ELINT
Category: Sc & tech
- ISRO launched the country’s first electronic surveillance satellite, EMISAT.
- Space-based electronic intelligence or ELINT which forms a part of EMISAT will add teeth to situational awareness of the armed forces as it will provide location and information of hostile radars placed at the borders.
- This will be another dimension to the current land or aircraft-based ELINT.
GST
Category: Economy
- Goods and Services Tax collections in March 2019 hit ₹1.06 lakh crore, the highest in the history of the tax in India,
- This is the fourth time monthly collections have crossed ₹1 lakh crore this year.
- These figures indicate that the revenue growth has been picking up in recent months, despite various rate rationalisation measures.
Johnson & Johnson
Category: Sc & tech
- Johnson & Johnson’s baby shampoo samples failed quality tests conducted by the State of Rajasthan.
- J&J’s baby shampoo had failed the quality test as they contained “harmful ingredients.”
- Formaldehyde had been discovered in the samples.
- Formaldehyde, used in making building materials, is a known carcinogen.
Reiwa
Category: International
- Japan revealed the name of the era that will define the new emperor’s reign when he ascends the Throne next month following the first abdication in around 200 years.
- The new imperial name consists of two characters: “Rei”, which can mean “order” but also “auspicious” and “Wa”, usually translated as “peace” or “harmony.”
- The two “kanji” characters were unveiled to reveal a name that will last as long as new emperor Naruhito’s rule.
- the term “Reiwa” came from the “Manyoshu”, an anthology of Japanese poems.
- It is the first time it comes from a Japanese text rather than Chinese.
Mars
Category: Sc & tech
- Scientists confirmed the presence of the methane gas on the Red Planet as well as where it might have come from.
- The investigations pointed to an ice sheet east of Gale Crater as the likely source for the gas.
Electoral Bonds
Category: Polity
- The Centre notified the Electoral Bond Scheme on January 2, 2018.
- As per provisions of the scheme, these electoral bonds may be purchased by a person, who is a citizen of India or a firm incorporated or established in India.
- Only registered political parties which secured not less than one per cent of the votes polled in the last general elections or state assembly polls shall be eligible to receive electoral bonds.
- These bonds are issued in denominations of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh, and Rs 1 crore.
- The sale of these bonds is opened once in every quarter for 10 days, and for a month ahead of general elections or as notified by the government.
- They are valid for only 15 days.
SRO
Category: Economy
- Markets regulator Sebi proposed amendments to norms governing Self Regulatory Organisations.
- It said that an SRO would be defined as an organisation of intermediaries or an entity promoted by a stock exchange, recognised by the board.
- A Self Regulatory Organisation (SRO) is considered as the first level regulator.
- The SRO shall provide for a dispute resolution mechanism including arbitration to settle disputes between investors and its members and disputes between its members.
- Among other criteria, eligibility criteria for an entity to be recognised as an SRO includes that its minimum net worth shall be Rs 1 crore.
