9 PM Current Affairs Brief – March 11, 2019

U.S. moves to get China’s support for listing Masood Azhar as a terrorist The United States is pursuing China to support the listing of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) Chief Masood Azhar by the UNSC 1267 Committee. The US, the UK and France have moved a fresh proposal in the UN Security Council to designate Pakistan-based terror group… Continue reading U.S. moves to get China’s support for listing Masood Azhar as a terrorist

When pharma cos. don’t pay up penalties Drug pricing regulator,the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA),had imposed penalties on pharmaceutical companies that have been found overcharging consumers on the prices of medicines.It was issued under the provisions of the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO). As per DPCO provisions,companies are liable to deposit overcharged amount for these… Continue reading When pharma cos. don’t pay up penalties

Lok Sabha polls from April 11 to May 19 Election Commission has announced that voting to elect the 17th Lok Sabha (LS) will be held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19 and the counting of votes will take place on May 23. With the announcement of the election schedule,the model code of… Continue reading Lok Sabha polls from April 11 to May 19

Sukhois hobbled by lack of blast pens near LoC According to a report,Sukhois(Su-30) couldn’t be stationed in forward areas near Line of Control(LOC) during Aerial Combat between India and Pakistan.It was because of bureaucratic delay in constructing ‘hard shelter’s also known as ‘blast pens’. Blast pens are shelter to house fighter-type aircraft and provide protection… Continue reading Sukhois hobbled by lack of blast pens near LoC

India puts off Pak visit for Indus basin inspection A visit by the Indian team to Pakistan for inspection of projects in the Indus River Basin has been postponed. The visit was scheduled in March 2019. The Pakistani team had visited India in January 2019 At 115th meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission held in… Continue reading India puts off Pak visit for Indus basin inspection

Election Commission ducks issue of greater VVPAT usage The Chief Election Commissioner has said that committee on feasible threshold for VVPAT counting would submit its report before the conclusion of the Lok Sabha election 2019. The Election Commission of India had appointed a high-powered committee from the Indian Statistical Institute to devise a ‘scientific formula’… Continue reading Election Commission ducks issue of greater VVPAT usage

North Koreans vote for Parliament with ‘single-minded unity’ Elections for the Supreme People’s Assembly has been recently held in North Korea. The Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) is a rubber-stamp body with no power. It is the only legislative body in North Korea. The election for SPA is held every five years. The Parliament has three… Continue reading North Koreans vote for Parliament with ‘single-minded unity’

In Assam’s tea state, an uphill battle against a killer brew Recently, 168 people died in Golaghat and Jorhat districts of Assam after consuming illicit alcohol. Illicit alcohol is produced under unregulated circumstances and is often adulterated with chemicals like methanol, organo-phosphorus compounds and ethanol to save costs. The deaths in Assam had been due… Continue reading In Assam’s tea state, an uphill battle against a killer brew

Cloud seeding to be back in Karnataka for two monsoons The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department of Karnataka has called tenders for cloud seeding operations to enhance rainfall during the monsoons of 2019 and 2020. This decision for cloud seeding comes in the backdrop of deficient rainfall in 2018-19 and consequent drought in 176… Continue reading Cloud seeding to be back in Karnataka for two monsoons

The mysterious disappearance of tigress F03 The Assam Forest Department has been unable to trap a Royal Bengal Tigress, named as F03. The tigress had strayed out the Orang National Park more than a year ago. The Orang National Park is also known as Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park.  It is located on the north… Continue reading The mysterious disappearance of tigress F03

May’s Brexit deal faces another defeat British Prime Minister is set to face another Brexit deal defeat after two major eurosceptic factions in UK parliament have said that they would vote against her deal.It was because she had failed to get any concessions from the European Union(EU).A Eurosceptic is someone who is opposed to closer… Continue reading May’s Brexit deal faces another defeat

India asks Saudi to invest in strategic oil storage India has been seeking investment from Saudi Arabia to build strategic crude oil reserves.It will act as a buffer against volatility in oil prices and supply disruptions. Strategic crude oil reserves,which are state-funded and meant to tackle emergency situations,allow a country to counter short-term supply disruptions.… Continue reading India asks Saudi to invest in strategic oil storage

Relevance of proof matters, not means The Supreme Court has disagreed with the government’s view that the documents relied on by petitioners were inadmissible since they were stolen.A petition have been filed in the Supreme court to review its earlier refusal to order an investigation into the Rafale deal. Supreme Court has said that the… Continue reading Relevance of proof matters, not means