UniFocus IAS ( UNIFOCUS UNIVERSAL )

Overview: During 2015, The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reviewed the basket of currencies used to determine the value of the Special Drawing Right (SDR), the international reserve asset created and used by the IMF. Following a recommendation by IMF staff, the IMF Executive Board decided on November 30, 2015 to include the Chinese RMB in the SDR basket as a fifth currency, alongside the U.S. dollar, euro, British pound, and Japanese yen. The decision will be effective on October 1, 2016. What is the SDR?  The SDR was initially defined as equivalent to 0.888671 grams of fine gold—which, at the time, was also equivalent to one U.S. dollar. After the collapse of the Bretton Woods system, the SDR was redefined as a basket of currencies. The SDR is neither a currency nor a claim on the IMF. Rather, it is a potential claim on the freely usable currencies of IMF members. SDRs can be exchanged for these currencies. The SDR basket is reviewed every five years, or earlier if warranted, t...

The early 1980s witnessed the satellite communication revolution in India, with the INSAT satellite network steered by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Satellite-based communication systems can provide coverage to the remotest and most inaccessible areas of a geographically widespread country like India. The demand for satellite bandwidth is growing in light of increasing communication needs for socio-economic development, connecting inaccessible areas, proliferation of broadband services, increasing online consumer services, use of connectivity for disaster management, and use of digital technology for national security.  Many sparsely populated areas, including areas of strategic importance and areas important from the socio-economic angle, do not have mobile terrestrial coverage or other forms of connectivity. Satellites can bridge this gap by providing connectivity and provide telecom and broadcasting services to even the remotest areas.  Satellites have the ...

Industry urges govt. to establish ‘India Rare Earths Mission’ to reduce reliance on China (  The Hindu , 26/11/2022 ). The term "rare earth" arises from the minerals from which they were first isolated, which are common oxide-type minerals (earths) found in Gadolinite extracted from one mine in the village of Ytterby, Sweden. However, with the exception of the highlyunstable promethium, rare-earth elements are found in relatively high concentrations in the earth's crust with cerium being 25th most abundant element in the earth's crust at 68 parts per million.  Rare Earths are a group of 17 elements starting with lanthanum in the periodic table of elements and include scandium and yttrium. They are moderately abundant in earth's crust but not concentrated enough to make them economically exploitable. The REEs find key applications in defence, electronics, energy systems etc. For instance, magnets made from rare earths are many times more powerful than conventional ...

Code of Conduct’ in the South China Sea (  The Indian Express , 26/11/2022 ). Key Facts: The SCS is one of the world’s most heavily trafficked waterways. An estimated $3.4 trillion in ship-borne commerce transits the sea each year, including energy supplies to U.S. treaty allies Japan and South Korea. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the SCS contains about 11 billion barrels of oil rated as proved or probable reserves—a level similar to the amount of proved oil reserves in Mexico—and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The SCS also contains significant fish stocks, coral, and other undersea resources.  The Sovereignty Disputes: China asserts “indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and the adjacent waters” without defining the scope of its “adjacent waters” claim. On maps, China depicts its claims with a “nine-dash line” that, if connected, would enclose an area covering approximately 62% of the sea, according to the U.S. De...

IDFC FIRST Bank has launched FIRSTAP, the country’s first sticker-based debit card, in association with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), to facilitate transactions by simply tapping the sticker on a Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled point-of-sale terminal.  The sticker-based Debit Card is one third the size of a regular debit card, thus making the sticker applicable on a wide range of devices and objects, and significantly enhancing customer convenience. Customers can affix the Sticker-based Debit Card on any surface of their choice, such as cell phones, identity cards, wallets, tabs, airpod cases, etc. The object can be used to tap and pay, thus doing away with the need to carry a Debit Card or adapting to wearable devices such as watches and rings or entering a UPI PIN after scanning a QR code.  The touch-free way to pay enables payments in seconds for transactions up to Rs. 5,000 without a PIN, and those beyond that, with a tap and PIN.  https://www....

The purpose of this Bill is to provide for the processing of digital personal data in a manner that recognises the right of individuals to protect their personal data, the need to process personal data for lawful purposes and for other incidental purposes. The term “Data Principal” has been used to identify the individual to whom personal data is related. Considering the utility and usage of personal data of children, it has been provided that in case of children their parents or lawful guardians of children would be considered Data Principal. The definition of “personal data” has been worded in a direct and simple manner to mean any data by which or in relation to which an individual can be identified. The term “Data Principal” has been used to identify the individual to whom personal data is related. Considering the utility and usage of personal data of children, it has been provided that in case of children their parents or lawful guardians of children would be considered Data...

Key features: 1. “Bestiality” ( means any kind of sexual activity or intercourse between human being and animal ) is criminal offence under this amendment. 2. “Gruesome cruelty” means any act involving animals which led to extreme pain and suffering to the animals which is mostly likely to leave the animal in life long disability which Includes mutilation or killing of animal by the use of strychnine injection in the heart or any other cruel manner that is known to cause permanent physical damage to the animal or render animal useless or cause any injury which is likely to cause death including bestiality, animal fighting for the purpose of bating or promote or take part in any shooting match or competition wherein animals are released from the captivity for the purpose of such shooting. 3. “Community Animals”: means any animal born in a community for which no ownership has been claimed by any individual or an organization, excluding wild animals as defined under the wild...

Migratory birds from different countries arrive at Harike wetland in Punjab - The Hindu Harike is one of the most important Wild Life Sanctuaries of not Only Punjab but also of India being recognized throughout the world. Situated on the confluence of the river Beas and Sutlez at the Ferozepur and Amritsar border the sanctuary encompass an area of approximately 86 sq km. The area was declared as a Wild Life Sanctuary in 1999 and because of its importance as a wetland of international stature, it was declared a Ramsar site by the International Body of Wetlands under the UNDP in 1990. The sanctuary is a bird watchers paradise and attracts thousands of migratory birds during winter, some from as far off as Siberia and the Arctic. It is a refuge for a large number of resident and migratory birds. Some 45,000 ducks have been recorded here during the peak migratory season. The wigeon, common teal, pintail, shoveller and brahminy ducks are commonly seen during the winter. The lake is particul...

The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department in Villupuram has started a project to protect and recreate the rich diversity of the sacred groves in some of the 1,500 temples in its jurisdiction ( The Hindu ). Patches of vegetation protected on the basis of religious faith are called sacred groves.  Apart from India, they occur in other parts of Asia, Africa, Europe, America and Australia. In India, sacred groves are mainly distributed in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Their ecological, biological, cultural and historical values are invaluable.  According to the National Environment Policy of India, ancient sacred groves should be treated as possessing “Incomparable Values”. Many valuable medicinal plants and wild relatives of cultivated species are present in the groves which may ...

India’s Engagement in the Arctic: India launched its first scientific expedition to the Arctic in 2007 when a team of five scientists visited the International Arctic Research Facilities at NyÅlesund in Svalbard, to initiate studies in the fields of Arctic microbiology, atmospheric sciences and geology. Subsequently, the Indian research station Himadri at Ny-Ålesund was dedicated to the nation in 2008, making India the only developing nation apart from China to have an Arctic research base. Thirteen Indian expeditions have been sent to the Arctic since then. Himadriis presently manned for about 180 days in a year and over 300 Indian researchers have worked at the station.  India and Arctic Council: India was one among the five Asian nations along with China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore, to be granted observer status in the Arctic Council in 2013. India has active projects with the Working Groups of Arctic Council, is also a member of the Ny-Ålesund Science Managers Committee (...

 Recently Russia dploys nucler powered ice breakers (  Yakutia )  which will start their voyage to Arctic region. Russian fleet of nuclear powered ice breakers also include Ural,  Arktika and the Sibir.  Russia and the Arctic Region:  The Russian Arctic is an immense territory that stretches over 24,150 kilometers of coastline and includes: The whole of the Murmansk Region and the Nenets, Yamal-Nenets and Chukotka Autonomous Okrugs The northern municipalities of the Arkhangelsk Region, the Komi Republic, Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) The archipelagoes and islands in the Russian portion of the Arctic Ocean Russia stretches over 53 percent of the Arctic Ocean coastline. Approximately two and a half million of Russia’s inhabitants live in Arctic territory, accounting for nearly half of the population living in the Arctic worldwide. Therefore, efficient and sustainable development of the Arctic is one of the key national priorities o...

“ Dhabari Quruvi ” portrays the tempestuous journey of a tribal girl who battles convention and seeks to free herself from the chains with which society and community had tied down those like her. Distinguished as the first film in the history of Indian cinema to star only people from indigenous communities, “ Dhabari Quruvi ” had its world premiere in the Indian Panorama section today at 53rd International Film Festival of India in Goa. The film also has the distinction of having been shot completely in the tribal language of Irula. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1878976

  The third generation Indian satellite for monitoring the oceans, formally named as Earth Observation Satellite-6 (EOS-6) was launched today by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in partnership with Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) among others, from its First Launch Pad (FLP) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota. The ocean observing mission is a follow up to OceanSat-1 or IRS-P4 and OceanSat-2 launched in 1999 and 2009, respectively. The satellite was launched aboard the proven launch vehicle PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) on its 56 th  flight (24 th  flight of the PSLV-XL version). Today’s launch, designed as PSLV-C54, also accommodated other small satellites along with Oceansat-3. The Oceansat-3 was placed in the polar orbit at the height of about 740 kilometers above sea level. While at ~1100 kilograms, it is only slightly heavier than Oceansat-1, for the first time in this series it houses three ocean observing sensors viz Ocean...

The  Third Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance , hosted in Muscat, Oman, concluded today, where targets to address the global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) challenge were discussed for the first time. The conference and its numerical targets for antimicrobial use in the human and animal sectors will pave the way for bold political commitments at the forthcoming UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AMR in 2024.  The conference agreed the  Muscat Ministerial Manifesto , which sets out the three global targets:  1. Reduce the total amount of antimicrobials used in agrifood systems by at least 30-50% by 2030, galvanizing national and global efforts;   2. Preserve critically important antimicrobials for human medicine, ending the use of medically important antimicrobials for growth promotion in animals;   3. Ensure  ‘Access’ group antibiotics  (a category of antibiotics that are affordable, safe and have...

  The ninth Global Forum for the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) concluded its work on Wednesday in the Moroccan city of Fez, emphasizing the values of dialogue and tolerance, as well as the role of Africa as a positive actor in the international arena. The  United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)  was established in 2005, as the political initiative of Mr. Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General and co-sponsored by the Governments of Spain and Türkiye. A  High-Level Group  of experts was formed by Mr. Annan to explore the roots of polarization between societies and cultures today, and to recommend a practical programme of action to address this issue. The Report of the High-Level Group provided analysis and put forward practical recommendations that form the basis for the implementation plan of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. On 7 January 2019,  H.E. Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos  assumed the position of  H...