It is a newly developed surface-to-surface tactical missile.
The trial of the missile was recently deferred by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) due to the cyclone Phethai.
It is a derivative of Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) exo-atmospheric interceptor which can destroy enemy weapons at high altitudes.
It has a payload of 1 tonne and it has the capacity to strike targets 350 km away.
It can travel up to 500 km if the payload is halved.
It is propelled by solid-fuel rocket.
It can fly faster than the conventional missiles in its class and can evade ballistic missile defence system.
It will be launched from its own canister-based transport erector launcher.
Surrogacy Regulation Bill
Surrogacy is an arrangement, often supported by a legal agreement, whereby a woman agrees to become pregnant and give birth to a child for another person, who are or will ultimately become the parent(s) of the newborn child.
Lok Sabha has recently passed the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016.
It allows surrogacy for couples that cannot have children.
The bill prohibits commercial surrogacy and allows altruistic surrogacy to Indian married couple who cannot bear children.
Commercial surrogacy generally refers to any surrogacy arrangement in which the surrogate mother is compensated for her services beyond reimbursement of medical expenses.
Altruitstic surrogacy refers to an arrangement in which a woman volunteers to carry a pregnancy for intended parents without receiving any monetary compensation in return.
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has written to Union Home Minister seeking re-imposition of Restricted Area Permit (RAP) regime in Andaman & Nicobar.
It includes 6 Islands inhabited by Andamanese, Jarawas, Sentinelese, Onges and Sompens.
Union Home ministry has previously excluded these islands from Restricted Area Permit till December 2022.
The commission has quoted Article 338A (9) of the Constitution of India for reimposition of RAP.
Article 338A (9) mandates that Union and every State Government should consult the Commission on all major policy matters affecting Scheduled Tribes.
Japanese scientists have detected evidence of water in 17 asteroids for the first-time using data from the infrared satellite AKARI.
This discovery will contribute to understanding of the distribution of water in our solar system, the evolution of asteroids, and the origin of water on Earth.
Previous studies have suggested that other celestial bodies in our solar system have, or used to have, water in some form.
Asteroids are considered to be one of the candidates that brought water to Earth.
Researchers found that water is retained in asteroids as hydrated minerals, which were produced by chemical reactions of water and anhydrous rocks that occurred inside the asteroids.
Hydrated minerals are stable even above the sublimation temperature of water ice.
