seem like but it is an important step towards achieving a more likable personality.  Listen with curiosity while someone is talking to you, and show them all the respect and significance. Keep a direct eye contact so should not get separated from the environment. It can allow you to get to learn a lot about individuals and to properly attend them.

Read more often and develop new interests

A person with very few interests would have very least to think about. Yet if you do something really well maintain a variety of interests, more people tend to appreciate you. Rather of being predictable and boring, you might start up engaging discussions. You don’t have to worry about what to do when you meet new people, when you can express your experience or your desires and have them indulged

Be a little fun

Oh yes, this is necessary! Being able to find a humorous side in otherwise terrible situations and bringing a little quirkiness of your own is appreciated by one and all. Everybody loves a person who can make them laugh and bring a funny perspective to the regular things of life. One does not need to be all serious and sober all the time but adorning your funny hat (not literally) every once in a while will turn you in to a more charming personality.

Be courteous

Being courteous is never out of fashion and is well appreciated and respected by everyone. Be humble and greet everyone with a smile. Never shy away from helping or supporting your peers and being available to them whenever they need you.Playing spontaneous acts of kindness will not only improve someone else’s day but will also help you come along as an pleasant human. It’ll also offer confidence boost to your personality. Be respectful to your juniors and senior citizens alike, and down to earth.

 Work on your Body Language

For your personality the body language is just as critical as your verbal communication skills. It says a lot about yourself and makes people create correct speculation about you. Anything like walking, sitting, interacting or eating has an impact on the people around you and developing a good body language can do wonders for your personality. Walk in an upright position with shoulders straight. Do not droop. Sit in a relaxed posture and make always eye contact while speaking.

 Check your attire

I am not abruptly beginning to emphasize about your exterior self instead of your skills and abilities but one’s attire has an important role to play while making a desirable impression. And not just that, but it also gives yourself a confidence boost knowing that you look good and are dressed appropriately. Dress up in a decent manner and keeping your surroundings in mind. While flashy colors and too much body tattoos or piercings convey an unprofessional attitude, neatly ironed clothes make you look presentable.

Be yourself

While one can always look up to other people and draw influence from them, you can always be your own unique self. Each of us is special, we have our own sets of talents and weaknesses so pretending to imitate someone else doesn’t get you anywhere and just backfires. Trying so much to blend into or desire to be part of a new community will never take away the individuality and uniqueness. Never try moulding into another person but instead work on being the best version of yourself.

 Be confident

Yes, that’s the key.The most critical advice for personality growth is to feel positive in who you are and what you are doing. Never question your ability, and if there is something you need to improve on, bring all the energy into it so that you can conquer your doubts and build trust.Read stories of accomplishment or fill yourself with positive thoughts or “encouragements” that will improve your self-esteem and help you maintain a strong personality. Only all you do is have confidence in yourself and throw your good work into it. Within your temperament there can be nothing more attractive than incredible confidence.