9 PM Current Affairs Brief – December 4, 2018

Weak El Nino conditions developing in the Pacific this winter: IMD News According to an India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast there is a strong possibility of weak El Nino conditions developing during the current winter season. Important facts: IMD Observations: Equatorial sea surface temperatures across most the Pacific Ocean show an increasing trend. There is… Continue reading Weak El Nino conditions developing in the Pacific this winter: IMD

Beyond Binaries Article: The article discusses the plight of transgender community in India Important Analysis: Who are transgenders? Transgenders are people whose gender identity or expression does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. They are referred to as transsexuals if they desire medical assistance in order to make the transition from one biological… Continue reading Beyond Binaries

International Disability Day. News: India celebrated International Disability Day on 3rd December. Facts: 2018 Theme: Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality It is organised by National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) and American India Foundation(AIF). International Day of Disabled Persons was proclaimed in 1992, by the United Nations… Continue reading International Disability Day.

The boundaries of ethics News: In November 2018, Chinese researcher He Jainkui claimed to have made world’s first gene edited babies, a pair of twin girls, genetically edited with CRISPR/cas9 Important Facts Researcher He have used a gene-editing technique, known as CRISPR, to artificially induce a mutation in human cells and make them resistant to… Continue reading The boundaries of ethics

Govt may ban antibiotic colistin used to fatten chicken News: The government has proposed a ban on the use of antibiotic Colistin that is widely used in the meat and poultry industry in India to make animals grow faster. Facts: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, and Ministry of health and family welfare and… Continue reading Govt may ban antibiotic colistin used to fatten chicken

MHA releases booklet on cyberbullying News: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) releases booklet “Cyber Dost” on cyberbullying for teens Facts: The booklet, with graphics, in English deal with a variety of subjects like cyber threats, cyber bullying, cyber grooming, online gaming and email fraud among others It advices youngsters not to forward or share any… Continue reading MHA releases booklet on cyberbullying

Soyuz heads to ISS News: A Russian Soyuz spacecraft has taken off from Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half-month mission on the International Space Station Facts: A Soyuz rocket carrying Russian, American and Canadian astronauts took off from Kazakhstan for six-and-a-half-month-long mission to the International Space Station A Soyuz rocket carrying the first Russian woman (Oleg Kononenko)… Continue reading Soyuz heads to ISS

5.8-tonne GSAT-11 ready for launch News: India’s heaviest satellite, GSAT-11, is set for lift-off on a European Space Agency rocket from French Guiana. Facts: Gsat-11 is a high-throughput communication satellite meant to provide multi-spot beambroadband connectivity over India’s mainland and nearby islands A spot beam is a satellite signal that is especially concentrated so that… Continue reading 5.8-tonne GSAT-11 ready for launch

Services agree on Permanent Chair News: According to Chief of the Naval Staff, the three services- Army, Navy and Air force have agreed on the appointment of a Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC) Important facts What is CoSC? The CoSC is like a forum where head of three services come together… Continue reading Services agree on Permanent Chair