1. MATERNAL DEATHS

The failure of the health system to cope with COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an increase in maternal deaths and stillbirths, according to a study published in The Lancet Global Health journal.

About:

• Overall, there was a 28% increase in the odds of stillbirth, and the risk of mothers dying during pregnancy or childbirth increased by about one-third.
• There was also a rise in maternal depression.
• COVID-19 impact on pregnancy outcomes was disproportionately high on poorer countries.
• The report is an analysis of 40 studies across 17 countries including Brazil, Mexico, the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Denmark, Netherlands, Italy, India, China and Nepal.
• The study attributes the worsening trend to the failure of the “inefficiency of the healthcare system and their inability to cope with the pandemic” instead of strict lockdown measures. This resulted in reduced access to care.
• In India, during the months of national lockdown last year between April and June, compared to the same period in 2019, there was a 27% drop in pregnant women receiving four or more ante-natal check-ups, a 28% decline in institutional deliveries and 22% decline in prenatal services.

Source:The Hindu

2. JOINT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION (JCPOA)

The U.S. and Iran said that they would begin negotiations through intermediaries next week to try to get both countries back into an accord limiting Iran’s nuclear programme, nearly three years after President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the deal.

About:

• The announcement marked the first major progress in efforts to return both countries to the 2015 accord, which bound Iran to restrictions on its nuclear programmes in return for relief from U.S. and international sanctions.
• Trump pulled the U.S. out of the accord in 2018, opting for a “maximum pressure” campaign of stepped-up U.S. sanctions and other tough actions.
• Iran responded by intensifying its enrichment of uranium and building of centrifuges, while maintaining its insistence that its nuclear development was for civilian and not military purposes.
• Iran’s moves increased pressure on major world powers over the Trump administration's sanctions and raised tensions among U.S. allies and strategic partners in West Asia.
• Agreement on the start of indirect talks came after the EU helped broker a virtual meeting of officials from Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and Iran, which have remained in the accord, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Source:The Hindu

3. NEW EMISSION NORMS FOR COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS

The government has pushed back deadlines for coal-fired power plants to adopt new emission norms by up to three years, and allowed utilities that miss the new target to continue operating after paying a penalty, according to a notice.

About:

• India had initially set a 2017 deadline for thermal power plants to install Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) units that cut emissions of sulphur dioxides. But that was postponed to varying deadlines for different regions, ending in 2022.
• The new order dated April 1 from the environment Ministry said plants near populous regions and the capital New Delhi will have to comply by 2022, while utilities in less polluting areas have up to 2025 to comply or retire units.
• Operators of coal-fired utilities have long been lobbying for dilution of the pollution standards, citing high compliance costs.
• A task force will be constituted by the Central Pollution Control Board to categorise plants in three categories “on the basis of their location to comply with the emission norms”.
• In case of non-compliance, a penalty of up to ₹0.20 will be levied for every unit of electricity produced.

Source:The Hindu

4. WATERGATE SCANDAL

G Gordon Liddy, the former FBI agent and Republican adviser who was widely considered the mastermind behind the 1972 Watergate break-in, died at the age of 90.

About:

• The Watergate scandal was a political scandal in the United States involving the administration of U.S. President Richard Nixon from 1971 to 1974 that led to Nixon's resignation.
• The scandal stemmed from the Nixon administration's continuous attempts to cover up its involvement in the June 17, 1972 break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Washington, D.C. Watergate Office Building.
• After the five perpetrators were arrested, the press and the U.S. Justice Department connected the cash found on them at the time to the Nixon re-election campaign committee.
• It led to the country’s first and only presidential resignation.

Source:Indian Express

5. BIMSETC

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said that India remains committed to further building the momentum of regional cooperation under the BIMSTEC framework. He said this while delivering a statement at the 17th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting held virtually.

About:

• He expressed happiness that BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and illicit Drug Trafficking has come into force last month.
• Also, BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters has been finalized for signing at the fifth BIMSTEC Summit. These Conventions will provide a robust legal basis to further strengthen our cooperation in this sector.
• BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate, being hosted in India, is fully functional with state of the art facilities to provide Disaster Early Warning.
• The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional organization comprising seven Member States lying in the areas of the Bay of Bengal.
• This organization came into being in 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.
• It constitutes seven Member States: five deriving from South Asia, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and two from Southeast Asia, including Myanmar and Thailand.

Source:All India Radio

6. HARMONISED SYSTEM OF NOMENCLATURE (HSN) CODE

Government has made mandatory that a GST taxpayer having turnover of more than 5 crore rupees in the preceding financial year will have to furnish 6 digits Harmonised System of Nomenclature HSN Code, or Service Accounting Code, SAC from April 1, 2021 on the invoices issued for supplies of taxable goods and services.

About:

• A taxpayer having turnover of upto Rs 5 crore in the preceding financial year is required to mandatorily furnish 4 digits HSN code on B2B invoices. Earlier, the requirement was 4 digits and 2 digits.
• HSN codes for goods at 6 digits are universally common. Therefore, common HSN codes apply to Customs and GST. HSN search facility is available on the GST portal.
• Manufacturers and importers or exporters have been commonly using HSN Codes.
• A large number of GST taxpayers are already furnishing HS codes or SAC at 6 or 8 digits on voluntary basis on the invoices, e -way bills and GSTR 1 returns.

Source:All India Radio

7. COMMITTEES ON OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

Central Government has constituted three expert committees to review the existing rules and regulations on safety, health and working conditions standards, pertaining to factories, docks and construction work.

About:

• One committee will look into the safety parameters of industries, docks and ports while the other two committees have been asked to study and suggest rules for the building and other construction works and the fire safety.
• The committees include experts from industry as well as subject matter, from both public and private sector across the country.
• A separate committee on fire safety standards has been formed to have a comprehensive and holistic approach for fire safety provisions, in view of recent spurt in fire accidents at workplaces.
• This process will pave the way for establishing uniform and updated standards of safety and health of workers throughout the country.

Source:All India Radio

8. ALL-INDIA SURVEY OF MIGRANT WORKERS

Government of India launched the All-India Survey of Migrant Workers and All-India Quarterly Establishment-based Employment Survey.

About:

• Labour and Employment Ministry said, the objective of the All-India Survey of Migrant Workers is to study the kind of employment-related migration undertaken by workers.
• The survey will provide the details of working and living conditions faced by Migrant Workers and impact of COVID 19 on their world of work.
• All-India Quarterly Establishment-based Employment Survey
• All-India Quarterly Establishment-based Employment Survey will provide the employment estimates for establishments employing ten or more workers as well as those with employing nine or less workers.
• The survey will provide crucial data on the changes in employment situation across the selected sectors on a quarterly basis.
• These surveys will plug-in the data gap on various aspects of labour and employment and will aide evidence-based policy making processes.

Source:All India Radio

9. ARMY WAR COLLEGE

The Army War College (AWC), Mhow celebrated its Golden Jubilee today to mark 50 glorious years of its inception as the premier training institute of Indian Army.

About:

• The Army War College, Mhow (A.W.C.) is a tactical training and research institution of the Indian Army located in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.
• It develops and evaluates concepts and doctrines for tactics and logistics for the army.
• The college trains about 1,200 officers of the Indian Army, as well as paramilitary forces each year.
• History: The college was originally established as the College of Combat at Mhow on 1 April 1971. It was spun out of the Infantry School, Mhow. In 2003, the college was renamed as the Army War College, Mhow.

Source:PIB

10. GOOD FRIDAY

Good Friday was observed on April 2, 2021.

About:

• Names: Good Friday is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Black Friday and Easter Friday.
• When observed? It is observed on the Friday before Easter Sunday, that marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• Why observed? Good Friday marks the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary.
• Christ was betrayed by Judas and sentenced to death.
• Christians believe Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and rose again three days later - which is marked as Easter.
• The three days are known as the Easter Triduum.
• How is it observed?Christians observe Good Friday with fasting and church services.
• Special masses and processions take place in all major churches. Bands playing sombre music accompany the procession to create an atmosphere of mourning.
• The ceremony of the Way of the Cross takes place as a re-enactment of scenes from the Crucifixion.
• Meaning of Good? The word ''good'' in the Good Friday stands for pious or holy. The death of Jesus symbolises the death and forgiveness for all of mankind's sins, with Jesus taking the ultimate sacrifice for the good of all humans.

Source:All India Radio