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As the war of words escalated, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Geng Shuang responded to Defence Minister Arun Jaitley's remarks  that "India of 2017 is different from what it was in 1962", saying "China too is different and will take all necessary measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty." 

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Economic Times

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Business Standard

Ø  GST to boost GDP; positive for rating: Moody's

Ø  UK mulls pension loophole fix to help Tata Steel: Report

Ø  'Housing sales fall over 40% in Jan-May on slow market'

Ø  Qatar faces more sanctions as ultimatum deadline nears

Ø  PM Modi ropes in ministers to attract investment

Ø  GST: Buyers may eye ready-to-move-in properties

Ø  GST: Maruti first to drop prices; Hyundai, Tata to follow

 

Ø  Cash is still king as circulation nears pre-demonetisation level: report

Ø  One return a month, not 3; rates lower than VAT: Adhia busts 7 GST myths

Ø  PE firms, lenders may take stake in Bhushan Power & Steel as part of revamp

Ø  Nine private projects shortlisted for bank takeover

Ø  BSE to revise transaction charges for equity trading from August 1

Business Line

 

Mint

Ø  FPI inflows hit 3-month high of Rs. 29,302 cr in June

Ø  Equity brokers scramble to avert shutdown

Ø  Inflation to fall post-GST, say industry lobbies 

Ø  IL&FS targets $ 500 m in overseas borrowings

Ø  SpiceJet-Maran share transfer dispute: HC may pronounce verdit on Monday

Ø  1 lakh firms de-registered for ‘dubious’ transactions 

 

Ø  Maruti’s June sales rise marginally, cuts prices by up to 3% to pass on GST relief

Ø  Hero MotoCorp cuts prices to pass on GST benefits

Ø  JSW Steel wins five iron mines in Karnataka, coal mine in Jharkhand

Ø  Hyundai domestic sales drop 6% to 37,562 units in June

Ø  Cabinet may consider Rs17,000 crore hydropower policy this month

Financial Express

 

Financial Chronicle

Ø  Big data analytics to become $16 billion industry by 2025, says experts

Ø  Govt eases process to seek CRI patents, revised norms out

Ø  US state department issues Guardian drone export license for India: Sources

Ø  Govt mulls hiking import duty on sugar to 60 per cent

 

Ø  Chinese supplier moves HC against GAIL’s decision to cancel tender

Ø  Govt in favour of lower provisions for 12 NPAs

Ø  AI employees' union to meet, plan stir against privatisation

Ø  PNB to block all Maestro debit cards from July 31

🔆Context clues🔆
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✅I dare say that learning new words using context
clues is one of the most practical and easy ways
for improving your vocabulary .

🌐Here are ten context clues problems for students with beginning & intermediate reading skills.🌐

🛑directions : read each sentence and determine the meaning of the word using cross sentence clues or your prior knowledge.♻️


🖌The meaning of the words will be posted later

🔺1. Confiscate: Joanne’s mother came up to the school to get the cell phone the teacher had confiscated.

🔸2. Obedient: Unlike her older brother Jerome, who stayed out all hours of the night, Kate obediently followed the curfew her parents set.

🔹3. Consume: John was so hungry that he consumed the cranberry muffin and went back for a donut.

🔺4. Coax: After the bird escaped, Chris tried to coax it back into the cage with treats.

🔸5. Peculiar: Since it was a school day, Denise thought it was peculiar that she saw no children on the street during her drive to work.

🔹6. Outcast: If a wolf refuses to help its pack hunt, it becomes an outcast and must go on alone.

🔺7. Discard: Dad had no need for the broken air conditioner, so he discarded it on the corner by the trash.

🔸8. Content: While others eat eggs, pancakes, and bacon for breakfast, Mike was content with a piece of toast and a glass of orange juice.

🔹9. Fortunate: Because he had such good friends and family, Malcolm considered himself fortunate.

🔻10. Brilliant: Vince had to put his sunglasses on because the rays of the sun were so brilliant.

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What causes red eyes in photos?

The red-eye effect in photography is the common appearance of red pupils in color photographs of eyes. It occurs when using a photographic flash very close to the camera lens (as with most compact cameras), in ambient low light. The effect appears in the eyes of humans, and of animals that have tapetum lucidum.
The tapetum lucidum is a biologic reflector system that is a common feature in the eyes of vertebrates. It normally functions to provide the light-sensitive retinal cells with a second opportunity for photon-photoreceptor stimulation, thereby enhancing visual sensitivity at low light levels.

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Mattavilasa Prahasana (Devanagari:मत्तविलासप्रहसन), (English: A Farce of Drunken Sport) is a short one-act Sanskrit play. It is one of the two great one act plays written

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GS - 4
Corruption vs Income Relation and why despite best means Corruption is still ranging high in India.

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The Financial Stability Board (FSB), an international body for global financial system, has placed India in the league of countries that are ‘compliant or largely compliant’ on implementation of priority area reforms.

Ahead of the G20 Summit in Germany to be attended by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, among other world leaders, the FSB yesterday submitted its status report on progress in financial regulatory reforms in various jurisdictions, including India.

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List of 20+ Expected Topics for Essays:
1. Demonetization
2. Digital payments, E- Wallets
3. Unified Payment Interface
4. The Seventh Pay Commission
5. Corruption
6. Intolerance
7. Women Empowerment
8. The Technological Revolution
9. Sexual Harassment
10. Reservation in educational institutions
11. Right to Information
12. Right to Equality
13. Gender sensitivity/ Gender specific roles
14. The GST bill
15. Reservation of women in Parliament
16. Violence and peace
17. Terrorism
18. The Kashmir Issue
19. The India Pakistan Relations
20. Globalization
21. OROP

List of Expected Topics for Letters:
Letters to the Editor/Governing Body/In-Charge:

1. Complain letter regarding increasing noise pollution in your locality.
2. Complain letter regarding trouble faced by common people due to demonetization.
3. Complain letter regarding recent articles in a popular newspaper being based only on Bollywood stars rather than relevant and important news.
4. Complain letter mentioning chaotic state of traffic near your locality.
5. Letter to present views on Women empowerment.
6. Letter to present views on demonetization.
7. Letter to present views on Corruption.
8. Letter to present views on Education beyond classroom teaching.
9. Letter to present views on ‘Nature and its protection’
10. Letter to present views on effect of digitalization on today’s youth.

Application Letter:

1. Application for the post of a manager/clerk/assistant etc. in a company.
2. Letter to reschedule an interview date due to unavoidable circumstances.
3. Letter to accept a job opportunity.
4. Letter to reject a job opportunity.
5. Letter to postpone date of joining

Demonetization

Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana

Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao

Startup India/Stand up India for students

Cashless economy

Union Indian Budget

Women Empowerment

Role of technology in gross development

GST bill and its benefits

Eradication of black money from country, steps taken by government

Technology Advancement in India (ISRO)

Make in India Initiative

Intellectual Property Rights

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

UDAN Scheme

Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDSA) – Making Rural India Digitally
Literate

Vrishtha Pension Bima Yojana 2017 – The Old Age Pension Scheme

6000 Pregnancy Aid Scheme for Pregnant Women in India

New Scheme for Monthly Allowance of Rs. 1500 to Unemployed & Poor

Mid-Day Meal Scheme for Madarsas to be Launched Soon

2 Lakh Insurance Cover Scheme for Jan Dhan Account Holders

Pravasi Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PKVY) – Skills in Line with International Standards
Surgical Strike

Digital India.
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What is Satellite Phone ?

A satellite telephone, satellite phone, or satphone is a type of mobile phone that connects to orbiting satellites instead of terrestrial cell sites. They provide similar functionality to terrestrial mobile telephones; voice, short messaging service and low-bandwidth internet access are supported through most systems.
Depending on the architecture of a particular system, coverage may include the entire Earth or only specific regions.

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Yes it's Good
Not Much
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Yes it's Good [4]
‎├ Sarvan Kuben
‎├ Reclaim Rebirth
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👥 4 people have voted so far

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How does a motion detector light work?

Motion detectors are small electronic eyes that detect infrared waves—heat waves that radiate from moving objects. When the detector senses an object moving across its field of view, especially warmer objects such as people, animals and cars, it electronically turns on the lights. This technology is also used in Motion Sensor Cameras for security purposes.

UPSC Prelims 2018
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👨‍⚖Eminent Personalities of Ancient India/
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~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
👉Alexander : he was the ruler of Macedonia in Greece. He attacked India in 326 BC and captured upto river Bias.

👉Ajatasatru : Son of Bimbisara. He established the city of Pataliputra.

👉Arien : Greek historian who wrote about Alexander’s Indian invasion.

👉Ashwaghosh : Buddhist monk who initiated Kaniskha to Buddhism wrote Buddha charita, Sutralankar and Sandaranand.

👉AmarSimha : Sanskrit scholar in the court of Chandragupta who wrote "Amarakosha".

👉Aryabhatta : He analysed the reasons for Solar and Lunar eclipses and declared that the Earth is round. Wrote Aryabhattiyam.

👉Bimbisar : Founded the M 8agadhan Empire or Haryanka dynasty. He was the first influential king of ancient India.

👉Banabhatta : Court poet of Harshavardhana and author of Harsha Charita and Kadambari.

👉Charak : He was an Ayurvedic expert wrote Charak-Samhita and established the Aitereya branch of Ayurvedic medicines.

👉Amoghavarsha : He was a famous Rashtrakuta ruler.

👉Dhanananda : He was a powerful king of Magadha. Alexander did not go forward to invade Magadha only after hearing his reputation.

👉Darius I : The ruler of Iran (Persia) who invaded India in 6th century BC.

👉Gautami Putra Shatakarni : He was the mostfamous Satavahana king in 2nd Century.

👉Harisena : He was the writer of Pryaga Prashasti or Allahabad Pillar Inscription.

👉Kharavel : Ruler of Kalinga in I century AD. The Famous Hathigumbha inscription belonged to him.

👉Kanishka : (I century AD) : Most powerful Kushan king. Started Shaka Era. Organised fourth Buddhist council at Kundalvan near Kashmir.

👉Karikala : Chola ruler who founded the city of Puhar (Kaveri patanam) in I century BC.

👉Kautilya : also known as Vishnugupta or Chanakya. He wrote Arthasasthra, which is compared to ‘The prince’ of Machiavelli.

👉Kalidas : Famous Sanskrit poet who wrote, Raghuvamsa, Kumara Sambhavam, Abhigyana Shakuntalam, Vikramorvashiyam and Malavikagnimitram. He also wrote Meghadootam and Ritusamharam.

👉Kamban : A Tamil poet of 11th century who wrote Ramayan in Tamil.

👉Mihir Bhoja : Famous Prathihara ruler of 9th century.

👉Kalhana – Famous Kashmiri poet and historian.He wrote Raja Tarangini.

👉Marco Polo : Venitian Traveller to India in 13thcentury.

👉Menander : He came to India as a foreign aggressor in II Century BC. MilindaPanho, a book written by Nagasena, is about him.

👉Nagarjuna : Famous Buddhist monk. He popounded the philosophy known as Madhyamika.

👉Makkali Gosala : Philosopher of 6th Century BC. He was the founder of Ajivika sect.

👉Mihirkula : Huna conqueror defeated by Yashodharma.

👉Skand Gupt : Last mighty Gupta ruler.

👉Shushrut : He was a doctor of Ayurvedic medicine. He started the Dhanwantri branch and was an expert in Plastic Surgery.

👉Pulikeshin II. Most powerful king of Chalukyas of Vatapi who defeated Harshavardhana in North and Mahendravarman of South.

👉Pushya Mitra sunga : He killed the last Mauryan ruler and laid the foundation of Sunga dynasty in 185 BC.

👉Pliny : He was a Roman historian who wrote the Natural History. He wrote about the Mauryas of India.

👉Panini : Sanskrit scholar specially of Grammar. He wrote Ashtadyayi.

👉Varahamihira : He was famous astronomer who wrote Brihat Samhita.

👉Sankaracharya : He was born in Kaladi in Kerala. He propagated Advaita

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How the World Bank measures corruption?
The World Bank measures corruption on a scale of -2.5 to +2.5 with higher index value meaning lower corruption
The World Bank on the basis of the GNI(Gross National Income) per capita divides world into four income groups: (1) Low income, (2) Lower middle, (3) Upper middle, and (4) High income
This method shows different income groups have different levels of corruption
Low-income economies have the highest corruption while the high-income economies have the lowest
Why are low-income countries are unable to reduce corruption(like India)?
Because the low-income countries do not have resources to build and sustain anti-corruption institutions
And unless anti-corruption institutions are strengthened and supporting infrastructure put in place, an increase in income alone would not help much in the reduction of corruption in India.

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[op-ed snap] Why growth has not hit corruption hard in India

Note4students

Mains Paper 2: Governance | Citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures

From UPSC perspective, following things are important:

Prelims level: Not Much

Mains level: Important and interesting article on corruption. Gives an overview of Corruption problem in India and the world.

News

Context

In the article, the writer is talking about relationship between income and corruptionAnd also telling about the needs of strong institutions and supporting infrastructure

Overview of the situation

India has been the fastest-growing major economy in the world for the most part of the last few yearsEconomic progress has not seen a commensurate reduction in corruptionIn a survey released in March by Transparency International, among 16 countries of the Asia-Pacific region, India has the highest bribery rate of 69%

The CMS India Corruption Study

According to the study, using the data using survey data for the period October-November 2016 for 20 major states in IndiaThe highest percentage of households reported experiencing corruption in police (34%) followed by land/housing (24%), judicial services (18%) and tax (15%) related public services

Effects of Corruption on a Country

 Corruption stifles growth, hampers development, worsens income inequality, and affects poor people

How the World Bank measures corruption?

The World Bank measures corruption on a scale of -2.5 to +2.5 with higher index value meaning lower corruptionThe World Bank on the basis of the GNI(Gross National Income) per capita divides world into four income groups: (1) Low income, (2) Lower middle, (3) Upper middle, and (4) High incomeThis method shows different income groups have different levels of corruptionLow-income economies have the highest corruption while the high-income economies have the lowest

 Why are low-income countries are unable to reduce corruption(like India)?

Because the low-income countries do not have resources to build and sustain anti-corruption institutionsAnd unless anti-corruption institutions are strengthened and supporting infrastructure put in place, an increase in income alone would not help much in the reduction of corruption in India

Shortage of human resources in Anti Corruption institutions in India 

In India, the judge to population ratio is at 17.86 judges per million people against 50 as recommended by the Law Commission in its 1987 reportThe Central Vigilance Commission has a shortage of 27.77% personnel in Group “A” posts and 28.57 % in Group “B” posts when compared to the sanctioned strengthSimilarly, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also faces a shortage of 1,584 officers against the sanctioned strength of 7,274.
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How do we judge the direction of a sound?

We can get the direction of sound only because we have two ears. The sound waves reach the right and left ear with a small time difference because the ears are at slightly different distances from the source of sound. The ear drums vibrate and the ear ossicle transmits the impulse to the inner ear. The inner ear sends it for the to the brain where the signals from both ears reach at marginally different times. The brain calculate the direction of the sound from the tiny difference in these times.

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● UDAN started......Ude Deshka Aam Naagrik’ (UDAN) :)

♡ Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged off India's first regional flight system, called the Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme.

♡ The PM launched the flight from the hill station in Himachal Pradesh to the national capital.

♤ What is Udan?

♡ UDAN ('Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik') is a first-of-its-kind scheme globally to stimulate regional connectivity through a market-based mechanism, the PMO said in a tweet.

♤ First phase

♡ The first phase of the scheme has seen three inaugural flights that were launched in the sectors of Shimla-Delhi, Kadapa-Hyderabad and Nanded-Hyderabad.

♤ How much will it cost?

♡ "Airfare for a 1-hour journey of approximately 500 kilometres on a fixed wing aircraft or for 30-minute journey on a helicopter would be capped at Rs 2,500," the PMO said.

♤ Here are the airports

♡ The Airports Authority of India has approved 27 proposals which will see 27 currently served airports, 12 currently underserved airports and 31 currently unserved airports (for a total of 70 airports) connected.

♤ Here are the airlines

♡ The airline companies chosen are Airline Allied Services (Alliance Air), SpiceJet, Turbo Megha Airways, Air Deccan and Air Odisha.

♡ The seating capacity of aircraft under the scheme will range from 19 to 78, and 50 percent of the seats in every flight will have a fare cap of Rs 2,500 per seat per hour.

♤ Modi's gift to aam aadmi

♡ The first regional flight under the Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme will be between Shimla and Delhi and PM Narendra Modi will flag off the first flight on April 27, the aviation ministry announced.

♤ First of its kind

♡ UDAN is a first-of-its-kind scheme globally to stimulate regional connectivity through a market-based mechanism, the PMO said in a tweet.

♤ For better regional connectivity

♡ The aviation ministry launched ‘Ude Deshka Aam Naagrik’ (UDAN) Regional Connectivity Scheme in October, 2016. Under the scheme, the government will provide air connectivity to unserved and underserved airports in the country.

♡ The UDAN Scheme is a key component of the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) which was released on June 15, 2016.

♤ Easy on pocket

♡ The connectivity is being provided at a subsidised fare of Rs 2,500 for per hour of flights.

♡ The aviation ministry will fund the subsidy by charging a landing fee on airlines operating on the trunk routes.

♤ Flight for all

♡ "Airfare for a 1-hour journey of appx. 500 km on a fixed wing aircraft or for 30 minute journey on a helicopter would be capped at Rs. 2,500," the PMO said.

♡ "This with proportionate pricing for routes of different stage lengths and flight duration," it said.

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