Latest News

The matter became a talking subject after a video purportedly showing a group of tourists being charged in Parra went viral on social media Current affairs : Parra, best known as the ancestral village of late Union Minister Manohar Parrirkar has started charging people for clicking photographs of a coconut palm-lined scenic landscape. Tourists, as well as locals, will have to pay "swachhta tax" or "photography tax" if they click a photograph or shoot video on the road in the village in North Goa. The imposition of the tax by the Parra village panchayat has been severely opposed by the locals who feel the fee may discourage tourists from visiting the iconic visit. The matter became a talking subject after a video purportedly showing a group of tourists being charged in... read more

Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad too recorded 'very poor' overall air quality Current affairs : In a major relief for the residents of Delhi-NCR, the air quality on Wednesday morning further improved. The air quality index in the national capital dropped from yesterday's 365 to 356 at 6:30 am. The Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitor, SAFAR, said, "The AQI is back to 'very poor' category after rapidly recovering from 'severe' largely due to faster boundary layer winds (40 kmph)." Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad too recorded 'very poor' overall air quality. An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe. Above 500 is... read more

Rising pollution levels is an added problem for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is trying to reverse an economic slowdown as he seeks to lure investors to the South Asia nation Current affairs : Business travelers and tourists are avoiding New Delhi, as air pollution in India’s capital reached record levels, travel agents said. Booking inquiries for hotels and flights to New Delhi have slumped since the festival of Diwali on Oct. 27, said Sharat Dhall, chief operating officer of the business-to-consumer segment at Yatra Online Inc. Bursting of firecrackers as part of the festivities worsened pollution caused by farm stubble burning in areas around the capital city. Business travelers are looking to reschedule their visits to a later date, Dhall said in an email, adding that tourists are preferring Himalayan hill stations and destinations in the state of Rajasthan, home to the Thar desert, over New Delhi, famous for the 12th-century Qutab Minar... read more

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi is expected to deliver the verdict in the case before his retirement on November 17 Current affairs : Mumbai Police have stepped up security, specially in sensitive areas, and are keeping a close watch on social media activities ahead of the Supreme Court's verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case, a police official said. Prohibitory orders are already in place and no celebration or mourning with respect to the judgement will be allowed in the city, which witnessed communal riots after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992, he said. Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi is expected to deliver the verdict in the case before his... read more

In a series of newspaper advertisements, AAP said the pollution level dropped by 25% in 2016-18 over the period 2012-14. Current affairs :  Pollution has taken centre stage perhaps for the first time in Indian democracy, especially with the upcoming Assembly elections in Delhi. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) started the campaign on pollution in Delhi even before the air quality worsened to alarming levels in the National Capital Region. In a series of newspaper advertisements, AAP said the pollution level dropped by 25 per cent in 2016-18 over the period 2012-14. Delhi goes to the polls in February. While the last election was fought on the issue of corruption, AAP has moved to... read more

As many as 37 flights were diverted on Sunday due to poor visibility caused by high concentration of smog in and around the Delhi airport Current affairs :  Thick fog during winters has been forcing airlines to cancel and delay flights in Delhi for years, but alarmingly high level of air pollution has emerged as a new challenge for air-carriers and the airport operator. As many as 37 flights were diverted on Sunday due to poor visibility caused by high concentration of smog in and around the Delhi airport. The air quality and visibility have marginally improved on Monday, but aviation experts see flight diversion a major cause for concern as it inconveniences thousands of passengers... read more

The new branding, basically the company name in crisp lettering, will be stamped on its "family" of offerings Current affairs :  Facebook on Monday unveiled a new logo to represent the Silicon Valley company, distinct from its core social network. The move aims to highlight the Facebook "brand" which operates a range of apps and services including messaging, photo-sharing, virtual reality and is developing wallets for digital currency. The new branding, basically the company name in crisp lettering, will be stamped on its "family" of offerings including WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, Oculus, Workplace, Portal and Calibra, according to chief marketing officer... read more

Thanking Angadi, Bengluru South MP Tejasvi Surya tweeted, "Karnataka is lucky to have him (Angadi) handling the railway ministry." Current affairs :  The Railway Board on Monday gave clearance to establish Bengaluru suburban rail, said Union Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi. "In order to fast track the Bengaluru Suburban Rail, the extended railway board met today and gave its clearance," tweeted Angadi. Assuring Bengaluru residents, Angadi said he will make all efforts with Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to ensure the implementation of Bengaluru... read more

US files paperwork to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, the first formal step in a one-year process to exit the global pact to fight climate change. United Nations Secretary General Guterres makes his closing statement at the end of the 2019 United Nations Climate Action Summit at U.N. headquarters in New York City. Current affairs :  French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping will sign an agreement that includes wording on the "irreversibility" of the Paris climate agreement, an official from the French presidential office said on Tuesday. The agreement comes after the administration of President Donald Trump said on Monday it filed paperwork to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, the first formal step in a one-year process to exit the global pact to fight climate change. The move is part of a broader strategy by Trump to reduce red tape on American industry, but comes at a time scientists and many world governments urge ra...

There is also a problem with women's participation in India's microenterprises: Social and market factors are loaded against them affecting their productivity Current affairs :  As India struggles with an unemployment crisis, its microenterprises--units with fewer than 20 workers--can become significant engines for job creation, concluded an October 2019 report. India has failed to increase the scale of the microenterprise sector substantially; A majority of India’s microenterprises are tiny and run with fewer than three workers; The sector shows good growth in labour productivity but with very low wage levels. These are some of the significant conclusions of the study by Azim Premji University’s Centre for Sustainable Employment and the Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship, which looked at all non-farm microenterprises, except the construction sector (National Sample Survey... read more

The odd-even scheme, which kickstarted on Monday has entered Day 2 with only odd-numbered non-transport vehicles allowed on Delhi roads Current affairs : Pollution levels in the national capital surged on Tuesday morning as the air quality remained in the 'severe' category. A day after high wind speed helped bring down pollution levels in the city, SAFAR, the government-run monitoring agency, said Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) was 411 at 7:00 am. Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad too recorded 'severe' overall air quality. An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe. Above 500 is severe-plus emergency category... read more

After Delhi, all schools up to Class 12 were also closed in the National Capital Region till Tuesday following spike in pollution level Current affairs : Pollution level in Delhi peaked to a three-year high on Sunday notwithstanding claims of heightened checks and curbs by authorities, while the Centre reviewed the situation with the governments of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab and announced that Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba would monitor it on a daily basis. After Delhi, all schools up to Class 12 were also closed in the National Capital Region till Tuesday following spike in pollution level. The heavy smog also caused a major disruption at Delhi airport as 37 flights were diverted to other airports due to low visibility, officials said. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the national capital's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 494 at 4 pm on Sunday, the highest since November 6, 2016 when it... read more

In the National Capital Region (NCR), Noida (720) and Gurugram (833), also breathed extremely polluted air Current affairs : Even as India's capital city scrambles to tackle its epic air pollution problems, there seems to be no end to the woes of people residing in Delhi and its adjoining areas. On Monday morning, Delhi air quality was in 'severe-plus emergency' category. SAFAR, the government-run monitoring agency, said Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) was 708 at 6:30 am. Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad too recorded severe-plus emergency overall air quality. An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe. Above 500 is severe-plus emergency category. The AQI of four places in and around Delhi has been provided in the table... read more

The Odd-Even scheme 2019 will be applicable between 8 am to 8 pm only from today till November 15 Current affairs : Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government is back with its odd-even scheme in a bid to tackle the national capital's air pollution, which has reached apocalyptic levels. Around 200 teams of the Delhi Traffic Police have been appointed to ensure compliance and around 5,000 civil defence volunteers have been trained to spread awareness. The third edition of odd-even scheme will run till November 15. What is the Odd-Even scheme 2019? The odd-even scheme is a traffic rationing measure under which, private vehicles with registration numbers ending with an odd digit will be allowed on roads on odd dates and those with an even digit on even dates. Vehicle registrations ending with odd digits like 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 will not be allowed on the roads on November 4, 6, 8, 12 and 14. Similarly, vehicles with registration numbers ending with an even digit - 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 - will no...

AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha said Delhi witnessed a "shameful" law and order situation Current affairs : The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday accused the Delhi Police of brutally assaulting lawyers at Tis Hazari court and demanded Home Minister Amit Shah set up a judicial inquiry to investigate the matter. Lawyers and policemen clashed at the Tis Hazari court complex here on Saturday in which at least 20 police personnel and several lawyers were injured and many vehicles vandalised or set afire, according to officials. Addressing reporters, AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha said Delhi witnessed a "shameful" law and order situation where some Delhi Police officers "brutally assaulted" lawyers at... read more

Tyagi took charge from his predecessor, U K Sinha, on March 1, 2017, for five years Current affairs : The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) Chairman Ajay Tyagi’s term is ending in February next year, but sources say the government is likely to give him a two-year extension. Tyagi took charge from his predecessor, U K Sinha, on March 1, 2017, for five years. But, the government had cut his tenure by two years, without giving any details. The order said his term will be for a three-year period. Sources in the government said the concerned department has been intimated about the selection process, and if the Centre decides not to give Tyagi an extension, it might soon put out notification inviting applications. According to the rules, the Appointments Committee of... read more

Govt sources said WhatsApp withheld information from the govt after the May revelations of a spyware targeting Indian users. Current affairs : The government is exploring options to assess the extent of the impact caused by NSO Group’s spyware on Indian individuals even as home ministry sources said there are fears that international lobbies might have been involved in spying. These lobbies, the ministry says, are trying to create a narrative around Indian governance as well as the economy. “We have been investigating the spying allegations for some time and are trying to understand the extent of the damage done. We are also looking at lobby groups active in India to figure out if they were involved in this and why, and come out with a report soon on this issue,” said a senior official looking into the... read more

Accused the government of being involved in a "surveillance racket" Current affairs : The Congress on Sunday claimed its leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had received a message from WhatsApp informing her that her phone was suspected to have been hacked and accused the government of being involved in a "surveillance racket", but the BJP hit back saying the opposition party was imagining things that didn't exist. AA WhatsApp spokesperson said: "WhatsApp cares deeply about the privacy and security of our users. We have already contacted the users directly we have reason to believe were targeted. Users can contact us within the app and we will respond directly.”

The study was led by scientists Scott A. Kulp and Benjamin H. Strauss of Climate Central, an independent organisation of scientists, journalists and researchers Current affairs : Parts of Mumbai, Surat, Chennai and Kolkata will be either underwater or ravaged by recurring floods by 2050 as sea levels across the world will continue to rise with increasing carbon emissions. Across India, an estimated 31 million people live in coastal areas at risk of annual flooding, a number that could go up to 35 million by mid-century and rise further to 51 million by the year 2100. These projections are based on extreme-case scenarios if global carbon emissions continue to rise unabated. At the moment, 250 million people around the globe live in areas at risk of annual coastal floods. “This research means that the stakes are even higher than we thought,” said Benjamin H. Strauss, CEO and chief scientist at... read more

The Kartarpur Corridor will connect the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Punjab with Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur Current affairs : Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday announced that Sikh pilgrims from India would not need a passport to travel to Kartarpur and no fee would be charged from them on the opening day of the corridor on November 9. "For Sikhs coming for pilgrimage to Kartarpur from India, I have waived off two requirements: i) they won't need a passport-just a valid ID; ii)they no longer have to register 10 days in advance. Also, no fee to be charged on day of inauguration and on Guruji's 550th birthday," Khan tweeted. The Kartarpur Corridor will connect the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Punjab with Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur, just 4 kilometres from the International Border, located at Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab... read more

The Delhi Police said a call was received around 1 am, following which the bag was found at arrival gate number two of the terminal. Current affairs : A bag with suspected RDX contents was found at the Delhi airport in the early hours of Friday, leading to restrictions in passenger movements for a couple of hours, officials said. The black-coloured bag, first detected around 1 am by a CISF personnel in the arrival area of Terminal-3, has now been kept in a cooling pit. Preliminary inputs suggest the content of the bag to be RDX. It was checked by an explosive detector and a dog. However, the exact nature of the explosive is being ascertained, sources... read more

The country's first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-1), Vikrant, is in advanced stage of construction and will be delivered to the Navy in 2021 Current affairs : Cochin Shipyard Limited has signed Phase III contract for Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) for the Indian Navy. The contract is valued at around Rs 3,000 crore. The contract covers the operational and harbour acceptance trials of various equipment and systems installed onboard and also the sea trials of the carrier. The contract also covers some activities which are to be undertaken post delivery of the vessel including support during weapon & aviation trials. The country’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-1), Vikrant... read more  

India's infrastructure output fell 5.2% in September from a year earlier, the worst performance in years Current affairs : India's unemployment rate in October rose to 8.5%, the highest since August 2016, and up from 7.2% in September, according to data released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) on Friday, reflecting the impact of a slowdown in the economy. India's infrastructure output fell 5.2% in September from a year earlier, the worst performance in years, government data showed on Thursday, while the industrial output shrank at its fastest rate in more than six years in August.