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Journalism of Courage
Essential quotes, statements, remarks, etc. from the past week help you to retain the current issues in your memory and can be used wisely in your UPSC-CSE preparation.
1. “The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is a declaration of our collective will to make the region an engine of global economic growth.”- PM Modi after joining the Indo-Pacific economic bloc led by the US.
Syllabus:
Prelims- Current events of national and international important
Mains- GS II- International Relations, GS III- Economy
India’s Prime Minister participated in an event in Tokyo to launch the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). It came a day before the second in-person summit of the Quad leaders (India, the US, Australia and Japan) in Tokyo. It is a US-led initiative that aims to strengthen economic partnership among participating countries to enhance resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, economic growth, fairness, and competitiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
The IPEF was launched with a dozen initial partners who together represent 40% of the world GDP.
Unlike traditional trade blocs, IPEF won’t negotiate tariffs or market access, and the framework will focus on integrating partner countries in four areas which include: Trade; Supply Chains; Clean Energy, Decarbonization, and Infrastructure; Tax and Anti-Corruption.
2. “We have seen reports of a bridge being constructed by China on Pangong Lake alongside its earlier bridge…”- MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
Syllabus:
Prelims- Current events of national and international important
Mains- GS II- International Relations, GS III- Security Issues
The Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that China is building a second bridge on the Pangong Tso lake.
The site of the bridge is around 20 km east of Finger 8 on the lake’s north bank – which is where the Line of Actual Control (LAC) passes, according to India. However, the actual distance by road is more than 35 km between the bridge site and Finger 8. The main objective of the bridges is the faster movement of troops, including mechanised forces, heavy weapons, and military vehicles. The bridges are at one of the narrowest points on the lake, close to the LAC. Officially, India has said that the site of the bridge is under illegal occupation of China and that it is monitoring all Chinese activity closely.
3. “It need not be again said that notwithstanding the profession, every individual in this country has a right to a dignified life under Article 21 of the Constitution.”– A Supreme Court bench presided by Justice L Nageswara Rao asked cops to treat sex workers with dignity.
Syllabus:
Prelims: Polity
Mains: GS I- Social Issues
The court invoked its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution and said that since there is no law yet, cops should treat sex workers with dignity. In 2020, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recognized sex workers as informal workers.
According to the SC, sex workers are entitled to equal protection of the law and criminal law must apply equally. Article 21 declares that no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to the procedure established by law. Sex workers should not be “arrested or penalized or harassed or victimised” whenever there is a raid on any brothel. A child of a sex worker should not be separated from the mother merely on the ground that she is in the sex trade. Basic protection of human decency and dignity extends to sex workers and their children. If a minor is found living in a brothel or with sex workers, it should not be presumed that the child was trafficked. In case the sex worker claims that he/she is her son/daughter, tests can be done to determine if the claim is correct and if so, the minor should not be forcibly separated. Sex workers who are victims of sexual assault should be provided every facility including immediate medico-legal care. The media should take “utmost care not to reveal the identities of sex workers, during arrest, raid and rescue operations.”
4. “There is a melancholy satisfaction in the award going to it. ‘Ret Samadhi/Tomb of Sand’ is an elegy for the world we inhabit, a lasting energy that retains hope in the face of impending doom. The Booker will surely take it to many more people than it would have reached otherwise, that should do the book no harm.”– Geetanjali Shree, the winner of International Booker Prize.
Syllabus:
Prelims- Current issues of national and international importance.
Geetanjali Shree’s novel, ‘Tomb of Sand’ is the first translated Hindi work to win International Booker Prize. Originally published in Hindi as ‘Ret Samadhi’, Geetanjali Shree’s book is translated into English by Daisy Rockwell.
5. “For God’s sake, we have to have the courage to stand up to the industry.”- US President Joe Biden in his address to the nation following the Texas school shooting.
Syllabus:
Prelims- Current issues of national and international importance.
Mains- GS IV: Ethics
Recently, a man shot dead at least 19 children and two adults, including a teacher, at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Despite a high rate of gun violence such as recent Texas shooting in the school, the country’s politicians and voters continue resisting changes to their gun laws. The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution assures citizens of the right to bear arms. The US President took direct aim at gun manufacturers and their representatives in Washington urging politicians to stand up for the power they wield.
6. “Except in 2 states, school scores dip below levels from 5 years ago.” -NAS
Syllabus:
Mains- General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
The nationwide National Achievement Survey or NAS 2021 survey was administered by CBSE on one single day at the same time. National Achievement Survey was managed through the technology platform designed and developed by the National Informatics Center (NIC).
A deep learning crisis has set in during the Covid pandemic, with a largescale Central Government survey capturing a fall of up to nine percentage points between 2017 and 2021 in the performance of students in subjects ranging from maths to social sciences. The dip has happened across subjects, and grades show the results of the National Achievement Survey (NAS), which had a sample size of 34 lakh students in classes III, V, VIII, and X.
NAS 2021 also found that as many as 24 percent of the students surveyed did not have access to digital devices at home, 38 percent said they faced difficulty carrying out learning activities at home during the pandemic, while 80 percent said they learn better at school with the help of peers. Academic performances in schools across the country have slipped below levels recorded in 2017, except in Punjab and Rajasthan.
