Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 07-07-2020

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 07-07-2020

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. Internal Security – China, India begin pullback even as NSA, foreign min talk – In what marks a breakthrough after several rounds of military and diplomatic talks, India and China have kicked off step-wise disengagement from the twomonth-long confrontation in Galwan Valley and Gogra-Hot Springs areas of eastern Ladakh, with People’s Liberation Army soldiers also moving back slightly from the seemingly intractable faceoff site at Pangong Tso. Chinese soldiers “have removed some tents and seem to be pulling back” towards ‘Finger-5’ (fingers are mountainous spurs) from ‘Finger-4’ on the north bank of Pangong lake, in accordance with Phase-I of the de-escalation plan thrashed out between the rival corps commanders on June 30. This is significant as the confrontation here is seen to be particularly sticky to resolve.
2. Indian Society – 1.4 lakh families reach MGNREGA’s annual work limit – At least 1.4 lakh poor rural households have already completed their quota of 100 days of work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in the first three months of the year, and will not be eligible for further benefits under the scheme for the rest of the year. Another seven lakh households have completed 80 days and are on the verge of running out of work as well, according to the scheme’s database. With COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown resulting in thousands of unemployed migrant workers returning to their villages and now dependent on MGNREGA wages, activists are urging the government to increase the limit to at least 200 days per household.
   
3. Covid-19 – COVID-19 tests cross 1 crore: ICMR – COVID-19 tests in India crossed the one crore mark with 1,01,35,525 cumulative samples tested so far, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said. In the past 24 hours, about 3,46,459 samples were tested. The Council has now recommended that all laboratproes/hospitals initiating testing through rapid antigen tests should ensure that symptomatic patients, who have tested negative in rapid testing, should be referred for real-time RT-PCR testing also. The Council has also written to all the States/UTs directing all private labs undertaking TrueNat/CBNAAT- based testing for COVID-19 to apply for NABL accreditation to ensure quality testing. The Health Ministry added that it is now advocating widespread testing and has also informed the States that increased focus has to be on the “Test, Trace, Treat” strategy.
   
4. COVID-19 Updates – Smaller states become new hotspots – Odisha, Punjab, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and a few smaller states like Goa and the Union territory of J&K are emerging as new Covid-19 hotspots with positivity rates, or total cases per 100 tests, more than doubling in the last month even as there is some moderation in incidence of the disease in badly affected states like Delhi, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Karnataka, West Bengal and Odisha had positivity rate of 5% and above, measured between June 19 to July 2. In the period between May 19 and June 1, Karnataka’s positivity rate was 1.3%, West Bengal’s 2.5% and Odisha’s 2%. Goa saw its positivity rate rise from 0.2% during May 19-June 1 to 3.6% during June 19-July 2. (A 14-day period as per WHO helps judge progress in Covid-19 control and a positivity rate above 5% is enough to be categorised as red zone).
5. Polity and Governance – Permanent commission for women officers will need more time: Govt – Months after the SC granted permanent commission to women officers in the Army, the ministry of defence has sought more time for implementation of the judgment, citing delay due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. The matter is listed for hearing. In a submission to the court on June 10, the MoD had requested a six-month extension to the original three-month period given to the government to implement the apex court directions issued on February 17.
   
6. Governance – Hold final year exams by Sept-end, UGC tells universities –  After a nod from the home ministry for higher education institutes to hold final year exams, the UGC decided to give them a window till September-end to conduct them while reiterating the earlier guidelines to assess final semester (graduating) students through an examination conducted in online, offline or blended mode. The UGC said there will be no changes to the guidelines issued on April 29. The calendar has been tweaked and institutions have been given time till September-end to hold the final year exams, it said. But the guidelines, issued said that in case a student of terminal semester/ final year is unable to appear in the examination, he or she may be given an opportunity to appear in a special examination to be conducted as and when feasible.
   
7. World Politics – US flexes military muscle at China – The US is flexing its military muscle at China on behalf of India and other Asian allies and partners, amid signs that Washington is finally ready to take some punitive action against Beijing for the coronavirus pandemic. In the clearest sign yet that the Trump White House will not back down from its position as a pre-eminent power in the Pacific and beyond, Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows told Fox News that the US military “will continue to stand strong whether it’s in relationship to a conflict between India and China or anywhere else”.
   
8. Covid-19 Updates – Australia closes border after 100 years – The border between Australia’s two most populous states will close for an indefinite period as authorities scramble to contain an outbreak of the coronavirus in the city of Melbourne. The decision announced marks the first time the border between Victoria and New South Wales has been shut in 100 years. Officials last blocked movement between the two states in 1919 during the Spanish flu pandemic. “It is the smart call, the right call at this time, given the significant challenges we face in containing this virus,” Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters in Melbourne.
   
9. Arts and Culture – Spaghetti western movie composer Ennio Morricone passes away at 91 – Ennio Morricone, the Italian composer whose atmospheric scores for spaghetti westerns and some 500 films by a Who’s Who of international directors made him one of the world’s most versatile and influential creators of music for the modern cinema, died in Rome. He was 91. His death was confirmed by his lawyer who said that Morricone had been in hospital after falling and fracturing his femur. Morricone scored many popular films of the past 40 years: La Cage aux Folles (1978), The Thing (1982), The Untouchables (1987), Frantic (1988), Cinema Paradiso (1988), In the Line of Fire (1993), and The Hateful Eight (2015). In 2016, Morricone won his first competitive Academy Award for his score for “The Hateful Eight.”.
   
10. Indian Economy – MFs step in to support mkt rally as FPIs turn net sellers – Despite foreign fund selling and a rising number of Covid infections in India, the sensex has gained about 1,500 points in four consecutive sessions in July on rising hopes of a vaccine. The buying has also, to a large extent, been supported by mutual funds (MFs), and traders recently acquired by discount brokerages. With a 466-point gain that boosted the sensex to 36,487 at end of trade, the index is now near a fourmonth closing high. In the process, it has also recovered 65% of the loss recorded since its January 20 high at 42,274 to its March 24 low at 25,639.

Important Exam Notifications
S. No.	Institution	Exam or Post Name	Vacancies or Seats	Qualification	Last Date to Apply	Link for Details
1	Nat. Inst. for Locomotor Disabilities	Pediatrician, Neurologist, Sr Resident	7	Degree, MBBS, PG	30 Days	http://www.niohkol.nic.in/ReadWrite/AppointmentUpload/EN-2442-26062020.pdf
2	IPRCL	Project Site Engineer	5	B.E, B.Tech (EC, Civil)	15 Days	https://www.iprcl.in/uploads/vacancy/03072020211209VCNo.32-2020forPSEs.pdf
3	IPRCL	Engineer	10	Degree	15 Days	https://www.iprcl.in/uploads/vacancy/03072020210947VCNo.312020Engineer(Civil,Electrical&S&T)atE-1Level.pdf
4	WCD Dept, Visakhapatnam	Ayah, Music Teacher & Other	21	10th Class, Degree/ Dip,	July 10, 2020	https://cdn.s3waas.gov.in/s32d6cc4b2d139a53512fb8cbb3086ae2e/uploads/2020/07/2020070144.pdf
5	DCHS, Kadapa	Staff Nurse, Pharmacist Gr-II & Lab Technician	91	GNM, Degree/ PG	July 18, 2020	https://cdn.s3waas.gov.in/s37dcd340d84f762eba80aa538b0c527f7/uploads/2020/07/2020070325.pdf
6	Govt General Hospital, Nellore	Staff Nurse, Lab Tech. Gr-II & Radiographer	45	GNM,/ B.Sc (Nursing), B.Sc MLT, CRA	July. 10, 2020	https://ntaneet.nic.in/Ntaneet/ShowPdf.aspx?Type=50C9E8D5FC98727B4BBC93CF5D64A68DB647F04F&ID=1B6453892473A467D07372D45EB05ABC2031647A
7	Govt Maternity Hosp., Tirupati	Staff Nurse	69	GNM/ Degree/ PG	July 15, 2020	https://cdn.s3waas.gov.in/s333e75ff09dd601bbe69f351039152189/uploads/2020/07/2020070423.pdf

 

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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 Centre blocks 40 websites belonging to banned group Sikh For Justice

• Key points -

1. As many as 40 websites belonging to the Sikh For Justice (SFJ), an outlawed organization, have been blocked by the government for supporting secessionist activities.
2. The websites which have been blocked were being used by the outfit to run a campaign to register supporters for its secessionist cause.

• Detailed news - 

1. The US-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is a pro-Khalistan group.
2. SFJ under the UAPA, 1967, launched a campaign for registering supporters for its cause.
3. On the recommendation of MHA, MEITY has issued orders under Sec. 69 A of the I.T. Act, 2000, for blocking 40 websites of SFJ.
4. In 2019, the home ministry had banned the SFJ for its alleged anti-national activities.
5. The SFJ pushed for Sikh Referendum 2020 as part of its separatist agenda.
6. It openly espouses the cause of Khalistan and in that process challenges the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India.

• MEITY - 

1. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) is the nodal authority for monitoring the cyberspace in India.

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

2.1 WTO sets up dispute panel on India’s import duties on ICT products

• Key points - 

1. The WTO has agreed to a second request from the EU to establish an adjudication panel over India’s customs duties on imports of certain information and communications technology (ICT) products, including mobile phones, taking the dispute up a notch.
2. However, New Delhi blocked the complaints by Japan and Chinese Taipei to setup panels.

• Detailed news -

1. While the EU asked India to agree to establish a single panel to review the three complaints, India said it was disappointed with the EU request.
2. Since India had blocked the EU’s request for a panel in February, it cannot do so a second time as per WTO rules.
3. China, the US, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Canada, Turkey, Korea, Brazil, Indonesia, Norway, Singapore, Thailand, Russia and Pakistan reserved their third party rights to participate in the proceedings.
4. Consultations on the issue took place in 2019 but failed to settle the dispute prompting the EU's request for a panel.
5. As per reports, the EU said it sought to address the matter with India through consultations but without success, with 400 million euros in annual ICT exports to India affected by the duties.

• How crucial the dispute is -

1. The dispute is crucial for India as losing it will directly benefit China, from where India imported telecom equipment parts worth $3.4 billion and mobile phones worth $665.21 million in the April-February period of 2019-20.
2. While China is involved in consultations on the issue with India, it has not asked for a panel.
3. India said the complaints seriously undermine its sovereignty as it goes beyond its commitments under the first ITA agreement (ITA-I).

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

3.1 Hundreds of elephants found dead in Botswana

•  Highlights -

1. Mystery surrounds the "completely unprecedented" deaths of hundreds of elephants in Botswana over the last two months.
2. More than 350 elephant carcasses have been spotted in the Okavango Delta since the start of May.
3. Botswana is home to a third of Africa's declining elephant population. Botswana has world’s largest elephant population, estimated to be around 130,000.
4. No one knows why the animals are dying, with lab results on samples still weeks away.
5. This is totally unprecedented in terms of numbers of elephants dying in a single event unrelated to drought.
6. Back in May, Botswana's government ruled out poaching as a reason - noting the tusks had not been removed.

• Experts’ views -

1. Experts have also tentatively ruled out natural anthrax poisoning, which killed at least 100 elephants in Bostwana last year.
2. But they have been unable to rule out either poisoning or disease.
3. The way the animals appear to be dying - many dropping on their faces - and sightings of other elephants walking in circles points to something potentially attacking their neurological systems.
4. It is impossible to rule out the possibility of a disease crossing into the human population - especially if the cause is in either the water sources or the soil.
5.  One of the experts points to the Covid-19 pandemic, which is believed to have started in animals.

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

4.1 Not Available Today

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

5.1 Government launches ''Swachh Survekshan 2021''; states also to be ranked

•  Key point - 

1. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has launched the 'Swachh Survekshan 2021' -- the sixth edition of the annual cleanliness survey -- and said the exercise this year will focus on wastewater treatment and other parameters.

• Highlights -

1. According to the officials, state ranking will also be announced under the survey, to be measured based on their fund utilisation and support to respective local bodies, among others.
2. Every year, the 'Swachh Survekshan' is redesigned innovatively to ensure the process becomes more robust with focus on sustaining the behaviour change.
3. The SS 2021 indicators focus on parameters pertaining to wastewater treatment and reuse along with faecal sludge.
4. The minister also announced new category of awards titled 'Prerak Daaur Samman' as part of 'Swachh Survekshan 2021'.
5. The Prerak Daaur Samman: It has five additional sub-categories -Divya (Platinum), Anupam (Gold), Ujjwal (Silver), Udit (Bronze), Aarohi (Aspiring) - with top three cities being recognized in each.

• The survey - 

1. It will categorise cities on the basis of six indicator-wise performance criteria -- segregation of waste into wet, dry and hazard categories; processing capacity against wet waste generated; processing and recycling of wet and dry waste; construction & demolition (C&D) waste processing; percentage of waste going to landfills; and sanitation status of cities. 

• Important notes - 

1. 'Swachh Survekshan 2020' had seen an unprecedented participation of 1.87 crore citizens.
2. The 2018 cleanliness survey, which became the world's largest cleanliness survey, had ranked 4,203 cities. 
3. The 'Swachh Survekshan 2019' which not only covered 4,237 cities but was also the first-of-its-kind completely digital survey completed in a record time of 28 days.

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• 6. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

6.1 Accidents and Manmade and Natural Disasters - Myanmar jade mine disaster kills more than 170

• Highlights -

1. The Hpakant jade mine disaster was a mining disaster in which a landslide killed at least 172 miners, at least 100 went missing, and 54 people were injured in a jade mining site in the Hpakant area of Kachin State in Myanmar.
2. The disaster took place on July 2, 2020 and is the deadliest accident to date.
3. Myanmar is the world's biggest source of jade but its mines have seen numerous accidents, many involving people who scavenge for stones.
4. More than 100 people died last year alone at mining sites.
5. Police said some people had defied a warning issued on July 1 not to work in the area after the rainfall, although the advice may also have saved many lives.

• Like a tsunami -

1. The jade miners were smothered by a wave of mud, which hit after heavy rainfall.
2. There were people stuck in the mud shouting for help but no-one could help them.

• Key notes -

1. Myanmar's jade trade is reported to be worth more than $30bn (£24bn) a year.
2. Hpakant is the site of the world's biggest jade mine.
3. Searching for precious stones is traditionally the only job for the people in this area. They have no other choice of livelihood.
4. A new gemstone mining law was passed last year, but critics say the government has too few inspectors with only limited authority to stop illegal practices.
5. Campaigners have accused the military, drug dealers, insurgent groups and Chinese business interests of controlling the jade trade and preventing a safer and more sustainable exploitation of the valuable gemstone.
6. A landslide at a jade mine in Kachin in 2015 killed at least 90 people.

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• 7. POLITY (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

7.1 Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba orders eSamikSha revamp

• Key point - 

1. Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has ordered a revamp of the government’s e-SamikSha platform -- a real time, online system for monitoring projects and decisions taken by the Modi government since 2014 and their follow-up actions by various ministries. 

• Highlights - 

1. The revamp is intended to ensure that various milestones and targets put in place since 2014 are being met.
2. PM Modi and the Cabinet Secretariat closely monitor the projects and their implementation through the platform, and follow-up actions are updated every month by the concerned ministries.
3. The revamped platform will be rolled out from July 16 and all ministries have been given time till July 10 to update the implementation timeline of the Cabinet decisions pertaining to them on the portal.
4. In the revamped eSamikSha, in addition to details of subject matter of decision being captured hitherto, information relating to major milestones with target dates, category of decision, beneficiary states or districts will also be captured. 

• Why it is needed - 

1. In October 2019, Mr.Gauba asked all ministries to review all the unimplemented decisions of the Cabinet or Cabinet committees under the Modi government since May 2014 and draw up concrete plans with new timelines for their expeditious implementation.
2. Gauba had said that the exercise may examine reasons for slippages from approved timelines. 

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

8.1 Other important social-political news

• India asked Pakistan to reduce High Commission staff in New Delhi by 50% within a week.
• K. K. Venugopal reappointed as Attorney General of India for one year.
• J&K: Syed Ali Shah Geelani (90), the lifetime chairman of the pro-Pakistan Hurriyat Conference, resigns
• Govt. of India bans 59 Chinese mobile apps, including TikTok, UC Browser and others under Section 69 A of Information Technology (IT) Act
• CBSE, Facebook jointly launch curriculum on digital safety & online well-being and Augmented Reality.
  

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

9.1 Not Available Today

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

10.1 Sustainable Development Index 2020

•  What is the report?

1. COVID‑19 will have severe negative impacts on most of the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
2. The SDGs are a collection of 17 global goals designed to be a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”.
3. More than a third of the world’s population was under lockdown in the middle of April this year. As a result, many economic activities were shut down, leading to massive losses to the economy and loss of jobs, with maximum impact on vulnerable groups.
4. The health, economic and social crises triggered by COVID-19 called for increased international collaboration and solidarity to support the most vulnerable countries.
5. Countries could cooperate on dissemination of the best practices rapidly, addressing hunger hotspots, ensuring social protection and promoting new drugs and vaccines.
6. The report said COVID-19 had negatively affected several goals including: SDG 1 (no poverty); SDG 2 (zero hunger); SDG 3 (good health and wellbeing); SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth); SDG 10 (reduced inequalities)
7. At the same time, the pandemic had brought “immediate relief” in areas related to: SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production); SDG 13 (climate action); SDG 14 (life below water); SDG 15 (life on land).

• India’s position -

1. India ranked at 117, with a score of 61.9 out of 100. It ranked below two South Asian nations — Pakistan and Afghanistan.
2. India faces major challenges major challenges in 10 of the 17 SDGs which include — zero hunger, good health, gender inequality among others.
3. There are significant challenges in another three SDGs — no poverty (SDG 1), Life below water (SDG 14) and Life on land (SDG 15).

• Global update on COVID-19 - 

1. There have been 10,662,536 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 516,209 deaths as on July 3, 2020.
2. The subsequent socio-economic crisis has affected all countries, including high-income ones in Europe and North America.

• Key notes -

1. Two African countries — Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso — and Cambodia from Asia progressed the most since 2015.
2. Venezuela, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo regressed most, due to conflicts and other economic and social reasons.
3. To download complete report visit here - https://niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/SDG-India-Index-2.0_27-Dec.pdf

10.2 Daily dose of  FIVE Facts -

• The ADB forecast – 4% growth for the Indian economy in 2020-21 in its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) on June 18, 2020.
• Volkan Bozkir (Turkey) was elected President of 75th UN General Assembly on June 18, 2020.
• Suvidha sanitary napkins sold by the government at PMBJP (Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana) Kendras.
• Jigyasa is the student-scientist connect program of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
• Indian Steel Association in May 2020 appointed Dilip Oommen as its new President.

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!

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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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