North Atlantic Right Whales: Threats and Conservation Imperatives

Why in the news? North Atlantic right whales face a grave threat due to entanglement in fishing gear, contributing to their critically endangered status. Entanglement not only leads to physical harm but also affects reproductive success, exacerbating the species’ decline. Impact of Entanglement Lethal and Sublethal Effects: Entanglement in fishing gear leads to energy expenditure,… Continue reading

SEBI’s directive on Overseas ETF Investments

What is the news? SEBI has instructed mutual fund houses to halt new inflows into schemes investing in overseas exchange-traded funds (ETFs) from April 1, 2024. What are Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)? ETFs are marketable securities that track various assets, including indices, commodities, or bonds, and trade on stock exchanges like regular stocks. ETFs were… Continue reading

[26 March 2024] The Hindu Op-ed: China, a ‘want-to-be’ superpower

PYQ Relevance:Mains: Q) The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is viewed as a cardinal subset of China’s larger ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative. Give a brief description of CPEC and enumerate the reasons why India has distanced itself from the same. (UPSC IAS/2018) Q) ‘China is using its economic relations and positive trade surplus as tools… Continue reading

[25 March 2024] The Hindu Op-ed: TB Control in India Calls for person-centered Solutions

PYQ Relevance:Mains: Q) “Besides being a moral imperative of a Welfare State, primary health structure is a necessary precondition for sustainable development.” Analyse. ( UPSC IAS/2021) Q) Appropriate local community-level healthcare intervention is a prerequisite to achieving ‘Health for All’ in India. Explain. (UPSC IAS/2018) Prelims:In India, the term “Public Key Infrastructure” is used in the… Continue reading

Charting women’s trajectory in parliaments globally

Why in the news? The year 2024 is being hailed as the biggest year for democracy, with 45% of the global population preparing to exercise their voting rights or having already cast their ballots Context: Women’s representation in political spheres improved in the latter half of the 20th century, with significant progress made in many… Continue reading

On the resurgence of Mumps in Kerala

Why in the news? Mumps, an acute viral infection that historically affects children, has been spreading like wildfire in Kerala, for the past few months. Context: Despite being a vaccine-preventable disease, mumps has never been a part of the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) because of the disease’s no-mortality profile and the perception that it has… Continue reading

IAU approves ‘Statio Shiv Shakti’ as name for Chandrayaan-3 Landing Site

What is the news? The International Astronomical Union (IAU) working group for Planetary System Nomenclature recently sanctioned the name ‘Statio Shiv Shakti’ for the landing site of Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander, marking a significant milestone in planetary nomenclature. About International Astronomical Union (IAU) The IAU was founded on July 28, 1919, during the Constitutive Assembly held… Continue reading

Postal Ballot Voting: Eligibility and Process for Lok Sabha elections 2024

Why in the news? The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced that media persons covering “polling day activities” are now eligible to vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024 and state Assembly polls through postal ballots. What are Postal Ballots? Postal ballots, also known as mail-in ballots, allow registered voters to cast their votes… Continue reading

Clinical Trials for MTBVAC Tuberculosis Vaccine in India

What is the news? Bharat Biotech, in collaboration with Spanish biopharmaceutical company Biofabri, has initiated clinical trials for the Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Vaccine (MTBVAC) in India, marking a significant milestone in TB vaccine development. The only currently available TB vaccine, the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine (BCG), was developed 100 years ago and is less effective. About MTBVAC… Continue reading

[pib] Project ANAGRANINF

What is the news? The Technology Development Board (TDB) has allocated a grant of ₹75 Lakhs for the project “ANAGRANINF – Development of a Novel Class of Antibiotics against Gram-Negative Bacterial-Infections,” totalling ₹1.5 crores. What is Project ANAGRANINF? Project ANAGRANINF is titled “Development of a Novel Class of Antibiotics Against Gram-Negative Bacterial-Infections.” It is a… Continue reading

ISRO successfully conducts ‘Pushpak’ Reusable Landing Vehicle Landing

What is the news? The ISRO has conducted the Pushpak Reusable Landing Vehicle (RLV) LEX 02 landing experiment at the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga. It was lifted by an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter and released from an altitude of 4.5 km. This experiment marks a significant milestone in ISRO’s pursuit of reusable space… Continue reading

[23 March 2024] The Hindu Op-ed: Two wars, the consequences for America’s standing

Relevance: GS II (International Relations) Prelims- Conflict zone with geographical location Mains- Impact of conflict over world Why in the news? The extent to which the Ukraine and Gaza wars will be influenced by U.S. election-year politics versus following their own course remains uncertain. The U.S. and the Ukraine War / Ukraine War influenced by… Continue reading

A turf war with the wild

Why in the news? Instances of human-animal conflict are on the rise in Kerala with the summer heat, scarcity of food, and loss of habitat forcing wild animals to stray into human habitations for sustenance. Context- Vulnerability of tribal communities living in such areas. While they have intricate knowledge of the forest and its resources,… Continue reading

China objects to US recognizing Arunachal as Indian Territory

Why in the news? China on Thursday said it firmly opposes the US recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as part of Indian territory Context- China’s strong reaction came hours after US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel’s remarks that the United States “recognises Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory. US representative strongly oppose any unilateral attempts… Continue reading

RBI finalises Omnibus Framework for SROs in regulated entities

Why in the news? The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday said it had finalised the Omnibus Framework for recognising Self-Regulatory Organisations (SRO) for its Regulated Entities. The key features of the Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO)- Omnibus Framework: The RBI has finalized an omnibus framework for recognizing Self-Regulatory Organizations (SROs) for regulated entities. This framework… Continue reading

Startups ‘reverse flip’: Pine Labs, Zepto, Meesho in queue for India return

Why in the news? Pine Labs and Zepto are the latest new-age companies looking to move headquarters to India. Context- There is a significant surge in reverse flipping within India’s startup scene, characterized by a growing trend of startups choosing to relocate their headquarters or establish a presence in the country. What is Reverse Flipping… Continue reading

Subduction Zone discovered beneath Gibraltar Strait

What is the news? Scientists in Portugal have uncovered a concerning revelation about the fate of the Atlantic Ocean, highlighting a potential ‘Ring of Fire’ (a Subduction Zone). Researchers caution that the Atlantic may be on the brink of closure due to subduction activity. Why discuss this? Closure of Gibraltar Strait: Computer simulations project… Continue reading

What are Critical Minerals?

Why in the news? India is looking for cobalt and other critical minerals in Zambia, Namibia, Congo, Ghana and Mozambique. It is still engaging with Australia for lithium blocks. Critical minerals, including lithium and cobalt, are crucial for technology, manufacturing and other industries. What are Critical Minerals? Critical minerals are elements that are crucial to… Continue reading

Hate Speech: Interpreting Section 153A IPC

What is the news? The Supreme Court reiterated that to constitute an offence under Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the essential ingredient is to create a sense of enmity and disharmony amongst two or more groups or communities. Quite often, politicians are arrested under section 153 A of IPC for alleged hate… Continue reading

Story of Usha Mehta and the Secret Congress Radio

Why in the news? Recently premiered on an OTT Platform, the film “Ae Watan Mere Watan” delves into the narrative of Usha Mehta and Congress Radio during the Quit India Movement of 1942. Who was Usha Mehta (1920-2000)? Usha Mehta was born on March 25, 1920, in Mumbai, India. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of… Continue reading

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