Scientists have discovered evidence of abundant water-bearing minerals on the surface of the asteroid Bennu. Data from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft that is currently orbiting the asteroid confirm presence of aqueously altered, hydrated minerals on its surface. Work is in progress to make Ganjam the first sparrow-friendly district of Odisha. Indians are not as happy in … Continue reading Prelims Revision

The Union Cabinet recently approved a new hydroelectricity policy that, among other things, included large hydro projects within the ambit of renewable energy. Prior to the policy, only small hydro projects of a capacity of less than 25 MW were treated as renewable energy. Large hydro projects were treated as a separate source of energy. … Continue reading Prelims Revision

Oppari music is a sort of funeral dirge sung in parts of Tamil Nadu that is associated with backward castes; Gaana is a folk music style associated with Dalits from the slums of north Chennai. Thoubal rives flows through Manipur. Mapithel dam has been constructed across the Thoubal river. The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) is a report … Continue reading Prelims Revision

Security council resolution 2462 relates to terrorism financing. Resolution 2462 on terrorism financing highlights the obligation states have that prohibit them from making financing available for the benefit of terror organizations “even in the absence of a link to a specific terrorist act.” Aves Island, Smith Island and Long Island are islands of Andaman and … Continue reading Prelims Revision

Sinho Commission – A Commission for Economically Backward Classes, chaired by Major General S.R. Sinho (retired). It submitted its report in the year 2010. The report said that 18.2% of the general category came under the below poverty line (BPL). The discovery of the starry dwarf frog - a nocturnal amphibian that lives under leaf … Continue reading Prelims Revision

The Bandipur Tiger Reserve is flanked by the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala and the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu. It is home to nearly 570 tigers. These tigers share the forest with elephants, dholes, leopards and other mammals, making the tiger reserve an ecological hotspot. By mid-December, the deciduous forests of Bandipur get … Continue reading Prelims Revision

National space agency ISRO and its French counterpart CNES entered into an agreement to set up a joint maritime surveillance system in the country in May, 2019. The two nations will explore putting up a constellation of low-Earth orbiting satellites that will identify and track movement of ships globally – and in particular those moving … Continue reading Prelims Revision

SpaceX’s new Dragon capsule recently successfully docked on the International Space Station. India is the second-largest consumer of gold and the largest importer of the yellow metal, importing about 700-800 tonnes annually. According to estimates, temples and households in India have more than 24,000 tonnes of gold, large parts of which are stored in vaults … Continue reading Prelims Revision

A government order recently allowed 10 central agencies including from the Intelligence Bureau to the Central Board of Direct Taxes to the Cabinet Secretariat (RAW) to the Commissioner of Delhi Police, to intercept, monitor and de-crypt “any information” generated, transmitted, received or stored in “any computer resource”. The order is based on Section 69 (1) … Continue reading Prelims Revision

The Election Commission said those not having their Electors Photo Identity Cards can now show any of the 11 alternative documents, including Aadhaar card, for exercising their franchise. Henceforth, photo voter slip will not be accepted as a standalone identification paper. The documents accepted are passport, driving licence, service identity cards of the Central and … Continue reading Prelims Revision