Smugglers trafficking rhino horns with impunity: report

• A comprehensive analysis titled ‘Executive Summary of the Rhino Horn Trafficking as a Form of Transnational Organised Crime (2012-2021): 2022 Global Threat Assessment’, was presented at the meeting of the Conference of Parties organised by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
• Supported by the World Wide Fund for Nature, the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) prepared the document on the rhino horn trafficking during the decade from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2021.
• The threat assessment was compiled from the analysis of 674 rhino horn seizure incidents that had occurred globally during this decade, in addition to seven years of criminal intelligence and findings from the WJC investigations into the rhino horn trafficking, conducted since 2015.
• The report said six countries and territories have dominated the rhino horn trafficking routes from the source to the destination locations although more than 50 countries and territories were implicated in the transnational crime.
• These countries were South Africa, Mozambique, Malaysia, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Vietnam, and China.
• Prolific Vietnamese and Chinese criminal networks are driving the racket throughout the supply chain.
  • Vietnam is a highly significant transit and distribution area for products ultimately bound for China.

The Greater One-horned Rhinoceros:

• The greater one-horned rhino (or “Indian rhino”) is the largest of the rhino species
• It is identified by a single black horn and a grey-brown hide with skin folds.
• This species of rhino is commonly found in Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and in Assam, India.
• Protection Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

It is one of the five species of Rhinos. The other four species are:

• White rhino: It is native to northern and southern Africa
• Black rhino: It is native to eastern and southern Africa
• Javan rhino: It is also known as Sunda rhino or lesser one-horned rhino
• Sumatran rhino: Critically Endangered species of rhino

Court gives nod for narco test on Aftab Poonawalla, What is a narco test?

• The term narco analysis is derived from the Greek word narko (meaning anaesthesia or Torpor) and is used to describe a diagnostic and psychotherapeutic technique that uses psychotropic drugs, particularly barbiturates.
• In a ‘narco’ or narcoanalysis test, a drug called sodium pentothal is injected into the body of the accused, which transports them to a hypnotic or sedated state, in which their imagination is neutralised.
• In this hypnotic state, the accused is understood as being incapable of lying, and is expected to divulge information that is true.
• Sodium pentothal or sodium thiopental:
  • Sodium pentothal or sodium thiopental is a fast-acting, short duration anaesthetic, which is used in larger doses to sedate patients during surgery.
  • It belongs to the barbiturate class of drugs that act on the central nervous system as depressants.
  • Because the drug is believed to weaken the subject’s resolve to lie, it is sometimes referred to as a “truth serum”, and is said to have been used by intelligence operatives during World War II.

Polygraph test:

• A polygraph test is based on the assumption that physiological responses that are triggered when a person is lying are different from what they would be otherwise.
• A polygraph test does not involved injecting drugs into the body; rather instruments like cardio-cuffs or sensitive electrodes are attached to the suspect, and variables such as blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration, change in sweat gland activity, blood flow, etc., are measured as questions are put to them.
• A numerical value is assigned to each response to conclude whether the person is telling the truth, is deceiving, or is uncertain.

Supreme Court Judgements:

• In ‘Selvi & Ors vs State of Karnataka & Anr’ (2010), a Supreme Court ruled that no lie detector tests should be administered “except on the basis of consent of the accused”.
  • Those who volunteer must have access to a lawyer, and have the physical, emotional, and legal implications of the test explained to them by police and the lawyer.
  • The ‘Guidelines for the Administration of Polygraph Test on an Accused’ published by the National Human Rights Commission in 2000, must be strictly followed.
  • The subject’s consent should be recorded before a judicial magistrate.
  • Any information or material subsequently discovered with the help of such a voluntarily-taken test can be admitted as evidence
• Cases:
• The narco analysis test was most notably used in the 2002 Gujarat riots case, Abdul Karim Telgi fake stamp paper scam, the Nithari killings case in 2007 and the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case on captured terrorist Ajmal Kasab.

Help bring capital into National Infrastructure Pipeline, PM Gati Shakti: FM to NIIF

• NIIF is an investor-owned fund manager, anchored by the Government of India (GoI) in collaboration with leading global and domestic institutional investors.
• The Indian government has 49 % stake in NIIF with the rest held by marquee foreign and domestic investors.
• NIIF was set up as an alternative investment fund (AIF) in 2015 with a planned corpus of ₹40,000 crore.

Headquarters: Mumbai.

Objective: To provide long-term capital to the country’s infrastructure sector.

Funds managed:

• NIIF currently manages three funds each with its distinctive investment mandate namely
  • (1) Master fund,
  • (2) Fund Of Funds and
  • (3) Strategic Fund.
• The funds are registered as Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

Subarctic boreal forest, vital for the planet, is at risk

• The boreal forest (or “taiga”) is the world’s largest land biome.
• Boreal Ecozone:
  • It principally spans 8 countries:
  • Canada, China, Finland, Japan, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States.
• Boreal forests are defined as forests growing in high-latitude environments where freezing temperatures occur for 6 to 8 months and in which trees are capable of reaching a minimum height of 5 m and a canopy cover of 10%.
• It is typically comprised of coniferous tree species such as pine, spruce and fir with some broadleaf species such as poplar and birch.
• The circumboreal belt of forest represents about 30% of the global forest area, contains more surface freshwater than any other biome.
• The forest -- named for Boreas, the Greek god of the north wind -- covers 10 percent of the world''s land surface and has a decisive impact on the globe''s northern oceans and overall climate.
• The boreal forest is second only to the Amazon in terms of its vital role in ensuring the future of the planet.
• The boreal forest holds twice as much carbon as all tropical forests combined, and also helps purify a massive amount of freshwater.

Threats:

• increasing forest fires,
• the melting of permafrost,
• intensifying insect infestations and
• warming temperatures.

Drunken trees:

• They are tilted sideways due to melting permafrost.
• Eventually, the soil will completely erode away from the roots, and the trees will tumble.
• This buckling and sinking is because of the degradation of the permafrost, ground that has remained frozen for at least two years in a row.

IFSCA signs MoU with RBI in the field of regulation, supervision of regulated entities

• The MoU facilitates technical cooperation and exchange of information.
• The agreement aims to strengthen the safety, stability and soundness of respective financial ecosystems, thereby ensuring conducive environments for optimal business development and economic growth.
• While RBI is the central bank and monetary authority of India, the International Financial Services Centres Authority is a unified regulator responsible for development and regulation of financial products, financial services and financial institutions in the International Financial Services Centre (s), established across the country.

International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA):

• The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has been established on April 27, 2020 under the International Financial Services Centres Authority Act, 2019.
• It is headquartered at GIFT City, Gandhinagar in Gujarat.

Role of IFSCA:

• The IFSCA is a unified authority for the development and regulation of financial products, financial services and financial institutions in the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in India.
• At present, the GIFT IFSC is the maiden international financial services centre in India.
• Prior to the establishment of IFSCA, the domestic financial regulators, namely, RBI, SEBI, PFRDA and IRDAI regulated the business in IFSC.
• The main objective of the IFSCA is to develop a strong global connect and focus on the needs of the Indian economy as well as to serve as an international financial platform for the entire region and the global economy as a whole.

10th International Tourism Mart in Mizoram kick starts today

• The 10th International Tourism Mart (ITM) for the northeast region will focus on "priorities of G20 for tourism track", since India will assume the yearlong Presidency of the influential group for a year from December 1 to November 30 next year.
• Mizoram is hosting this mart for the first time.
• The earlier editions of the event have been held in Guwahati, Tawang, Shillong, Gangtok, Agartala, Imphal and Kohima.
• The International Tourism Mart (ITM) is an annual event organised in the North Eastern region with the objective of highlighting the tourism potential of the region in the domestic and international markets.
• It brings together the tourism business fraternity and entrepreneurs from the 8 North Eastern States.
• The event has been planned to facilitate interaction between buyers, sellers, media, Government agencies and other stakeholders.
• The ITMs are organised in the 8 North Eastern States on rotation basis.

4th Edition of Indian Chemicals Council Sustainability Conclave inaugurated in New Delhi

• Theme of the two-day event is ‘boardrooms to Community-ESG, Carbon Neutrality, Operational Safety, Greener Solutions’.
• The Conclave aims to promote sustainability in the management of the entire life cycle of chemicals.
• Initiative:
  • It is being organized jointly with United Nations Environment Program and International Council of Chemical Associations with support of Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP):

• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading environmental authority in the United Nations system.
• It was established in 1972.
• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been the global authority that sets the environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the UN system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

Indian Chemicals Council (ICC):

• It was established in 1938.
• It is the apex national body representing all branches of the Chemical Industry in India such as Organic & Inorganic Chemicals, Plastics & Petrochemicals & Petroleum Refineries, Dyestuffs & Dye-intermediates, Fertilizers & Pesticides, Specialty Chemicals, Paints etc.
• The Indian Chemical Council is dedicated to the growth of the Indian Chemical Industry.
• The Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, has authorised all ICC offices (Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai) to issue the CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN for the exporters.
• ICC also has two initiatives - Responsible Care and Nicer Globe.

CAG among most prestigious audit institutions in the world: LS Speaker

• Comptroller and Auditor General of India is the apex authority responsible for external and internal audits of the expenses of the National and state governments in the country.
• The Constitution of India provides for an independent office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in Chapter V.
• The CAG is mentioned in the Constitution of India under Article 148 – 151.
• Article 148 broadly deals with the CAG appointment, oath and conditions of service.
• Article 149 deals with duties and powers of the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India.
• Article 150 says that the accounts of the Union and of the States shall be kept in such form as the President may, on the advice of the CAG, prescribe.
• Article 151 says that the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India relating to the accounts of the Union shall be submitted to the President, who shall cause them to be laid before each House of Parliament.
• As per Article 279 Calculation of "net proceeds" is ascertained and certified by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India, whose certificate is final.
• Third Schedule of the Constitution of India prescribes the form of oath or affirmation to be made by the Judges of the Supreme Court and the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India at the time of assumption of office.
• As per Article 148 of the Constitution, there shall be a Comptroller and Auditor-General of India who shall be appointed by the President and can be removed from office only in the manner and on the grounds that a Judge of the Supreme Court is removed.
• He holds office for a period of six years or upto the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
• CAG audits the accounts related to all expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India, Consolidated Fund of each state and UT’s having a legislative assembly.
• He audits all expenditure from the Contingency Fund of India and the Public Account of India as well as the Contingency Fund and Public Account of each state.
• He audits all trading, manufacturing, profit and loss accounts, balance sheets and other subsidiary accounts kept by any department of the Central Government and the state governments.
• CAG audits the receipts and expenditure of all bodies and authorities substantially financed from the Central or State revenues; government companies; other corporations and bodies, when so required by related laws.
• He audits the accounts of any other authority when requested by the President or Governor e.g. Local bodies.
• He advises the President with regard to prescription of the form in which the accounts of the Centre and States shall be kept.

Reports by CAG:

• The CAG submits his audit reports relating to the accounts of the Centre to the President, who shall, in turn, place them before both the houses of Parliament.
• He submits 3 audit reports to the President
  • Audit report on appropriation accounts
  • Audit report on finance accounts
  • Audit report on public undertakings
• He also submits his audit reports relating to the accounts of a State to the Governor, who shall, in turn, place them before the state legislature.

India, Australia hold 5th bilateral cyber policy dialogue in New Delhi

• The Cyber Policy Dialogue was held under the auspices of the India-Australia Framework Arrangement on Cyber and Cyber-Enabled Critical Technology Cooperation and Plan of Action 2020-2025 for a comprehensive and deeper cyber cooperation.
• It provides a bilateral platform to discuss a range of high-profile issues of mutual interest.
• Discussions:
  • Discussions at this Dialogue included strategic priorities, cyber threat assessment, next generation telecommunications (including 5G technology) capacity building and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, and the latest developments in cyber at the United Nations.
• Australia and India agreed to explore opportunities for further collaboration with the private sector and academia.
• Cyber Bootcamp:
  • Both countries will jointly conduct a Cyber Bootcamp, as well as Cyber and Tech Policy Exchanges, in collaboration with Indo-Pacific partners.
• The sixth India-Australia Cyber Policy Dialogue will be held next year.

Indian Army celebrates 242nd Corps of Engineers Day on 18 November

• The Corps of Engineers provides combat engineering support, develops infrastructure for armed forces and other defence organisations and maintains connectivity along our vast borders besides providing succour to populace during natural disasters.
• Four pillars of the Corps:
  • These tasks are executed through four pillars of the Corps - Combat Engineers, Military Engineer Service, Border Road Organisation and Military Survey.
• Three groups:
  • The Corps of Engineers has three groups, i.e. Madras Sappers, Bengal Sappers and Bombay Sappers which were amalgamated into the Corps on 18 Nov 1932.
• Since its inception, history is replete with colossal exemplary contributions of the Corps of Engineers both in war and peace.