Current affairs Nov 15 , 2021

/ Current Affairs

Kaiser i hind

  • An elusive swallowtail butterfly carrying ‘India’ in its name and found in next-door China will become the State butterfly of Arunachal Pradesh.
  • The State Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Saturday approved the large, brightly coloured Kaiser-i-Hind as the State butterfly.
  • The Cabinet meeting was for the first time held outside State capital Itanagar at an unusual location Pakke Tiger Reserve.
  • The Cabinet also adopted the Pakke Tiger Reserve 2047 declaration on climate change-resilient and responsive Arunachal Pradesh aimed at lowering emissions and sustainable development. Kaiser-i-Hind (Teinopalpus imperialis) literally means Emperor of India.
  • This butterfly with a 90-120 mm wingspan is found in six States along the eastern Himalayas at elevations from 6,000-10,000 feet in well-wooded terrain.
  • The butterfly also flutters in Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and southern China. Kaiser-i-Hind is protected under Schedule II of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

THE HINDU

Delhi declaration

  • The multiple messages that New Delhi wished to send out by convening ‘The Third Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan’ on November 10 a National Security Adviser (NSA) level meet one stands out: that despite the current absence of an on-ground presence in the country, India continues to matter in Afghan affairs.
  • The Delhi Declaration that emerged from the deliberations of the National Security Advisers/Secretaries of the National Security Councils of the participating states shows that all these countries share similar concerns which are also widely held in the international community.
  • The Delhi Declaration demanded that Afghan soil is not used to spread terrorism or extremist ideologies.
  • It called for a control on the production of Afghan opium.
  • It reflected the widely held view that the Taliban have to conform to acceptable standards of behavior on gender issues and minority rights.
  • The Declaration also called for the formation of “an open and truly inclusive government” that was “representative of the will of the Afghan people” and had the participation of “all sections of society” in its “administrative and political structure”.
  • Far-reaching development eroded the very basis of India’s Afghan policy.
  • It required an immediate re-assessment of the regional situation and nimble, quick and comprehensive action with salience given to strategic considerations.
  • In India’s absence in Kabul, Pakistan has a free hand. As it is with its deep and abiding relations with the Taliban it has a unique and enduring advantage.
  • India will have to play a multi-faceted diplomatic game to safeguard and promote its interests in Afghanistan and the region. It cannot join the game unless it re-establishes a presence in Kabul.
  • All-important regional players and Russia have kept their missions open in Kabul
  • Expressing concern for the “deteriorating socio-economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan” the Delhi Declaration called for “urgent humanitarian assistance” to the Afghan people.
  • This is directly relevant for India wishes to send 50,000 tonnes of wheat for the Afghan people overland via Pakistan.
  • It is not only Pakistan that India will need to confront in Afghanistan but also China.
  • The Chinese have always maintained contacts with the Taliban and their strategic and economic interests have and will continue to make them adopt pragmatic policies.

THE HINDU

Article 222 and collegium

  • Article 222 of the Constitution provides for the transfer of a judge (including Chief Justice) from one High Court to any other High Court.

THE HINDU

Cyberbullying

  • Recognizing that school-related violence is an infringement of children’s right to education and to health and well-being, UNESCO Member States have declared the first Thursday of November as the International Day against Violence and Bullying at School, including cyberbullying.
  • The aim is to raise awareness among students, parents, members of the school community, education authorities and others about the problem of online violence and cyberbullying.
  • In India, an estimated 71 million children aged 5-11 years access the Internet on the devices of their family members, constituting about 14% of the country’s active Internet user base of over 500 million.
  • It should also be noted that two-thirds of Internet users in India are in the age group of 12-29 years.
  • School closures as a response to the COVID-19 lockdowns have led to an unprecedented rise in unsupervised screen time for children and young people, which in turn exposed them to a greater risk of online violence.
  • Various reports have indicated increased incidence of cyberbullying and online child sexual exploitation by adults.
  • In the same vein, there is growing scientific evidence which suggests that cyberbullying has negative consequences on the education, health and well-being of children and young people.
  • Published in 2019 and drawing on data from 144 countries, UNESCO’s report ‘Behind the numbers: Ending school violence and bullying’ highlighted the extent of the problem, with almost one in three students worldwide reporting being bullied at least once in the preceding month.
  • Effective interventions also require gender-sensitive and targeted approaches that respond to needs of learners who are most likely to be the victims of online violence.
  • The impact of online sexual harassment could have long-term negative impacts on mental health and well-being.
  • Concerted efforts must be made to provide children and young people with the knowledge and skills to identify online violence so that they can protect themselves from its different forms, whether perpetrated by peers or adults
  • For those looking to prevent and counter cyberbullying, the information booklet brought out by UNESCO in partnership with NCERT on Safe Online Learning in Times of COVID-19 can be a useful reference.
  • It supports the creation of safe digital spaces and addresses the nuances of security.
  • Similarly, to prevent the adverse effect of online gaming and the psycho-emotional stress that children could be undergoing, the Department of School Education and Literacy has circulated exhaustive guidelines to raise children and parental awareness.

THE HINDU

India International Science Festival, 2021, launched

  • The theme of IISF 2021 is ‘Celebrating Creativity in Science, Technology and Innovation for Prosperous India’. The 7th edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF), in MoES headquarters in New Delhi, November 12, 2021.
  • IISF is an annual event called as biggest platform in the country. Students, the public, researchers, innovators and artists from around the world get toghter to experience the joy of doing science for the wellbeing of people and humanity.
  • IISF 2021 is being organized jointly by the MoES, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, in collaboration with Vijnana Bharati.
  • The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, an autonomous institute under the MoES, is the nodal agency organizing IISF 2021.

THE HINDU

 

 

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