Current Affairs 27th March 2018

Current Affairs 27th March 2018 - Important Points

• SC seeks centre's response on pleas challenging which two practices among Muslim community - Polygamy and Nikah halala
• First International Exhibition of Graphic Prints held in New Delhi with the name of - Print Biennale India 2018
• First district of India to have 100% solar powered health centres - Surat
• Malaysia proposes 10 years in jail for publishers of fake news on - 26th March 2018
• World’s longest sandstone cave Krem Puri discovered in - Meghalaya
• National Conference on Down syndrome held in Delhi on - 26th March 2018
• SC rules interference by Khap Panchayat in marriages as ‘absolutely illegal’ on - 27th March 2018

Current Affairs 27th March 2018 - Details

SC seeks centre's response on pleas challenging which two practices among Muslim community - Polygamy and Nikah halala

On 26th March 2018, Supreme Court issued notice to Centre and Law Commission to seek their response on constitutial validity of the practices of Polygamy and Nikah Halala. These two practices are there in Muslim Community.

Bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud stated that a five judge constitution willbe set up to deal with it. Court was hearing petitions and PIL's challenging the traditional Islamin practices of Polygamy and Nikah Halala.

First International Exhibition of Graphic Prints held in New Delhi with the name of - Print Biennale India 2018

First ever International Print Biennale was held in New Delhi on 26th March 2018. Lalit Kala Akademi was hosting this event.

At this event total 200 original prints are created by both Indian and International artists. In total 17 countries has taken part into this event. Total 127 national level entries were chosen to display.

Lalit Kala Academi :

Lalit Kala Academi is academy of fine arts of India. It is an autonomous organisation which was established in 1954. Aim of this organisation is to promote and propagate understanding of Indian art. Ministry of Culture funds it and its main office is at Ravindra Bhawan, New Delhi.

First district of India to have 100% solar powered health centres - Surat

Surat district of Gujarat has become the first district of Country to tave 100 percent solar powered Primary health centers. All 52 Primary health centers of Surat are now powered by solar system.

Malaysia proposes 10 years in jail for publishers of fake news on - 26th March 2018

Malaysian Government timetabled a bill in parliament to desperado fake news suggesting hefty fines and 10-year imprisonment for fake news publishers on March 26 th , 2018.
The bill comes in advance of the General Elections that are supposed to be organised in coming few weeks.
Earlier, the elections were believed to be organise in August 2018, but, that have been pre-planned as PM Najib Razak receives wide disapproval under 1MDB scandal, linking an obligated state fund.
 More about Anti-Fake News Bill

• The Bill outlines fake news as news, information or reports which single or completely or incompletely is/are includes incorrect features, visuals-audio footages. 
• Under the Anti-Fake News Bill, any person/organisation who circulates false news could face fines up to 500000 ringgits, up to 10-year imprisonment, or both. 
• It looks forward to protect the public in contradiction of the increasing the incidents of fake news while making sure the right to freedom of speech/expression under the Federal Constitution.
• It is also applicable to lawbreakers outside Malaysia, consisting foreigners, as long as Malaysia or any Malaysian citizen is affected.
• However, the Bill has been conflicted by media peoples and others who suppose the Bill in the form of an attack on the press and an effort to instil terror among the citizens.

1MDB scandal

• The 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal was uncovered by foreign media and news in 2015. In spite of various accusations, Prme Minister Najib Razak has steadily refused of any offence.
• The Malaysian government has taken a harsh action against media reporting on 1MDB scandal. It adjourned The Edge newspaper in 2015 and barred other websites also.
• Dealings concerned to 1Malaysia Development Berhad are under examination in 6 nations including the USA, where the Department of Justice initiated the civil cases to recuperate assets connected to the funds after deep investigations.

World’s longest sandstone cave Krem Puri discovered in - Meghalaya

The world’s longest sand-stone cave termed Krem Puri was located near Laitsohum village in East Khasi Hills region of Meghalaya. 
Krem Puri Underground Cavern

• Krem Puri is over 6,000m longer than the world record-holder cave "Cueva Del Saman" in Edo Zulia, Venezuela, which is about 18,200 m.
• It is recognized for its multifaceted cave systems secreted under its rolling hills. 
• This sand-stone cave is also India’s 2nd longest cave afterward limestone Krem Liat Prah-Umim Labit system that measured little more than 31 kilometres in Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. 
• Krem Puri caves also has fossils of dinosaurs and particularly Mosasaurus which was a massive reptile that lived 66-76 million years earlier.
  Expedition
• Krem Puri cave was revealed back in the year 2016 with a length of 24,583 m, but its genuine length was attained during the excursion by the Meghalaya Adventurers’ Association to calculate and map the cave between February 5th and March 1st, 2018.
• The excursion team was attended by 2 associated scientists from India who directed ongoing bio-speleological observations of the zones.
• Krem Lumshken is situated near to the Mawlongbna Tourism Guest House, demonstrated to be the 2nd longest cave to be discovered in 2018, calculated 3,424 metres of cave passageway.

National Conference on Down syndrome held in Delhi on - 26th March 2018

On March 26th , 2018, a ‘National Conference on Down Syndrome’ was planned by the National Trust under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in New Delhi. The meeting was initiated by Chairman of National Trust, Dr. Kamlesh Kumar Pandey, in the attendance of Mukesh Jain, JS and  Chief Executive Officer of National Trust, Chairperson of Down Syndrome Federation of India, Dr. Surekha Ramachandran and other shareholders linked with Down syndrome.  
The main agenda of the meeting was to deliver excellent options to the parents to get data about latest progress in education, skill about the persons living with Down-syndrome.
Key highlights

• The conference delivered a mutual platform to intellects from all spheres of life to come together and interchange ideas and knowledge on Down-syndrome to permit a optimistic change in the people with Down-syndrome. 
• People suffering from Down-Syndrome along with their parents, were also requested to share their inspiring stories.
• It also comprised panel talks on various subjects linked to the disorder and questions sessions with senior doctors of renown hospitals. 
• A book subjected “Twilights Children” grounded on the lifestyles of people suffering from Down-syndrome, was also out in the event.
  Down syndrome
• Down-syndrome is a genetic problem and the most common autosomal chromosome anomaly in humans, where additional Genetic material from chromosome-21 is passed to a newly developed embryo. 
• These additional genes and DNA results into alterations in progress of the embryo and foetus that causes physical and mental irregularities. 
• The children identified with the down-syndrome are likely to have overdue development and behavioural issues. 
• The down-syndrome has no treatment and it occurs in around 1/1,000 babies born every year.

US, Canada and European Union nations expel over 100 Russian diplomats

Over 21 countries, in unity with the UK, headed by the USA declared the exclusion of more than 100 Russian representatives on March 26 th , 2018. Britain has before now disqualified 23 Russian representatives.
The initiative is stated to be the biggest joint western exclusion of Russian ambassadors since the height of Cold War. It trails accusations against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government for having a red-hand in the poisoning of an earlier Russian spy in the UK. 
The nations that took the risky step consist the USA, Albania, Ukraine, Norway, Canada, Australia and several European Union countries consisting France, Hungary, Spain, Lithuania, Latvia, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Croatia, Romania, Netherlands, Finland, Poland, Estonia, Czech Republic and Sweden.
Key Highlights 

• The USA excluded 60 Russian ambassadors, re-counting them as intelligence officers and suggested the finishing of the Russian embassy in Seattle.
• Many of these excluded ambassadors are grounded at Russia's Permanent Mission to the UNs.
• The United States has provided all the Russian ambassadors and their families 7-days' time to leave the nation.
• Further, Ukraine has declared the exclusion of thirteen Russian ambassadors, France, Germany, Poland and Canada excluded four each and the Czech Republic and Lithuania excluded three ambassadors each.
• Between the residual nations, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Australia, Denmark and Albania declared the exclusion of two ambassadors each while the rest including Estonia, Sweden, Hungary, Norway, Latvia, Croatia, Finland and Romania excluded 1 each.
• Iceland also declared that it is suspending elite dialogue with Russian establishments, and its influential will not be present at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, that begins in Russia in June.

Significance

• The joint exclusions from the United States and European Union member states is a important political victory for United Kingdom PM Theresa May, particularly since it comes at a time when United Kingdom-European Union relationships are stressed due to the Brexit discussions.
• It also symbols an important strengthening of the Trump administration's deportment towards Russia.

SC rules interference by Khap Panchayat in marriages as ‘absolutely illegal’ on - 27th March 2018

The Supreme Court labelled the interference by illegal gettogethers including “khap panchayat” in the matters of marriages of 2-consenting adults as’ unquestionably illegal’ and placed rules to prevent such interruptions on March 27 th , 2018. 

The ruling was passed by a 3-judge bench consisting Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M.Khanwilkar and D.Y.Chandrachud. The bench placed some punitive and corrective actions to be trailed until a appropriate legislation is passed by the Parliament. 
Key Highlights 

• The governing came on an appeal filed against khap panchayats by NGO Shakti Vahini, which had stimulated the Supreme court in 2010 looking forward defense of couples from honour-killings.
• The Supreme court also pursued guidelines from the Centre and state governments to avoid honour-killings.
  Did you know?
• In January 2018, the similar bench of Justices had labelled any attack by khap panchayats against an adult male and female selecting for inter-caste marriage as perfectly unlawful.
• It had governed that if an adult male and female agree to marry, no khap panchayat, individual can enquiry them.