9 PM Current Affairs Brief – February 16, 2019

India revokes Pak.’s MFN status day after terrorist strike in J&K India has revoked the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan in the aftermath of the terror attacks in Pulwama. Most Favoured Nation is a treatment accorded to a trade partner to ensure non-discriminatory trade between two countries vis-a-vis other trade partners. Under WTO… Continue reading India revokes Pak.’s MFN status day after terrorist strike in J&K

No change in China’s stance China has declined to back India’s appeal to list Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the United Nations following Pulwama attack. China has repeatedly used its veto power at 15 member UN Security council(UNSC) to block the listing of Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the… Continue reading No change in China’s stance

Why only bureaucrats on information panels, asks SC Supreme court raised concerns over how government employees or retired ones had consistently been found more suitable than eminent persons from other walks of life as Information commissioners. The Right to Information Act of 2005 was enacted to ensure accountability in governance.The act itself requires people from… Continue reading Why only bureaucrats on information panels, asks SC

Amrut Cities–Municipal Corporations of Raigarh, Ambikapur, and Kumbakonam Bag Top Swachhata Excellence Awards AMRUT cities and Municipal Corporations of Raigarh, Ambikapur and Kumbakonam have bagged the first, second and third prizes respectively of Swachhata Excellence awards 2019. DAY-NULM Swachhata Excellence Awards have been instituted by Ministry of Housing and urban affairs to recognize the Urban… Continue reading Amrut Cities–Municipal Corporations of Raigarh, Ambikapur, and Kumbakonam Bag Top Swachhata Excellence Awards

A lifetime of finding genes to counter heart disease Geneticist Helen Hobbs found that when people had a mutation in PCSK9, they ended up with lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol.This mechanism of mutation protected people against heart disease without any side effects. She had won the 2016 Breakthrough Prize in Life… Continue reading A lifetime of finding genes to counter heart disease