Recently the 12th Annual Day of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) was observed on 20th May. Important points: Competition Commission of India is a statutory body responsible for enforcing the objectives of the Competition Act, 2002. CCI was established by the Central Government with effect from 14th October 2003, but it became fully functional on 20th May, 2009. A Chairperson and 6 Members appointed by the Central Government. The CCI was …

A new research in zebrafish has demonstrated how induced hibernation (torpor) may protect humans from the elements of space, especially radiation, during space flight. Important points: The researchers exposed zebrafish to radiation like what would be experienced on a six-month journey to Mars. They observed signs of oxidative stress (imbalance between antioxidants and free radicals), DNA damage, stress hormone signaling …

Recently, two US officials have shown symptoms of a mystery illness that is linked to Havana Syndrome. In 2020, a report by the National Academies of Sciences (NAS), US found directed microwave radiation to be the plausible cause of the Havana syndrome. Increasing number of cases is being considered a mass psychogenic illness. Mass psychogenic illness is when people in a group start feeling …

Recently, Lithuania quit China’s 17+1 cooperation forum with central and eastern Europe, by calling it “divisive”, now it is 16+1. Lithuania (Baltic Country) urged other EU (European Union) members to pursue “a much more effective 27+1 approach and communication with China.” Important points: The 17+1 (China and Central and Eastern Europe Countries) initiative is a China-led format founded in 2012 in Budapest with an aim to expand cooperation between Beijing and …

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has formulated Kharif Strategy 2021 to achieve self-sufficiency in edible oils. Kharif Season Crops are sown from June to July and Harvesting is done in between September-October. Crops are: Rice, maize, jowar, bajra, tur, moong, urad, cotton, jute, groundnut, soyabean etc. States are: Assam, West Bengal, coastal regions of …

Recently, the United Arab Emirates announced an offer to host the 28th session of Conference of Parties (COP 28) to the UNFCCC in Abu Dhabi in 2023. COP 26 was postponed in 2020 and will take place in Glasgow, UK in November 2021. Important points: The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), signed in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development also known as the Earth Summit, the Rio Summit or the …

Recently, the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) released its Net Zero Emissions (NZE) Roadmap – named ‘Net Zero by 2050’. It is the World’s first comprehensive energy roadmap which comes ahead of the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) 26 climate change convention in Glasgow, Scotland in November 2021. ‘Net zero emissions’ refers to achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gas emissions …

Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has sent a notice to WhatsApp asking it to withdraw a controversial update to its privacy policy which might be a threat to Data Protection of Indians. Important points: According to WhatsApp’s updated privacy policy, users would no longer be able to stop the app from sharing data (such as …

As the central government asks states to notify black fungus or mucormycosis an epidemic, an infection called white fungus or Candidiasis has also been found to affect some people. Covid-19 patients are more prone to white fungus as it affects the lungs and similar symptoms are created like that of coronavirus. Black fungus is a serious …

In view of Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will give transgender persons a one-time financial assistance of Rs. 1,500. Important points: Immediate subsistence assistance to trans persons would be given through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), for which beneficiaries can register with the National Institute of Social Defence. NISD is an Autonomous Body and is registered under Societies …