Author: prashant shekhar

News: The recently released United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) mentions about ‘deteriorating’ religious freedom conditions in India. It expressed concerns regarding the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019. 1. United States Commission on International Religious Freedom: It is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government agency established under the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).… Continue reading What does USCIRF report say about India?

News: The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded for the foundational discoveries and inventions of Artificial Neural Networks that enabled the development of machine learning and laid the ground for the AI Revolution. 1. Machine Learning (ML): It is a sub-domain of AI that focuses on developing algorithms and statistical models that enable… Continue reading Hopfield and Hinton, machine learning pioneers, win Nobel Prize in Physics

News: The findings of the 10th Wild Ass Population Estimation (WAPE), 2024 states that the population of Indian Wild Ass has gone up by 26.14% in the last four years. 1. Indian Wild Ass, also known as Khur, is a subspecies of Asian Wild Ass. 2. Its population is now confined to specific region in… Continue reading Number of Indian wild asses in Gujarat up by 26%: Govt.

News: India, and the world, needs to bolster climate adaptive strategies. 1. Global Goal on Adaptation: This concept was introduced by the Paris Agreement in 2015. 2. It aims to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change to limit the increase in global average temperature to well below 2-degree Celsius. 3.… Continue reading On way to climate resilience

News: International Finance Corporation’s collaboration with Axis Bank marks the IFC’s first ever blue investment in India. 1. International Finance Corporation (IFC): It is a member of the World Bank Group and focuses on promoting private sector investment in developing countries. 2. It is regarded as the largest global development institution focused on the private… Continue reading IFC, Axis Bank partner for $500 million blue finance load

News: Free To Think 2024 report states that India’s academic freedom has slipped from 0.6 points to 0.2 points from 2013 to 2023. 1. Academic Freedom Index: It is a measurement tool that assesses the level of academic freedom across the world, covering 179 countries and territories. It is published by V-Dem and FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg.… Continue reading India slipped on academic freedom index over the past decade: Report

News: This year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology (Medicine) has been awarded for the discovery of microRNA, which has altered the understanding of gene regulation. 1. MicroRNA: They are tiny molecules that play an important role in the functioning of genes. Its discovery will help in the treatment of several non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes,… Continue reading Regulation role

News: Halari donkeys, native to Halar region of Gujarat, are endangered and intelligent animals, working closely with human beings. 1. Halari donkeys are native to the Halar region of Gujarat. 2. These are important domesticated animal in the semi-arid landscape of Jamnagar and Dwarka districts in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region. 3. These donkeys are endangered, with… Continue reading Brains and brawn

News: The silent pandemic of Anti-Microbial Resistance has become a global phenomenon. There is a need to enhance R&D spendings on antibiotics development. 1. Anti-Microbial Resistance is a global health threat which occurs when microorganisms (like bacteria, virus, fungi, parasites) no longer respond to anti-microbial medicines. 2. Due to drug resistance, antibiotics become ineffective, and… Continue reading Hidden pandemic of AMR poses challenge