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📰 News : SEBI's algo-trading plan can hit growth: brokers. • Markets regulator SEBI’s proposal of treating all orders emanating from application programming interface (API) as algorithmic or algo - orders can restrict growth of such trading in India, brokerage houses said. • In market parlance, algo trading refers to any order that is generated using automated execution logic. • What is Algo Trading? - Algorithmic trading or Algo trading is computer assisted buying and selling of stocks. • It is also known as automated or programmed trading since pre-programmed computer strategies execute buy and sell trades depending on set parameters, instructions or market pattern and conditions. • Algo trading came to India in 2008 but only savvy traders were using it then. Retail traders have started using advanced algos for trading mainly in the past five years. □ How does it work? • The key purpose of algo trading is speed of order execution. It takes several seconds when humans punch buy and sell traders. • But algos execute orders according to predefined market conditions even before humans can think of executing trades. • Traders can deploy their preprogrammed algos by connecting them to a broker’s trading terminals, which are in turn linked to a stock exchange server. • Before algos came into play, retail traders had to either call their brokers to execute trades or be physically present at the nearest broker’s office. • Mobile trading is also a form of algo trading where orders are executed via Apps. • Order execution without human intervention is an advanced form of algo trading. □ Why is SEBI trying to regulate Algo Trading? • SEBI and stock exchanges regulate and monitor broker terminals but the algo programmes deployed by traders did not require any exchange approvals so far as there were no rules. • But SEBI now believes that unregulated/unapproved algos pose a risk to the market and can be misused for systematic market manipulation as well to lure the retail investors by guaranteeing them higher returns. • The potential loss in case of failed algo strategy is huge for the retail investors. Algo programmers are selling their strategies like assured return products. • Algo trading became controversial in 2015 when it was revealed that NSE gave preferential access to a few algo traders. □ How does SEBI propose to do it? • SEBI wants every algo trading strategy and programmes to be approved by the exchanges before they are deployed by traders. • SEBI has also said that there should be clarity on whether the services offered by the third-party algo providers are in the nature of investment advisory services based on research and analysis done by them. • The market regulator wants exchanges to develop a system to ensure that only those algos which are approved and have a unique ID are being deployed. □ Will it hurt volumes at the stock exchanges? • Brokers say algo trading volumes could fall once the proposed SEBI norms are implemented since approval of pre-programmed trading strategies could be a complex affair. • It is largely believed that not all the algo strategies will get approval from exchanges due to their complex nature.

📰 News (14-12-2021): ■ Singer P. Jayachandran bags J.C. Daniel award. • Veteran playback singer P Jayachandran on Monday bagged the prestigious J.C. Daniel Award, the Kerala Government's highest honour for lifetime contributions to Malayalam cinema. • The annual honour, named after J. C. Daniel, who made the first silent movie in Mollywood. ■ 5 Central Asian leaders invited as Republic Day chief guests. • Five Central Asian leaders invited as Republic Day chief guests. They are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. • If they accept, this will be the first time all five countries would attend Republic Day parade together. • India joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2017, which all Central Asian States other than Turkmenistan are members of. • The India-Central Asia dialogue was launched in 2019, and in July this year, Mr. Jaishankar attended the Central Asia-South Asia connectivity conference in Uzbekistan. ■ UNCLOS: • The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, also called the Law of the Sea Convention or the Law of the Sea Treaty, is an international agreement that establishes a legal framework for all marine and maritime activities. • The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is an international treaty which was adopted and signed in 1982. • The Convention has created three new institutions on the international scene : 1) The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, 2) The International Seabed Authority, 3) The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. ■ Privilege Motion : • Privilege motion is moved by a member when he feels that a minister or any member has committed a breach of privilege of the House or one or more of its members by withholding facts of a case or by giving wrong or distorted facts. • The Members of Parliament are granted certain privileges individually and collectively so as to perform their duties properly. But if any of the members disregard or misuses any of these privileges or rights, it is considered as a breach of the privilege motion and is liable for punishment under the Parliamentary laws. • This motion is applicable for members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and if any member notices another member or members breach it, they can move the privilege motion against the accused members. ■ Supersonic missile-assisted torpedo system successfully launched: DRDO. • A supersonic missile-assisted torpedo system developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was successfully launched from the Wheeler Island in Odisha. • The system is a next generation missile-based standoff torpedo delivery system. • The system has been designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability far beyond the conventional range of the torpedo. • The entire trajectory was monitored by the electro-optic telemetry system, various range radars, including the down range instrumentation and down range ships, the DRDO said. • The missile carried a torpedo, parachute delivery system and release mechanisms. • This canister-based missile system consists of advanced technologies - two-stage solid propulsion, electro-mechanical actuators and precision inertial navigation. • The missile is launched from ground mobile launcher and it can cover a range of distances. ■ India's Harnaaz Sandhu crowned Miss Universe 2021. • India's Harnaaz Sandhu is announced as the new "Miss Universe 2021" during the 70th Miss Universe pageant at Eilat in Israel. • She was crowned Miss Universe 2021 beating contestants from 80 countries— 21 years after India last brought home the title. • Only two Indians before Ms. Sandhu have won the title of Miss Universe. They are Sushmita Sen in 1994 and Lara Dutta in 2000. ■ Elon Musk named Time magazine's 'Person of the Year'. • Time magazine on named Tesla chief and space entrepreneur "Elon Musk" as its person of the year 2021. • He is the world's wealthiest person.

📰 News: Female labour income in India is at 18%, says World Inequality Report. • Men in India capture 82% of labour income, while women earn just 18%, according to the first-ever estimates of the gender inequality in global earnings presented in the World Inequality Report 2022. • The female share of the total labour income is the national aggregate labour income earned by women relative to the total aggregate of labour income within a country. • In a country with perfect equality between women and men, the female labour income share would be equal to 50%. But the report finds that it is below 50% around the world. • Female labour income in India of 18.3% is lower than the average for Asia, which was at 27% in 2019. • Among the neighbours that performed worse than India were Bhutan (17.5%), Bangladesh (16.9%), Pakistan (7.4%), and Afghanistan (4.2%); and those with a higher share were Nepal (23.2%), Sri Lanka (23.3%) and China (33.4%). • The report says that the labour income share held by women depends on two dimensions — their labour force participation compared with men on the one hand, and the gender earnings ratio on the other hand. • In India, the female labour participation rate had fallen to 20.3% in 2019 from more than 26% in 2005, according to World Bank estimates. After the pandemic, it fell to 16.1%. • Eastern Europe has the highest female labour income shares, with the average female share near 41%. • Moldova has the highest female labour income in the world at 45%. • The Middle East and North Africa exhibit low levels of female labour income share, with an unweighted average of 15%. • Yemen has the lowest female labour income of 1%.

📰 News: Protecting wildlife - 2054 cases registered for killing, trafficking of wild animals. • Between 2018 and 2020 about 2054 cases were registered for killing or illegal trafficking of wild animals in India. • The data was made available on the basis of cases registered by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and State Forest and Police Authorities in the past three years. • The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has been created for control of wildlife crime at the Central Government level which work in close coordination with State forest department and other law enforcement agencies. • WCCB has conducted a number of species-specific enforcement operations with coordination of State Enforcement Agencies □ Operations launched by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB): • The WCCB had launched "Operation Save Kurma” from to 15th December 2016 to 30th January 2017 to focus on the poaching, transportation and illegal trade of live turtles and tortoises. • "Operation Turtshield- I” from 1st December 2019 to 31st January 2020 and Operation Turtshield-II” (1st December 2020 to 28th February 2021) was taken up to tackle the illegal trade of live turtles. • WCCB conducted "Operation Lesknow” (1st August 2017 to 31st Aug 2017), “Lesknow-II” (1st September 2018 to 30th September 2018) and Operation “Lesknow-III” (1st September, 2019 to 30th September 2019) to gain attention of enforcement agencies towards the illegal wildlife trade in lesser-known species of wildlife. • "Operation Clean Art" in October 2019 to drag attention of enforcement agencies towards illegal wildlife trade in Mongoose hair brushes. • "Operation Softgold" from 1st October, 2018 to 31st March, 2019 to tackle Shahtoosh Shawl (made from Chiru wool) illegal trade and to spread awareness among the weavers and traders engaged in this trade. • "Operation Birbil" to curb illegal trade in wild cat and wild bird species (1st Nov 2017 to 30th Nov 2017). • "Operation Wildnet” (1st May 2017 to 30th June 2017), “Operation Wildnet-II” (1st November to 30th November, 2019), “Operation Wildnet-III” (1st July to 30th September, 2020) and “Operation Wildnet-IV” (1st August to 30th September, 2021) were aimed to draw the attention of the enforcement agencies within the country to focus their attention on the ever increasing illegal wildlife trade over internet using social media platforms. • "Operation Freefly” on illegal trade of live birds and “Operation Wetmark” to ensure prohibition of sale of meat of wild animals in wet markets across the country.

📰 NEWS (11-12-2021): ■ Architect Balkrishna Doshi wins prestigious U.K. medal. • Architect Balkrishna Doshi will receive the Royal Gold Medal 2022, one of the world’s highest honours for architecture, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) announced. • Given in recognition of a lifetime’s work, the Royal Gold Medal is approved personally by Queen Elizebth II and is given to a person or group of people who have had a significant influence on the advancement of architecture. ■ Govt. grants sanction for "Green T.N. Mission". • The State Govt. of Tamil Nadu has granted its administrative and financial sanction for implementing the ‘Green Tamil Nadu Mission’ during 2021-22 that aims to increase the forest and tree cover in the State from the present 23.8% to 33% by 2030-31. • Under this mission, 265 crore seedlings of native trees of economic and ecological significance would be planted over a period of 10 years on suitable public lands like urban areas, farms, educational institutions, temple grounds, sacred groves, industrial areas, tank foreshore, padugai areas among others. • The funding sources for the mission would be from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, the Tamil Nadu Forest Plantation Corporation and the Tamil Nadu State Compensatory Afforestation Fund. • The State plans to augment the national efforts in creating the additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes in its forest and tree cover by the year 2030 as a part of its National Determined Contribution commitments under the Paris Agreement. • Tamil Nadu intended to sustainably manage its forest and tree cover, recognising its key role in climate change adaptation and mitigation. ■ Central Government looking to use stubble as biofuel. • The Central government was working on a plan to use stubble as a biofuel and manure as a part of an effort to deal with stubble burning that was often cited as a source of pollution in northern India, said the Environment Minister. • The Minister, who is yet to make a detailed reply to a discussion on climate change, stated that the Centre had completely “decriminalised” stubble burning in the Air Quality Commission Act. • The Minister said the National Thermal Power Corporation had procured 3,000 tonnes of stubble to be used as bio-fuel and would study the results.  • What is Stubble burning? - Stubble burning is the act of clearing agricultural fields by burning the residue that is left on the land after harvesting, to ready it for the next round of seeding. ■ UN confers Observer Status on Solar Alliance. • The UN General Assembly has conferred Observer Status to the International Solar Alliance (ISA), a historic decision which India said would help provide for a well-defined cooperation between the Alliance and the United Nations that would benefit global energy growth and development. • The ISA was conceived as a joint effort by India and France to mobilise efforts against climate change through the deployment of solar energy solutions. It was presented by the leaders of the two countries at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Paris in 2015. • ISA is a coalition of solar resource rich countries lying fully or partially between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn to specifically address energy needs by harnessing solar energy. • The interim Secretariat of the ISA in National Institute of Solar Energy campus, Gurugram, Haryana. ■ 80% of funds for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme spent on media campaigns. • The government spent 80% of funds under its flagship Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme on media campaigns. • Parliament committee says Government must revisit strategy and invest in measurable outcomes in health and education for girls. • The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2015 with the aim to address sex selective abortion and the declining child sex ratio which was at 918 girls for every 1,000 boys in 2011.

■ Project RE-HAB: • Project RE-HAB means Reducing Elephant-Human Attacks using Bees. • It was recently launched in Assam. • Under the project, “Bee-fences” are created by setting up bee boxes in the passageways of elephants to block their entrance to human territories. • It is a cost-effective way of reducing human-wild conflicts without causing any harm to the animals. • The Project RE-HAB is implemented by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). • Project RE-HAB was first launched in Karnataka on March 15, 2021. In just six months, this project has reduced elephant attacks by over 70%. • The Project RE-HAB is a part of KVIC's Honey Mission. It was launched to provide awareness and training in using bee boxes along the bee colonies. The mission was launched by KVIC in 2017 and is in line with Sweet Revolution. • Honey Mission is a programme to increase the bee population, honey production and beekeepers’ income by setting up apiaries. □ How does the project work? • Under the project, the bee boxes are placed in the premises of human habitation. • They are placed as fences. Around 15 to 20 bee boxes are placed around the habitation that is to be protected. • It is scientifically recorded that elephants are annoyed by the honey bees. • The buzz of the bees irritate the elephants the most. • They fear that the honey bees might sting them in their trunks and eyes. • The boxes are connected with a string. When the elephants try to pass through the string, a pull or tug causes the bees to swarm towards the elephant. • And therefore, they do not walk ahead of the boxes. □ About Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC): • The KVIC is a statutory body established under Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act, 1956. • It functions under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. • The main function of KVIC is to plan, promote, organize and implement programmes for the development of village industries in rural areas.

Western Ghats ⛰⛰⛰

■ Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958. • The AFSPA was first enacted in 1942 as an ordinance by the then viceroy Linlithgow in the wake of the massive scale of violence across the country stirred by Quit India Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi. • After independence, the AFSPA was enacted in 1958 to help the army maintain the rule of law or public order in the “disturbed areas” of North East India. • Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 gives the armed forces (military forces, air forces operating on the ground as land forces and any other armed forces of the Union (CRPF, BSF, ITBP etc) the power to maintain public order in “disturbed areas”. • A disturbed area is one which is declared by notification under Section 3 of the AFSPA. It can be invoked in places where the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary. • An area can be disturbed due to differences or disputes between members of different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities. • Armed Forces are deployed in counter  insurgency/terrorist operations when all other forces available to the State have failed to bring the situation under control. • They have the authority to prohibit a gathering of five or more persons in an area. It gives the armed forces the authority to use force or even open fire after warning a person found to be in contravention of the law. • The AFSPA also lets the armed forces arrest a person and enter or search premises without a warrant or prior notice and ban the possession of firearms if “reasonable suspicion exists”. • In the northeast, the AFSPA is in force in Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, and some parts of Arunachal Pradesh. • Jammu and Kashmir too has a similar Act. The Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990, is in force. • The Central Government, or the Governor of the State or administrator of the Union Territory can declare the whole or part of the State or Union Territory as a disturbed area. • As per Section (3) of the AFSPA, it is mandatory to seek the opinion of the state government that whether an area is disturbed or not. However, the state government’s opinion can be overruled by the governor or the centre. • The Ministry of Home Affairs would usually enforce this Act where necessary, but there have been exceptions where the Centre decided to forego its power and leave the decision to the State governments. • The government of the state can suggest whether the Act is required in the state or not. • AFSPA violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the Convention against Torture( India is a signatory, but it has not ratified it). □ Actions taken in Nagaland to tackle Insurgencies: • AFSPA is in force in the Northeast since 1958 and Nagaland acquired Statehood in 1963. • On November 11, 1975, the government got a section of Naga National Council (NNC) leaders to sign the Shillong Accord, under which this section of NNC agreed to give up arms. • A group of members led by Thuingaleng Muivah refused to accept the Shillong Accord, and formed the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) in 1980. • In 1988, the NSCN split into NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K) after a violent clash. The NSCN (IM) came to be seen as the “mother of all insurgencies” in the region. • In 1997, the NSCN(IM) signed a ceasefire agreement with the government. The Centre has signed a ceasefire agreement with four other groups — the NSCN (NK), NSCN(R), NSCN (K-Khango) and NSCN (Niki Sumi). • NSCN (IM) seeks a “Greater Nagalim” comprising “all contiguous Naga-inhabited areas”, along with Nagaland. That included several districts of Assam, Arunachal and Manipur, as also a large tract of Myanmar. • NSCN-IM, the largest Naga group that signed a framework agreement with the Centre in 2015 to find a solution to the Naga political issue. • The NSCN-IM is demanding a separate flag, Constitution and unification of all Naga inhabited areas to comprise Greater Nagalim.

📰 News: Centre reaches out to Naga insurgents. • Centre has reached out to all Naga insurgent groups including the Isaak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) following the killing of 13 civilians in an armed forces’ operation in Nagaland’s Mon district. • NSCN-IM, the largest Naga group that signed a framework agreement with the Centre in 2015 to find a solution to the Naga political issue, said in a statement on Sunday that it “is one of the most unfortunate incidents of the Indo-Naga ceasefire signed in 1997.” • The NSCN-IM is demanding a separate flag and Constitution. Among its other demands are the unification of all Naga inhabited areas to comprise Greater Nagalim. • There are four other groups with whom the Centre has signed a ceasefire agreement — the NSCN (NK), NSCN(R), NSCN (K-Khango) and NSCN (Niki Sumi). • A government official said the campaign to repeal the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) has gathered steam. • Nagaland has been declared a “disturbed area“ by the Union Home Ministry under AFSPA. • AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without prior notice. • AFSPA is in force in the Northeast since 1958 and Nagaland acquired Statehood in 1963. [16th state of India - 13th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1962].

■ Indian Navy Day, December 4. • Indian Navy Day is celebrated every year on December 4 to commemorate the Indian Navy’s "Operation Trident" during the Indo-Pakistan war in 1971. • The theme of 2021 Indian Navy Day is 'Swarnim Vijay Varsh' signifying 50 years of India's victory in the Indo-Pakistan war that took place in 1971. • The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy, while the Chief of Naval Staff commands the Navy. • The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) exercises operational and administrative control of the Indian Navy from the Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Navy). • Currently, Chief of the Naval Staff is Admiral Hari Kumar. • The Navy has three commands: Eastern Command headquartered in Vishakhapatnam, Western Command in Mumbai, and Southern Command in Kochi. • Maratha emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is considered as the "Father of the Indian Navy". □ Operation Trident : • In the evening of December 3, 1971, Pakistan attacked Indian Air bases. In response to the attack the Indian Defence Force launched Operation Trident. • Three high speed missile boats namely Nirghat, Nipat, Veer were dispatched towards the Karachi port. • The Operation Trident was launched in the night of December 4. • During the attack Indian Navy ravaged the fuel Storage tankers at Pakistan Naval headquarters located in Karachi. • For the first time India deployed and anti-ship missile during the India Pakistan war of 1971. The operation Trident was followed by "Operation Python". □ Operation Python : • After the first attack during operation Trident, the Pakistan Navy attempted to outsmart the Indian Navy by mingling with merchant ships. • The operation Python was launched to counter this move of the Pakistan Navy.