CURRENT AFFAIRS JANUARY 13, 2018
CURRENT AFFAIRS JANUARY 13, 2018
NATIONAL
IndusInd Bank to Introduce India’s First Battery-Powered Payment Card
- IndusInd Bank and Dynamics Inc plans to introduce the first battery-powered, interactive payment cards in the Indian market in 2018.
- The new IndusInd Bank card from Pennsylvania-based Dynamics designs and manufactures intelligent battery-powered payment cards.
- It has multiple buttons that let the consumer use a single card to pay in multiple ways. The solution requires no changes to the payment infrastructure or merchant systems.
- Consumers can pay using points or via instalment method wherever MasterCard is accepted.
- The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) recognized IndusInd Bank and Dynamics with four CES Innovation awards including the Best of Innovation Award for Security
IndusInd Bank Chairman: R. Seshasayee
Headquarter: Mumbai
India Signs Pact with UK on Illegal Migrants
- India has signed an MoU with the United Kingdom to enable the return of illegal Indian migrants within a month of their detection by authorities abroad.
- Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and UK Minister of State for Immigration Caroline Nokes in Britain signed the agreement.
- The Memorandum of Understanding, which would affect hundreds of Indians, but also UK has consistently raised the issue of return of illegal migrants with India.
4th ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture & Forestry
- The ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry and the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, held our Fourth ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry (AIMMAF) in New Delhi, India.
- The Meeting was Co-chaired by E. Mr. Grisada Boonrach, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand and H. E. Shri Radha Mohan Singh, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India.
- It would help further deepen and enhance the ASEAN-India cooperation in food, agriculture including animal husbandry and fisheries, and forestry.
- The 5th ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry to be held in Brunei Darussalam in 2019.
INTERNATIONAL
5th Bilateral Meeting Between India and Malaysia
- The 5th Bilateral Technical Meeting on cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine between Government of India and Malaysia was held at New Delhi.
- It was a part of agreement signed between both countries in 2010.
- The Meeting was presided by Sh. Pramod Kumar Pathak, Joint Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH from Indian side and Deputy Director General Health (Medical), Ministry of Health Malaysia.
- Ministry of AYUSH highlighted the issues of registration of AYUSH practitioners and products in Malaysia. Ministry intends to enhance cooperation for designing and developing the policies and strategies in the field of Traditional Medicine in Malaysia.
AYUSH: Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.
AYUSH Minister: Shripad Yesso Naik.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
India Grants Rs.288 crore for Sri Lankan Kankesanthurai Harbour
- India gives a financial assistance of Rs.288 crore( USD 45.27 million) for Kankesanthurai (KKS) Harbour.
- It is to transform northern Sri Lanka into a commercial port and strengthening the country’s efforts to become a regional maritime hub.
- David Rasquinha, Managing Director, Export-Import Bank of India and RHS Samaratunga, Secretary to Treasury of Sri Lanka signed the agreement.
APPOINTMENTS
VJ Mathew appointed as Maritime Board Chairman
- Mathew is the legal consultant of Vizhinjam International container terminal company and Indian Maritime Association Co-President.
- He was appointed by the Kerala Maritime Board constituted by the government for the administration, control, and management of minor ports in the State.
- Four others have also been appointed as government representatives in the board, which is aimed at developing small and medium ports in the state.
Anil Khanna appointed as Chairman of IOA Finance Commission
- Anil Khanna was appointed as Chairman of the Finance Commission of the Indian Olympic Association, which also formed a four-member advisory committee.
- The advisory committee comprises Tarlochan Singh, GS Mander, S Regunathan and BS Landge.
- The IOA also formed a Medical Commission and Games Technical Conduct Committee and nominated office bearers of IOA and National Sports Federations (NSFs) to the Committees.
UN Environment and WHO agree major collaboration on environmental health risks
- UN Environment and the World Health Organization have agreed a new, wide-ranging collaboration.
- It is to accelerate action to curb environmental health risks that cause an estimated 12.6 million deaths a year.
- Mr. Erik Solheim, head of UN Environment, and Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, signed the agreement in Nairobi.
- The collaboration also includes joint management of the BreatheLife advocacy campaign to reduce air pollution for multiple climate, environment and health benefits.
SPORTS
Rabada is the youngest No. 1 Test bowler
- South African player Kagiso Rabada has recently became the top-ranked bowler in Test cricket.
- He is the youngest bowler ever to top the ICC Test rankings for bowlers.
- Rabada became only the seventh South African bowler to top the latest rankings released following his contribution in the 72-run win against India in the first Test match at Newlands.
OBITUARY
NIAS Director Baldev Raj Passes Away
- Atomic scientist and NIAS Director Baldev Raj passed away.
- He had been director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru since 2014.
