Must Read News Articles – April 24, 2018

Archives

GS: 2

International relations:

The Asian ripple effect(The Hindu Opinion)

China, Japan and India seem to be adapting quickly to the possibility of a post-U.S. world order

‘India, China are guardians of multipolar world’(The Hindu)

Looming trade war with the U.S. could form the basis for a new bilateral bonding, says Chinese Foreign Ministry

Indian Constitution and Polity:

RS Chairman rejects motion against Chief Justice Misra(The Hindu)

Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu on Monday refused to admit the motion for removal of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, a first in India’s constitutional history.

‘Cooperation can resolve Mahanadi dispute’(The Hindu)

With the dispute over Mahanadi river water sharing between Odisha and Chhattisgarh reaching a flashpoint, experts and civil society groups have urged the two governments to discuss all the contentious issues for a meaningful solution.

Finance Ministers to discuss wider range of issues(The Hindu)

To forge a unified stand against what the southern States see as a lopsided Terms of Reference (ToR) for the 15th Finance Commission, the horizons of the second edition of the Finance Ministers conclave are being widened to pave way for the participation of other States such as Mizoram, Odisha, Punjab and Delhi. Tamil Nadu and Telangana, which skipped the first meeting at Thiruvananthapuram, are also expected to take part in the meeting to be held in the city on May 7.

Reject death penalty ordinance: activists(The Hindu)

Jurists, social activists and families of child rape survivors have urged parliamentarians to reject the ordinance on death penalty for rape of girls below 12 years and condemned it as a “populist move” which will prove “disastrous” for the safety of children.

A summer of gathering discontent(The Hindu Opinion)

The genie of Dalit unrest has escaped from the bottle of social control. We must understand why

Jurists divided on Venkaiah Naidu’s act(The Hindu)

Former Supreme Court judges and jurists are divided on whether Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu “pre-determined” the notice of motion to remove Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra. Section 3 (1) (b) of the Judges Inquiry Act of 1968 is silent on whether the Rajya Sabha Chairman or Lok Sabha Speaker could refuse or admit a motion on the merits of the charges.

SC notice to govt. on petition to outlaw Section 377(The Hindu)

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the government to respond to a plea by a hotelier to strike down the colonial Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code which criminalises homosexuality.

GS: 3

Economy:

Threefold solution for sugar payments crisis(The Hindu)

A sugar cess, a production subsidy for cane farmers and a reduction of the Goods and Services Tax on ethanol are three suggestions that a Group of Ministers will present to the Union Cabinet in an effort to resolve the crisis arising from sugar mills defaulting on payments to farmers, with dues now likely to have crossed ₹20,000 crore.

The risks in fracking(The Hindu Opinion)

Many scholars believe that fossil fuel energy will decline markedly by 2050. Such conclusions have been challenged by others who say that the earth has enough resources to quench humankind’s thirst for development for many centuries to come. Among other energy supplies, shale gas and oil are likely to be abundant and available.

India highest recipient of remittances(The Hindu)

India retained the top position as a recipient of remittances with its diaspora sending about $69 billion back home last year, the World Bank said on Monday.

Government Policies:

PM to launch Gramin Swaraj Abhiyan from M.P. today(The Hindu)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Rashtriya Gramin Swaraj Abhiyan in Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh on the National Panchayati Raj Day on Tuesday and also take part in the ‘Aadi Mahotsav’ event, showcasing heritage of tribals in the region.

Internal Security:

AFSPA lifted in Meghalaya(The Hindu)

The AFSPA gives power to the Army and Central forces deployed in “disturbed areas” to kill anyone acting in contravention of law, arrest and search any premises without a warrant and provide cover to forces from prosecution and legal suits without the Centre’s sanction.

Science and Technology:

For a digital library of life(The Hindu Opinion)

The Human Genome Project,  which involved preparing a blueprint of the sequence of genes that make up humans, opened a new vantage point to appraise our species. It gave scientists a way to link networks of genes with disease and well-being, as well as discover unexpected links; for instance, why some women were prone to breast cancer more than others.

Yesterday’s current affairs material by Forum IAS

7 PM Editorial: Ordinance passed for providing death penalty for rape of children below 12 years

9 PM Current affairs brief:

10 PM Current affairs MCQs: