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We have a curated list of the most noteworthy articles from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy articles from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy articles from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), independent U.S. governmental agency established in 1958 for the research and development of vehicles and activities for the exploration of space within and outside of Earth’s atmosphere.
NASA’s administrator is the agency’s highest-ranking official and serves as the senior space science adviser to the President of the United States. The agency’s administration is located at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC and provides overall guidance and direction.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1958 with a distinctly civilian (rather than military) orientation encouraging peaceful applications in space science. The National Aeronautics and Space Act was passed on July 29, 1958, disestablishing NASA’s predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The new agency became operational on October 1, 1958.
NASA was created largely in response to the Soviet launching of Sputnik in 1957. It was organized around the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which had been created by Congress in 1915. NASA’s organization was well underway by the early years of President John F. Kennedy’s administration when Kennedy proposed that the United States put a man on the Moon by the end of the 1960s.
The organization is composed of five program offices:
Aeronautics and Space Technology – for the development of equipment
Space Science and Applications – dealing with programs for understanding the origin, structure, and evolution of the universe, the solar system, and the Earth
Space Flight – concerning manned and unmanned space transportation and all matters to do with the space shuttle
Space Tracking and Data – involving tracking and data acquisition
Space Station – which has a long-term goal of establishing a manned space station.
NASA’s Vision
NASA’s vision is to reach for new heights and reveal the unknown facts so that what we do and learn will benefit all humankind. To do that, thousands of people have been working around the world — and off of it — .
NASA shares data with various national and international organizations such as from the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite.
NASA has launched a number of significant scientific probes such as the Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft that have explored the Moon, the planets, and other areas of our solar system. NASA has sent several spacecraft to investigate Mars including the Viking and Mars Pathfinder spacecraft.
NASA has helped bring about new generations of communications satellites such as the Echo, Telstar, and Syncom satellites. NASA’s Earth science efforts have also literally changed the way we view our home planet; the Landsat and Earth Observing System spacecraft have contributed many important scientific findings. NASA technology has also resulted in numerous “spin-offs” in wide-ranging scientific, technical, and commercial fields.
To achieve its purpose, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has the code of economic behaviour for its members. It makes financing available to members in balance-of-payments difficulties and provides them with technical assistance to improve their economic management. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has member countries, accounting for about four-fifths of total world production and 90 percent of world trade. Member countries undertake to collaborate with the fund and with each other to ensure orderly exchange arrangements and a stable system of exchange rates. A multilateral system of payment is fostered that is free from restrictions and thus promotes balance in the payments among countries.
Pool of Financial Resources
The fund maintains a large pool of financial resources. These are made available – temporarily, and subject to conditions – to member countries to enable them to carry out programs to remedy their payments deficits without resorting to restrictive measures that would adversely affect national or international prosperity. As members make repayments to the fund, its resources are used on re-solving basis and are continuously available to countries facing payment difficulties.
To enable the fund to carry out its policies, member countries continuously support a broad range of economic and financial information and the fund consults regularly with each member countries on its economic situation. The fund is, therefore, in a position to assist members in devising corrective steps when, or preferably before, problems arise in their balance of payments.
Special Drawing Rights
The fund is particularly concerned with global liquidity, that is, the level and composition of the reserves that members have available for meeting their trade and payments requirements. In 1969, the fund was given the responsibility for creating and allocating Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), the only worldwide reserve asset established by international agreement.
Monetary Forum
The fund helps members to coordinate their national economic policies internationally. In effect, it provides a permanent international monetary forum. The focus of the fund is not only on the problems of individual countries but also on the structure of the international monetary system and on the development of policies and strategies through which its members can work together to ensure a stable world financial system and continuing economic growth.
In order to carry out its responsibilities, the fund exercises surveillance over the exchange rate policies of members provides principles for the guidance of members’ exchange policies and has established procedures by which it exercises surveillance. These principles and procedures are designed to identify and encourage the correction of inappropriate exchange rate policies.
On a fine morning in 1888, Alfred Nobel opened his regular newspaper to read some fresh news where he was taken by surprise to read his obituary titled “The Merchant of death is dead”. This made him think and created apprehension about how he would be remembered after his death. This incident inspired him to create a will that no one in those times could ever think of.
On 10th, December 1896 at the age of 63 when Alfred Nobel died of cerebral hemorrhage in his villa in San Remo, Italy his will be specified that his fortune be used to create a series of awards for those who create a revolution in the fields of physics, chemistry, literature, medicine and peace. His total assets approximately one hundred eighty-six million US dollars (USD 186 M) was surrounded by a lot of skepticism. It was not until April 1897 that it was approved by Storting-Parliament of Norway. A Nobel Foundation was formed to take care of Nobel’s fortune and organize the awards.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee was formed to award the Nobel Peace Prize and later the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences was formed to award prizes in other categories.
Early recipients of The Nobel Prize
The first Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Wilhelm Rontgen’s discovery of X-Rays. Jacobus Van’t Hoff received his first Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his contribution in chemical thermodynamics. Sully Prodhomme received the first Nobel Prize in Literature over Leo Tolstoy, a poet you know from your English poetry books. The first Nobel Prize is medicine or physiology went to German physiologist and microbiologist Emil Von Behring. He had invented an antitoxin to treat diphtheria which was a fatal disease.
Process for selection of Nobel Prize Winners
The process for finalizing the Nobel Prize is similar in all categories. The only thing highlighting is the way the recommendations are made. The Committee sends out the nomination forms to some 3000 odd individuals, who are prominent academicians working in significant areas. Inquiries are sent out to governments of various countries for the Nobel Peace Prize. The deadline for return of nominations is set, the same year the awards will be announced. The Noble Committee then nominates 300 Nobel Laureates from these forms. These 300 names and other nominations are confidential. The committee prepares a report after taking advice from experts from significant fields. This report along with the nominated candidates is then sent to the prize-awarding institutions who chose the laureate or laureates in each field based on votes. The decision, which cannot be appealed, is immediately announced.
A maximum or three or two different works may be selected per award, except for the Peace prize. If the Peace prize is not awarded the money is divided among the scientific awards.
What does an awardee gets as Nobel Prize (other than the honour)
The Nobel Prize comprises of a medal, a diploma and award money. The Nobel Prize medals are patented trademark of the Nobel Foundation. Each medal features a picture of Alfred Nobel on the obverse with years of his birth and death. The designs of Alfred Nobel’s picture on the peace and economics prizes are slightly different. Each medal weighs up to 175 grams made of 18 carats green gold, plated with 24 carat gold. Each diploma is exclusively made by the prize-awarding institutions for the laureates. The diploma contains a script in Swedish which states the name of the laureate and an excerpt of why they deserve the prize. The award money on the other hand, depends on how much the foundation can award for that particular year.
The Nobel Prize is one of the most prestigious awards known to mankind. It was noted that as on 2012, each prize was worth eight million. The prize is not awarded posthumously. But in case, of death of the Nobel Laureate after the award has been announced but before him receiving, it is awarded.
Winners of Nobel Prize for 2015 (and also 2014)
Physics
The Nobel Prize for Physics for the year 2014 was presented to, Hiroshi Amano, Isamu Akasaki and Shuji Nakamura for origination of competent blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light. The same was presented to Takaaki Kajita and Arthur B. McDonald in 2015 for neutrino oscillations.
Chemistry
The Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2014 was presented to William E. Moerner, Eric Betzig and Stefan W. Hell for the development of super-resolved fluorescence microscopy and the same was awarded to Tomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar for mechanistic studies of DNA repair in 2015.
Medicine
The Noble Prize for physiology and medicine in 2014 was awarded to John O’Keffe, Edvard I.Moser and May-Britt Moser for their findings of cells that constitute the positioning system in the brain. The same award in the year 2015 was awarded to William C. Campbell and Satoshi Omura for their therapies against infections caused by roundworm parasite and Youyou Tu for her therapy against Malaria.
The Noble Prize for literature in 2014 was awarded to Patrick Madiano for the skill of recollection with which he has evoked the most ungraspable human destinies and uncovered the life-world of the occupation. The same award was in literature in the year 2015 was given to Svetlana Alexievich for her polyphonic writings.
Peace
The Nobel Peace prize in 2014 and 2015 was presented to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai for their struggle against the dominance of children and youth, and National Dialogue Quartet and for its contribution for building a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia during Jasmine Revolution.
Economics
The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2014 was awarded to Jean Tirole for his analysis of market power and regulation, and the same was awarded to Angus Deaton for his analysis of consumption, poverty, and welfare in 2015.
It is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries. Motto of this organization is “Working for a World Free of Poverty”. It was founded 71 years ago in 1944. Its main aim is to reduce poverty. The current president is Jim Yong Kim from South Korea. This funding agencies comes on list one.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and cultural Organization (UNESCO)
It was founded in November 16, 1945. It is a specialized agency of United Nations and its purpose is to contribute towards peace security. It has 195 members and 9 associate members. It focuses on education, natural sciences, social sciences, culture and communication. The projects which are sponsored by UNESCO include literacy, technical and teacher training programmes, international science programs. This funding agencies comes on list two.
It was founded in the year April 7, 1948 headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. This organization deals with international public health. Its main objectives are: to act as directing and coordinating authority on international health work; to propose conventions, agreement and regulations and make recommendations with respect to international health matters; to maintain administrative and technical services including epidemiological and statistical services; and to promote the improvement of nutrition, housing, sanitation and recreation. This funding agencies comes on list three.
It is a United Nations Programmme that provides long-term developmental aid to children and mothers in developing countries. It was founded in December 11, 1946. The founders are Herbert Hoover and Maurice Pate. This funding agencies comes on list four.
It is an international non- governmental organization. It was founded on April 29, 1961 in Morges, Switzerland. Its purpose is to protect endangered animals and their places. The founder members of this organization are Julian Huxley, Edward Max Nicholson, Peter Scott etc. This funding agencies comes on list five.
It was founded in 2010. The founders of this organization are Nita Ambani and Mukesh Ambani. It was formerly known as Dhirubhai Ambani Foundation. It is a charitable foundation of Reliance Industries limited. The main objectives of this foundation works in the area of Education( This funding agencies grants Scholarship Programmme under Dhirubhai Ambani Scholarship Programme.)and Health.
Aga Khan Development Network
It was founded in the year 2007.The founder and chairman of this agency is the 49th hereditary Imam (Spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismail Muslims. Aga Khan Development Network is a group of development Agencies which work in the areas of environment, health, education, architecture, culture, micro-finance, rural development, disaster reduction, the promotion of private sector enterprise and the rejuvenation of historic cities. This funding agencies works in 30 countries around the world.
Indian Development and Relief Fund (IRDF)
It was founded in the year 1888 by Dr.Vinod Prakash, a former World Bank economist, and his wife Sarla Prakash. The purpose of Indian Development and Relief Fund is to bring sustainable socio-economic development to remote areas. This foundation works on education, health care, eco-friendly development, women’s empowerment, governance and disaster rehabilitation.
Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation (NSF) Mumbai
It was founded in the 2002 by Mr. Narotam Sekhsaria. It is a non-profit initiative to support enterprising individuals, and organizations in the areas of education, health and livelihood. Its main aim is to promote excellence among individuals and improve the quality of those people who are living on the edges of the society.
United Way Mumbai
It was founded in 2005. It is a non-profit organization that endeavours to engage the corporate sector into a meaningful Social Responsibility Structure. United Way Mumbai aims to bring NGOs, Companies, Individuals, and Government agencies together to make them work for the improvement of the community.
To read highlights of the Full Budget tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 5th July 2019 Click Here
The government introduced the interim budget for financial year 2019-20 in February 2019 before the general election. Following are highlights of the Interim Budget:
Within 2 years, Tax assessment will be done electronically
IT returns processing in just 24 hours
Minimum 14% revenue of GST to states by Central Govt.
Customs duty has abolished from 36 Capital Goods
Recommendations to GST council for reducing GST rates for home buyers
Full Tax rebate up to 5 lakh annual income after all deductions.
Standard deduction has increased from 40000 to 50000
Exempt on tax on second self-occupied house
Ceiling Limit of TDS u/s 194A has increased from 10000 to 40000
Ceiling Limit of TDS u/s 194I has increased from 180000 to 240000
Capital tax Benefit u/s 54 has increased from investment in one residential house to two residential houses.
Benefit u/s 80IB has increased to one more year i.e. 2020
Benefit has given to unsold inventory has increased to one year to two years.
State share has increased to 42%
PCA restriction has abolished from 3 major banks
2 lakhs seats will increase for the reservation of 10%
60000 crores for MNREGA
1.7 Lakh crore to ensure food for all
22nd AIIMS has to be opened in Haryana
Approval has to be given to PM Kisan Yojana
Rs. 6000 per annum has to be given to every farmer having up to 2 hectare land. Applicable from Sept 2018. The amount will be transferred in 3 installments
National Kamdhenu Ayog for cows. Rs. 750 crores for National Gokul Mission
2% interest subvention for farmers pursuing animal husbandry and also create a separate department for fisheries.
2% interest subvention for farmers affected by natural calamities and additional 3% interest subvention for timely payment.
Tax-free Gratuity limit increase to 20 Lakhs from 10 Lakhs
A bonus will be applicable for workers earning 21000 monthly
The scheme, called Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan, will provide assured monthly pension of Rs. 3,000 with a contribution of Rs. 100 per month for workers in the unorganized sector after 60 years of age.
Our government delivered 6 crores free LPG connections under Ujjawala scheme
2% interest relief for MSME GST registered person
26 weeks of Maternity Leaves to empower the women
More than 3 Lakhs crores for defense
One lakh digital villages in next 5 years
Single window for approval of India filmmakers
To read highlights of the Full Budget tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 5th July 2019 Click Here
