on 19-Sep-2020 (Sat)

6. RBI was also the central bank for two other countries. It played the role of Central Bank of Pakistan till June 1948 and the Central Bank of Burma ( Myanmar) till April 1947.

A lithosphere (Ancient Greek: λίθος [lithos] for "rocky", and σφαίρα [sphaira] for "sphere") is the rigid,^[1] outermost shell of a terrestrial-type planet, or natural satellite, that is defined by its rigid mechanical properties. On Earth, it is composed of the crust and the portion of the upper mantle that behaves elastically on time scales of thousands of years or greater. The outermost shell of a rocky planet, the crust, is defined on the basis of its chemistry and mineralogy.

The hole reached 12,262 m (40,230 ft) in 1989. In that year, the hole depth was expected to reach 13,500 m (44,300 ft) by the end of 1990 and 15,000 m (49,000 ft) by 1993.^[5][6] Because of higher-than-expected temperatures at this depth and location, 180 °C (356 °F) instead of the expected 100 °C (212 °F), drilling deeper was deemed unfeasible. The unexpected decrease in density, the greater porosity, and the unexpectedly high temperatures, caused the rock to behave somewhat like a plastic, making drilling nearly impossible.^[7] Drilling was terminated in 1992.^[4]

Lignin is a class of complex organic polymers that form key structural materials in the support tissues of vascular plants and some algae.^[1] Lignins are particularly important in the formation of cell walls, especially in wood and bark, because they lend rigidity and do not rot easily. Chemically, lignins are cross-linked phenolic polymers

An example of a possible lignin structure.

In organic chemistry, phenols, sometimes called phenolics, are a class of chemical compounds consisting of one or more hydroxyl groups (—OH) bonded directly to an aromatic hydrocarbon group. The simplest is phenol, C
₆ H
₅ OH .

Phenol – the simplest of the phenols.

Lignin constitutes 30% of non-fossil organic carbon^[5] and 20 to 35% of the dry mass of wood

Aside from water, wood has three main components. Cellulose, a crystalline polymer derived from glucose, constitutes about 41–43%. Next in abundance is hemicellulose, which is around 20% in deciduous trees but near 30% in conifers. It is mainly five-carbon sugars that are linked in an irregular manner, in contrast to the cellulose. Lignin is the third component at around 27% in coniferous wood vs. 23% in deciduous trees. Lignin confers the hydrophobic properties reflecting the fact that it is based on aromatic rings. These three components are interwoven, and direct covalent linkages exist between the lignin and the hemicellulose. A major focus of the paper industry is the separation of the lignin from the cellulose, from which paper is made

7,000–15,000 glucose molecules comprise each polymer of cellulose

The stickiness of spiders' webs is courtesy of droplets of glue suspended on the silk threads. This glue is multifunctional – that is, its behavior depends on how quickly something touching it attempts to withdraw. At high velocities, they function as an elastic solid, resembling rubber; at lower velocities, they simply act as a sticky glue. This allows them to retain a grip on attached food particles.^[23] The web is electrically conductive which causes the silk threads to spring out to trap their quarry, as flying insects tend to gain a static charge which attracts the silk.^[24]

Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, announced last month that he was stepping down because of health problems.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, long seen as Abe’s right-hand man, was chosen Monday as the new head of the governing Liberal Democratic Party, virtually guaranteeing his election as prime minister in a parliamentary vote Wednesday because of the party’s majority.

Ballooning, sometimes called kiting, is a process by which spiders, and some other small invertebrates, move through the air by releasing one or more gossamer threads to catch the wind, causing them to become airborne at the mercy of air currents and electric currents. A 2018 experiment confirmed that electric fields provide enough force to lift spiders in the air.^[1] This is primarily used by spiderlings to disperse; however, larger individuals have been observed doing so as well. The spider climbs to a high point and takes a stance with its abdomen to the sky, releasing fine silk threads from its spinneret until it becomes aloft. Journeys achieved vary from a few metres to hundreds of kilometres. Even atmospheric samples collected from balloons at five kilometres altitude and ships mid-ocean have reported spider landings.

Hurricane Sally lumbered ashore near the Florida-Alabama line Wednesday with 165 kmph winds and rain measured in feet

Bahrain’s Prince Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa is leading an eighteen-member team in an expert-level mountaineering expedition in Nepal, scaling Mt Lobuche and Mt Manaslu.

A close association has been found between ballooning behaviors and the ability for a species of spiders to survive afloat on water. Water-repellent legs keep them alive on both fresh and salt water, enabling them to survive waves up to 0.5 metres in height. In wind many species raised their legs or abdomens to use as sails, propelling themselves across the water's surface. Many species of spiders also drop silk to anchor themselves in place while afloat. Said spiders did not show these behaviours on land, suggesting that they are adaptations to water.

Seoul: N. Korea may conduct underwater-launched missile test

India will sit in the UN Security Council as an elected non-permanent member for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2021

As per the agreements, the UAE and Bahrain will establish embassies, exchange ambassadors, cooperate and work together with Israel

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain for the signing of the historic Abraham Accord, which is the first Arab-Israeli peace deal in 26 years.

World Trade Organization faults U.S. over Trump’s China tariffs

Agartala-Akhaura rail link to be completed by March 2021

Tikhanovskaya at the UN Human Rights Council, where she urged “the strongest” international response to Minsk’s abuses.

To boost trade, Pakistan plans to set up markets on Afghan, Iran borders

A video on Turkish coffee, that made it to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Turkish coffee is an indispensable element of Turkish culture. It plays an important part in ceremonies and festivals. The beverage combines special preparation and brewing techniques. Turkish coffee made it to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013. Since then, December 5 has been designated as ‘World Turkish Coffee Day.’

The India-Nepal bilateral ties came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated an 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.

Nepal reacted sharply to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through Nepalese territory. India rejected the claim asserting that the road lies completely within its territory.

Facebook Inc will be “weakened” if it stops Australians from sharing news so the company can avoid paying for content under proposed laws, Australia's top antitrust regulator said on Thursday.

Australia has proposed forcing Facebook and internet search giant Google to pay local media outlets for content, drawing strong opposition from the U.S. companies in a dispute that is being watched by regulators and news organisations around the world.

Facebook said this month it would stop Australians from sharing local and international news on its website if the proposal becomes law. The company and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) are still negotiating

The CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Pakistan’s Balochistan with China’s Xinjiang province, is the flagship project of Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The CPEC is a collection of infrastructure and other projects under construction throughout Pakistan since 2013.