The Kochi landfill site around Brahmapuram that caught fire is a stark reminder that Indian cities need to be prepared for more such incidents as summer approaches. What are landfills? A landfill is an area of land that is used to dump garbage, either directly on the ground (landraising) or filling an unwanted hole in …

Key details: The Singapore Army and Indian Army participated in the 13th edition of Exercise Bold Kurukshetra. It is a bilateral armour exercise. For the first time in the exercise series, both armies participated in a command post Exercise, which involved Battalion and Brigade level planning elements and computer wargaming. Exercise Bold Kurukshetra is conducted under the ambit of the bilateral arrangement for the joint Army Training …

With a win for Best Original Song for ‘Naatu Naatu’ at the 2023 Oscars, the Telugu movie ‘RRR’ is garnering attention on the global stage. Its story and characters have roots in real historical figures, inspired by the lives of Indian freedom fighters Alluri Sitharama Raju. Key details: Both men …

Members of the transgender community, moved the Supreme Court seeking to strike down the prohibition on gay and transgender people donating blood in the country. The Centre justified their exclusion by asserting that their inclusion in the “at-risk” category for HIV, Hepatitis B, or C infections is premised on scientific evidence. The ban on blood donations by gay people …

The Punjab government has cancelled the 813 gun licenses across the state in a bid to clamp down on the “gun culture” in the state. The Indian Arms Act of 1959 scrapped the erstwhile Act of 1878. The Act of 1878 passed by the British in the aftermath of the 1857 mutiny, restricted Indians from …

Oscar awards were held recently. About the awards: These awards are also known as the Academy Awards. These are given for artistic and technical merit for the American film industry. It is given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony. What is the Academy? The Academy of Motion Picture Arts …

Indian Navy’s indigenously built guided missile frigate, INS Sahyadri participated in a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with French Navy. Other exercises with France: Shakti Exercise: Between the armies of India and France. Ex Varuna: Bilateral Naval exercise INS Sahyadri: INS Sahyadri is the Shivalik-class advanced, stealth-minded, guided-missile frigate warship. It was built by …

Researchers have created a design for a ‘glowscope’, a device that could democratise access to fluorescence microscopy. An optical microscope views an object by studying how it absorbs, reflects or scatters visible light. A fluorescence microscope views an object by studying how it re-emits light that it has absorbed, i.e. how it fluoresces. The process: The object is illuminated with light …

K. Prime Minister is heading to San Diego to finalise the AUKUS deal. It is a trilateral security partnership between Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. that will provide nuclear-powered submarines to Australia. It will also to work together in the Indo-Pacific region, where the rise of China is seen as an increasing threat, and develop wider technologies. Their aim is not to arm the new submarines with …

Also known as burnout culture and grind culture, hustle culture refers to the mentality that one must work all day every day in pursuit of their professional goals. Hustle culture is a lifestyle of someone who continues to work and only rests for a short time. This is done because those who run the culture feel that …

Over the last decade, regulators and corporations around the world have embraced the idea of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance). What is ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance)? ESG is a framework that helps stakeholders understand how an organization is managing risks and opportunities related to environmental, social, and governance criteria. ESG takes the holistic view that sustainability extends beyond just …

Unity is meaningless without the accompaniment of women. Education is fruitless without educated women and agitation is incomplete without the strength of women. This quote is given by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Unity is meaningless without the accompaniment of women. Here unity is stressed as an aspirational ideal. But the role of women is also highlighted, …

Bhutan becomes the seventh nation to graduate from the United Nations’ (UN) list of Least Developed Countries (LDC). What is a Least Developed Country (LDC)? The LDCs are developing countries listed by the UN that exhibit the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development. According to the UN, an LDC is defined as a country that exhibits …

The Supreme Court rejected some applications for ‘compassionate appointment’ that were filed by the dependents of deceased government employees in West Bengal. The concept of compassionate appointments can be traced to the Indian Constitution’s Article 39, which is under the Directive Principles of State Policy, and talks about the right to livelihood. …

Stepping up from its ongoing initiative of providing potable water on six islands of Lakshadweep using low temperature thermal desalination (LTTD) technology, the Chennai-based National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) is working at making this process free of emissions. Key details: Currently, the desalination plants are powered by diesel generator sets — …

Australia’s High Commissioner visits Jarracharra: Dry Season Wind Exhibition of Australian Textiles at National Crafts Museum. ‘Jarracharra: Dry Season Wind’ exhibition is organized by Ministry of Textile and Australian High Commission It showcases a powerful collection of Aboriginal women’s textile art from the Maningrida region in Western Arnhem Land, Australia. This exhibition features women pushing artistic barriers to depict ancient …

In a historic step to make Lakhpati Didis from the Self Help Groups (SHGs), Ministry of Rural Development signs MoU with Ministry of Ayush for skilling of rural youth and empowering women Under the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ (Women with annual earnings of Rs. 1 lakh and more) scheme for women belonging to Self Help …

Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy informed that under the scheme a total 2.86 crore households have been electrified. Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana – Saubhagya  was launched in 2017. Achieving universal household electrification, by providing electricity connections to all un-electrified households in rural areas and all poor households in urban areas in the country. …

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy informed the Lok Sabha about the progress of Atal Jyoti Yojana. Atal Jyoti Yojana (AJAY) is a sub-scheme under Off- Grid and Decentralized Solar Application Scheme. It comes under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). Aim: Under AJAY, Solar LED Lights are being installed in rural, semi-urban and urban areas which don’t have adequate …

Minister for State  for Ministry of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences informed Lok Sabha that Deep Ocean Mission would not result in any over exploitation of the marine resources by the corporate houses and will not affect the life and livelihoods of fishers in the country. The mission is …