Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 23 April 2017

:: National ::

All central universities to get free wi-fi

The Centre has set the ball rolling to make Wi-Fi available for free at all Central universities by the end of July so that students can make better use of online resources to pursue academic work.
While some institutions already provide Wi-Fi, the Ministry of Human Resource Development has set deadlines for the remaining institutions to provide free access to their students.
Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Vishwavidyalaya, Wardha, and E.F.L University, Hyderabad, are supposed to provide the facility by April 30.
By June 1, Hyderabad University will get Wi-Fi, while Tezpur University and Assam University, Silchar, will get it by June 2 and 7.
Banaras Hindu University by July 8; and Kashmir Central University, Manipur University, Nagaland University, Central Universities at Karnataka, Kerala and Aligarh Muslim University by July 30.

Govt examining the list of 51 names recommended by Collegium

The Union Law Ministry is examining the list of 51 names recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium for appointment as judges in various High Courts, with 445 of the total 1,079 posts currently vacant.
As the draft Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) for appointments in the higher judiciary has not been finalised, the Collegium has sent more recommendations for further appointments as per the existing system.
Govt also said deliberations with the Supreme Court on finalising the MoP were under way despite indications that certain issues were yet to be worked out.
The Supreme Court Collegium is learnt to have handed over the finalised draft to the Law Ministry, as per which it will have the final say on any objection by the government to any proposed appointment on the ground of national security and public interest.
The government’s recommendation for setting up of secretariats in the Supreme Court and the 24 High Courts to assist collegiums in the Supreme Court and the High Courts in the selection of judges has also been accepted.
However, the suggestion for committees of retired or sitting judges to assist the collegiums in finding suitable candidates has not been accepted.
While the draft MoP is being discussed since January last year, the Allahabad HC tops the list with 76 vacancies.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has 39 posts vacant, while 37 vacancies are there in the Calcutta HC, according to the latest government data.

Despite the increase of temp cases of H1N1 influenza increases

The spread of influenza virus declines when the temperature shoots up. But this year, despite the summer temperature crossing 40 degrees in some parts of the country, the number of H1N1 cases and occasional deaths have not stopped.
Since its first appearance in 2009-2010, influenza A H1N1 has come to stay and has become a part of the seasonal flu virus; H3N2 and Influenza B are the other two to become the seasonal flu in India.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), since December 2016, H1N1, H3N2 and Influenza B have been circulating in India.
During September 2016-February 2017, H3N2 has been predominant in most countries, with only “low levels” of the H1N1 viruses circulating in the northern hemisphere, says the WHO.
The highest number of deaths, 63, was reported from Maharashtra, she said. Last year, between January and December 31, 265 people died and 1,786 cases were reported.
With over 32,000 people infected and nearly 2,000 killed in 2015, H1N1 highlighted how ill-prepared the country was in preventing the spread of an infectious disease and managing it.
Influenza infection causes significant morbidity and mortality, though the number of people infected with H1N1 and the number of people who die are fewer than dengue. What India needs is a national policy for influenza immunisation.
While pregnant mothers, children aged below five and young people with asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and high blood pressure are at a greater risk, there is no hard qualitative and quantitative data on the vulnerable population.
In the absence of information on who is most susceptible to H1N1 infection and very likely to die, framing a national policy will be harder and take a long time.
The Pune-based National Institute of Virology has sequenced the whole genome of H1N1 and has not found any critical mutation responsible for the spread or increased mortality.
However, this year, the H1N1 surveillance revealed that the Michigan strain was circulating, with no sign of the California type.

First underwater metro tunnel in the country inside the bed of Hoogly river

Gigantic Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) began cutting deep inside the bed of the Hooghly river, commenced the construction of the first underwater metro tunnel in the country.
By the end of July, two tunnels running parallel will connect the twin cities of Howrah and Kolkata located on either side of the Hooghly.
The tunnels are being dug at a depth of 30 metres below the earth’s surface and 13 metres below the riverbed.
The twin tunnels, about 520 metres long, are crucial to the much-awaited Rs. 8,900 core East West Metro project that will connect Salt Lake Sector V in the eastern part of Kolkata to the Howrah Maidan across the river.
Of the 16.6 km East West Metro route, 5.8 km is on an elevated corridor and 10.8 km will run underground. The 520-metre tunnels under the river are part of the 10.8 km underground stretch.
TBM 2, which has gone deep into the bed of the river, has already progressed a distance of 100 metres.
The diameter of the two tunnels running across the river is 5.5 metres and the distance between the two tunnels will vary at different places — 16.1 metres under the river, 18 metres at the Howrah station, and 13 metres at the Howrah Maidan (from where tunnelling started in May 2016).
While tunnelling and construction of East West Metro Project are in full swing, it has had to overcome a number of challenges.
The protective measures subsequently taken by the engineers included widening the foundation of the building and grouting of the soil.
However, the last hurdle being faced by the East West Metro Project is the threat the tunnelling work may pose to three heritage buildings in Kolkata.
The Currency Building, an Italian structure that served as one of first banks of the country, and two 19th century Jewish monuments — the Maghen David Synagogue and the Beth-El Synagogue — stand close to the Metro tunnels.
After the issue was raised by the Archaeological Survey of India, an expert committee from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, was constituted to look into the matter.

:: International ::

French presidential election to decide country's future

A pregnant silence enveloped Paris, a day of quiet before the French people vote on Sunday in the first round of the presidential election.
The city appeared to be quietly recovering from gun battle on Champs Elysees and preparing for the poll. Two of the 11 candidates will make it to the May 7 run-off.
The mood of the country with its 10% unemployment rate, disillusionment with the political class and multiple terrorist attacks, coupled with the number of viable candidates, has kept the first round vote significantly more open than it has been in recent history.
Francois Hollande, the sitting President, facing single digit approval ratings, decided late last year not to run for another term. By then, it was too late for any candidate from Mr. Hollande’s Socialist party to consolidate the left’s support.
There are four serious contenders in the race — Mr. Macron, Ms. Le Pen, Mr. Fillon and Mr. Melenchon. Mr. Macron, who is perceived as a “bit of left, and a bit of right”, is, according to polls, set to win the run-off.

:: India and World ::

India strongly condemned attack in Afghanistan

India strongly condemned attack in Afghanistan and blamed externally backed terrorists for the incident that killed at least 140 soldiers of the Afghan National Defence Forces.
Indirectly pointing at Pakistan for offering support to the Afghan Taliban that carried out the attack in Mazar-e-Sharif, India called for dismantling of safe havens of terrorism.
Following the attack which targeted soldiers praying in a mosque, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences on social media even as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called for justice.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on a social media platform, “I strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-e-Sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the families who lost loved ones”.
No Indian citizens and diplomats were in the vicinity of the targeted area at the time when suicide attackers drove into the base and shot down dozens of soldiers who were just concluding their Friday prayers.

:: Business and Economy ::

New three plan to be discussed in NITI Aayog meeting

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the meeting of the governing council of NITI Aayog, where a new three-year policy action plan to replace the old system of five-year plans will be discussed.
Besides the new planning process, the council is likely to take up for discussion issues such as increasing farmer incomes and urban development. Three-year action plan will also include a strategy to spruce up the law and order situation.
The practice of five-year plans, being followed for over six decades, ended with the 12th Plan that concluded on March 31 this year.
NITI Aayog which was set up in December 2014 after abolishing the Planning Commission, will now come out with a 15-year vision document that is to be supplemented by a seven-year strategy and three-year action plans.
The Council, that includes all chief ministers as members, will be presented with “detailed plans on doubling of farmers’ income.”
The Prime Minister had in February last year urged all state governments to give priority to boosting the agriculture sector with a target of doubling farmers’ income by 2022.
The Aayog is also likely to place before the council a report card on its two years as an institution.

India and Indonesia have agreed to explore cooperation in areas like oil, coal

India and Indonesia have agreed to explore cooperation in areas like oil, coal, electricity and energy efficiency, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said.
The two sides have agreed to explore cooperation in sharing of experience in use of LEDs and renewable energy in India, sharing the expertise of Indonesia in gasification of fuel oil, exploration of oil, gas and coal fields,” Mr. Goyal said.
Mr. Goyal and Indonesian Energy and Mineral Minister Ignasius Jonan met on April 20 during the first ‘India Indonesia Energy Forum’ in Jakarta.
According to a statement, Mr. Goyal requested Mr. Jonan to consider joining International Solar Alliance as Indonesia is a solar-rich country.