The Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Phase 4

Top 5 Current Affairs: 29 April 2019 Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Phase 4:

Voting begins in 72 Constituencies The fourth phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2019 began on April 29, 2019 for 72 Lok Sabha Constituencies across 9 States.

The Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Phase 4 will see voting in 17 seats of Maharashtra, 13 seats each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, 8 in West Bengal, 6 each in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, 5 in Bihar, and 3 in Jharkhand.

During the fourth phase, voting is also being held for the remaining 41 assembly seats in Odisha, by-election to Chhindwara assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh, Nighasan in Uttar Pradesh, and Krishnaganj in West Bengal. BCCI nominates four cricketers for Arjuna Award The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on April 27, 2019 recommended India pacers Mohammad Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and women’s team spinner Poonam Yadav for the prestigious Arjuna award.

The decision was taken during the Supreme Court-appointed CoA meeting in New Delhi. The Arjuna Awards are given to honour excellence in sports by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

On the other hand, All India Football Federation (AIFF) recommended the names of goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and forward Jeje for the prestigious sporting honour. Sri Lankan President bans face veil Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on April 28, 2019 announced a ban on covering of the face with burqa, veil or in any manner that prevents identification of the person. The President’s office said in an official statement that the ban is to ensure national security.

The order clarified that face covering is an obstacle to ensure the identity of the people. The order comes a week after coordinated blasts hit three churches and three luxury hotels in the nation, killing over 250 people and injuring more than 500 others.

World's first floating nuclear power plant to begin operations Akademik Lomonosov, world's only floating nuclear power unit is ready to start commercial operations in Russia.

The plant was launched by Russia on May 19, 2018 at the St Petersburg shipyard. The power plant is to be the first of a fleet of floating nuclear power stations to be stationed in the Russian Arctic. It is capable of producing enough electricity to power a town of 200,000 residents, far more than the 5,000 living in Pevek. It is expected to operate for 40 years, with the possibility of the operating life being extended to 50 years and the two reactors will be refueled once every three years.

PepsiCo sues Indian farmers over the FC5 potato row PepsiCo Inc has sued four Indian farmers on April 29, 2019 for cultivating a potato variety that the snack food and drinks maker claims infringes its patent. PepsiCo has sued the farmers for cultivating the FC5 potato variety, grown exclusively for its popular Lay’s potato chips.

The FC5 variety has a lower moisture content required to make snacks such as potato chips. Farmers believe that section 39 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPV&FR) Act, 2001 allows farmers to grow and sell any variety of crop or even seed as long as they don’t sell branded seed of registered varieties.

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25 PICS OF MY PHOTOGHAPHY COLLECTION THAT YOU MUST SEE

GK Quiz on Union-State Relations

GK Quiz on Union-State Relations & Vice-President of India India is a union of states. 

The constitution of India has divided the executive, legislative and financial powers between the centre and the states.

 Q 1) Which of the following commission was appointed by the Central Government on Union-State relations in 1983? 

a. Sarkariya commission 

b. Dutt commission

 c. Setalvad commission 

d. Rajamannar commission 

Q 2) Which of the following taxes are levied by the Union but are collected and appropriated by the states? 

a. Stamp duties 

b. Excise duties on medical and toilet materials 

c. Sales tax 

d. a and b

 Q 3) Which of the following taxes are imposed and collected by the state government? 

a. Estate duty 

b. Sales tax 

c. Land revnue 

d. All the above 

 Q 4) Which of the following tax is levied and collected by the Union government but the proceeds are distributed between the Union and states?

 a. Sales tax 

b. Income tax

 c. Estate duty

 d. Land revenue 

Q 5) Which of the following is levied and collected by the Union government? 

a. Custom duty 

b. Excise duty 

c. Estate duty 

d. All the above 

Q 6) Which of the article deals with the grants in aid by the Union government to the states? 

a. Article 270 

b. Article 280 

c. Article 275 

d. Article 265 

Q 7) Which of the following article deals with the election of the Vice-president? 

a. Article 64

 b. Article 68 

c. Article 66 

d. Article 62 

Q 8) Who can remove  the Vice-President from his office ? 

a. President 

b. Prime minister

 c. Parliament 

d. Legislative assemblies of the state 

Q 9) The term of office of the Vice-president is as follows? 

a. 6 years 

b. 4 years

 c. 7 years

 d. 5 years 

Q 10) The Vice-president is the ex-officio chairman of the Rajya sabha?

 a. Rajya Sabha 

b. Lok Sabha 

c. Planning Commission 

d. National Development Council 

Question -Answer

 1 a 2 d 3 d 4 b 5 d 6 c 7 c 8 c 9 d 10 a 

Click Here to solve 800+ Questions on Indian Polity Indian Polity & Governance: Complete Study Material 

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India, Netherlands agree to strengthen ties; US lawmakers introduce new legislation to strengthen US-India partnership

India, Netherlands agree to strengthen ties; US lawmakers introduce new legislation to strengthen US-India partnership

Story 1- India, Netherlands agree to strengthen ties India and the Netherlands on April 11, 2019 discussed ways to strengthen bilateral, political and economic ties, including boosting cooperation at the United Nations and other international forum. This was discussed during the foreign office consultations held in New Delhi, in which the Indian side was led by A Gitesh Sarma, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs and the Dutch delegation by Johanna (Yoka) Brandt, Secretary General, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 
Key Highlights
 • India and the Netherlands share a multi-faceted relationship. The two nations used the dialogue exchange as an opportunity to review the entire extent of bilateral relations, including political, economic, commercial, scientific and cultural cooperation.
• They exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues, including cooperation at the United Nations and other international forum.
• India welcomed the participation of the Netherlands as the partner country for the 25th edition of the CII-DST Tech Summit scheduled to be held in New Delhi in October 2019.
 • The two nations also underlined the importance of sustaining exchanges at all levels, including the high level. India-Netherlands Relations
 • Though official relations between the two nations were established in 1947, Indo-Dutch contacts go back to more than 400 years.
• The main plank of the bilateral ties has been the strong economic and commercial relations. The two countries also share common ideals of democracy, pluralism and the rule of law.
 • Since the early 1980s, the Dutch Government has identified India as an important economic partner. The bilateral relations underwent further intensification after India’s economic liberalisation in the early 1990s.
 • In 2006, former Dutch Prime Minister Balkenende's Government declared India, along with China and Russia, as priority countries in Dutch foreign policy. The successful visit of the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to India in June 2015 further set the stage to take the ties between the two nations to the next level.
 • In 2017, PM Modi visited Netherlands, during the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between India and the nation.
• In terms of trade and investment, India has strong economic interests in the Netherlands, which, in the financial year 2016-17, was the fifth largest investor of FDI into India and the 28th largest trading partner globally.
 • The Netherlands is home to a number of multinational and other companies, many of which have their production sites and business operations in India.
  • Coming to the diaspora, the Netherlands has the second largest population of people of Indian origin in Europe, next only to the UK.

Story 2- US lawmakers introduce new legislation to strengthen US-India strategic partnership

Several US lawmakers have reintroduced an important legislation in the House of Representatives that seeks to strengthen the US-India strategic relationship. If enacted, the new bill would ensure that the US State Department treats India as a NATO ally for the purposes of the Arms Export Control Act. Significance The law would send a powerful signal that defence sales to India should be prioritised according to US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, which had worked on this important legislation. Key Highlights
 • The bill H R 2123 was introduced this week by Congressman Joe Wilson, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
 • The lawmaker supported his proposal by saying that India is the world's largest democracy, a pillar of stability in the region and has shown strong commitments to export control policies. • This adjustment to US law will further allow the US-India partnership to flourish in line with the US’s security commitment to the Indo-Pacific region.
• The original co-sponsors of the legislation include Congressman Ami Bera, the longest-serving Indian-American in Congress and the House India Caucus Co-Chairs, Congressmen George Holding, Brad Sherman and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Congressman Ted Yoho. Background The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal 2017 included special language recognising the unique US-India defence relationship that designated India as a "Major Defence Partner" of the United States. The language seeks unique consideration for trade and technology sharing with India and increased attention and support to advance this relationship in the areas of defence trade and technology sharing. The legislation bolsters national security and helps ensure full alignment between the Department of Defence and the Department of State. To fulfil the spirit and intent of the NDAA 2017, the US-India Enhanced Cooperation Act would amend the Arms Export Control Act to put India on par with NATO allies and Israel, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia and Japan. As per US-India Strategic Partnership Forum Chairman John Chambers, the legislation would be a major breakthrough for the US-India defense relationship.

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Sudan crisis explained, Namami Gange felicitated at Global Water Summit

Sudan crisis explained, Namami Gange felicitated at Global Water Summit

Story 1: Sudan Crisis: Explained Sudan's long-time president Omar al-Bashir has been removed from office and arrested following months of protests against Bashir's regime. With this act three-decade rule of Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir has ended on April 11, 2019.

In a television address, Defense Minister Ahmed Awad Ibn Awf said the 75-year-old leader has been arrested and put in a safe place. The army general also announced the dissolution of the government, the suspension of the 2005 constitution, along with a three-month state of emergency. He also said Sudan’s airspace will be closed for 24 hours. He added that elections would be conducted at the end of the transitional period.

How the coup happened? 

 Protests started against al-Bashir on December 19, 2018 when government stopped subsidies on wheat and fuel. People started protests against government and its policies. In next few weeks situation turned violent and engulfed the capital Khartoum and major metropolitan areas like Omdurman.Government took a strong action against protesters by cracking down on protestors, shutting the internet and social media outlets, cutting electricity and water services, and dispersing protestors using tear gas. Officials have said 49 people have died in protest-related violence.In February, al-Bashir acknowledged the demands of protestors and delayed constitutional amendments that would have allowed him to run for the presidency again next year.He also declared a yearlong state of emergency and dissolved both central and state governments.All these actions by al-Bashir provoked the protests across country; Sudanese women, musicians, artists, and the country’s global diaspora all played a crucial role in calling for al-Bashir to step down. Viral picture of Alaa Salah An image of a young Sudanese woman, Alaa Salah, protesting in the country's capital, Khartoum, went viral this week. The impressive photo of 22-year-old architecture student Alaa Salah, pictured standing above the crowd atop a car, pointing to the sky and dressed in white, has become a symbol of hope for many women and girls in Sudan.

   Omar al-Bashir’s controversial regime On 30 June 1989, Colonel Omar al-Bashir led a bloodless military coup. The new military government suspended political parties and introduced an Islamic legal code on the national level.On 16 October 1993, al-Bashir appointed himself President and disbanded the Revolutionary Command Council. The executive and legislative powers of the council were taken by al-Bashir.In the 1996 general election he was the only candidate by law to run for election.

Sudan became a one-party state under the National Congress Party (NCP).The United States subsequently listed Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism. The US bombed Sudan in 1998, targeting a pharmaceutical factory.On 9 January 2005, the government signed the Nairobi Comprehensive Peace Agreement with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) with the objective of ending the Second Sudanese Civil War. The United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) was established under the UN Security Council Resolution 1590 to support its implementation.In 2013 after al-Bashir promised he would not seek re-election in 2015. He later broke his promise and sought re-election in 2015.On December 19, 2018, massive protests began after a government decision to triple the price of goods at a time when the country was suffering an acute shortage of foreign currency and inflation of 70 percent.al-Bashir, who had been in power for more than 30 years, refused to step down, The government retaliated by arresting more than 800 opposition figures and protesters, leading to the death of approximately 40 people.The protests continued up until the overthrow of his government on April 11, 2019, when President al-Bashir was arrested and a three month state of emergency was enacted Present Status Protests are still going on in Sudan despite 30-year rule of Omar al-Bashir replaced by military-led transitional council. Protesters are looking for democratic government in the country as they believe military rule completely phased out. Protesters said that just five or six people have been replaced by another five or six people and regime remained the same.

 Story 2: Namami Gange awarded at Global Water Summit in London India's flagship programme, National Mission for Clean Ganga or Namami Gange was felicitated with the coveted Public Water Agency of the Year award at the Global Water Summit on April 9, 2019 at London. The coveted Global Water Awards are presented by the Global Water Intelligence at the Global Water Summit, the major business conference for the water industry worldwide.

The Global Water Awards recognise excellence across the entire international water industry and reward those initiatives in the water, wastewater, and desalination sectors which bring remarkable improvements in the lives of people.

 Namami Gange programme and its achievements 

The Namami Gange programme is an integrated mission for Ganga rejuvenation. It has a comprehensive multi-sectoral intervention with multi-stakeholder involvement and adopts a basin based approach which includes Ganga and its tributaries.The Namami Gange Mission aims at providing comprehensive and sustainable solutions for major pollution hot spots along the stretch of 97 towns and 4,465 villages on the Ganga stem.This mission is not only constructing new infrastructures but also rehabilitating the old and dilapidated Sewage Treatment Plant (STPs) as well as ensuring Operation and Maintenance (O & M) of all assets hence created.

In Namami Gange programme, a total of 289 projects have so far been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 28,377 crore out of which 87 projects have been completed.As many as 151 sewerage projects, 112 on the main stem of the Ganga and 39 projects on the tributaries, at a sanctioned cost of Rs 23,158.93 crore has been approved for the creation of 3,732 million liters per day (MLD) new Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) capacity, 1114 MLD rehabilitated STP capacity and laying approximately 4971.01 km sewerage networks.

Till date, 37 projects of pollution abatement have been completed, which has resulted in laying 2,565 km sewer networks and of 575 MLD of STP capacities in the Ganga basin. 63 projects are under execution and 51 are under various stages of tendering. 35 projects are expected to be completed in 2019 and 65 by 2020.

The 10 cities including Haridwar, Kanpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Kolkata which contribute more than 64 per cent of the pollution in Ganga have been comprehensively covered in all aspects under the Mission. Kanpur has been the hotspot of major pollution on the Ganga stem. 

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New Human species found; recommendations for fostering Finance Commission

 Story 1:
Scientists discovered new human species in Philippines Scientists have discovered a new human species ‘Homo luzonensis’ in Philippines recently. Scientists found these remains aged between 67,000 years to 50,000 years old and it was unknown to science till date.  It is classified a separate species on the ground of 13 bones and teeth from two adults and one child found in a cave on the island of Luzon in the Philippines.

Homo luzonensis, described in the journal Nature, informs about features comparable to different species of hominins. Unlike Homo sapiens, whose premolar teeth generally have a single root, Homo luzonensis' premolars had two or three roots, similar to more primitive species such as Homo erectus, which lived in Africa and Asia between about 1.89 million and 143,000 years ago.

Major Findings A hominin third metatarsal discovered in 2007 in Callao Cave (Northern Luzon, the Philippines) and dated to 67 thousand years ago provided the earliest direct evidence of a human presence in the Philippines. Analysis of this foot bone suggested that it belonged to the genus Homo, but to which species was unclear.Recently researchers found twelve additional hominin elements that represent at least three individuals that were found in the same stratigraphic layer of Callao Cave as the previously discovered metatarsal.It’s quite possible that Homo luzonensis was smaller than Homo sapiens, and perhaps even smaller than Homo floresiensis, as the study's lead author Florent Détroit, a paleoanthropologist at Paris’ Museum of Man.

 Special Features of Homo luzonensis Homo luzonensis has some physical similarities to recent humans, but in other features hark back to the australopithecines, upright-walking ape-like creatures that lived in Africa between two and four million years ago, as well as very early members of the genus Homo. The finger and toe bones are curved, suggesting climbing was still an important activity for this species. This also seems to have been the case for some australopithecines.

 Callao Cave Callao Cave is one of the limestone caves located in the Cagayan province, in the Philippines. The seven-chamber cave is one of 300 caves that dot the area and the best known natural tourist attraction of the province. The town is named as Penablanca for the presence of white limestone rocks in the area. More than 70 Caves have been documented by the National Museum till 1977. Callao Cave and the nearby Sierra Cave are easily accessible by automobile. Liked the article? Do watch our videos too!

 Story 2: Ministry of Rural Development presented recommendations for fostering Finance Commission The Ministry of Rural Development headed by Secretary Amarjeet Sinha, made a detailed presentation on the Ministry’s plans on fostering higher inclusive growth, equity, efficiency and transparency – to the Chairperson N.K. Singh and Members and senior Officials of the Fifteenth Finance Commission on April 11, 2019.       

 The Presentation dwelled upon the changing structure of rural economy; Gram Panchayat led, data driven and accountable development approach; governance reforms for better outcomes and other specific proposals for rural development.  The Ministry made a case for additional resources for Rural India on the account of :- Higher/New State Share – PMGSY, PMAY (G).Extra Budgetary borrowing – PMAY Gramin.Finance Commission transfer.Massive rise in loans to SHGs – ₹ 81,077 cr.Increasing incomes through livelihood thrust – farm ponds, wells, animal sheds/resources.Larger effective transfer due to governance reforms – IT/DBT – Decline in leakages.Other specific proposals of Rural Development like maintenance of roads, transfer of certain schemes, and Human Resource Reforms.

 The presentation also made a case of Government’s Reforms and conversant growth Panchayat Development:- Governance Reform and Convergent Gram Panchayat Development Plans as necessary pre-condition for fund transfersCapacity building of Panchayats (along with women SHGs), use of technology, data driven financial management reforms, and geo-tagging as necessary conditions.Comprehensive HR as part of recommendations.Earmarking for road maintenance.Transferring DRDSs to States.The Commission shall now take into consideration all the issues raised for the purpose of framing its recommendations to the government.

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New state of matter found; India becomes YouTube’s largest market

Current Affairs 10 April 2019 Digest 1:

New state of matter found; India becomes YouTube’s largest market 

Story 1: Scientists found new state of matter, solid and liquid at the same time Scientists have found a new state of physical matter recently which is solid and liquid at the same time. According to the findings published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences atoms can exist as both solid and liquid simultaneously.

Findings reveal that when applying high pressures and temperatures to potassium, a simple metal; it creates a state in which most of the element's atoms form a solid lattice structure. Researchers have found, however, that some elements can, when subjected to extreme conditions, take on the properties of both solid and liquid states.

Researchers have shown that this unusual but stable state is part solid and part liquid. How the experiment was done? As per the information published in national geographic , the computer models confirmed that between about 20,000 and 40,000 times atmospheric pressure and 400 to 800 Kelvin (260 to 980 degrees Fahrenheit), the potassium entered what’s called a chain-melted state, in which the chains dissolved into liquid while the remaining potassium crystals stayed solid.

Major Findings A team led by scientists from the University of Edinburgh used powerful computer simulations to study the existence of the state known as the chain melted state. Simulating how up to 20,000 potassium atoms behave under extreme conditions revealed that the structures formed represent the new, stable state of matter.Applying pressure to the atoms leads to the formation of two interlinked solid lattice structures.

Chemical interactions between atoms in one lattice are strong, meaning they stay in a solid form when the structure is heated, while the other atoms melt into a liquid state.Under the right conditions, over half a dozen elements, including sodium and bismuth are thought to be capable of existing in the newly discovered state.

 Until now, it was unclear if the unusual structures represented a distinct state of matter, or existed as transition stages between two distinct states.The work was carried out in collaboration with scientists from Xi'an Jiantong University in China. Liked the article? Do watch our videos too!

Story 2: India becomes YouTube’s largest market YouTube’s CEO Susan Wojcicki confirms in annual flagship event Brandcast that India has become YouTube’s largest and fastest growing market. This annual event of Youtube was held at Mumbai  on April 9, 2019. Also, ComScore data suggests that YouTube has more than 265 million monthly active users in India.

Key highlights 

In the last one year, YouTube’s consumption on mobile has increased to 85%, with 60% of the watch time coming from outside the six largest metros in India. The country has become YouTube’s largest and fastest growing market with 265 million Indians watching the video-sharing website every month.Today, YouTube creators have become effective storytellers, with more than 1,200 Indian creators crossing the million subscriber-milestones, compared to five years ago, when there were only two creators. User behaviour has shifted massively to mobile video and therein lays the opportunity for marketers today.

 About Susan Wojcicki 

 Susan Diane (born July 5, 1968) is a Polish-American technology executive. She has been the CEO of YouTube since February 2014.Wojcicki was involved in the founding of Google, and became Google's first marketing manager in 1999. She was in charge of Google's original video service, and after observing the success of YouTube, proposed the acquisition of YouTube by Google in 2006.Wojcicki was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in 2015 and described in a later issue of Time as “the most powerful woman on the Internet.”In 2018, Wojcicki ranked number 10 on Fortune's list of Most Powerful Women. 

About YouTube 

 YouTube is an American video-sharing website headquartered in San Bruno, California. Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim created the service in February 2005. Google bought the site in November 2006 for USD 1.65 billion; YouTube now operates as one of Google's subsidiaries. The first YouTube video, titled Me at the zoo, shows co-founder Jawed Karim at the San Diego Zoo. The video was uploaded on April 23, 2005, and can still be viewed on the site. The first video to reach one million views was a Nike advertisement featuring Ronaldinho in November 2005.

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NIRF 2019 Rankings released; Online Harms White Paper by UK govt

Current Affairs 09 April 2019 Digest 1: 

 NIRF 2019 Rankings released; Online Harms White Paper by UK govt  

Story 1: President Kovind releases NIRF and ARIIA-2019 The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, released National Institutional Ranking Framework -2019 (NIRF) and presented the India Rankings awards to the top eight institutions in different categories at a function held in New Delhi on April 8, 2019. He also released the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) and presented the ARIIA awards to the top two institutions.

 IIT Madras ranked on top in overall category in NIRF-2019 while Miranda House College of Delhi University ranked number one in ARIIA.

 NIRF Rankings-2019 Top 10 Engineering Institutions in India-2019 

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras

Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi

Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay

Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur

Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur

Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee

Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati

Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad

Anna University, Chennai

National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli 

Top 10 Universities in India-2019 

Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 

Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi

University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad

Calcutta University, Kolkata

Jadavpur University, Kolkata

Anna University, Chennai

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore

Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal

Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 

Top 10 Colleges in India

 1. Miranda House, Delhi 

2. Hindu College, Delhi 

3. Presidency College, Chennai

 4. St.Stephen's College, Delhi 

5. Lady Shri Ram College for Women, New Delhi

 6. Loyola College, Chennai 

7. Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi 

8. Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College, Rahara 

9. Hansraj College, Delhi 

10. St. Xavier College, Kolkata

 Background The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) was approved by the MHRD and launched by Honourable Minister of Human Resource Development on 29th September 2015. First, NIRF Ranking was issued on 4th April 2016. This framework outlines a methodology to rank institutions across the country. The methodology draws from the overall recommendations broad understanding arrived at by a Core Committee set up by MHRD, to identify the broad parameters for ranking various universities and institutions. The parameters broadly cover “Teaching, Learning and Resources,” “Research and Professional Practices,” “Graduation Outcomes,” “Outreach and Inclusivity,” and “Perception”. Liked the article? Do watch our videos too!

 Story 2: UK govt released ‘Online Harms White Paper’ to regulate online content UK government has released a white paper on ‘online harms’ on April 8, 2019 and claimed that these new rules would be world’s most aggressive actions to limit harmful online content. In this white paper, the UK government called for an internet regulator with the power to issue fine, to block access to websites if necessary, and to make individual executives legally liable for harmful content spread on their platforms.

 UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have proposed an independent authority that will write a "code of practice" for tech companies. ‘The Online Harms White Paper’ is a joint proposal from the DCMS and the Home Office. A 12 week public consultation will run about the papers. A new regulatory framework The government will establish a new statutory duty of care to make companies take more responsibility for the safety of their users and tackle harm caused by content or activity on their services. 

Compliance with this duty of care will be overseen and enforced by an independent regulator.Companies must fulfil their new legal duties. The regulator will set out how to do this in codes of practice. If companies want to fulfil these duties in a manner not set out in the codes, they will have to explain and justify to the regulator how their alternative approach will effectively deliver the same or greater level of impact.Developing a culture of transparency, trust and accountability will be a critical element of the new regulatory framework. The regulator will have the power to require annual transparency reports from companies in scope, outlining the prevalence of harmful content on their platforms and what measures they are taking to address this. These reports will be published online by the regulator, so that users and parents can make informed decisions about online use.   

 Why it was required?

 UK govt said that illegal and unacceptable content and activity is widespread online, and UK users are frequently concerned about what they have seen or experienced.The impact of harmful content and activity can be particularly damaging for children and young people, and there are growing concerns about the potential impact on their mental health and wellbeing.According to the white paper, in 2018 there were over 18.4 million referrals of child sexual abuse material by US tech companies to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Of those, there were 113, 948 UK-related referrals in 2018, up from 82,109 in 2017.As per Online Harms White Paper, Tackling illegal and harmful content and activity online is one part of the UK’s wider mission to develop rules and norms for the internet, including protecting personal data, supporting competition in digital markets and promoting responsible digital design. 

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5G networks in South Korea; CCMB discovers new enzyme

Current Affairs 04 April 2019 Digest 2:  

5G networks in South Korea; CCMB discovers new enzyme

 Story 1: South Korea to launch world's first 5G networks South Korea will launch world’s first 5G mobile networks on April 5, 2019. It would be a transformational leap that already has USA and China sparring for control of an innovation that could potentially change the day-to-day lives of billions of people. 

The superfast communications supported by fifth generation (5G) wireless technology will ultimately underpin everything from toasters to telephones; from electric cars to power grids.

 Key Highlights :

Hyper-wired South Korea has long had a reputation for technical prowess, and Seoul has made the 5G rollout a priority as it seeks to stimulate stuttering economic growth.The system will bring smartphones near-instantaneous connectivity, 20 times faster than existing 4G, allowing users to download entire movies in less than a second.In the same way that 3G enabled widespread mobile web access and 4G made new applications work ranging from social media to Uber, 

5G will herald a new level of connectivity, empowered by speed.All three of South Korea's mobile operators, KT, SK Telecom and LG UPlus, will go live with their 5G services first in the world.Japan is also expected to roll out a limited deployment in 2019 before full services start in time for next year's Tokyo Olympics. Benefits It is crucial for the future development of devices ranging from self-driving vehicles that send data traffic to one another in real time to industrial robots, drones and other elements of the Internet of Things.London-based Global System for Mobile Communications says that it is a vital part of the infrastructure of tomorrow, and the 5G standard is expected to bring about USD 565 billion in global economic benefits by 2034. 

5G patent battle Huawei, the global leader, has registered 1,529 5G patents, according to data analysis firm IPlytics.Combined with manufacturers ZTE and Oppo, plus the China Academy of Telecommunications Technology, Chinese entities own a total of 3,400 patents.South Korea comes next, with its companies holding 2,051 patents.In contrast, US firms have 1,368 altogether, IPlytics said 29 fewer than Finland's Nokia alone. 

What is 5G technology?

 5G (5th Generation) is the latest generation of cellular mobile communications. It succeeds the 4G (LTE-A, WiMax), 3G (UMTS, LTE) and 2G (GSM) systems. 5G performance targets high data rate, reduced latency, energy saving, cost reduction, higher system capacity, and massive device connectivity. Their major advantage is that 5G networks achieve much higher data rates than previous cellular networks, up to 10 Gbts; which is faster than current cable internet, and 100 times faster than the previous cellular technology, 4G LTE.  

 Story 2: Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology discovered a new enzyme Scientists at the Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB) have discovered a new enzyme which helps in breaking cell walls of bacteria and hence, offers a potential for a new drug delivery route to arrest the anti-bacterial resistance. Dr Manjula Reddy led the team at the Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB). They have discovered a new enzyme called ‘scissors enzyme’. CMB director Rakesh Mishra and senior scientist Manjula Reddy explained in research that it is crucial to know how cells grow in bacteria to understand the anti-bacterial resistance to currently available antibiotics. 

 Key findings Dr Manjula Reddy and her team discovered that by blocking ‘scissors enzyme’ from functioning, new ways to target microbes could be found, leading to a new wave of antibiotic drug.Other bacteria, too, have the same enzyme working on cell division as the cell wall is fundamental for bacterial growth and division.

The new enzyme offers a potential for a new drug delivery route to arrest the anti-bacterial resistance through existing antibiotic drugs. It opens up fresh ways to target microbes, leading to a new wave of antibiotic drugs.The next step is to find out the molecule of the enzyme endo-pepcidine and it has to be followed by the drug trials to unravel a new combination of drugs to replace existing antibiotics though it is difficult to forecast a time frame.The next step is to find out the molecule of the enzyme endo-pepcidine and it has to be followed by the drug trials to unravel a new combination of drugs to replace existing antibiotics though it is difficult to forecast a time frame. 

Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology The Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB) is a premier research organization which conducts high quality basic research and trainings in frontier areas of modern biology, and promote centralized national facilities for new and modern techniques in the interdisciplinary areas of biology.It was set up initially as a semi-autonomous Centre on April 1, 1977 with the Biochemistry Division of the then Regional Research Laboratory (presently, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, IICT) Hyderabad.It is located in Hyderabad and operates under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).It is designated as "Center of Excellence" by the Global Molecular and Cell Biology Network, UNESCO.  

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UAE honours PM Narendra Modi with Zayed Medal; RBI cuts Repo Rate to 6% Story 1

Current Affairs 4 April 2019 

UAE honours PM Narendra Modi with Zayed Medal

RBI cuts Repo Rate to 6% Story 1: UAE honours PM Narendra Modi with Zayed Medal The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on April 4, 2019 honoured PM Narendra Modi with its highest decoration, Zayed Medal in recognition of his "pivotal role" in strengthening ties between the two nations. The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan tweeted "We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost. In appreciation of his efforts, the UAE President grants him the Zayed Medal.” Zayed Medal .

The Zayed Medal is the highest decoration of the UAE awarded to kings, presidents and heads of states. The honour has previously been conferred on the leaders of several countries including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Queen of the United Kingdom Elizabeth II. India-UAE bilateral relations India-UAE bilateral relations grew warm and strong after Prime Minister Modi paid a visit to the nation in 2015. Later, the Crown Prince visited India in 2017 as the Chief Guest for Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi. Lately, the visit of the PM Modi to UAE in February 2018 helped in providing impetus to the relations. During the visit, both sides set an ambitious target of USD 100 billion in bilateral trade by the year 2020. 

India and UAE are one of the largest trade partners for each other and have made robust investments bilaterally with bilateral trade amounting to almost USD 50 billion in 2017. The UAE accounts for 8 percent of India's oil imports and is the fifth largest supplier of crude oil to India. The country is also a part of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), which is headquartered in Gurugram, India and hosts a 3.3 million-strong Indian community, which amounts to the largest number of Indians outside India. Indians also make up the largest ethnic group in the UAE making up roughly 27 percent of the total UAE`s residents. List of major International Awards conferred upon Prime Minister Modi 

Story2: First Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement 2019-20: RBI cuts Repo Rate to 6% The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on April 4, 2019 released its First Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement 2019-20. After assessing the current and evolving macroeconomic situation in the economy, the six member- Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to: 

• Reduce the policy Repo Rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25 basis points to 6 percent from 6.25 percent with immediate effect.

 • Consequently, the Reverse Repo Rate under the LAF stands adjusted to 5.75 percent • The Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate stand at 6.25 percent. The MPC also decided to maintain the neutral monetary policy stance. The MPC voted 4:2 in favour of the 25 basis point cut. The decision of the MPC was in consonance with the objective of achieving the medium-term target for Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation of 4 percent within a band of +/- 2 percent. Highlights of the Monetary Policy 

• Inflation remained below the RBI’s 4 percent target for 7 months but core inflation, excluding food and fuel.

 • The CPI inflation was revised downwards to 2.4 percent in Q4 of 2018-19, around 2.9-3 percent in the first half of 2019-20 and 3.5-3.8 percent in the second half of 2019-20. 

• The committee projected GDP growth of 7.2 percent in the financial year 2019-20. 

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UAE to issue equivalency to all Indian degrees; Slovakia elects first female president

Current Affairs 1 April 2019 Digest 2: UAE to issue equivalency to all Indian degrees; Slovakia elects first female president 

 Story 1- UAE to issue equivalency to all Indian degrees The UAE Ministry of Education has agreed to issue equivalency for all Indian degrees that match the set criteria. The decision comes as a huge relief to the Indian expats living in the gulf nation. The announcement was made through a press release issued by the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi on March 31, 2019. The Indian Ambassador to UAE, Navdeep Singh Suri had called on the UAE Minister of Education, Hussain Al Hammadi, to resolve the issue. The Issue The UAE government had earlier rejected the equivalency of some Indian degrees due to lack of clarity about the fact that some of the Indian universities issue both internal and external mark sheets as part of their degrees. This had created considerable difficulty for those seeking jobs in the nation and even for some teachers who were already working there, leading them to approach the Indian embassy for help. Key Details

• The UAE Education Ministry agreed to accept Indian academic and professional certificates after the Indian side issued clarification on the issue of the external and internal marks mentioned in mark lists.

• The UAE education ministry reviewed the information provided to it through the ‘Action Plan for Academic and Administrative Reforms' issued by the University Grant Commission that clarified that the word “external” in some of the Indian mark sheets reflect the method of evaluation and not the place of study

• The Ministry of Education of UAE has notified that it has no objection to the equivalency of those degrees that meets all other certificate equivalency criteria.

• The Ministry announced that the applications that had been rejected previously will be reviewed and equivalency letters would be issued after meeting all other certificate equivalency conditions. Significance The UAE equivalency on Indian degrees is mandatory for Indians to work in the UAE. With the current resolution, equivalence will be provided to all the applicants who meet other relevant requirements. The decision will provide a huge relief to the many Indians who were struggling to get equivalence for their degrees.  
Story 2- Zuzana Caputova elected as Slovakia's first female president 

 Zuzana Caputova has been elected as the first female President of Slovakia. The 45-year-old lawyer and anti-corruption activist won 58.40 per cent of the votes in the polls conducted on March 30, 2019. Caputova’s vote margin was much higher than her high-profile opponent, European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic from the governing party, who could only bag 41.59 per cent of the votes. Speaking after her victory, Caputova said, “Let us look for what connects us. Let us promote cooperation above personal interests.” She also pointed out that the outcome was a sign that one can win without attacking their opponents.
 About Zuzana Caputova

•  Prior to these run-off elections, Caputova had no political experience. She was known to be a vocal government critic and environmental activist.

 •  She had gained prominence as a lawyer when she led a case against an illegal landfill lasting 14 years.

•  A divorcee and mother of two, she is a member of the liberal Progressive Slovakia party, which has no seats in Parliament.

•  Caputova voices a liberal mindset promoting LGBTQ rights in a country where same-sex marriage and adoption is not yet legal. Key Details

• Caputova had won an award in 2016 for successfully blocking a planned landfill in her hometown of Pezinok.

• Recently, she had taken to the streets along with thousands of other anti-government protesters after the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak in 2018.

• The journalist, who had been preparing to publish a story on alleged ties between Slovak politicians and the Italian mafia, was gunned down alongside his fiancée in February 2018.

• The two murders had forced the then Prime Minister Robert Fico to resign but he remained as the leader of the populist-left Smer-SD party. He is also a close ally of the current premier.

• The European Parliament has urged Slovakia to look into any possible political links to the crimes. • Caputova had said during her campaign trail that she would initiate systematic changes that would deprive prosecutors and the police of political influence.

• She has also promised better care for the elderly and environmental protection. Beginning of a new era for Slovakia? According to outgoing President Andrej Kiska, Slovakia is in a moral crisis and needs a president like Zuzana Caputova. Observers have compared Caputova to French President Emmanuel Macron, an outsider who swept to power on a reformist agenda. Caputova, like Macron, is a symbol of a very hazily defined hope. About Slovakia

• Slovakia, officially known as the Slovak Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe with its territory spanning about 49,000 sq km. The population of the nation is over 5.4 million and consists mostly of Slovaks. The capital and largest city of the nation is Bratislava and the official language is Slovak.

• The nation was earlier a part of Czechoslovakia, which was under the communist regime and served as a satellite of the Soviet Union till 1989. Slovakia became an independent state on January 1, 1993 after the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia, also referred to as the Velvet Divorce.

• The country joined the European Union on May 1, 2004 and joined the Eurozone on January 1, 2009. As a part of Eurozone, Slovak legal tender is the Euro, the world's 2nd-most-traded currency.

• The nation is a high-income advanced economy with a very high Human Development Index and a very high standard of living. It also maintains a combination of market economy with a comprehensive social security system.

 • Although regional income inequality is high, 90 per cent of the nation’s citizens own their homes. The citizens of the nation are provided with universal health care, free education and one of the longest paid parental leave in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

• In 2018, Slovak citizens had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 179 countries and territories, ranking the Slovak passport 10th in the world. Slovakia is also the world's largest per-capita car producer with a total of 1,040,000 cars manufactured in the country in 2016 alone and the 7th largest car producer in the European Union. The car industry represents 43 per cent of Slovakia's industrial output and a quarter of its exports.


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10 Unknown facts about EMISAT Satellite

10 Unknown facts about EMISAT Satellite 

Do you know that it is 47th mission of India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C45). Also, this mission of ISRO is the first attempt to place payloads in three different orbits. Let us study more about EMISAT satellite through this article.

 Unknown facts about EMISAT satellite

 1. EMISAT is electromagnetic spectrum measurements. It is primarily based on the famous Israeli spy satellite known as SARAL (Satellite with ARgos and ALtika) and it inherits SSB-2 bus protocol for conducting sharp electronic surveillance across the length and breadth of India. EMISAT is released into an orbit at 749 km. 

2. Do you know that ISRO with EMISAT satellite has launched 28 other satellites from other nations including 24 from the US from Sriharikota. This was PSLV's 47th flight.

 3. No doubt this mission marks several firsts to the credit of the space agency as it would manoeuvre satellites in various orbits and orbital experiments including on maritime satellite applications.

 4. Let us also tell you that the 28 other international satellites are of 25 3U type, two 6U type and one 2U type nano satellites and two are from Lithuania, one from Spain, one from Switzerland and 24 from the United States. Also according to ISRO the first stage, a new variant of the rocket PSLV-QL equipped with four Strap-On motors was used for the launch. What are Anti-Satellite Weapons (ASAT)? 

5. This satellite would serve the country's roving device for detecting and gathering electronic intelligence from enemy radars across the borders as it circles the globe roughly pole to pole every 90 minutes or so. 

6. All the 28 customer satellites whose total weight is about 220 kgs were released by lowering the fourth state to around 504 kms orbit. 

7. For the first time in ISRO's history the fourth stage would be ignited and further lowered to 485 kms orbit to serve as an orbital platform for carrying out space borne experimentations.

 8. Automatic Packet Repeating System (APRS) from AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation), India to assist amateur radio operators in tracking and monitoring position data.

 9. According to space agency, for the structural and compositional studies of ionosphere the Advanced Retarding Potential Analyser for Ionospheric Studies (ARIS) from Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) is done. 

10. It is said that in this mission, the last stage of the rocket will be kept alive for several weeks before it becomes junk in the space and it will be used as orbital platform or an orbiting space laboratory where three instruments are attached to the rocket motor. All these include an experiment to study the upper atmosphere or ionosphere as discussed above, a maritime ship identification system and a version of HAM Sat for amateur enthusiasts. So, now we understood that the PSLV-C45 EMISAT is the first launch vehicle to use solar panels in the fourth stage rocket. It hasss three payloads that is APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System) from AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation), from ISRO AIS (Automatic Identification System) and from IIST (Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology) ARIS (Advanced Retarding Potential Analyser which will be used for Ionospheric Studies. Also, let us tell you that weather conditions play an important role in launching ISRO PSLV-C45 EMISAT. What does Low Earth Orbit (LEO) mean? 10 Interesting facts about CH-47 Chinook helicopter 

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Quiz of the day

#1. which is the hottest place in the earth ?
 =>  Ethiopia

#2. which is the standard taste of the water ?
=> water has no taste 
 
#3. which is the longest river on the earth ?
=> nile
 
#4. which is the nearest star to planet earth ?
=>sun
 
#5. what are the two holes in the nose called ?
=>nostrils

#6. which is the oldest democracy/ parliamentary in the world ?
=> britain