Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 13-01-2020

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 13-01-2020

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. CAA meant to give citizenship, not take it away, says PM Modi–Prime Minister NarendraModi said that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was aimed at giving citizenship and not taking it away. Addressing a gathering of youth at Belur Math, the headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission, in West Bengal’s Howrah district, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, Mr.Modi accused those opposing the amended law of “playing political games” and “fuelling misconception among the youth”.
2. J&K officer may have been ferrying Hizb ultras to Delhi –The Jammu & Kashmir police said they are investigating the role of a gallantry award-winning senior police officer, Davinder Singh, who was ferrying two HizbulMujahideen militants, including wanted ‘commander’ Syed NaveedMushtaq alias Babu, in a civilian car. They are suspected to have been headed to Delhi and may have been targeting the Republic Day function in the national capital.
3. JNU attack state-sponsored: Congress panel–The January 5 attack against students and faculty members of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was state-sponsored, a Congress fact-finding committee said.The four-member committee accused Vice-Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar of being the “mastermind” of the attack, and demanded his immediate dismissal and a criminal investigation against him, faculty members who conspired with the attackers and the company charged with security on the campus.
4. Tripura HC says social media posting a fundamental right –In a landmark order, the Tripura High Court has ordered the police to refrain from prosecuting a man who was earlier arrested over a social media post. Chief Justice AkilKureshi also barred the police from making any further arrests in connection with the case. The Chief Justice passed the order after lawyers moved the court against the arrest and harassment of Youth Congress activist ArindamBhattacharjee over his post on a social media platform.
5. Pongal spells peril for Salem’s foxes–With KaanumPongal, the fourth and final day of the harvest festival, less than a week away, Forest Department officials in Salem are gearing up to prevent an unusual jallikattu — one that uses foxes instead of bulls. The jallikattu-like event using foxes, or vanganari in Tamil, is usually organised on KaanumPongal on the outskirts of the district as villagers believe it will bring bountiful rain and good fortune.
6. India’s under-5 girls face high mortality–India is among the few countries in the world where, in 2018, the mortality for girls under 5 years of age exceeded that of boys, according to the ‘Levels and Trends in Child Mortality’ report by the United Nations (UN) inter-agency group for child mortality. The report states that in 2018, fewer countries showed gender disparities in child mortality, and across the world, boys are expected to have a higher probability of dying before reaching age 5 than girls. But this trend was not reflected in India.
7. Kaziranga has one of the highest number of wetland birds –Kaziranga recorded 96 species of wetland birds — one of the highest for wildlife reserves in India, according to the second wetland bird count conducted on January 9-10. The survey registered a total of 19,225 birds belonging to 96 species under 80 families. The first waterfowl census in 2018 had yielded 10,412 birds covering 80 species, belonging to 21 families.
8. Private property is a fundamental right, says SC–A citizen’s right to own private property is a fundamental right. The State cannot take possession of it without following due procedure and authority of law, the Supreme Court held in a judgment on January 8. The State cannot trespass into the private property of a citizen and then claim ownership of the land in the name of ‘adverse possession’, the court said, adding that grabbing private land and then claiming it as its own makes the State an encroacher. In a welfare state, right to property is a human right, said a Bench of Justices Indu Malhotra and Ajay Rastogi..
9. Iran agrees de-escalation is only way to solve crisis–Iran signalled it favours a de-escalation after days of heightened tensions with the U.S. during which both sides fired missiles and Tehran accidentally shot down a passenger aircraft. U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran against harming demonstrators and against a repeat of a deadly crackdown against rallies in November 2019 sparked by a fuel price hike.
10. Rival Libya groups agree to ceasefire –Both sides in Libya’s conflict agreed to a ceasefire to end nine months of fighting following weeks of international diplomacy and calls for a truce by power-brokers Russia and Turkey. The oil-rich North African country has been wracked by bloody turmoil since a NATO-backed uprising killed long-time dictator MoamerKadhafi in 2011, with multiple foreign powers now involved.

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• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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

1.1 Social media posting a fundamental right - Tripura High Court

1. In a landmark order, the Tripura High Court has ordered the police to refrain from prosecuting a man who was earlier arrested over a social media post.
2. Chief Justice AkilKureshi also barred the police from making any further arrests in connection with the case.
3. The Chief Justice passed the order after lawyers moved the court against the arrest and harassment of Youth Congress activist ArindamBhattacharjee (retired employee of the state fisheries department) over his post on a social media platform.
4. Mr.Bhattacharjee had in his Facebook page criticised the BharatiyaJanata Party’s online campaign in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and warned people to not dial a given phone number even by mistake.“If you call 8866288662, all your data would go to hackers,” he had commented. That invited the wrath of BJP workers!
5. The Chief Justice in his order remarked that posting on social media was tantamount to a fundamental right applicable to all citizens, including government employees.
6. In compliance with the court’s order, the police have now erased Sections 120(B) and 153(A) of the Indian Penal Code from the First Information Report.
7. SubalBhowmik, senior Congress leader, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 LokSabha election from the West Tripura constituency, hailed the order. He had organised protests outside the West Agartala police station after Mr.Bhattacharjee was detained.

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

2.1 One hundred and fifty years of Kolkata Port Trust

• Prime Minister NarendraModi

1.  released a commemorative stamp
2. rechristend Kolkata Port Trust after Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee
3. launched Interactive Light and Sound Show of RabindraSetu (Howrah Bridge)
4. dedicated four refurbished heritage buildings in Kolkata to the nation – 1. Old Currency Building,       2. The Belvedere House,3. The Metcalfe House 4. The Victoria Memorial Hall.

2.2  RBI released National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI) report for the period 2019-2024

• The report stated the following six pillars as part of strategic objectives to achieve financial inclusion -

1. Universal Access to Financial Services
2. Providing basic bouquet of financial services
3. Access to livelihood and Skill Development
4. Financial Literacy and Education
5. Customer Protection and Grievance Redressal
6. Effective Co-ordination
   

• Currently, the Pradhan Mantri Jan DhanYojana (PMJDY) is the government’s financial inclusion programme, applicable to the 10-65 years age group, and aiming to expand and make affordable access to financial services such as bank accounts, remittances, credit, insurance and pensions.
• Financial inclusion is increasingly being recognised as a key driver of economic growth and poverty alleviation world over.
• Access to formal finance can boost job creation, reduce vulnerability to economic shocks and increase investments in human capital.
• Seven of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of 2030 view financial inclusion as a key enabler for achieving sustainable development worldwide.

 2.3  Union Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched 'Mission Purvodaya' to develop Steel     Sector in Eastern India.

2.4 Government announced promulgation of ordinance allowing auction of coal mines without any end-use restrictions. 

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

3.1 Event -Asia Pacific Drosophila Research Conference (APDRC5), 2020

Edition - Fifth
Time  - January 6 to 10, 2020
Place – Pune
Organiser - Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER)
What is Drosophilia? – Drosophila is a genus of flies, belonging to the family Drosophilidae, whose members are often called "small fruit flies" or (less frequently) pomace flies, vinegar flies, or wine flies, a reference to the characteristic of many species to linger around overripe or rotting fruit. It is one of the most widely-used and preferred model organisms in biological research across the world for the last 100 years. Several discoveries in biology have been made using this. Its genome is entirely sequenced and there is enormous information available about its biochemistry, physiology and behaviour.

• Event Details - The Asia Pacific Drosophila Research Conferences (APDRC) are biennial events that aim to promote the interaction of Drosophila Researchers in the Asia-Pacific region with their peers in the rest of the world. The last four editions of this conference took place in Taipei, Seoul, Beijing and Osaka.
• Sessions taken – Total eight scientific sessions –1. Gametogenesis and Stem Cells, 2. Pattern Formation, 3. Morphogenesis and Mechanobiology, 4. Hormones and Physiology, 5. Cellular Neurobiology, 6. Behavioural Neurobiology, 7. Infection and Immunity, 8. Ecology and Evolution.

3.2 Uttar Pradesh government to set up Rs. 234 croreZoological Garden named after freedom fighter Ashfaqullah Khan (1900-1927) in Gorakhpur.

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

4.1 US-Iran relations –Iranian armed forces accepted responsibility for accidental shoot-down of Kiev-bound Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 aircraft after take-off from Tehran on January 8.

4.2 Europe –Mr.Robert Abela appointed new Prime Minister of Malta.

4.3 Asia – Tsai Ing-wen of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) re-elected President of Taiwan.

4.4 Obituary – Ruler of Oman Sultan Qaboos bin Said passed away in Muscat at the age of 79.

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

5.1 Union Minister for Women and Child Development and Textiles - SmritiIrani launched‘Yashaswini Scheme’ for Women entrepreneurship in Panaji, Goa.

5.2 First-year-degree students in government colleges of Karnataka to get free laptops from January 12.

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• 6. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

6.1 Event -  ZoKutupi Festival

Edition – First
Time – January 9 to 11, 2020
Place(s) – Started from Vanghmun in Tripura and then will be celebrated in at least ten states across India and countries such as US, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Details – The event is organized by Mizoram government. The event will witness various cultural programmes by different Mizo tribes, besides performance by various artistes belonging to Zo ethnic tribes of Mizoram and the Northeast.

The Mizo Tribe -The Mizos are tribal people that are spread between Myanmar in the east to Bangladesh in the west. In India the Mizo population is found in Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram. There are 12 Mizo clans identified. However, the three major Mizo groups are Lusei people, Lushai hills people and Chin people. After independence, the Mizo people were governed by the Assamese Government. In 1952, a subsidiary government was created under Assam called Lushai hills, the now Mizoram. However, the Mizo people continued to demand freedom of independence to join Myanmar. The Mizo National Front (MNF) was created in 1961 to achieve independence of of Mizoram. In 1966, the MNF created its armed wing and declared independence under Operation Jericho. The area was then declared disturbed and in 1967, GoI enforced AFSPA. After several negotiations of peace, in 1987, the Rajiv Gandhi Government signed the Mizoram Peace Accord establishing peace in the region.
 

6.2 Event - Indo-Oman bilateral naval exercise - 'Naseem-Al-Bahr (sea breeze)' 

Edition - 12th
Time – January 2020 
Place – Goa, India 
Details - Two ships of the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) and Indian Navy ships Beas and Subhadra were participated in it. This is a biennial exercise that has been conducted since 1993.

6.3 Sports –
ATP Cup tennis tournament

• Serbia defeated Spain to won ATP Cup tennis tournament in Sydney.
• Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat Rafael Nadal (Spain).
• Novak Djokovic and Viktor Troicki (Serbia) beat Feliciano Lopez and Pablo CarrenoBusta (Spain) in doubles.

RhonexKiprutoof Kenya set a new men’s 10 km road world record of 26 minutes 24 seconds in Valencia, Spain.

Portuguese rider Paulo Gonsalvespassed away in accident during the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. He belonged to Hero MotoSports Team.

KentoMomotaof Japan (men’s) and Chen Yufeiof China (women’s) won Singles titles at the Malaysia Masters Badminton.

6.4 Obituary –Famous cartoonist Thomas Antony passed away at Malappuram district of Kerala at the age of 62.

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• 7. POLITY(Prelims, GS Paper 2)

7.1    Event - Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC)

Edition – 25th
Time – January 6 to 11, 2020
Place – Ottawa, Canada             
Details – It is a The Conference provides speakers and presiding officers of  national parliaments in the Commonwealth with a unique opportunity to gather together in a forum of their own to exchange information and express views on matters of common concern. LokSabha Speaker Om Birla attended the Conference.

7.2        Naga People’s Front (NPF) suspendedRajyaSabha member K.G. Kenye from the party’s primary membership for voting in favour of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in December 2019.

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

8.1 National Youth Day – January 12

1. PM attended function at Belur Math, the headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission in Howrah district, to mark the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda ?PM unveils a statue of Swami Vivekananda at the Old Currency Building in Kolkata.
2. Birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda celebrated as National Youth Day on January 12.
3. 23rd National Youth Festival 2020being organised inLucknow from January 12 to 16.

8.2 Home Minister Amit Shah launchedFirst Cyber Crime Prevention Unit of India - AASHVAST in Gandhinagar.

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

9.1    No news in this category today.

Facts, Charts and Rankings (Prelims)

10.1 List of World's Fastest-growing Urban areas by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)

1. India lost over $1.3 billion in internet shutdowns across the country - lasting 4,196 hours in 2019 - making it the third-most economically affected country after Iraq and Sudan.
2. The tool was developed by internet monitoring NGO Netblocks and advocacy group The Internet Society, and uses indicators from the World Bank, ITU, Eurostat, and US Census.
3. The total cost of internet shutdowns across the world, stood at $8.05 billion in 2019, an increase of 235 per cent since 2015-16.
4. Its internet shutdown tracker for India calculated 106 shutdowns in 2019.
5. The internet shutdown in Kashmir, which was imposed on 4 August, is the longest-ever internet block imposed by any country.
6. Visit the website for complete rankings -https://www.top10vpn.com/cost-of-internet-shutdowns

10.2 Daily dose of FIVE Facts -  – Worstauto sales decline in 2 decades

1. Air variant of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully flight-tested on December 17, 2019 by using Sukhoi 30 aircraft.
2. SashastraSeemaBal celebrated its 56th Foundation Day on December 17, 2019.
3. India celebrated National Mathematics Day on December 22, 2019 to commemorate the birth anniversary of SrinivasaRamanujan.
4. Lt Gen Manoj MukundNaravane is appointed as the new Chief of Army Staff in December 2019.
5. Mark Esperis the US Secretary of Defense.

10.3 Chart of the day –Recap of events since the killing of top Iranian commander QasenSulemani

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• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

Solve the online quiz given, right now. Check scores, and relative performance!

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