DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 29 AUGUST 2019 BY SUMIT.

              IMPORTANT TOPICS FOR TODAY 

                                   http://dailycurrentaffairs-sumit.blogspot.com 
BY SUMIT BHARDWAJ                                                 29 August 2019

1.Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD)(GS-2)

• WHY IS IT THE NEWS?
• IT IS IN THE NEWS BECAUSE 50th foundation day of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) WAS CELEBRATED YESTERDAY AND The age of third­ degree torture was over and the police should stay a step ahead of crime and “criminal­ minded people” through better investigation and forensic evidence, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said IN THIS EVENT
• ABOUT Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD):

CREATION:

• 1. The Government of India vide Resolution No.8/136/68-P.I (Pers.I) dated 28.08.1970 formally established the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), under the Ministry of Home Affairs giving a new orientation to then existing Police Research and Advisory Council (1966) for the following reasons and with the primary objective of modernization of police force:
  1. To take direct and active interest in the issues
  2. To promote a speedy and systematic study of the police problems,
  3. To apply science and technology in the methods and techniques used by police.
  In addition and as a secondary, the Resolution mandated an advisory role also for the Bureau. 
  2.The Bureau was established with the following two divisions initially with a well laid out charter of duties:
  1. Research, Statistics and Publication
  2. Development.
  3. Training is a vital and growing requirement to improve the competency of police forces in the country. The Gore-Committee (1971) set up by the Government of India studied the training aspects of police and gave several recommendations. The government of India in accepting its recommendations created a Training Division (1973) in addition to the two divisions already existing to function under the Bureau.
  4. The forensic science services comprising CFSLs & GEsQD under the Development Division grew over a period and a separate Directorate of Forensic Sciences under the BPR&D came into existence in 1983.
  5. Further in 1995 Government of India decided to entrust issues relating to Correctional Administration Work to the BPR&D so that problems relating to prisons and implementation of deemed prison reforms can be taken up by the Bureau in a cohesive manner. This set up is operating out of the existing manpower resources.
  6. During the year 2008, the Government of India further decided to create National Police Mission under the administrative control of BPR&D to transform the police forces in the country into effective instrument for maintenance of internal security and facing the challenges in future, by equipping them with the necessary material, intellectual and organizational resources.
  SEPARATION:
  1. Though the Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science (ICFS) was established under the overall supervision and guidance of BPR&D as part of the same exercise, it was allowed to function as a separate entity in 1976: since the ultimate objective of setting up the Institute was to develop a full-fledged academic institution for furthering studies in Criminology and forensic science. The same which has been re-christened in the year 1991 is now functioning as Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJN), National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science from 1982. The institute provides training courses for officers of the criminal justice system in the two subjects i.e. Criminology and Forensic Science and carries out research.
  2. Growth dynamics took over and the need to specialize in each area arose. The National Police Commission (1977) also recommended certain measures requiring implementation. Simultaneously technological innovations particularly computers held promises of support to many areas of crime control and crime detection besides processing statistical data for the purpose of analysis. The Government of India, therefore, decided to establish a National Crime Records Bureau in 1986 build another Resolution and entrusted statistics and publications work of the Research Division to the newly constituted Bureau along with the plans for their computerization.
  3. In an identical move brought about by compulsions of growth, the Government of India decided to give an independent status to the Forensic Science Division by creating a Forensic Science Directorate having an autonomous status under the direct control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

2.WHAT IS A CONSTITUTION BENCH AND WHY IS IT IN THE NEWS?         GS-2

• IT IS IN THE NEWS BECAUSE The Supreme Court on Wednesday referred to a five judge Bench several petitions challenging the withdrawal of Article 370 and bifurcation of the State of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.

• CONSTITUTION BENCH:

• 
  

  Constitution bench is the name given to the benches of the Supreme Court of India which consist of at least five judges of the court which sit to decide any case “involving a substantial question of law as to the interpretation” of the Constitution of India or "for the purpose of hearing any reference" made by the President of India under Article 143. This provision has been mandated by Article 145 of the Constitution of India.The Chief Justice of India has the power to constitute a Constitution Bench and refer cases to it.

  
  

  Constitution benches have decided many of India’s best-known and most important Supreme Court cases, such as A. K. Gopalan v. State of Madras, Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (basic structure doctrine) and Ashoka Kumar Thakur v. Union of India (OBC reservations) etc
• WHAT WAS ARTICLE 370?

• Article 370 - Features and Provisions

  • Present in part XXI of the Indian Constitution which comprises of Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions with rest to various states of India.
  • Forms the basis of the “Special Status” of J&K.
  • Provides for a separate Constitution of J&K.
  • Limits the Union Parliament’s power to make laws for J&K to those subjects mentioned in the Instrument of Accession (defense, foreign affairs, and communications) and others as and when declared by the Presidential Orders with the concurrence of the Government of the State.
  • Specified the mechanism by which the Article shall cease to be operative. That is, on the recommendation of the Constituent Assembly of the State before the President issues such a notification. However, this provision has been amended by the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019.

  Was it Temporary

  • The Article was introduced to accommodate the apprehensions of Maharaja Hari Singh who would not have acceded to India without certain concessions.
  • Territorial integrity was of paramount importance to India post-independence, thus, such a special provision was inducted in the constitution.
  • The provision, however, is part of the “Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions” of our constitution.
  • Moreover, Article 370 could be interpreted as temporary in the sense that the J&K Constituent Assembly had a right to modify/delete/retain it; it decided to retain it.
  • Another interpretation was that accession was temporary until a plebiscite.

  Issues in Revoking

  • Article 370 is the bedrock of the constitutional relationship between Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of India.
  • It has been described as a tunnel through which the Constitution is applied to J&K.
  • India has used Article 370 at least 45 times to extend provisions of the Indian Constitution to J&K. This is the only way through which, by mere Presidential Orders, India has almost nullified the effect of J&K’s special status.
  • By the 1954 order, almost the entire Constitution was extended to J&K including most Constitutional amendments.
  • However, abrogating the article altogether may threaten the peace in the state which is already a hotspot of conflicts and militancy.
  • It will completely change the relationship between the state and the rest of India.
  • It will also clear the path for abrogating Article 35A which would allow Indian citizens to purchase land and settle permanently in J&K.
  • Thus, the move is bound to have a significant impact on the demography, culture, and politics of J&K

3.WHAT IS FDI AND WHY IS IT ITN THE THE NEWS?      GS-3

• IT IS IN THE NEWS BECAUSE The Union Cabinet on Wednesday announced a number of decisions designed to attract increased foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country, including easing local sourcing norms for single­ brand retail companies

• FDI:

• Foreign Direct Investment, briefly called or FDI, is a form of investment that involves the inoculation of foreign funds into an enterprise that operates in a different country of origin from the financier. Foreign direct investment is vital part of an open and real international economic system and a major promoter to development. Foreign direct investment has developed radically as a major form of international capital transfer since last many years. Between 1980 and 1990, world flows of FDI-defined as cross-border expenditures to acquire or expand corporate control of productive assets-have approximately tripled. Advantages of FDI do not increase automatically and evenly across countries, sectors and local communities. National strategies and the international investment architecture matter for attracting FDI to huge number of developing countries and for reaping the full benefits of FDI for development.
• Determinates of FDI in Host Country: 
  Host Country Determinants:
  1. Policy framework for F.D.I.
  2. Economic, political & social stability
  3. Rules regarding entry & operations.
  4. Standards of treatment of foreign affiliates.
  5. Policies on functioning & structure of markets (esp. competition & merger and acquisition [M&A] Policies
  6. International agreements on FDI
  7. Privatization Policy.
  8. Trade policy (barriers-tariff & non-tariff) and coherence of FDI and trade policies

  FDI in India

  In Indian context, foreign direct investment is reflected as a developmental tool, which helps to accomplish self-reliance in numerous sectors and in general development of the economy. India after liberalizing and globalizing the economy to the outside world in 1991, there was a enormous increase in the flow of foreign direct investment. In India, foreign direct investment inflow made its entry during the year 1991-92 with the aim to bring together the intended investment and the actual investments of the country. To follow a growth of around 7 percent in the Gross Domestic Product of India, the net capital flows should escalate by at least 28 to 30 percent on the whole. But the savings of the country stood only at 24 percent. The gap formed between intended investment and the actual savings of the country was lifted up by portfolio investments by Foreign Institutional Investors, loans by foreign banks and other places, and foreign direct investments. Among these three forms of financial support, India chooses as well as possesses the maximum amount of Foreign Direct Investments. The FDI may affect due to the government trade obstructions and policies for the foreign investments and leads to less or more effective towards contribution in economy as well as GDP of the economy. To increase the FDI inflows in the country, Indian government allowing frequent equity participation to foreign enterprises apart from provides many incentives such as tax concessions, simplification of licensing procedures and de-reserving various industries like drugs, fertilizers, aluminum. But due to significant outflow of foreign reserve in the form of remittances of dividends, profits, royalties etc in 1973 government of India set up Foreign Investment Board and enacted Foreign Exchange Regulation Act in order to regulate flow of FDI to India. Additionally, Government of India set up Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) for processing of FDI proposals in India.
  

  Benefit of Foreign Direct Investment

  Advantages of foreign direct investment for developing country economies are well recognized. Given the appropriate host-country policies and a basic level of development, a majority of studies demonstrations that foreign direct investment generates technology spill overs, helps human capital formation, contributes to international trade integration, helps create a more competitive business environment and enhances enterprise development. All of these contribute to higher economic growth, which is the strongest tool to alleviate poverty in developing countries. Moreover, foreign direct investment may help improve environmental and social conditions in the host country. FDI has other advantages such as foreign expertise can be an important factor in improving the existing technical processes in the country, advances in technology and process it improves the competitiveness of countries in the domestic economy, can improve the quality of products and processes in a particular sector, increased attempts to better human resource. Foreign direct investment can help in the economic development of the country in which the investment is made, creating both benefits for local industry and a more conducive environment for the investor. It will usually create jobs and increase employment in the target country. It will allow resource transfer, and other exchanges of knowledge whereby different countries are given access to new skills and technologies. The equipment and facilities provided by the investor can upsurge the productivity of the workforce in the target country.

  The disadvantage of FDI: There are some demerits of foreign direct investment. 

  1. Foreign direct investment can occasionally hamper domestic investment, as it focuses resources elsewhere.
  2. Sometimes as a result of foreign direct investment exchange rates will be affected, to the advantage of one country and the disadvantage of the other nation.
  3. Foreign direct investment may be capital-intensive from the investor's point of view, and therefore sometimes high-risk or economically non-viable.
  4. The rules governing foreign direct investment and exchange rates may negatively affect the investing country.

  
  4.Ganga Mission study to check for ‘antibiotic resistance’ in river(GS-1,3)

CONTEXT:

The project, expected to last two years, will identify sources of Eschericia coli.

The government has commissioned a RS9.3 crore study to assess the microbial diversity along the entire length of the Ganga and test if stretches of the 2,500 km long river contain microbes that may promote “antibiotic resistance”.

• The project, expected to last two years, is to be undertaken by scientists at the Motilal Nehru Institute of Technology, Allahabad; the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur; Sardar Patel Institute of Science & Technology, Gorakhpur, as well as start-up companies, Phixgen and Xcelris Labs. The latter two provide genome sequencing services, which in this case will involve mapping the genomes of the microbes sampled.
• The aims of the research project, according to a note by the National Mission for Clean Ganga under the Jal Shakti Ministry is to indicate the type of “contamination” (sewage and industrial) in the river and “threat to human health (antibiotic resistance surge)”, identifying sources of Eschericia coli, a type of bacteria that lives in the gut of animals and humans. While largely harmless, some species have been linked to intestinal disease as well as aggravating antibiotic resistance
• National Mission for Clean Ganga under the Jal Shakti Ministry:

• Jal Shakti Mantralaya

  • The government has created a new Ministry called ‘Jal Shakti’ after mergingMinistries of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation along with Drinking Water and Sanitation.
  • ‘Jal Shakti’ ministry will encompass issues ranging from providing clean drinking water, international and inter-states water disputes, to the Namami Gange project aimed at cleaning Ganga and its tributaries, and sub-tributaries.
  • The ministry will roll out the government’s ambitious plan (‘Nal se Jal’ scheme under jal jivan plan) to provide piped water connection to every household in India by 2024.
  
  

  National Mission for Clean Ganga(NMCG) was registered as a society on 12th August 2011 under the Societies Registration Act 1860.It acted as implementation arm of National Ganga River Basin Authority(NGRBA) which was constituted under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA),1986. NGRBA has since been dissolved with effect from the 7th October 2016, consequent to constitution of National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga (referred as National Ganga Council) vide notification no. S.O. 3187(E) dt. 7th October 2016 under EPA 1986.

  
  The Act envisages five tier structure at national, state and district level to take measures for prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution in river Ganga and to ensure continuous adequate flow of water so as to rejuvenate the river Ganga as below; 
  
  1. National Ganga Council under chairmanship of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India. 
  2. Empowered Task Force (ETF) on river Ganga under chairmanship of Hon’ble Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. 
  3. National Mission for Clean Ganga(NMCG). 
  4. State Ganga Committees and 
  5. District Ganga Committees in every specified district abutting river Ganga and its tributaries in the states. 
  
      NMCG has a two tier management structure and comprises of Governing Council and Executive Committee. Both of them are headed by Director General, NMCG. Executive Committee has been authorized to accord approval for all projects up to Rs.1000 crore. Similar to structure at national level, State Programme Management Groups (SPMGs) acts as implementing arm of State Ganga Committees. Thus the newly created structure attempts to bring all stakeholders on one platform to take a holistic approach towards the task of Ganga cleaning and rejuvenation. 
  
       The Director General(DG) of NMCG is a Additional Secretary in Government of India. For effective implementation of the projects under the overall supervision of NMCG, the State Level Program Management Groups (SPMGs) are, also headed by senior officers of the concerned States.

• Eschericia coli:
• E. coli (Escherichia coli), is a type of bacteria that normally lives in your intestines. It’s also found in the gut of some animals.

  Most types of E. coli are harmless and even help keep your digestive tract healthy. But some strains can cause diarrhea if you eat contaminated food or drink fouled water.

  While many of us associate E. coli with food poisoning, you can also get pneumonia and urinary tract infections from different types of the bacteria. In fact, 75% to 95% of urinary tract infections are caused by E. coli.

  Some versions of E. coli make you sick by making a toxin called Shiga. This toxin damages the lining of your intestine. The strains of E. coli that make the toxin are sometimes called STEC, which is short for “Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.”

  One especially bad strain, O157:H7, can make you very sick. It causes abdominal cramps,vomiting, and bloody diarrhea. It is the leading cause of acute kidney failure in children. It can also cause life-threatening symptoms such as:

  • Adult kidney failure
  • Fever
  • Bleeding
  • Confusion
  • Seizures

  You should get emergency help if you have any of these symptoms.

How Do You Get Infected?

• You can become infected when you swallow even a small amount of E. coli bacteria. Among the ways this can happen:

  • Ground meat: You eat ground meat that carries E. coli, and the meat wasn’t cooked enough to kill the bacteria. When meat is processed, sometimes bacteria from the animals’ intestines make their way into the meat. This happens more with ground meat because it comes from more than one animal.
  • Untreated milk: You drink unpasteurized milk, which hasn’t been heated to kill bacteria. E. coli can get into the milk from the cow’s udder or from milking equipment.
  • Vegetables and fruit: You might eat fresh vegetables or fruit that’s been tainted bywater that has the bacteria. This happens most often when manure from nearby animals mixes with the watersupply.
  • Other foods and beverages: You might also get E. coli from unpasteurized fruit juices and yogurt and cheese made from raw milk.
  • Water: You swallow water that contains E. coli, perhaps while swimming in a pool, lake, or pond.
  • Other people: You might get E. coli from another person who has it, such as a child. The bacteria can be passed to you if you clean up after an infected person and then don’t wash your hands really well before you touch your mouth.
  • Animals: It can be found at petting zoos or animal exhibits at fairs.

  You can also contaminate food in your own kitchen if you allow a knife or cutting board that has touched uncooked meat (like chicken) to come into contact with food that will be eaten raw (like a salad).

5.Chandrayaan-2 another step closer to Moon, enters new lunar orbit (GS-3)

CONTEXT: Candrayaan-2, which carries a dream of placing a rover on the lunar surface, has lowered its orbit around the Moon with just days to go for the D-Day when the lander Vikram will separate from the spacecraft.

SOURCE: INDIA TODAY 

• The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully carried out a manoeuvre Wednesday morning, placing Chandrayaan-2 into an elliptical orbit of about 200 km x 1,500 km around the Moon.
• The third lunar bound orbit manoeuvre for Chandrayaan-2 was completed successfully at around 9:30 am, putting the spacecraft in an orbit achieved of 179 km x 1412 km. The next lunar bound orbit manoeuvre is scheduled on August 30.

Chandrayaan-2:

Chandrayaan 2 is an Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) mission comprising an orbiter and a soft lander carrying a rover, scheduled to launch to the Moon in July 2019. The primary objective of Chandrayaan 2 is to demonstrate the ability to soft-land on the lunar surface and operate a robotic rover on the surface. Scientific goals include studies of lunar topography, mineralogy, elemental abundance, the lunar exosphere, and signatures of hydroxyl and water ice.

Spacecraft and Subsystems

The Chandrayaan 2 orbiter is a box-shaped craft with an orbital mass of 2379 kg and solar arrays capable of generating 1000 W power. The orbiter communicates with the Indian Deep Space Network and the lander. The orbiter will have a scientific payload comprising a visible terrain mapping camera, a neutral mass spectrometer, a synthetic aperture radar, a near infrared spectrometer, a radio occultation experiment, a soft X-ray spectrometer and solar X-ray monitor.

The lander, named Vikram, has a mass of 1471 kg (including the rover), and can generate 650 W of solar power. The lander can communicate directly to the Indian Deep Space Network, the orbiter, and the rover. The lander will carry a camera, seismometer, thermal profiler, Langmuir probe, and a NASA-supplied laser retroreflector.

The rover, Pragyan (also Pragyaan), is a 6-wheeled vehicle with a mass of 27 kg that runs on 50 W of solar power and can travel up to 500 m at a speed of 1 cm per second. The rover communicates directly with the lander. the rover will hold cameras, alpha-proton X-ray spectrometer, and a laser-induced ablation spectroscopy experiment.

Mission Profile

Chandrayaan 2 was launched on 22 July 2019 at 9:13 UT (2:43 p.m. Indian Standard Time) from Satish Dhawan Space Center on Sriharikota Island on an ISRO Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III. The lander-orbiter pair went into an initial elliptical (170 x 40400 km altitude) Earth parking orbit, followed by a trans-lunar injection on 14 August. The pair entered lunar polar orbit on 20 August. The lander and orbiter will separate on September 2. The orbiter evolves into a 100 km altitude circular polar orbit and the Vikram lander will maneuver into a 30 x 100 km orbit and then land on the surface in the high latitude areas near the south pole, between two craters, Manzinus C and Simpelius N, on 7 September. The orbiter portion of the mission is planned to last 1 year. The rover will be deployed using a ramp shortly after landing. The lander and rover portions of the mission are planned for 14-15 days, one period of lunar daylight.

6.Payment issues over S-400 deal resolved: Russian officials  (GS-2)

CONTEXT:All payment issues between India and Russia with regard to the S-400 deal have been resolved very successfully, senior Russian officials said at the ongoing MAKS air show in Russia.

“There were initial difficulties due to banking restrictions. But we talked on Government-to-Government level… It is no more an issue. In certain cases they use Ruble, in certain cases they use Rupee. In certain cases a different currency,” said Viktor Kladov, head of international cooperation, Rostec Corporation, while talking the media at the ongoing MAKS air show in Russia. The system is adapted to the new reality, he stated.

S-400:

S-400 ,SOURCE: AFP.

The S-400 Triumph (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) is an air defence missile system developed by Almaz Central Design Bureau of Russia. The new system replaced the S-300P and S-200 air defence systems of the Russian Army.

The S-400 was developed as an upgrade of the S-300 series of surface-to-air missile systems. The system entered service in April 2007 and the first S-400 was deployed in combat in August 2007. Russia set up four S-400 regiments defending national airspace in the Moscow region, the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad, and the Eastern Military District.

The air defence units of Southern Military District are expected to be rearmed with advanced S-400 Triumph by the end of 2012. Over 20 battalions of S-400 Triumph will be delivered to the Russian armed forces by 2015. Russia plans to induct 56 S-400 battalions by 2020.

Russia intends to supply export versions of the S-400 Triumph system to the armed forces of China. Turkey also expressed interest in purchasing S-400 air defence systems during the IDEF 2009 exhibition.

S-400 Triumph features:

"The system can engage all types of aerial targets including aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and ballistic and cruise missiles within the range of 400km, at an altitude of up to 30km."

The S-400 Triumph air defence system integrates a multifunction radar, autonomous detection and targeting systems, anti-aircraft missile systems, launchers, and command and control centre. It is capable of firing three types of missiles to create a layered defence.

The system can engage all types of aerial targets including aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and ballistic and cruise missiles within the range of 400km, at an altitude of up to 30km. The system can simultaneously engage 36 targets.

The S-400 is two-times more effective than previous Russian air defence systems and can be deployed within five minutes. It can also be integrated into the existing and future air defence units of the Air Force, Army, and the Navy.

7.One Country, Two Systems, Lots of Problems(GS-2)

• Te enormous protests in Hong Kong since this spring have led to fresh fears about the viability of China’s “one country, two systems.” On June 10, the U.S. State Department expressed concern that “the continued erosion of the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ framework puts at risk Hong Kong’s long-established special status in international affairs.” Created in the early 1980s by Deng Xiaoping, China’s “one country, two systems” policy aims to peacefully integrate (or reintegrate, from Beijing’s unique perspective) formerly colonized territories by granting them semiautonomous status in exchange for recognizing the existence of “One China.” It’s an idea that Macau and Hong Kong officially subscribe to and Taiwan fiercely resists—but one increasingly questioned from all sides.
• To mark the 20th anniversary of the Hong Kong handover from British to Chinese rule in 1997, Chinese President Xi Jinping in July 2017 pledged to “unswervingly implement the policy of one country, two systems” in Hong Kong. But the protests against a controversial new extradition law pushed forward by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam mark only the most recent instance when the difference between Beijing’s vision of two systems and Hong Kongers’ perspective has been exposed.

protests in Hong Kong:

The 2019 Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protests are a series of demonstrations in Hong Kong against an extradition bill proposed by the Hong Kong government.If enacted, the bill would allow local authorities to detain and extradite people who are wanted in territories that Hong Kong does not have extradition agreements with, includingmainland China and Taiwan.Some fear the bill would place the Hong Kong people and visitors under mainland Chinese jurisdiction, undermining the autonomy of the region and citizens' rights.

Demonstrations against the bill began in March and April, then escalated in June.Hundreds of thousands of people marched in a protest against the bill on 9 June.Protests on 12 June, the day the bill was scheduled for a second reading in the Legislative Council, marked a sharp escalation in violence. Riot police deployed tear gasand rubber bullets against demonstrators. Subsequently, investigations into police behaviour and greater accountability for their actions became part of protester demands.A larger march occurred on 16 June.

On 1 July, hundreds of thousands of people participated in the annual July march.A portion of these demonstrators split from the march and broke into the Legislative Council Complex, vandalising central government symbols.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam suspended the extradition bill on 15 June, declaring it "dead" on 9 July, but stopped short of a full withdrawal. Executive Council members Regina Ip and Bernard Charnwut Chan said that the government does not intend to make further concessions.

Protests continued throughout the summer, escalating into increasingly violent confrontations, between police, activists, pro-Beijing triad members, and local residents in over 20 different neighbourhoods throughout the region. 21 July marked the Yuen Long mob attacks against protesters and bystanders.

As demonstrations continue, protesters are calling for an independent inquiry on police brutality, the release of arrested protesters, a retraction of the official characterisation of the protests as "riots", anddirect elections to choose Legislative Council members and the Chief Executive

8.Respiratory ailments rise in Brazil as Amazon fires rage (GS-3)

CONTEXT:

Fears over health impacts have been growing with the surge in fires, with more than 77,000 blazes documented by the country’s National Space Research Institute since the start of the year.

Lingering smoke in the Amazon is reportedly causing increased respiratory problems particularly among children and the elderly as fires in the region rage.

Context of Amazon Fires:

Over the last several days, the Amazon rainforest has been burning at a rate that has alarmed environmentalists and governments worldwide.

Mostly caused by farmers clearing land, the fires have thrown the spotlight on Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro’s policies and anti-environment stance.

Thousands of fires are ravaging the Amazon rainforest in Brazil – the most intense blazes for almost a decade.

Brazil declared a state of emergency over the rising number of fires in the region. So far this year, almost 73,000 fires have been detected by Brazil’s space research center.

About Amazon Rainforest:

• The Amazon rainforest stretches across 5.5 million square kilometers, an area far larger than the EU.
• The Amazon rainforest home to one in 10 species on Earth is on fire. As of last week, 9,000 wildfireswere raging simultaneously across the vast rainforest of Brazil and spreading into Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru.
• The Amazon rainforest is a moist broadleaf tropical rainforest in the Amazon biome that covers most of the Amazon basin of South America.
• The majority of the forest is contained within Brazil, with 60% of the rainforest, followed by Peru with 13%, Colombia with 10%, and with minor amounts in Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and France (French Guiana).
• The blazes, largely set intentionally to clear land for cattle ranching, farming, and logging, have been exacerbated by the dry season.
• They’re now burning in massive numbers, an 80 percent increase over this time last year, according to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE). The fires can even be seen from space.

How did the Amazon fires start?

• According to Brazil’s space research center (INPE), the country has seen an 80% increase in fires this year, compared with the same period last year.
• According to INPE, more than half were in the Amazon region, spelling disaster for the local environment and ecology and 99% percent of the fires result from human actions “either on purpose or by accident”.
• The weekly Brasil de fato reported that Bolsonaro’s anti-environment rhetoric has emboldened farmers, who organised a “fire day” along BR-163, a highway that runs through the heart of the rainforest.
• The weekly quoted a report by local newspaper, that local farmers had set fire to sections of the rainforest a few days ago to get the government’s attention.
• While the Amazon rainforest is typically wet and humid, July and August are the onset of the dry season (the region’s driest months).
• Fire is often used to clear out the land for farming or ranching. For that reason, a vast majority of the fires can be attributed to humans.

Why are the Amazon fires a cause for concern?

It is also home to indigenous communities whose lives and homelands are under threat due to encroachment by the Brazil government, foreign corporations and governments with economic interests in the resource-rich region, and local farmers.

Research by scientists Carlos Nobre and Thomas E Lovejoy suggests that further deforestation could lead to the Amazon’s transformation from the world’s largest rainforest to a savanna, which wouldreverse the region’s ecology.

A National Geographic report said the Amazon rainforest influences the water cycle not only on a regional scale, but also on a global scale.

The rain produced by the Amazon travels through the region and even reaches the Andes mountain range. Moisture from the Atlantic falls on the rainforest, and eventually evaporates back into the atmosphere.

The report said the Amazon rainforest has the ability to produce at least half of the rain it receives. This cycle is a delicate balance.

Consequences of present situation:

Fires are set deliberately and spread easily in the dry season. The desire for new land for cattle farming has been the main driver of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon since the 1970s.

The devastating loss of biodiversity does not just affect Brazil.

The loss of Amazonian vegetation directly reduces rain across South America and other regions of the world.

The planet is losing an important carbon sink, and the fires are directly injecting carbon into the atmosphere.

If we can’t stop deforestation in the Amazon, and the associated fires, it raises real questions about our ability to reach the Paris Agreement to slow climate change.

The growing numbers of fires are the result of illegal forest clearing to create land for farming.

Conclusion:

Germany and Norway have suspended funding for programmes that aim to stop deforestation in the Amazon and have accused Brazil of doing little to protect the forests.

Indigenous groups and environment activists have led protests and criticised Bolsonaro for his comments and policies.

Neighbouring Bolivia and Paraguay have also struggled to contain fires that swept through woods and fields and, in many cases, got out of control in high winds after being set by residents clearing land for farming. About 7,500 square kilometres of land has been affected in Bolivia.

The Brazilian government has set an ambitious target to stop illegal deforestation and restore 4.8 million hectares of degraded Amazonian land by 2030.

If these goals are not carefully addressed now, it may not be possible to meaningfully mitigate climate change.

The untold number of species of every kind of living thing, many thousands of which have never been described by scientists are suffering. We all need to come together to protect it.

9.Star tortoise, otters get higher protection at CITES(GS-3)

A complete international ban will be enforced on their trade as part of efforts to boost numbers

India’s proposal to upgrade the protection of star tortoises (Geochelone elegans), the smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) and small-clawed otters (Anoyx cinereus) in CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species on Wild Fauna and Flora) have been approved.

These species have been listed under Appendix I of CITES and will now enjoy the highest degree of protection as there will be a complete international ban enforced on their trade.

The upgradation was approved at the Conference of the Parties (COP18) held at Geneva.

What is the CITES CoP?

The CITES CoP is where governments around the world convene every two to three years to review and make decisions on the regulation of trade in endangered species.

Under CITES, trade is defined as import, export, re-export and introduction from the sea (for marine species taken on the high seas).

The CoP will decide on:

• Proposals to list, remove, or change the listing of species on the CITES appendices.
• Policy and implementation measures to improve the effectiveness of the Convention.
• The strategic direction of the Convention (including budget matters) to enable the CITES Secretariat to function effectively.

TODAYS SOURCES:Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD),DRISHTI IAS,National Mission for Clean Ganga ,WEBMD.COM,INDIA TODAY,NASA,ARMY TECNOLOGY.COM,FORIEGN POLICY.COM,UNFCC