Mapping Source: TH Context: New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the revocation of the country’s ambitious anti-smoking laws, including the “generational smoking ban” implemented last year, citing the need to generate income and address concerns about a growing black market. The decision to scrap the smoking ban, aimed at prohibiting tobacco sales …
Facts for Prelims (FFP) Source: IE Context: Mexican ecologists from the National Autonomous University have relaunched the “Adoptaxolotl” fundraising campaign to support the conservation of axolotls, an endangered fish-like salamander. About Axolotl:
Facts for Prelims (FFP) Source: TH Context: The importance of fibre optics has been increasing in recent times, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when internet connections facilitated virtual communication. Optical fibres, made of thin glass strands, can transmit various forms of digital information, such as text, images, voices, and videos, across long distances at …
Facts for Prelims (FFP) Source: BS Context: The Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWC) in India will now be known as ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandir,’ following a decision by the government. The rebranded centres will also feature a new tagline, ‘Arogyam Parmam Dhanam.’ The move is aimed at enhancing the identity and promotion of these …
Facts for Prelims (FFP) Source: TH Context: The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched the Amplifi 2.0 portal to provide raw data from Indian cities on a single platform for academics, researchers, and stakeholders, aiming to support data-driven policymaking. The portal covers diverse information such as diesel consumption, water quality testing, …
Facts for Prelims (FFP) Source: IE Context: A recent study challenges the traditional notion of ‘Man, the Hunter,’ suggesting that women not only participated in hunting during the Palaeolithic era but also had certain biological advantages. The ‘Man, the Hunter’ theory emerged in the 1960s, proposing that hunting played a significant role in human evolution. …
Facts for Prelims (FFP) Source: IE Context: A diplomatic dispute between Greece and the UK has arisen over the Parthenon Sculptures housed at the British Museum. Greece has consistently sought the permanent return of the sculptures, also known as the Elgin Marbles, which are over 2,000 years old and originally adorned the Parthenon temple …
Content for Mains Enrichment Source: IE Context: OpenAI’s Project Q*, an AI breakthrough, has sparked controversy and concerns about its potential threat to humanity. What is Project Q*? Project Q* is an AI breakthrough, reportedly capable of solving complex problems and demonstrating advanced reasoning similar to humans. The project has raised concerns about its …
GS Paper 3 Syllabus: Environment Conservation Source: TH Context: The air quality crisis in many Indian cities, exacerbated by transport and construction, demands urgent mitigation strategies, including decarbonising road transport. What is Decarbonising Transport? Decarbonising Transport refers to the process of reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. …
