CURRENT AFFAIRS JANUARY 14, 2018

NATIONAL

Seventh Edition of Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav begins in Karnataka

• The seventh edition of the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav, under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat matrix, begins in Karnataka. The event was organised by the Ministry of Culture.
• The state paired with Karnataka is Uttarakhand. The event will cover a profusion of art forms from classical and folk, music and dance, theatre to literature and visual arts.
• The Union Minister of State for Culture (I/C) and Environment, Dr. Mahesh Sharma inaugurated the event.
• The Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme was launched in 2017 to promote engagement among the people of different states to enhance mutual understanding and bonding.

Karnataka

Capital: Bengaluru

Chief Minister: Siddaramaiah

Governor: Vajubhai Vala

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar launches schemes worth over Rs.200 crore

• Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar visited Rohtas and Bhojpur districts of the state yesterday as part of his state-wide ‘Vikas Samiksha Yatra’.
• The Chief Minister inaugurated and laid foundation stones of around 250 schemes, worth over 200 crore rupees, at a village in Jagdishpur block of Bhojpur.
• Recently, Amethi panchayat of the Sanjhauli block of Rohtas have been declared ODF open defecation free.

Bihar

Capital: Patna

Chief Minister: Nitish Kumar

Governor: Satya Pal Malik

Johnson and Johnson partners with Maharashtra Govt

• Johnson and Johnson partners with Maharashtra Govt on health interventions.
• Maharashtra’s mine workers who face an increased risk of tuberculosis will be part of awareness programmes.
• J&J India will organize skill development programmes for nurses, along with activities including training to provide care to infants in nine disricts.

Maharashtra

Capital: Mumbai

Chief Minister: Devendra Fadnavis

Governor: C Vidyasagar Rao

INTERNATIONAL

US and Japan Joint Military Drill Begins

• American and Japanese military forces have launched joint exercises “Iron Fist”.
• The 13th annual Iron Fist exercises begins in the U.S. western state of California.
• More than 500 U.S. Marines and sailors are partnering with about 350 members of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force.

USA

Capital: Washington, D.C.

Currency: Dollar

President: Donald Trump

Japan

Capital: Tokyo

Currency: Yen

Prime minister: Shinzo Abe

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

BSE Lists IRFC’s First Green Bond

• The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has listed Indian Railways Finance  Corporation’s (IRFC) first green bond on its global securities market.
• According to India Inx, the 10 year $500 million worth bonds issued by IRFC is one of the highest credit rated bonds issued by an Indian corporate.
• IRFC green bond is a commitment to sustainable development and to serve the financial needs of India’s rail transport infrastructure.
• BSE’s India Inx is the country’s first capital raising platform for international investors in any currency.
• It is an initiative to enable both Indian and foreign issuers to raise funds from global investors on our listing platform.

IRFC

Headquarters: Mumbai

Managing Director of IRFC: S K Pattanayak

India is the Top Borrower from AIIB in 2017

• India has emerged as a top borrower from the China-sponsored Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with $1.5 billion worth of loans in 2017.
• Next to India, Indonesia has emerged as the second largest borrower with about $600 million loans.
• China is the largest shareholder with 26.06 per cent voting shares in the bank. India is the second largest shareholder with 7.5 per cent followed by Russia 5.93 per cent and Germany with 4.5 per cent.

AIIB

Headquarters: Beijing, china

President: Jin Liqun

WEF ranks India 30th on global manufacturing index

• The World Economic Forum (WEF) has ranked India at 30th position on a global manufacturing index. Japan tops the list and is followed by South Korea, Germany.
• Among BRICS nations, Russia is ranked 35th, Brazil 41st and South Africa at 45th place.
• It has categorised 100 countries into four groups – Leading ,High Potential ,Legacy, Nascent .India has been placed in the ‘Legacy’ group.

WEF

Headquarters: Cologny, Switzerland

Executive Chairman‎: ‎Klaus Schwab

SEBI permits voluntary exit of two exchanges

• Regulator SEBI has allowed India Pepper and Spice Trade Association (IPSTA) and Rajkot Commodity Exchange (RCX) to cease operations.
• The boards of the two respective exchanges had resolved to take formal voluntary exit as recognised commodity exchanges.
• The International Pepper Exchange is an organisation headquartered in Kochi, India, that deals with the global trade of black pepper while Rajkot Commodity Exchange was for forward trade in castor seed contracts.
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India is the regulator for the securities market in India. It was established in the year 1988 and given statutory powers on 30 January 1992 through the SEBI Act, 1992.

SEBI

Headquarters: Mumbai

Chairman:Ajay Tyagi

SPORTS

Sarjubala Devi clinched gold in National Women’s Boxing Championship

• Former world silver-medallist Sarjubala Devi (48kg), representing Manipur, claimed the gold  National Women’s Boxing Championships.
• He also clinched the best boxer trophy in the National Women’s Boxing Championships. The event was held in Rohtak, Haryana.
• Former world and Asian champion L Sarita Devi (60kg), representing the All India Police (AIP) clinched gold medal.
  

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