Daily current Affairs : 15-Nov-2019
Major Topics Covered :
SUPREME COURT REFERS REVIEW PETITIONS ON SABARIMALA TO 7-JUDGE BENCH
THE DOCTRINE OF "ESSENTIALITY"
IDF DIABETES ATLAS
TOURIST HOTSPOT VENICE HAS GONE UNDER WATER
ATAL TINKERING LAB MARATHON 2018
ICC JUDGES APPROVE AN INVESTIGATION INTO CRIMES AGAINST MYANMAR'S ROHINGYA
TOBACCO BOARD RECEIVES 2019 GOLDEN LEAF AWARD
SUPREME COURT REFERS REVIEW PETITIONS ON SABARIMALA TO 7-JUDGE BENCH
Why in news:
Supreme Court said that restrictions on women in religious places was not limited to Sabarimala alone and was prevalent in other religions as well.
Highlights:
Supreme Court, by a majority of 3:2, has referred the review petitions to a larger seven judge bench.
Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman and Justice DY Chandrachud gave dissent judgement.
The Apex Court said, the larger bench will decide all such religious issues relating to Sabarimala, entry of women in mosques and practice of female genital mutilation in the Dawoodi Bohra community.
Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi read the verdict on behalf of himself and Justices A M Khanwilkar and Indu Malhotra.
The CJI said, the endeavour of the petitioners was to revive debate on religion and faith.
The apex court, by a majority verdict of 4:1, in September 2018, had lifted the ban that prevented women and girls between the age of 10 and 50 from entering the famous Ayyappa shrine in Kerala.
It had also held that this centuries-old Hindu religious practice was illegal and unconstitutional.
Source: AIR
THE DOCTRINE OF "ESSENTIALITY"
Why in news?
The Supreme Court’s decision to refer the Sabarimala temple case to a larger 7-judge Bench reopens not only the debate on allowing women of menstruating age into the Ayyappa temple but the larger issue of whether any religion can bar women from entering places of worship.
Highlights:
The doctrine of “essentiality” was invented by a seven-judge Bench of the Supreme Court in the ‘Shirur Mutt’ case in 1954.
The court held that the term “religion” will cover all rituals and practices “integral” to a religion, and took upon itself the responsibility of determining the essential and non-essential practices of a religion.
Criticism:
This doctrine has been criticised by several constitutional experts who argue that the doctrine has tended to lead the court into an area that is beyond its competence, and given judges the power to decide purely religious questions.
The essentiality test impinges on this autonomy. The apex court has itself emphasised autonomy and choice in its Privacy (2017), 377 (2018), and Adultery (2018) judgments.
As a result, over the years, courts have been inconsistent on this question — in some cases they have relied on religious texts to determine essentiality, in others on the empirical behaviour of followers, and in yet others, based on whether the practice existed at the time the religion originated.
Source: Indian Express
IDF DIABETES ATLAS
Why in news:
The ninth edition of the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) Diabetes Atlas was released on the occasion of International Diabetes Day.
China, India and US home to the largest number of adults with diabetes: International Diabetes Federation
Highlights:
India continues to be home to the second-largest number of adults with diabetes worldwide, with 77 million adults with diabetes in the 20-79 years age group.
This follows China, which has 116 million adults with diabetes in the same age profile.
The worldwide prevalence of diabetes was estimated at 463 million in this age group, or in other words, one in 11 adults.
India was the largest contributor to diabetes mortality with more than 1 million estimated deaths attributable to diabetes and related complications, in the larger South East Asian region.
The number of people with diabetes is predicted to rise to 578 million by 2030 and to 700 million by 2045.
374 million adults have impaired glucose tolerance, placing them at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes was responsible for an estimated $760 billion in health expenditure in 2019.
Diabetes is among the top 10 causes of death, with people under the age of 60 accounting for almost half the deaths.
One in six live births is affected by hyperglycaemia in pregnancy.
World diabetes day-November 14:
It is because the day marks the birth anniversary of scientist and Nobel laureate Frederick Bantingwho discovered insulin (in 1922).
To create awareness about the effects of diabetes globally.
It was started in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The day became an official United Nations Day in 2006.
Source: The Hindu
TOURIST HOTSPOT VENICE HAS GONE UNDER WATER
Why in news?
Italy has declared a state of emergency in Venice after the Italian city was engulfed by 1.87m (6ft) high water levels, flooding its historic basilica and cutting power to homes. More than 80% of the city, a UNESCO world heritage site, was under water when tides were at their highest.
Highlights:
Acquaalta:
Acquaalta is the term used in Veneto for the exceptional tide peaks that occur periodically in the northern Adriatic Sea.
The peaks reach their maximum in the Venetian Lagoon, where they cause partial flooding of Venice and Chioggia.
The phenomenon occurs mainly between autumn and spring, when the astronomical tides are reinforced by the prevailing seasonal winds that hamper the usual reflux. The main winds involved are the
sirocco, which blows northbound along the Adriatic Sea, and
bora, which has a specific local effect due to the shape and location of the Venetian lagoon.
Venice:
Venice is a city in north-eastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region.
It is situated on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The islands are located in the shallow Venetian Lagoon, an enclosed bay that lies between the mouths of the Po and the Piave rivers.
Venice has been known as "La Dominante", "La Serenissima", "Queen of the Adriatic", "City of Water", "City of Masks", "City of Bridges", "The Floating City", and "City of Canals". The lagoon and a part of the city are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Source: Indian Express
GLOBAL COOLING PRIZE
Why in news?
UnionMinister for Science & Technology will announce the finalists of the ‘Global Cooling Prize’ (GCP) at an Award Ceremony on November 15, 2019, being organized by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the Mission Innovation (MI) programme.
Highlights:
Mission Innovation (MI):
Mission Innovation (MI) is a global initiative of 24 countries and the European Union to accelerate global clean energy innovation.
MI identified “Affordable Heating and Cooling of Building Innovation Challenge” as one of the seven innovation challenges.
India agreed to its engagement as MI Member for the Mission Innovation Challenge # 7:Affordable Heating and Cooling Challenge.
The objective of the MI Challenge #7 is to make low carbon heating and cooling affordable for everyone.
‘Global Cooling Prize’ (GCP):
Department of Science & Technology (DST) in partnership with BEE &MoEF&CC has launched GCP jointly with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), an independent non-profit research institute and think tank founded in 1982 in the US.
GCP aims to spur development of a residential cooling solution that has at least five times (5x) less climate impact than today's standard products.
GCP was launched in November, 2018. This competition runs for two years and will disburse at least US$3 million in interim and final awards to best innovative residential cooling technologies which demonstrate performance.
The seven finalists will be awarded US $200,000 to develop two prototypes for real field testing in India.
Source: PIB
ATAL TINKERING LAB MARATHON 2018
Why in news:
A group of selected student innovators of the Atal Tinkering Lab Marathon 2018, called on the President of India, at Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 14, 2019.
Highlights:
Addressing the student innovators, the President was happy to note that they were selected as the best innovators from approximately 50,000 students from 2700 schools across the country.
The young children of this nation can achieve when given the opportunity to think unconventionally.
We may be facing difficult challenges in the world today, but we also have young people, like them, willing to think differently to find the solutions to these problems.
Praising the work done by Atal innovation mission and Atal tinkering lab, that we need to provide an ecosystem where the innovations that these young minds come up with, can be nurtured.
By encouraging children to tinker and innovate, we are fostering a generation who will be self-reliant and resourceful.
A generation that will be job creators and not just job seekers.
To see these young boys and girls one day as successful entrepreneurs.
Source: PIB
ICC JUDGES APPROVE AN INVESTIGATION INTO CRIMES AGAINST MYANMAR'S ROHINGYA
Why in news:
International Criminal Court Judges have approved a request from prosecutors to open an investigation into crimes committed against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority.
Highlights:
The Hague court said that it has jurisdiction over crimes partially committed in Bangladesh, which is a member state of the court.
Myanmar is not a member of the global court. It has been accused of committing widespread abuses in a campaign against the Rohingya.
Myanmar's military began a counterinsurgency campaign against the Rohingya in August 2017 in response to an insurgent attack.
Source: AIR
TOBACCO BOARD RECEIVES 2019 GOLDEN LEAF AWARD
Why in news:
Tobacco Board of India has been awarded the Golden Leaf Award in the Most Impressive Public Service Initiative category for the year 2019, for its efforts to initiate various sustainability (green) initiatives in Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco cultivation in India.
Executive Director of Tobacco Board, K. Sunitha, received the award at Tab Expo 2019 event in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Highlights:
Tobacco Board is a statutory body established under Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
It is headquartered in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.
The main functions of the Board include regulating the production and curing of Virginia tobacco in India, improving the yields and quality of tobacco.
To facilitating sale of tobacco through e-auctions, undertaking various grower welfare measures and export promotion of tobacco.
Golden Leaf Awards:
The Golden Leaf Awards were created to recognize professional excellence and dedication in the tobacco industry by Tobacco Reporter, an international magazine in the year 2006.
Awards are granted on an annual basis to companies that have achieved outstanding performance in five categories-most impressive public service initiative, most promising new product introduction, most exciting newcomer to the industry, most outstanding service to the industry and the BMJ most committed to quality award.
Source: PIB
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