With the situation worsening in violence-hit Manipur, the state government authorised all District Magistrates to issue “shoot at sight orders” in “extreme cases”. A shoot-at-sight or firing order may be passed in terms of the statutory powers relating to the arrest or prevention of offences or for disbanding unlawful assemblies under the CrPC, 1973. Section 144 of the CrPC enables …

Secretary, the Ministry of MSME presided over BizAmp, an outreach programme organized by the Ministry of MSME. It was organized in association with NSIC Venture Capital Fund Limited (NVCFL) under its Self Reliant India (SRI) Fund. Aim: The programme, aimed at empowering MSMEs from the North Eastern States and amplifying their businesses utilizing benefits under SRI Fund. BizAmp is the first …

The penumbral lunar eclipse happened recently. A penumbral lunar eclipse is a celestial event that occurs when the moon passes through the outer part of the Earth’s shadow, known as the penumbra. Although it is not as visually striking as a total or partial lunar eclipse. During a penumbral lunar eclipse, the alignment of the Earth, Moon, …

Go Airlines (India) Ltd (Go First) said that it was filing for voluntary insolvency proceedings with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) What is insolvency? Insolvency is a state of financial distress for an individual or company. It occurs when that entity is no longer able to meet the financial obligations they have agreed upon with …

Odisha is preparing for the first cyclone of 2023, Cyclone Mocha. It is expected to form over the Bay of Bengal. Odisha is particularly vulnerable to cyclones. The 1999 super cyclone that hit Odisha was one of the deadliest natural disasters in Indian history. The cyclone made landfall with wind speeds of up to 260 kmph, causing massive destruction and claiming …

A new portal dedicated to leopards (Panthera pardus) was launched by a predator conservation working group, on International Leopard Day, 2023 to promote and celebrate leopards worldwide. The leopard is one of the five extant species in the genus Panthera. It is a member of the cat family, Felidae. Range: Sub-Saharan Africa Western and …

The Supreme Court agreed to take up Muslim women’s petitions challenging the validity of talaq-e-hasan under the Muslim personal law. What is Talaq-e-Hasan? In Islam, Talaq-e-Hasan is an extra-judicial form of divorce that can be practised by men. Under Muslim personal laws, this form of divorce is revocable. Talaq-e-Hasan is considered to be approved by …

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in its latest update revealed that among the 1,47,517 listed animal species, 41,459 are threatened with extinction including the King Cobra. The reptile is a threatened species in India and was added to the Red List over a decade ago, in 2011. The Agumbe Rainforest Research Station (ARRS) has …

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard seized a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Key details: The Strait of Hormuz is a strait between the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It provides the only sea passage from the Arabian Gulf to the open ocean. It is one of the world’s most strategically important choke points. …

An investigation revealed that more than half — 16 — of India’s 30 national sports federations do not have an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), a legal requirement under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act, 2013. As many as 16 of the 30 national sports federations of disciplines in which India has …

In the past decade, debt-for-climate swaps have grown relatively popular among low- and middle-income countries. Debt-for-climate swaps allow countries to reduce their debt obligations in exchange for a commitment to finance domestic climate projects with the freed-up financial resources. It was introduced as a debt restructuring device that aims to combat climate change by ensuring that debt-ridden countries do …

A government panel that looked into allegations of sexual harassment by some of the nation’s top wrestlers against Wrestling Federation of India chief found that there was no Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), as mandated by law under the 2013 Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act. As many as 16 of the …

An India Habitat Trust team is conducting a survey of the critically-endangered grassland species Bengal Florican at Dudhwa National Park. The Bengal florican: It has not been spotted for last few years now indicating a fall in numbers or extinction. The Bengal florican  also called the Bengal bustard, is a bustard species. It is native to the Indian subcontinent, Cambodia, …

India slips in press freedom index, ranks 161 out of 180 nations In 2022, India was ranked at 150. Comparison with neighbours: In comparison, Pakistan has fared better when it comes to media freedom as it was placed at 150. Sri Lanka also made significant improvement on the index, ranking 135th this year as against 146th in 2022. Norway, Ireland and Denmark occupied the top …

Brazilian government has promised to speed up the expulsion of illegal miners in the country’s largest indigenous territory, Yanomami. Yanomami region stretches across Roraima and Amazonas states in the northwest corner of Brazil’s Amazon. It has been a subject of interest for illegal gold miners for decades. 20 per cent of the Yanomami community died due to violence, the spread of diseases and damage to the …

AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd said it has received an approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for the cancer drug trastuzumab deruxtecan for treatment of metastatic breast cancer. The company has been granted approval to import and market trastuzumab deruxtecan used in the treatment of select “HER-2 positive” breast cancer. Globally, trastuzumab deruxtecan is approved in more than 40 countries, including …

A host of Cadbury chocolates have been recalled in the United Kingdom over fears of potential contamination by Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that causes infection with flu-like symptoms. Listeriosis is a serious infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The bacteria exists in the environment. It is found in water, soil and some animals’ intestines. While these …

Government launches Vivad se Vishwas scheme for relief to MSMEs for COVID-19 period, as announced in the Union Budget 2023-24 Under the scheme, Ministries have been asked to refund performance security, bid security and liquidated damages forfeited/ deducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Certain relief has also been provided to MSMEs debarred for default in execution of contracts during the …

A Union Minister said that “Mission Karmayogi”, launched by Prime Minister had institutionalised the process of capacity building, particularly for the benefit of civil servants It was launched in 2020. Mission Karmayogi is a National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCP). The programme aims at building a future-ready civil service with the right …

The recent strike by Zomato-owned Blinkit delivery agents has once again brought to the forefront issues plaguing the gig economy in the country. Who is a ‘gig worker’? Gig workers refer to workers outside of the traditional employer-employee relationship. When gig workers use online algorithmic matching platforms or apps to connect with customers, they are called platform …