https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-slips-on-world-press-freedom-index-scribes-attacked-for-writing-on-subjects-that-annoy-hindutva-5682824/
Published annually by Reporters Without Borders since 2002, the World Press Freedom Index measures the level of media freedom in 180 countries.
It is based on an evaluation of media freedom that measures pluralism, media independence, the quality of the legal framework and the safety of journalists.
It also includes indicators of the level of media freedom violations in each region.
It is compiled by means of a questionnaire in 20 languages that is completed by experts all over the world. This qualitative analysis is combined with quantitative data on abuses and acts of violence against journalists during the period evaluated.
India’s rank dropped down to 140th from 138th in 2018, two points below the previous year.
As per the Index, one of the most striking features of the current state of press freedom in India is violence against journalists including police violence, attacks by Maoist fighters, criminal groups and corrupt politicians.
The media coverage in the sensitive regions like Kashmir continues to be very difficult. Even the entry of foreign reporters is prohibited in Kashmir and the Internet is often disconnected there.

https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/asian-tea-alliance-launched-in-china/article26891101.ece
The Asian Tea Alliance (ATA) was launched in Guizhou in China.
Asian Tea Alliance (ATA) is a union of five tea-growing and consuming countries. The members of the alliance are the Indian Tea Association, China Tea Marketing Association, Indonesian Tea Marketing Association, Sri Lanka Tea Board and Japan Tea Association.
ATA plans to work towards enhancing tea trade, cultural exchanges, technology exchanges as well as globally promoting tea. It will also work towards enhancing global consumption of tea, while creating a sustainability agenda for the future of Asian tea.

Antares rocket built by Northrop Grumman recently lifted off from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore carrying the Cygnus Cargo Spacecraft to the International Space Station.
The mission is called NG-11. It is the eleventh cargo flight for NASA by Northrop Grumman and will be the company’s longest one to date.
The NG-11 mission is also the final cargo mission for NASA by Northrop Grumman under the agency’s Commercial Resupply Services 1 program.
The mice aboard Cygnus are at the core of one such study, which aims to test the effectiveness of an anti-tetanus vaccine.
The rodents are split into two groups of 20; half will receive the vaccine in space and the other 20 will not receive the vaccine.
Scientists will study the mice to see how the animals responded to the vaccine once they are back on Earth.

The Supreme Court is hearing a plea questioning an electoral law which denies undertrials and convicts their right to vote.
The petition has been moved under Article 32 of the Indian Constitution.
Section 62(5) of the RP Act of 1951 mandates that “no person shall vote at any election if he is confined in a prison, whether under a sentence of imprisonment or transportation or otherwise, or is in the lawful custody of the police”.
The provisions however exempt a person held under preventive detention from this rigor.

UPSC Prelims 2015 Question
Lingaraja Temple at Bhubaneswar was created in 11th AD. Rock-cut Monuments at Mahabalipuram are 7th century AD creation. At Udayagiri, it is 5th century AD creation.
Rock-cut Elephant at Dhauli was created during Ashoka’s reign (272-231 BC). This is the oldest among the four.