Highlights |UPSC Exam Current Affairs 21-12-2019
Current Affairs and News (21-12-2019)- The following article contains all the updated events and news for IAS Preparation. Our daily IAS Current Affairs and News cover the most important topics to give precise information to the reader and IAS Aspirants.
- Operation Prahar: Started by Haryana Police to fight Organised Crime
- Dolphin’s Nose: Joint Operation to crackdown on Espionage racket
- Apache attack helicopters: India to import more from USA
- Pinaka missile system successfully flight-tested
- Digital Communications Commission (DCC): Approves auction of Spectrum
- Import Cover: Rises to 10 months
- Tech firms facing antitrust issues
- CoP 25: Climate Emergency
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UPSC Exam Current Affairs and News Analysis (21-12-2019)
Operation Prahar: Started by Haryana Police to fight Organised Crime
Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III- Internal Security
In News
- Activity Prahar’ is a Haryana police drive to battle sorted out wrongdoing and developing medication danger in the State.
- Haryana government likewise reported that a different “Haryana Narcotics Bureau” would be set up trying to check sedate hazard in the State.
Do You Know?
- India’s vital area places it in the midst of two biggest wellsprings of unlawful medications in South Asia-Golden Crescent (Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran) on the northwest and the notorious Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos) on the upper east.
Dolphin’s Nose: Joint Operation to crackdown on Espionage racket
Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III – Security
In News
- In a joint activity — ‘Dolphin’s Nose’ — directed by the Andhra Pradesh State, Naval and Central knowledge organizations, seven maritime staff and hawala administrator were captured for supposed secret activities and suspected connections with Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI)
- Two of the faculty were from the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) and the rest from the Western Naval Command (WNC).
- The significance of the Eastern Naval Command (HQ at Vishakapatnam, AP) has developed with the nearness of the Ship Building Center, which assembles the Arihant-class atomic submarines.
- The ENC is likewise coming up withstrategic Naval Alternative Operations Base (NAOB)in Visakhapatnam region.
- The NAOB and the Arihant Project are recorded under the “top-mystery” vital weapons extends and are straightforwardly heavily influenced by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Apache attack helicopters: India to import more from USA
Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II- International Affairs; GS-III- Security
In News
- In mid 2020, India will probablysign an arrangement with Boeing Company of USAfor extra six AH-64E Apache assault helicopters, assessed to cost around $930 million.
- These are notwithstanding 22 Apaches previously being accepted by the Indian Air Force (IAF).
- It will supplant the maturing Russian Mi-35 assault helicopters in administration.
- Highlight of Apache helicopters are:
- It is equipped for conveying assortment of weapons which incorporate shoot and overlook hostile to tank guided rockets
- Air to ground Hellfire rockets
- 70 mm Hydra rockets
- Aerial Stinger rockets
- They are day/night, all climate competent
- They likewise have high nimbleness and survivability against fight harm.
Pinaka missile system successfully flight-tested
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III- Security
In News
- India effectively directed test terminating of the indigenously created Pinaka rocket framework from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur off the Odisha coast
About Pinaka
- It is created by DRDO
- Pinaka is a Multi-Barrel Rocket System to enhance the current big guns firearm at ranges past 30 kilometers to make exactness hits.
- The guided weapon framework is outfitted with cutting edge direction unit containing a propelled route and control framework.
- The framework is mounted on a Tatra truck for versatility.
Digital Communications Commission (DCC): Approves auction of Spectrum
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III- Infrastructure
In News
- The Digital Communications Commission (DCC) endorsed plans to sell more than 8,300 MHz of range, including wireless transmissions to be utilized for offering 5G administrations, with a save cost of ₹5.22 lakh crore.
- Difficulties for the closeout are:
- Range save costs 4 to multiple times higher than that of comparative range sold as of late in a few nations
- With elevated levels of obligation and winning money related worry in the area, telecom specialist organizations will think that its hard to bring assets to take an interest up in the barterings
- The quantum of range in the 5G band being set available to be purchased will be just 175 MHz, ‘woefully lacking’ for administrators to turn out hearty 5G systems and administrations
About Digital Communications Commission
- The Government of India, vide official goals has re-assigned the Telecom Commission (set up in 1989 by official request) as the ‘Advanced Communications Commission’.
- The DCC comprises of a Chairman, four full time individuals and four low maintenance individuals. The Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Telecommunications is the ex-officio Chairman of the DCC.
- The DCC is answerable for:
- Planning the approach of Department of Telecommunications for endorsement of the Government;
- Setting up the spending limit for the Department of Telecommunications for each monetary year and getting it affirmed by the Government; and
- Execution of Government’s strategy in all issues concerning media transmission.
Import Cover: Rises to 10 months
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III- Economy
In News
- RBI has expressed that the outside trade saves has expanded to $429.84 billion as at end June 2019 from $412.47 billion as at end March 2019.
- Therefore, the import spread rose to 10 months contrasted and 9.6 months
- Import Cover quantifies the quantity of long stretches of imports that can be secured with remote trade holds accessible with the national bank of the nation.
- Eight to ten months of import spread is fundamental for the soundness of a cash.
(MAINS FOCUS)
ECONOMY
TOPIC: General Studies 3:
- Mindfulness in its fields
- Difficulties to inward security through correspondence systems, job of media and long range informal communication destinations in inside security challenges, nuts and bolts of digital security
Tech firms facing antitrust issues
Context:
Google and Amazon are under investigation for their effect on shopper security, work conditions, open talk and infringement of antitrust law
Background
Silicon Valley mammoths – Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple – are new age Tech organizations which through their information plan of action have increased gigantic market power and now employ colossal effect on financial political parts of individuals.
This has driven controllers over the world to outline rules/arrangements in order to check their market restraining infrastructure power.
What are the essential wellsprings of pressure between these organizations and Governments?
There are two wellsprings of strain identifying with these four tech firms that have caused caution over the United States, Europe and somewhere else:
- To start with, that they may have occupied with hostile to aggressive conduct over numerous years in this way undermining littler potential opponents and clutching an outsized piece of the overall industry;
- Second, that because of this metastatic development, they currently impact legislative issues, approach and individual notorieties over the range, making cost of information protection breaks by these organizations calamitous.
Concerns of each platform
Amazon: It is an online deals stage has disturbed the conventional business of retail merchants and independent venture. Claims that Amazon supports its very own self-marked items over those of outsider merchants through control of indexed lists.
Apple: Its App Store arrangements, explicitly with respect to how Apple positions indexed lists on that stage, is addressed as it has lead prohibition of certain contending applications from the Store (Ex. Spotify). Questions have additionally been raised on how Apple decides the portion of income it takes from in-application buys
Facebook: Regulators have concentrated on Facebook’s avaricious streak in capital markets, for instance, the U.S. Government Trade Commission (FTC) enquiry into whether Facebook protectively obtained certain organizations to keep up its predominant market position in the person to person communication biological system.
Google: This organization handles over 90% of online pursuits over the world. As of late concern has become over the way that Google has progressively been sending clients to its very own locales to answer their questions, including items, for example, Google Flights and Google Maps. In this manner there are charges of maltreatment of its strength in web search, publicizing and its portable framework, to the burden of adversary content makers. The European Union has just fined Google $5.1 billion out of 2018.
What steps has US authorities taken against these tech giants?
- The House of Representative’s Antitrust Subcommittee declared a bipartisan examination concerning rivalry and “oppressive direct” in the tech part.
- It likewise made a tremendous data request to each of the four tech goliaths, mentioning 10 years of point by point records identifying with rivalry, acquisitions, and different issues pertinent to the examination.
- Lawyers General crosswise over 50 U.S. states and domains reported a joint antitrust test into Google and Facebook
What is the Political Scenario in USA with regard to these investigations?
- U.S. President Donald Trump could barely be viewed as a tech partner as he cautioned in August 2018 that tech organizations could be in an “extremely antitrust circumstance.”
- In March 2019 U.S. Congressperson and Democrat Elizabeth Warren declared as a major aspect of her 2020 presidential crusade, an arrangement to separate Amazon, Facebook, and Google.
What are anti-trust laws?
- Antitrust laws additionally alluded to as rivalry laws created to shield customers from ruthless strategic approaches. They guarantee that reasonable challenge exists in an open-showcase economy.
- These laws have developed alongside the market, cautiously guarding against would-be imposing business models and interruptions to the profitable rhythmic movement of rivalry.
India’s Anti-Trust Regulation Framework
- The Competition Act, 2002 is India’s antitrust law. It supplanted the Monopolistic and Restrictive Trade Practices Act of 1969.
- The Act precludes: hostile to focused understandings; maltreatment of predominant situation by endeavors; and controls blends (Mergers and Acquisition), which causes or liable to cause an obvious antagonistic impact on rivalry inside India.
- From the arrangements under the Competition Act, 2002, the focal government has set up Competition Commission of India in 2003 which goes about as a guard dog of free market economy.
- In 2018, The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has likewise forced Rs.136 crore fine on Google for unreasonable strategic approaches and for encroaching antitrust lead in India.
Way Forward:
- India ought to intently follow the procedures of these cases in USA and become familiar with the essential law and administrative system to be soaked up inside Indian enemy of trust administration structure
- Equity B.N.Srikrishna Committee report on information security ought to be actualized in letter and soul to manage new age information focused tech mammoths.
- In the light of Supreme Court’s decision on security in K.Puttaswamy case, India should turn out exhaustive rules on information utilization in order to adjust the need of computerized development and person’s entitlement to protection.
Connecting the dots:
- Should India additionally dispatch Joint Parliamentary board of trustees to research whether these tech goliaths are enjoying hostile to aggressive exchange rehearses India?
- In the event that these tech goliaths are separated, would it sway the computerized transformation which is seen far and wide and furthermore in India?
ENVIRONMENT
TOPIC: General Studies 2:
- Protection, ecological contamination and corruption, natural effect appraisal
CoP 25: Climate Emergency
Context:
- The 25th yearly talks under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), alluded to as the Conference of Parties (COP), was as of late held in Madrid.
- It finished with no result.
- It was the fifteenth gathering of the gatherings for the Kyoto Protocol (CMP15), and furthermore, it was the second gathering of the gatherings for the Paris Agreement.
- The prime target of the gathering is to finished the standard book to the 2015 Paris Agreement that will get viable in 2020 to supplant the 1997 Kyoto Protocol (reaches a conclusion in 2020).
The Paris Agreement:
- The Paris Agreement was the primary lawful instrument to set an express temperature target. It pushes nations to keep the normal worldwide temperature ascend to beneath 2°C over pre-modern levels and urges them to restrict it to 1.5°C. It does this to a great extent through deliberately concurred Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs.
- Regardless of whether all NDC responsibilities are met, the worldwide mean temperatures would in any case ascend by 3.2°C by 2100, gauges the United Nations Environment Program’s Emissions Gap Report To restrict warming to 1.5°C, yearly worldwide discharges in 2030 should be under 25 GtCO2 e while the less yearning 2°C objective requires constraining emanations to 41 GtCO2e.even if all NDCs are met, the yearly outflows in 2030 will be 54 GtCO2e.
- The topic of meeting the Paris Agreement is generally diminished to whether nations are on track to meet the first round of NDCs, which were declared in 2015.
- The Agreement expects nations to pronounce new, logically eager focuses on at regular intervals and the second round of NDCs are expected in 2020.
Under the Article 4 of the Paris Agreement — the prerequisite that each gathering will impart a NDC at regular intervals, and that each progressive NDC must be a “movement” past the gathering’s present NDC.
- Mexico (1.49 percent of yearly worldwide discharges) as of now focuses on its 2030 emanations to be 22-36 percent beneath levels seen in 2000, and a 50 percent decrease in 2000 levels by 2050.
- These objectives were submitted as a component of a mid-century technique distributed in 2016, and Mexico battles they are predictable with the 2°C edge.
- South Korea (1.29 percent of worldwide yearly outflows), which distributed its 2050 technique in 2009, much before the Paris Agreement lawfully settled the 1.5°C and 2°C edges to evaluate NDCs.
- Other noteworthy producers with an announced purpose to refresh focuses in 2020 incorporate South Africa (1.08 percent of worldwide yearly emanations), Nigeria (1.01 percent), Argentina (0.91 percent) and Ukraine (0.70 percent).
Conclusion:
- Do you figure India must follow NDCs?
- Do you think Paris understanding is a disappointment?
(TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE)
Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section)
Q.1) Consider the following statements about Pinaka Missile system
- It is developed by DRDO
- It is a Multi-Barrel Rocket System to supplement the existing artillery gun at ranges beyond 500 kilometres to make precision hits.
Select the correct answer from codes given below.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Q.2) Consider the following statements about Digital Communications Commission (DCC)
- It is a statutory body established under Indian Telegraph Act,1885
- The Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Telecommunications is the ex-officio Chairman of the DCC.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Q.3) Which of the following best describes the term ‘import cover’, sometimes seen in the news?
- It is the ratio of value of imports to the Gross Domestic Product of a country
- It is the total value of imports of a country in a year
- It is the ratio between the value of exports and that of imports between two countries
- It is the number of months of imports that could be paid for by a country’s international reserves
Q.4) Golden Triangle and Golden Crescent often seen in news is related to which field of interest?
- Gravitational anomalies on earth’s surface
- USA’s counter-strategy to China’s string of Pearls strategy
- Illicit drug producing areas in the world
- None of the above
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