14.05.19
INTERNATIONAL
Waste dumping proposal defeated
- A proposal by India to prevent developed countries from dumping their electronic and plastic waste onto developing countries, was defeated at the recently concluded meeting of the Basel Convention in Geneva.
- Pollution from plastic waste, acknowledged as a major environmental problem of global concern, has reached epidemic proportions with an estimated 100 million tonnes of plastic now found in the oceans
- India’s laws currently don’t allow electronic and plastic waste to be imported into the country. Plastic and electronic waste recyclers in Special Economic Zones were permitted to import waste for recycling. However, they will not be allowed to do so after August 31 this year.
COMCASA agreement
- India and the U.S. are cooperating to prevent all forms of terrorism both from land and sea
- Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), which India signed last year would enable exchange of information on such threats
NATIONAL
National Technology Day of India
- India celebrated its National Technology day today to mark the historic feat of test-firing its very first nuclear-capable missile back in 1998.
- The nuclear tests that took place on May 11, 1998 saw late President of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam leading the Indian team of scientists to successfully test-fire the Shakti-1 nuclear missile at Rajasthan’s Pokhran test range.
Navy chief to inaugurate country’s fifth SSB at Diamond Harbour in Bengal
- Navy’s Service Selection Board (SSB) will be inaugurated at Diamond Harbour by chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Sunil Lanba
- The SSB will benefit candidates from the eastern, northeastern and northern states who would now have to travel a shorter distance.
- SSB will function throughout the year conducting regular batches for twelve types of entries to select future officers for the Navy.
Radar and Radar evasion
- Radar stands for radio detection and ranging. A radar typically has a magnetron, transmitter, receiver, and a screen. The magnetron generates radio waves which are released through an antenna in different directions at certain time intervals. If there is an object in the air, an aeroplane for instance, the radio waves hit it and bounce back, to be caught by the receiver of the radar.
- Radars essentially identify an object by the reflected radio waves. So if the radio waves can be deflected away from the receiver, that reduces the footprint. A classic example for this is the US F-117 which is now out of service.
- Another way is to absorb some or most of the radio waves with radar absorbent paint, and changing the shape to minimise the cross section. The iconic US B2 bomber is a perfect example for this.
- The latest stealth planes F-22 and F-35 use a combination of these to evade radars.