GS2

GS-2 1.USTR Recently, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR)has said thatthe Digital services taxes adopted by India, Italy and Turkey discriminate againstUS companies and are inconsistent with international tax principles. THE OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE (USTR): It is responsible for developing and coordinating US …

GS-2 2.LONGITUDINAL AGEING STUDY OF INDIA Recently, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has released the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI) Wave-1 Report on the virtual platform. ABOUT LASI: It is a full scale national survey of scientific investigation of the health, economic, and social determinants and consequences of population ageing in India. It …

GS-2 2.SOLIDARITY AND STABILITY DEAL Recently, Gulf states signed a ‘solidarity and stability’ deal at the 41 Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit held in Al Ula, Saudi Arabia. SANCTION S ON QATAR: In June 2017, Saudi Arabia and its allies, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt severed ties …

GS-2 1.JUDICIAL REVIEW Recently, the Supreme Court (SC) refused to treat the Central Vista project as a unique one requiring greater or heightened judicial review. JUDICIAL REVIEW: It is a type of court proceeding in which a judge reviews the lawfulness of a decision or action made by a public …

GS-2 2. INDIGENOUSLY DEVELOPED DNA VACCINE CANDIDATE DBT-BIRAC supported indigenously developed DNA Vaccine Candidate by ZydusCadila, approved for Phase III clinical trials. IMPORTANT POINTS: India’s first indigenously developed DNA vaccine candidate against COVID-19, ZyCoV-D, by ZydusCadila has been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), for the conduct …

GS-2 5.INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF SECURITIES COMMISSIONS (IOSCO): The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has become an Associate Member of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO). IFSC IN INDIA: The first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in the country has been set up at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City …

GS-2 4.CHINA AMENDS DEFENCE LAW TO BOOST WAR PREPAREDNESS: China’s National Defence Law has been amended. KEY CHANGES: Gives the Central Military Commission (CMC) greater power in mobilising resources to protect a new and broader definition of what constitutes the national interest. Experts say the phrase “development interests” included the …

GS-2 4. CLEAR CONNECTION The termination charge for wireless to wireless domestic calls has been zeroed from January 1, 2021 onwards. Until now operators paid Interconnection Usage Charges (IUC) of 6 paise per minute on mobile calls. INTERCONNECTION USAGE CHARGES: Interconnection Usage Charges (IUC) is a charge paid by the …

GS-2 3. HEALTH MINISTRY PLANS COMMUNICATION STRATEGY The Union Ministry of Health has come up with an elaborate communication strategy to counter issues arising out of vaccine hesitancy, and ‘eagerness’ among the people. DETAILS: The strategy is structured to guide national, state and district level communication channels. The idea is …

GS-2 1. IFSCA BECOMES MEMBER OF IOSCO The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has become an Associate Member of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO). ABOUT IOSCO: The IOSCO is the international organization that brings together the world’s securities regulators, covering more than 95% of the world’s securities …