9 PM Current Affairs Brief – March 25th, 2020

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We are posting Todays 9pm Current Affair Brief

About 9pm Current Affair Brief – This initiative provides a brief of all the relevant articles of day in a clear, concise and easily consumable format. Students don’t need to look anywhere more for your daily news bytes. It will help students in their prelims and mains preparation.

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Rashtriya Raksha University Bill, 2020

News:The Rashtriya Raksha University Bill 2020 was introduced in the Lok Sabha.

Facts:

• Objectives: To develop perspectives, undertake research and impart knowledge in the domain of policing and allied areas.
• Proposes to establish the Rashtriya Raksha University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

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Public Safety Act

News: Omar Abdullah, released after nearly eight months in detention under the Public Safety Act,1978 of Jammu and Kashmir

Facts:

• It is a preventive detention law that allows the State government to detain a person (above the age of 18) up to two years without a trial or charge.
• Authority: Order is passed either by the Divisional Commissioner or the District Magistrate.
• Advisory Board: A non-judicial body to review detention orders 

Additional Facts:

Preventive detention: It is the imprisonment of a person with the aim of preventing them from committing further offenses or for maintaining public order.

Constitutional Provisions and Preventive Detention

• Article 22: provides safeguards against arrests and detentions.
• Article 22 (2) : Produce before the magistrate within 24 hours
• Article 22 (4) no individual can be detained for more than 3 months unless a bench of High court judges or an Advisory board decides to extend the date.

National Security Act, 1980: Empowers the government to detain a person if the authorities are satisfied that he/she is a threat to national security or to prevent him/her from disrupting public order. It extends to the whole of India except Jammu and Kashmir.

WHO launches global megatrial of the four most promising coronavirus treatments

News: The World Health Organization (WHO) announced a large global trial, called SOLIDARITY.

Facts:

• Objective: study, testing of four most promising drugs, and development of antidote against coronavirus.
• These drugs include:
  • Remdesivir: An antiviral compound that was widely used to combat Ebola  Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine: used to treat patients suffering from malaria.
  • Ritonavir and lopinavir:combination of the drug used to halt progress of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
  • Ritonavir/lopinavir and interferon-beta: Combines the two antivirals with interferon-beta, a molecule involved in regulating inflammation in the body

MPLADS funds may be utilized for COVID-19

News: The government has issued a circular granting one-time dispensation for utilizing funds under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) to address the challenges in the fight against COVID-19.

Facts:

• • MPLADS is a central sector scheme.
  • Aim: To provide funds to MPs to execute certain developmental projects to meet the urgent needs of their constituents. Ex-drinking water facilities, education,etc
• Features
• • An MP is entitled to Rs. 5 crore per annum to identify and fund developmental projects. The Fund is non – lapsable.
  • The role of the MP is only recommendatory in nature. The implementation of the project is done by local authorities.
  •  Elected Members of Rajya Sabha can recommend works in the state from where they have been elected. 
  • Nominated Members of both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha can recommend works anywhere in the country. 
• Implementation: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation

What is Hantavirus and how does it spread

News: Recently, a Chinese man has died from a virus known as Hantavirus.

Facts:

• Hantavirus is a family of viruses which are spread mainly by rodents.
• Transmission: It does not spread from one person to another but it can be contracted if someone comes in contact with a rodent that carries the virus.
• Symptoms: Fatigue, fever, muscle aches, abdominal problems, coughing and shortness of breath.
• Complications: Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome(HPS) and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS).
• Treatment: There is no specific treatment, cure or vaccine for Hantavirus infection.

Vice President wishes Nation on the eve of Traditional New Year Festivals

News:Various festivals marking the beginning of new year in different parts of India were celebrated.

Facts:

• Ugadi: Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
• Yugadi /Ugadi: Karnataka 
• Gudi Padwa: Maharashtra
• Cheti Chand: Sindhis
• Sajibu Cheiraoba: Meiteis(Manipur)
• Navreh: Kashmir.

Hubli-Ankola Railway Line Project

News: Karnataka Chief Minister has approved the Hubballi-Ankola railway line project despite opposition by several members of the State Board of Wildlife.

Facts:

• The railway line passes through the dense forests between two major protected areas — Kali Tiger Reserve and Bedthi Conservation Reserve which are part of Western Ghats.

Additional Facts:

About Kali Tiger Reserve:

• It is located in Karnataka.It comprises two important protected areas of the region namely Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and Anshi National Park.
• Vegetation:Moist deciduous and semi-evergreen with excellent patches of evergreen forests.
• Habitat: Bengal tigers(Endangered), Indian elephants (Endangered) among others.

About State Boards for Wildlife

• It has been constituted under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It is headed by the Chief Minister with the State Forest Minister as the Vice-Chair.

Digitised Scripts of Yakshagana

News:Recently, Yakshavahini, a trust has made more than 900 Yakshagana scripts digitised and available online for free.

Facts:

• Yakshagana is a temple theatre art form of Karnataka that depicts mythological stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavata and other Hindu epics.
• It combines dance, music, dialogue, costumes, make-up and stage techniques with a unique style and form.
• It is performed with percussion instruments like chenda, maddalam, jagatta or chengila (cymbals) and chakrata or elathalam (small cymbals).

National Forensic Sciences University Bill,2020

News: Minister for Home Affairs has introduced the National Forensic Sciences University Bill, 2020 in the Lok Sabha.

Facts:

• Aim: To establish a National Forensic Sciences University as an institution of national importance by upgrading the Gujarat Forensic Sciences University in Gandhinagar.
• Functions:It will promote studies and research in forensic science in conjunction with applied behavioural science studies, law, criminology and other allied areas for strengthening the criminal justice system in the country.

National Centre for Disease Control(NCDC)

News: Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare has visited the National Centre for Disease Control(NCDC) Control Room and the Testing Laboratories.

Facts:

National Centre for Disease Control(NCDC) 

• It is an institute under the Indian Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• Functions:As a nodal agency for disease surveillance facilitating prevention and control of communicable diseases.
• It was previously known as the National Institute of Communicable Diseases.
• Headquarters: New Delhi.

Kuril Islands

News:Recently,US authorities have put out tsunami warnings after an earthquake has struck Russia’s Kuril Islands.

Facts:

Kuril Islands:

• It is a volcanic archipelago which separates the Sea of Okhotsk from the north Pacific Ocean.It forms part of the ‘Pacific Ring of Fire.
• The Islands are currently under Russian administration.However,they are also claimed by Japan.

Additional Facts:

Pacific Ring of Fire:

• The Ring of Fire also referred to as the Circum-Pacific Belt is a path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.

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