- Reko Diq project
- An international arbitration court has imposed a penalty of over 5 billion dollars on Pakistan for unlawful denial of a mining lease to a company for the Reko Diq project in 2011.
Key highlights
- The Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) had filed claims for international arbitration before the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) in 2012 after the Balochistan government rejected a leasing request from the company.
- The company had claimed 11.43 billion dollars in damages. The case between the Pakistan government and the company continued for seven years.
- The Reko Diq mine in Balochistan province of Pakistan is famous for its vast gold and copper reserves.
- As ransomware rages, debate is on response
- According to data compiled by the Internet Society’s Online Trust Alliance, globally, losses from ransomware rose by 60% last year to $8 billion.
About:
- Globally, losses from ransomware attacks known as “WannaCry” and “NotPetya” rose by 60% last year to $8 billion, according to data compiled by the Internet Society’s Online Trust Alliance.
- Earlier this year, services in the U.S. cities of Baltimore and Maryland were paralysed when a ransomware attack locked up computer networks.
- Officials refused to meet hacker demands for a ransom of $76,000 to unlock the systems, but have been saddled with an estimated $18 million in costs of restoring and rebuilding the city’s computer networks.
- The dilemma in such cases highlight tough choices faced by cities, hospitals and corporations hit by ransomware. While the security agencies warn against paying ransoms, some analysts say there is no clear answer for victims when critical data is locked.
- India is home to 1,256 species of orchid, says first comprehensive survey
- India is home to 1,256 species of orchid, according to the first comprehensive census of orchids of India.
About:
- Orchids of India: A Pictorial Guide was published recently by the Botanical Survey of India.
- It is the first comprehensive census of orchids of India.
Key highlights:
- The 1,256 species or taxation of orchids belong are found in India.
- 388 species of orchids are endemic to India of which about one-third (128) endemic species are found in Western Ghats.
- The publication also contains photographs of 775 species.
- While north-east India rank at the top in species concentration, the Western Ghats have high endemism of orchids.
- The highest number of orchid species is recorded from Arunachal Pradesh with 612 species, followed by Sikkim 560 species and West Bengal.
- Among the 10 bio geographic zones of India, the Himalayan zone is the richest in terms of orchid species followed by Northeast, Western Ghats, Deccan plateau and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Categories:
- Orchids can be broadly categorised into three life forms: (1) epiphytic, (2) terrestrial and (3) mycoheterotrophic.
- About 757 species or 60% of all orchids found in the country are epiphytic, 447 are terrestrial and 43 are mycoheterotrophic.
- Kartarpur Gurudwara: Pakistan agrees to allow year-long visa-free access
- Pakistan has agreed to give year-long visa-free access for Indian pilgrims to the holy Gurdwara of Kartarpur Sahib. The agreement was reached at the second formal meeting held at Wagah.
About:
- It was agreed to allow visa-free travel for the Indian passport-holders and OCI card-holders seven days a week.
- Throughout the year, 5,000 pilgrims will be allowed to visit the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara per day. The pilgrims will be allowed to travel as individuals or in groups and also on foot.
- There will be provision for a permit system for the pilgrims travelling through the religious corridor.
- India also urged Pakistan to allow ‘Nagar Kirtan’ from Delhi to Nankana Sahib in Pakistan in July and during October-November 2019 as part of the celebrations to mark the birth of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.
- Sexual offence cases not being probed in stipulated time
- According to the ITSSO analysis of crime data in the seven States, sexual offence cases not being probed in stipulated time.
ITSSO:
- In February 2019, the Union Home Ministry launched an analytics tool — Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO) to monitor and track time-bound investigation.
- ITSSO is part of the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS) that connects over 15,000 police stations across the country.
Key Findings
- According to the ITSSO analysis of crime data in the 7 States — Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh. Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand — investigation into nearly half the sexual offences cases are not being completed within the stipulated 60-day period.
- To check sexual crimes against women and children, the Centre approved the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018 last year which prescribed the time-limit for completion of investigation.
- In many States, the fast-track courts designated to handle rape cases are also handling other criminal cases leading to delay in verdicts.