Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 06 November 2020

::NATIONAL::

The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has cleared a plan for conserving vultures.
The new plan has described strategies to stem decline in vulture population,especially of the three Gyps species:

1. Oriental white-backed vulture (Gypsbengalensis),

2. Slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris) and

3. Long-billedvulture (Gyps indicus).

Key highlights of new plan:

A system to automatically remove a drug from veterinary use if it is found to be toxic to vultures.
A drug named Diclofenac, used to treat cattle, was linked to kidney failure in vultures and a decline in the bird’s population. The drug wasbanned in 2006 but it is reportedly still available for use.
A vulture conservation and breeding centre each at UP, Tripura, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
To establishment of four rescue centres, in Pinjore, Bhopal, Guwahati and Hyderabad.There are currently no dedicated rescue centres for treating vultures.
There would also be a conservation breeding programme for the Red Headed vulture and Egyptian vulture, and at least one Vulture Safe Zone in every State.
A database on emerging threats to vulture conservation, including collision and electrocution, unintentional poisoning, etc.

The government issued an ordinance to amend the arbitration law to ensure that all stakeholder parties get an opportunity to seek an unconditional stay on enforcement of arbitral awards where the arbitration agreement or contract is "induced by fraud or corruption".
The ordinance which further amends the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 also does away with the 8th Schedule of the Act which contained the necessary qualifications for accreditation of arbitrators.

Key highlights:

The Ordinance aims to ensure that all the stakeholders get an opportunity to seek unconditional stay of enforcement of arbitral awards where the underlying arbitration agreement or contract or making of the arbitral award are induced by fraud or corruption.
An addition has been made to Section 36 whereby if the Court is satisfied that a prima facie case is made out that the arbitration agreement or contract which is the basis of the award was induced or effected by fraud or corruption, it will stay the award unconditionally pending disposal of the challenge made to the award under Section 34.
The ordinance also does away with the 8th Schedule of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 which contained the necessary qualifications for accreditation of arbitrators.
The provision will come into effect retrospectively from October 23, 2015, the ordinance states.

Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the investment for 210 MW Luhri Stage-I Hydro Electric Project.
It is located on River Satluj in Shimla and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh.
The project aims toreduce 6.1 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide from environment annually.

The first committee of the United Nations General Assembly has adopted two India-sponsored resolutions on nuclear disarmament which aim to reduce risk of nuclear accidents and call for a prohibition on the use of nuclear weapons.
The UNGA first committee deals with the issue of disarmament and works in close cooperation with the United Nations Disarmament Commission and the Geneva-based Conference on Disarmament, the other two bodies to deal with the nuclear issue.

The two resolutions adopted include:

Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons and Reducing Nuclear Danger under the Nuclear weapons cluster.The adoption of resolutions shows India’s commitment towards the goal of nuclear disarmament.The aim is that a universal and legally binding agreement would generate the necessary global political will that can lead to the total elimination of nuclear weapons.
The resolution on Reducing Nuclear Danger which was tabled since 1998 puts focus on unintentional or accidental use of nuclear weapons and underscore the need for a review of nuclear doctrines.The resolution asks for concrete steps to reduce such risks, including through de-ing and de-targeting of nuclear weapons.

‘Ephemeral messaging’ has made its way to WhatsApp.
The Facebook-owned messaging app has officially announced a new feature — ‘disappearing messages’ — to the platform, which will start rolling out to all users globally by this month.
So, what exactly are ‘disappearing messages,’ and why is WhatsApp introducing this feature to the app? We explain below:

What are disappearing messages?

Disappearing messages, as the name suggests, are messages that will disappear or automatically get deleted from a chat after sometime.
The idea of ‘ephemeral’ messages is not new, and WhatsApp is not the first app to offer this. Other encrypted messaging apps like Telegram, Signal, Wire already offer such an option.

Why is WhatsApp introducing this feature?

WhatsApp says this will bring a new level of privacy to the app. In a blogpost, the company said, “When conversations aren’t permanent, people can speak more freely and feel more comfortable being their authentic selves, whether that be their wacky side or being more honest about their feelings.
This is a huge step for WhatsApp as we introduce ephemerality to many people for the first time ever and help them experience a new level of privacy.”

Shane Watson, Australian opener for the Chennai Super Kings announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, including franchise cricket after his team CSK beat Kings XI Punjab by 9 wickets on November 1, 2020.
The cricketer had already retired from international cricket when CSK bought him in the 2018 IPL auction. He had played a major role in the 2018 IPL final with his unbeaten century against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, which helped CSK grab its third IPL trophy.
According to Forbes, Watson was the highest-paid non-Indian cricketer in the world for five consecutive years between 2011 and 2015.
He was the first overseas cricketer to score a century and take a hat-trick in the Indian Premier League.

Recently, a proposal Miya museum reflecting the culture and heritage of the people living in char-chaporishas stirred up a controversy in Assam.
Miyacommunity comprises descendants of Muslim migrants from East Bengal (now Bangladesh) to Assam.
Char-chaporis are shifting riverine islands of the Brahmaputra and are primarily inhabited by the Muslims ofBengali-origin (referred to asMiyas).
A char is a floating island while chaporis are low-lying flood-prone riverbanks.