Current Affairs - 2019-20

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The Australia Group is an informal group of countries that work together to prevent the spread of chemical and biological weapons. The group was established in 1985 after Iraq used chemical weapons in 1984. The group’s members include 42 countries and the European Union. The group’s members meet annually to improve export licensing measures and stop potential proliferators from acquiring CBW materials.
The Australia Group’s members coordinate their national export controls to limit the supply of chemicals, biological agents, and related equipment, technologies, and knowledge. In 2020, the group agreed to add Novichok nerve agent precursors to its list of chemical weapons precursors.
The Australia Group’s first meeting was held in Brussels, Belgium in September 1989. India became the 43rd member of the group.

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India and Switzerland have signed two pacts for technical cooperation in the field of Railways after delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting President of Swiss Confederation Doris Leuthard in New Delhi. The aim of pacts is to cooperate in the areas of traction rolling stock, EMU and Train sets, traction propulsion equipments, freight and passenger cars, etc. To boost bilateral ties, Swiss president, Doris Leuthard is on a 3-day visit to India. The visit is significant as Switzerland is the chair of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) where India has been seeking membership. The main theme of the presidential visit is the Treaty of Friendship signed between Switzerland and India in 1948, in which the two countries gave assurances of “perpetual peace” and “unalterable friendship”.

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The Part VI of constitution of India is applicable to all the states of India. Earlier it was not applicable to Jammu & Kashmir. After Jammu & Kashmir converted to Union Territory in 2019, the 6th part extends to all states of India.

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  The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an environmental treaty that was adopted on September 16, 1987 by the international community to protect human health and the environment by phasing out a number of man-made chemicals with adverse effects on the ozone. Initially, it included refrigerants such as CFCs and halons, but the list of controlled chemicals under the Montreal Protocol today includes HCFCs, methyl bromide, and other ozone-depleting substances (ODS). The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) became an implementing agency of the Montreal Protocol in 1992. In 2010, it became the only environmental treaty which enjoys universal ratification of 197 UN member countries. Recently, in September 2017, it celebrated its 30^th anniversary.

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The African Development Bank (AfDB) recently launched the “High Fives”, which are the five areas of development, in line with the Bank’s Ten Year Strategy.

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The Triffin dilemma, or Triffin paradox, is the idea that a national currency can create conflicts between short-term domestic and long-term international economic goals. The dilemma arises when a national currency also serves as an international reserve currency.
The dilemma was discovered in the 1960s by Belgian economist Robert Triffin. He argued that domestic and international policy goals don’t usually match. For example, if the United States stopped running balance of payments deficits, the international community would lose its largest source of reserves. This could cause a shortage of liquidity, which could lead to instability.
The dilemma points to the conflicts that can arise when a national currency plays a role as an international public good. The global reserve currency issuer issues the safest and most widely used global currency. Domestic monetary policy can have unintended consequences for both the domestic and global economies.

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Under the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) initiative, the government aims for road connectivity between Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and India. Under the BBIN initiative, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has identified over two dozen road projects worth $8 billion to be developed over the next five years to fill and upgrade critical connections in the BBIN area. The project would help develop the north-eastern region of India through cross-border cooperation, strengthen trade relations with eastern (Bangladesh) and north-eastern (Bhutan and Nepal) neighbouring countries and improve sub-regional connectivity with Southeast Asia.

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"Flamenco India", a dance cultural festival, was celebrated recently to mark diplomatic relationship between India and Spain.

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The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, 2017 seeks to establish the National Commission for Backward Classes with constitutional status. It provides the Commission with the authority to examine welfare measures and complaints affecting socially and educationally backward classes. The Select Committee appointed under the chairmanship of Mr Bhupinder Yadav to examine the new provisions recommended that the Bill be passed, without any amendments. The Bill is still not passed in Rajya Sabha as the Upper House recommended several amendments in the Bill.

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“The Global Findex database for the year 2017 has been released by the World Bank. The Index depicts the global efforts to promote financial inclusion in their country. As per the report, India has witnessed the largest improvement in access to financial services over the past three years among peers, but India also has the highest share of inactive accounts among peers.