This is our new initiative "Extracts from The Hindu". With this, our aim is to provide short, relevant and important material for Bank and SSC Exams. It will help you to learn
(1) Important current affairs, and
(2) Some Vocab from The Hindu
Child-friendly HIV drug gets govt. nod
- An expert committee of the The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had permitted the child-friendly and heat-stable pellet formulation of the HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) to be registered.
- Now, Cipla Pharmaceuticals( a market leader in the HIV segment) can supply to the National AIDS Control Programme (NACO)
Navy eyes advanced subs
- Project-75I : This is the project under which Indian Navy is counstructing Advance Modern Submarines
Vocab from the Article
Contingent: subject to chance; occurring or existing only if (certain circumstances) are the case; dependent onAs used in the Article: That is contingent on the timely delivery of the AIP being indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
El Nino is weaker than anticipated, says IMD
- According to the India Meteorological Department, El Nino will be weaker this year than anticipated
- El Nino refers to the heating up of water in the eastern pacific region which will have a cascading effect on the weather conditions across the world.
- The El Nino has negatice effect on India's weather. Statistically, there are 40% chances that an El Nino will result in a drought situation in India.
Vocab from the Article
Extrapolate: extend the application of (a method or conclusion) to an unknown situation by assuming that existing trends will continue or similar methods will be applicable; estimate or conclude (something) by extrapolating.As used in the Article: In April, the IMD shifted to using a new monsoon forecast system, called a dynamical model that works by supercomputers simulating the weather and extrapolating it.
‘Hottest’ planet in universe discovered
- Scientists have discovered the hottest known planet located 650 light years from Earth, which is warmer than most stars in the universe and and only 926 degree Celsius cooler than our Sun.
- Name of the Planed: KELT-9b
The art of the free trade agreement
- During their recent meeting in Germany, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed on the need to resume India-European Union (EU) free trade agreement (FTA) talks.
- A free-trade area is the region encompassing a trade bloc whose member countries have signed a free-trade agreement (FTA).
- Such agreements involve cooperation between at least two countries to reduce trade barriers, import quotas and tariffs, and to increase trade of goods and services with each other.
Vocab from the Article
Jettison: abandon or discard (someone or something that is no longer wanted)As used in the Article: First, it could decide to jettison the ISDS clauses in all its future FTAs. In other words, it may negotiate FTAs where disputes between investors and states would be resolved using the state-state dispute settlement (SSDS) mechanism.
CCI clears Airtel-Telenor merger
- The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the proposed merger of Telenor (India) Communications with the Bharti Airtel.
Centre notifies rules on capital gains tax
- The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has come out with a final notification specifying the securities transactions that would attract capital gains tax where the securities transaction tax (STT) hasn’t been paid
- Capital Gains Tax is a tax levied on profit from the sale of property or an investment.
- Securities Transaction Tax (STT) is a tax payable in India on the value of securities (excluding commodities and currency) transacted through a recognized stock exchange.
