INDIA RECORDS LESS THAN 100 TIGER DEATHS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THREE YEARS
Why in News? For the first time in the past three years, the number of tiger deaths in a year in the country has been less than 100: Ministry of Forest Environment and Climate Change (MoEFCC) More about NTCA The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 was amended in 2006 to provide for constituting the National […]
EC LAUNCHES INLINE TRACKING SYSTEM FOR POLITICAL PARTIES
Why in News? The Election Commission has launched a new online tracking system for political parties, which will allow them to track their registration applications submitted to the poll panel on a real-time basis. The new system, Political Parties Registration Tracking Management System (PPRTMS), will apply for parties registering from January 1, 2020. What is […]
GURU GOBIND SINGH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED
Born in 1666, Guru Gobind Singh is considered to be one of the most celebrated of all Sikh gurus. About: Guru Gobind Singh (1666 – 1708), was the tenth Sikh Guru, warrior, poet and philosopher. He was born as Gobind Rai as the son of Guru Tegh Bahadur. Khalsa: He founded the Sikh warrior […]
ISRO: GAGANYAAN AND CHANDRAYAAN-3 IN MISSION MODE
Mission Gaganyaan: Under the Gaganyaan schedule, three flights will be sent in orbit. Of the three, there will be two unmanned flights and one human spaceflight. The human space flight programme, called the Orbital Module will have three Indian astronauts, including a woman. It will circle Earth at a low-earth-orbit at an altitude of 300-400 […]
INDIA SET TO PARTICIPATE IN WHO’S MEDICINE TRIAL
Focus: GS-III Science and Technology Why in news? India is all set to join World Health Organisation’s “Solidarity trial” aimed at rapid global search for drugs to treat COVID-19. The country has stayed away so far from this multi-country trial “due to its small sample size and because our contribution would have looked minuscule,” said […]
GERMAN RESEARCHERS PLAN MASS IMMUNITY STUDY TO TRACK CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 SPREAD
Focus: GS-III Disaster Management Why in news? German researchers plan to regularly test over 100,000 people to see if they have overcome infection with coronavirus (COVID-19) to track its spread, an institute behind the plan confirmed on 27th March 2020. You could give immune people something similar to a vaccination certificate that could allow them […]
MOODY’S CUTS INDIA GDP GROWTH FORECAST
Focus: GS-III Indian Economy, Prelims Why in news? Moody’s Investors Service sharply cut India’s growth forecast for calendar 2020 to 2.5% from 5.3% estimated barely 10 days ago after the government ordered a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The ratings company estimates a 5% growth for calendar 2019. Global Economy may […]
WORLD IS NOW IN RECESSION: IMF
Focus: GS-III Indian Economy, Prelims Why in news? The COVID-19 pandemic has driven the global economy into a downturn that will require massive funding to help developing nations, IMF chief said on 27th March 2020. Highlights Over 80 countries, mostly with low incomes, have already requested emergency aid from the International Monetary Fund. $2.2 trillion […]
SUPREME COURT RELAXES BS-IV DEADLINE
Focus: GS-III Environment and Ecology Why in news? In a relief to automobile dealers, the Supreme Court on 27th March extended the March 31, 2020 deadline for the sale and registration of BS-IV emission norm-compliant vehicles because of the “extraordinary” situation arising out of the 21-day COVID-19 lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The court […]
RBI CUTS RATES, ALLOWS LOAN MORATORIUM
Focus: GS-III Indian Economy Why in news? The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has opened up the liquidity floodgates for banks even as it reduced the key interest rate sharply by 75 bps and allowed equated monthly instalments (EMIs) to be deferred by three months in a move to fight the economic impact of the […]