DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: MARCH 12, 2018

NATIONAL

ISA-ADB, NDB, GCF, AfDB and AIIB joint declarations of Financial partnership

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the African Development Bank (AfDb), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Green climate fund (GCF), and the New Development Bank (NDB) signed Joint financial partnership Declarations.

• The International Energy Agency (IEA) also signed a Joint partnership Declaration with the ISA. The objective of the agreements is to deepen their cooperation in support of Renewable Energy.
• International Solar Alliance

Head: H.E. Upendra Tripathy

Headquarters: Gwal Pahari, Gurugram

First ‘crime-free’ zone on India-B’desh border

• India and Bangladesh will jointly inaugurate a first-of-its-kind “crime-free” stretch of 8.3 kms along the international border in West Bengal.
• The stretch covers Gunarmath and Kalyani Border Out Posts (BOPs) in India and Puthkhali and Daulatpur BOPs in Bangladesh across border.
• Border Security Force chief:K K Sharma
• Border Guards Bangladesh chief: DG Maj.

Passport mandatory for bank loans of Rs. 50 crore & above

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• The government announced that banks will have to collect passport details of customers who seek loans above Rs 50 crore.
• According to Financial Services Secretary, all existing loans of over 50 crore rupees, banks have been asked to collect passport details of borrowers within 45 days.

INTERNATIONAL

India, France ink 14 agreements

• India and France inked key pacts in the strategic areas of security, nuclear energy as well as protection of classified information after extensive talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron.
• Agreements in the field of education, environment, urban development and railways were also signed in the presence of the two leaders.

France

Capital: Paris

President: Emmanuel Macron Trending

Currency: Franc

China’s Xi Jinping set to rule for life

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• China’s Parliament abolished the decades-old two-term limit for the President, allowing Xi Jinping to remain as the country’s leader for life.
• The seven-member Standing Committee – the topmost body of the ruling Communist Party of China – had unanimously approved the amendment.
• The constitutional changes were passed in Beijing by the annual sitting of the National People’s Congress, the country’s legislature with two-third majority.

China

Capital: Beijing

President: Xi Jinping Trending

Currency: Renminbi

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

IREDA inks loan agreement with EIB for renewable energy

• The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) and European Investment Bank (EIB) have inked a 150 million euros loan agreement. It will benefit over 1.1 million households with clean energy.
• The line of credit is for tenure of 15 years, including a grace period of three years.
• The agreement was signed by IREDA Chairman and MD K S Popli and W Hoyer, President of EIB.

APPOINTMENTS

Sitanshu Kar: Next head of Press Information Bureau

• All India Radio’s News Services Division (NSD) Director General Sitanshu Kar will be the next head of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) after superannuation of Frank Noronha.
• Sitanshu Kar, a senior Indian Information Service (IIS) officer, will take charge as PIB head on May, 2018.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

India wins Best Exhibitor Award at ITB

• India has won the “Best Exhibitor Award ” at ITB.
• ‘ITB- World Tourist Meet’ was convened at Berlin, Germany.
• India was represented by the Minister of State (Independent charge) for Tourism Mr K. J. Alphons.

SPORT

Shooting: India’s Akhil Sheoran strikes gold in men’s 50m Rifle 3 position

• India’s Akhil Sheoran clinched the gold medal in men’s 50m rifle 3 position.
• The ISSF World Cup was held at Guadalajara, Mexico.
• This was India’s 4th gold medal after Manu Bhaker, Om Prakash Mitharval and Shahzar Rizvi, bagged the yellow metal in the competition.
• Akhil shot 455.6 in the final to leave behind Austria’s Bernhard Pickl in second place with 452.

Cricket: Deodhar Trophy 2018

• India B has won the 45th edition of the Deodhar Trophy 2018 by defeating Karnataka in the finals.
• The event was held at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.
• The Deodhar Trophy is a List A cricket competition in Indian domestic cricket and is named after Prof. D. B. Deodhar, who is known as the Grand Old Man of Indian cricket.