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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 22 August 2014

Suicide tourism on rise in Switzerland

People packing their bags to Switzerland not to rest in its serenity but to end their lives through assisted suicide has doubled in four years, reveals a study.
There are six right-to-die organisations in Switzerland, of which four permit nationals from other countries to use their services.
Citizens from Germany and Britain make up the bulk of the numbers, with neurological conditions such paralysis, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis accounting for almost half of the cases, the findings showed.
Virtually all the deaths were caused by taking sodium pentobarbital. Four people inhaled helium in deaths that were widely publicised and described as “excruciating”, researchers added.

The Centre’s proposal to start a B.SC course in Community Health to fill the serious lack of medical practitioners in rural areas is finally picking pace with states like Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh having shown interest in offering the programme.
The proposal is one of the 17 action plans that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assigned to the council of ministers recently.

U.R.Anantha Murthy, the doyen of Kannada Literature and one of the pioneers of Navya movement in Kannada language is no more.
A steadfast thinker who withstood many an assault, physical, verbal and virtual, gave a new thrust to Kannada literature and cinema, to move towards the 21st Century.

The Supreme Court refused to stay a Delhi High Court judgment directing initiation of action against political parties including the Congress party on receipt of funds from foreign companies for election campaign.
Acting on a public interest writ petition, the Delhi high court had found prima facie violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act and said as the donations accepted by the political parties from Sterlite Industries and Sesa accrued from foreign sources within the meaning of law.

Sources: Various News Papers & PIB

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