QUIZ – 2017: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 12 March 2018

Solution: d.

On Thursday, 11 Asia-Pacific countries have signed the CPTPP in Chile. The CPTPP is, in effect, the original Trans-Pacific Partnership struck during the Barack Obama presidency minus the U.S. The countries signing the agreement (see figure; omit USA) which account for more than 13% of the world economy, have agreed to bring down tariffs on cross-border trade by as much as 98% after domestic ratification. More countries are expected to sign the CPTPP in the future, and there is hope that a post-Trump U.S. may join the bloc.

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/trade-goes-on/article23009872.ece;

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• Solution: d.

  The SC recently ruled that the fundamental right to life and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution includes the “right to die with dignity.” Dignity is lost if a man is allowed or forced to undergo pain and suffering because of “unwarranted medical support.”

   

  Passive euthanasia was recognised by a two-judge Bench in Aruna Shanbaug in 2011; now the Constitution Bench has expanded the jurisprudence on the subject by adding to it the principle of a ‘living will’, or an advance directive, a practice whereby a person, while in a competent state of mind, leaves written instructions on the sort of medical treatment that may or may not be administered in the event of her reaching a stage of terminal illness. The court has invoked its inherent power under Article 142 of the Constitution to grant legal status to advance directives.

   

  The 241st report of the Law Commission states that passive euthanasia should be allowed with certain safeguards and there is a proposed law—Medical Treatment of Terminally Ill Patient (Protection of Patients and Medical Practitioners) Bill, 2006 in this regard.

   

  http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/sc-upholds-passive-euthanasia/article23016537.ece;

  http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/death-with-dignity/article23009854.ece;

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Solution: c.

The court’s ruling was pronounced on a 2005 plea filed by Prashant Bhushan on behalf of NGO Common Cause that sought recognition of a living will so that an individual could exercise the right to refuse medical treatment at a terminally-ill stage of life.

http://www.livemint.com/Politics/kSasxfvJaqmBNd1QlaoSoI/Supreme-Court-allows-passive-euthanasia-in-landmark-judgment.html;

Solution: d.

• Under the Rules of Rajya Sabha, the Chairman nominates from amongst the members a panel of vice- chairpersons. Any  one  of  them  can  preside  over  the  House  in  the  absence  of  the  Chairman  or  the Deputy Chairman.
• It must be  emphasised  here  that  a  member  of  the  panel  of  vice-chairpersons  cannot  preside  over  the House,  when  the  office  of  the  Chairman  or  the  Deputy  Chairman  is  During  such  time,  the Chairman’s duties are to be performed by such member of the House as the president may appoint for the purpose.

Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth;

Woman presiding officer: Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu announced the nomination of JD(U) member Kahkashan Parveen to the panel of presiding officers to conduct the proceedings of the House. The move came a day after the International Women’s Day, when the members had expressed concern that there was no woman member on the panel.

Solution: b.

Madhya Pradesh became the first state in the country to introduce this stringent provision – to punish rapists of girls below 12 years with a maximum punishment of death penalty – by passing the amendments in December 2017.

Rajasthan passes bill to give death penalty for rape;

Solution: a.

China has been proposing ‘freeze for freeze,’ i.e discontinuation of tests by the North and exercises by the South and the U.S., as an initial step towards a diplomatic breakthrough. Pyongyang’s apparent willingness to act outside of this framework might allow Mr. Trump to work independently of China on the crisis.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-international/trump-hails-great-progress-on-korean-nuclear-crisis/article23016371.ece;

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