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1. The Tokyo Atacama Observatory (TAO) is the world's highest astronomical observatory, located at an altitude of 18,500 feet on Mount Chajnantor in Chile's Atacama Desert. Equipped with a 6.5-meter telescope, TAO specializes in optical-infrared observations and houses instruments like SWIMS and MIMIZUKU for studying galaxy evolution and planet formation, respectively. Other notable observatories include India's Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope and Indian Astronomical Observatory, as well as international facilities like the Mauna Kea Observatories and the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO). SKAO, a collaborative effort involving several countries including India, aims to build the world's largest radio telescope for studying dark matter, dark energy, and galaxy formation. India has contributed significantly to SKAO's development, particularly in the development of Telescope Manager software.
2. India and Russia have initiated joint production of AK-203 rifles in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, under a contract signed in December 2021. This landmark deal, worth Rs 5,124 crore, is the largest defense agreement between the two nations and includes technology transfer clauses. The rifles, considered advanced versions of the AK-47, will replace the INSAS rifles currently in use by Indian armed forces. The joint venture, Indo-Russia Rifles Private Limited, aims to manufacture rifles with 100% indigenous components over 128 months. Indo-Russia defense relations have evolved from buyer-seller dynamics to joint research and production ventures, encompassing various projects like the BrahMos missile program and Sukhoi fighter jet initiative. Russia's involvement in India's defense extends to key projects such as the S-400 Triumf system and the development of naval assets like INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier and submarines.
3. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) commemorated World Telecommunication and Information Society Day on May 17, 2024, with the theme "Digital Innovation for Sustainable Development." This day marks the establishment of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on May 17, 1865, with the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in Paris. The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), a premier Telecom R&D Centre of DoT, announced special initiatives called "NIDHI" and "STAR Program" aimed at fostering indigenous telecom solutions and technologies. The STAR Program offers scholarships and mentorship from C-DOT research leaders to PhD students. India's telecom industry, the second-largest globally, boasts a subscriber base of 1.179 billion as of August 2023, encompassing both wireless and wireline subscribers. It plays a vital role in the digital economy, projected to reach USD 1.5 billion by 2025-26, contributing approximately 15% to the GDP.
4. Stellar nucleosynthesis is the process by which stars create elements within their cores, excluding hydrogen, the most abundant element. Under extreme pressures and temperatures, hydrogen nuclei fuse to form helium in stars like the Sun. More massive stars utilize the carbon-nitrogen-oxygen (CNO) cycle, where hydrogen fuses into helium with the assistance of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotopes. As stars deplete their nuclear fuel, their cores contract, increasing temperatures and triggering further fusion reactions until iron is produced. Fusion beyond iron requires supernova explosions. These cataclysmic events facilitate the synthesis of elements heavier than iron.
5. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a warning regarding the rise of 'digital arrest' scams, where cybercriminals impersonate government officials to extort money. Perpetrators often pose as authorities like the police or CBI, intimidating victims with false allegations and demanding payment to resolve fabricated cases. The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) is collaborating with Microsoft to combat these crimes. Measures include blocking fraudulent accounts and facilitating the blocking of SIM cards and mobile devices used by fraudsters. The scams, operated by cross-border crime syndicates, are part of a larger organized online economic crime network. I4C is raising awareness through alerts and urging victims to report incidents promptly to cybercrime helplines. Established by MHA in New Delhi, I4C serves as a centralized entity to tackle cybercrime, proposing legal amendments and coordinating international cooperation through Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLAT).