SCO Calls For Multipolar World Order As Iran Joins Grouping

- Daily Current Affairs - August 11, 2023
Why is it in news?

The formation of a “more representative” and multipolar world order is in the global interest, leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation said at a virtual summit chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

UPSC SYLLABUS RELEVANCE for prelims and Mains:
Prelims:

  Current events of National and International Importance.

Mains:


General Studies-II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

Important concepts:

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) New Delhi Declaration

Today’s prelims practice question:
  1. Consider the following statements about the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO):
  2. Iraq has formally become a full member of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in 2023. 

  3. The next meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State will be held in 2024 in Kyrgyzstan.     

Which among the statements mentioned above is/are correct?
  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Correct answer: D
Explanation:

Iran, one of India’s neighbours in its extended neighbourhood, has formally become a full member of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Iran as the newest member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) at the virtual summit of the grouping on July 4. Prior to Iran’s joining, the SCO consisted of eight member countries: China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and the four Central

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PM to host Xi, Putin, Sharif virtually for SCO summit

- Daily Current Affairs - August 11, 2023
Why is it in news?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will “virtually host” Russian President Vladimir  Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif  and Central Asian Presidents as India chairs the  Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Council of Heads of State (SCO CHS), for the first time.

UPSC 
SYLLABUS  
RELEVANCE for  prelims and Mains:
Prelims:

  Current events of National and International Importance. 

Mains:

General Studies-II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and  agreements  involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Important  concepts: 

     Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

Today’s prelims practice question:
  1. Consider the following statements about the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO): 1. It is an intergovernmental organization founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2003. 
  2. The SCO currently comprises eight Member States, four Observer States and six Dialogue Partners.  Which among the statements mentioned above is/are incorrect? 
  3. 1 only 
  4. 2 only 
  5. Both 1 and 2 
  6. Neither 1 nor 2 
Correct answer: A
Explanation:

    The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization  founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2001. The SCO currently comprises eight Member States (China,  India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan), four Observer States  interested in acceding to full membership (Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia) and six 

“Dialogue Partners” (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey).

Mains PYQ  exercise:

      Critically examine the aims and objectives of SCO. what importance does it  hold for India. (2021)

Today’s mains  practice question:

   Examine the prospects of SCO as a platform for regional cooperation and  stability, with a focus on its economic, security, and cultural elements.

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 INDIA, CHINA RAMP UP INFRA ON NORTH BANK OF PANGONG LAKE

- Daily Current Affairs - August 11, 2023

Why is it in news?

While China is rushing to complete a bridge across the Pangong Tso, connecting the north and south banks, India is also building a black-topped road on its side on  the north bank.
 

UPSC SYLLABUS  RELEVANCE for  prelims and Mains:

Prelims: 

  •    Current events of National and International Importance.

Mains:

  • General Studies-III: Security challenges and their management in border  areas – linkages of organized crime with terrorism.

Important concepts:

 Important concepts

PRELIMS PYQ EXERCISE-FIND ANSWER:

Q. Consider the following statements about Pangong Lake:

  1. The lake’s water, which is crystal clear, serves as a major source of drinking water. 2. K2, the world’s second highest peak, ends at the south bank of Pangong Tso.  Which among the statements mentioned above is/are incorrect? 
  2. 1 only 
  3. 2 only 
  4. Both 1 and 2 
  5. Neither 1 nor 2

Correct answer: C

Explanation:

  •   Pangong Tso literally translates into a “conclave lake”. Pangong means conclave in Ladakhi and  Tso means lake in Tibetan language. Situated at over 14,000 feet, the Lake is about 135 km long.

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Cabinet Gives Nod to Data Protection Bill

- Daily Current Affairs - August 10, 2023

Why is it in news? 

The Union Cabinet cleared the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill recently. The clearance paves the way for the Bill to be introduced in Parliament in the Monsoon Session, scheduled to begin on July 20. 

UPSC SYLLABUS RELEVANCE for prelims and Mains

  • Prelims: Indian Polity and Governance
  • Mains: General Studies II: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional

Important concepts

  • Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill

Today’s prelims practice question:

Consider the following statements about the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill:

  1. As per the draft bill, courts and law enforcement agencies enjoy wide exemptions from key requirements. 
  2. In the Shah Bano case, privacy was declared as key to the fundamental right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.     

Which among the statements mentioned above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2

Correct answer: 1

Explanation: The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill comes after multiple versions floated by the Union government, a process that was started way back in 2017 with the K.S. Puttaswamy v Union of India judgment, where privacy was declared as key to the fundamental right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution. As per the latest draft, courts and law enforcement agencies enjoy wide exemptions from key requirements, as the Bill’s requirements do not apply when “personal data is processed in the interest of prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of any offence or contravention of any law” or “the processing of personal data by any court or tribunal or any other body in India is necessary for the performance of any judicial or quasi-judicial function”.

 

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PM to host Xi, Putin, Sharif virtually for SCO summit: The Hindu

- Daily Current Affairs - August 10, 2023
Why is it in news? 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will “virtually host” Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Central Asian Presidents as India chairs the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Council of Heads of State (SCOCHS), for the first time.

UPSC SYLLABUS RELEVANCE for prelims and Mains

  • Prelims: Current events of National and International Importance.
  • Mains: General Studies-II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Important concepts

  • Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

Today’s prelims practice question:

  1. Consider the following statements about the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO):
  2. It is an intergovernmental organization founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2003. 
  3. The SCO currently comprises eight Member States, four Observer States and six Dialogue Partners.     

Which among the statements mentioned above is/are incorrect?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2

Correct answer: A

Explanation: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2001. The SCO currently comprises eight Member States (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan), four Observer States interested in acceding to full membership (Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia) and six “Dialogue Partners” (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey).

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PM launches National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh: PIB

- Daily Current Affairs - August 9, 2023
Why is it in news?

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh and distributed sickle cell genetic status cards to the beneficiaries

UPSC SYLLABUS RELEVANCE for prelims and Mains

Prelims: Current events of National and International Importance.

Mains: General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources

Important concepts

Sickle Cell Anaemia

National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission

Prelims PYQ Exercise-Find answer:

Match List-I (Disease) with List-II (Types of disease) and select the correct answer using the codes given below:

[2000]

List-I                                   List-II

A. Haemophilia         1. Deficiency disease

B. Diabetes                 2. Genetic disease

C. Rickets                    3. Hormonal disorder

D. Ringworm              4. Fungal infection

(a) A – 2; B – 3; C – 4; D – 1

(b) A – 2; B – 3; C – 1; D – 4

(c) A – 3; B – 2; C – 1; D – 4

(d) A – 3; B – 2; C – 4; D – 1

Today’s prelims practice question:

Which of the following statements is/are correct about the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission?

1) It was launched by the Prime Minister of India from Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh in July 2023. 

2) It aims to eradicate sickle cell anaemia by 2047 through various interventions. 

3) Sickle cell anaemia is a genetic blood disorder that affects millions of people in India, especially the tribal communities

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. a) 1 only   b) 2and 3 only   c) 1 and 2 only   d) 1,2 and 3

Answer: d

Explanation: 
    • The mission was launched by the Prime Minister of India from Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh in July 2023.
    • The mission aims to eradicate sickle cell anaemia by 2047 through various interventions such as awareness creation, universal screening, counselling and treatment.
  • Sickle cell anaemia is a genetic blood disorder that affects millions of people in India, especially the tribal communities. It causes anemia, pain crises, reduced growth and organ damage
Mains PYQ exercise:

Appropriate local community-level healthcare intervention is a prerequisite to achieve “Health for All” in India. Explain (2018)

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