9 PM Current Affairs Brief – March 13, 2019

HC reserves verdict on plea against BCCI representing India The Madras High Court has reserved its order on a PIL seeking direction to authorities for initiating legal action against the BCCI. The petitioner said that BCCI has no authority to represent the country at international events without the government’s approval. The petitioner contended that (a)BCCI… Continue reading HC reserves verdict on plea against BCCI representing India

U.K. yet to act on our requests for attachment of assets: ED Enforcement Directorate(ED) has said that the United Kingdom(UK) have not taken any action on the requests of ED for attachment of assets and Non-bailable warrant(NBW) against the fugitive diamond dealer Nirav Modi. Earlier, sED had started investigations against Nirav Modi under the Prevention… Continue reading U.K. yet to act on our requests for attachment of assets: ED

D-day for Azhar’s UNSC listing: all eyes on China The United Nations Security Council’s 1267 committee will decide on designation of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar under the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee. The proposal to designate Masood Azhar was moved by France, UK and the US. It is the fourth such bid at the UN in… Continue reading D-day for Azhar’s UNSC listing: all eyes on China

We cannot kill jobs in firecracker industry, says Supreme Court The Supreme Court said that it cannot ban firecrackers as it would deprive the livelihood of lakhs of families dependent on manufacturing firecrackers by creating unemployment. The court asked the authorities to conduct a comparative study to identify the proportionate levels of pollution caused by… Continue reading We cannot kill jobs in firecracker industry, says Supreme Court

‘Xinjiang camps for jobs, education’ Chinese official has rejected allegations of internment camps in Xinjiang region. The response comes in the backdrop of estimates cited by a UN panel. The UN panel has reported that nearly one million Uighurs are being held in detention centres in Xinjiang. Xinjiang is an administrative region in north-western China.… Continue reading ‘Xinjiang camps for jobs, education’

Thakurani Jatra festival kicks off The Thakurani jatra festival has started. It is a biennial festival celebrated in Berhampur, Ganjam district, Odhisa. During the festival, Goddess Budhi Thakurani is taken from the main temple at Thakurani Temple Street to her temporary abode at Desibehera Street, where she stays till the festival ends. According to historians,… Continue reading Thakurani Jatra festival kicks off

Annual Sabarimala festival begins The Sabarimala temple has been opened for pilgrims for the 10 days-long annual festival and poojas of month of Meenam (Malayalam calendar). The festival started on 11th March 2019. The Sabarimala temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. It is situated on a hilltop named Sabarimala in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala.… Continue reading Annual Sabarimala festival begins

Election Commission: no names removed based on draft NRC The Election Commission has informed the Supreme Court that names have not been deleted from the voters’ list in Assam on the basis of exclusion from the Draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) EC’s response comes in the backdrop of a petition alleged that several categories… Continue reading Election Commission: no names removed based on draft NRC

India’s newest frog evolved 60 million years ago A new species of frog has been discovered in the Western Ghat range in Wayanad, Kerala. The frog was first spotted in 2010 in Kurichiyarmala, Wayanad. The frog has been named as Astrobatrachus kurichiyana (Kurichiyana after Kurichiya tribe- a matrilineal tribe of Kerala distributed mainly in Wayanad… Continue reading India’s newest frog evolved 60 million years ago

India’s biodiversity-rich zones also ‘hotspots’ of human impacts A study titled “Hotspots of human impact on threatened terrestrial vertebrates”, published in the journal PLOS Biology,  has reported human impacts on species occur across 84% of the earth’s surface. The study has mapped distribution of human activities in areas occupied by known 5,457 terrestrial birds, mammals, and amphibians. … Continue reading India’s biodiversity-rich zones also ‘hotspots’ of human impacts

DGCA bars Boeing 737 MAX 8 after global alarm The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has decided to ground Boeing 737 Max 8 planes till appropriate modifications and safety measures are taken. Several other countries have also decided ground the Boeing 737 Max 8 planes. The decision comes in the backdrop of the recent Ethopian… Continue reading DGCA bars Boeing 737 MAX 8 after global alarm

IIP growth slows to 1.7%, retail inflation rises to 2.57% According to data released by Central Statistics Office (CSO), the retail inflation for the month of February has increased to 2.57% as against 2.05% in January. Retail inflation is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). It reflects changes in the retail prices of specified… Continue reading IIP growth slows to 1.7%, retail inflation rises to 2.57%

‘Polls, BS VI may hit bus sales’ Daimler Buses India, a unit of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) has expressed concern about the growth of bus sector in India. It has stated that Lok Sabha election 2019 and Bharat Stage (BS) VI emission standards would have a detrimental impact on the bus sector. The Indian… Continue reading ‘Polls, BS VI may hit bus sales’