9 PM Current Affairs Brief – January 19, 2018

Budget may increase health ooutlay by 11%   Context India is poised to raise its public health spending by 11% in the annual budget next month, after rejecting the health minister’s demand for a much bigger increase to ramp up disease control, according to government sources and documents Latest data (Source: World Bank) Public health spending… Continue reading Budget may increase health ooutlay by 11% 

Protecting marriages across castes  Context SC’s direction against Khap panchayats What has happened? The Supreme Court on Tuesday declared that It was illegal for parents or khappanchayats to interfere in decisions of adult men and women of different castes to marry A khappanchayat cannot summon adults and question their choice of marriage partner and warned that the… Continue reading Protecting marriages across castes 

Duel duty Context The state cannot choose between protecting freedom of expression and preserving law and order. It has a duty to do both. This is the core message of the Supreme Court order staying the notifications and decisions of four States to prohibit the screening of the film Padmaavat, and directing them to ensure that law and… Continue reading Duel duty

Should the four SC judges have dissented publicly   Context An unprecedented event took place on January 12 when the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, after the Chief Justice of India (CJI), held a press conference, issued a statement, and also answered questions from the media. Justice J. Chelameswar, at whose residence the press… Continue reading Should the four SC judges have dissented publicly 

Electoral bonds won’t solve all issues:Joti  Context Electoral bonds will not solve all problems pertaining to transparency in political funding, Chief Election Commissioner A K Joti said today, but hoped that it will be a step in the “right direction” News Electoral bonds will not solve all problems pertaining to transparency in political funding, Chief… Continue reading Electoral bonds won’t solve all issues:Joti

Tibetan leader cautions India   Context Views of the president of Central Tibetan Administration in India Occasion He expressed his views while announcing upcoming events to mark the 60th anniversary of the arrival of the Dalai Lama and Tibetans in India. He announced that the Tibetan community in India will hold a major inter-religious event in New… Continue reading Tibetan leader cautions India 

China’s rise a big disruption, says Jaishankar Context Concluding session of the Raisina Dialogue, organised jointly by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Observer Research Foundation Foreign secretary’s views Jaishankar said that one big disruption is the rise of China, then the posture of the U.S., the challenge of terrorism, and the fourth would… Continue reading China’s rise a big disruption, says Jaishankar

India to set up $350 mn fund for solar projects to meet renewable energy target  (The Hindu) Context India will set up a $350 million fund to finance solar projects, Power Minister R.K. Singh said, as the country steps up efforts to achieve its ambitious target of adding 175 gigawatts (GW) in renewable energy by 2022 Backdrop… Continue reading India to set up $350 mn fund for solar projects to meet renewable energy target

2017 was the second or third warmest year Context Last year was the second or third warmest on record behind 2016, and the hottest without an extra dose of heat caused by an El Niño event in the Pacific Ocean, the United Nations (UN) said on Thursday. Average temperatures were 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels Average… Continue reading 2017 was the second or third warmest year

Disaster warning system for Odisha by March  Context The Early Warning Dissemination System (EWDS), a project that aims at establishing a fool-proof communication system to disseminate disaster warning up to the community level, is expected to be commissioned by this March It will alert a vast population along coast through loud sirens from towers installed… Continue reading Disaster warning system for Odisha by March 

Aadhaar contradicts the role of the state  Context The Aadhaar scheme contradicts the role of the state as the custodian of the citizens’ fundamental right of privacy. A duty is cast on the government and its agencies to protect the citizen’s crucial personal data from commercial exploitation by private corporates, petitioners challenging the scheme submitted in the… Continue reading Aadhaar contradicts the role of the state 

GST rates on 29 goods, 53 services cut  Context The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has reduced the rates on 29 goods and 53 categories of services, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said following the Council’s meeting on Thursday. GST Council also mulls approaches to ease the burden of filing returns in order to boost… Continue reading GST rates on 29 goods, 53 services cut 

Bitcoins rally may be over  Context Bitcoin, the popular digital currency whose meteoric rise in price last year surprised many of its critics, has lost almost half its market value in just the last month. The price of bitcoin dropped from its lifetime high of over $19,300 in mid-December to below $9,300 on Wednesday and… Continue reading Bitcoins rally may be over