Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 31 August 2015

Current Affairs for IAS Exams – 31 August 2015

The Supreme Court stayed the Rajasthan high court order declaring the practice of 'Santhara' or 'Sullekhana' within the Jain community as illegal.
The SC agreed to examine the validity of the Rajasthan HC order declaring Santhara as criminal and suicidal act.
The apex court issued notice to the Centre and Rajasthan government.
Santhara means a fast unto death.
A person after taking a vow of 'Santhara' stops eating and even drinking water and awaits death.
The Rajasthan HC on August 10 had called the practice punishable under section 309 of the IPC as an attempt to commit suicide.
The HC also ordered support to Santhara by any person punishable as abetment under section 306 of the IPC.
The centuries-old practice has been in the news since 2006 when 93-year-old Keila Devi Hirawat from Jaipur performed Santhara, triggering a debate in the world media whether such a practice is out of place in the modern era.
Jain saints argue that Santhara is a voluntary act carried out rationally and cannot be considered suicide.
They say it is something one does with full knowledge and intent, unlike suicide which is typically an emotional and impulsive act.

European Union interior and justice ministers are due to meet in two weeks to find a solution to the escalating migration crisis.
According to the Guardian, the ministers will meet in Brussels to find measures to cope with the migration crisis.
A statement from the home affairs ministers of Germany, France and Britain said they had asked the Luxembourg presidency to arrange a meeting of justice and interior ministers within the next two months.
The three countries emphasised the necessity to find an immediate solution to the increasing migration problem.

In a heartening move, the government has not only welcomed the report, which was submitted last week, but has also initiated steps to preserve the marine bio-diversity whose services to mankind is worth millions of rupees, state in charge WWF- India Puja Mitra said.
The government in collaboration with WWF - India will host a special training session for boat operators and diving schools to create awareness on sustainable marine tourism, including protection and preservation of dolphins and coral reefs.
Goa is home to two protected species, the finless porpoise and the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin.
In what is a major step forward in the protection of Schedule I protected species dolphins and coral reefs, World Wide Fund for Nature-India has prepared and submitted a report to the state government outlining the status of the vital marine ecosystem and recommendations on how it can be protected.

A 36-year-long wait ended on Saturday as the Indian women’s hockey team confirmed its berth to next year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
The news could not have come on a better day — the National Sports Day and birthday of hockey’s original wizard, Dhyan Chand.
India last played in the Olympics at Moscow in 1980 when women’s hockey made its debut.
India women’s hockey team was assured of a place in the 2016 Olympics Games after fellow contenders Spain lost to England.
The team clinched the berth to Rio thanks to England, who defeated Spain 2-1 in the semifinals of the EuroHockey Championships in London on Friday night.
Spain were the only team in the EuroHockey Championships semifinals not to have qualified for the Olympics and needed to win the title to claim the berth.
England’s victory over Spain, coming after the Netherlands 1-0 win against Germany in the first semifinal, meant two teams that had already qualified for the Olympics were in contention for the European continental title.
This freed the quota place reserved for the winner in Europe.
The Indian women thus clinched their ticket to Rio through their fifth-place finish at the Hockey World League Semifinal in Antwerp, and the next highest-ranked team not to have booked a berth to Brazil.