Iran drops some of its key demands for Nuclear Pact

Iran has dropped some of its main demands on resurrecting a deal to rein in Tehran’s nuclear programme, including its insistence that international inspectors close some probes of its program, bringing the possibility of an Iran–US agreement closer. Which agreement is this article referring to? It is an alternative name of the Joint Comprehensive Plan… Continue reading

Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM)

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy has successfully flight-tested the indigenously developed Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. What is Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VLSRSAM) ? VL-SRSAM has been designed and developed jointly by… Continue reading

Equitable education and health care needed for better future

Context To create the foundation for the next century, we need to invest in equitable education and health care in the next 25 years not just for the elite, but for all. What is current status of education? Expenditure on Education: The expenses on education as a percentage to GDP, India lags behind some developed/… Continue reading

Tomato Flu cases found in India

With cases of tomato flu reported from at least four states — Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Odisha — the Union Health Ministry has issued a set of guidelines on prevention, testing, and treatment of the infection. Researchers believe that it is a different clinical presentation of hand-foot-and mouth disease (HFMD) caused by a group… Continue reading

Data diplomacy

Context The government has withdrawn the Personal Data Protection Bill from Parliament after several amendments were proposed by the Joint-Parliamentary Committee. Definition of data Data is a collection of discrete values that convey information, describing quantity, quality, fact, statistics, other basic units of meaning, or simply sequences of symbols that may be further interpreted. What… Continue reading

Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC): the Digital Rupee

Reports have said the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) digital rupee — the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) — may be introduced in phases beginning with wholesale businesses in the current financial year. What is Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)? CBDC is a central bank issued digital currency which is backed by some kind of… Continue reading

What are Cloudbursts? Why are they rising across India?

Over 20 people have been killed in destruction caused by cloudbursts and flash floods in different parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand over the last three days. What are Cloudbursts? A cloudburst is a localised but intense rainfall activity. Short spells of very heavy rainfall over a small geographical area can cause widespread destruction, especially… Continue reading

Pandurang Khankhoje: Ghadarite revolutionary and a hero of Mexico

Lok Sabha Speaker, who is currently in Canada for the 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, will travel to Mexico where he will unveil statues of Swami Vivekananda and Maharashtra-born freedom fighter and agriculturalist Pandurang Khankhoje. Who was Pandurang Khankhoje (1883-1967)? Born in Wardha, Maharashtra, in the late 19th century, Pandurang Khankhoje came in contact with other… Continue reading

Tribute to women freedom fighters

Context Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech underlined the role of women veeranganas in our freedom movement. The initiative highlighting the brave women of our freedom struggle, under the broader celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, will mark a turning point in Indian feminist history writing from an Indic perspective. What veerangana means? Veerangana means a… Continue reading

‘Kerala Savari’: India’s first online taxi service as a public option

Kerala has soft launched ‘Kerala Savari’, the country’s first online taxi service owned by a State government, to ensure fair and decent service to passengers along with fair remuneration to auto-taxi workers. What is Kerala Savari? Operated by the Motor Workers Welfare Board under the aegis of the Labour Department, the Kerala Savari ensures safe… Continue reading

Tigray Crisis in Ethiopia

The director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), described the Tigray crisis region as the “worst humanitarian disaster on earth”. What is the news? Ethiopia has been on the brink of a civil war. On Nov 4 2020, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declared war on the country’s Tigray region. The Tigray region is ruled by… Continue reading

Anganwadi scheme

Context The economic fallout of COVID-19 makes the necessity of quality public welfare services more pressing than ever. The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme is one such scheme. What is ICDS? ICDS caters to the nutrition, health and pre-education needs of children till six years of age as well as the health and nutrition… Continue reading

What is India’s policy on the Rohingya?

In a major boost to India’s policy on the Rohingya, the MHA would shift Rohingya refugees to flats meant for EWS in Delhi. Why in news? This is seen as a response to the fundamentalists who claims that the NRC, CAA are against any particular community. India respects & follows the UN Refugee Convention 1951… Continue reading

Kashmir Voters’ List Upgrade to include Non-Locals

Kashmir Voters’ List Upgrade to include Non-Locals Recently the J&K Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) announced that anyone “who is living ordinarily in J&K” can avail the opportunity to get enlisted as a voter in the Union Territory in accordance with the provisions of the Representation of the People Act. Why in news? Many people who… Continue reading

Delhi Police’s use of Facial Recognition Technology

A Right to Information (RTI) response revealed that the Delhi Police treats matches of above 80% similarity generated by its facial recognition technology (FRT) system as positive results. Why in news? India has seen the rapid deployment of facial recognition technology (FRT) in recent years, both by the Union and State governments, without putting in… Continue reading

What’s at stake in talks for a UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA)?

India and the UK recently revived talks for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to encourage trade and investment. The FTA between India and UK is expected to be signed by October. What is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)? It is an agreement between two or more countries to minimize barriers to imports and exports of… Continue reading

What is ‘Mandala’ in Art?

Some residents of Liverpool in the UK are marveling over a mandala art the size of one and a half football pitches in length created by artist James Brunt with materials such as leaves and rocks. What is Mandala Art? Literally meaning “circle” or “centre” in Sanskrit, a mandala art is defined by a geometric… Continue reading

SC uphold PMLA amendments

Context At least 17 Opposition parties have dubbed as “dangerous” the recent Supreme Court judgement upholding amendments made in 2019 to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), giving more powers to agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED). What are the concerns for this verdict? Violate fundamental rights: Petitions were filed against the amendments,… Continue reading

Indian team deliberating on Ocean Diversity Pact

A delegation from India and other member countries of the UN are in New York to deliberate on a one-of-its-kind agreement to conserve marine biodiversity in the high seas, namely the oceans that extend beyond countries’ territorial waters. What is the news? The agreement follows a resolution by the UN General Assembly. The pact is… Continue reading

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