China reported the first case from new Coronavirus
Context : Chinese health authorities reported that a new virus implicated in a pneumonia outbreak was identified in the city of Wuhan, China. The researchers discovered that the new strain of the virus is that of the coronavirus.
Coronavirus :
Coronaviruses infects the respiratory tract.
Symptoms :
The virus shows symptoms like runny nose, cough, sore throat, and fever. There are six coronaviruses that can infect humans, including the viruses that cause Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
Previous Outbreaks :
In 2002-03, Coronavirus killed more than 700 people in the world. The virus originated in China. There is no specific vaccine for the virus as of 2019. The virus was first identified in Saudi Arabia, in 2012. Most cases were found in the Arabian peninsula.
Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre
Context : Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Through the portal, people can report cyber crimes online.
Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) :
- I4C and the portal will let all cybercrime-related complaints be accessed by law enforcement agencies in the states and union territories (UTs) to take action as per the law.
- More than 700 police districts and more than 3,900 police stations have been connected to the portal, www.cybercrime.gov.in, so far.
- It is a citizen-centric initiative.
- The portal aims to boost the capacity of the law enforcement agencies to investigate cases
- It is expected that it will improve the success rate of prosecutions.
- The portal also focuses on specific crimes especially those related to finance and social media like cyberbullying, stalking, etc.
- It will improve coordination amongst the agencies of law enforcement in different states, districts, and police stations to deal with cybercrimes in a coordinated and effective manner.
The 7 main components are:
1) National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit
2) National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal
3) National Cyber Crime Training Centre
4) Cyber Crime Ecosystem Management Unit
5) National Cyber Crime Research and Innovation Centre
6) National Cyber Crime Forensic Laboratory Ecosystem
7) Platform for Joint Cyber Crime Investigation Team.
National Youth Day
Context : National Youth Day or Yuva Diwas is observed on 12 January across India. The day is celebrated every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. It aims to create awareness and to provide knowledge to the youth about the rights in India.
Aim :
The main aim of the celebration of the Youth day is to propagate the philosophy and the ideals of Swami Vivekananda for which he lived and worked.
Theme :
The theme of theNational Youth Day 2020is “Channelizing Youth Power for Nation Building”. It aims to inspire the youth generations and to educate them to behave properly in society.
Events :
On this day, several functions are organized in schools, colleges, institutions. The day is celebrated by performing the parade, recitations, songs, speech on Swami Vivekananda, conventions, essay-writing competition, seminar, etc.
History :
The Indian Government first declared to celebrate the birthday of Swami Vivekananda as National Youth Day in 1984. Since then from 12 January 1985, it is celebrated as National Youth Day all over the country. The government aims to make a better future of India by motivating the youth of the nation through the way of their life and ideas of the Swami Vivekananda.
Swami Vivekananda :
Narendra Nath Datta, famously known as Swami Vivekananda, was born on 12 January 1863. He was a philosopher, social reformer, and thinker. He represented India in the first Parliament of Religion held in Chicago in 1893. He established the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897. He urged the youth to have the dedication to the cause to attain success. He said that pursuing a challenge with utmost dedication is really the road to success for the youth. He died on 4 July 1902.
Aadhaar-based Video Customer Identification Process
Context : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched the Aadhaar-based Video Customer Identification Process (V-CIP) on 9 January 2020. The aim of the move is to allow banks and other lenders to remotely complete Know Your Customer (KYC) of customers on videos.
Video Customer Identification Process (V-CIP) :
- RBI has allowed consent-based video-based KYC as an option to establish a customer’s identity.
- It is expected that it will make the process easier for banks and other regulated entities to adhere to the RBI’s KYC norms.
- It moves with a view to leveraging the digital channels for the Customer Identification Process (CIP) by Regulated Entities (REs).
- RES has been encouraged to take the assistance of the latest available technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and face matching technologies, to ensure the integrity of the process and the information furnished by the customer.
- This consent-based method will be an alternate method of establishing the customer’s identity, for customer onboarding.
- This approval by RBI was a long-standing industry demand for several years as many banks, especially digital NBFCs and fin-tech startups, as it will reduce the costs of physically reaching out to customers in remote locations where they did not otherwise have branches.
Operation Sankalp
Context : Indian Navy continues to deploy one warship for Operation SANKALP in order to ensure the safe passage of Indian Flag Vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz amidst deteriorating US-Iran relations.
- Indian Navy launched Operation SANKALP in the Gulf Region on 19th June 2019.
- Indian Navy warships and aircraft are deployed to establish presence, provide a sense of reassurance to the Indian merchantmen, monitor the ongoing situation and respond to any emergent crises like deteriorating US-Iran relations in the recent times.
US-Iran :
- 1979: US-backed Shah of Iran was overthrown and the country became an Islamic republic.
- Dozens of Americans were taken hostage inside the US embassy in the capital Tehran.
- 2015: Iran agreed on a landmark deal to limit its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of tough economic sanctions.
- This move improved Iran’s diplomatic relations with other nations.
- 2018: The US President abandoned the Nuclear Accord and reinstated US sanctions to force Iran’s leaders to agree to a new deal.
- Iran rejected it even the economy of the country was sent into recession.
- 2019: The pressure was stepped up in May by application of secondary sanctions on countries that continued to do business with Iran.
- Relations further deteriorated when oil tankers were sabotaged in the Gulf of Oman.
- Later, Tehran started suspending some of the commitments under the nuclear deal.
- It was followed by attacks and counter-attacks by both countries until January 2020.
- 2020: On 3 January, Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad airport.
- Iran abandoned the last limit on its enrichment of uranium imposed by the nuclear accord as a way of revenge.
- These issues have led to turbulent situations in the Gulf region.