TITAN
- Titan is – Saturn’s largest moon
- Titan is the second-largest moon in the solar system
- Largest moon is – Jupiter’s Ganymede.
- Atmosphere – composed of nitrogen
- Its atmosphere is four times denser than Earth’s.
- Titan has liquid rivers, lakes, and seas of Methane
- It is believed to have a subsurface ocean of liquid water
- It shows potential for extraterrestrial life.
- Prebiotic chemical processes that could provide insights into the origins of life.
- Exploration – NASA’s Dragonfly Mission is set to explore Titan in 2034
TRANSFER OF HC JUDGES
News – SC Collegium recommends transfer of Justice Varma
- Covered under – Article 222
- Transferred by – President of India
- On Recommendation of – Chief Justice of India, who in-turn consults SC Collegium
- Collegium Structure –
- CJI + 4 senior-most judges of SC
- Reasons for Transfer-
- To ensure administrative efficiency
- To maintain the independence of the judiciary.
- To facilitate the exchange of judicial talent across states.
EQUALISATION LEVY
News – Govt. moots abolishing digital tax on online advertisements from April 1
- Introduced in – 2016
- Aim – to tax income accruing to foreign e-commerce companies from Indian customers. (Like- Amazon and Google)
- Tax Rates-
- 6% on online advertisement services (Google Ads)
- 2% levy on e-commerce operators (Amazon)
- Obj – To create a level playing field between Indian businesses and foreign digital companies.
- Applies to – non-resident e-commerce operators with a turnover exceeding ₹2 crore.
ANTI-DUMPING DUTY
News – India imposes anti-dumping duty on Chinese goods for up to 5 years
- About – Anti-dumping duty is a protectionist tariff imposed by a country to safeguard its domestic industries from unfair competition caused by the dumping of goods.
- Dumping – occurs when a country exports goods at a price lower than their normal value, to gain unfair advantage
- Purpose –
- To protect domestic industries
- To ensure fair trade practices
- In India –
- Directorate General of Trade Remedies – Recommends Duties (under – Min. of Commerce)
- Imposed by – Ministry of Finance
- Valid for – 5 yrs
DNA POLYMORPHISMS
- About- DNA polymorphisms are natural differences in DNA among people, like unique “genetic fingerprints.“
- Types-
- Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms – Variations at a single base pair.
- Repeats: Sequences repeated multiple times
- Copy Variations: Some people have extra or missing copies of certain genes.
- Applications-
- Health: Help doctors predict diseases
- Crime-solving: Used in forensic DNA fingerprinting.
- Evolution: Show how humans evolved over time.
LAKES IN INDIA
News – Water level of Naini lake in Nainital drops, sparking concerns
MCQs
1. “Titan” is the moon of which planet?
A. Mars
B. Jupiter
C. Saturn
D. Uranus
2. “Dragonfly Mission” to Titan is to be launched by?
A. ISRO
B. NASA
C. JAXA
D. ESA
3. Judge of HC is transferred by?
A. Chief Justice of High Court
B. Chief Minister
C. Chief Justice of Supreme Court
D. President
4. “Equalization Levy” will apply on which company?
A. Reliance
B. Tata Motors
C. Flipkart
D. Amazon
5. “Chilika Lake” is located in which state?
A. Bihar
B. Tamil Nadu
C. Odisha
D. Gujarat