Weekly Current Affairs Highlights – 12th to 17th Apr.

On this page, you can read all the major news/Current Affairs of the week.

On a daily basis, we are covering all relevant Current Affairs under our various initiatives. For further reading, you can refer to our following initiatives:

1. 9 PM: Daily Current Affairs Summaries For UPSC 
2. Daily Editorials: Daily Current Affairs Editorials For UPSC 
3. Factly: Daily Current Affairs For Prelims

Updates on Ordinance, Bills, Acts, etc

Bills such as The Medical Termination of Pregnancy(Amendment) Bill, and Ordinance such as the IBC amendment Ordinance were in news repeatedly. The important articles covered in this regard are,

• Need for a robust Personal Data Protection Bill
• Issues in the MTP Amendment Bill
• A Balanced Approach Under IBC Amendment Ordinance 2021
• The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Bill, 2020

Updates in Judiciary and Important cases

This week the Judiciary was in the spotlight with the updates like the Judgements and orders portal, SC direction in the ISRO espionage case, etc. Following articles covered these updates

Important cases:

• High Courts should not intervene during police investigation:SC
• People are Free to Choose Religion: Supreme Court
• SC Directions to CBI in ISRO Espionage Case, 1994
• An Analysis of SC Ruling on Rohingyas
• State obliged to facilitate access to education: Supreme Court

Others:

• Issue of Gender Gap in Judiciary – Explained, Pointwise
• Inauguration of “Judgments and Orders Portal” and “e-Filing 3.0 module”
• Government to Decide on Collegium Recommendations for HC judges

Report and Indices

There were many important reports and indices released this week. Few of them created many debates in India like the State of world population report, Global Food Policy report, etc. The important ones are;

• Girls Faced More Pressure During Pandemic: Study
• IFPRI Releases “Global Food Policy Report 2021”
• UNFPA Releases “State of World Population Report 2021”
• NSO Releases “Women and Men in India Report, 2020”
• Report on Racial Discrimination against Northeast People

India-US relations

Last week the US conducted a Freedom of Navigation operation(FONOP) in India’s EEZ. This week many news articles covered the impact of FONOP and the Impact that in India-US relations. The important articles covered in this regard are,

• US’s Freedom of Navigation Operation in India’s EEZ – Explained, Pointwise
• Violation of India’s Exclusive Economic Zone by US Navy
• Freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) in Indian waters
• Issue of Freedom of Navigation in EEZs
• Why India Needs to Balance Relations with China, Russia and US?
• India on US’s “Currency Watch list”

Updates on International Relations

This week the important updates in International relations include the US-Afghan Strategy updates, the UK permission to extradite Nirav Modi, Raisina Dialogue 2021, etc. The important articles covered by us include

• Reviving India-Russia Relationship – Explained, Pointwise
• The US-Afghan Strategy Fails to Control Taliban
• Strategic Autonomy will shape the Emerging global order
• Need of Peace Between India and Pakistan
• Talks on Iran Nuclear Deal Resumes
• Increasing Importance of Indo-Pacific for EU
• U.K. Agrees for “Extradition” of Nirav Modi in PNB case
• “UN Food Systems Summit 2021” -India Holds National Dialogue
• “Raisina Dialogue” 2021 -Prime Minister addresses the Inaugural Session

Updates in Economy

This week the economic topics in news include articles on Bad Bank, India as a global Investment Hub, etc. The important articles on Economy are,

• • What is a “Currency Chest”?
  • India will move towards mandatory “gold hallmarking”
  • Union Minister inaugurates “e-SANTA Marketplace”
  • DGFT launches “Trade Facilitation Mobile App” to promote exports
  • Prospects of India’s Automotive industry
  • RBI sets up “Regulations Review Authority 2.0”
  • Challenges Posed by Phasing Out Coal Use in India
  • Phasing Out Coal in India – Explained, Pointwise

Important Schemes and other Initiatives by the government

This week the government launched a few important schemes and programs. In the following articles, we covered those schemes and programs.

• “Shaphari Scheme” – Centre to Certify Shrimp Farms
• “DIKSHA Platform” -Visually challenged struggle with e-textbooks
• Union Minister to launch “Aahaar Kranti Mission”
• Niti Aayog launches Version 2.0 of “India Energy Dashboards”
• “Poshan Gyan” – A Digital Repository on Health, Nutrition
• “NCSC” Launches Online Grievance Management Portal for Scheduled Castes
• “MANAS App” – A Mental-Health Digital platform
• Govt launches “Eatsmart Cities Challenge” and “Transport 4 All Challenge”

Important articles on Science and Technology

This week there were few important updates in the field of science and technology such as the electronic nose to detect Hydrogen Sulphide, etc. The important articles covered in this regard are,

• Researchers Propose Method to treat “Post-Vaccine Blood Clots”
• Electronic nose to detect “Hydrogen Sulphide” from Sewers
• Government inaugurates “The Hydrogen Economy – New Delhi Dialogue 2021”
• WHO guidelines to control Transmission of “Zoonotic Diseases”
• ICMR’s International Symposium on “One Health” in India
• “Lab on Wheels Programme” For Education Equality
• Japan to release “Fukushima Radioactive Water” into sea
• Issue of Nuclear Waste pollution – Explained, Pointwise
• UGC’s new Learning Outcomes-based Curriculum Framework (LOCF) -Explained, Pointwise

Important updates on Environment

This week there were certain important updates on the Environment like suspension of the Inter-state Tiger Relocation project, Namami Gange Programme, etc. The important articles that covered these topics are,

• “Dolphin Census” Registers Increase in Numbers of Dolphins
• “Indus and Ganges River Dolphins” are two different species 
• “Indian Rhino Vision 2020” – Last 2 Rhinos Translocated
• India should Ensure Climate Justice in Net Zero Target Debate

Miscellaneous articles for Prelims this week

• Darbar Move Tradition of Jammu and Kashmir?
• Centre Extends Ceasefire Agreements with Naga groups
• Buddhist Remains From a Millennium ago in Jharkhand
• Education Minister Presents AICTE “Lilavati Awards” 2020
• “Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace” – Microsoft Urges India to Join in
• Chenab Bridge – An Icon of Indian Railways Heritage
• New findings about Antarctica’s “Thwaites Glacier” Melting