DAILY DIGEST for 07-05-2020 - USEFUL FOR ALL COMPETITIVE EXAMS || PT's IAS Acedamy

SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. Virus tally crosses 50,000-mark; number of deaths surges to 1,771 – For the second consecutive day, India recorded a three-digit rise in deaths though, at 126, it was lower than the previous day’s spike of 195. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose by 2,958, the fifth day running when the daily increase exceeded 2,000. At 49,391 confirmed infections on Wednesday, only 14 countries have more cases than India. There were 33,514 active cases while 1,457 people recovered in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said. The death toll stood at 1,694. However, reports from the State Health Departments put the total number of cases at 52,468, of which 35,545 are active. The number of deaths rose to 1,771.
2. Top Hizb commander killed in Kashmir: police – Terror group Hizbul Mujahideen’s “operational commander” Riyaz Naikoo, who was on the run for eight years, was among the three militants killed by security forces in south Kashmir in the past 12 hours. Naikoo’s killing sparked violent protests by locals in Pulwama and parts of Srinagar, forcing the authorities to snap Internet and calling facility in the Valley as “a precautionary measure”. Several checkpoints were attacked with stones. The police did not confirm any injuries in these protests. Naikoo joined the militant ranks in May 2012 and was a close associate of Burhan Wani, who was killed in 2016.
3. Kerala tribal woman scales new heights of success – Kozhikode has always accorded royal treatment to top civil servants. The latest recipient of the hospitality of the district is Sreedhanya Suresh, the first ever civil services rank holder from the Scheduled Tribe community in Kerala, who is set to take charge as Assistant Collector (in training) in Kozhikode. As soon as the news came out a few days ago, though she is yet to leave her training at Mussoorie, social media platforms were abuzz with details of her background and achievements. Her interviews, even those that date back a year, were widely shared to motivate youngsters, especially Civil Services aspirants. Sreedhanya’s rise from an underprivileged background to securing 410th rank in one of the most prestigious examinations in the country is indeed motivational.
4. Ahmedabad to shut down for a week – As the novel coronavirus infection is surging, authorities in Ahmedabad have imposed emergency-like measures shutting down the entire city, except for pharmacies and milk parlours, till May 15 and deploying paramilitary forces. All grocery stores, vegetable and fruit outlets and those dealing in essential services will remain shut. Even banking services, except ATMs, will not be available. The civic body has requisitioned seven private hospitals for treatment of COVID-19 patients. It has directed all private nursing homes and clinics to open within 48 hours, failing which their licences would be cancelled. These measures were taken after senior IAS officer Rajiv Kumar Gupta, tasked with supervising and guiding the efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the city, held the first meeting.
5. Fall in key treatment categories – Cardiology treatments offered under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) declined 45% ; ‘general surgeries’ plummeted 23% and procedures related to gynaecology and obstetrics nosedived 25% from February to April, according to data from the official National Health Authority. The only category of treatment that showed an increase, and in fact accounted for the largest number of treatments and procedures offered overall was ‘general medicine’. In February, there were 54,179 procedures offered under this category. It increased to 65,336 in March and 68,519 in April, the data show. There were 1,98,734 treatments offered under various AB-PMJAY packages in January, which slightly dipped to 1,93,679 in February; 1,88,116 in March and 1,51,672 in April. In the first month after lockdown, March 24 - April 24, 1,59,755 treatments were offered.
6. Police arrest ‘Bois Locker Room’ group admin – The Delhi Police’s Cyber cell has arrested the admin of the Instagram group ‘Bois Locker Room’ that was being used to share abusive messages and morphed images of underage girls on the social media site. Police said the 18-year-old admin of the group had appeared for his Class 12 board examinations this year. Police, however, withheld the name of the arrested person, asserting that such disclosure could lead to the identification of other group members, many of whom are minors. The admin is a student of a school in Delhi-NCR. Four other group members, who are all majors and above 18 years of age, are also now being probed.
7. European economy faces historic recession – The EU forecast a historic recession on the continent battered by the deadly coronavirus pandemic, as the U.S. and China escalated their war of words over the origins of the disease. The grim prediction from Brussels came as Europe’s biggest economy Germany unveiled plans for a near-return to normality, even as fresh data from the powerhouse revealed manufacturing and car sales have been badly hammered. Countries in Asia joined step in easing punishing lockdowns that have kept swathes of humanity indoors for weeks and pummelled economies, tipping the world toward a recession not seen in decades.
8. Sri Lanka’s election date challenged in SC – Sri Lanka’s parliamentary poll date of June 20 has been challenged at the Supreme Court, with four recently filed petitions questioning its timing amid the coronavirus pandemic. In separate petitions, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB or United People’s Front), the opposition party led by former Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa, senior journalist Victor Ivan, the Colombo-based NGO Centre for Policy Alternatives, and Attorney-at-Law Charitha Gunarathne have contested the Election Commission’s decision to hold polls on June 20 — it has said the date is subject to review — arguing that the environment was not conducive to hold a free and fair election.
9. SBI to extend loan moratorium to NBFCs – In a move that could give a huge relief to the non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) facing a cash crunch, the State Bank of India (SBI) has decided to extend loan moratorium to these entities. According to top sources in the bank, the decision was taken after a meeting, wherein it was decided that non-banks that wanted to avail the three-month moratorium on payment of instalments will have to apply for the same and the facility will not be extended by default. The move comes days after a recent meeting between the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and commercial banks wherein the issues of moratorium and liquidity flow to NBFCs were discussed.
10. Automobile majors resume partial operations – Royal Enfield, TVS Motor Company, MRF and Apollo Tyres resumed operations at their manufacturing facilities on Wednesday based on the government’s directions even as the country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki said it will restart vehicle production at its Manesar plant in Haryana on May 12. Royal Enfield said its manufacturing unit at Oragadam, near Chennai, was the first to begin operations in a staggered manner, with minimal staff over a single shift.

SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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

1.1 Weekly Roundup – Constitution and Law

• Top court issues notices in Sharjeel Imam’s plea for consolidation of FIRs filed against him     across the country for investigation by a single agency.
• SC grants interim protection from arrest to Prashant Bhushan in FIR registered by Gujarat Police
• The government of J&K files consolidated reply to pleas seeking restoration of 4G internet connectivity in the state of J&K, stating that internet connectivity may propogate terrorism and is not a priority.
• SC seeks centre’s response on movement of migrant workers heading home during lockdown.
• In marginal relief to Vodafone Idea, SC allows tax refund of 773 crores against cliam over 4000 crores. Telecom giant claimed department had not processed Income Tax Refunds from 2014-15 to 2017-18.
• Non-participation in arbitral proceedings results in waiver of Right to Raise Objections on jurisdiction after award: Supreme Court
• Deemed Universities covered under Prevention of Corruption Act – SC
• SC upholds valadity of NEET for admission to Medical and Dental courses, says minority educational institutions governed under Article 30 of the constitution of India does not disallow state from making regulations.
• The authorities can’t give their own interpretation to legislative provisions on basis of perception of trade practices.
• SC explains the scope of remand under order XLI Rule 23A CPC; applleate courts must not pass orders of remand in a routine manner.
• A citizen must have some standing or knowledge before questioning capability and integrity of a judge: SC holds 3 people guilty of contempt for making scandalous allegation against judges. 

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

 

2.1  China has started testing its official digital currency  - Digital Currency Electronic Payment, DC/EP

 

 

 

 

• Internal pilot tests for the digital currency of China are being carried out in four cities of China. China is expected to officially make the sovereign digital currency available to the public later in 2020. It could be considered the world’s first Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). The total size of China’s digital currency could reach one trillion yuan - one-eighth of China’s cash ($140 billion).
• Digital currency is a payment method which exists only in electronic form and is not tangible. Digital currency can be transferred between entities or users with the help of technology like computers, smartphones and the internet. Digital currency is also known as digital money and cybercash.
• Cryptocurrency - A cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography for security. Cryptocurrencies use decentralized technology to let users make secure payments and store money without the need to use their name or go through a bank. They run on a distributed public ledger called blockchain, which is a record of all transactions updated and held by currency holders. The most common cryptocurrencies are Bitcoin, Libra, Ethereum, Ripple, and Litecoin.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had banned cryptocurrencies in 2018. RBI had considered cryptocurrencies as a poor unit of account and also demonstrated by their frequent and high fluctuation in value. RBI also stated that it pose several risks, including anti-money laundering and terrorism financing concerns (AML/CFT) for the state and liquidity, credit, and operational risks for users. Subsequently, the Supreme Court has struck down a circular of the RBI, which bans financial institutions from enabling deals in digital or cryptocurrencies. The ban was challenged by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMA) sighting that dealing and trading in cryptocurrency was a legitimate business activity and that the RBI did not have jurisdiction over it as these assets could be classified as commodities rather than currency.

2.2 Government appointed Economic Affairs Secretary Tarun Bajaj as Director on Reserve Bank Central Board.

2.3 India saved Rs. 89,122 crore through energy efficiency initiatives by BEE (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) in 2018-19: Power Minister R K Singh.

 

2.4 Government banned exports of alcohol-based hand sanitizers amid coronavirus pandemic.

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

 

3.1 Not Available Today
 

 

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

 

4.1 India has appointed T. S. Tirumurti as its Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN)

• Permanent Mission to the United Nations is the diplomatic mission that every member state deputes to the UN. It is headed by a Permanent Representative who is also referred to as the UN ambassador. UN Permanent Representatives are assigned to the UN headquarters in New York City, and at other offices in Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi as well.
• It is describe under Article 1(7) of the Vienna Convention on the Representation of States in their Relations with International Organizations of a Universal Character, 1975.
• According to the UN General Assembly resolution 257(III) of December 3, 1948, permanent missions assist in the realization of the purposes and principles of the UN. They keep the necessary liaison between the Member States and the Secretariat in periods between sessions of the different organs of the UN.
• There are currently eight Indians in senior leadership positions at the UN at the levels of Under Secretary General and Assistant Secretary General. The first Indian delegates at the UN included statesman Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar and freedom fighters Hansa Mehta, Lakshmi N. Menon and Vijayalakshmi Pandit.

     

• Mehta and Pandit were among the 15 women members of the Indian Constituent Assembly.
• India was among the select members of the UN that signed the United Nations Declaration at Washington on January 1, 1942. 
• Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar (1887-1976) - One of the prominent lawyers joined the Justice Party in 1917. Took part in Joint Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms in India and the Round Table Conferences. He was India’s delegate to the San Francisco Conference. In 1946 he was elected the first President of the United Nations’ Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). He also served as the chair of the executive boards of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
• Hansa Mehta (1897-1995) - After studying Journalism and Sociology from England, she returned to India and served as the President of the Bhagini Samaj and played a crucial role during the campaign against the Simon Commission. She was the first woman to be elected to the Bombay Legislative Council in 1931. She represented India on the Nuclear Sub-Committee on the status of women in 1946.
• Lakshmi Menon (1899-1994) - She was one of the founder members of the All India Women’s Conference. She was India’s delegate to the Third Committee in 1948 and argued forcefully in favour of non-discrimination based on gender and “the equal rights of men and women” in the in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In 1949-1950, she headed the UN Section on the Status of Women and Children.
• Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (1900-1990) - She led the Indian delegation to the UN (1946-48 and 1952-53). In 1953, she became the first woman to be elected president of the UN General Assembly. In 1978, she was appointed the Indian representative to the UN Human Rights Commission.

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

5.1 COVID-19 focussed schemes

• Directorate General of Civil Aviationlaunched GARUD (Government Authorisation for Relief Using Drones) portal to fast-track approval to COVID-19 related drone operations.
• NITI Aayog, Piramal Foundation launched ‘Surakshit Dada-Dadi & Nana-Nani Abhiyan’ campaign focussed on ensuring wellbeing of senior citizens.
• Himachal Pradesh government to launch ‘Nigah’ to sensitise family members of migrant returnees.

 

6. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

 

6.1 Weekly Roundup - Corporates

 

• NSDC, Amazon India collaborate to launch COVID-19 awareness campaign - The National Skill Development Corporation has partnered with Amazon India to launch a digital campaign to drive awareness on the importance of precautionary measures in combating COVID 19 such as physical distancing and maintaining hygiene. The ‘Fight Against COVID-19 #AwareIndiaSafeIndia; Digital Campaign’ will use online community engagement to achieve the outlined objective. In addition to this, Amazon and NSDC will engage students and skill trainees through NSDC’s network of more than 11,000 training centres, over 800 Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra and digital interfaces.
• CAIT to launch national e-commerce marketplace ‘bharatmarket’ for all retail traders - Traders’ body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on May 1, 2020 said it will soon launch a national e-commerce marketplace ‘bharatmarket’ for all retail traders in collaboration. The marketplace will utilise capabilities of various technology companies to provide end-to-end services in the logistics and supply chains from manufacturers to end consumers, including deliveries at home.
• Axis Bank to increase its stake in Max Life Insurance to 30% - Private-sector lender Axis Bank on April 28, 2020 said it would acquire an additional 29 per cent stake in Max Life Insurance, raising its total stake in the private life insurer to 30 per cent after the completion of the deal. Max Financial Services will hold the remaining 70 per cent in the joint venture.
• Reliance Industries announces rights issue of Rs 53,000 crore - Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) on April 30, 2020 announced plans to raise Rs 53,125 crore via rights issue. It is said to be the biggest rights issue in India so far. The rights issue is priced at Rs 1,257, a discount of Rs 210 or 14 per cent from the previous close. One equity share can be subscribed for every 15 equity shares held by eligible shareholders as on the record date.  
• TCS iON offers free online self-certification course ‘Corona Warriors’ - TCS iON, a unit of IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), on April 27, 2020 said it has launched a free online self-certification course -- Corona Warriors -- on its platform to prepare frontline health workers in dealing with COVID-19 patients. The course has been designed and curated by medical experts of TCS Lifesciences unit.
• Biocon’s Mazumdar-Shaw in top-20 of The Medicine Maker Power List 2020 - Biocon Ltd announced on April 27, 2020 that The Medicine Maker Power List 2020 has ranked its Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw as one of the world’s top 20 inspirational leaders in the field of biopharmaceuticals.  She has been recognised for her contribution to the world of medicine as an entrepreneur and innovative business leader.
• JLR chief executive Ralf Speth elected Fellow of Royal Society - Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) on May 2, 2020 said its Chief Executive Officer Ralf Speth has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. The honour is in recognition of Speth’s advocacy for UK research and development and his commitment to STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) education.
• Shrikant Madhav Vaidya appointed Chairman of Indian Oil - Shrikant Madhav Vaidya will be the next Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), a Maharatna PSU. His appointment was cleared by the Union Cabinet on April 28, 2020. He will succeed Sanjiv Singh, who demits office on June 30..

 

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7. POLITY (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

 

7.1 Various decisions related to COVID-19 pandemic

• Government announced to operate 64 flights to repatriate stranded Indians abroad from May 7 to 13.
• Government suspends all visas, bars travel by OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card-holders till ban on air services.
• Jharkhand government launched 3 schemes to generate 25 crore man-days for MGNREGA to help returnee migrant workers.
• West Bengal government allows home delivery of liquor, launched website for ordering.
• Haryana levyed “COVID Cess” on all types of liquor from May 6.

 

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

 

8.1 A completely indigenous scientific invention, FNCAS9 Editor Linked Uniform Detection Assay, FELUDA for COVID-19

• The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), constituent lab Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) and Tata Sons have signed an agreement for licensing of KNOW-HOW for rapid and accurate diagnosis of COVID-19. 
• A completely indigenous scientific invention, FNCAS9 Editor Linked Uniform Detection Assay, FELUDA for COVID-19 has been designed for mitigating the ongoing COVID-19 situation and cater to mass testing.
• Its main advantages are its affordability, relative ease of use and non-dependency on expensive Q-PCR machines. CSIR IGIB and TATA Sons will now work together to bring it for widespread use at the earliest. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is a premier organisation under the Ministry of Science and Technology. 
• The innovative CRISPR ‘Feluda’ test uses cutting edge CRISPR technology for detection of genomic sequence of novel coronavirus. It uses a test protocol that is simple to administer and easy to interpret enabling results to be made available to the medical fraternity in relatively lesser time, as compared to other test protocols.

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

9.1 Innovations – Inventions related to COVID-19 pandemic

• Contactless Soap - Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI), Durgapur, develops ‘Contactless Soap cum Water Dispensing Unit’
• Whatsapp Bot - Poynter Institute’s International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) launched a WhatsApp chatbot that has been built to curb spread of misinformation, particularly during COVID-19 pandemic. By using the IFCN’s bot on WhatsApp, people worldwide can easily check whether a piece of content about COVID-19 has already been rated as false by professional fact-checkers.

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

 

10.1 Reports/ Rankings – Not Available Today 

10.2 Daily dose of  FIVE Facts -

• Former Governor Devanand Konwar died at the age of 86 in Guwahati on April 25, 2002.
• In banking LCR is Liquidity coverage ratio.
• The UN Security Council (UNSC) on March 30, 2020 unanimously adopted Resolution 2518 to ensure the safety and security of Peacekeepers.
• Nerijus Valskis won the Golden Boot in the Indian Super League (ISL) football tournament in March 2020.
• India has been ranked 83rd among 85 countries and called ‘one of the world’s least free democracies’ by Freedom House international NGO in its report released in March 2020.

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 & Credit: PTeducation.com

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