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Aditya L1, India’s first mission to study the Sun, is inching closer to its destination, and would be injected into its final orbit on January 6 evening.
The spacecraft, launched on September 2, would get into what is known as a ‘halo orbit’ around the Lagrange Point 1 (L1), one of the five spots in the moving Sun-Earth system, where the gravitational effects of the two bodies roughly balance each other.
These five spots are relatively stationary to the Earth and Sun, and offer a somewhat stable location for a spacecraft to view the Sun. The L1 point is about 1.5 million kilometres from the Earth. This is just 1 per cent of the total distance between the Earth and Sun.
Aditya L1 has already reached the L1 point and the manoeuvre (on January 6) will put it in the desired orbit. Without getting into the orbit, the spacecraft will continue to travel towards the Sun.
8 former Navy personnel in Qatar jail: 60 days to file plea says MEA (Page no. 1)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Days after the appellate court in Qatar commuted the death sentences of eight former Indian Navy personnel, handing them prison terms ranging from 3 years to 25 years, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that their legal team has been given 60 days to file an appeal in the Court of Cassation, the highest court there.
The legal team has now got a copy of the court order, which is confidential in nature. Further, the legal team has got 60 days to file an appeal in the Court of Cassation, which is the highest court in Qatar. Our legal team is working on this issue, to decide the next course of action, and we are in touch with the families and the legal team.
Asked whether the 60-day period would be counted from the day of the appellate court’s order, which was December 28, Jaiswal said: “I would assume it would start from December 28 or the day after but it’s for the legal team there (in Qatar) to look into these aspects.”
Govt & Politics
India – Nepal sign power pact, MoU in renewable energy (Page no. 5)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Nepal on Thursday signed a long-term agreement for the export of 10,000 MW power to India in the next 10 years and an MoU for cooperation in renewable energy while External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Nepal counterpart N P Saud jointly inaugurated 3 cross-border transmission lines. Jaishankar is on a two-day visit to the Himalayan nation.
India’s Energy Secretary Pankaj Agrawal and his Nepal counterpart Gopal Sigdel signed the bilateral agreement.
The power export agreement was signed during the 7th meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission.
MoU for cooperation in renewable energy was also signed by the Nepal Electricity Authority and National Thermal Power Corporation Limited, India.
Discussions focused on our overall bilateral ties, trade and economic relations, land, rail and air connectivity projects, cooperation in defence and security, agriculture, energy, power, water resources, disaster management, tourism, civil aviation, people to people and cultural exchange and development partnership.
Editorial
Reshaped by AI (Page no. 10)
(GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)
Amidst competitive global politicking, as the world struggles to contain the toxic legacies of 2023 — cruel regional wars, civic conflicts and undeniable stories of anthropogenic harms — technocrats, ecocrats, and bureaucrats across the world continue to device and launch quiet initiatives portending a better and larger future for human rights.
One such initiative led, in early October 2023, to the Report of the High-Level Committee on Programmes and the High-Level Committee on Management joint session on the use and governance of AI and related frontier technologies hosted, significantly, by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Of course, the UN system had already begun its work on “frontier technologies” and artificial intelligence (AI), including the development, in 2019, of a United Nations system-wide strategic approach and road map for supporting capacity development of AI.
The principles for the ethical use of AI in the United Nations system were adumbrated in the famous UNESCO declaration which prescribes many values and principles, chief being the following: Respect, protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms and human dignity; ecological sustainability; diversity and inclusiveness.
World
US warns Houthis over Red Sea strikes calls for urgent Security Council action (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
The United States and 12 allies issued what amounted to a final warning to Houthi rebels to cease their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea or face potential targeted military action.
The Yemen-based militants have carried out at least 23 attacks in response to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza since Dec. 19.
A senior Biden administration official declined to detail rules of possible engagement if the attacks continue, but underscored that the Iranian-backed Houthis should “not anticipate another warning” from the U.S. and its allies.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, spoke soon after the countries issued a joint statement condemning the attacks and underscoring that international patience was strained.
Russia, Ukraine swap over 200 POWs each after UAE mediation (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Ukraine and Russia announced their first exchange of prisoners of war in nearly five months, with more than 200 freed by each side after what both said was a complex negotiation involving mediation by the United Arab Emirates.
Russia's Defence Ministry said 248 military personnel had been handed over by Ukraine. Kyiv said it had brought home 230 people - 224 soldiers and six civilians - in what it said was the largest documented swap of troops so far.
The UAE's foreign ministry acknowledged its role, saying in a statement that the swap was made possible by its "strong friendly relations" with both Moscow and Kyiv.
It offered both further humanitarian efforts and to find a peaceful solution to the war. A video released by Ukrainian authorities showed returning prisoners draped in the country's blue and yellow flag filing off a bus, singing the national anthem and shouting the patriotic greeting "Glory to Ukraine".
Economy
Govt may slash disinvestment target for next fiscal by 40% (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
The central government may lower its target for disinvestment plans in the upcoming financial year (FY25) compared to the FY24 estimate, according to media reports.
With having met only about one-fifth of the disinvestment target of FY24 at Rs 10,050 so far, the Centre is likely to lower its target in FY25 by at least 20 per cent.
The government had set an ambitious target to raise Rs 51,000 crore from the sale of the government's share in public sector companies for the current financial year. However, it is unlikely that this goal will be met.
The big-ticket privatisation plans, such as those of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), already seem stalled for now.
According to the experts, any meaningful privatisation can only happen after the general elections, likely scheduled for April or May. "Strategic disinvestment decisions are being governed by political necessities. With elections round the corner, we do not expect any movement on the strategic sale side," a market expert said.
Explained
Kejriwal, Soren refuse ED summonses: What now (Page no. 15)
(GS Paper 2, Polity and Constitution)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has cited Rajya Sabha elections, Republic Day celebrations and the Enforcement Directorate’s ‘non-disclosure’ and ‘non-response’ approach as reasons for not appearing for questioning before the investigating agency against its summons for appearance on January 3, in the Delhi excise policy case.
In his earlier responses to two such summonses, Kejriwal alleged in his letter that the summons were issued at the behest of the BJP and said it was unclear in which capacity he was being summoned – “as a witness or a suspect”. Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren has similarly refused seven summonses by ED in a money laundering case.
The provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) under which summons are issued nowhere mention that the investigating agency must declare that the person being summoned is an accused or not.