Author: ForumIAS

RBI allows FPIs to buy T-bills; debt limit stays(The Hindu) What has happened? The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) to invest in treasury bills issued by the central government Earlier Foreign portfolio investors were permitted to invest in corporate bonds with minimum residual maturity of above one year Consistency… Continue reading RBI allows FPIs to buy T-bills; debt limit stays

SC admits petition to quash Section 377 Context Seventeen years after he was imprisoned for his sexual orientation and efforts to help the LGBT community, the Supreme Court on Tuesday admitted the petition of a man to quash the “tyranny” of Section 377 IPC, which criminalises homosexuality What has happened? The Supreme Court had similarly… Continue reading SC admits petition to quash Section 377

DNA profiling Bill in Monsoon Session, Centre informs SC Context PIL plea seeks use of technology to identify unclaimed bodies What has happened? Last year, the Law Commission of India, in its 271st report, prepared the draft Bill named, The DNA Based Technology (Use and Regulation) Bill, 2017, after examining various judicial pronouncements and constitutional… Continue reading DNA profiling Bill in Monsoon Session, Centre informs SC

SC tells HCs to set up panels to monitor POCSO Act trials Context Supreme Court shocked by high rate of pendency of child sexual assault cases What has happened? Shocked by the high rate of pendency of child sexual assault cases, the Supreme Court directed High Courts to set up panels of its judges to… Continue reading SC tells HCs to set up panels to monitor POCSO Act trials

Iran deal built on lies, says Pompeo What has happened? U.S. Secretary of State backs Israel’s claims about Iran’s ‘secret nuclear weapons programme’ Documents as proof presented to US by Israel According to US Secretary of State: Documents claimed by Israel as proof of Iran’s secret nuclear weapons programme are authentic and the U.S. is… Continue reading Iran deal built on lies, says Pompeo

Track II team holds talks in Pakistan What has happened? A group of Indian experts visited Pakistan to discuss all aspects of bilateral ties and revive the Track II diplomacy process with Islamabad, amid the chill in the relationship after a number of terror attacks in India by Pakistan-based outfits Neemrana dialogue The original Track… Continue reading Track II team holds talks in Pakistan

Call to action Context World Health Organization (WHO)’s latest report on pollution Highlights of the report The report, which summarised 2016 data for 4,300 cities, ranks 14 Indian cities among the 20 most polluted ones globally While Delhi comes in at number six, Kanpur, Faridabad, Varanasi, Gaya and Patna are ranked ahead of it, by… Continue reading Call to action

‘Glow-in-the-dark algae may be a sign of global warming’ Context The Noctiluca algae, commonly known as sea tinkle, is a parasite and occurs in patches or ‘blooms’ in the northern Arabian Sea. Their bioluminescence has earned them the name ‘sea sparkle’ What has happened? American and Indian scientists, after their year-long investigation into the phenomenon of glowing… Continue reading ‘Glow-in-the-dark algae may be a sign of global warming’

10,000 endangered tortoises rescued in Madagascar Context International conservationists in Madagascar have been treating more than 10,000 critically endangered radiated tortoises that were seized from traffickers who had crammed them into a home with no access to food or water Prelim relevant info Radiated Tortoise A critically endangered (CR) tortoise, radiated tortoises sport star patterns… Continue reading 10,000 endangered tortoises rescued in Madagascar 

Protest against heritage site adoption scheme in Assam Context Members of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and other organisations protested against the ’Adopt a Heritage’ scheme Sites chosen from Assam The four sites chosen in Assam include Kaziranga National Park Rangghar, Asia’s oldest amphitheatre Kareng Ghar, a palace Shiva… Continue reading Protest against heritage site adoption scheme in Assam