Current Affairs 22nd November 2018

Updated : 22-Nov-2018

Current Affairs 22nd November 2018 - Important Points

• Gujarat launches intensive project to conserve Gir lions on - 20th November 2018
• Australia refuses to sign UN migration pact on - 21st November 2018
• UN environment Chief Erik Solheim resigns amid audit on -  Travel expenses
• 49th International Film Festival of India opens in - Panaji, Goa
• Former JNU Professor S.P. Ganguly awarded Mexican Order of -  Aztec Eagle
• Antimicrobial Stewardship Guidelines to ensure judicious use of antibiotics in hospitals released by - ICMR

Current Affairs 22nd November 2018 - Details

Gujarat launches intensive project to conserve Gir lions on - 20th November 2018

Gujarat government on November 20th, 2018 released a Rupees 351 crore project for the conservation of the Gir lions. The project is released in the backdrop of the Canine Distemper Virus outbreak that killed 23 Asiatic lions in their only home Gir National park in Saurashtra.
This intensive project will also include an emergency ambulance van similar to the 108 emergency services.
The Gujarat government also initiated hold to ten mines in the Gir region in view of the environmental issues due to the eco-sensitive zones ten kilometres around Gir.
Modern technology for conservation

• The Government informed that modern technology would also be utilised in lion conservation. The initiatives of nocturnal animals like the lions and others will be tracked via CCTV cameras and camera-mounted drones.
• Government is also planning to bring in a project on the lines of E-eye, which has been fruitful in the Corbett National Park.
  More about E-eye
• E-Eye is a 24*7 all-season large-scale intelligent technology, capable of delivering live-feed wildlife supervision in susceptible areas and sanctuary perimeters, gathering and interpreting wildlife crime information to alert law enforcement before violations occur.
• The E-eye device protects areas by assisting in monitoring the hard-to-access regions, manage patrols, notice intruders, and keep rangers responsible. It also benefits reserve managers study wildlife.

UN environment Chief Erik Solheim resigns amid audit on -  Travel expenses

UN Environment Chief Erik Solheim resigned from his position on November 20th, 2018 after an audit report questioning his enormous travel expenses. A United Nations audit had found that Solheim had spent nearly 5 lakh US dollar on travel. 
These unjustified travel expenses elevated allegations that the Environment chief showed little regard for the environment and efforts to decrease carbon emissions produced by air travel. They come at a time when the world body is struggling with lessening budgets.
Important Points

• As per to a draft of the report, the amount spent on travel by United Nations Environment double-folded between 2014-2017.
• The report was mainly critical of the travel undertaken by Solheim, United Nations Environment executive director since 2016. 
• Solheim was recorded to travel for 529 out of the 668 days audited, expenditure of $488,518 with no regard for the rules.
• On one occasion, it informed that Solheim made an 8-hour trip from Washington DC for a weekend in Paris, earlier to taking another flight to New York City.
• The audit was carried out by the United Nation's Office of Internal Oversight Services. Solheim's resignation, was accepted by United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and it would be effective from November 22nd. 
• Solheim was described by United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric as having been a leading voice in drawing the world's attention to dangerous environmental challenges, including plastics pollution, climate action, the rights of environmental defenders, biodiversity and environmental security.

Australia refuses to sign UN migration pact on - 21st November 2018

The Australian Government declared on November 21st, 2018 that it would not ink the United Nations Global Compact for Migration explaining that the pact would undermine its present immigration policies.
Talking on the decision, Australian PM Scott Morrison informed that the government believes that the Compact is inconsistent with its well-organised policies and not in Australia's interest.
Important Highlights

• As per to the Australian government, the country’s immigration policy already promotes safe, orderly and regular migration.
• Therefore, the government feels that adopting the pact would danger reassuring illegal entry to Australia and reverse the hard-won successes in combating the people-smuggling trade.
• Australia's harsh immigration policy detains asylum-pursuers who try to reach the nation by boat on remote Pacific islands. While the policy has led to a decline in people-smuggling, hundreds of people are now being detained in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. Few have been there for many years.
• The UN and human rights groups at home and overseas have criticised the country’s approach and the government has been under pressure over the worsening health of the people, many of them children, captive on the islands.
• The UN agreement on migration was settled upon in July 2018 subsequent almost a year of negotiations and it is anticipated to benefit open up legal migration and better management of the movement of people worldwide.
• The pact is due to be adopted in December.
• Earlier this week, the Australian PM declared he would also pursue to slash legal migration into Australia, from the present formal cap of 190,000 people every year to approximately 160,000.
• He informed the slash was required to counter worsening congestion in the country's main cities.

49th International Film Festival of India opens in - Panaji, Goa

49th International Film Festival of India started in Panaji, Goa. The theme of for current year’s film festival is ‘New India through a variety of genres of cinema, including history, action, romance and sports. Jharkhand is attention state for this year, with Jharkhand Day being observed on 24th November as part of festival. The attention nation is Israel.
Important Points

• This edition of the festival will present 212 movies from more than 68 nations which represents diversity of taste.
• International Competition section has fifteen movies out of which three are Indian. 
• Competition section signifies movies directed and co-produced by 22 nations. 26 feature and 21 non–feature Indian movies will be screened in Indian Panorama section.
• The inaugural film of the festival was “The Aspern Papers”, which tells story of obsession, grandeur vanished and dreams of Byronic adventures.
• Present year as extension of Khelo India Branding, Indian Sports Documentaries will also be presented including Mary Kom, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and MSD-The untold story.
• The festival will also include honour to iron man Sardar Patel. The Homage section of this festival will pay tribute to Shashi Kapoor, Sridevi, Karunanidhi and Kalpana Lajmi.
  More about International Film Festival of India
• It is biggest state sponsored film festival and directed jointly by Union Ministry of Information and
  Broadcasting, Directorate of Film Festivals and Government of Goa.
• It was established in 1952 and since then organised yearly in Goa. It goals at delivering common platform for cinemas of world to project the excellence of the film art.
• It also pursues to contribute to create awareness for understanding and gratefulness of film cultures of various countries in context of their social and cultural philosophy and encourage friendship and cooperation among people worldwide.

Former JNU Professor S.P. Ganguly awarded Mexican Order of -  Aztec Eagle

Mexican government has bestowed Indian academician Shyama Prasad Ganguly with ‘Orden Mexicana
del Águila Azteca’- Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle, the uppermost civilian award given to a foreigner
by Mexico. He was bestowed for disseminating Spanish language and Mexican culture to fortify Mexico-
India cultural ties. He is 1st Indian Academician to get this honour.
Shyama Prasad Ganguly
He is previous professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies at JNU. He belonged to 1st generation of handful of Indian academics who truly made everybody else interested in Spanish. He has authored,
edited and translated more than 25 books in academic career straddling 40 years.
Order of Aztec Eagle

• It is part of Mexican Honours System and is uppermost Mexican order awarded to foreigners in the
  nation.
• It was formed by decree in December 1933 by President Abelardo L. Rodríguez as prize to services given to Mexico by outsiders.
• It corresponds to alike distinctions given to Mexican inhabitants such as Condecoración Miguel Hidalgo or Belisario Domínguez Medal of Honor.
• It is given by office of the foreign minister on directions of Council recognized for this purpose led by the President, who inks each honour.
• Its earlier recipients of include Bill Gates, Nobel Economics Laureate Amartya Sen, writer and Nobel Literature Laureate Nadine Gordimer. Royal Eagle is Mexico’s National animal and was taken sacred for Aztecs.

Antimicrobial Stewardship Guidelines to ensure judicious use of antibiotics in hospitals released by - ICMR

ICMR has unconfined Antimicrobial Stewardship Guidelines to guide hospitals in setting-up
Antimicrobial Stewardship Programmes to make sure judicious usage of antibiotics in healthcare
amenities. Antimicrobial Stewardship rules goals to deliver directions in setting-up structure and
processes of Antimicrobial Stewardship Programmes in healthcare institutions, discusses vital elements
of antimicrobial stewardship and diagnostic stewardship and provide information on tools that can be
utilised to measure progress.
More about AMSP

• Antimicrobial Stewardship Programmes is hospital-based programs devoted to improving antibiotic use.
• It is helpful in refining quality of patient care and safety via increased infection cure rates, reducing
  treatment failures and increasing the frequency of right prescription for therapy and prophylaxis
  Need for AMSP
• Antimicrobial resistance is a mega public health challenge. Since unsuitable use of antibiotics is rampant in India, there is quick necessity to improve antibiotic use in hospitals.
• The growing consumption of antibiotics is one of crucial drivers of antimicrobial resistance seen in bugs.
• Few of the crucial factors driving antimicrobial resistance in our nation are irrational prescription of
  broad-spectrum antibiotics, poor rules for antibiotics sale, self-medication, lack of education and
  alertness regarding responsible use of antibiotics.
• National Health Policy, 2017, terms antimicrobial resistance as one of significant healthcare issues and prioritises development of rules regarding antibiotic use, limiting over-the-counter usage of antibiotics and limiting usage of antibiotics as growth promoters in livestock.
• It is significant to utilise the current drugs judiciously.