Relevance IN -Prelims ( about the findings + superflares ) + Mains ( GS III awareness in the field of space)

What's the NEWS
• In 1962, a meteorite weighing 21 kg was found at Efremovka, now in Kazakhstan. By analysing a piece of this meteorite and studying the relative abundances of isotopes of lithium, beryllium and boron, two researchers have envisaged how the Sun behaved in its infancy.
Know! more about the findings
• Then, they deduce, the Sun could let off superflares which were a million times stronger than the strongest recorded solar flare - the 1859 Carrington event.

• Such superflares must have taken place 4.5 billion years ago, when the Sun was barely forming.

• Further, they infer that irradiation by such superflares from the Sun is one of the sources of short-lived nuclides, for example, beryllium-7, which has a half-life of approximately 53.12 days.

• After analysing a meteorite by researchers, it has been found that Sun was able to generate super-flares during initial years.
• These were a million times strongest solar flares than the recorded at the 1859 Carrington event. Carrington Event was a solar storm happened during solar cycle 1855-1867.

Know! more about the major findings
• Researchers found that a solar flare is a sudden flash of increased brightness on the Sun, sometimes they are also accompanied by a coronal mass ejection

• It was estimated that these super-flares must have taken place 4.5 billion years ago when the Sun was barely forming.

• Researchers also inferred that irradiation by such superflares from the Sun is the sources of elements like beryllium-7.

• Among the first-formed solids of the solar system were the calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAI). The CAIs are nearly 4.5 billion years old.

Know! about Meteorite

• A meteorite is a solid piece of debris from an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid that originates in outer space and survives its passage through the atmosphere to reach the surface of a planet or moon.

• When the object enters the atmosphere, various factors such as friction, pressure, and chemical interactions with the atmospheric gases cause it to heat up and radiate that energy.

• It then becomes a meteor and forms a fireball, also known as a shooting star or falling star.

Know! about Coronal Mass Ejection

• A coronal mass ejection (CME) is a significant release of plasma and accompanying magnetic field from the solar corona. They are often followed by solar flares.

• Solar Flares on reaching earth causes spectacular light shows by interacting with the earth's magnetic field called Aurora's.

• Solar Flares can also disrupt radio transmission and harm satellites in orbit.

International affairs
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu set to get fifth term

Relevance IN - Prelims ( factoids) +Mains ( GS II bilateral relations)

What's the NEWS
• AP Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to win re-election after his main rival former Army chief Benny Gantz conceded defeat.

• This comes after a dramatic finish to a tightly-fought race Parliamentary elections in which Gantz accepted that Netanyahu had won.

Know! more about the election outcomes
• With more than 99 percent of votes counted, Netanyahu's Likud tied with Gantz's Blue and White, gaining 35 seats each.

• No party has crossed the half way mark in the 120 seat Parliament (Knesset). However, since a number of right-wing parties have expressed their support for Netanyahu, a coalition between Likud and smaller right-wing parties could form a 65 seat majority.
• With the election results, Netanyahu is now set to embark on a record fifth term in office thus, becoming Israel's longest-serving prime minister.

Know! about Israel election
• In Israel, voters cast votes for a party and not individual candidates. The seats are divided proportionally based on the percentage of the vote each party receives.

• Any party that wins 3.25 percent or more of the vote gets at least one seat. If parties don't pass that threshold, which many smaller parties do not, their votes will not be counted. This raises the share of seats given to other parties.

The more votes a party gets, the more seats it will obtain in the Knesset as the government is based on a nationwide proportional representation system.

• No party has ever won a majority in Israel's 120-seat parliament. Hence, as soon as the results start coming in, negotiations will begin on the formation of a governing coalition.

• Benjamin Netanyahu is one of Israel's longest-serving leaders, having served 10 uninterrupted years as Prime Minister. He had previously held the position from 1996 to 1999 when he had become Israel's youngest-ever Prime Minister.

New Zealand votes to ban semi-automatic weapons

Relevance IN - Mains ( GS II international relations)

What's the NEWS
• The Parliament of New Zealand voted to ban all types of semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles following the Christchurch attacks.

• The bill was passed in the House of Representatives with the approval of 119 members, with just one member opposing it.

• The bill will now be sent to the Governor General for his royal assent and is expected to become a law by April 12.

Know! more about it
• An amnesty has been imposed so the owners of the weapons can hand them back, followed by a buy-back scheme which could cost up to 200 million New Zealand dollar.

• Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced changes to the law after 50 people were killed last month by a suspected lone gunman at two mosques in Christchurch.

• New Zealand had imposed an immediate ban on assault weapons on March 21, 2019 following the Christchurch massacre that claimed the lives of at least 50 mosque-goers.

Christchurch Massacre

• On March 15, 2019, two consecutive terrorist attacks began at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand during the Friday prayer.

• The attacks began at the Al Noor Mosque in the suburb of Riccarton at 1:40 pm, and continued at the Linwood Islamic Centre at about 1:55 pm. The gunman live-streamed the first attack on Facebook Live.

• The attacks killed at least 50 people and injured 50 more. They were launched by a 28-year-old Australian male, described as a white supremacist. He was arrested and charged with murder.

• The attacks have been linked to an increase in white supremacism and alt-right extremism globally, observed since the mid-2010s.

Defence
Bold Kurukshetra-2019
India, Singapore joint military exercise kicks off in Babina (Jhansi)

Relevance IN - Prelims( about the exercise)
What's the NEWS
• Armed forces of India and Singapore kicked off a joint military exercise, ‘Bold Kurukshetra-2019', in Jhansi's Babina Cantonment

Know! more about the exercise
• The three-day exercise is aimed at bolstering cooperation against terrorism, developing defence technology and improving maritime security.

• India and Singapore had entered into an official agreement in November 2017 to strengthen defence ties between their respective armed forces.

• As per the understanding, personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces will receive training and undertake firing exercises along with the Indian Armed Forces.

• Both India and Singapore have also agreed to step up intelligence and information sharing in maritime security, especially in the field of counter-terrorism, and agreed to expand collaboration on submarine safety and rescue.

Prelims Practise Questions

Consider the following statements

1. A meteoroid is a solid piece of debris from an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteorite that originates in outer space and survives its passage through the atmosphere to reach the surface of a planet or moon.

2. When the object enters the atmosphere, various factors such as friction, pressure, and chemical interactions with the atmospheric gases cause it to heat up and then it becomes a meteor and forms a fireball, also known as a shooting star or falling star.

Find the correct statement from the option given below

a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None

Consider the following statements

1. The Airforce and the Armed forces of India and Singapore jointly participated in a joint military exercise i.e ‘Bold Kurukshetra-2019', in Jhansi's Babina Cantonment

2. The three-day exercise is aimed at bolstering cooperation against terrorism, developing defence technology and improving maritime security.

3. India and Singapore had entered into an official agreement in November 2017 to strengthen defence ties between their respective armed forces only.

Find the correct statement from the options given below

a. 2 and 3
b. 1 and 2
c. 1 2 and 3
d. None

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