The AUKUS alliance, comprising Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, is set to enter discussions for expanding its membership. AUKUS is a trilateral partnership that aims to strengthen security and defence interests through enhanced cooperation. AUKUS will involve deeper information and technology sharing, as well as integration of security and defence-related science, technology, industrial bases, and supply chains. The alliance was formed in 2021 to counter China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Despite regulations prohibiting companies less than three years old from making political contributions, recent data reveals startling purchases of electoral bonds by newly established firms in India. The Companies Act 2013 prohibits companies less than three years old from making political contributions, aiming to prevent shell companies from contributing funds into political parties. The 2017 amendment removed the cap on contributions but retained the three-year prohibition. Section 182 of the Companies Act 2013 outlines penalties for contravention, including fines and imprisonment for officers.
Recently the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) published new requirements under which Companies will have to publish standardised operating profit figures from 2027. Currently, before arriving at a net profit or loss, many companies report earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation or EBITDA. This figure is not defined under IASB rules and therefore can be compiled in different ways to flatter performance.
India's economic landscape has witnessed a concerning trend with household debt levels soaring to a historic high of 40% of GDP by December 2023, while net financial savings moved to an alarming low of around 5% of GDP. The report forecasts that the trend of low net financial savings is likely to persist, with household debt fueled by personal loans, agricultural loans, and business loans continuing its ascent. This financial strain, coupled with declining Gross Domestic Savings, paints a grim picture of India's economic stability and underscores the urgent need for comprehensive policy measures to address this mounting crisis.
In light of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the conduct of elections has become increasingly complex and multifaceted, requiring meticulous planning and execution to ensure a free, fair, and inclusive electoral process. A cornerstone of this planning process is the District Election Management Plan (DEMP). The DEMP is a comprehensive document that uses statistics and analysis to ensure the smooth conducting of elections in districts.
Parivartan Chintan, an upcoming Tri-Service Conference aimed at generating new and fresh ideas, initiatives, and reforms to propel Jointness and Integration efforts, is being held in New Delhi on 8th April 2024. It was chaired by Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan. It is the first-ever conference of the Heads of all Tri-Services Institutions. The post of CDS was created in 2019 on the recommendations of a committee of defence experts headed by Lt General DB Shekatkar. General Bipin Rawat was the first CDS in the country.
Punnett Squares are commonly used in biology to understand inheritance patterns. It is a square diagram that is used to predict the genotypes of a particular cross-breeding experiment. It is named after Reginald C. Punnett, who devised the approach in 1905. It is commonly used in biology to understand inheritance patterns, such as dominant and recessive genes. Researchers utilise Punnett squares alongside Mendelian inheritance principles to study genetic traits in offspring, including those of animals and humans.
A recent study published in the journal Science Advances has highlighted the grave threat posed by mining to the great ape population in Africa. The study indicates that more than a third of the entire great ape population in Africa, nearly 180,000 individuals, faces direct or indirect threats from mining activities. Approximately 20% of critical habitats intersect with mining areas. Countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, and Guinea show significant overlaps between great ape habitats and mining sites. Bonobo (Pan paniscus); Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes); Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei); Western Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla), and orangutans (Pongo) are referred to as great apes due to their large size and humanlike features. Great apes are a taxonomic family of primates classified as Hominidae.
