Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 17-06-2020

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 17-06-2020

• [message]
• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. India-China Standoff 2020 – 20 soldiers die in worst China clash in 53 years – Twenty Indian soldiers, including a colonel, were killed and several others grievously injured in a violent physical skirmish with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley region of eastern Ladakh, in a massive escalation of the continuing military confrontation in the high-altitude region since early-May even though no bullets were fired. The Indian casualties could go up further because several soldiers have been injured in the clashes that lasted several hours till midnight, while a few are still reported to be missing. Some Indian soldiers were apparently also taken captive by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), who were present in far greater numbers and armed with nail-studded iron rods and stones during the prolonged brawl, but were later released after high-level military talks.
2. COVID-19 Updates – Testing ramped up to 3L samples a day – India has stepped up testing capacity significantly for Covid-19 to three lakh samples per day with a network of 907 laboratories — 659 in the government sector and rest private labs — spread across the country. At present, India is testing around 1.5 lakh samples every day. In the last 24 hours till Tuesday morning, a total of 1,54,935 samples were tested. So far, the daily testing capacity was 2 lakh samples a day. To enhance testing capacity in Delhi, each of the 11 districts shall now have assigned labs for testing samples from the respective districts.
3. Constitution and Law – Respond in four weeks  to disqualification plea: SC to Goa speaker – The SC directed Goa assembly speaker and 10 MLAs including deputy CM Chandrakant Kavlekar, who joined BJP from Congress last year, to reply within four weeks to a petition filed against them. Congress state president Girish Chodankar had approached the Supreme Court pointing out the nearly ninemonth delay by the speaker in deciding the disqualification petitions filed against the MLAs. Chodankar in his plea had cited an order in the Manipur assembly case passed by SC in March and sought a direction to restrain the MLAs from attending the assembly proceedings during the pendency of the disqualification petition. All 10 MLAs had resigned from Congress and joined BJP in July, taking the party’s strength in the 40-member House to 27.
4. India-China Stand-off 2020 – India-China talks on, BRO labourers move ahead for infra work – India and China continued with their military talks, which has already led to some troop disengagement in eastern Ladakh, even as 1,600 workers from Jharkhand are on their way to forward areas in the region to resume work on infrastructure projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Brigadier and colonel-level talks were held at two face-off sites of ‘Patrolling Points 14 and 17’ in the Galwan Valley region and Hot Springs area of eastern Ladakh. But the deadlock on the major troop confrontation on the north bank of Pangong Tso continues. Meanwhile, in a clear signal that India will resume its border infrastructure projects in Ladakh, the first lot of 1,600 workers from Jharkhand are now headed for Leh in truck convoys after their train reached J&K.
5. India-Pak relations – India’s ‘deepest’ solar eclipse of the century on June 21 – India will witness its deepest annular solar eclipse of this century on June 21, with the Sun appearing as a necklace of pearls for around 30 seconds during the maximum phase along a narrow corridor running through Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttarakhand. The eclipse will be partial in the rest of the country. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the apparent size of the Moon is slightly less than that of the Sun, which leaves the outer rim of the latter uncovered, giving the appearance of a “ring of fire”. During the eclipse, that ring is expected to be very thin as the Moon will cover up to 98.8% of the solar disc, making it the “deepest” annular eclipse of century in India, according to experts.
6. India: Politics – 8 activists of Elgar Parishad targeted by spyware: Amnesty –  Nine activists, including eight engaged with the Elgar Parishad case, were targeted by a spyware, which aimed to monitor their communications, according to a report released by Amnesty International. Amnesty could not determine the actor behind the attack. At least three of them were also targeted with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware in 2019.
7. COVID-19 Updates – China's capital reimposes travel curbs to stop new coronavirus infections – China sharply ramped up restrictions on people leaving the capital in an effort to stop the most serious coronavirus flare-up since February from spreading to other cities and provinces. The decision to impose fresh curbs and raise the city’s emergency response level back to II from III came as Beijing’s current outbreak rose to 106 infections since June 11. The outbreak has been traced to the sprawling Xinfadi wholesale food centre in the southwest of Beijing where thousands of tonnes of vegetables, fruit and meat change hands each day. The coronavirus was first identified in December at a seafood market in Wuhan, capital of the central Chinese province of Hubei, and has since spread around the world, infecting more than 8 million people.
8. World Politics – North Korea blows up joint liaison office with South in Kaesong – North Korea has blown up a joint liaison office with the South near the North's border town of Kaesong. The move comes just hours after the North renewed threats of military action at the Korean border. The site was opened in 2018 to help the Koreas - officially in a state of war - to communicate. It had been empty since January due to Covid-19 restrictions. In a statement, South Korea warned it would "respond strongly" if the North "continues to worsen the situation".
9. India: Society – Indians’ screen time rises by 2 hours daily – The daily average screen time of Indians moved up by an additional two hours with work-from-home, school education, entertainment and streaming seeing a massive surge, as the country stayed locked down due to the coronavirus pandemic. The screen usage of Indians on smartphones moved up from three hours to as much as five hours, and when connected through broadband (Wi-Fi), the screen usage moved up from 2.5 hours to 4.5 hours, according to Ericsson Mobility Report.
10. Indian Economy – IMF’s June update may show deeper contractions – The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF’s) assessment of the global economy is likely to show deeper contractions for advanced and emerging economies and may be worse than estimated in April, its chief economist Gita Gopinath has said.

Important Exam Notifications
S. No.	Institution	Exam or Post Name	Vacancies or Seats	Qualification	Last Date to Apply	Link for Details
1	NDA & NA (II), 2020	--	413	12th Class	July 6, 2020	https://img.freejobalert.com/uploads/2020/06/Notification-UPSC-NDA-NA-II-2020-Exam.pdf
2	PGCIL	Apprentice	119	ITI (Elec), Dip/ Deg(Eng), BA/BBA	July 17, 2020	https://img.freejobalert.com/uploads/2020/06/Notification-Central-Silk-Board-Scientist-Assistant-Technical-Posts.pdf
3	PGCIL	Apprentice	67	ITI (Ele), Dip/ Deg (Eng), BA/BBA/ MSW/ MBA	July 5, 2020	http://www.powergridindia.com/sites/default/files/Advt%20for%20APPRENTICESHIP_2020-21.pdf
4	PGCIL	Apprentice	97	ITI (Electrical), Dip/ Deg (Eng)	July 4, 2020	http://www.powergridindia.com/sites/default/files/Draft%20Advertisement%202020.pdf
5	RMRIMS	Lab Technician & Technical Asst	6	12th Class, Deg (Life Science)	June 24, 2020	http://www.rmrims.org.in/PDFs%202020/Jun15_2020.pdf
6	NTPC Ltd	Engineering Executive Trainee	100	Degree (Eng/ Tech/AMIE)	July 6, 2020	https://img.freejobalert.com/uploads/2020/06/Notification-NTPC-Ltd-Engineering-Executive-Trainee-Posts.pdf
7	CPCRI	Climber, Skilled Assistant	17	10th Class, ITI (Mechanic Agri. Mach.)	June 26, 2020	http://cpcri.gov.in/images/images/opp/Climber.pdf

• [message]
• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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

1.1 Weekly Roundup – Constitution and Law 

• Supreme Court passes directions in suo moto case: Transport migrants back to their native places within 15 days; consider withdrawl of cases against them for allged violations. Bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan, SK Kaul and MR Shah
• SC take suo motu cognisance of treatment of Covid patients and undignified handling of dead bodies; issues notice to the Delhi, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan, SK Kaul and MR Shah
• SC gives option to establishments and workers to negotiate on full payment of wages, regardless of MHA order. Bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan, SK Kaul and MR Shah
• SC asks Department of Telecommunication to reconsider claims raised on PSU’s basis October 2019 verdict; says “misuse of verdict”. Bench of Justice Arun Mishra, S. Abdul Nazeer and M R Shah
• SC issues notice on plea for CBI/NIA probe. Bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan, MR Shah and V. Ramasubramanian  
• Relief to homebuyers of stalled project: SC asks banks to release balance funds to homebuyers, despite accounts being declared NPAs. Justice Arun Mishtra and UU Lalit
• SC seeks replies from states to questionanaire on measures taken. Justice L. Nageswara Rao, Krishna Murari and S Ravindra Bhat
• Recuritment of 69000 teachers in UP; SC stays recruitment of 37,339 posts till July 2014, open for government to fill up remaining seats.
• SC imposes cost of Rs. 5 lakh on PIL seeking ban on Coca Cola, Thums Up etc.
• Foundation of Media Professionals files contempt petition in SC over Non-constitution of special committee to review internet curbs.
  

• [message]
• 2. ECONOMY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper

2.1 World Investment Report 2020 by UNCTAD

 

• News -

1. UNCTAD (UN Conference on Trade and Development) releases World Investment Report 2020

• Largest receipient -

1. US was world’s largest recipient of FDI (foreign direct investment) in 2019 with $251 billion

• India’s position -

1. India was world's 9th largest recipient at $51 billion in 2019

• Decrease in FDI -

1. These vital resources are expected to fall sharply from 2019 levels of $1.5 trillion.
2. Global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows are forecast to decrease by up to 40% in 2020, from their 2019 value of $1.54 trillion, This would bring FDI below $1 trillion for the first time since 2005

• Reasons for decrease -  

1. Global flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) will be under severe pressure this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. The pandemic is a supply, demand and policy shock for FDI. 
3. The lockdown measures are slowing down existing investment projects. 
4. The prospect of a deep recession will lead multinational enterprises (MNEs) to reassess new projects. 
5. Policy measures taken by governments during the crisis include new investment restrictions.

• 2021 and 2022 projections - 

1. FDI is projected to decrease by a further 5% to 10% in 2021 and to initiate a recovery in 2022.
2. Investment flows are expected to slowly recover starting 2022, led by global value chains (GVCs) restructuring for resilience, replenishment of capital stock and recovery of the global economy.

• WIR 2020 - 

1. The World Investment Report, now in its thirtieth year, supports policymakers by monitoring global and regional FDI trends and documenting national and international investment policy developments.  

Download complete report here - 

https://unctad.org/en/pages/PublicationWebflyer.aspx?publicationid=2769

2.2 Unemployment rate falls rapidly in June: CMIE data

•  News – 

1. The country’s unemployment rate has fallen dramatically in June as more people return to work. The labour participation rate has also significantly improved after easing of lockdown restrictions.

• Details – 

1. After clocking 23.5% in April and May, the unemployment rate first dropped to 17.5% in the first week of June and then took a steeper fall to 11.6% in the second week.  
2. This fall is almost as dramatic as the rise in unemployment when the lockdown began. 
3. The labour participation rate (LPR) was 40.4% in the week ended June 14.
4. The rate had fallen from 42.6% in the week ended March 22, which was just before the lockdown, to 39.2% in the first week of the lockdown and further to 36.1% in the first week of April.

• The LPR –  

1. The LPR - which is the measure of working population - has been recovering since the last week of April. 
2. At 40.4% in the week of June 14 it was not too far from its pre-lockdown level of around 42.7%.
3. The labour participation rate in the week ended June 14 was 94.7% of its level in the week just before the lockdown, which is the week of March 22.
4. However, the employment rate during the week ended June 14 was only 91.4% of its pre-lockdown level.
   

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

3.1 Malabar gliding frog seen at Pullad

•  Malabar gliding frog -

1. It is a rhacophorid tree frog species found in the Western Ghats of India.
2. It has got a body length of 10 cm, making it one of the largest mossy frogs.
3. The fingers and toes are like sticks to attach and walk through tree branches. Males are smaller than females. 
4. The term "gliding" frog refers to its ability to break its fall by stretching the webbing between its toes when making leaps down from the treetops.
5. It can make gliding jumps of 9–12 m, a maximum of about 115 times its length.
6. Western Ghats was a repository of biological diversity and the Malabar gliding frog undoubtedly an ecologically sensitive and beautiful species.
7. Its gliding abilities, with the long skin between the fingers, helped these frogs to cover 10 to 12 feet in one leap.
8. Its breeding period is during the monsoon and usually, the females choose to spawn on the lush green leaves overhanging a waterbody.

• Why in the news -

1. Recently, it was spotted in Pullad, Kerala.
2. Its population is declining due to deforestation, climate change, developmental activities, and toxic chemicals and so on.

• Foam nests -

1. Like many mossy frogs, the Malabar gliding frogs built foam nests above small pools of water, into which the tadpoles drop after hatching.
2. As their body is so soft, they can live only in moist forests with streams.
3. Nature enthusiasts have also observed interesting behaviour like cannibalism among tadpoles.
4. Protection Status: In the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, this species is placed in the Least Concern category.

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

4.1 Nepal Parliament’s Lower House unanimously passes bill to redraw political map

• The lower house of Nepal’s parliament on June 13, 2020 unanimously passed the historic Second Constitution Amendment Bill guaranteeing legal status for the updated political map of Nepal which includes India’s territories in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand.
• All members of the Pratinidhi Sabha (House of Representatives) voted in favour of the motion moved by the government of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli. Following this amendment, the region of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh located at present in Pithoragarh district will be part of the map of Nepal.
• On June 14, Nepal’s upper house endorsed a proposal to discuss the Constitution amendment bill to update the country’s new political map.
  

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

5.1 Ministry of Earth Sciences  developed and launched, iFLOWS-Mumbai - an Integrated Flood Warning System for Mumbai.

• [message]
• 6. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

6.1 Tropical Storm Cristobal touches US State of Louisiana

• Tropical Storm Cristobal threatened the US state of Louisiana with flooding and storm surges after making landfall between the mouth of the Mississippi River and Grand Isle.
• It was the earliest third named storm in the North Atlantic Ocean on record, breaking the record set by Tropical Storm Colin in 2016, which formed on June 5.
• It is also the first Atlantic tropical cyclone to form in the month of June since Tropical Storm Cindy in 2017, and the first June tropical cyclone to make landfall in Mexico since Tropical Storm Danielle in 2016.
• The third named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Cristobal formed on June 1 over the Bay of Campeche from the remnants of Tropical Storm Amanda in the Eastern Pacific.
• Tropical Storm Arthur was the first named storm of 2020 in Atlantic Ocean.

• [message]
• 7. POLITY (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

7.1 Not Available Today

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

8.1 Meghalaya to treat everyone as asymptomatic COVID-19 positive

• Key point – 

1. Meghalaya has introduced a ‘Behaviour Change Model for living with COVID-19’ which involves treating every resident as an asymptomatic carrier of the virus.

• Highlights –

1. The state has decided to consider all residents as 'Catergory A' patients or asymptomatic positive till tests are conducted in order to prevent community transmission.
2. By assuming that everybody is an asymptomatic person, people will be more cautious and responsible for their actions and thus, help in reducing the risk of community transmission.
3. The aim is for every person in the state to be able to combat the virus effectively.
4. Meghalaya had declared itself as "COVID-19 free state" in May, but the number started increasing as its residents stranded in other states started returning.

• Category A patients –

1. They will have to follow three commandments: compulsory mask-wearing, hand hygiene and social distancing.
2. For that the department has built a series of training modules by dividing the entire population into three categories: the elderly who are above 65; those who have comorbidities; the mobile group, or the mobile workforce.
3. For all three groups, a checklist — with a set of model questions which address topics such as hand hygiene, social distancing, and respiratory etiquette— will be provided.

• How will it ensure results –

1. Officials hope that constant repetition of these habits, using the self-help diary or checklist through appreciation and progress monitoring, will lead to change.
2. Officials are also considering a social reward system — where points can be redeemed for items at shops etc.
3. The shift in responsibility is likely to create a supportive environment that will remove fear and encourage compassionate care towards fellow beings.
   

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

9.1 New drug for amoebiasis in the offing

•  Highlights - 

1. The WHO has said that Entamoeba histolytica is the third-leading cause of morbidity and mortality due to parasitic disease in humans.
2. It causes amoebiasis or amoebic dysentery, which is highly prevalent in developing countries.
3. A team of researchers from the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has developed new drug molecules against the protozoa that causes amoebiasis.
4. This protozoan is anaerobic or micro-aerophilic in nature such that it cannot survive high concentrations of oxygen.
5. However, during infection, it faces a high surge of oxygen inside the human body. The organism synthesizes large amounts of cysteine to counter oxidative stress.
6. This pathogen deploys cysteine as one of the essential molecules in its defence mechanism against high oxygen levels.

• Key findings -

1. Entamoeba expresses two crucial enzymes for synthesizing cysteine. Researchers have characterized and determined the molecular structures of both these crucial enzymes.
2. Researchers have also successfully screened for potent inhibitors for one of the enzymes, O-acetyl L-serine sulfhydrylase (OASS).
3. Some of these inhibitors can check the growth of this organism with high efficacy.
4. Cysteine biosynthesis is very important for the survival of E. histolytica and may be similar protozoan parasites.
5. These can be targeted by inhibiting their pathways, which the researchers have successfully done. The identified molecules can be lead to the development of drug molecules. 

• Amoebiasis -  

1. Amoebiasis, also known amoebic dysentery, is an infection caused by any of the amoebae of the Entamoeba group.
2. Amoebiasis infection is most common in tropical areas with untreated water.
3. It spreads through drinking or eating uncooked food, such as fruit, that may have been washed in contaminated local water.
4. If symptoms occur, they may be mild and include cramping and diarrhoea.  
5. Bloody stools, fever and, rarely, liver abscess may occur in severe cases.

• [message]
• 10. FACTS, CHARTS, RANKINGS and EDITORIALS (Prelims + GS Mains)

10.1 Not Available Today

10.2 Daily dose of  FIVE Facts -

• Elon Musk owned SpaceX became the first private company to launch humans into orbit in May 2020.
• The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development was observed on May 21.
• Jharkhand in May 2020 banned manufacture, sale and storage of 11 brands of pan masala for a year.
• According to data released by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in May 2020, Green colour districts are lowest in number regarding COVID-19.
• World Chagas Disease Day was observed by the World Health Organization (WHO) on April 14.

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!

• [message]
• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

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

---