CHINESE INVESTMENT PROPOSALS WAIT FOR SECURITY
Focus: GS-III Indian Economy Why in news? About 200 investment proposals from China are awaiting security clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) after new rules were notified making prior government approval mandatory for foreign direct investments (FDI) from countries which share a land border with India. Details As FDI is allowed in non-critical […]
KONGONAPHON KELY FOSSIL
Focus: Prelims, GS-III Environment and Ecology Why in news? A newly described species from Madagascar suggests that dinosaurs and pterosaurs (extinct flying reptiles) had extremely small ancestors – named Kongonaphon kely. Kongonaphon kely Kongonaphon kely is just 10 centimeters tall and the name roughly translates from the Malagasy language as ‘tiny bug slayer’ — a […]
OF MICE AND SARS-COV-2
Focus: GS-III Science and Technology Introduction Science and research have always relied on using animals to understand various human diseases, and the primary reasons have been the genetic similarity between animals and humans (mice share 98% of DNA with us), and that we have developed tools to edit genes in various animals. Animal model for […]
KASHMIR SAFFRON NOW HAS GI CERTIFICATE
Focus: Prelims, GS-III Environment and Ecology Why in news? The J&K administration issued the certificate of geographical indication (GI) registration for saffron grown in the Kashmir Valley. Details Saffron crop suffers both decline in its production as well as shrinking of the land under cultivation. With the GI tag, Kashmir saffron will acquire more prominence […]
SC: GOVERNOR TO ABIDE BY ‘AID AND ADVICE’ OF CABINET
Focus: GS-III Environment and Ecology, Prelims Why in news? A Constitution Bench judgment of the Supreme Court has held that a Governor is bound to convene a meeting of the Assembly for a floor test on the recommendation of the Cabinet. Details The five-judge Constitution Bench judgment of the Supreme Court in Nabam Rebia versus […]
WHAT IS AFRICAN SWINE FEVER?
Focus: GS-III Science and Technology Introduction The porcine industry in Assam suffered major losses during the COVID-19 lockdown, which was followed by an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF). What is African Swine Fever? African Swine Fever (ASF) does not affect humans but can be catastrophic for pigs. The current outbreak of ASF in India […]
HURRICANE HANNA
Focus: GS-I Geography Introduction Texas is facing another hardship apart from being one of the largest hotspots for Covid-19 in the U.S., as Hurricane Hanna has made landfall. Details As per the latest update issued by the National Hurricane Centre (NHC), the centre of Hanna has moved into north-eastern Mexico and the storm surge warning […]
CRIMINAL CONTEMPT OF COURT
Focus: GS-II Governance Why in news? The recent initiation of proceedings for criminal contempt of court, has brought under focus the necessity for retaining the law of contempt as it stands. Dilemma The origin of the dilemma about what would be more judicious – ignoring adverse remarks or seeking to punish – lies in the […]
IS SARS-COV-2 A LATENT VIRUS WHICH CAN RECUR?
Focus: GS-III Science and Technology Introduction Ever since cases of ‘reinfection’ — people who had tested negative for COVID-19 testing positive again after a while — emerged the question of latency of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is being hotly debated. What is a latent viral infection? A latent viral infection is an infection that is inactive […]
QUAD: THE CONFLUENCE OF FOUR POWERS AND TWO SEAS
Focus: GS-II International Relations Introduction Parallel exercises in the Indo-Pacific this week, including a trilateral exercise between the U.S., Australia and Japan in the Philippines Sea, and an Indo-U.S. naval exercise in the Indian Ocean have fuelled speculation that Quadrilateral (Quad) exercises will be launched soon between all four navies. Highlights regarding the “Quad” Australia’s […]