theIASHub | 10 May, 2025 | 5
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India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement: Recently, India and New Zealand successfully concluded the first round of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), marking a significant step toward strengthening bilateral economic relations.
o Trade in Goods: Covers both agricultural and industrial products.
o Trade in Services: Includes sectors like banking, information technology, education, healthcare, and construction.
o Advanced Provisions: Many modern FTAs also cover investment protections, intellectual property rights (IPRs), government procurement, and fair competition policies.
Three Jan Suraksha Schemes: Recently, India’s flagship social security schemes Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY) completed 10 years of providing affordable financial protection and empowering citizens through enhanced social security coverage.
o Key Feature: The scheme offers a one-year renewable cover and is administered through LIC and other insurance companies, with tie-ups with banks and post offices for enrollment.
o Eligibility: Available to bank or post office account holders aged 18-50, who provide consent for auto-debit.
o Premium: Rs. 436 annually, deducted through auto-debit.
o Benefits: Rs. 2 lakh in case of death due to any cause.
o Achievements: As of April 2025, more than 23.63 crore enrollments have been recorded, with claims totaling Rs. 18,397.92 crore.
o Key Feature: This one-year renewable cover is offered through public sector and private insurance companies, with enrollments managed by banks and post offices.
o Eligibility: Available to bank or post office account holders aged 18-70, who opt for auto-debit.
o Premium: Rs. 20 annually, deducted via auto-debit.
o Benefits: Rs. 2 lakh for accidental death or total disability and Rs. 1 lakh for partial disability.
o Achievements: As of April 2025, over 51.06 crore enrollments and Rs. 3,121.02 crore in claims have been recorded.
o Eligibility: Open to bank account holders aged 18-40, who are not taxpayers.
o Benefits: Guaranteed monthly pension ranging from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 5,000 after 60, based on contributions made.
o Disbursement: The pension continues to the spouse after the subscriber’s death, with the accumulated corpus returned to the nominee.
o Progress: As of April 2025, over 7.66 crore individuals have enrolled, with women comprising 47% of the total subscribers.
Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) : Recently, the latest climate data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) revealed that the first four months of 2025 have been the warmest on record.
o Global surface air temperatures have remained consistently high, with April 2025 marking the second-warmest April ever documented.
o Comparison with April 2024: Slightly cooler than the hottest April on record, but still 1.51°C above pre-industrial levels, maintaining temperatures above the 1.5°C threshold for 21 of the last 22 months.
o 12-Month Average: From May 2024 to April 2025, global temperatures were 1.58°C higher than pre-industrial levels.
o Sea Surface Temperatures (SST): April 2025 SST was 20.89°C, the second-highest on record, with the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea showing exceptional warmth.
o Arctic and Antarctic Sea Ice: Arctic sea ice was 3% below average, the sixth-lowest on record, while Antarctic sea ice was 10% below average.
o Data Coverage: Provides global/regional climate data (temperature, sea levels, GHGs) via satellite and ground sources.
o Applications: Aids policy-making, risk assessment, and resilience in key sectors.
o Open Access: Free, transparent data available through the Climate Data Store (CDS).
o Global Collaboration: Partners with WMO and others for climate monitoring and response.
Dibru-Saikhowa National Park : Recently, Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is facing threats to its feral horses and wildlife due to annual floods submerging large areas of the park.
o Vegetation: Moist mixed forests, largest salix swamp in northeastern India, with a tropical monsoon climate.
o Flora: Includes Dillenia indica, Bischofia javanica, Bombax ceiba, and Lagerstroemia parviflora.
o Fauna:Tiger, elephant, leopard, jungle cat, bears, small Indian civet, squirrels, gangetic dolphin, slow loris, Assamese macaque, etc.
o Birdlife: Recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA).Over 382 bird species, including Greater Adjutant Stork, Lesser Adjutant Stork, and Greater Crested Grebe.
o IUCN status: Endangered
o Not legally recognized as wild animals under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
o They inhabit open grasslands, forests, and woodlands, typically within 5–6 km of water sources.
o They are not true wild horses; the only recognized wild horse species is the Takhi.
o Australia has the largest population .
Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF): The International Monetary Fund recently cleared two significant financial tranches for Pakistan, with a $1 billion disbursement under its EFF and a $1.3 billion tranche under the RSF, as part of its broader $7-billion financial support package.
o Features: Supports comprehensive programs with a focus on policies needed to correct structural imbalances over an extended period.
o Offers longer program engagement and a longer repayment period.
o Features: Complements the IMF’s existing lending toolkit by providing longer-term, affordable financing to address longer-term challenges.
oHelps countries build resilience to external shocks and ensure sustainable growth.
o Stand-By Arrangement (SBA): For short-term balance of payments problems (12–24 months).
o Flexible Credit Line (FCL): Precautionary line for countries with strong fundamentals, no conditionalities post-approval.
o Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI): Quick financial assistance with no conditionalities.
o Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT): Concessional loans for low-income countries.
Annual South Asia Press Freedom Report 2024-25: Recently, releases its 23rd annual South Asia Press Freedom Report, entitled ‘Frontline Democracy: Media Amid Political Churn’.
oIt has found that “manipulated and falsified information” to be the “most severe short-term risk the world faces”, and identifies “India as having the highest risk of misinformation and disinformation globally”.
o The report assesses the state of press freedom across South Asian countries, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives, and Afghanistan.
o 250 media rights violations were recorded, including:
o 20 targeted killings of journalists and media workers, a sharp increase from 8 deaths in the previous year.
o Over 190 instances of journalists being assaulted, threatened, or harassed, often by law enforcement agencies.
o At least 70 media professionals were jailed or detained, with 19 journalists remaining behind bars at the time of publication.
Shree Lairai Devi Temple : In a devastating incident, at least 6 people lost their lives, and over 70 others were injured in a stampede that occurred in Shirgaon village, North Goa's Bicholim, during the annual Lairai Jatra procession at the Shree Lairai Devi temple.
o Symbolizes religious harmony, revered by both Hindus and Catholics.
o Architecture: Traditional Goan design with intricate carvings and vibrant interiors.
o Annual Festival: Hosts the Lairai Devi Jatra (Shirgao Jatra) featuring the fire-walking ritual (Agnidivya) performed by "dhonds."
o Festival Highlights: Begins with processions, dances, and drumming, followed by a midnight bonfire and early-morning fire-walking.
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