Civil Service prep - DAILY DIGEST - 27-04-2020 - PT's IAS ACADEMY - useful content, videos, downloads

PART 1 - Daily Current Affairs + MCQ quiz to solve

 

SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. COVID-19 updates: Toll hits 826 – The death toll due to COVID-19 continued to rise, with the country registering a total of 826 fatalities and 26,917 cases. While the death toll rose by 46, the number of cases spiked by 1,975 from April 25 evening. The number of active cases stood at 20,177, while 5,913 people have recovered and one patient has migrated. The total number of cases includes 111 foreign nationals, while 312 cases are being assigned to States for contact tracing. However, reports from the States put the total number of cases at 27, 579, out of which 20,274 are active. The nationwide death toll stood at 880, while 6,425 people have recovered.
2. Indian Economy: Hard for industry to reopen – Almost half of the industries which have been allowed to reopen still face hurdles in obtaining permits to function and passes for employees, according to a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) survey. Over 60% of surveyed companies also said movement of inputs and finished goods is still disrupted. The industry group demanded that businesses should be allowed to function without need of permits in non-containment areas, with workers allowed to commute to work in their own vehicles on the basis of a letter issued by the employer without need of a government pass. The Centre has slowly been easing restrictions, first allowing the reopening of essential sector businesses and then permitted industries located in rural areas, as well as certain sectors including construction, IT and hardware, to begin work subject to certain restrictions.
3. IIT researchers develop tool to predict spread of COVID-19 - Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi have developed a web-based dashboard for predicting the spread of COVID-19 in India. The institute said that the mobile-friendly dashboard, PRACRITI (PRediction and Assessment of CoRona Infections and Transmission in India) gives detailed State-wise and district-wise predictions of COVID-19 cases in India for a three-week period, which is updated on a weekly basis. The institute said that researchers believe that such a platform will be highly useful for healthcare organisations as well as local and central authorities to efficiently plan for different future scenarios and resource allocation.
4. PM Mann Ki Baat – Acknowledging that India’s fight against the COVID-19 is people-driven, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked citizens to “remain careful and not lower their guard against the pandemic on the assumption that it will not affect them”. Addressing his monthly radio broadcast, Mann Ki Baat, exactly a week before the second phase of the nationwide lockdown is scheduled to end on May 3, Mr. Modi stressed on strictly following social distancing protocols, not spitting in the open, wearing masks or covering faces with gamchas [towel] while stepping out. Though he didn’t give any indication about the government’s thinking with regard to the current lockdown, Mr. Modi did express the hope that “the world may be able to somewhat free itself from the virus by the time Id is celebrated”.
5. Indian Economy: Cotton Cultivation in Punjab - Punjab can see around three lakh acres more under the cotton crop this kharif (summer) season against the previous year as farmers could shift from paddy (rice) on account of possible labour shortage in the State. Also, State government’s push for crop diversification would be another factor that could aid the acreage under cotton. In Punjab and Haryana, Bt cotton is sown in over 95% of the total area, the rest 5% cotton is usually the indigenous (desi) cotton varieties. Cotton is usually planted from mid April to till late May in most parts of the two States. The Punjab government has set a target of enhancing the area under cotton cultivation from 9.7 lakh acres last year to 12.5 lakh acres in 2020, in a bid to promote crop-diversification. Government data shows that in year 2018 cotton was sown in 6.62 lakh acres and in 9.7 lakh acres in 2019.
6. COVID-19 updates – Spanish children were allowed outside for the first time in six weeks as countries eased lockdown measures and reopened economies gutted by the COVID-19 pandemic that has infected nearly three million people worldwide. Governments from France to Italy and the United States are gearing up for a partial easing of severe restrictions that have kept more than half of humanity indoors for weeks on end. Coronavirus cases around the world rose to 2.9 million and deaths have doubled since April 10 — hitting nearly 2,03,000 people on Sunday — with well over half of them in Europe.
7. ‘Kim Jong-un’s train’ spotted at Wonsan town – A train likely belonging to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been spotted at a resort town in the country’s east, satellite photos reviewed by a U.S.-based think tank showed, as speculation persists over his health. The train was parked at a station reserved for the Kim family in Wonsan on April 21 and April 23. There has been growing conjecture about Mr. Kim’s health since his conspicuous absence from the April 15 celebrations for the birthday of his grandfather Kim Il-sung, the regime’s founder — the most important day on the North Korean political calendar.
8. Yemen separatists declare self-rule in south – Yemen’s main southern separatist group announced that it would establish self-rule in areas under its control, which the Saudi-backed government warned would have “catastrophic consequences”. The move threatens to renew conflict between the UAE-backed separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) and the Saudi-backed government, allies in Yemen’s war. The STC is one of the main groups fighting against the Houthis as part of a coalition led by Saudi Arabia. But the separatists have clashed with government forces in the past. In a statement, the STC announced emergency rule in Aden and all southern governorates, saying it would take control of Aden’s port and airport and other state institutions such as the central bank.
9. Franklin suspends 6 more schemes - Franklin Templeton MF, the troubled fund house that was forced to close six of its debt funds due to extreme liquidity in the market, has suspended another six fund of funds (FoF) schemes managed by it with total assets of about Rs 933 crore. These FoFs have been suspended since they had investments in two of the six schemes that were closed, and it was difficult to generate any income in the current situation. With the shutting of these FoFs, the total assets under suspension for the 12 schemes together is now at nearly Rs 27,000 crore. An FoF is a mutual fund that invests in one or more MF schemes. These can be from the same fund house, another house or both.
10. World Unites To Speed Up Vaccine  – World leaders pledged to accelerate work on tests, drugs and vaccines against Covid-19 and to share them around the globe, but the United States did not take part in the launch of the World Health Organization (WHO) initiative. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa were among those who joined a video conference to launch what the WHO had billed as a “landmark collaboration” to fight the pandemic.

SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

1. CONSTITUTION AND LAW (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

1.1 SC adds teeth to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act

• In an important verdict, the SC held that it is the quantity of the entire banned drug mixture and not its purity which will determine the punishment for an offender under the legislation.
• The amount of neutral substance in a mixture has to be included along with the actual weight of the banned substances for determining whether it is a "small or commercial quantity" under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
• The use of drugs by young people in India has increased over a period of time, which is a crime against the society and has to be dealt with iron hands.
• A 3-judge bench of Justices Arun Mishra, Indira Banerjee and M R Shah said that the two bench verdict of 2008 in the case of E Micheal Raj was "not a good law" for holding that in a mixture of narcotic drugs, only the weight of the banned substance is relevant for the purpose of determining whether it would constitute "small quantity or commercial quantity".
• Under the provision of NDPS Act, the punishment for possessing commercial quantity of the banned substance is higher than the smaller quantity.
• Illicit street drugs are seldom sold in a pure form and they are almost always adulterated or mixed with other substance -- like caffeine is mixed with heroin so that it causes the heroin to vaporize at a lower rate.
• That could allow users to take the drug faster and get a big punch sooner.
• The problem of drug addicts is international and the mafia is working throughout the world.
• The court rejected the challenge made by several petitioners to November 18, 2009, notification of Central government by which it had said that while determining the small or commercial quantity of narcotic drugs in a mixture with one or more neutral substance(s), the weight of neutral substance (s) are also to be included with the actual content of the offending drug.
• The bench said the 2009 notification is not ultra vires to the Scheme and the relevant provisions of the NDPS Act and dismissed a batch of petitions which challenged the notification terming it as arbitrary and void.
• To view the comple Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 visit here –  https://dor.gov.in/sites/default/files/Narcotic-Drugs-and-Psychotropic-Substances-Act-1985.pdf

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2. ECONOMY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper

 

2.1 India’s holding of US government securities at record high of USD 177.5 billion at the end of February 2020

 

 

• Continuing to increase its exposure, India's holding of US government securities jumped by over USD 13 billion in a month to record high of USD 177.5 billion at the end of February.
• In the last one year since February 2019, the overall holding of India has jumped by a staggering USD 33.2 billion.
• The amount of securities owned by India has gone up by the maximum quantum in a span of one month, amid the country slowly hiking the level since November last year when it stood at USD 159.2 billion.
• Japan was the largest holder with securities worth over USD 1.268 trillion at February end, followed by China with holdings to tune of USD 1.092 trillion.
• At a distant third place was the United Kingdom, which had securities valued at USD 403.2 billion, as per the data.
• In terms of holdings, India is at the 13th position.  
• It owned American government securities worth USD 164.3 billion at the end of January, which was also the highest level then, and in December, the same stood at USD 162 billion.
• The Reserve Bank of India buys these bonds.
• At the fourth place is Brazil (USD 285.9 billion), followed by Ireland (USD 282.7 billion), Luxembourg (USD 260.8 billion), Hong Kong (USD 249.8 billion), Switzerland (USD 243.7 billion), Cayman Islands (USD 219.4 billion), Belgium (USD 218 billion), Taiwan (USD 201.9 billion) and Saudi Arabia (USD 184.4 billion), the data showed.
• Why do India invest in US Securities? – Because they are considered as safest assets. Dollars and other US government assets began to be among the preferred ones for investments, with the collapse of the gold standard or the Bretton Woods principles in the late 1970s and central banks moved to the fractional reserves system. Since then, the US dollar/T-bills have been the safest asset class for any central bank, despite getting one of the lowest returns.
• Central banks, including the RBI, follow the principle of SLR (Safety, Liquidity and Return) for their investment decisions. Like its counterparts in other countries, the RBI follows the safety first, liquidity second approach and return on investment as the third criteria.
• Economies across the globe are facing uncertainties, which have been accentuated with the coronavirus pandemic that has not only snuffed out lakhs of lives but also significantly disrupted economic activities worldwide.

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3. ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper)

 

3.1 World Malaria Day observed on April 25 with the theme ‘Zero Malaria Starts with Me’

•  Malaria is a life-threatening disease which is caused by the bites of infected mosquitoes. It is the Female Anopheles mosquitoes who spread the Plasmodium parasite through their saliva, which causes malaria.
• In 2012, malaria caused an estimated 627,000 deaths, mostly among African children.
• But it is a preventable and treatable infectious disease.  
• Between 2000 and 2014, the number of malaria-related deaths fell by 40% worldwide, the world has made historic progress against malaria, saving millions of lives.
• India: The process of eradication is quite impressive as its cases have gone down by half since 2000.
• To spread awareness about malaria disease and to promote efforts to prevent malaria an international event the World Malaria Day is observed every year on April 25.
• World Malaria Day 2020: Theme - "Zero malaria starts with me." World Malaria Day 2019: "Zero malaria starts with me". World Malaria Day 2018: "Ready to beat malaria"
• History - The idea of World Malaria Day was developed from Africa Malaria Day. The Africa Malaria day is basically an event that had been observed by African governments since 2001, first held in 2008. In 2007 at the 60th session of the World Health Assembly, a meeting sponsored by the World Health Organisation (WHO) proposed that Africa Malaria Day be changed to World Malaria Day.

 

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4. FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

 

4.1 The curious case: Saudi Arabia abolish flogging as a punishment

 

 

• The state human rights commission hailed it as a major step forward in the reform programme launched by the King and his powerful son.
• Court-ordered floggings in Saudi Arabia — sometimes extending to hundreds of lashes — have long drawn condemnation from human rights groups.
• But they say the headline legal reforms overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have brought no let-up in the conservative Islamic kingdom’s crushing of dissent, including through the use of the death penalty.
• This decision guarantees that convicts who would previously have been sentenced to the lash will from now on receive fines or prison terms instead.
• Previously, the courts had powers to order the flogging of convicts found guilty of offences ranging from extramarital sex and breach of the peace to murder.
• In future, judges will have to choose between fines and/or jail sentences, or non-custodial alternatives like community service.
• Blogger flogging - The most high-profile instance of flogging in recent years was the case of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi who was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes in 2014 on charges of “insulting” Islam. He was awarded the European Parliament’s Sakharov human rights prize the following year.
• Capital Punishment - The abolition of corporal punishment in Saudi Arabia comes just days after the Kingdom’s human rights record was again in the spotlight following news of the death from a stroke in custody of leading activist Abullah al-Hamid, 69.
• The King has launched ambitious economic and social reforms, allowing women to drive and for sports and entertainment events to be staged in the kingdom. But the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018 and the increased repression of dissidents at home have overshadowed the Prince’s pledge to modernise the economy and society.
• The Saudi authorities put a record 184 people to death last year. 
• A bid by a Saudi-backed consortium that involves Prince Mohammed to take over English Premier League football club Newcastle United has also brought renewed international scrutiny of the kingdom's human rights record. Critics have accused Saudi Arabia of “sports washing”, saying the government uses sport as a way of distracting attention from its human rights record.

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5. GOVERNMENT SCHEMES (Prelims, GS Paper 2, GS Paper 3)

5.1 CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan launched Jeevan Shakti Yojana in MP; women in urban areas to get Rs. 11 for each mask made by them at home.

 

6. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

 

6.1 Not Available Today

 

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7. POLITY (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

 

7.1 Blocking burial or cremation of victims of notified disease to attract jail term up to 3-years in Tamil Nadu

 

• Blocking the ‘dignified’ burial or cremation of people, who had died of a notified disease in Tamil Nadu will now attract a three-year prison term.
• The move comes in the wake of public protests against the burial of two doctors who died of Covid-19 in the city recently, with one of them turning violent where agitators even attacked health workers and civic body staff. 
• Under section 74 of The Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939, those indulging in such acts will have to face a minimum jail term of one year while the maximum award will be three years, the release added.
• The offence will also carry a fine, it said but did not specify.
• In two separate incidents recently, two doctors died of coronavirus in the city, but locals protested their burial on the grounds of fears of the spread of the pandemic.
• On both occasions, the mortal remains were buried elsewhere after officials could not perform the formalities in the originally selected localities.
• Last week, an orthopaedic surgeon had to bury his associate, a neurosurgeon who died of Covid-19, in the middle of the night using bare hands and a shovel at a crematorium with the help of two hospital ward boys after the undertakers fled when a mob protesting the interment, attacked and chased them away.
• Over two dozen people have been arrested in connection with the incident, even as the City Police had warned of invoking the stringent Goondas Act against those preventing burial or victims of Covid-19.

 

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8. SOCIAL ISSUES (Prelims, GS Paper 1, GS Paper 2)

 

8.1 BRO (Border Roads Organization) opens Rohtang Pass connecting Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh with the rest of the country. The road was blocked of snow from last three weeks.
 

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9. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3)
 

9.1 Andhra Pradesh Government launched mobile app ‘Covid Pharma’ to keep a track of people purchasing medicines over-the-counter (OTC) for cough, cold and fever.

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10. FACTS, CHARTS, RANKINGS and EDITORIALS (Prelims + GS Mains)

 

10.1 Reports/ Rankings - World Leaders on Facebook by BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe)

• With around 45 million likes on his personal page, PM Modi continues to be the most popular world leader on Facebook: BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe). 
• At 309 million, US President Donald Trump dominates the rankings for world leaders with most interactions on Facebook in the past 12 months: BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe) .

 To download complete pdf please visit here – 

https://twiplomacy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/World-Leaders-on-Facebook-Study-2019.pdf


10.2 Daily dose of  FIVE Facts -

• Feifei is the mascot of 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China.
• University of Oxford launched COVID-10 Government Response Stringency Index to estimate the impact of lockdown measures in countries across the world.
• Houlin Zhao is the Secretary-General of the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU)?  
• Sanjay Kumar Panda was appointed as India’s Ambassador to Turkey in March 2020? 
• The New Delhi-based ‘Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses’ (IDSA) was founded in the year 1965.

10.3 Today's best editorials to read

• We offer you 7 excellent editorials from across 10 newspapers we have scanned. 

CLICK HERE TO OPEN AND READ!

Source: PTeducation.com

All credit goes to: Sandeep Manudhane Sir

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