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GS:1
Society related issues:
Cabinet approves education reforms(The Hindu)
Minister of Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar on Thursday announced that the Cabinet has approved a slew of reforms for school education in the country, in what could be considered as the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan-2 project.
Should gambling be legalised?(The Hindu Opinion)
Gambling is ubiquitous in Indian society: people bet on animal fights on streets, they make bets while playing cards and before cricket matches. As the Irish philosopher Edmund Burke correctly said, “Gambling is a principle inherent in human nature.”
GS: 2
International relations:
Time to reach out across the border(The Hindu Opinion)
India and Pakistan must seize the resolution of the diplomatic spat to normalise bilateral ties
India and Japan commit to Indo-Pacific strategy(The Hindu)
India is Japan’s “most important” partner in its “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy,” said Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, as both countries agreed to step up cooperation in their “Special Strategic and Global Partnership” during annual consultations and exchanged yen loan agreements for $1.4 billion.
Seychelles says no to India’s proposal for naval base(The Hindu)
India’s plans to get a foothold in the Indian Ocean islands of Seychelles received a setback after its President Danny Faure told Parliament earlier this week that he will not take up the Assomption island project deal with India for ratification.
‘Cannot reveal Rafale details due to new pact’(The Hindu)
The Union government cannot disclose details of the Rafale deal as India and France had recently signed an agreement to protect classified information exchanged between the two sides, according to officials.
Indian Constitution and Polity:
Tamil Nadu to file contempt plea on Cauvery scheme(The Hindu)
With the Central government not coming out with a scheme on the Cauvery issue within the six-week period stipulated by the Supreme Court — which ended on Thursday — the Tamil Nadu government has decided to approach the court with a contempt petition.
Tackling prejudice(The Hindu Opinion)
Nearly a month after Shanavi Ponnusamy, a transwoman from Tamil Nadu, wrote to the President alleging that Air India had denied her a cabin crew job despite her clearing the written exam, the Ministry of Social Justice sent a Bill on transgender rights to the Cabinet, with amendments as suggested by a Standing Committee.
Keeping contracts alive(The Hindu Opinion)
The Specific Relief (Amendment) Bill of 2017 is meant to ensure performance of a contract, be it building a road or a bridge. The Bill intends to wean the courts away from the usual practice of closing a case after a grant of monetary damages to the injured party to the contract. Instead, it pushes courts to direct parties to complete the promised project.
Govt. to file review plea in SC against ruling on SC/ST Act(The Hindu)
Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday said the government is “preparing” to file a review petition against the top court’s ruling on the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 that puts a stop to immediate arrests in complaints filed under its provisions.
Stay on trial will be valid only for six months: SC(The Hindu)
An indefinite freeze on corruption and criminal trials granted by constitutional courts, especially High Courts in the cases of the rich and powerful, have often led to delay and denial of the fundamental right to speedy justice, the Supreme Court has observed.
GS: 3
Economy:
Telangana is revenue-deficit State: CAG(The Hindu)
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has said that Telangana State overstated its revenue surplus due to irregular accounting.
‘Bharatmala to hit 25 toll projects’(The Hindu)
The 44 new economic corridors (EC) proposed to be built under the Bharatmala network, designed on the shortest possible route connecting the origin and destination, would impact the existing highway networks by directly competing with a few stretches, including some existing Build Own Transfer (BOT) (toll) road projects, ICRA said in a report.
Science and Technology:
Major initiative to control BP, diabetes(The Hindu)
The Health Department is launching a major initiative as part of a national programme for developing a registry for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) with focus on protocol-based standardised management of diabetes and hypertension.
GSAT-6A gives India bigger eye in the sky(The Hindu)
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully placed a communication satellite GSAT-6A in a geosynchronous transfer orbit. It was carried on board the GSLV F-08 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here on Thursday.
Environment:
Himalayas warmest on record: researchers(The Hindu)
Recent decades have been the wettest and warmest on record in the Himalayas, say researchers who are alarmed that a “warming signature” has led to an overall rise in mercury levels and the retreat of glaciers.
Yesterday’s current affairs material by Forum IAS
7 PM Editorial: Karnataka government implements SC’s Seniority list
