9 PM Current Affairs Brief – February 21st, 2018

For cleaner, fairer elections Electoral reforms in the hands of politicians is a classic example of a fox guarding the henhouse. While there are many policies that both major parties disagree with each other on, they form a remarkable tag team when it comes to electoral reforms. Context: The Supreme Court’s recent decision on information… Continue reading For cleaner, fairer elections

SC: spell out stand on MPs’ salary revision Context: The Supreme Court has asked the Union government to take a “categorical stand” on establishing an independent body to review the salaries and allowances of Members of Parliament and, possibly, scrap their post-retirement benefits and perks. Background: The petition, filed by NGO Lok Prahari, argued that… Continue reading SC: spell out stand on MPs’ salary revision

Mahanadi tribunal gets Central nod Context: The Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of a tribunal to settle a row between Odhisa and Chhattisgarh on sharing the waters of the Mahanadi River. What will be the role of the Tribunal? The tribunal is expected to determine water sharing among basin States on the basis… Continue reading Mahanadi tribunal gets Central nod

China outbids India for stake in DSE Context: Bangladesh has agreed to sell a large stake in its stock exchange to a Chinese consortium What has happened? The Dhaka Stock Exchange on February 10th had approved the Chinese offer to buy a quarter of the bourse’s 1.8 billion shares Bangladesh’s financial regulator has asked it… Continue reading China outbids India for stake in DSE

Indian H-4 entrepreneurs in limbo as the U.S. rethinks visa rules Context: The Trump administration said in December 2017 that it was considering the discontinuation of work authorisation for H-4 visa holders, which may impact thousands of Indians Job authorisation: By providing the possibility of employment authorisation to certain H-4 dependent spouses, the rule will… Continue reading Indian H-4 entrepreneurs in limbo as the U.S. rethinks visa rules

Ask Myanmar to take back Rohingya: Hasina Context: Bangladesh’s Prime Minister has said that India should put pressure on Myanmar to take back the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh Details: Bangladesh Prime Minister has said that India should be more assertive so that the Rohingya can return to Myanmar She also said that her government has… Continue reading Ask Myanmar to take back Rohingya: Hasina

Maldives on a collision course with India Context: When India had sent a message asking the government not to extend the state of emergency, the Maldives has set for a collision course with India, as a parliamentary committee voted to extend the state of emergency by 30 days, defying India’s expectation. Emergency rule defying the… Continue reading Maldives on a collision course with India

‘China quietly holding talks with Baloch militants for CPEC’ Context: According to a media report, China has been quietly holding talks with Baloch militants in Pakistan’s restive Baluchistan province for over five years to protect its $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor initiative. What is the issue? The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir… Continue reading ‘China quietly holding talks with Baloch militants for CPEC’

‘China deploys warships in Indian Ocean’ Context: According to a Chinese website, a Chinese naval contingent has been deployed in the East Indian Ocean What is in news? According to the report, the Blue 2018A fleet of the Chinese Navy has been training in the East Indian Ocean for a ‘week or so’ The website… Continue reading ‘China deploys warships in Indian Ocean’

The politics of AI Context: An Artificial Intelligence that can match human intelligence in all respects is unlikely because it is impossible for AI technology to replicate that which makes human intelligence what it is. Worldwide spending on AI solutions: International Data Corporation, the market intelligence agency, estimates that worldwide spending on AI solutions will… Continue reading The politics of AI

Experts urge more funds to tackle Tuberculosis crisis Context: Tuberculosis (TB) has become a national crisis in India. At the opening day of the 5the Global Forum on TB Vaccines in New Delhi, Health Ministry assured the TB community that eliminating the disease by 2025 had the ‘highest level of commitment from the PM office.… Continue reading Experts urge more funds to tackle Tuberculosis crisis

ED grapples with severe manpower crunch Context: The Enforcement Directorate, which has in the past few days carried out searches at more than 100 locations in connection with the Rs. 11,500-crore fraudulent transactions case involving the Punjab National Bank (PNB), is grappling with a severe manpower crunch. Introduction: It is functioning with less than 50%… Continue reading ED grapples with severe manpower crunch

A deeper malady: on PNB fraud case Context: Just after few days after news of the ₹11,500 crore fraud at Punjab National Bank broke, another different scam of a ₹3,695 crore wilful loan default has surfaced. Why in news? The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a case against three directors of a Kanpur-based company,… Continue reading A deeper malady: on PNB fraud case

A Canadian project, inspired by India Context: Amarjeet Sohi, Canada’s Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, spoke of his country’s Smart City Challenge, something that has been inspired by India. Canada’s Smart City Challenge: According to Amarjeet Sohi, the way the challenges work is to call municipalities to identify problems and then use technology to solve… Continue reading A Canadian project, inspired by India

Cabinet committee clears several rail, road projects Context: The government recently approved several railway projects, including a 130 km-long Jeypore-Malkangiri project at a cost of ₹ 2,676 crore and another 425 km-long Jhansi-Manikpur and Bhimsen-Khairar line doubling-cum-electrification projects costing ₹ 4,956 crore. Introduction: The Jeypore-Malkangiri new line project, likely to be completed by 2021-22, will… Continue reading Cabinet committee clears several rail, road projects

Commercial coal mining opened for private sector Context: Opening up commercial coal mining for Indian and foreign companies in the private sector, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the methodology for auction of coal mines/blocks for sale of the commodity. Introduction: The government described the move as the most ambitious reform of the sector… Continue reading Commercial coal mining opened for private sector