UPSC Daily Current Affairs : 17-June-2020
Topic Covered :
Violent face-off in Ladakh result of China's attempt to unilaterally change status quo in region: MEA
Dexamethasone
With 334 species, Guwahati redefining concept of urban jungle
VIOLENT FACE-OFF IN LADAKH RESULT OF CHINA'S ATTEMPT TO UNILATERALLY CHANGE STATUS QUO IN REGION: MEA
Why in news?
India on Tuesday said the violent face-off between the armies of India and China in eastern Ladakh was the result of an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo in the region.
Highlights:
The ministry of external affairs said both sides suffered casualties that could have been avoided had the agreement arrived at earlier at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese side.
Given its responsible approach to border management, India is very clear that all its activities are always within the Indian side of the LAC. We expect the same of the Chinese side,
An Indian Army colonel and two soldiers were killed during a violent clash with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley on Monday night, the first such incident involving fatalities after a gap of 45 years.
DEXAMETHASONE
Why in news?
A cheap and widely-used steroid called dexamethasone has become the first drug shown to be able to save lives among Covid-19 patients in what scientists said is a "major breakthrough" in the coronavirus pandemic.
Highlights:
Trial results announced on Tuesday showed dexamethasone, which is used to reduce inflammation in other diseases such as arthritis, reduced death rates by around a third among the most severely ill of Covid-19 patients admitted to hospital.
There are currently no approved treatments or vaccines for Covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus which has killed more than 431,000 people globally.
The RECOVERY trial compared outcomes of around 2,100 patients who were randomly assigned to get the steroid, with those of around 4,300 patients who did not get it.
WITH 334 SPECIES, GUWAHATI REDEFINING CONCEPT OF URBAN JUNGLE
Why in news?
Assorted creatures, both big and small, share space with an estimated one million humans in Assam’s principal city
Highlights:
Chinese pangolin, Nepal cricket frog, Bengal monitor lizard, Assamese cat snake, Eurasian moorhen, Asian elephant, Terai cricket frog and Ganges river dolphin are found here along with 326 other species.
Very few of them are caged in the Assam State zoo that occupies 30 hectares of the 620-hectare Hengerabari Reserve Forest referred to as the city’s lungs.
According to city-based wildlife biologist Jayaditya Purkayastha, Guwahati redefines the term “urban jungle” with 334 and counting free-ranging faunal species living in the green spaces within concrete structures.
The 328-sq km city and its outskirts have 18 hills, eight reserve forests, two wildlife sanctuaries and a Ramsar site (Deepor Beel) besides the Brahmaputra flowing past its northern edge. This stretch of the river has a few Ganges river dolphin, which has the status of ‘city animal’.
There have been reports of animals exploring human habitations during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Wildlife specialists are worried that Guwahati has been following the global trend, which projects the urban area on earth to triple before 2030.
Source : Hindu ( Page 16, 17 June 2020 )