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    China’s Clampdown on Rare Earths Has Prompted India to Explore Options

    Context

  • China's suspension of rare earth magnet exports to India since April 2025 has disrupted key sectors like EVs, electronics, and drones, highlighting India's heavy reliance on Chinese supplies.

    • What are Rare Earth Magnets?

  • Rare earth magnets are powerful permanent magnets made using rare earth elements, including 17 different elements from the periodic table.
  • The two main types are Neodymium (Nd-Fe-B) and Samarium Cobalt (SmCo) magnets.
  • Despite the name, rare earth elements are not geologically rare but are difficult to extract economically due to their dispersed occurrence and the environmental cost of mining.
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    India Launches NISAR Earth Observation Satellite

    Context

  • The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

    • NISAR Satellite

  • NISAR is an Earth-observation satellite that stands for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar.
  • It is Jointly developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation under a partnership agreement signed in 2014.
  • It will be launched into a polar Sun-synchronous dawn-dusk orbit at 747 km altitude and an inclination of 98.4º.
  • NISAR is the first satellite mission to collect radar data in two microwave bandwidth regions, called the L-band and the S-band.
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    Chile’s Coastal Erosion

    In News

  • Chile’s central and southern coastlines are experiencing rapid erosion, with scientists projecting that at least 10 beaches could disappear within the next decade.

    • Major Causes

  • Climate Change: Increased frequency and intensity of sea swells are eroding beaches faster than before.
  • Rising sea levels, sudden rainstorms, and recurring heatwaves are accelerating coastal retreat.
  • Human Factors: Unregulated urbanization and ongoing coastal construction are destroying natural barriers such as dunes and wetlands, making beaches more vulnerable.
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    US Imposes 25% Tariff on India’s Exports

    Context

  • Recently, the US President has announced a 25% tariff on all imports from India, effective August 1, 2025, along with an unspecified penalty for India’s continued purchases of Russian oil and military equipment.

    • Why the US Imposed a 25% Tariff on Indian Imports?

  • High Indian Tariffs on US Goods: India’s high tariffs on U.S. goods, which the US President called ‘among the highest in the world’. The US has about a $40.8 billion trade deficit with India.
  • India’s Non-monetary Trade Barriers: The US accuses India of maintaining high tariffs and other non-tariff barriers, particularly citing India’s agricultural subsidies and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures related to food safety.
  • India’s Energy and Defense Ties with Russia: India’s status as Russia’s largest energy buyer (accounts for 35–40% of India’s total oil imports), and its long-standing defense ties with Moscow.
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    Single-window System for Appointing State DGPs

    Context

  • The Union Government has notified a Single Window System for appointing State Director-General of Police/Head of Police Force. 

    • About

  • The new policy effective April 22, 2025, comes against the backdrop of several States not following the Supreme Court orders in the Prakash Singh case (2006) and the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines as regards appointment of DGP/HoPF.
  • Objective: Streamline and standardize the DGP empanelment process by States.
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    Lok Sabha Approved Extension of  President’s Rule in Manipur 

    In News

  • The Lok Sabha has given its approval to the statutory resolution regarding the extension of President’s rule in Manipur for a further period of six months with effect from 13th of August 2025.

    • Background 

  • Manipur was placed under President’s Rule in February 2025  after erstwhile Chief Minister N. Biren Singh stepped down, nearly two years after the ethnic conflict began in the State between the valley-based Meitei community and the hills-based Scheduled Tribe Kuki-Zo group of communities.  
  • The conflict originated from the Meitei demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, which the Kukis opposed, fearing loss of job opportunities and other affirmative actions meant for STs.
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    संक्षिप्त समाचार 31-07-2025

    संदर्भ 

  • पवित्र पिपरहवा बुद्ध अवशेषों के आभूषण, जो हाल ही में सॉदबीज़ हांगकांग में नीलाम किए गए थे, 127 वर्षों पश्चात्‌ औपनिवेशिक शासन के दौरान लिए जाने के बाद भारत को वापस लौटा दिए गए हैं।

    • पिपरहवा अवशेष

  • पिपरहवा अवशेषों की खोज 1898 में ब्रिटिश सिविल इंजीनियर विलियम क्लॉक्सटन पेप्पे द्वारा उत्तर प्रदेश के पिपरहवा में की गई थी।
  • इनमें हड्डी के टुकड़े, सोपस्टोन और क्रिस्टल के कलश, रेत पत्थर का संदूक एवं सोने के आभूषण एवं रत्नों जैसे भेंट शामिल हैं। 
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    दुर्लभ मृदा/रेयर अर्थ खनिजों पर चीन के प्रतिबंध से भारत अन्य विकल्पों की खोज में 

    संदर्भ 

  • चीन द्वारा अप्रैल 2025 से भारत को रेयर अर्थ मैग्नेट्स के निर्यात को स्थगित कर दिया गया है, जिससे इलेक्ट्रिक वाहन (EV), इलेक्ट्रॉनिक्स और ड्रोन जैसे प्रमुख क्षेत्रों में भारी बाधा उत्पन्न हुई है। इससे भारत की चीनी आपूर्ति पर भारी निर्भरता उजागर हुई है।

    • रेयर अर्थ मैग्नेट्स क्या हैं?

  • रेयर अर्थ मैग्नेट्स शक्तिशाली स्थायी मैग्नेट्स होते हैं, जो आवर्त सारणी के 17 दुर्लभ तत्वों से बनाए जाते हैं।
  • इनके दो प्रमुख प्रकार हैं: नीओडिमियम (Nd-Fe-B) और सैमारियम कोबाल्ट (SmCo) मैग्नेट।
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