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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 05 October 2014

National

Marital rape is offensive to morality and liberty: court

Additional Sessions Judge Dr. Kamini Lau denied bail to a man accused by his wife of raping her, subjecting her to unnatural sex and also taking her nude photographs.
The man, on the other hand, claimed he had been implicated by his wife as she wanted to create a rift in the family.
Noting that the woman had been married for only eight months now, the court said, “The physical and psychological damage caused to the complainant, a young girl married for hardly eight months, on account of this abusive relationship is unimaginable and hence calls for no indulgence to the accused whose application for grant of bail is hereby dismissed.”
Under the Indian Penal Code, sexual intercourse or sexual acts by man with his own wife, the wife not being under 15 years of age, is not rape.
In India, marital rape is not covered by the ordinary rape laws and is a form of non-criminal domestic violence. Also, explanation to IPC Section 375 which provides that sexual intercourse or sexual acts by man with his own wife, the wife not being under 15 years of age, is not rape; in fact exempts spouses from prosecution except in cases of legal separation. Some cases, however, are in fact covered by the ordinary laws relating to assault and unnatural sex/ sodomy as in the present case, for use of violence to claim sex is clearly not acceptable.
“Marital rape is offensive to morality and liberty and any kind of sexual perversity requires to be exposing, addressing and condemning,” said Dr. Lau deprecating the existing legal situation in the country,” Dr. Lau said.

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Science & Technology

Gene plays important role in Monarch butterfly's migration

The 3,000 mile or 4,800 km mass migration of Monarch butterflies in North America is one of the insect world's fantastic feats, with millions embarking on the arduous journey from as far north as Canada down into Mexico and the California coast each autumn.
Scientists who scoured the genome of these colorful insects offered new insight into this annual airborne adventure. They pinpointed a single gene related to flight muscle efficiency that plays a major role in the Monarch butterfly's migration.
The study published in the journal Nature, also identified the gene behind the butterfly's striking orange-and-black coloration.
"I find it amazing that these little butterflies live for months and fly thousands of miles to perform this annual migration," said one the researchers, University of Chicago professor of ecology and evolution Marcus Kronforst..
The number of migrating Monarchs has plummeted in recent years. Dr. Kronforst said while an estimated one billion Monarch butterflies migrated to Mexico in 1996, that number stood at about 35 million this past winter. Threats to them include habitat loss due to human activities, pesticides that kill milkweed and climate change, experts say.
While mainly a North American species, Monarch populations also can be found in Central America, South America and elsewhere. Those outside North America do not migrate.
The researchers carried out genome sequences on 92 Monarch butterflies from around the world including non-migratory ones as well as on nine butterflies from closely related species. To study the genetic basis for migration, they compared the genetic blueprint of migratory Monarchs to those that do not migrate.

International

China tests ‘Dongfeng’ nuclear missile

China has flight-tested an upgraded version of its 10,000-km range Dongfeng missile which could reach most of the U.S. and European cities, days before its National Day on October 1, 2014 to demonstrate its nuclear capability, media reports said.
The People’s Liberation Army launched a Dongfeng-31B on September 25 from the Wuzhai Missile and Space Test Centre also known as the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi province, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported quoting U.S. media reports.
The first flight-test of an upgraded mobile intercontinental ballistic missile in the lead up to National Day aimed to show the world that China was reinforcing its nuclear deterrent, it quoted military experts as saying.
The DF-31B is an upgraded version of the DF-31A and the launch was at least the second time the PLA’s Second Artillery Corps had tested a DF-31 missile in the past three months.
The mobile missiles are designed specifically for travel over rugged terrain and in difficult road conditions.

Sport

Sharapova wins China Open

Maria Sharapova outlasted Petra Kvitova 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 to win the China Open and return to No. 2 in the rankings.
The fourth-seeded Sharapova won her fourth title of the year and first since capturing her fifth Grand Slam title at the French Open in June.
With the win, she’ll jump over Simona Halep and Kvitova to the No. 2 spot in the rankings, behind Serena Williams. Just five months ago, the Russian was one defeat away from dropping out of the top 10 for the first time since 2011.
Kvitova, the reigning Wimbledon champion, fell short of earning her second title in as many weeks. She beat Eugenie Bouchard to win the Wuhan Open.