TNPSC Current Affairs October 23, 2020

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs October 23, 2020 (23/10/2020)

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Topic: International Events

G-20 Anti-Corruption Working Group Meeting

Recently, Saudi Arabia hosted the first-ever Ministerial Meeting of the G-20 Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG) virtually. Currently, Saudi Arabia holds the presidency of G-20 and is the first Arab nation to do so.

 

 

Key facts:

G-20 Anti-Corruption Working Group:

It was set up in June 2010 at the Toronto Summit of G-20. The year 2020 marks its 10th anniversary.

Objective of the G20 is to prepare “comprehensive recommendations for consideration by leaders on how the G20 could continue to make practical and valuable contributions to international efforts to combat corruption”.

ACWG has led the G-20 anti-corruption efforts coordinating the collective and national actions taken by its members. It actively works with the World Bank Group, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), etc.

G-20:

It is an informal group of 19 countries and the European Union (EU), with representatives of the IMF and the World Bank.

The G20 membership comprises a mix of the world’s largest advanced and emerging economies, representing about two-thirds of the world’s population, 85% of global gross domestic product (GDP) 80% of global investment and over 75% of global trade.

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Topic: International Events

Sri Lankan Parliament passes 20th Amendment

20th Amendment to Sri Lanka’s Constitution was recently passed.

Key facts:

It envisages expansive powers and greater immunity for the Executive President.

The Amendment rolls back Sri Lanka’s 19th Amendment, a 2015 legislation that sought to clip presidential powers, while strengthening Parliament. The new legislation in turn reduces the Prime Minister’s role to a ceremonial one.

Why was the 19th Amendment introduced? (Have a brief overview):

It mainly sought to weaken the power of the presidency which the 18th amendment had greatly expanded.

The 18th amendment allowed four basic changes:

The President can seek re-election any number of times;

The ten-member Constitutional Council has been replaced with a five-member Parliamentary Council;

Independent commissions are brought under the authority of the President; and,

It enables the President to attend Parliament once in three months and entitles him to all the privileges, immunities, and powers of a Member of Parliament other than the entitlement to vote.

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Topic: General Administration, Latest Diary of Events

Anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), Nag

DRDO recently carried out the final user trial of the third-generation anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), Nag, at the Pokhran firing range.

 

 

Developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Nag ATGM can be launched from both- land as well as air-based platforms.

With a range of 4-7 km, the missile is fitted with home-developed infrared seeker and avionics, the capabilities possessed by only a few nations in the world.

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Topic: Latest inventions on Science and Technology

Tubarial salivary glands

They are a set of salivary glands deep in the upper part of the throat. They were discovered recently by Scientists in the Netherlands.

The glands are about 1.5 inches (3.9 centimeters) in length on average and are located over a piece of cartilage called the torus tubarius. The glands probably lubricate and moisten the upper throat behind the nose and mouth.

The discovery may be important for cancer treatment. Until now, there were three known large salivary glands in humans: one under the tongue, one under the jaw and one at the back of the jaw, behind the cheek.

 

 

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Topic: Latest Diary of Events

Indian Navy deploys its first Batch of Women Pilots

The Indian Navy deployed its first batch of women pilots on Dornier Aircraft at Kochi on October 22, 2020. The deployment was done by the Southern Naval Command of Indian Navy.

 

 

Key facts:

The first batch include three women pilots – Lieutenant Divya Sharma, Lieutenant Shivangi and Lieutenant Shubhangi Swaroop.

The three women pilot were trained with both the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy before the Dornier Operational Flying Training (DOFT) course. Under the DOFT course, lieutenants are graduated as “fully operational maritime pilots”.