Current Affairs 16, June 2017 –  Nalanda University Sign MoU with South Korean Institute

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Nalanda University Sign MoU with South Korean Institute:

    The Nalanda University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with South Korea’s Academy of Korean Studies for academic cooperation, exchange of faculty and Joint teaching.

    Nalanda University Vice Chancellor Professor Sunaina Singh and Professor Shin Jong Won, Vice President Academy of Korean Studies (AKS), signed a Memorandum of Understanding for academic linkages/collaborations in Patna, Bihar.

South Korea:

    President: Moon Jae-in

    Prime Minister: Hwang Kyo-ahn

    Capital: Seoul

    Currency: South Korean won

Health Ministry launches Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight (IDCF):

    The Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri J P Nadda launched nationwide Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight (IDCF)” in order to intensify efforts to reduce child deaths due to diarrhoea. 

    It aims to create mass awareness about the most effective and low-cost diarrhoea treatment— a combination of Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) solution and Zinc tablets.

Dumping duty imposed on hydrogen peroxide imports from 6 countries:

    The Finance Ministry has imposed definitive anti-dumping duty on Hydrogen Peroxide (other than food grade and electronic grade having concentration of 90 per cent and above) imports from six countries for 5 year period.

    The six countries are Bangladesh, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia, Pakistan and Thailand. The petition seeking anti-dumping duty on Hydrogen Peroxide imports from these six countries was filed by National Peroxide and Hindustan Organic Chemicals Ltd.     Hydrogen Peroxide is mainly used for pulp and paper bleaching.

CBDT issues draft norms for transition of foreign firms to resident status under POEM:

    The Finance Ministry issued draft norms for transitional provisions for foreign companies in the first year of becoming resident firms based on their place of effective management.

    However, it has clarified that the tax on foreign companies qualifying as resident firms due to their Place Of Effective Management (POEM) will be the same as that for any foreign company — 40 per cent.

Modi to inaugurate Kerala’s first metro train:

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel on a Kochi Metro train when he inaugurates Kerala’s first metro. In the first 25-km phase, trains will run for 13 km between Palarivattom and Aluva.

    Those on the dais will be Modi, Governor P. Sathasivam, Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Hyderabad tops realty investment destination list in Asia Pacific region:

  Led by Hyderabad, six Indian cities including the national capital and Mumbai are among top 10 investment destinations in the realty sector in the Asia Pacific region, owing to growth prospects in commercial office activity, says property consultant Cushman & Wakefield.

          Bengaluru and Mumbai were ranked sixth and seventh respectively, as per the report, ‘Betting on Asia Pacific’s Next Core Cities’. Pune, Chennai and New Delhi were at eighth, ninth and tenth positions.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Greek bailout deal agreed as creditors approve €8.5bn loan:

    Eurozone ministers struck a long-delayed bailout deal with Greece to unlock badly needed rescue cash, but warned Athens would have to wait for debt relief. 

    After hours of talks in Luxembourg IMF chief Christine Lagarde and the euro zone’s 19 finance ministers agreed a payout of 8.5 billion euro to meet debt payments due in July and avoid another summer of Greek crisis.

• Greece Capital & Currency: Athens & Euro
• Greece Prime Minister: Alexis Tsipras

Zydus Cadila gets USFDA nod for anti-viral drug:

    Zydus Cadila has got approval from the US health regulator USFDA to market Acylovir drug for injection USP in strengths of 500 mg/vial and 1000 mg/vial. It is used as an anti-viral chiefly in the treatment of herpes and AIDS.

Boeing wins $5.8-bn jet order from China:

    Boeing won a $5.8-billion order for its 737 Max jets from China Aircraft Leasing Group as the lessor purchases more planes amid surging demand across Asia. The order is for 50 single-aisle jets, which will be delivered through 2023.

Haryana’s open defecation-free village to be named after Donald Trump:

    Sulabh International founder Bindeshwar Pathak has announced that an open defecation-free (ODF) village in Mewat will be named after the US President Donald Trump to build a good relationship between India and the United States.

    According to Sulabh, the move will draw the attention of the world towards India’s cleanliness campaign ‘Swachh Bharat’.

Banking & Business

India ranks 60th in the Global Innovation Index:

    India has moved up six places to 60th among 130 nations on the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2017. Switzerland was top placed in the list followed by Sweden and Netherlands. China was ranked 22nd in the list.

AIIB grants USD 150 million loan for India Infrastructure Fund:

    China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has approved USD 150 million equity investment loans to the India Infrastructure Fund. This is first time that AIIB bank’s grant such loan to fund private projects.

AIIB:

    President: Jin Liqun

Thomson Reuters, NSDL e-Governance ink pact to offer joint solution for GST:

    Thomson Reuters and NSDL e-Governance have joined hands to offer an integrated Goods and Service Tax (GST) proposition for large and mid-sized corporations in India. The solution will enable seamless calculation and filing of returns under the new tax regime.

    They also agreed to collaborate to leverage Thomson Reuters’ ONESOURCE Determination solution to provide value-added services, including validation services for the MSME segment.

    The MoU was signed by Pradeep Lankapalli, Managing Director, South Asia, Thomson Reuters and Gagan Rai, Managing Director & CEO, NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Ltd.

Flipkart-eBay India deal gets CCI nod:

    E-commerce major Flipkart’s proposed acquisition of eBay India has received approval from the Competition Commission of India. Besides, the fair trade regulator has given nod to eBay Singapore’s subscription of compulsorily convertible preference shares (CCPS) issued by Flipkart.

CCI:

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Chairman: Devender Kumar Sikri
• Secretary: Smita Jhingran
• Flipkart Headquarters: Bengaluru

India ranked 75th in environmental impact survey:

    India was placed 75th in environment survey with renewable energy making up only 15.2% of all energy used and only 2.2 % of waste water being recycled and municipal waste of 0.34 kg per person being generated daily.

    Mozambique topped the list because almost all its energy use comes from green sources and Trinidad and Tobago is the worst country for environmental impact in the report released by UK-based Money Super Market.

Mozambique:

• Capital: Maputo
• Currency: Mozambican metical
• Prime Minister: Carlos Agostinho do Rosario

‘Sultan’ to be screened at Shanghai film festival:

    Bollywood actor Salman Khan Film ‘Sultan’ has been lined up for a showcase at the 20th Shanghai International Film Festival in China from June 17-26.

AWARDS

David Grossman wins Man Booker Prize:

    Israeli author David Grossman has won the Man Booker International Prize for his novel `A Horse Walks Into a Bar’. The award was announced in London.

    The award has a prize of 50,000 pounds ($64,000) that is split evenly between Mr. Grossman and translator Jessica Cohen.

    Last year the prize was awarded to The Vegetarian by South Korea’s Han Kang.

E. Sreedharan selected for Nanniyode Rajan award:

    Delhi Metro Railway Corporation (DMRC) Principal Adviser E. Sreedharan has been selected for the year’s Nanniyode Rajan Memorial Award instituted by the Milma Thiruvananthapuram Regional Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union (TRCMPU) in memory of its former chairman.

Father of metro in India: E. Sreedharan

Priyanka Beats Dwayne, Gadot to Become Social Media Favourite:

    Priyanka Chopra is more popular than her “Baywatch” co-star Dwayne Johnson and even “Wonder Woman” Gal Gadot on social media in the report released by Social media analytics company MVP index.

    Second on the list is Johnson, better known to his fans as ‘The Rock’. Actor-comedian Kevin Hart is third on the list, while Gadot and Cara Delevingne are at number four and five respectively.

Mira Nair wins Directors Award at Women in Film Awards:

    Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair won the Dorothy Arzner Directors Award for the film “Queen of Katwe” at this year’s Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards.

    Further, Elizabeth Banks won the Crystal Award for Excellence in Film and Tracee Ellis Ross won the Lucy Award for Excellence in Television.

City based NGO selected for international award:

                                                                                  Sports Coaching Foundation (SCF), a sports based NGO from city was selected among the top-three NGOs for the Social Impact Awards 2017, organised by Resource Alliance, an NGO based in London, to be held from June 26-28 at Bangkok in Thailand.

          SCF, located at Masab tank, has been named as one of the best three NGOs in the world under the ‘Outstanding Volunteer’ category. The award ceremony at Bangkok is being organised by The Resource Alliance, a leading London-based NGO.

APPOINTMENTS

Ramanathan Ramanan appointed as the Mission Director of the Atal Innovation Mission:\

    Ramanathan Ramanan was appointed as the Mission Director of the Atal Innovation Mission under the Niti Aayog for the period of 2 years. Appointment committee of the cabinet approved his appointment in the rank of Additional Secretary to Government of India.

Historic Events of the Day

June 15: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day:

    The World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) observed each year on June 15th. It represent one day in the year when the world voices its opposition to the abuse and suffering inflicted to some of our older generations. It was officially recognized by the United Nations General Assembly.

Theme: “Understand and End Financial Abuse of Older People: A Human Rights Issue”.

June 16: International Day of Family Remittances

    The International Day of Family Remittances (IDFR), celebrated on 16 June, is aimed at recognizing the significant financial contribution migrant workers make to the wellbeing of their families back home and to the sustainable development of their countries of origin.

SPORTS

Kohli fastest to 8000 ODI runs:

    India captain Virat Kohli has become the quickest batsman to 8000 runs in one-day international cricket, beating AB de Villiers’ mark in seven fewer innings. Kohli crossed the 8000-run mark in his 175th innings during the match against Bangladesh in Thursday’s ICC Champions Trophy semi-final in Birmingham.

Raina, Yusuf sign up for TNPL:

Suresh Raina and Yusuf Pathan have signed up for the 2nd edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). Suresh Raina has been roped in by Grand Slam and Yusuf Pathan has signed up with a lower division club.

OBITUARY

Noted Punjabi playwright A.S. Aulakh passes away:

    Noted Punjabi playwright Ajmer Singh Aulakh died at the age of 75, in Punjab. He was a Sahitya Akademi awardee winner.

Former CJI P.N. Bhagwati passes away:

    Former Chief Justice of India P. N. Bhagwati, considered a pioneer of judicial activism in the country for introducing the concept of PILs, died at the age of 95.