PUNJAB

10% of HIV cases detected in jails

The state has seen a sudden jump in HIV/AIDS cases in the past two years and Punjab’s jails are one of the biggest contributors.

As per the report of the State Aids Control Society, jails have been registering almost 10 per cent of the fresh cases detected in the state every year. The number of new patients detected in jails is almost 150 times more than the number detected from the general population of the state.

For the past three years, on an average, 7,500 fresh cases are being reported annually from the state. As many as 8,133 new cases were witnessed in 2018-19; 6,730 in 2017-18 and around 6,000 fresh cases were reported in 2016-17. This year till October 31, a total of 6,751 cases have been reported.

And every year, for the past four years, around 700 new cases are from jails. In 2016-17, 21,098 jail inmates were tested for HIV in all nine central jails of the state and 658 of them tested positive, 599 tested positive in 2017-18, 727 in 2018-19 and 685 cases have surfaced this year till October 31.

At present, there are over 23,000 prisoners in the state, which means every year, around three per cent of the new prisoners test positive for the disease. On the other hand, just 0.02 per cent of the general population of the state tests positive for HIV. This means in jails, the number of new patients detected with the virus is almost 150 times more than that of the general population of the state.

Significantly, Punjab has witnessed a steep jump in the cases of HIV/AIDS in the past three years as the number of confirmed cases has increased 30 to 40 per cent. During this time, the state government started out patient opioid assisted treatment (OOAT) clinics, the aim of which was to shift drug addicts to buprenorphine medicine, so that they stop the use of drugs intravenously.

INTERNATIONAL

Global Terrorism Index 2019

According to the 2019 Global Terrorism Index (GTI), deaths from terrorism fell for the fourth consecutive year, after peaking in 2014.

The number of deaths has now decreased by 52 per cent since 2014, falling from 33,555 to 15,952.

Afghanistan was the country most impacted by terrorism in 2018, replacing Iraq, which had held that position since 2004.

With 350 Indians killed and 540 injured in 748 terrorist incidents in 2018, India is at seventh place in the list of countries most affected by terrorism.

· NIA to host counter terrorism exercise for Quad countries

TheNational Investigation Agency (NIA)is to host the first-ever counter-terrorism table-top exercise (CT-TTX) for the Quad countries.

The aim of the CT-TTX exercise is to assess and validate counter-terrorism response mechanisms in the light of emerging terrorist threats among the Quad countries.

The CT-TTX exercise is the first of its kind engagement among the four countries. The exercise aims to discuss the issues of common interest related to counter-terrorism.

The countries take the international counter-terror offensive, preparedness, mitigation and synergy to the next level.

NASA Unveils First Electric Plane X-57 “Maxwell”

NASA showcased an early version of its first all-electric experimental aircraft, the X-57 Maxwell.

Adapted from an Italian-made Tecnam P2006T twin-engine propeller plane, the X-57 has been under development since 2015.

The target of the agency is to fly this aeroplane in late 2020.

NATIONAL

· Centre to set a new framework for SIFIs under IBC

The Central government has notified rules for the resolution ofsystemically important financial institutions (SIFIs)under Section 227 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC). The new rules excluded banks. The government also said that the IBC’s regular provisions would be applicable to all other financial service providers (FSPs), not deemed SIFIs.

The new rules set by the government of India aims to open the doors for resolution of stressednon-banking finance companies (NBFCs) under the framework.

Financial service providers are generally not covered under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. Under the new rules notified by the government, the code can be invoked to find a resolution for stressed finance companies such as Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd. (DHFL). These rules will not apply to banks.

The government will notify the categories of FSPs that do not fall under the systemically important category. It shall be resolved under the normal provisions of the Code as ordinarily applicable to corporate debtors.

This new framework will be decided in consultation with the appropriate regulators, mostly the Reserve Bank of India.

· Railways use humanoid robot to transport documents

The modern railway coach factoryis using a humanoid robot Sona 1.5to transport documents from one place to another. The humanoid robot Sona 1.5 was built by Najavunjpavad, Jaipur. It was successfully tested recently. The move by the factory aims to establish new dimensions in the field of modernity.

Sona 1.5, the humanoid robot, is afull-service robot made in India. This robot will be used to transport files or any type of documents from one place to another in the modern railway coach factory. It is the first robot in the world with human-like spine technology due to which they are able to balance.

· Ministry of AYUSH adds Medicinal Plants to the NAM Scheme

Ministry of AYUSHhas implemented a new component named Medicinal Plants under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission (NAM)since 2015-16 across India. The move by the Ministry aims to promote the cultivation of medicinal plants.

Ministry of AYUSH has provided its support in cultivating the medicinal plants in the states of Bihar, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal through which the river Ganga flows.

According to the NAM scheme guidelines, the medicinal plants are cultivated in different states based on the State Annual Action Plan (SAAP) that are submitted by the concerned State and approved by the NAM Directorate of Ministry of AYUSH.

· Ministry of Culture to promote Indian literature in foreign countries

Ministry of Culturehas started to promote the Indian literature in foreign countries throughSahitya Academy. To promote Indian Literature in foreign countries, the Sahitya Akademi that functions under the Ministry of Culture has sent few delegations to different countries under the Cultural Exchange Programme of the Ministry. The countries include Spain, London, Brazil, Thailand, Israel, Mauritius, Sharjah, and Nepal.

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