Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 25-12-2020

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 25-12-2020

• [message]
• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. Polity & Governance – Cabinet approves ₹59,000 crore post-matric scholarship scheme for 4 crore SC students – In a big push for education, the Union Cabinet has approved ₹59,000 crore Post Matric Scholarship for more than four crore Scheduled Caste (SC) in the next five years. The cabinet approved a total investment of ₹59,048 crore. The central government will spend 60% of the programme which is estimated at ₹35,534. The rest wll be provided by the state government. The Post Matric Scholarship scheme for Scheduled Caste students allows students to pursue any post matric course starting from class 11 and onwards, with the government providing the cost of education. A campaign will be launched to enroll the students, from the poorest households passing the 10th standard, in the higher education courses of their choice. It is estimated that 1.36 crore such poorest students, who are currently not continuing their education beyond 10th standards would be brought into the higher education system in the next 5 years.
2. World – Trump pardons more allies: White House – U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a new raft of pardons for allies including the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, adding to a long list he has granted in his waning days in office. In addition to the pardon for Charles Kushner, Mr. Trump also pardoned his 2016 campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former adviser Roger Stone. They were among 26 people pardoned and three who had all or part of their sentences commuted by Mr. Trump. This comes only a day after Mr. Trump pardoned another 15 people and commuted sentences for five. The list included two people linked to the probe into alleged collusion between his campaign and Russia and four Blackwater security guards convicted over the 2007 killing of 14 Iraqi civilians. Real estate developer Charles Kushner pleaded guilty to charges, including tax evasion and witness tampering in 2004. His pardon had been expected by many, given his family connection. Jared Kushner is married to Mr. Trump’s daughter Ivanka.
3. Covid-19 – Over 6,000 travellers from U.K. traced – In line with a Health Ministry directive, several States have stepped up efforts to trace and test persons who have flown in or transited from the United Kingdom between November 25 and December 23, for a more infective version of the COVID-19 virus. More than 6,000 passengers have been traced so far. Flights between India and the U.K. remain suspended till December 31. Eleven persons, on board four flights, tested positive for COVID-19 in Delhi and are now admitted to the government-run LNJP Hospital. The Delhi government has asked the hospital to create a separate isolation unit for passengers from the U.K. who test positive. Around 950 passengers from London were tested at the airport and 11 of them were found positive.
4. Legal Issues – India files appeal against Vodafone case verdict – India has challenged in a Singapore court the international arbitration tribunal verdict that overturned its demand for ₹22,100 crore in back taxes from Vodafone Group Plc. An international arbitration court had on September 25 rejected tax authorities’ demand for ₹22,100 crore in back taxes and penalties relating to the British telecom giant’s 2007 acquisition of an Indian operator. India had 90 days to file an appeal, and the same has been done in a Singapore court.
5. World – Israel to hold snap election, with Netanyahu facing new challenges – Israel will hold a snap election in March after parliament failed to meet a deadline to pass a budget, triggering a ballot presenting new challenges for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Campaigning in Israel's fourth parliamentary election in two years gets underway with Netanyahu facing public anger over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and while he is engaged in a corruption trial, the first against an Israeli prime minister. Israel's longest-serving leader will also have to contend with a new rival from the right, Gideon Saar, a defector from Netanyahu's Likud party. An opinion poll on Israel's Kan public TV has showed Saar drawing even with the prime minister.
6. Polity & Governance – RBI cautions against unauthorised lending apps – The RBI has advised public to be wary of unauthorised digital lending platforms and mobile apps. Taking note of reports about individuals and small businesses falling prey to a growing number of unauthorised digital lending platforms/mobile apps, the central bank has said “members of public are cautioned not to fall prey to such unscrupulous activities.” It urged them to verify antecedents of the company/ firm offering loans online or through mobile apps. The advisory comes in the backdrop of at least three borrowers in Telangana committing suicide in the recent past, following alleged harassment by personnel of such lenders, and many more complaining of being subjected to coercive methods after defaulting on repayments.
7. International Relations – EAM Dr S Jaishankar holds virtual meeting with Spanish counterpart Arancha González – External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has held a virtual meeting with his Spain counterpart Arancha González. Both Ministers exchanged notes on the pandemic situation. During the meeting, there was detailed review of bilateral relations including cooperation in energy, climate change and infrastructure. The Ministers discussed regional issues and reformed multilateralism.
8. Polity & Governance – Hindi news channel ‘Republic Bharat’ fined by U.K. regulator for hate speech – Republic Bharat, the Hindi news channel arm of Republic TV, was fined £20,000 (approximately Rs 19.73 lakh) by the UK's communications regulator Office of Communications or Ofcom on December 22 for broadcasting content containing “offensive language”, “hate speech” and “abusive or derogatory treatment of individuals, groups, religions or communities”. Republic Bharat has also been asked to air an apology on the channel. Worldview Media Network Limited — a UK-based firm — holds the licence for Republic Bharat, which broadcasts news and current affairs in Hindi. Ofcom has stated that in the channel’s “Poochta Hai Bharat” programme that was aired on 6 September, 2019, views expressed by the presenter Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami and some of the guests have violated its broadcasting norms.
9. Covid-19 – Govt starts contest for strengthening digital network platform for vaccine – The government has launched a technology contest to invite solutions from IT companies and start-ups to strengthen digital platform CoWIN, which will be used for rolling out and scaling up COVID vaccine distribution across the country. The government is enhancing use of the Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) system, which provides real-time information on vaccine stocks and storage temperatures across all cold chain points in the country to address the needs for distribution and tracking of COVID-19 vaccine. The contest will be jointly run by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Electronics and IT.
10. Economy – Economic revival beating predictions: RBI bulletin – RBI: There is now more evidence to show that the Indian economy “is pulling out of COVID-19’s deep abyss and is reflating” at a pace that beats most predictions. Economic conditions continued to improve through November on the back of the uptick in agriculture and manufacturing. Financial conditions embodied in interest rates are perhaps at their easiest in decades.\

Important Exam Notifications
S. No	Institution	Exam or Post Name	Vacancies or Seats	Qualification	Last Date to Apply	Link for Details
1	ESIC, New Delhi	Specialist Grade– II (Jr Scale)	7	PG (Relevant Disciplines)	01-02-2021	https://www.esic.nic.in/attachments/recruitmentfile/8cccc27e42f206f81b1c2af99551084a.pdf
2	HLL Lifecare Limited	Research Intern	5	M.Sc, M.Pharm (Relevant Disciplines)	31-12-2020	https://img.freejobalert.com/uploads/2020/12/Notification-HLL-Lifecare-Limited-Research-Intern-Posts.pdf
3	Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion	Asst Vice President, Manager & Asst Manager	11	Any Degree, PG	25-01-2021	https://dipp.gov.in/sites/default/files/vacancy-Manager-23December2020.pdf
4	National Fertilizers Limited	Accounts Assistant	13	B.Com	22-01-2021	https://www.nationalfertilizers.com/images/pdf/career/noida/ADV-%20ACCOUNTS%20ASSISTANT.pdf
5	BECIL	Content Flagger	5	Any Degree	04-01-2021	https://www.becil.com/uploads/vacancy/93e68bcf2e0c807f40ff841c10eae0e5.pdf

 

• [message]
• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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

1.1 Code on Wages norms for the annual bonus

• According to a new provision in the Code on Wages 2019, ‘conviction for sexual harassment’ can be a ground for denying bonus payouts to employees.
• As per the extant law, bonus dues are barred only in case of employees dismissed for fraud, violent conduct and theft or sabotage.
• The new Code is expected to become operational once the government notifies the rules.
• This move will serve as an additional deterrent apart from the Prevention Of Sexual Harassment (POSH) law of 2013.

POSH law guidelines -

• As per the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) law of 2013, firms are required to form an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) to inquire into complaints of sexual harassment at the workplace.
• The Committee is required to make recommendations to employers on the action required according to its inquiry in such complaints.
• The ICC has the powers to decide if someone is guilty and report it further to the police, though not all sexual harassment cases translate into a police case.
• Under the POSH Act, sexual harassment includes any one or more of the following unwelcome acts or behaviour (whether directly or by implication) - Physical contact and advances; A demand or request for sexual favours; Making sexually coloured remarks; Showing pornography; Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.

Payment of Bonus Act, 1965

• The minimum bonus payable under the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 is 8.33% of the salary or wage earned by the employee during the accounting year.
• This bonus is subject to a maximum of 20% of such salary or wage.
• This bonus is applied to all employees earning a salary of up to Rs 21,000 a month.
• The salary and bonus payment limits are yet to be notified under the Code on Wages.
• Section 29 of the Code states that Notwithstanding anything contained in this Code, an employee shall be disqualified from receiving bonus under this Code if: He is dismissed from service for fraud or riotous or violent behaviour while on the premises of the establishment or theft, misappropriation or sabotage of any property of the establishment or conviction for sexual harassment.
• Other disqualification triggers are explicitly restricted to actions on an employer's premises, the trigger referring to conviction under sexual harassment does not include such a condition about the location of the incident.

Code on wage, 2019

• The code on wage 2019, consolidate four acts- payment of wages ct, 1936, minimum wage act, 1948, Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 and Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 — into a single code.
• The Second National Commission on Labour (Ravindra Varma, 2002) suggested consolidating all labour laws into four codes.
• The Code will have the same definition of the term “worker”; but, a person employed in a supervisory capacity drawing up to ₹15,000 will also be considered a worker.
• Before wage code, there is, Minimum Wages Act, which provides to fix minimum wage in employment which has more than 1,000 workers to be first included in the Schedule, and, thereafter, minimum wages will be fixed as per law.
• The new Code has dispensed with the necessity of having minimum workers and inclusion in schedule.
• The central government will have the power to fix a floor wage. Once it is fixed, State governments cannot fix any minimum wage less than it.

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

2.1 Not Available Today

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

3.1 Climate Action Summit organised by UN

• The Climate Action Summit was organised by the United Nations to mark the fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Agreement on December 12, 2020.
• The goal of the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21) was to achieve a legally binding, international agreement to keep average global temperatures no more than 2°C above pre-industrial temperatures.
• PM Modi said India’s renewable energy capacity was the fourth largest in the world. Earlier Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said that India had achieved 21% of its emissions intensity reduction target as a proportion of its GDP in line with its pledge to a 33-35% reduction by 2030.

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

4.1 News Round-up – International Affairs

 

• The UNESCO has decided to launch an international prize in the field of ‘creative economy’ in the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Starting November 2021, $50,000 award will be given away once in two years for global economic initiatives of the youth. UNESCO has declared 2021 as ‘International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development’.
• Forty-two journalists and media workers have been killed while doing their jobs this year, according to the International Federation of Journalists' annual tally released in Dec 2020. At least 235 are currently in prison in cases related to their work. Mexico topped the 2020 list of countries where the most journalists were killed, for the fourth time in five years, with 13 killings, followed by Pakistan with five. Afghanistan, India, Iraq and Nigeria recorded three killings each. The IFJ, which has 600,000 members in 150 countries, also counted scores of journalists who have been jailed, often without charge, by governments keen to escape scrutiny for their actions.
• Morocco has become the latest Arab League country to agree to normalise relations with Israel in a deal brokered with US help. As part of the deal, the US has agreed to recognise Morocco’s claim over the disputed Western Sahara region. Morocco is the fourth Arab nation to make such a deal with Israel in 2020 after the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan. Western Sahara has been under Moroccan control for decades and is the subject of a dispute between Morocco and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which has been seeking to establish an independent state.  
• Israeli authorities are set to unveil previously off-limits structures within King Herod’s palace-fortress, Herodium, which the tyrannical Roman-era leader interred as his enormous burial plot. Herodium, a popular tourism destination, is near Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank but falls in an area where Israel exercises military and civilian control.
• Bhutan and Israel established formal ties on December 12, 2020, with a formal ceremony in New Delhi where the Ambassadors of both countries to India exchanged agreements.
• The Australian Parliament on December 8, 2020 gave the government power to cancel deals struck with foreign nations by lower levels of government that conflict with the national interest, despite China warning against disrupting cooperation.
• The International Civil Aviation Day was celebrated on December 7, 2020 with its theme as: “Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Development”. The purpose is to help generate and reinforce worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of nations.
• International Anti-Corruption Day was observed on December 9, 2020. In view of Covid-19, the UN said that ‘To RECOVER with INTEGRITY, we need to stand #UnitedAgainstCorruption’. It called on countries to support and protect whistleblowers and journalists uncovering corruption during the pandemic as well as bring their national anti-corruption frameworks in line with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
• International Day of Neutrality was observed on December 12, 2020. According to the UN, neutrality is defined as the legal status arising from the abstention of a state from all participation in a war between other states.
• The International Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day was celebrated on December 12, 2020 with the theme ‘Health for All: Protect Everyone — To end this crisis and build a safer and healthier future, we must invest in health systems that protect us all — now.’
• The 193-member UN General Assembly decided by consensus to proclaim December 27 as the ‘International Day of Epidemic Preparedness’ — a day to highlight the importance of the prevention of, preparedness for and partnerships against epidemics such as COVID-19.
• The incumbent Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party [NPP] has won the presidential election and secured his second term, the country's Electoral Commission said on December 9, 2020. The 76-year-old President received 51.2% of the vote, while his main rival, former president John Mahama, got less than 48%.
• Indian-origin global health expert Anil Soni has been appointed as the first Chief Executive Officer of the newly launched The WHO Foundation, which works alongside the World Health Organization (WHO) to address most pressing health challenges across the world.
• Former Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez died on December 5, 2020 in Montevideo at the age of 80. The center-left politician and oncologist was president twice in 2005-2010 and 2015-2020.

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

5.1 Not Available Today

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

6.1 News Round-up – Sports 

• Former Italian footballer Paolo Rossi died at the age of 64 on December 9, 2020. Rossi was member of the Italy team that won the 1982 FIFA World Cup title, scoring six goals to win the Golden Boot as top goal-scorer, and the Golden Ball for the player of the tournament. At the club level, Rossi won two Italian Serie A titles, a European Cup and a Coppa Italia during his four years with Juventus.
• Former India football player D. Ethiraj, a centre-forward in the 1962 Asian Games gold medal-winning team, passed away on December 11, 2020. He was 87. Ethiraj also led Services to Santosh Trophy triumph in 1960-61.
• Alejandro Alex Olmedo, who won the Wimbledon and Australian Championships singles titles in 1959 and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987, died at the age of 84 on December 9, 2020. He also led USA to Davis Cup triumph in 1958.
• UK’s Anthony Joshua knocked out Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev in the ninth round at London’s Wembley Arena on December 12, 2020 to retain his IBF, WBA and WBO world heavyweight titles.
• Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won the season-ending Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 14, 2020. Mercedes drivers Valtteri Bottas and World champion Lewis Hamilton finished second and third respectively.
• Jehan Daruvala became the first Indian to win a Formula 2 race at the Sakhir Sprint Race on December 6, 2020 in Bahrain.
• Hosts Australia (186/5) defeated India (174/7) by 12 runs in the third and final T20I played at the Sydney Cricket Ground on December 8, 2020. India won the series 2-1.

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

7.1 Centre releases list of people on priority List for COVID-19 vaccination

• Stating that the COVID-19 vaccination drive will have minimal impact on routine health services, the Union Health Ministry on December 8, 2020 released the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC)'s recommendation on priorotised population groups that need to be administered the vaccine first.
• According to the recommendation, over 1 crore healthcare providers and workers in healthcare settings of both private and public hospitals will be administered the vaccine.
• In addition, frontline workers including personnel from state and central police, armed forces, home guards, civil defence and disaster management volunteers and municipal workers will be administered a shot when it becomes available.
• Prioritised age group, or those who are above 50 years of age, will also be administered the vaccine. According to NEGVAC, there are about 27 crore people in India who fall into that category.

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

8.1 Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Telecom Skill Excellence Awards given

• Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Telecom Skill Excellence Awards were presented on December 18, 2020 in New Delhi by Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Communications and Electronics & IT and Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre, Minister of State for Communications and Electronics & IT.
• The first prize was won by Sreenivas Karanam for his contribution in developing a cost-effective customized technical solution under the brand ‘C mobile’, for deep sea communication, operating along the Kerala coast, facilitating communication among fishermen and issue of weather alerts etc.
• Prof. Subrat Kar won the second prize for his development & deployment of a large-scale sensor network and devices to avoid train-animal collision, thereby helping in wildlife conservation.

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

9.1 Astronomer discovers rare comet flying past Sun during total solar eclipse

• An astronomer has spotted a little tiny speck flying past the Sun which is a recently discovered rare comet, as the world witnessed the total solar eclipse this month.
• This comet was first spotted in satellite data by Thai amateur astronomer Worachate Boonplod on the NASA-funded Sungrazer Project, as Chile and Argentina witnessed the total solar eclipse on December 14, reports NASA.
• Around the time the eclipse image was taken, the comet was travelling at roughly 7,24,205 kms per hour, about 4.3 million kms from the Sun’s surface. The comet was around 50 feet in diameter.

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

10.1 Not Available Today

 

10.2 Daily dose of  FIVE Facts -

• Indian Coast Guard launches ‘Operation Oliva’ to protect Olive Ridley sea turtles in Odisha.
• Ashraf Patel named Social Entrepreneur of the Year.
• Burevi cyclone hit Tamil Nadu in  December 2020.
• Mr. Lalduhoma from Mizoram was India’s first Member of Parliament to have been disqualified from the Lok Sabha in 1988.
• Andras Laszlo Kiraly has taken charge as the new Ambassador of Hungary in New Delhi.

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!

---