DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS for UPSC by KASHMIR STUDENT
Topic Covered :
1. Unintended Consequences of Lockdowns: COVID-19 and the Shadow Pandemic
2. Facebook, Google told they must pay Australian media for news
3. AIM-iCREST
4. Central Consumer Protection Authority established to promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF LOCKDOWNS: COVID-19 AND THE SHADOW PANDEMIC
Why in news?
The Working Paper titled, “Unintended Consequences of Lockdowns: COVID-19 and the Shadow Pandemic” was published in the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) on July 20.
Highlights:
1. Domestic violence and online sexual abuse cases were higher in red-zone COVID-19 districts as compared to those in orange and green zones, according to a new study which argues that gender-based violence shifted from streets to domestic spaces due to restrictions on mobility.
2. The study highlights that domestic violence complaints rose by 131% and those on online abuse increased by 184% in red zone districts as compared to green zones districts.
3. Correspondingly, there was a significant decrease in harassment, rape, and sexual assault complaints in red and orange zone districts relative to green zone districts in the months during and after the lockdown.
4. The authors compare the complaints received by the National Commission for Women between October 2019 and May 2020 with district-wise data on lockdown categories issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Source : Hindu ( Page 11, 31 Jul. 20)
FACEBOOK, GOOGLE TOLD THEY MUST PAY AUSTRALIAN MEDIA FOR NEWS
Why in news?
Australia’s government has ordered Facebook and Google to share revenue generated from news articles in what it says is a world-first move -- opening up another front in the regulatory and political pushback against the digital giants.
Highlights:
1. The two companies will have to negotiate with traditional media on remuneration in good faith, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said Friday.
2. If no agreement is reached there will be a binding arbitration process and penalties for breaching the code will be up to A$10 million ($7 million), he said.
3. The move is about ensuring a “level playing field” for Australian media companies, Frydenberg said.
4. The draft code, which is open to consultation until Aug. 28 before being legislated later this year, will initially only apply to Google and Facebook but could be extended to other digital companies in the future.
5. Traditional media firms have long complained their content is being exploited by digital platforms without due compensation.
6. As newspapers and broadcasters hemorrhage jobs, their complaints have garnered more political support.
Source : Hindustan Times
AIM-iCREST
Why in news?
Atal Innovation Mission launches ‘AIM-iCREST’, in partnership with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Wadhwani Foundation.
Highlights:
1. AIM iCREST – an Incubator Capabilities enhancement program for a Robust Ecosystem focused on creating high performing Startups. This is a first of its kind initiative for advancing innovation at scale in India.
2. AIM iCREST, as the name suggests, has been designed to enable the incubation ecosystem and act as a growth hack for AIM’s Atal and Established incubators across the country.
3. Under the initiative, the AIM’s incubators are set to be upscaled and provided requisite support to foster the incubation enterprise economy, that will help them to significantly enhance their performance.
4. This will be complemented by providing training to entrepreneurs, through technology driven processes and platforms.
5. The program aims at going beyond incubator capacity building. Given the current pandemic crisis, the effort will focus on supporting start-up entrepreneurs in knowledge creation and dissemination as well as in developing robust and active networks.
Source : India Education Diary
CENTRAL CONSUMER PROTECTION AUTHORITY ESTABLISHED TO PROMOTE, PROTECT AND ENFORCE THE RIGHTS OF CONSUMERS
Why in news?
Central Consumer Protection Authority established to promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers.
Highlights:
1. The objective of the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) is to promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers as a class.
2. It will be empowered to conduct investigations into violation of consumer rights and institute complaints / prosecution, order recall of unsafe goods and services, order discontinuation of unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements, impose penalties on manufacturers/endorsers/publishers of misleading advertisements.
Source : India Education Diary
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