9 PM Current Affairs Brief – 24th November, 2017

 Going universal (TH Op) Context Karnataka does well to finalise the road map to ensure universal health coverage What Karnataka’s move to amend the law governing private medical establishments is a logical step in its plan to provide universal health coverage in the State Basic components of Healthcare Reform Laying down standards Containing treatment costs… Continue reading  Going universal (TH Op)

Keeping TB away with a healthy diet Context Can a healthy diet stave off tuberculosis? The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will monitor 2000 TB patients in Jharkhand and additionally ensure that they are well fed to determine the extent to which a good diet can influence tuberculosis treatment Other Objective Due to the… Continue reading Keeping TB away with a healthy diet

 Politics and Padmavati(TH Ed) Context Padmavati row Letter from Salman Rushdie In February 1989, days after Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran had issued a fatwa against him for his novel The Satanic Verses, Salman Rushdie published an open letter to Rajiv Gandhi, then Prime Minister He reminded the Prime Minister that his book had already been banned in India… Continue reading  Politics and Padmavati(TH Ed)

More seats for Sikkim Assembly (TH) Context Change in the number of assembly seats for Sikkim What has happened? The Home Ministry has proposed an increase in the number of seats in the Sikkim Assembly from 32 to 40. The expansion will be the first since the State merged with India in 1975 Source: The Hindu… Continue reading More seats for Sikkim Assembly (TH)

Bamboo ceases to be a tree, freed of Forest Act (TH)  Context Bamboo is no longer a tree, legally What has happened? After 90 years, the bamboo has legally ceased to be a tree with the government, amending the Indian Forest Act and axing the bamboo — taxonomically a grass — from a list of… Continue reading Bamboo ceases to be a tree, freed of Forest Act (TH)

 Parliament Winter session: Bill to grant NCBC constitutional status to be re-introduced in Lok Sabha (IE) Context Granting of constitutional status to NCBC What has happened? Following the impasse over the Bill to grant constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) in the last session of Parliament, the Union government is set to… Continue reading  Parliament Winter session: Bill to grant NCBC constitutional status to be re-introduced in Lok Sabha (IE)

 ‘IBC ordinance will affect pending suits’ (TH) Context Concerns regarding changes introduced in IBC code What are the concerns? Disruption: Changes will cause disruption in pending proceedings because earlier the resolution plan had to qualify for consideration. Now, the bidder has also to qualify If the total time of 270 days has lapsed in these cases… Continue reading  ‘IBC ordinance will affect pending suits’ (TH)

President’s nod for bankruptcy ordinance (TH) Context Introduction of a new section to IBC What has happened? President has given his assent to the Ordinance approved by the Union Cabinet to amend the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to strengthen the regime What does the ordinance aims at? Safeguards: The Ordinance aims at putting in… Continue reading President’s nod for bankruptcy ordinance (TH)

The wind in India’s sails (IE) Context India has, since 1998, signed “strategic partnership” agreements with 30 countries and organisations, ranging from Afghanistan and ASEAN to Uzbekistan and UAE What does the term ‘strategic’ means in international relations? The term “strategic” in international relations implies a convergence of interests in areas of security, economics and foreign… Continue reading The wind in India’s sails (IE)

Quad confusion (TH Op)  Context More than 10 days after the Quadrilateral meeting, or ‘Quad’, involving secretary-level officials of India, Japan, Australia and the U.S., the dust is yet to settle on just what was decided among them What The differences in statements show that the countries lack a common aim Four separate statements A… Continue reading Quad confusion (TH Op) 

Reaching out to neighbours (TH Op)  Context As ASEAN celebrates 50, reflections on SAARC’s failed decades  SAARC: A Failure It has been unable to integrate the region through trade and connectivity and continues to be stuck in the quagmire of regional politics and rivalry and stagnates from historical distrust and old animosity Study in contrasts… Continue reading Reaching out to neighbours (TH Op)

Rohingya repatriation deal signed (TH)  Context Bangladesh to return 6,00,000 Muslim refugees to Myanmar; process expected to start in two months What Bangladesh and Myanmar have signed a memorandum of understanding on the return of Rohingya people who fled the Rakhine state in the wake of a military crackdown Points Rejected by Myanmar Bangladesh wanted… Continue reading Rohingya repatriation deal signed (TH)

 The new bipolarity in Asia (TH Op) Context Having one set of nations ranged against China is not going to be easy in the prevailing Circumstances Backdrop: The Dichotomy in the global order today S. President believes in a world governed by self-interest, with little room for shared responsibility, or lofty ideas about the spread… Continue reading  The new bipolarity in Asia (TH Op)

Unite to fight dark forces in digital space: PM (TH) Context Modi calls for sharing of information and coordination among nations and creation of cyber warriors to ensure safety Backdrop The Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS), attended by delegates from 131 countries Key Points from PM’s address: Striking a balance Possible to strike a… Continue reading Unite to fight dark forces in digital space: PM (TH)

Partnership of ideas (IE) Context Digitisation provides an opportunity to strengthen industry-academia ties. The Challenge The new challenge will be to motivate young minds to innovate, especially in keeping with the demands of industry. This brings collaboration to the forefront Transformation With the new age economy powered by digitisation and disruptive technologies, the industry-academia relationship… Continue reading Partnership of ideas (IE)

The hungry nation (IE) Context Global Hunger Index offers a needed reality check for India’s big power aspirations. Backdrop India’s international financial rating was recently upgraded by Moody’s recognising the reforms and structural changes initiated by the present government A recent survey of the Pew Research Center refers to the immense popularity of Prime Minister Narendra… Continue reading The hungry nation (IE)