Author: ForumIAS

When Artificial Intelligence goes psycho News: Recently, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has created an artificial intelligence (AI) system named “Norman”. Important facts: Norman is the first AI to show psychopathic tendencies The AI has been named after Norman Bates from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. The aim behind creating Norman was to explain the potential dangers… Continue reading When Artificial Intelligence goes psycho

A Plastic Charter Article: Researcher Meghna Shenoy highlights the issues with plastic waste management in India Important Analysis: Steps taken to control plastic waste: Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 Calls for a ban on plastic bags below a 50-micron thickness Phasing out (within 2 years) of manufacture and sale of non-recyclable multi-layered plastic (example: chips… Continue reading A Plastic Charter

Age well: attitudes matter in a greying world News: WHO and Orb Media research about the old population and its various implications. Important Facts: World Health Organization finding says that 60% of people across 57 countries had negative views of old age. According to population trends by 2050 nearly one out of five people in… Continue reading Age well: attitudes matter in a greying world

RBI blames PNB board for fraud News: In written reply to parliamentary standing committee of finance, RBI blames PNB board of directors for nirav modi fraud. Important facts: RBI has  pointed out that Nirav Modi loan allocation is the failure of “three lines of defence” of banking system. Three lines of defence First the officer… Continue reading RBI blames PNB board for fraud

Trump-Kim Meet ends with promise News: At the recent Singapore Summit, USA and North Korea has signed a joint statement Important facts: Key highlights of the joint statement: Commitment to establish U.S.–DPRK relations USA-DPRK collective efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula Reaffirming the Panmunjom Declaration, the DPRK has committed… Continue reading Trump-Kim Meet ends with promise

National Dam Safety Authority in the works News 1-The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for introduction of Dam Safety Bill, 2018 in the Parliament. Important facts: 2-Key features of the Bill Provides for proper surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of all specified dams in the country to ensure their safe functioning. Provides for constitution… Continue reading National Dam Safety Authority in the works

Cleaning up balance sheets News: 1-The government has revived the idea of setting up an asset reconstruction or asset management company, a sort of ‘bad bank’ first mooted by Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian last year. Important facts: 2-Bad Bank Bad bank purchase those assets from public sectors bank that has no salvage value they… Continue reading Cleaning up balance sheets

An improbable friendship Article Rakesh sood, former diplomat, expresses his views about the recent US-North Korea summit Important Analysis Author considers this event equivalent to Nixon’s travel to China, 1972 and Reagon and gorbhachov meeting at Reykjavik. In 1994 North Korea threatened to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). At that time US addressed… Continue reading An improbable friendship

The crimes of a few condemn the fate of many Article Aakar patel, Executive Director, Amnesty International has analyses about India’s insensitivity to Rohingya refugee Important Analysis Rohingyas are ethnic muslims who were a minority in Rakhine state of Myanmar. After being pushed out by majority Buddhists, 700,000 of them had to take refuge in… Continue reading The crimes of a few condemn the fate of many

The missing tiers Article: 1-Mathew Idiculla, lawyer and researcher on urban issues, analyse the reasons behind disempowerment and depoliticisation of urban local government. Important Analyses: 2- The passage of 73 rd  and 74th  Amendment came into force  in 1993 3- 73rd amendment deals with creation of panchayats, while 74th amendment deals with creation of municipalities. 4- Problems associated… Continue reading The missing tiers