Weekly Current Affairs Highlights – 31st May to 5th June

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 in History

• Reason behind the decision to shift the National Museum

Updates in Polity and Governance        

There are few updates received in the Polity and governance topics from the newspapers. The important updates are,

• NITI Aayog releases “SDG India Index 2020-21”
• Issues with NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index 2020-21
• Government Amended Pension Rules for Central Civil Services
• New Lakshadweep Regulations: Issues and Rationale – Explained, pointwise
• Growing Centralisation of Power Erodes Federal Structure
• “Vigilance clearance” is mandatory before offering jobs to retired Govt employee: CVC
• India needs to replace frequent elections with One nation One election
• The Right to a fair trial and the Indian Evidence Act

Update on Social Issues

This week also health took the spotlight. Similarly, there are few articles that highlight children orphaned during the pandemic. The important articles in this regard are,

Articles on Health:

• Jan 30 Declared World “Neglected Tropical Diseases” Day by WHA
• Supreme Court questions govt on its “Covid-19 vaccine policy”
• “World No Tobacco Day” and “Tobacco Consumption” in India
• World Health Assembly Adopts New Resolution to End Malaria
• “H10N3 strain of Bird Flu” – China reports first human case
• Effects of Pandemic on Young Healthcare Workers
• Twin challenge of COVID-19 Pandemic and Non-communicable diseases
• Need of Transparency in Covid related Policies
• Lessons From EU’s efforts to end Vaccination gap
• India needs to strengthen the rural health infrastructure
• “Corbevax Vaccine” and its difference from other Covid-19 vaccines
• What is the “Delta variant of Covid-19”?

Mental health:

• Lessons from Naomi Osaka Episode
• Naomi Osaka Episode and Mental health in India – Explained, pointwise

Articles on Education:

• CBSE can’t refuse to change names after declaring results: Supreme Court

Children orphaned during the pandemic

• PM-CARES for Children scheme
• Orphaned Children in India – Explained, Pointwise
• Nearly 10,000 children in country need immediate care: NCPCR tells SC
• How govts can support Covid Orphans?
• Timely Implementation of Relief Schemes for Children is desired

Others

• Govt to Divide “MGNREGA Wages” into SC/ST/Others Categories
• The Case of Caste-Based Violence against Women
• Child labour in India- Need of Effective Policy making and programmatic interventions
• Govt launched (Seniorcare Ageing Growth Engine) “SAGE Initiative and SAGE Portal”

Schemes in news

There are a few important updates witnessed in various schemes. The important ones are;

• “Mid-Day-Meal Scheme” – Govt decides to provide monetary assistance through DBT
• “YUVA Scheme”- For Mentoring Young Authors Launched
• Kerala’s “Bell of Faith Scheme” for elderly
• Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package Insurance Scheme for health workers fighting Covid-19
• “Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana” – 30% recipients yet to get grains for May

Updates on International Relations

This week the important updates in International relations include French recognition of genocide in Rwanda, China’s three-child policy, etc. The important articles covered by us include

• Rwanda Genocide 1994 – French President Seeks forgiveness
• China’s shift from “one-child policy” to “three-child policy”
• “China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral Dialogue”
• ILO releases “World Employment and Social Outlook” report
• Indian Model presents a viable solution to Israel-Palestine Conflict
• Challenges of India’s COVID Diplomacy 2.0
• Improper Comments on Bangladesh will impact India Bangladesh ties

Updates in Economy

This week the economic topics in news include articles on cabinet approval of Model Tenancy Act, 43rd GST Council meeting, etc. The important articles on Economy are,

• Cabinet Approves Model Tenancy Act
• Model Tenancy Act: Need and Challenges – Explained, pointwise.
• “Merchandise Exports” in May surge 67% to $32.21 billion
• Highlights of 43rd GST Council Meeting
• Road towards a Global Minimum Corporate Tax
• The tussle of Digital Services Tax between India and US

Updates in Agriculture

This week there were certain important updates on Agriculture like Nano Liquid Urea, Seed minikit programme, etc. The important articles that covered these topics are,

• Union Minister launches “Horticulture Cluster Development Programme”
• IFFCO launches world’s first “Nano Liquid Urea”
• Govt Launches “Seed Minikit Programme”
• Challenges Facing Dairy Sector in India – Explained, Pointwise

Updates in Science and Technology

This week there were few important updates in the field of science and technology such as the AmbiTAG, Nasa’s new Venus mission, etc. The important articles covered in this regard are,

• NSA commissions offshore Patrol Vessel “ICGS Sajag”
• 2nd “Positive Indigenisation list” Notified by Defence Ministry
• “AmbiTAG”- India’s First Indigenous Temperature Data Logger
• NASA New Venus Missions
• What is “XraySetu” Service?
• Factors Affecting Growth of Block Chain technology in India
• DAC approves building of 6 conventional submarines under “Project-75I”
• “Anti-hail guns” and their application in preventing hail storm

Important updates on Environment

This week there were certain important updates on the Environment like the oil spill in Sri Lanka, Climate Breakthroughs Summit,  etc. The important articles that covered these topics are,

• Declining “forest bird species” in Western Himalayan region
• “Climate Breakthroughs Summit” and “Race To Zero Campaign”
• “Litoria Mira” — A Chocolate Frog Species found in New Guinea
• “State of Finance for Nature Report” demands investment in “Nature-based solutions”
• “Oil Spill” at Sri Lanka’s Coast
• World Bank report highlights the role of “Black Carbon” in the Himalayas
• Human-induced global warming causes over a third of “heat-related deaths”: Study
• “Blue finned Mahseer” now placed under Least Concern (LC) status of IUCN red list
• COP26 a last chance to fulfil Paris agreement goals

Security issues

The case of Sedition

This week the Supreme court issued two important judgements on different Sedition cases. The important articles covered in this regard are,

• Sedition law in India: Arguments for and against- Explained, pointwise
• “Sedition law” needs relook, especially for media: Supreme Court
• Journalists need protection against “sedition charges”: Supreme Court
• Significance of the Kedar Nath Singh Judgment on Sedition

Others

• Traceability Provisions Under the new IT Rules will encroach into User’s Privacy