Category: World

Understanding Luminous Pollution.

 

Many of us are taking steps to reduce carbon footprints. We responsibly recycle glass, metal, paper, plastic waste each week. However, unknowingly we are contributing to carbon emissions through light pollution which intrudes the delicate ecosystem. Light pollution in many countries is neglected and not regulated. 

The excessive, misdirected, or unnecessary use of artificial outdoor lighting is known as Light pollution a.k.a Luminous pollution, or Photopollution. Light pollution alters the color and contrast of the nighttime sky, natural starlight, and disrupts the circadian rhythms, which affects the environment, inhabitants, and astronomy research.

As countries are developing, the need for artificial outdoor lighting has also increased and light pollution has spread into suburban and rural areas. 

Types of light pollution:-

1) Light Trespass

2) Glare

3) Sky Glow

4) Light Clutter

What are the causes of light pollution?

Poorly designed residential, commercial and industrial lights contribute significantly to luminous pollution. Also, the use of unnecessary outdoor artificial lights contributes to luminous pollution. Approximately about 30℅ of light is wasted due to poorly designed artificial outdoor lights. 

Let’s have a look at the effects of light pollution.

As mentioned above, light pollution has effects on our environment and its inhabitants, and also on astrology. Mentioned below are some of the known effects of light pollution:-

Effect on the environment:                Excessive nighttime lighting releases more than 12 million tons of carbon dioxide every year into the atmosphere, which would take around 702 million trees to absorb. 

Luminous pollution also increases air pollution by resisting a natural occurring radical that cleans the air at night, called Nitrate radical. 

Effect on wildlife:                                    Light pollution can alter the feeding, mating, sleeping, and migration cycles of the entire wildlife. Wildlife can also feel the disorientation of time due to excessive light pollution.

Effect on energy:                            According to a study by IDA( International Dark-Sky Association) in 2007,  it is estimated that about 30% of the light emitted by public outdoor light fixtures is wasted, which equals 22 TWh/year of energy wastage. That is equivalent to the following:

★About 3.6 million tons of coal per year.

★ About 12.9 million barrels of oil per year.

Effect on Astronomy:            Astronomers are most affected by luminous pollution. As it makes it harder to view and find extraterrestrial bodies for the astronomers even with the aid of a telescope.

Effect on Humans:                                  Like plants and animals, humans are also regulated by circadian rhythms. The rhythms respond to the light and darkness around any organism, which when altered can result in various health hazards like sleeping disorders, depression, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, etc.

How to prevent light pollution?

Given below are some ways to prevent light pollution:-

I) By using warm white lightning as it scatters less.

II) By using shielded outdoor light fixtures.

III) By picking the right exterior light fixtures with the right cutoff angle, which prevents light from escaping above the horizontal plane.

IV) By using motion sensor outdoor fixtures.

V) By using IDA-certified light fixtures. 

Agriculture

When tillage begins, other arts follow. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of human civilization.”

— Daniel Webster

Introduction

It all started thousand of years ago , when the human civilization came into existence . Agriculture was a key to survival . People were farming for there domestic purpose , not for the others .

As the civilization started to grow accustomed of agriculture , they grew food in surplus that enabled people to live in cities. Plants were independently cultivated in at least 11 regions of the world.

The development of agriculture enabled the human population to grow many times larger than could be sustained by hunting and gathering.

It was the beginning of different civilization in different parts of the World. From those civilizations , one of them was our’s The Indus Valley Civilization . Vedic literature provides some of the earliest written record of agriculture in India. Rigveda hymns , describes plowing, fallowing, irrigation, fruit and vegetable cultivation.

Some of the ancient and historical evidence suggests rice and cotton were cultivated in the Indus Valley.

Agriculture : In India and World today .

India ranks second worldwide in farm outputs. As per 2018, agriculture employed Indian work force and contributed 17–18% to country’s GDP.

In 2016, agriculture and allied sectors like animal husbandry, forestry and fisheries accounted for 15.4% of the GDP (gross domestic product) with about 41.49% of the workforce in 2020.India ranks first in the world with highest net cropped area followed by US and China.The total agriculture commodities export was US $ 3.50 billion in March – June 2020.

Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for about 58% of India’s population. Share of agriculture and allied sectors in gross value added (GVA) of India at current prices stood at 17.8 % in FY20.

During 2019-20 crop year, food grain production reached a record of 296.65 million tonnes. In 2020-21, Government of India is targeting food grain production of 298 million tonnes.

India is among the 15 leading exporters of agricultural products in the world. Agricultural export from India reached US$ 38.54 billion in FY19 and US$ 35.09 billion in FY20.

Agriculture is an important industry in the United States. The agriculture industry, which includes both crops and livestock, is responsible for producing most of the world’s foods and fabrics. Agriculture impacts so many things that it’s hard to imagine a world without this important industry.

Schemes and Initiatives

Due to the high requirement of agriculture . It is important for the government to take initiatives and provide better infrastructure to the farmers. However , the required level of investment for the development of marketing, storage and cold storage infrastructure is estimated to be huge.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), established in 1905, was responsible for the search leading to the “Indian Green Revolution” of the 1970s. The Union Minister of Agriculture is the president of the ICAR. The Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute develops new techniques for the design of agricultural experiments, analyses data in agriculture, and specialises in statistical techniques for animal and plant breeding.

Schemes by government for Indian agriculture :

  • Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme.
  • Rainfed Area Development Programme (RADP)
  • Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
  • Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY)
  • National Agriculture Market (e-NAM)
  • Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan yojana.
  • Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
  • Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme.
  • Pashu Kisan Credit Card Scheme.
  • PM-Kisan Scheme.

Conclusion

Agriculture sector is one of the prominent sector in India as well as all over the world . India is becoming self – sufficient in pulses and other crops .

Gone are the days , when India was unable to provide sufficient amount of food to the citizens . Gone are the days , when people used to think agriculture was not as important as other sectors . Gone are the days , when people used to think less of farmers . And gone are the days , when people were less educated about agriculture.

Farming is a profession of hope.

— Brett Brian

Link

Kaleshwaram project

Hello guys!!

Today I am going to give you guys an insight about a very hot and trending topic “The kaleshwaram project”.

This project is a multi purpose irrigation project on the Godavari river in kaleshwaram in Telangana state.

It’s main purpose is irrigation to crops,supplying power and water. It is constructed to overcome the famine conditions.

From Times of India

In The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation System is considered to be one of the world’s largest multi-purpose projects. It is designed to provide water for irrigation and drinking purposes to about 45 lakh acres in 20 of the 31 districts in Telangana, apart from Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

Indian express.com

It’s construction began in 2016 and approximately 1.2 lakh crores were spend in the construction of this Although inaugurated the project is no where near completion.

From The Hans India

This project has at is own fair share of disadvantages too.

This project will displace at least 30,000 people in 19 villages.

It will affect land of about 1 lakh acres (40,015 hectares).

Considering all other costs, this project will be a major burden on the people of the state and farmers for generations to come

From Deccan Chronicle

The result is yet to be known whether the project is a success or not ,but if the result is good then the sacrifices that were done to built the project will not go to waste.

The amount of time, money, and labour spending on this project will never comeback so whether it will live up to the expectation of people or not is the question that is yet to be answered.

Thankyou^^.

INTERNSHIPS

The internship is the main source for a college student to improve and prove his/her knowledge.

Every college student has composed placements and off compose placements.

At the time of placements in a different company, we have to submit our Resume. That resume gives our real appearance to interview. If we have done any internships and any skill development that will help for our desired company placements.

Lets more about internships

Internships is the training and real-time project to the confidence of our skills for real-world understanding

 The internship is an opportunity offered by an employer to potential employees, as an intern, to work at a firm for a fixed period of time. Interns are usually likes undergraduates or students, and most internships period last between a month and three months. … An internship can be either paid or voluntary.

Which internships we have done?

Internships are based on your desired knowledge, department and day by day improved courses

Things to consider when choosing an internship

  • Which sector are you interested? …
  • What will be your responsibilities? …
  • What will you will get ? …
  • Where you have to do? …
  • What’s the environment like is it comfortable ? …
  • Will you get the opportunity to more network? …
  • What are the skills will you learn? …
  • What are your qualifications for ?

Let specific directions for your internships

There are some websites for internships that may have offline and online internships :

  • Linkedin
  • Glassdoor
  • Google
  • Internshala
  • Internship.com
  • Internmatch.com
  • Youturn
  • Idealist
  • Global Experience
  • Coolworks

Go for these websites you will find “updated(your name) version.0”

The Spanish Inquisition: A Turbulent Time

What was the Spanish Inquisition?

The Spanish inquisition was a judicial institution that prevailed in Spain from 1478 to 1834. It was set up through the Catholic church to root out and punish any heresy (religious beliefs that differed from those prevailing at the time, in this instance Catholicism) being practiced in the country. In each region of Spain, tribunals comprising of Catholic officials were set up to perform the functions of the inquisition. This system was aimed at consolidating power and establishing control in the country, but today the reputation of the inquisition is that it was an extremely brutal and turbulent time in Spanish society.

What happened during this time?

The Spanish inquisition is a well-known historical event but for reasons that should not be praised. It marked a period of violence and intolerance. The people working for inquisitions were called inquisitors. They would arrive in a town, and announce their presence to all the townspeople. Any heretics present in the town would be given a chance to confess, and thereby receive punishment which ranged from whipping to pilgrimage and repentance. Any person who was accused of being a heretic was forced to admit to it, and in case they did not voluntarily confess, they would be subject to violent torture and even execution. More often than not, people were victims of false allegations of being a heretic, but there was no formal court procedure or trial and the mere suspicion of being a heretic was enough to enforce severe punishment. Once a person was accused, even if falsely, there was no escaping either torture, imprisonment, or death. So, many people would end up confessing early on, even if they weren’t actual heretics, to say themselves from any severe consequences later on. This shows how much fear and tyranny was present in society at that time.

This period also represented one of xenophobia and parochialism. When the inquisition began, Spain was a very diverse country, both ethically and religiously. Many different communities like the Jews, Muslims and Christians all lived in harmony in the same regions. The objective of the inquisition was to eradicate such people from Spain who did not identify with the Catholic church and its beliefs. For more than 350 years, people who were not Catholics were subject to torture and exile from Spain.

We can clearly draw a comparison here to Nazi Germany under Hitler’s dictatorship, where only white people of the Aryan race were allowed to live in the country while others were deported or killed in cold blood. In both cases the victims were subject to inhumane torture and suffering. Also, the Jewish people were the major victims in both situations. Under the inquisition, Spanish Jews were forced to either convert to Catholicism or leave Spain entirely. Even those who converted, called the ‘Conversos’ were not safe as they were constantly under suspicion of secretly practicing Judaism while using Catholicism as a disguise. Eventually focus shifted to Muslims converting to Christianity to save themselves, called the ‘Moriscos’. In 1609 they were all ordered to leave Spain entirely.

Any punishments to be given were done so in public for everyone to see, and they were called ‘acts of faith’. It was meant to show the public what it means to defy the Catholic church and their beliefs, and why they should not follow any other ideology. In the worst of cases, where there were unrepentant heretics, they would even burn them alive at the stake for all of the public to witness.

Conclusion

Eventually in 1834, the inquisition was put to an end and the Catholic church’s power diminished in Spain. However, we cannot disregard the damage that had been caused in the 350 odd years. Thousands of people were tortured, killed or exiled from their homes in Spain. They were stripped of their land and wealth, and left homeless and poor. Many religious minorities had to flee from Spain, leaving behind their home land and all that they knew, while those that remained faced discrimination and suffering at the hands of the inquisitors. Not only mainland Spain, but even the Spanish territories like those in America had their own smaller inquisitions that took their own tolls (Mexico, Peru). However, as time progressed, so did political thinking, and Spain realized its mistake in introducing such a violent system and removed it. Today, Spain is a tolerant and accepting country with diverse groups of people all living in harmony.

5-month-old baby girl in UK ‘turning to stone’

The effects of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, a disease which causes damaged soft tissue to regrow as bone.

Lexi Robins, 5 month old from the UK is “turning to a stone”due to an extremely rare genetic condition Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP) that turns muscles into bones.

Lexi Robins

Lexi Robins was born on January 31 and seemed like any other normal baby, except she didn’t move her thumb and had bigger toes.

Lexi was diagnosed with a life-limiting disease called Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP), which affects just one in two million.

Due to the disorder, Lexi’s condition may worsen rapidly if she suffers any minor trauma, as simple as falling over. She cannot receive injections, vaccinations and dental care and cannot give birth.

Post by Alexandera robins https://www.instagram.com/tv/CQnwqnTIUlV/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading.

FOP is a severe, disabling disorder with no current cure or treatment. It is the only known medical condition where one organ system changes into another. Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva is caused by a mutation of the gene ACVR1.

The FOP can lead to bone formation outside skeleton and restrict movement. It is believed to replace muscles and connective tissues, such as tendons and ligaments, with bone. Thus, it is generally perceived that the condition turns a body into stone.

People with this disease, which has no proven treatment, can be bedridden by the age of 20 and their life expectancy is around 40 years.

It has no current cure.

Bose-EinsteinCondensate The 5th Matter

QuantumPhaseTransition.svg

In condensed matter physics, a Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC) is a state of matter (also called the fifth state of matter) which is typically formed when a gas of bosons at low densities is cooled to temperatures very close to absolute zero (−273.15 °C or −459.67 °F). Under such conditions, a large fraction of bosons occupy the lowest quantum state, at which point microscopic quantum mechanical phenomena, particularly wavefunction interference, become apparent macroscopically. A BEC is formed by cooling a gas of extremely low density (about one-hundred-thousandth (1/100,000) the density of normal air) to ultra-low temperatures.

This state was first predicted, generally, in 1924–1925 by Albert Einstein following and crediting a pioneering paper by Satyendra Nath Bose on the new field now known as quantum statistics.

This transition to BEC occurs below a critical temperature, which for a uniform three-dimensional gas consisting of non-interacting particles with no apparent internal degrees of freedom is given by:{\displaystyle T_{\rm {c}}=\left({\frac {n}{\zeta (3/2)}}\right)^{2/3}{\frac {2\pi \hbar ^{2}}{mk_{\rm {B}}}}\approx 3.3125\ {\frac {\hbar ^{2}n^{2/3}}{mk_{\rm {B}}}}}{\displaystyle T_{\rm {c}}=\left({\frac {n}{\zeta (3/2)}}\right)^{2/3}{\frac {2\pi \hbar ^{2}}{mk_{\rm {B}}}}\approx 3.3125\ {\frac {\hbar ^{2}n^{2/3}}{mk_{\rm {B}}}}}

where:

{\displaystyle \,T_{\rm {c}}}is the critical temperature,
\,nthe particle density,
\,mthe mass per boson,
\hbar the reduced Planck constant,
{\displaystyle \,k_{\rm {B}}}the Boltzmann constant and
\,\zeta the Riemann zeta function; {\displaystyle \,\zeta (3/2)\approx 2.6124.}\,\zeta(3/2)\approx 2.6124. 

Interactions shift the value and the corrections can be calculated by mean-field theory. This formula is derived from finding the gas degeneracy in the Bose gas using Bose–Einstein statistics.

Superfluidity of BEC and Landau criterion

The phenomena of superfluidity of a Bose gas and superconductivity of a strongly-correlated Fermi gas (a gas of Cooper pairs) are tightly connected to Bose–Einstein condensation. Under corresponding conditions, below the temperature of phase transition, these phenomena were observed in helium-4 and different classes of superconductors. In this sense, the superconductivity is often called the superfluidity of Fermi gas. In the simplest form, the origin of superfluidity can be seen from the weakly interacting bosons model.

TACHYON A PARTICLE THAT HELPS US TO TIME TRAVEL…

Tachyon, hypothetical subatomic particle whose velocity always exceeds that of light. The existence of the tachyon, though not experimentally established, appears consistent with the theory of relativity, which was originally thought to apply only to particles traveling at or less than the speed of light. Just as an ordinary particle such as an electron can exist only at speeds less than that of light, so a tachyon could exist only at speeds above that of light, at which point its mass would be real and positive. Upon losing energy, a tachyon would accelerate; the faster it traveled, the less energy it would have.

The name ‘tachyon’ (from the Greek ‘tachys,’ meaning swift) was coined by the late Gerald Feinberg of Columbia University. Tachyons have never been found in experiments as real particles traveling through the vacuum, but we predict theoretically that tachyon-like objects exist as faster-than-light ‘quasiparticles’ moving through laser-like media. (That is, they exist as particle-like excitations, similar to other quasiparticles called phonons and polaritons that are found in solids. ‘Laser-like media’ is a technical term referring to those media that have inverted atomic populations, the conditions prevailing inside a laser.)

an experiment at Berkeley to detect tachyon-like quasiparticles. There are strong scientific reasons to believe that such quasiparticles really exist, because Maxwell’s equations, when coupled to inverted atomic media, lead inexorably to tachyon-like solutions.

“Quantum optical effects can produce a different kind of ‘faster than light’ effect (see “Faster than light?” by R. Y. Chiao, P. G. Kwiat, and A. M. Steinberg in Scientific American, August 1993). There are actually two different kinds of ‘faster-than-light’ effects that we have found in quantum optics experiments. (The tachyon-like quasiparticle in inverted media described above is yet a third kind of faster-than-light effect.)

“First, we have discovered that photons which tunnel through a quantum barrier can apparently travel faster than light (see “Measurement of the Single-Photon Tunneling Time” by A. M. Steinberg, P. G. Kwiat, and R. Y. Chiao, Physical Review Letters, Vol. 71, page 708; 1993). Because of the uncertainty principle, the photon has a small but very real chance of appearing suddenly on the far side of the barrier, through a quantum effect (the ‘tunnel effect’) which would seem impossible according to classical physics. The tunnel effect is so fast that it seems to occur faster than light.

“Second, we have found an effect related to the famous Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen phenomenon, in which two distantly separated photons can apparently influence one anothers’ behaviors at two distantly separated detectors (see “High-Visibility Interference in a Bell-Inequality Experiment for Energy and Time,” by P. G. Kwiat, A. M. Steinberg, and R. Y. Chiao, Physical Review A, Vol. 47, page R2472; 1993). This effect was first predicted theoretically by Prof. J. D. Franson of Johns Hopkins University. We have found experimentally that twin photons emitted from a common source (a down-conversion crystal) behave in a correlated fashion when they arrive at two distant interferometers. This phenomenon can be described as a ‘faster-than-light influence’ of one photon upon its twin. Because of the intrinsic randomness of quantum phenomena, however, one cannot control whether a given photon tunnels or not, nor can one control whether a given photon is transmitted or not at the final beam splitter. Hence it is impossible to send true signals in faster-than-light communications.

Pin on The Laws of Relativity

JOURNEY TO SANITY – DOUBLE STANDARDS

EMOTIONS ARE GENDER NEUTRAL

We have been conditioned in such a way that it is believed, that women are supposed to be fragile and sensitive in nature where as men are supposed to be thick-skinned and emotionally numb. However, in reality emotions are gender neutral. It’s not manly to be strong and harsh. And similarly, it’s not feminine to be weak and to cry. The experiences faced by men or women might be different but since they are both humans and have emotions, it is not wrong to express it.
(So, the next time someone tells you to man up and stop crying, you know what to say)

SHARING RESPONSIBILITIES AND RESPECTING THE OPINIONS OF YOUR PARTNER DOES NOT MAKE YOU A ‘JORU KA GULAM‘

Understanding, Compassion and Mutual – Respect should be the basis for any healthy relationship. It is the basic need of a human to be heard and acknowledged. Hence, it doesn’t make a man a ‘Joru Ka Gulam’ if he is respectful to the opinions of his partner and understands him/her. Society in general tends to question and mock those changes that question their years of belief. In order to avoid their inner-conflict, they discourage the progressive mass so that they don’t have to change and no one can question them. (Yes, kind of like a defence mechanism – Pointing fingers at the other person before they point at you).

FAMILY RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD NOT BE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF A MAN OR A WOMEN.

Two people form a relationship and they are called partners for a reason. They are part responsible for every aspect of a household. So why should the burden of the entire family fall on the shoulders of a single person. It is normal for a woman to have a successful career and to support a family financially. (No, it doesn’t make him less manly by earning less or letting his wife handle finances). Similarly, household chores should not be the sole responsibility of a women. It doesn’t make a man submissive if he cooks for his partner or does basic household chores. Rather, such relationships are built on mutual respect and compassion which tend to last longer.

STRONG, BRAVE AND INDEPENDENT ARE NOT TERMS SYNONYMOUS WITH MEN.

It is acceptable for a women to be strong yet sensitive, to be scared yet courageous enough to face it. Adjectives like strong, brave are often used for men, whereas it’s completely normal for a women to have each of those qualities. We have women officers who are equally as brave as the men. There are men who prefer household work over finances and it doesn’t make them dependant on their partners or submissive in any way.

Do not forget to read more from the series 🙂

JOURNEY TO SANITY – ACCEPTANCE

JOURNEY TO SANITY – SUNSHINE 🌤️

JOURNEY TO SANITY – MINDFULNESS

JOURNEY TO SANITY -JOURNALING

OPEC

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting
Countries (OPEC):

• A permanent Intergovernmental Organization ofb14-oil exporting developing nations.

• Created in 1960 at the Baghdad conference by
Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

• The other members of OPEC include Algeria,NAngola, Congo, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Libya, Nigeria, and United Arab Emirates.

• Qatar which was a member, left OPEC on
January 2019.

• Other oil exporting nations join OPEC meetings as

observers.

• Mission:
 To ensure that they remain stable so that there is an efficient, economic and
regular supply of petroleum, to the consumers.
 To ensure steady income to the oil producers. It will also ensure the business interests of the investors in the petroleum industry.

• Headquartered at Vienna, Austria.

• The OPEC Secretariat – executive organ:
located in Vienna.

• Releases the publication called the ‘World Oil
Outlook’. OPEC+ :

• A group of 24 oil-producing nations: 14 members of the OPEC; and 10 other non-OPEC members, including Russia.

• Born in 2017 with a deal to coordinate oil production among the countries in a bid to the stabilize prices of oil.

• Reached deals for members to voluntarily cut and ramp-up production in response to changes in global oil prices.

• Members collectively agree on how much oil to produce.

Huge spike in fuels prices

Huge spike in fuels prices

• Four factors influencing rise in prices:
 Crude oil, freight and processing charges to the dealer.
 Excise duty charged by the
government.
 Dealer commission to the gas station.
 Value Added Tax levied by the state government.

Impacts of taxes on fuel price hike

• Increasing central and state taxes on fuel – key
reason for high fuel prices.

• 2020: Centre hiked the excise duty on petrol and
diesel by Rs. 13 and 16 per litre.
 To shore up revenues.

• Example: In Delhi, central and state taxes – 57 % of
pump prices of petrol and is about 51.4 % for diesel.

• Central government has not cut central taxes – taxes
on auto fuels should be cut to curb inflation.

Fuel price hike and inflation

• When fuel prices rise, so does inflation.

• Higher the inflation – lower will be the inflation-adjusted returns.

• India’s retail inflation became 6.3% in May 2021- breached the upper
limit of RBI (6%).

Way forward

• ICRA: government may cut cess levies on retail prices
of petrol and diesel to ease prices.

• Petrol consumption is estimated to grow 14% and diesel 10% year-on-year in FY22.
 Reason: Recovering economic activities and mobility – easing of curbs and accelerating Covid19 vaccinations.

• Higher consumption of fuels – support a rise in the
indirect taxes levied on them. • Growth in consumption would result in Rs. 40,000 crore of extra cess collections.

• Existing fuel price can be cut by ₹4.50 per litre for
petrol and diesel.

Vaccine passport system introduce by European union.

News

• New Vaccine passport system has come into effect across the European Union from July 1st

Green Passport

• European Union – EU Digital COVID Certificate.
 Ease travel restrictions for people travelling to
EU countries.

• Digital proof – Attests informations of the person.
 Vaccinated by any one of the four European Medicines Agency approved vaccines.
 Received a negative test result.
 Recovered from the viral infection.

• Certificate – digital signature which is verified
when the QR code is scanned. • Issuing body – own digital signature key, all of which
are stored in a secure database in each country.

• Certificate – recognized by all 27 EU countries,
Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway.

• Possession of the certificate – exempted from free
movement restrictions.

• Member States – refrain from imposing additional
travel restrictions unless necessary.

• Lack of certificate – subjected to the usual travel
restrictions and quarantine rules which are in effect
in every country.

Issue

• EMA – listed only four vaccines.
 Vaxzevria (Oxford-AstraZeneca)
 Comirnaty (Pfizer-BioNTech)
 Spikevax (Moderna)
 Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).

• None of the three vaccines – approved for use in India till date is featured on the list.
 Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V.

• Only essential travel is allowed into EU
countries and that too special permission has
to be taken.

• Global concerns – Delta variant (first detected
in India), more restrictions are put in place.

Stand of the European Union

• Reason behind excluding – Serum Institute of India’s Covishield is a biologically different product.
 Needs to apply separately for EMA clearance.

• Serum Institute of India and AstraZeneca – Process of seeking clearances.

• Covaxin – yet to gain recognition from the
World Health Organization.

• Claim – Hint of racism.
 Vaccines cleared by the EMA are those taken
by residents in Europe and North America.

World Health Organisation

• Stand of the WHO
 Vaccine passports should not be made mandatory for travel and should be optional.
 The proof of COVID-19 vaccination should not
be required as a condition of entry and exit from a country.

India’s stand on the Issue

• Recent G20 ministerial conference – External Affairs
Minister registered a strong protest over the issue.

• Sources – India was prepared to initiate reciprocal harsh quarantine measures against countries that discriminate against Indians.

India’s concerns – three-fold

• Vaccine inequality – vaccine passports being restricted to passengers from countries that don’t have the same access to vaccines

• Gain recognition to Covishield

• Indian-approved vaccines – Worldwide recognition.
Stance of Africa .

• African Union and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention – statement raising concerns
 Covishield vaccine was the “backbone” of the EU-supported international
COVAX alliance’s programme in Africa.

Current Status

• Nine countries – agreed to independently make
exemptions for Covishield
 Austria, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland,
the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland have.

• Estonia – accepted both Covishield and
Covaxin.

• Hope – enough pressure will be built on the EMA to include exemptions for Indian vaccines
as well.

Pet.

A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person’s company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive appearances, intelligence and relatable personalities, but some pets may be taken in on an altruistic basis (such as a stray animal) and accepted by the owner regardless of these characteristics.

Two of the most popular pets are dogs and cats; the technical term for a cat lover is an ailurophile and a dog lover a cynophile. Other animals commonly kept include: rabbits; ferrets; pigs; rodents, such as gerbils, hamsters, chinchillas, rats, mice, and guinea pigs; avian pets, such as parrots, passerines and fowls; reptile pets, such as turtles, alligators, crocodiles, lizards, and snakes; aquatic pets, such as fish, freshwater and saltwater snails, amphibians like frogs and salamanders; and arthropod pets, such as tarantulas and hermit crabs. Small pets may be grouped together as pocket pets, while the equine and bovine group include the largest companion animals.

Pets provide their owners (or “guardians”) both physical and emotional benefits. Walking a dog can provide both the human and the dog with exercise, fresh air and social interaction. Pets can give companionship to people who are living alone or elderly adults who do not have adequate social interaction with other people. There is a medically approved class of therapy animals, mostly dogs or cats, that are brought to visit confined humans, such as children in hospitals or elders in nursing homes. Pet therapy utilizes trained animals and handlers to achieve specific physical, social, cognitive or emotional goals with patients.

People most commonly get pets for companionship, to protect a home or property or because of the perceived beauty or attractiveness of the animals. A 1994 Canadian study found that the most common reasons for not owning a pet were lack of ability to care for the pet when traveling (34.6%), lack of time (28.6%) and lack of suitable housing (28.3%), with dislike of pets being less common (19.6%). Some scholars, ethicists and animal rights organizations have raised concerns over keeping pets because of the lack of autonomy and the objectification of non-human animals.

CHINA AWARDED A MALARIA FREE CERTIFICATION FROM WHO

News

• After a 70-year effort, China has been awarded a malaria-free certification from WHO.

Malaria

• A life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium
parasites.

• Vector – Mosquito.

• P. falciparum and P. vivax pose the greatest threat.

• 2019: 229 million cases of malaria worldwide.

• Most malaria cases and deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Also prevalent in South-East Asia, Eastern Mediterranean, Western Pacific, and the
Americas.

• 40 countries/ territories are malaria-free -WHO.

• China – first country in WHO Western Pacific
Region to be awarded a malaria-free certification in more than 3 decades.
 Other countries in the region – Australia (1981), Singapore (1982) and Brunei
Darussalam (1987).

• India is not yet a malaria free country.

China’s Malaria elimination journey

• 1950s: Chinese health authorities worked to locate
and stop the spread of malaria.
 Provided preventive antimalarial medicines.

• A major effort to reduce mosquito breeding grounds

  • use of insecticide spraying. • 1967: Chinese Government launched the “523 Project”.
  •  Nation-wide research programme aimed at finding new treatments for malaria.
     Led to the discovery in the 1970s of artemisinin.
     Core compound of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) – most effective antimalarial drugs available today.
    • 1980s: China – one of the first countries in the world to extensively test the use
    of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs).
  • • 1988: more than 2.4 million nets had been
    distributed in China.
  • • 1990: number of malaria cases in China fell to 1,17,000; deaths were reduced by 95%
  • • Funding by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, launched in 2002.
  • • 2021: China was declared as a Malaria free country.

TWILIGHT


Novel by Stephenie Meyer

Twilight is the first book of a series that brought the vampire-romance genre back from the undead in 2005.

Main characters are Isabella Swan, Edward Cullen and Jacob Black.

Edward is a vampire. Bella is a human. The lion shouldn’t be with the lamb, as we have famously read, but despite being a forbidden love, the relationship of Edward and Bella in Twilight illustrates that love isn’t governed by any rules. It is boundless, and cannot be restricted by what other people may think is wrong or right. Edward goes against his natural instincts to be close to Bella, and while their relationship is fraught with complications, the book goes to painstaking lengths to show that Bella’s world is changed for the better when she becomes involved with Edward. He cannot offer her a normal future or a normal relationship but he can make her happy despite the challenges that face them.

“I’ve never given much thought to how I would die. But dying in the place of someone I love seemed like a good way to go”. Bella in twilight

The novel starts with Bella who recently shifted to Forks, United States of America. She met Edward Cullen in her new high school, Forks high school. Edward, the vampire is possessive, angers easily, and stalks Bella, his human love interest. He even sneaks into her house to watch her sleep before they start dating. During a trip with her classmates, Bella encounters a family friend, Jacob Black, who informs her that the Cullens are supposedly vampires according to his tribe’s legend.

This Book is about how Bella Identify Cullens true identity… And fell for Edward. How Cullen family fought to James, vampire for saving Bella.

Bella is bitten by James but Edward sucks the venom out of her and she survives, continuing as a human

On one date Edward says to Bella, “You are my life now.”

By the end of Twilight,  Bella is bitten by James but Edward sucks the venom out of her and she survives, continuing as a human. Bella professes that she’s sick of being the weak one who always needs to be saved, and would like the relationship to be more equal, she also wants to be a Vampire but Edward still has power over her because of what he is.

And I learnt a lot from this book – As Edward teaches us to “Let the person make their own decisions.

Carlisle Cullen, Edward’s father teaches us to “Stick to your beliefs, even if the world is against them and Respect the world’s beliefs, even if you are against them. …

The Twilight Saga is a series of five vampire-themed romance fantasy films from Summit Entertainment based on the four novels published by author Stephenie Meyer. The films star Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner