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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 17 July 2020

::NATIONAL::

Food security report claims zero hunger target unlikely to be met by 2030

Between 8.3 crore and 13 crore people globally are likely to go hungry this year due to the economic recession triggered by COVID-19, warns the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2020 report.Estimates drawn from data available till March 2020 show that almost 69 crore people went hungry in 2019 — up by 1 crore in 2018.
The SOFI report was released on Monday in New York on the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development which tracks the progress of nations towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
The heads of the five agencies warn that “five years after the world committed to end hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition, we are still off track to achieve this objective by 2030.”
The report underlines that in line with findings in the previous editions, hunger continues to be on the rise since 2014 and the global prevalence of undernourishment, or overall percentage of hungry people, is 8.9%.
Asia remains home to the greatest number of undernourished (38 crore). Africa is second (25 crore), followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (4.8 crore).
According to current estimates, in 2019, 21.3% (14.4.crore) of children under 5 years were stunted, 6.9% (4.7 crore) wasted and 5.6% (3.8 million) overweight.
The report highlights that a healthy diet costs more than ₹143 (or $1.90/ day), which is the international poverty threshold. The number of people globally who can’t afford a healthy diet is at 300 crore people, or more than the combined population of China and India.
India registers steep decline in Maternal Mortality Rate
The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in India has declined to 113 in 2016-18 from 122 in 2015-17 and 130 in 2014-2016, according to the special bulletin on Maternal Mortality in India 2016-18, released by the Office of the Registrar General’s Sample Registration System (SRS).

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::ECONOMY::

RBI tells ARC’s to ensure fair debt recovery practices

In the backdrop of a likely rise in non-performing assets (NPA) due to the pandemic, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday asked Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs) to adopt a ‘Fair Practices Code’ (FPC) to ensure the highest standards of transparency and fairness while dealing with their stakeholders.
ARCs are expected to eschew any harassment of the debtor while recovering loans. “ARCs shall ensure that the staff are adequately trained to deal with customers in an appropriate manner,” the RBI said.
The ARCs must put in place a Board approved Code of Conduct for Recovery Agents and obtain their undertaking to abide by that Code. ARCs would be responsible for the actions of their Recovery Agents.
“It is essential that the Recovery Agents observe strict customer confidentiality and ARCs shall ensure that Recovery Agents are properly trained to handle their responsibilities with care and sensitivity, particularly in respect of aspects such as hours of calling and privacy of customer information,” the RBI said.
ARCs also need to maintain arm’s length distance and remain non-discriminatory in acquisition of assets.

Export of coir and coir products registers all time high record

The export of coir and coir products from India worth 2,758 crore rupees for 2019-20 has registered an all-time high record. This is around 30 crore rupees higher than that of last year.
Over nine lakh 88 thousand MT of coir and related products were exported during the year 2019-20 from the country as against over nine lakh 64 thousand MT exported during the preceding year.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

India sees South China sea as part of global commons and shows interest in region

External Affairs Ministry today said South China Sea is a part of global commons and India has an abiding interest in peace and stability in the region. Replying to a media query, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson AnuragSrivastava said India's position on this issue has been clear and consistent.
He said, India firmly stands for the freedom of navigation and overflight and unimpeded lawful commerce in these international waterways, in accordance with international law, notably UNCLOS.
He said India also believes that any differences be resolved peacefully by respecting the legal and diplomatic processes and without resorting to threat or use of force.
In response to a query on Nepal Prime Minister's recent comments on Lord Ram, the spokesperson said India's rich civilizational heritage is known to the world. He added that Nepal Foreign Ministry had already given clarification in this regard.
Earlier this week, Foreign Affairs Ministry of Nepal had clarified that the remarks made by Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Lord Ram and his birthplace are not linked to any political subject and have no intention at all to hurt the feeling and sentiment of anyone. It said the remarks were not meant to debase the significance of Ayodhya and the cultural value it bears.

WHO, UNICEF warn against non availability of life saving vaccines for children

The World Health Organization and UNICEF have warned of an alarming decline in the number of children receiving life-saving vaccines around the world. This is due to disruptions in the delivery and uptake of immunization services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to new data by WHO and UNICEF, these disruptions threaten to reverse hard-won progress to reach more children and adolescents with a wider range of vaccines, which has already been hampered by a decade of stalling coverage.
The latest data on vaccine coverage estimates from WHO and UNICEF for 2019 shows that improvements such as the expansion of the Human PapillomaVirus vaccine to 106 countries and greater protection for children against more diseases are in danger of lapsing

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::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

Indigenous bugs found to be biological weapons against invasive species

Two types of ladybird beetles are among the three indigenous bugs found to be the biological weapons against a Caribbean-origin enemy of Indian fruit farmers — the woolly whitefly.
According to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), pests damage 30-35% of crops in the country annually.Among the newest of 118 exotic pests troubling farmers in India, particularly fruit growers, is the woolly whitefly first described from Jamaica in 1896 and noticed in Florida, U.S. in 1909.
This whitefly (Aleurothrixusfloccosus) is invasive and polyphagous, meaning a creature that feeds on various kinds of food.
ICAR’s National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources in Bengaluru had in 2019 reported the spread of the pest from the Caribbean island through transportation of infested seedlings.

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::SPORTS::

FIFA releases 2022 world cup schedule

The 2022 World Cup will have four games every day in a 12-day group stage, and matches later in the tournament that go into extra time will extend past midnight in Qatar.
The kick-off times will suit the Indian fans as the first game in the group stage begins at 3.30 p.m. and the last at 12.30 a.m. The final will start at 8.30 p.m. IST, again a peak broadcast viewing time in India.

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