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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 12 October 2019

::NATIONAL::

President urges health professionals to serve deprived in rural areas

President RamnathKovind called upon health professionals to give back to society by serving in rural areas among the deprived for at least once or twice a month.
He was speaking after laying the foundation stone of JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research in Varuna Village near Mysuru in Karnataka today. The President asked the students of medicine to create awareness on a healthy lifestyle.
Saying that India faces challenges of overcoming communicable, non-communicable, new and emerging diseases, the President said that Ayushman Bharat and Swatch Bharat mission launched by Central Government are linked to health and sanitation.
He further noted that cleanliness and sanitation among the community can overcome several socio-economic challenges. Quoting the 12th-century philosopher Basavanna, the President asked the health professionals to serve others and carry forward the spirit of public service and be an architect of healthy India.

South west monsoon retreats with the longest delay in 37 years

The southwest monsoon retreated from Himachal Pradesh on Friday, marking the longest delayed withdrawal from the hill state in 37 years, the meteorological department said.
Monsoon usually lasts for four months, from July 1 to September 30.Monsoon withdrew from Himachal Pradesh on October 11. This is its most delayed withdrawal from the state since 1982, said Shimla Meteorological Centre director Manmohan Singh.
Himachal Pradesh recorded 685.5 mm of rainfall during this monsoon season. This is 10 per cent below the normal long period average (LPA), he said.
In 2013, monsoon withdrew from most parts of Himachal Pradesh on September 29, but it retreated from the eastern parts, including Kinnaur district and parts of Solan, Shimla and Sirmaur districts, on October 16, Singh said.
In 2018, monsoon withdrew from the state on October 1. The state had recorded 927.1 mm of rainfall, which was 12 per cent more than the LPA, he said.
Himachal Pradesh witnessed a dry weather on Friday, Singh said.Tribal district Lahaul-Spiti's administrative centre Keylong was the coldest place with a minimum temperature of 2 degrees Celsius and Una was the hottest with a high of 32.5 degrees Celsius.

::ECONOMY::

India to consider restricting imports from Malaysia after Kashmir remarks

India is considering restricting imports of some products from Malaysia including palm oil, according to government and industry sources, in reaction to the Southeast Asian country’s leader criticising New Delhi for its actions in Kashmir.
India is looking for ways to limit palm oil imports and may place restrictions on other goods from the country, said a government source and an industry source who participated in discussions led by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on the planned restrictions.
India’s government was angered after Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said last month at the United Nations that India had "invaded and occupied" Jammu and Kashmir and asked New Delhi to work with Pakistan to resolve the issue.
Malaysia’s prime minister on Friday said he had not received anything official from India, after Reuters first reported that India was mulling restricting imports of Malaysian palm oil and other products.
Higher Indian imports had helped Malaysia reduce stockpiles in 2019, but stocks could rise again and prices could come under pressure if India curtails or stops imports, said a Mumbai-based dealer with a global trading firm.
India’s government is also planning some restrictions on imports from Turkey, one of the government sources said, as Ankara has issued repeated statements on Kashmir, an issue that India considers an internal matter.

Finance ministry confirms no decision yet on privatisation of Air India,BSNL

Union Minister for Finance NirmalaSitharaman has said that that discussion on Privatisation of Air India, MTNL and BSNL is going on but no decision has been taken. She was talking with media persons in Pune today.
She said that sufficient provisions have been made in this year’s budget for the betterment of small and macro industry and employment generation.
Ms.Sitharaman defended ShastraPujan while receiving Rafael Aircraft saying that it’s our tradition and there is nothing wrong in following the tradition. She also refuted allegations of opposition regarding abrogation of article 370 saying the decision was widely welcomed across India.
Finance Minister said that NDA Government is a progressive Government and we are putting Development on fast track with the state- center cooperation.
She said government has provided timely help to the flood victims in Sangli and Kolhapur. Ms Sitharaman also praised DevendraFadnavis Government for the commendable work in Irrigation sector.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

India-China agree to prevent radicalisation existing in both countries

Prime Minister NarendraModi and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to work closely with PM Modi to further the economic development of both the nations.
Ways to enhance the bilateral trade volume, as well as trade value, were also discussed. On terrorism, both leaders acknowledged that radicalisation is a real problem for countries as diverse, complex and large as India and China. They agreed that radicalisation should not be allowed to affect the multicultural thread prevailing in both countries.
Before that Prime Minister guided President Xi through the history of the temple complex of Mahabalipuram, where their personal rapport was clearly visible.
Both the leaders acknowledged the long cultural history of each other's nations and discussed Tamil and Buddhism links between India and the Chinese province of Fujian.
Earlier, President Xi was accorded a grand cultural welcome as he arrived in his special plane at the Chennai Airport. He thanked PM Modi for this overwhelming reception and other arrangements.

India extends line of credit to Comoros islands to expand cooperation

India has said, it will extend a Line of Credit of over 60 million US Dollars to Comoros in the field of energy and maritime defence cooperation.
Addressing the parliament of the East African island nation Comoros at its capital Moroni, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said, both the countries have signed some important agreements including cooperation in defence and energy sectors.
He said, India will extend a Line of Credit of over 41.6 million US Dollars for setting up of 18 MW Power Plant in Moroni and another 20 million US Dollars for the procurement of High-Speed Interceptor Boats.
The Vice President said, even as political stability and peaceful transition takes place in Comoros, terrorism has, time and again, threatened to derail this process. He said, terrorist groups, threaten peace and stability and render state institutions vulnerable. Piracy and maritime threats as well as cross border transnational crimes, including cybercrimes, have only added new dimensions to the problem.
The Vice President said, as Comoros continues to be a victim of cross border terrorism, India is willing and ready to partner with it, and supplement its efforts to neutralise these threats, particularly in the maritime domain.
The Vice President was also conferred 'The Order of the Green Crescent', the highest Civilian Honour of Comoros, by AzaliAssoumani, President of Comoros in Moroni.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

Chandrayaan 2 orbiter observes solar flares and measures solar Xray emissions

The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter was able to detect a series of solar flares over a 24-hour period beginning September 30 midnight, the Indian Space Research Organisation said in its latest update on India's second Moon mission.
The solar flares (a sudden explosion of energy near the Sun's surface) were detected with the help of the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter's Solar X-ray Monitor (XSM), demonstrating the craft's ability to ultimately test for the presence of minerals on the Moon.
Isro said it won't be able to do much with the current set of readings because of unfavourable angles at which the orbtier, the Moon and the Sun are currently placed. However, the new finding is still significant as it tests an important piece of equipment onboard the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter.
In its mission update, Isro said the current findings won't be of much use because the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter, the Moon and the Sun are currently badly positioned. However, the agency said, while taking in the readings, Chandrayaan-2 was able to demonstrate the XSM's abilities.
According to Isro, the readings of the XSM, when compared with those taken by a US satellite system, showed that Chandrayaan-2 was more capable at detecting the variation in intensity of the Sun's X-ray emissions than the US system.
Similar tests conducted in the future when the Sun, Moon and the orbiter are positioned more favourably could help further the mission objectives of India's second Moon mission.

::SPORTS::

Sports ministry asks IOA to maintain high standard in governance of NSF

Union Sports Minister KirenRijiju said, India's rise as a global leader will be complete if the country becomes a sporting power. Attending an event in New Delhi, the Sports Minister asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to ensure that the standard of governance in National Sports Federations is high.
Mr Rijiju also said that India will work for the inclusion of Kabaddi in the Olympics by 2028. He called on the private sector and industry to come forward and play an active role in the promotion and creation of a sports culture in the country.
The minister said, by 2022 at least 80 per cent of the country's population should be fit and to achieve that the government and business houses will have to work together.