DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: MARCH 18 &19, 2018

NATIONAL

Navy Chief Sunil Lanba to be on a 5-Day Visit to USA 

• Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba will begin a five-day visit to the US during which he will hold extensive talks with the top military brass of the Trump administration to consolidate bilateral naval cooperation, including in the Indo-Pacific region.
• The visit aims to consolidate cooperation between the Armed Forces of both India and USA and also to explore new avenues of defence cooperation.
• Admiral Lanba will also visit the Pacific Command Headquarters at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, the Naval Surface Warfare Centre (NSWC) in Dahlgren, the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery in Washington DC.

Lok Sabha Passes Gratuity Amendment Bill

• The Lok Sabha passed the Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) bill which seeks to empower the government to fix period of maternity leave and tax-free gratuity amount with an executive order.
• After the passage of the Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha, the government would be able to enhance the ceiling of tax-free gratuity to Rs 20 lakh from existing Rs 10 lakh for employee under the Payment of Gratuity Act.

INTERNATIONAL

Philippines formally withdraws from International Criminal Court

• The Philippines informed the UN Secretary-General of its intention to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
• Under Article 127 of the Rome Statute, a state party’s withdrawal from the treaty can only take effect a year after the written notification is received by the UN Secretary-General.

Philippines

Capital: Manila

Currency: Peso

President Rodrigo Duterte

ICJ

Headquarters: The Hague, Netherlands

Head: Hisashi Owada

Qatar donates $50 mn to UN Relief agency for Palestinians

Qatar has announced a $50 million donation to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

The donation came during the extraordinary ministerial meeting of UNRWA held in Rome, Italy in the presence of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.In February, Qatar announced the distribution of 9 million dollars of emergency.

Qatar also announced that it has continued to finance projects implemented by the UNRWA.

Sri Lanka Pays Tribute to J Dalmiya With Book ‘A Tribute to Jagu’

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), on the occasion of the 70th independence of the island nation, paid a glowing tribute to former BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya.

A book has been released, titled A Tribute to Jagu.

Singapore is the world’s costliest city: Cost of Living report

• Singapore is the world’s most expensive city for the fifth straight year in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s latest Worldwide Cost of Living report.
• Paris and Zurich has been tied for second place.
• The Syrian capital of Damascus and Venezuela’s Caracas were ranked the world’s cheapest.

UN issues $951 million appeal for Rohingya refugees

• United Nations agencies and NGO partners have released a 2018 Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis, with a $951 million appeal.
• It is to meet the urgent needs of nearly 900,000 Rohingya refugees.
• The 2018 appeal for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis was launched by UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, IOM Director General William Swing and the UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh Mia Seppo.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Muthoot Finance Ties Up With Global IME Bank

• Muthoot Finance Ltd., the flagship company of Muthoot Group tied up with Global IME Bank to expand its money remittance services between Indo Nepal Corridor.
• Muthoot Finance is the only Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) to extend the money transfer services from India to Nepal.
• RBL Bank, India and Global IME Bank Ltd., Nepal are the banking partners to facilitate Indo-Nepal remittance service.

APPOINTMENTS

China to appoint Yi Gang as new central bank governor

• China has selected American-trained economist Yi Gang to become the country’s new central bank Governor.
• It said his appointment to the top post at the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) was set to be approved when the legislature reconvenes. He replaces Zhou Xiaochuan.

China

Capital: Beijing

Currency: Renminbi

President: Xi Jinping

Vladimir Putin wins fourth term as Russian President

• Russian President Vladimir Putin wins in presidential election, giving him another six years in power.
• Putin, who has ruled Russia for almost two decades, won more than 75 percent of the vote according to preliminary results.

Russia

President: Vladimir Putin Trending

Capital: Moscow

Currency: Ruble

Li Keqiang re-elected as Prime Minister of China for second term

• Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang was re-elected for his second five-year term at the ongoing parliament session.
• Li is the second ranking leader in China after President Xi Jinping who has emerged as the most powerful leader after Mao Zedong.
• Besides Li, Xu Qiliang and Zhang Youxia were elected as the Vice Chairmen of the Central Military Commission headed by Xi.

SPORTS

Burva Barve wins Women’s Singles at Israel Junior 2018

• India’s Purva Barve has won the Women’s Singles (Under-19) title at the Israel Junior 2018 held in Rishon LeZion, Israel. She defeated top-ranked Russian Anastasiia Pustinskaia to clinch the title
• The title is her first in 2018 and third overall.
• Earlier she won the Israel Junior 2017, Italian Junior International 2017 apart from a bronze at the Russian Junior White Nights 2017.

Juan Martin Del Potro wins Indian Wells title

• Former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro defeated top-ranked Roger Federer to win his first Indian Wells title and second consecutive ATP crown.
• He is from Argentina and it is his first match to win in 2018.

Nepal earn ODI status for first time

• Nepal have gained ODI status for the first time in their history after defeating Papua New Guinea by six wickets in the Cricket World Cup Qualifier play-off.
• Nepal’s captain: Khadka