In News The latest mutation of the coronavirus variant, AY4.2 is “very infrequent” in India, according to a report by the India SARS-CoV-2 Genome Consortium (INSACOG). Key Points Delta (B.1.617.2) and its related sublineages (AY that numbered till 35) continues to be the main Variant of Concern (VOC) in India. No new VOI (Variant of […]
In News The new National Water Policy (NWP) calls for a multi-disciplinary, multi-stakeholder approach to water management. Background In November 2019, the Ministry of Jal Shakti had set up a committee to draft the new National Water Policy (NWP). This was the first time that the government asked a committee of independent experts to draft […]
In News Recently, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister directed state police to file sedition charges against those celebrating Pakistan’s victory over India in the recent T20 World Cup match. About The sedition charge under IPC Section 124-A has now been added against the students and they earlier faced charges under IPC Sections 153-A (promoting enmity […]
In News Recently, UNESCO, World Resources Institute (WRI) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released World Heritage forests: Carbon sinks under pressure. It provides the first global scientific assessment of greenhouse gas emissions and sequestration by forests in UNESCO World Heritage sites. It is combining satellite-derived data with monitoring information at the site […]
In Context A technique based on ‘Autosomal DNA’ has been used for the first time to identify the great-grandson and closest living relative of Sitting Bull. Sitting Bull is a prominent 19th-century Native American leader. He is most famous for his victory over US General George Armstrong Custer in the Battle of the Little Bighorn […]
In News Recently, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) has carried out a first-of-its-kind district-level climate vulnerability assessment, or Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI). About CEEW is an environmental think tank. The index is published in a report titled “Mapping India’s Climate Vulnerability – A District-level Assessment”. In this index, CEEW has analysed 640 districts […]
In News Recently, the Centre has proposed amendments to the Registration of Births and Deaths Act (RBD), 1969. Presently, the registration of births and deaths is done by the local registrar appointed by States. Need For Amendment A few state governments have reported issuance of fake birth and death certificates including misuse of user and […]
In News Snap, the parent company for Snapchat, sees Augmented Reality (AR) as the next big driver for growth and increasing adoption in the market. Augmented Reality: Definition It is the technology that superimposes an image onto a user’s view of the real world and enhances it with sound, touch, and even smell. It is […]
In News The Government of India has applied for loans from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to procure as many as 667 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Background The vaccines will be purchased by the Government of India through a competitive process and the ADB will be administering […]
Indian Express Subject Pg No Headlines Relevance for Prelims and Mains GS 3 1 90% with Covid antibodies in Delhi’s latest sero survey (Health) What are antibodies? What is sero survey? What does the current trend signify? GS 2 1 China’s unilateral decision to bring new land border law is of concern to us: India […]