भारत में मर्डर रेट में आई गिरावटः UN
भारत में 2015 तक छह सालों की अवधि में हुई हत्याओं की कुल दर में 10 फीसदी की कमी दर्ज की गई है लेकिन उत्तर भारत के कुछ राज्यों में इसमें पर्याप्त वृद्धि देखी गई। संयुक्त राष्ट्र की एक रिपोर्ट में यह जानकारी दी गई है। संयुक्त राष्ट्र मादक पदार्थ एवं अपराध विभाग (यूएनओडीसी) ने 'हत्याओं पर वैश्विक अध्ययन 2019' नामक शीर्षक से जारी रिपोर्ट में यह जानकारी दी है।
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants-hindi/20846-un-12
#UN #India #UNODC #NationalCrimeRecordsBureau #Witchcraft #mortality

भारत-आसियान त्रिगुट व्‍यापार मंत्रियों की बैठक आयोजित
भारत-आसियान त्रिगुट व्‍यापार मंत्रियों की बैठक नई दिल्‍ली में आयोजित की गई जिसका उद्देश्‍य वर्तमान में जारी क्षेत्रीय व्‍यापक आर्थिक साझेदारी (आरसीईपी) पर अनौपचारिक सलाह-मशविरा करना था। इस बैठक में केन्‍द्रीय वाणिज्‍य एवं उद्योग और रेल मंत्री श्री पीयूष गोयल, थाईलैंड की कार्यवाहक वाणिज्‍य मंत्री सुश्री चटिमा बुन्‍यप्रफासारा, इंडोनेशिया के व्‍यापार मंत्री एनगैरतियास्‍तो लुकिता, आसियान के महासचि‍व श्री लिम जॉक होई और आरसीईपी के टीएनसी अध्‍यक्ष श्री ईमान पैमबैग्‍यो ने भाग लिया।
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants-hindi/20845-2019-07-11-05-31-18
#ASEAN #India #RCEP #PiyushGoyal #RCCE #China #FTA

क्रॉनिक ऑब्सट्रक्टिव पल्मोनरी डिजीज
वायु प्रदूषण के खतरों के प्रति आगाह करते हुए एक अध्ययन में यह बताया गया है कि घर और दफ्तरों से बाहर प्रदूषित हवा (आउटडोर पल्यूशन) के संपर्क में आने से फेफड़ों की कार्यक्षमता में तो कमी आती ही है। साथ ही क्रॉनिक ऑब्सट्रक्टिव पल्मोनरी डिजीज (सीओपीडी) विकसित होने का खतरा बढ़ जाता है।
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants-hindi/20844-2019-07-11-05-30-57
#COPD #airpollution #GBD #GlobalBurden #NO2 #Britain #BMI

UN report on sustainable development
Hunger is growing and the world is not on track to end extreme poverty by 2030 and meet other U.N. goals, mainly because progress is being undermined by the impact of climate change and increasing inequality, a U.N. report said. The report on progress toward achieving the 17 U.N. goals notes achievements in some areas, including a 49% fall in child mortality between 2000 and 2017 as well as electricity now reaching nearly 90% of the world’s population.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20850-un-report-on-sustainable-development
#UN #sustainable #shockingly #workforce #LiuZhenmin #development

UN conference on combating desertification
India will host a UN conference on combating desertification in September. At present, 23% of the world’s geographical area is affected by degradation while India faces this problem in nearly 30% of its land due to multiple reasons including deforestation.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20849-un-conference-on-combating-desertification
#UNCCD #UN #India #IUCN #LDN #PrakashJavadekar #COP14 #desertification

US and Iran to clash at UN nuclear watchdog
The United States will use an emergency meeting of the U.N. nuclear watchdog’s board on 10 July 2019 to raise pressure on Iran over breaches of its nuclear deal, but diplomats expect no concrete action as parties to the deal considers their next move.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20848-us-and-iran-to-clash-at-un-nuclear-watchdog
#US #nuclear #Iran #IAEA #Britain #UnitedStates #clash

State of the Education Report
A UNESCO delegation led by Eric Falt, Director, UNESCO, has called on M. Venkaiah Naidu, the Vice President of India and presented ‘State of the Education Report’ for the year 2019 on ‘Children with Disabilities’ in India.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20847-state-of-the-education-report
#Education #UNESCO #India #RPWD #UnitedNations #MVenkaiahNaidu

गरीबी सूचकांक (एमपीआई) 2019
भारत में स्वास्थ्य, स्कूली शिक्षा समेत विभिन्न क्षेत्रों में हुई प्रगति से बड़ी संख्या में लोग गरीबी के दलदल से बाहर निकल आए हैं। संयुक्त राष्ट्र की एक रिपोर्ट के अनुसार वर्ष 2006 से 2016 के बीच रेकॉर्ड 27.10 करोड़ लोग गरीबी से बाहर निकले हैं। खाना पकाने के ईंधन, साफ-सफाई और पोषण जैसे क्षेत्रों में मजबूत सुधार के साथ बहुआयामी गरीबी सूचकांक वैल्यू में सबसे बड़ी गिरावट आई है।
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants-hindi/20874-2019-42
#PovertyIndex2019 #MPI #UN #India #UNDP #OPHI #UnitedNations

एथनॉल से चलने वाली देश की पहली बाइक
टीवीएस ने एथनॉल से चलने वाली देश की पहली बाइक शुक्रवार को लॉन्च कर दी। TVS Apache RTR 200 Fi E100 नाम से बाजार में उतारी गई इस बाइक की कीमत 1.20 लाख रुपये है। इसे केंद्रीय सड़क परिवहन और राजमार्ग मंत्री नितिन गडकरी और नीति आयोग के सीईओ अमिताभ कान्त की उपस्थिति में लॉन्च किया गया। टीवीएस मोटर का कहना है कि यह अपाचे पूरी तरह एथनॉल से चलेगी।
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants-hindi/20873-2019-07-13-05-09-11
#Ethanol #bike #NitinGadkari #TVSMotor #CEO #AmitabhKant #airpollution

करतारपुर पर भारत-पाक विशेषज्ञ करेंगे बैठक
भारत और पकिस्तान के विशेषज्ञ करतारपुर गलियारा के स्वरूप को अंतिम रूप देने के लिए मसौदा समझौता पर चर्चा करने को लेकर 14 जुलाई 2019 को अटारी-वाघा सीमा पर बैठक करेंगे। वे संबद्ध तकनीकी मुद्दों पर भी चर्चा करेंगे। यह गलियारा पाकिस्तान के करतारपुर स्थित दरबार साहिब को गुरदासपुर जिला स्थित डेरा बाबा नानक गुरुद्वारा से जोड़ेगा तथा भारतीय सिख श्रद्धालुओं की वीजा मुक्त आवाजाही को सुगम बनाएगा।
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants-hindi/20872-2019-07-13-05-09-02
#India #Kartarpur #Pak #BabaNanakGurudwara #Pulwama #terroristattack

India's first ethanol based bike
Chennai-based TVS Motor Company on 12 July 2019 launched the country’s first ethanol-powered motorcycle TVS Apache RTR 200 Fi E100 to help bring down crude imports and reduce air pollution. The special edition will be available in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh at Rs 120,000.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20878-india-s-first-ethanol-based-bike
#Ethanol #bike #NitinGadkari #TVSMotor #CEO #AmitabhKant #airpollution

CFAMM 2019
India has urged the Commonwealth to expedite readmission of the Maldives as a member country. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar conveyed India’s stand at the 19 Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting in London.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20877-cfamm-2019
#CFAMM2019 #Modi #CHOGM #Commonwealth #MPs #Singapore #India

First delivery of S-400 missile system
Turkey received the first batch of Russia's S-400 missile defence system on 12 July 2019, the defence ministry said, despite repeated warnings from its NATO ally United States against the purchase. The delivery of the first shipment of parts of the S-400 long range regional air missile defence system began as of July 12, 2019 to Murted air base in Ankara.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20876-first-delivery-of-s-400-missile-system
#S400 #missile #Turkey #NATO #aircraft #IGA #CAATSA #BRICS

Amendment in POCSO Act approved
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has laid down a clear definition of what constitutes the offence and has included sexually explicit digital content involving children under its purview as per an amendment to the existing POCSO Act.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/20875-amendment-in-pocso-act-approved
#POCSO #Amendment #childsexual #WCD #Women #digital #ChildDevelopment

SAFAR’s study
Central Pollution Control Board Member Secretary Prashant Gargava said stubble burning contributed significantly to air pollution in Delhi this year with the share of farm fire smoke in particulate matter peaking to 44 percent.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21990-safar-s-study.html
#SAFAR #Haryana #IMD #IITM #MoES #CPCB #airpollution

India, Switzerland ink pact
Indian government officials met their counterparts from Switzerland to discuss cooperation in tackling black money parked in offshore accounts according to a government release.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21989-india-switzerland-ink-pact.html
#India #AjayBhushanPandey #foreign #economy #Blackmoney

Chief guest at the Republic Day 2020
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on November 13 accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to be the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations next year.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21988-chief-guest-at-the-republic-day-2020.html
#Chiefguest #RepublicDay2020 #BRICS #MinisterModi

Sabarimala review go to larger Bench
A majority judgment delivered by a five-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi on 14 November 2019 kept a final decision on the Sabarimala review and writ petitions in abeyance till a larger Bench of seven judges delivers an “authoritative pronouncement” on the exact role a non-epistolary court can play in deciding whether a particular practice is essential or integral to a religion.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21987-sabarimala-review-go-to-larger-bench.html
#Sabarimala #CJI #Article26 #PIL #SupremeCourt #RanjanGogoi

Rafale defence deal
The Supreme Court on 14 November 2019 gave clean chit to the Modi government on the purchase of 36 fully-loaded Rafale fighter jets from French company Dassault Aviation, rejecting the plea for registration of an FIR by the CBI for alleged commission of cognisable offence in the deal.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21986-rafale-defence-deal.html
#Rafale #SupremeCourt #CBI #aircraft #IndianAirForce #BJP

Watch: 99% of world's population breathes poor-quality air: WHO #airpollution #airquality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TNKHi1WIgM

What does the study show?

The new analysis focuses on the environmental dissemination of ARGs. With every 1% rise in PM2.5 pollution, antibiotic resistance increased between 0.5-1.9% depending on the pathogen — a link which has only intensified with time.
The researchers added that this airborne spread may have also caused premature deaths in India and China, among other countries in South Asia, North Africa and the Middle East which are population dense.
An average of 18.2 million years of life was lost in 2018 worldwide, resulting in an annual economic loss of $395 billion (more than Pakistan’s GDP) due to premature deaths.
The paper is unique in its scale and scope: global antibiotic resistance is driven by multiple factors, one being the “effect derived from the environment, which is poorly understood in relation to antibiotic resistance”.
The researchers collected data from 116 countries spanning almost two decades, to observe the link between rising PM2.5 and antibiotic resistance. The researchers also analysed other predictors, including sanitation services, antibiotic use, population, education, climate.
How is air linked to antibiotic resistance?

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes travel through different pathways: food, soil, water, air, and even direct contact with sources such as animals.
The hypothesis is that ARGs, when emitted from, say, hospitals or livestock farming, could latch on to pollutant particles, which were found to contain “diverse antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic-resistance genes, which are transferred between environments and directly inhaled by humans, causing respiratory-tract injury and infection.”
When suspended in the environment or breathed into the lungs, the ARGs could enter the bacteria found in the human body and solidify its resistance to drugs. “PM 2.5 can facilitate the horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic-resistant genes between bacteria,” the research found.
PM2.5 contains a high concentration of antibiotic resistance-determinant genes, and these particles can travel far and wide due to wind speed, water evaporation, and dust transport.
ARGs are also more abundant in urban air particles than in sediment, soil or rivers, the analysis showed.

#upsc #news #headline #airpollution #antibiotic #health #diseases #drugs #bacteria #immune #news #globally #malaria #clinical #enviroment #ciprofloxacin #WHO #escherichiacoli #MDRTB #izoniazid #rifampin #nation #cholera #tuberculosis #antibiotics #china #GDP #hypothesis #sources #infection

Today's Headlines - 16 August 2023
Wildfires ravage Hawaii’s Maui Island
GS Paper - 3 (Environment)

The images of the aftermath of the devastating fire in Hawaii’s Maui Island have grabbed the world’s attention. The wildfires, which have already killed nearly 100 people and left thousands homeless, have become part of a wider global list of unusually intense blazes that have raged across Europe, Canada and the United States.

What happened in Hawaii

Hawaii is no stranger to fires, which burn on a smaller scale with some regularity, especially in the drier parts of the island.
The current fires – active in Lahaina, Upcountry and Pūlehu/Kīhei – are believed to have started with the one in Lahaina spreading quickly across the town.
The exact cause of the fires is still under investigation, but experts agree that the fires were bolstered by strong winds from Category-4 Hurricane Dora, which was passing through the Pacific Ocean – far to the southwest of the island.
Low humidity and dry vegetation too precipitated the issue. Initial reports suggest that the changing land-use patterns in Hawaii, which has seen farm and forest lands being replaced by flammable non-native species of grasses like Guinea grass, are a likely cause for the easy spread of the fire.
Over the past few decades, wildfire has been increasing in Hawaii as a result of changing climate, as a result of increases in invasive species, and a lot of our active agriculture going out… and becoming fallow.

What is the link between wildfires and climate change?

Wildfires have been a part of life on Earth, usually following a seasonal pattern during the June-August period.
Be it natural or human-made, the phenomenon is a critical part of the ecosystem. A healthy fire is key to ensuring that forests remain robust and resilient.
It also aids the natural replenishment of nutrients in the soil, helps sunlight reach the forest floors, and encourages the germination of seeds.
It is the increasingly intense nature of the wildfires – aided by the warming weather, dry conditions and change in rain cycles – that is now becoming a source of worry.
Experts have compared it akin to the difference between throwing a lighted matchstick on a pile of wet, green wood and on dry kindling. And increasingly, climate change is determining the degree of dryness of the latter.
Besides the destruction of lives and livelihoods, these catastrophic wildfires also release an immense amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
There is also one immediate issue – these immense fires contribute adversely to air pollution, leading to long-term and short-term respiratory issues, heart disease and lung cancer.

#upsc #news #headline #wildfires #hawaiimaui #island #enviroment #worldattention #europe #US #fires #pulehu #kihei #lahaina #pacific #ocean #humidity #category #guinea #forest #ecosystem #natural #peroid #seeds #catastrophic #greenhouse #gases #cancer #airpollution #respiratory #heart #disease

Today's Headlines - 17 August 2023
'PM-eBus Sewa' approved
GS Paper - 2 (Infrastructure)

The Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister approved the Rs 57,613 crore PM-eBus Sewa initiatives to augment the use of electric buses in 169 cities. The scheme will augment city bus operations, under which priority will be given to cities having no organised bus service.

More about the Initiatives

These include all the capital cities of Union Territories (UTs), north eastern and hill states. The e-buses will be provided under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode for 10 years.
The scheme will cover cities of 3 lakh and above population and priority will be given to cities not having organised bus services.
Ten thousand e-buses will be deployed on public-private partnership (PPP) model in 169 cities.
Infrastructure will be upgraded in 181 cities under the Green Urban Mobility Initiatives.
The Scheme has two segments

Segment A – Augmenting the City bus services (169 cities)

The approved bus scheme will augment city bus operations with 10,000 e-buses on Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Associated Infrastructure will provide support for Development/ up-gradation of depot infrastructure; and Creation of behind-the-meter power infrastructure (substation, etc.) for e-buses.
Segment B– Green Urban Mobility Initiatives (GUMI): (181 cities)

The scheme envisages green initiatives like bus priority, infrastructure, multimodal interchange facilities, NCMC-based Automated Fare Collection Systems, Charging infrastructure, etc.
Support for Operation: Under the scheme, States/Cities shall be responsible for running the bus services and making payments to the bus operators.
The Central Government will support these bus operations by providing subsidies to the extent specified in the proposed scheme.
Boost to E-Mobility:

The scheme will promote e-mobility and provide full support for behind-the-meter power infrastructure.
Cities will also be supported for development of charging infrastructure under Green Urban Mobility Initiatives.
The support to bus priority infrastructure shall not only accelerate the proliferation of state-of-the-art, energy efficient electric buses but also foster the innovation in the e-mobility sector as well as development of resilient supply chain for electric vehicles.
This scheme shall also bring in economies of scale for procurement of electric buses through aggregation for e-buses.
Adoption to Electric mobility will reduce noise and air pollution and curb carbon emission.
Modal shift due to increased share of bus-based public transportation will lead to GHG reduction.

#upsc #news #headline #PM #ebus #sewa #infrastructure #cabinet #electric #cities #operations #service #unionterritories #partnership #population #mobility #scheme #segments #public #private #depot #infrastructure #development #NCMC #collection #system #airpollution #carbonemission #transportation #GHG #adoption #procurement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez3XmmOjXs0

In today's enlightening discussion video our esteemed mentors tried to cover the Current Affairs topics for UPSC Aspirants from renowned "The Hindu", "The Indian Express", "PIB" and More

Today's Topics includes:
Prior Sanction Required to Prosecute Public Servants for Money Laundering - Supreme Court Ruling
Vehicular emissions top contributor to air pollution
PM-Vidyalaxmi scheme for higher education gets nod
RNA editing is promising to go where DNA editing can’t

Mentors (alphabetically)
1. Abdul Gani Khan
2. Gaurav Thakur
3. Kanhaiya Patidar
4. Mustafa Ali Shah