GLOBAL HUNGER COULD DOUBLE DUE TO COVID-19
Why in news? The number of people facing acute food insecurity could nearly double this year to 265 million, due to the economic fallout of COVID-19, the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) said on 21st April 2020. The impact of lost tourism revenues, falling remittances and travel and other restrictions linked to the coronavirus pandemic […]
SEBI SURVEILLANCE TILL MAY 28
Why in news? The tightened surveillance measures for stock markets, introduced on March 23 for a period of one month, have been extended until May 28. In a statement on 21st April, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) said the stock markets are expected to remain volatile in the near future on account of […]
ADDITIONAL TRADE BARRIERS VIOLATE WTO’S PRINCIPLE
Why in news? India’s recently adopted policy to curb opportunistic takeovers of domestic companies goes against the principles of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India said on 20th April 2020. This is the first response from the Chinese side after the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in an April […]
ENSURE WORKERS DOWNLOAD AAROGYA APP
Why in news? Central government organizations involved in construction, including various metro rail corporations, were instructed by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) to ensure that “all labour personnel/staff” returning to work from 20th April 2020 have downloaded the government’s COVID-19 tracking app — Aarogya Setu. Why was this needed? While the country remains in a […]
OPEN UP E-COM SERVICES: IAMAI
Why in news? The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) on 20th April 2020 said it had requested the government to open up e-commerce services, adding that the online vs offline debate is an ‘incorrect portrayal’ of the ground reality as lakhs of sellers from the physical markets also sold online. This follows the ‘last-minute […]
U.S. OIL PRICES FALL BELOW ZERO, GOES TO MINUS $37.63 PER BARREL
Why in news? Traders fled from the expiring May U.S. oil futures contract in a frenzy, this led to sending the contract into negative territory for the first time in history. May U.S. crude futures plunged to a depth never before seen, settling on the day at minus $37.63 a barrel. Why did this happen? […]
WHERE DOES COVID-19 VIRUS FIRST STRIKE?
Why in news? Scientists reported that they have identified two specific types of cells in the nose as the likely initial infection points for SARS-CoV2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. How does it work? The entry of the virus takes place by means of a “lock and key” effect. Like all coronaviruses, SARS-CoV2 consists […]
AT THE EDGE OF A NEW NUCLEAR ARMS RACE
Why in news? In mid-April, a report issued by the United States State Department on “Adherence to and Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments (Compliance Report)” raised concerns that China might be conducting nuclear tests with low yields at its Lop Nur test site, in violation of its Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty […]
NATURAL PRODUCT-BASED ALZHEIMER INHIBITOR
Why in news? JNCASR scientists have modified the structure of Berberine, a natural and cheap product similar to curcumin, available commercially, into Ber-D to use as an Alzheimer’s inhibitor. Details Berberine is poorly soluble and toxic to cells, so they had to modify berberine to Ber-D, which is a soluble (aqueous), antioxidant. Ber-D was found […]
K9 VAJRA-T Gun
The K9 VAJRA-T 155mm/ 52 is a tracked self-propelled howitzer (a short gun for firing shells on high trajectories at low velocities), which has its roots in the K9 Thunder, the mainstay of the South Korean Army. It offers a high rate of fire at long-range and is compatible with Indian and standard North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) ammunition. The K9 Thunder […]