Mapping Source: IE Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has succeeded in pushing through a judicial reform bill that curtails the judiciary’s power to check his far-right coalition government. The victory, however, has deepened divisions in Israeli society. Critics fear that the reform may lead to a religious autocracy, erode democracy, and pose risks to Israel’s …
Source: TH Context: Research on the early stages of human embryonic development and the role of specific cells known as the inner cell mass has gained importance recently. The inner cell mass contains pluripotent cells, meaning they have the potential to differentiate into all the different cell types that make up the human body. …
Continue reading “A mechanism that quietly removes unfit cells before you’re born”
Source: IE Context: The current No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against the Indian government was brought by the opposition to demand a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation in Manipur. However, given the government’s significant majority in the Lok Sabha, the motion is unlikely to succeed.
Source: NewsOnAir Context: The Parliament has passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2022, with the Rajya Sabha giving its approval after the Lok Sabha had already passed the Bill. The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order of 1950. It aims to make several changes: Inclusion …
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Facts for Prelims (FFP) Source: The Conservation Context: Approximately 400,000 years ago, large parts of Greenland were ice-free, and evidence suggests it was covered in spruce trees and scrubby tundra. Scientists have now determined the precise date of this ice-free period to be around 416,000 years ago, lasting for about 14,000 years. Researchers extracted …
Source: HT Context: At least 25 families in Odisha’s Kendrapara district have donated over 25 acres of their land near Bhitarkanika National Park (BNP) for mangrove plantation under the Mangrove Mitra Programme. The park has 82 mangrove species, but the expansion of aquaculture and agriculture has degraded the mangrove habitats in the region. The …
Content for Mains Enrichment Source: TH Context: UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Report 2023 warns against the uncritical adoption of digital technology in educational settings, as there is little robust evidence of its added value in education. Negative impact of mobile devices on children’s learning: Recommendations: The report endorses banning smartphones in schools …
Continue reading “UNESCO endorses banning smartphones from schools”
GS Paper 2/ 3 Syllabus: Government Policies and Interventions for Development in various sectors and Issues arising out of their Design and Implementation/ Environment and Conservation Source: HT Context: The Lok Sabha passed the contentious Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill 2021. Background: Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms that exist on the …
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GS Paper 1 Syllabus: World History Source: IE Context: Amitav Ghosh’s new book “Smoke and Ashes” explores the historical significance of opium as a powerful agent that has shaped and continues to shape the world’s history. The book focuses on the Opium Wars (1839-42 and 1856-60), which were waged by European colonial powers on …
