05
AUGUST ,2023
SATURDAY
Sensex ends over
150 point higher and
Nifty closes almost
record high
Closing Bell:
Equity benchmark indices ended the
session on positive note, Sensex closed
up 151.2 points at 38520.22, while Nifty
ended 58.55 points higher at 10980.44.
State bank of India, ITC and Bharti Airtel
gained the most while Bajaj Auto,
Hindalco lost the most.
Pre-election, the rupee was a major
talking point because of the widening
current account deficit. The Modi
government came under severe criticism
from the Congress.
From 68.87 against the US dollar on 16
May, the rupee rose to the record high of
48.87 on 24 November 2023.Now the
currency is strengthening but experts
have warned that this is a short term
trend. Going forward, they expect the
rupee to appreciate.
THE ECONOMIC TIMES
Key Events
Uniform Civil Code P.1
Chabahar brings prosperity P.2
TDP Re-joins NDA P.4
Blazing guns in upper house as Parliament
readies for the Uniform Civil Code Bill to be tabled
next week
New Delhi
Bill to be tabled in parliament next week on Thursday 10th
August, 2023. With the elections on the card next year and
BJP quite anxious to deliver its poll promises, it desperately
wants the bill to be passed in this session of parliament. Law
commission has sent out a questionnaire to all the parties. All Subramaniam Swamy advocating the stance of BJP in
favour of the Uniform Civil Code and calling those who
the parties did respond it. Parties who are likely to oppose the oppose as hypocrites and appeasers
bill are AIMIM, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party,
Loktantrik Janata Dal, Trinamool Congress, Rashtriya Janata
He also added how BJP is committed to Sabka Saath Sabka
Dal, Aam Aadmi Party. Parties who are in support of the bill
Vikas and how it set the example by leading the campaign
– Bhartiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena, Janata Dal United,
against Triple Talaq and standing for the rights of Muslim
AIADMK
Women. He slammed all the previous governments for not
What exactly is a uniform civil code? respecting the Directive Principles and also states that all the
previous BJP governments tried to build the consensus on the
It proposes to replace the personal laws based on the
bill instead of implementing it in haste.
scriptures and customs of each major religious community in
the country with a common set governing every citizen.The While describing the Saaf Niyat of his party, he also described
Uniform Civil Code discussion held in Rajya Sabha on 2nd the benefits of the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code
Aug where both the groups (those in support and those not in mentioning it will provide equal status and gender parity. It is
support) attacked each other with critical comments. also a step towards more inclusive national integration and it will
bypass the contentious issue of reform of existing personal laws.
Subramaniam Swamy leads the BJP in the parliament in
support of the bill. As a response to Swamy, CPI General Secretary Sitaram
Yechury called this move as an agenda of BJP to polarise the
He cited the Article 44 of the Directive Principle of the State
country where minorities will have to abandon their traditions
Policy stating that “The State shall endeavour to secure
and will have to accept those followed by majority.
for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the
territory of India.” Congress seems perplexed on the issue and its position will be
only clear once the bill is tabled in the parliament. All the parties
He slammed the parties those oppose the bill as being
are geared to ensure victory for their determined stance.
minority appeasers. He also categorically slammed the
congress for being still undecided on the bill because of the
fear of losing the minority votes. Page | 1
Turkey celebrates its
100th anniversary as
an independent
republic Chabahar proving
to be a “Bahar” for
all the involved
stakeholders
‘Growth in Trade between India
and Afghanistan – The
Celebrations are taking place this year Important Role Chabahar is
to mark the centenary of the Turkish playing’
Republic. As part of its anniversary,

one of the grandest infrastructure

projects in history is completed: the
Canal Istanbul. This artificial waterway
connects the Black Sea to the Sea of
Marmara. Measuring 30 miles (48 km)
in length, and 500 ft (150m) wide, this
dissects the European side of Istanbul
in two, thus creating a new island
between Asia and Istanbul. It
bypasses the already existing
Bosphorus Strait, substantially
reducing congestion on the water and
minimising the potential for collisions
between oil tankers. Excavated soil is
used in the construction of a major
new port, together with an airport, as
well as the burying of defunct mines in
the region.
Turkey has also achieved energy
independence, with 10 billion barrels
of oil and over 1.5 trillion cubic metres
of natural gas uncovered in the Black
Sea. These huge reserves have
enabled the country to completely end
its reliance on foreign imports.
Turkey's standing in the world has
The Chabahar port went through multiple impediments
through its development in multiple phases starting from
1990s till its completion and start of operations in 2021. The
port which was about to get operational in 2019 was only
partially operational by then. However, it is now working at its
full capacity.
There were concerns in 2020 about the viability of the port as
much depended on the US relations with Tehran. However,
with the nuclear deal talks again on the agenda, things are
moving in a pretty way for the stakeholders – India, Iran and
Afghanistan, to a large extent.
The most important benefit that is now evident is the
increased trade between Afghanistan and India. Chabahar
helped India bypass Pakistan and trade between Indian and
Afghanistan has increased 24% in year 2022 compared to
2021 y-o-y, while it has increased whooping 35% in 2023
compared to 2022 y-o-y.
Based on the above trends, Trade has almost
doubled since 2020 and is expected to be around
$ 4.5 billion in the year 2024.
Meanwhile, India is helping Afghanistan build the
Garland Highway that will connect four major cities
in Afghanistan – Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and
Majar-e-Sharif.
The completion of this project is expected around
April 2024. The benefits will be the reduction in
costs associated with transportation and logistics
for the all associated stakeholders. The highways
– Zaranj to Delaram and Chabahar to Zaranj are
already up and running.
The most important concern for all the
stakeholders benefitting from the Chabahar is the
stance of United States’ policy towards Iran. Any
lows in its relationship with Iran will jeopardize the
investments in Chabahar and in the corresponding
supportive infrastructure. India, as a key investor
in Chabahar needs to play a significant role in
ensuring ties remains warm between U.S. and
Iran. It is the test of India’s foreign policy in the
years ahead.

increased significantly in recent years.

However, it has yet to be accepted

into the European Union.

Page | 2
 The Garden City has now become
unliveable, “dead”
What was once the Garden City can no longer be The government is not competent enough to foresee the

called that. It’s a concrete jungle filled with dust
and choked with vehicle exhaust. Water bodies
have disappeared, trees have been cut down to
make way for buildings. The city has expanded
future implications of the present growth. There is no
proper policy on land use and water. Land is being
exploited on the whims and fancies of the politicians.
‘Sadly, no one cares’.
As predicted by Prof T V Ramachandra of the Centre for

outwards with little planning. Roads are poorly
maintained and inadequate; groundwater levels
are plunging due to over-exploitation; and there is
no drainage of which to speak. It was not the
same case before. Bengaluru was the most
sought-after among big cities given its pleasant
climate and the easy availability of land, a decent
economy and low-key politics.
‘Government must act’
Ecological Sciences at the IISc five years ago has come
true and this is not the kind of headline to which we want
to wake up.
Situated 3000 feet above sea level, Bengaluru has no
rivers. Over 600 small and big lakes kept the city cool
and green.But the economic boom in the last two
decades has destroyed most of them. The city gets water
from Cauvery river which flows almost a thousand feet
below and 100 KM away through giant pipes. It is already
drying up and the day is not far when Bengaluru will turn
into a desert.
The two civic bodies that are meant to take care of
Bangalore’s civic issues are the BBMP (the
Corporation) and the Bangalore Development
Authority (BDA) and it really does not matter which
political party is in power. There once used to be a
designated green belt around the city in which no
construction was allowed. The city has no proper
policy in place for land and water use.
When cities begin to die, most people don’t realise
that it’s happening. A dead city does not mean that
people are no longer living in it. It means that it is no
longer worth living in.

India becomes the most

populous country on Earth
India is now overtaking China to become the most
populous country on the planet, with over 1.4 billion
people. The gap between these two countries will begin to
widen as China peaks and declines, while India continues
to soar ahead. An earlier estimate by the UN had forecast
India to reach this point by 2030. However, its population
was subsequently found to be growing faster than
expected.
By 2040, its economy is rivalling both China and the USA
with its population maintaining growth until the 2060s. A
major driver of India's prosperity is the rapid expansion of
its energy sector. Huge rural areas undergo electrification
with solar playing a key role now cheaper and more
efficient than ever before and even challenging the
dominance of coal. With its plentiful sunlight, India is
geographically well placed to capture this energy source.
Water is becoming a
weapon of war
Some particular flashpoints include the Nile in Egypt, Sudan and
A combination of rapid population
nations further south; the Tigris and Euphrates in Iraq and the
growth, lack of fresh water, social
greater Middle East; the Mekong in China and Southeast Asia;
tension and weak government has led
the Jordan River that separates Israel and the Palestinian
to significant regional instability in
territories from Jordan; the Indus and the Brahmaputra in India
South Asia, the Middle East and
and South Asia, as well as the Amu Darya in Central Asia.
North Africa. Worsening climate
change is producing longer droughts Recent advances in desalination have made it easier to filter
and more severe flooding, with seawater. However, these methods are patented and guarded
tensions erupting in shared water by Western corporations. Just as food demands were taken
basins. advantage of in previous decades, the emerging water crisis is
now being used as a means of exploitation and blackmail. Some
Upstream countries are now using
developing nations are even being sued for attempting to
their greater resources for economic
develop cheaper versions for themselves.
and political leverage over their
downstream neighbours. At the same
time, reservoirs and hydroelectric
power plants are being targeted by
terrorists and rogue states. Public
fear of these attacks is forcing
governments to take costly measures
to protect their infrastructure.

Driverless high-speed trains begin
operating in France
France begins rolling out high-speed, autonomous
trains on its TGV network. The SNCF – France's
national state-owned railway company – began
testing these "drone trains" in 2019. After four
years of trials with a prototype, they are now ready
for commercial use. The new trains are equipped
with sensors to detect any potential hazards and
automatically brake, if necessary.
They can reach speeds of almost 200 mph (320
km/h) and their greater efficiency means that 25%
more trains can be run on the same lines.
This Month’s Technology Read
The Aerion AS2
supersonic jet
enters service
Following many years of research and
development, a supersonic business jet for the
super rich is launched this year by the aerospace
company Aerion. Known as the AS2, it has a top
speed of Mach 1.5, which is 67 percent faster than
the top cruise speeds of conventional long-haul
subsonic aircraft. Carrying between eight and 12
passengers, the AS2 has a range of 4,750 nautical
miles at supersonic speed. It can save 2.5 hours
across the Atlantic versus subsonic aircraft and
more than five hours on longer trans-Pacific
routes. This three-engine jet has its first test flight
in 2021 and enters commercial service in 2023.
While a number of slower trains had already been
automated before, the SNCF becomes the first
operator in the world to run automated high-speed .
Initially, conductors remain on board in case of an
emergency.
The service runs between Paris and destinations to the
southeast of France, but is gradually expanded to
other parts of the country.
A competitor supersonic jet – the Spike S-512 –
was launched some years earlier, in 2018.These
jets are among the first in a new generation of
dramatically faster airliners. The wing design of the
AS2 allows for lighter fuel consumption and
increased travel ranges by reducing aerodynamic
drag by 20%
EYE ON IT
Brain implants to restore lost
memories
By now, it's becoming possible to replicate small areas of
the brain with "neural prostheses" in order to repair
damage from Alzheimer's, stroke or injury. This includes
the restoration of lost memories. These devices can
mimic the electrochemical signals from regions like the
hippocampus.
After years of clinical studies, the process can now be
safely performed in hospitals. Electrode arrays are first
used to record the activity of healthy brain tissue. The
unique patterns responsible for creating memories are
detected and stored by a computer. These patterns are
then used to predict what the "downstream" damaged
areas should be doing. Finally, the desired activity in
healthy areas can be replicated by stimulating brain cells
with electrodes. The neural prosthesis therefore bridges
the gap from healthy to damaged areas.
A combination of these memory implants and drugs can
treat early dementia and memory loss. In patients with
advanced Alzheimer's, however, the neural signals are
usually too degraded for a successful outcome.
Nevertheless, this new treatment is a significant step
forward in understanding the brain. Eventually, it will be
possible to mimic entire regions – bypassing the
hippocampus, for example – with complex functions
being replaced entirely by electrode signals. Further into
the future, as neural implants continue to improve in
power, this will pave the way for uploading of minds into
computer substrates.
Page | 4
 A tipping point for Block Chain
Bitcoin is a form of digital money that was created
in 2009 by an unknown person. As a decentralised
virtual currency, the system is peer-to-peer and
transactions take place between users directly,
without the need for banks or transaction fees.*
These payments are verified by network nodes
and recorded in a public distributed ledger called
the "block chain", which uses bitcoin as its unit of
account. Although these records are public, the
names of buyers and sellers are completely
anonymous; only their wallet IDs are revealed.
International payments are easy and cheap, since
bitcoins are not tied to any specific country and are
mostly unregulated.
The underlying block chain technology of these virtual
currencies grew in popularity. Money was just one of their
many possible applications. They could be programmed
to represent units of energy, shares in a company,
election votes, digital certificates of ownership, or
whatever properties its users wished to assign. The open,
transparent and flexible nature of cryptocurrencies helped
to reduce bureaucracy, made administrative processes
faster and more efficient and enabled the automation of A tipping point for government use of the
many systems.This became especially useful as the technology occurs by 2023, with large-scale
Internet of Things began to take shape. Machines could adoption by businesses and the public by
be programmed to automatically perform transactions and 2027.Around 10% of the world's gross
order new items or services when required, using the domestic product (GDP) is stored on a block
block chain for verification, without the need for banks or chain by this time, compared to just 0.025%

middle men. For example, a fridge or vending machine in 2015. The supply growth is 25 bitcoins per

New bitcoins are created as a reward for payment would know when its supplies were running low and block in 2016 (approximately every ten

processing work in which users offer their ensure that food was kept regularly stocked. minutes), then afterwards 12.5 bitcoins per

computer processing power to verify and record block for four years until the next halving. This

payments into the public ledger. This activity is halving continues until 2110–40, when 21
In 2015, the number of merchants accepting bitcoin million bitcoins have been issued.
known as "mining" and miners are rewarded with
transaction fees and newly created bitcoins. for products and services passed 100,000. Block

Besides being obtained by mining, bitcoins can be chain was described as "one of the most powerful
exchanged for other currencies, products, and innovations in finance in 500 years" by the
services. Bitcoin became the first cryptocurrency –
Wall Street Journal, with many banks predicting it
and by far the most well-known – but various
could revolutionise their operations.
others were introduced in subsequent years.
These were frequently referred to as altcoins; a
blend of bitcoin alternative.

Lab Grown Meat to become a norm in 5-6 years

Scientists have been culturing meat in labs for years, but Just and other startups like Finless Foods, which is growing fish meat, have been feverishly pursuing this
so-called “clean meat” of late.

The challenges of engineering meat in the lab is one thing, but convincing consumers to turn away from the storied kill-it-and-grill-it method of eating is another. And
while it’s easy to imagine how lab-grown meat would be better for the planet, there’s actually little data to back that up.

Whether or not Just makes it to market this year, and whether or not their meat tastes and smells and feels like meat, the era of clean meat is approaching. (Just
declined to let us taste their food, saying it wasn’t ready for public consumption.) Soon enough, burgers will grow not just in fields, but in vats. Farther down the line,
your T-bones may not come from a cow, at least not in the traditional sense. If the sound of that bothers you, know that you’re not alone.

The promise of lab-grown meat isn’t to stop eating animals—it’s just to eat way, way fewer of them. But cultured tissue offers a way to potentially grow many meals'
worth of meat from just a handful of cells. Under the right conditions in a lab, cells can be encouraged to divide just like they do inside the body—cutting down on
natural resources, gas, and animal rights

America alone consumes 26 billion pounds of beef a year. That demands a massive industrialized livestock system that is problematic for the planet. One cow can
consume up to 11,000 gallons of water a year. Worldwide, livestock may be responsible for 15 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. And the system rarely has the

animals’ best interests in mind.

Page | 5

ISA clearly leading the pack for abandonement of fossil
fuels
Prime Minister Narendra Modi at International Solar
Alliance Summit in UAE
India sets the example and leads the world
again by achieving its target of generation
of 100 GW of Solar Power by 2022. In the
International Solar Alliance Annual Summit
in UAE last week,
Post TDP Shocker, Leaders of Mahagathbandhan meet in New Delhi at 10 Janpath
Andhra Pradesh CM with BJP National President
Amit Shah in Amravati on 1st Aug 2023
Look beyond the sky
Next Week filled with
Astronomical events
As August witnessed a Full moon Supernoon on the
Prime minister Modi announced the very first day, there are many astronomical events
achievement of target and categorically lined up for the next week.
highlighted how India is on the right path in
August 10 : Mercury will be at greatest eastern
achieving its another target of achieving 40%
elongation – It is the best time to view mercury since it
electricity generation by non-fossil fuel means.
will be at the highest point above the horizon in the
All the countries applauded India’s efforts and
evening sky. Look for the planet low in the western sky
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López
after the sunset.
Obrador explicitly quoted Prime minister several
times in his speech as being the leader in August 12, 13: Perseids Meteor Shower- The Perseids
initiating and driving the International Solar is one of the best meteor showers to observe,
Alliance towards the right path. producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. It is
produced by comet Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered
The ISA has continuously proved to be a
in 1862. The Perseids are famous for producing a large
institution that is actually setting an example for
number of bright meteors. The shower runs annually
the world. Due to the initiatives and programmes
from July 17 to August 24. It peaks this year on the
of ISA, it is actually the developed world that is
night of August 12 and the morning of August 13. The
under the pressure to act and take firm steps in
crescent moon should not be too much of a problem
fighting climate change and focusing on non-
this year. Skies should still be dark enough for a good
fossil means of fuel.
show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after
midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation
Perseus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
With Elections less than a year away, there is a fresh jolt to Mahagathbandhan that is being
led by Congress Party. The jolt is in the form of TDP joining the NDA Camp. TDP fought
elections against the Modi government in the year 2019 and it ws a huge setback for TDP.
With relations getting cordial after Amit Shah’s visit to Amravati, Chandrababu Naidu seems
confidant enough to go the NDA way.
The Desperate opposition is in no mood to rest post this news.Chandrababu Naidu who was
seen as a strong contender with a charismatic appeal that the Mahagathbandhan can use is
now an old story for Mahagathbandhan. He does not want to taste one more defeat by being
on the wrong side again.
All the Senior Leaders including Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee, Sharad Yadav,
Mayawati, Tejaswi Yadav were at 10 Janpath on 2 nd August to chalk out contingency plans
post estrangement with the old ally.
Page | 6
 Elections bugle to be blown for BJP with the Maharallies by the BJP President Amit
Shah starting 15th Aug
Aug 1 | Shillong
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) embarked on a campaign to reach out to voters ahead of the
crucial 2024 general elections. Campaign started in the North East, in the city of Shillong. BJP
President will travel to Manipur, Kohima, Imphal, Agartal, Guwahati, Dispur and Digboi in next
15 days and attend rallies and Mass Gatherings.
Post completion of Campaign in Northeast, Shah will visit Gangtok, Darjeeling, Kolkata and Puri
till 15th of September. The campaign is then expected to move to Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa,
Andhra Pradesh, towards the southern states and then it will move northwards.

BJP President at a Rally in Shillong
In a recent press conference, Shah has highlighted the development agenda of the NDA
government and criticised Mahagathbandhan by calling it as Gathbandhan of Goons. He
categorically highlighted how the parties involved have united to serve their own vested interests.
He hailed PM Modi for transparent, progressive, peaceful governance that the NDA government
has achieved over the previous four years. He hailed all the ministers of the NDA government
for achieiving zero percent corruption throughout all the 10 years they are in power.

He stated that BJP is interested in Vikas ki Raajneeti while the Mahagathbandhan is inclined towards Bhrashtachaar ki Rajneeti. He highlighted
the Nepotism that is exercised in all the parties that are part of the Mahagathbandhan.

When asked about the anti-incumbency against the Modi government, Shah refuted the possibility of anti-incumbency by saying that people
are happy with the way things are moving since 2014. He added – Govt. with Saaf Niyat and Sahi Vikas is at the Centre and there isn’t any
other party that can provide the same level of performance and same level of transparency and corruption free governance.

Shah, who has been elected again as the BJP president last year will step down after the completion of Elections next year. Potential candidates
who are likely to succeed are Nitin Gadkari, Anurag Thakur, JP Nadda, Nalin Kohli.

Section 377 to be revoked, Bill to be tabled in first week of September

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad made an announcement stating that a bill will be tabled in
parliament with an objective to revoke Section 377. He stated – “When millions of people the world
over are having alternative sexual preferences, it is too late in the day to propound the view that
they should be jailed.” BJP spokesperson Siddharh Nath Singh said his party supports
decriminalization of homosexuality. "We are for decriminalizing homosexuality. That is the
progressive way forward.”

The RSS has taken a diplomatic stand on the isse. Its spokeperson Dattatreya Hosabale reportedly
saying, "no criminalisation, but no glorification either." From the move, it is evident that BJP is
slightly liberalising its stance pertaining to such liberal ideologies.

Apart from BJP, AAP, CPI(M), Congress, JDU are all supporting the revoking of the article 377.
LGBT Community celebrating the development on
1st August evening in New Delhi
Samajwadi Party and RJD are opposing the revokement of the Section 377. As most of the parties
are supporting the revokement of the Bill and numbers in Parliament are in favour, it is quite clear
that the Bill will be passed without any impediments.

Considering these developments, LGBT community has started the celebrations and are organising
victory rallies across the metro cities in the country for appreciating the development in their favour.

Page | 7
 Stroke Still Strikes Hard

Aug 2, 2023 - It is estimated that there will be 1,136,000 new cases of stroke this year in the US, up 2% from
last year. The cases of stroke have increased by 67% during the last 25 years, which is in line with the growing

and aging population. Even though there has been some progress in the research of the aging of blood vessels
and brain, the key risk factor of stroke, new cases have not been decreasing in relation to the population.
However, improved treatments have decreased the mortality of stroke during the last decade.

Stroke is a sudden interruption in the blood supply of the brain. The most common form is ischemic stroke
(about 90% of all cases) which is an abrupt blockage of arteries leading to the brain. The rest of the stroke
cases are mainly when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, which is a more fatal form called hemorrhagic stroke.

LGBT Community celebrating the
development on 1st August evening in New
Delhi
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the US and the leading cause of major adult disability. Stroke
occurs more often in women than men, and about 60% of all stroke deaths occur in women. African-Americans
have nearly double the overall rate of stroke compared with white Americans, and more than 70% of all stroke
cases occur in people older than 65 years. You are more at risk to get a stroke if you are smoking, eat
unhealthy food, are overweight or have high blood pressure (hypertension is a factor in almost 70% of all stroke
cases.

Since it is crucial to get help as soon as possible to survive a stroke and for a better outcome, it is important to recognize the warning signs of a person who gets a
stroke. The signs depend of what part and side of the brain that is affected, and how sever the injury is. The most common sign is sudden weakness on one side of
the body, face, arm or leg. Others are sudden numbness, confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech, trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or
coordination, or severe headache with no known cause.

Tech Times Issue 00 Month Year

SUBMITTED BY:

HARSHAL INAMDAR (17020841172)

NEHA DUDHORIA (17020841125)

KHUSHBOO RAJ (17020841174)

Page | 8