{"id":54657,"date":"2019-12-09T21:00:27","date_gmt":"2019-12-09T15:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogadmin.forumias.com\/?p=54657"},"modified":"2020-02-27T11:43:40","modified_gmt":"2020-02-27T06:13:40","slug":"9-pm-current-affairs-brief-december-8th-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/9-pm-current-affairs-brief-december-8th-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"9 PM Current Affairs Brief \u2013 December 9th, 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/scroll.in\/announcements\/946233\/international-anti-corruption-day-9-december-history-theme-and-significance\">International\nAnti-Corruption Day<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong> December 9 is observed as the International Anti-Corruption day<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nInternational Anti-Corruption Day<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The United Nations General\nAssembly on October 31, 2003, adopted the United Nations Convention against\nCorruption, and designated December 9 International Anti-Corruption Day.<\/li><li>Anti-corruption Day sis\ncelebrated annually since 2005 when the Convention came into force. The United\nNations Development Programme(UNDP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and\nCrime (UNODC) coordinates the celebrations of the day<\/li><li>The day aims to raise awareness\nabout corruption and of the role of Convention in fighting and preventing it.<\/li><li>The theme for 2019\nAnti-Corruption Day is \u2018United against Corruption\u2019. It focuses on corruption as\none of the biggest obstacles to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals\n(SDGs). Further, a campaign called #YouthForJustice has been launched which\nfocuses on mobilizing and empowering youth as a key for ensuring sustainable\nsolutions to combating corruption.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Additional\nInformation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sustainable Development Goal 16<\/strong>: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>SDG 16 is dedicated to the\npromotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, the\nprovision of access to justice for all, and building accountable institutions\nat all levels.<\/li><li>SDG 16.5 calls to substantially\nreduce corruption and bribery in all their forms.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>United\nNations Convention against Corruption<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It is the only legally binding\nuniversal anti-corruption instrument. It was adopted in 2003 and came into\nforce in 2005.<\/li><li>It covers many different forms\nof corruption, such as bribery, trading in influence, abuse of functions, and\nvarious acts of corruption in the private sector.<\/li><li>The Convention covers five main\nareas: preventive measures, criminalization and law enforcement, international\ncooperation, asset recovery, and technical assistance and information exchange.<\/li><li>United Nations Office on Drugs\nand Crime (UNODC) serves as Secretariat for the UNCAC<\/li><li>India is a party to the\nConvention.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About UNDP:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN\u2019s\n global development network.<\/li><li>UNDP was established in 1965 by the General Assembly of the\n United Nations. It is headquartered in New York, US.<\/li><li>It provides expert advice, training and grants support to\n developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least\n developed countries.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nUNODC:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>UNODC was established in 1997 through a merger between the\n United Nations Drug Control Programme and the Centre for International\n Crime Prevention. It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.<\/li><li>UNODC is mandated to assist Member States in their struggle\n against illicit drugs, crime and terrorism.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/newsite\/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=195593\">Opening\nCeremony joint Exercise Hand-In-Hand-2019<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong> The Eighth Edition of\nIndia China joint training exercise \u2018Hand-in-Hand-2019\u2019 commenced at Umroi,\nMeghalaya on&nbsp;07 December 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About Hand-in Hand Exercise <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Hand in Hand exercise is an <strong>annual\nmilitary exercise <\/strong>between India and China. The first Hand in Hand exercise\nwas held in Kunming, China in 2007. <\/li><li>The exercises are\ntactical-level operations that <strong>aims to build closer relations <\/strong>between\nIndian and Chinese armies. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Additional\nInformation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sino\n&#8211; Indian Joint Exercise:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It is held between Indian and\nChinese armies under the provisions of the Border Defence Cooperation\nAgreement, 2013.<\/li><li>The first edition was held in Chusul\ngarrison, Eastern Ladakah in February 2016 and Second Joint Exercise \u2018Sino\nIndia Cooperation 2016\u2019 was held in Ladakh in October 2016.<\/li><li>The exercises aimed at\nincreasing level of trust and cooperation between the two border guarding\nforces along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/science\/23-million-children-in-india-unvaccinated-for-measles\/article30231574.ece\">2.3\nmillion children in India unvaccinated for measles<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong> Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in its Morbidity\nand Mortality Weekly Report, reported on the state of measles around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key\nTakeaways<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>In 2018, measles caused an\nestimated 10 million cases and 1, 42,000 deaths globally.<\/li><li>There were nearly 70,000 cases\nof measles in India in 2018, the third highest in the world.<\/li><li>With 2.4 million, Nigeria has\nthe most number of unvaccinated children. At 2.3 million, India has the second\nhighest number of unvaccinated children.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Additional\nInformation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Measles and Rubella<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Measles and Rubella (German measles) are contagious viral\n disease that is spread by contact with an infected person through coughing\n and sneezing. Measles is caused by Rubeola virus and Rubella is caused by\n Rubella virus.<\/li><li>Both of them can be entirely prevent with a two-dose of MMR\n (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Elimination Efforts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>India:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>India has initiated the world\u2019s largest Measles-Rubella (MR)\n Campaign in 2017. It targets vaccination of 410 million children and\n adolescents aged between 9 months and 15 years.<\/li><li>It is also covered under <strong>Mission Indradhanaush<\/strong>. Launched\n in 2014, the mission aims to cover all those children by 2020 who are\n either unvaccinated, or are partially vaccinated against vaccine\n preventable diseases<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Global:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Global Vaccine Action Plan<\/strong>: Under\n the Global Vaccine Action Plan, WHO has targeted to eliminate measles by\n 2020<\/li><li><strong>\u2018Measles Elimination and Rubella\/CRS Control by 2020\u2019<\/strong>: In 2013, WHO SEAR initiated \u2018Measles Elimination and\n Rubella\/CRS Control by 2020\u2019 which sought to curb and control measles and\n rubella through immunization, surveillance and developing and maintaining\n an accredited measles laboratory network. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-seas-less-oxygen-pollution-marine-life-6156781\/\"><strong>The\nseas have less oxygen now than they used to. Why, and what does this mean?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong> International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has released\na report titled \u201cOcean deoxygenation: Everyone\u2019s problem\u201d. It reports the scale\nand nature of the changes being driven by ocean deoxygenation<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ocean\nDeoxygenation<\/strong>: It is defined as the reduction in oxygen\ncontent of the ocean due to anthropogenic effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key\ntakeaways from the report:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The levels of oxygen in oceans\nfell by around 2% from 1960 to 2010. <\/li><li>The deoxygenation of the oceans\noccurred due to climate change and other human activities such as the nutrient\nrunoff from farm fertilizers into waterways (nutrient pollution).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Impact\nof Ocean deoxygenation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Reduction in the habitat\navailable for pelagic, mesopelagic, and benthic organisms.<\/li><li>Reduction in the abundance of\nfish population<\/li><li>Expansion of the volume of\nanoxic zones (Waters with totally depleted oxygen levels) since 1960<\/li><li>Alteration in the balance of\nmarine life by favouring low-oxygen tolerant species (e.g. microbes, jellyfish\nand some squid)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Measures\nto be taken:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Nutrient management: Reducing\nnutrient and carbon loads to coastal waters<\/li><li>Reducing the threat of global\nwarming: Reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions through commitments&nbsp; in&nbsp;\nfour&nbsp; areas-&nbsp; policy,&nbsp;\ntechnology,&nbsp; finance&nbsp; and&nbsp;\npatterns&nbsp; of&nbsp; consumption<\/li><li>Adaptation in the face of\noxygen decline: This should be done through ecosystem-based management of\nfisheries, spatial planning enhance ecosystem resilience, actions that reduce\nlocal stress on ecosystems etc.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Additional\nInformation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>IUCN<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It is an international organization\nworking in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural\nresources. It was established in 1948 and is headquartered in Gland,\nSwitzerland.<\/li><li>IUCN has observer and\nconsultative status at the United Nations.<\/li><li>It is best known for compiling\nand publishing the IUCN Red List, which assesses the conservation status of\nspecies worldwide.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/what-are-the-laws-on-rape-and-sexual-crimes\/article30233033.ece\"><strong>The\nlaws on rape and sexual crimes<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Provisions\nunder Indian Penal Code (IPC)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Section\n375: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Under the section, the act of\nsex by a man with a woman if done against her will or without her consent is\nconsidered rape and is punishable.<\/li><li>The definition of rape also\nincludes sex when her consent has been obtained by putting her or any person in\nwhom she is interested, in fear of death or of hurt.<\/li><li>Sex with or without consent,\nwhen the woman is under 18 years is considered rape.<\/li><li>Note: In 2017, The Supreme\nCourt in the case Independent Thought vs. Union of India ruled that sex with\nminor wife (below 18 years of age), despite consent, is rape.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Criminal Law (Second Amendment) Act of\n1983<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It inserted Section 114A in the\nIndian Evidence Act of 1872. The Section presumes that there is absence of\nconsent in certain prosecutions of rape if the victim says so.<\/li><li>Section 228A was added to IPC\nwhich makes it punishable to disclose the identity of the victim of certain\noffences including rape.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Criminal\nLaw (Amendment) Act, 2013<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Minimum punishment in case of\nrape of women was increased from rigorous imprisonment of 7 years to 10 years,\nextendable to life imprisonment.<\/li><li>The punishment for gang rape\nwas increased to 20 years to life imprisonment from the earlier 10 years to\nlife imprisonment.<\/li><li>It provided for the death\npenalty in rape cases that cause death of the victim or leaves her in a\nvegetative state.<\/li><li>It also created new offences,\nsuch as use of criminal force on a woman with intent to disrobe, voyeurism and\nstalking.<br>\n<br>\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>POCSO\nAct <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The POCSO Act, 2012 was enacted\nto protect the children from offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and\npornography.<\/li><li>The Act defines a child as any\nperson below eighteen years of age. Further, the Act is gender neutral.<\/li><li>The Act has been amended in 2019.\nThe amendment provides for gender neutral application of stringent punishment,\nincluding death penalty, for aggravated penetrative sexual assault of both girl\nand boy below 16 years of age.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The\nSexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal)\nAct, 2013: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It seeks to protect women\nagainst sexual harassment at all workplaces both in public and private sector,\nwhether organised or unorganised<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>International Anti-Corruption Day News: December 9 is observed as the International Anti-Corruption day Facts: About International Anti-Corruption Day The United Nations General Assembly on October 31, 2003, adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption, and designated December 9 International Anti-Corruption Day. Anti-corruption Day sis celebrated annually since 2005 when the Convention came into force. The&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/9-pm-current-affairs-brief-december-8th-2019\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">9 PM Current Affairs Brief \u2013 December 9th, 2019<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":48116,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54657","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-9-pm-brief","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/9-PM-Brief.png?fit=1000%2C500&ssl=1","views":{"total":0,"cached_at":"","cached_date":1704630877},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54657","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54657"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54657\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54657"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54657"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54657"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}