Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 04 March 2014

New guidelines for treating rape victims

The Union Health Ministry, which has drawn new guidelines for treating rape victims, has asked all hospitals to set up a designated room for forensic and medical examination of victims besides outlawing the two-finger test performed on them, dubbing it as unscientific.
The Department of Health Research (DHR) along with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) with the help of experts formulated this set of national guidelines for dealing with criminal assault cases, which will hopefully put an end to the “horrendous” medical process, which the victims are subjected to after the sexual abuse.
The DHR has also drafted a new manual to address the psycho-social impact of sexual violence including counselling that the victims should receive to alleviate her woes.
These guidelines have been made available to health care providers who work with victims of sexual violence.
The guidelines drafted were made available to public and experts and their opinion was sought.
Following this, the guidelines were released for circulation on December 16, 2013.
Khandekar, who pursued the matter single handedly said that he had successfully impressed upon the state government on how to handle such cases and now at national level too, the Centre has come out with fresh guidelines.
There must be provisions to provide alternative clothing for the victims and smooth collection of MLC evidence keeping in mind the sensitivity of the circumstances.

Nepal’s former Foreign Secretary Arjun Bahadur Thapa has assumed charge as the Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
Thapa, who succeeds Ahmed Saleem of Maldives, is the 12th Secretary General of the regional grouping.
This is the second time Nepal assumed the top post of the regional body since its establishment in 1985.
Former Foreign Secretary Yadav Kanta Silwal held the post from January 1994 to December 1995.
The members of the SAARC are: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
Thapa, 58, was appointed to the position by the 30th Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers held in the Maldives on February 20.
Kathmandu will host the 18th SAARC Summit in November this year.

In a setback for the UPA government’s efforts to put in place the Lokpal before the expiry of its term, former Supreme Court Judge K.T. Thomas has decided not to head the search committee.
The panel’s mandate is to forward names to a selection committee headed by the Prime Minister for appointment of the chairperson and other members of the Lokpal.
Besides the Prime Minister, the selection panel has the Lok Sabha Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition, the Chief Justice of India or a judge of the apex court nominated by him, and an eminent jurist nominated by the President or any other member.

At least 32 Indian fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly poaching in the country’s waters off the coast of the Delft islet in Jaffna.
The fishermen were being taken to the port of Kankesanturai to be handed over to the fisheries surveillance officials.
The Indian fishermen had apparently violated accord reached during January’s bilateral fishing talks to stop bottom trawling.

Natco Pharmaceuticals, the Hyderabad-based drug manufacturer, has won a patent case against Teva Pharmaceuticals of Israel.
The New Delhi High Court dismissed Teva’s suit seeking an injunction over the marketing of a generic version of multiple sclerosis drug, copaxone (glatiramer acetate) in the U.S. While Teva does not have a patent on the drug in India, the injunction sought to prevent Natco exporting it.
The decision could allow Natco to launch generic version of Teva’s Copaxone in the U.S., subject to approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (USFDA).
The patent on the $4 billion sales drug, expires in the U.S. on May 24, 2014.
Teva sued Natco, seeking an injunction as it alleged Natco’s move infringed on its process patent.

The Maharashtra government formally signed shareholder and state support agreements for the ambitious Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project, in Mumbai recently.
The project aims at generating industrial output of Rs 20 lakh crore by 2042.
DMIC is slated to be developed in two phases, with the project cost for the first phase being Rs 17,319 crore. Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and DMIC Trust has formed a joint venture to execute the project, in which MIDC will hold 51% stake, while the remaining 49% will be held by DMIC.
Phase one will include development of 84 square kilometre of Shendre-Bidkin industrial city, an engineering cluster, food park, textile and printing and construction cluster. It will also have a multi-modal logistic hub spread across 100 hectares of land in Karmad and an exhibition-cum-convention centre spread over 20 hectares in Aurangabad, alongwith water supply scheme for Shendre.
The second phase of the project will cover Dighi port industrial area, Dhule mega industrial park, Nashik-Sinnar-Igatpuri investment region, multimodal logistic park, Nashik-Sinnar-Igatpuri investment region, multimodal logistic park and greenfield mega city in Ahmednagar.
The DMIC projects in Maharashtra would cover nearly 29% of land area and 18% project influence area. Around 26% of the state's population would come under the corridor that covers eight districts - Thane, Raigad, Pune, Dhule, Nandurbar, Nashik, Ahmednagar and Aurangabad.

The International Boxing Federation (AIBA) has reportedly terminated any official relationship with its current suspended member, the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF), for damaging the image, reputation and interest of the sport in the country.
According to the official AIBA website, AIBA has not recognized any official activities and did not support the officers from IABF since the December 2012 suspension, adding that after receiving disturbing reports on the way the sport of boxing was managed in India, it has now become impossible for them to continue any association with India.
The AIBA Executive Committee will make a final decision and rehabilitate a National Federation as soon as it 'deems that it has found the right group of people who will support the principles of AIBA in terms of ethics and fairness and who care primarily about the boxers and the sport and not about their personal interests'.
Boxers and coaches will remain protected and authorized to compete at any competition at all levels under the AIBA flag. AIBA also hopes that the IOA will give its full cooperation until AIBA approves a new National Federation for the sake of the sport of boxing in India.

India's doubles tennis player Rohan Bopanna leaped four places to 12th in the latest ATP rankings.
The Indian achieved the feat after clinching the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title with Pakistani Aisam ul Haq Qureshi.
Meanwhile, Leander Paes still remains India's highest ranked doubles player at No.10 while another veteran Mahesh Bhupathi slipped six places to No.47.
In the men's singles category, Somdev Devvarman and Yuki Bhambri remained static at 78th and 146th, respectively, while Sania Mirza is No.11 in the women's doubles list.