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We bring you the Latest General Knowledge, Current Affairs daily news, Events, General awareness Today  13th February 2017 Section in FREE PDF (English & Hindi), a section which outlines the latest news, Events headlines which are hardly covered elsewhere.

SPORTS

India wins the WCT20 for the Blind 

India on 12 February 2017 won the ICC T20 Blind World Cup. In the final clash played at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy stadium, India defeated Pakistan by 9-wickets.
●    Successfully defending their title in the T20 Blind World Cup, India achieved the victory target of 198-runs in the 18th over in the final of the tournament.
●    Pakistan had scored 197 for 8 in their 20 overs. The team had won the previous edition by defeating the same rivals in the final in 2012.
●    India made to the finals with eight victories of the nine games. It lost its only match against Pakistan in the group stages at Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi. 
●    Pakistan also ended as runners-up to India in the 2012 edition of the game. In 2012, which was the inaugural session of the tournament, India defeated Pakistan by 29 runs.
●    Pakistan scored 197 for 8 in 20 overs. The main scorer was Badar Muni (57)
India scored 200/1 in 17.4 overs. Main scorers were Prakasha Jayaramaiah (99 not out), Ajay Kumar Reddy (43)

AWARDS

BAFTA 2017

The American musical-drama film ‘La La Land’ swept the top five awards at the 70th British Academy Film Awards, BAFTA. 
●    The film directed by Damien Chazelle had Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as the lead characters.
●    The winning streak displayed by the film 'La La Land' up until BAFTA is expected to continue further, especially since it has 14, a record number of nominations at the upcoming 89th Academy Awards ceremony (Oscars) that is scheduled to be held on 26 February 2017. 
●    Outstanding British film - Daniel Blake
●    Best film - La La Land
●    Best director - Damien Chazelle -La La Land
●    Best actor - Casey Affleck - Manchester by the Sea
●    Best actress - Emma Stone -La La Land
●    EE Rising Star award - Tom Holland
●    Best original music - La La Land

BUSINESS

Peugeot Buys 'Ambassador' for Rs. 80 crore

Hindustan Motors on 11 February 2017 sold out Ambassador car brand to French automaker Peugeot SA for Rs 80 crore.
●    This deal will help Peugeot to enter into the Indian car market by using Hindustan Motors' existing manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu.
●    In this regard, Hindustan Motors signed an agreement with Peugeot SA for the sale of the Ambassador brand including the trademarks for a consideration of Rs 80 crore.
●    Since 1958, when the Ambassador, based on Britain’s Morris Oxford, started being manufactured in India, it was the emblem of high social standing. 
●    It was the first diesel car of India and was the longest produced auto brand that was manufactured between 1958 to 2014.
●    Since 1958, there have been seven models of the Ambassador beginning with Mark 1 to Encore.
●    The first Ambassador model costs Rs 14000 while the last one costs Rs 5 lakh.

NATIONAL NEWS

BHIM App for iOS Launched

Indigenous digital payments app BHIM, which the government has developed for fast and secure cashless transactions, has been launched for the iOS platform.
●    The Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app was available on Android platform till now.
●    On December 30, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the BHIM app for fast and secure cashless transactions using mobile phones.
●    BHIM is a platform designed to make payment through UPI and USSD modes simpler.
●    Last month, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the number of downloads for BHIM app has crossed the 1-crore mark.
●    The BHIM app downloads, which have shot up in a matter of a few days, "show 

how India is changing" with regard to adoption of digital payments and cashless transactions, the Minister had pointed out.
Digital payments channels like mobile wallets, USSD and RuPay have seen massive uptake and rise in transactions post demonetisation.

NATIONAL NEWS

 Zoom Air to begin Commercial Operations from Feb 15

Zoom Air on Sunday flew its inaugural flight from the national capital and will start commercial operations from February 15.
●    The CRJ 200 LR plane landed at the Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport, Durgapur, at 1339 hours, where it was accorded the traditional water canon salute.
●    Zoom Air has become the 12th operational domestic carrier. The airline would start commercial services from February 15 with a flight to Durgapur via Kolkata from New Delhi.
●    Promoted by Zexus Air Services, the carrier would also operate flights to Amritsar, Surat and Bhavnagar from Delhi in the first phase of its operations with a fleet of three dry-leased CRJ 200LR planes.
●    Zoom Air's entry is expected to intensify competition in the domestic aviation market, which is seeing over 20 per cent growth over the last two years.
●    Around Rs. 20 crore has been already invested in the carrier, he said, adding that the airline plans to raise Rs. 20-25 crore in 3-6 months, preferably through equity funding.

DAYS AND DATES

Feb 13 : World Radio Day

World Radio Day was celebrated across the world on 13 February 2017. 
●    Themed ‘Radio is You’, this year the day calls for a greater participation of both the audiences and communities in the policy and planning of radio broadcasting.
●    Irina Bokova, the Director General of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said that at such a time when turbulence is high in the society, radio provides an ideal platform to bring communities together.
●    She further added by saying that radio, as a popular communication medium, is a force for human rights and dignity and also a powerful enabler of solutions to the challenges faced by the society.
●    World Radio Day was celebrated for the first time in 2012, following its establishment during the UNESCO General Conference in the same year.
●    It was later adopted by the United Nations General Assembly as an International Day.
●    Every year, UNESCO commemorates the day by planning activities with organisations, broadcasters and communities from around the world.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Sand Artist Sudarsan’s new sand castle creates Guinness World Record

Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a Guinness World Record on 10 February 2017 by sculpting a 48.8 feet tall sand castle at Odisha’s Puri beach.
●    The world’s tallest sand castle carries a message of world peace and features sculptures of legendary leaders and preachers of peace such as Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Gautama Buddha.
●    Patnaik achieved the huge feat in just four days.
●    He along with his 45 students started work on the sculpture on 7 February. They worked for nearly 12 hours a day.
●    The artwork would be exhibited on the Puri beach for two more days.
●    The official announcement about Patnaik’s feat was made by Guinness authorities in the presence of the state’s chief secretary Aditya Padhi and other senior officers.
●    American artist Ted Siebert was the previous record holder. He had built a 13.97 metre high (45 10 feet) sand castle at Miami Beach, USA in 2015 in seven days.
●    The 39-year-old Odisha-born sand artist is a Padma Shri awardee. He was conferred the prestigious award on 2014.

ECONOMY

RBI to set up separate Enforcement Department

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 8 February 2017 announced that a separate department would be set up to develop a sound framework and process for enforcement action.
●    The proposed department is expected to further strengthen the banking structure and enhance the efficacy of the payment and settlement systems.
●    The Enforcement Department will become operational on 1 April 2017.
●    The Enforce Department (ED) will speed up regulatory compliance of banks.
●    The ED will primarily deal with the issues related to penalties imposed on banks for violation of norms.
●    At present, the penalties are decided by the banking and non-banking supervision departments of the Reserve Bank of India. 

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NATIONAL NEWS

 Arunachal Pradesh becomes first North-East state to implement e-Cabinet solution 

Arunachal Pradesh on 7 February 2017 became the first state in the northeast to implement e-Cabinet solution for the state cabinet members.

●    With the e-Cabinet solution, the Arunachal Pradesh Government plans to streamline its decision-making process.
●    The e-Cabinet solution facilitates the cabinet members to access the cabinet notes before the meeting. 
●    Moreover, the entire business of the Cabinet can be conducted using the system.
●    Once the state adopts the e-Cabinet system completely, the average length of the cabinet meetings will go down from 4-5 hours to just 30-90 minutes.
●    It will also help the government to eliminate the need to print and deliver thousands of pages of documents.
●    The e-Cabinet solution is a multi-user secure solution that keeps relevant information organised and updated in real time. 

OBITUARY

Nobel laureate Sir Peter Mansfield passes away

 Renowned physicist and Nobel laureate Sir Peter Mansfield passed away on 8 February 2017 in London, England. He was 83.

●    Mansfield, along with Paul Lauterbur, had won the 2003 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for developing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
●    Sir Peter Mansfield was an English physicist. He also served as a professor at the University of Nottingham.
●    Born on 9 October 1933 in London, he developed an interest in rocketry at the age of 18.
●    He took up a job with the Rocket Propulsion Department of the Ministry of Supply in Westcott, Buckinghamshire. 
●    Eighteen months later, he was called up for National Service.
●    In 1959, he earned a BSc from Queen Mary's.

SPORTS

 Official Mascot unveiled for FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017

The Official Mascot of the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 was unveiled on 10 February 2017 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.

●    The Official Mascot is a clouded leopard called Kheleo. 
●    The clouded leopard is a vulnerable wild cat whose habitat extends from the Himalayan foothills to mainland Southeast Asia.
●    Kheleo will participate in several activities in the run-up to the first FIFA tournament to be hosted by India. 
●    The tournament will be played from 6 to 28 October 2017.
●    The 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup will be the 17th edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
●    The FIFA U-17 World Cup is a biennial international men's youth football championship contested by the U17 national teams of the member associations of FIFA.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

UK’s House of Commons passes Brexit bill

House of Commons, the lower house of British Parliament passed legislation on 8 February 2017, authorising Prime Minister Theresa May’s government to initiate Brexit talks with the European Union.

●    The historic legislation witnessed 494 Members of the Parliament voting in favour of Brexit and just 122 against. 
●    Among the MPs who voted against the bill, 52 were labour MPs,  the leading opposition party, who went against their party leader Jeremy Corbyn’s orders of backing the bill.
●    Few of the pro- European legislators even whistled European Union’s anthem, Beethoven’s ‘Ode to Joy’ while the votes were being tallied.
●    Though the members of the lower house had already shown overwhelming support to the bill in its initial reading, the final votes were cast following a seven-hour debate on amendments.
●    The bill was passed with no changes.

APPOINTMENTS

Hemant Bhargava appointed LIC MD

Hemant Bhargava was today appointed Managing Director of state-owned Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India.

●    He is at present LIC’s Zonal Manager, Delhi.
●    The Appointments Committee of Cabinet has approved Bhargava’s appointment to the post till his superannuation, i.e., July 31, 2019, an order issued by the Personnel Ministry said.
●    The top LIC management consists of the Chairman and three Managing Directors.
●    Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is an Indian state-owned insurance group and investment company headquartered in Mumbai. 
●    The Life Insurance Corporation of India was founded in 1956 when the Parliament of India passed the Life Insurance of India Act that nationalised the private insurance industry in India. 
●    Over 245 insurance companies and provident societies were merged to create the state owned Life Insurance Corporation.

APPOINTMENTS

Ola appoints Badri Raghavan as Chief Data Scientist

The country’s largest online cab aggregator Ola has put together a data science team which will be headed by Dr. Badri Raghavan, an industry veteran, who earlier worked with FirstFuel Software, a leading energy and utilities analytics firm based out of Boston.

●    Ankit Bhati, CTO and co-founder at Ola, said the company was moving towards a much larger scale towards building technology based on deep insight into the Indian psyche, and for this Big Data is a must. 
●    Raghavan’s key responsibilities will include leading a data science team with cutting edge training in Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Decision Analysis, Pattern Recognition and related areas. 
●    The team will work across various business units and departments, to gain operational and business efficiencies, ranging from demand and supply prediction, driver behaviour and performance management and location Intelligence, among others.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

 World’s first ‘solar panel road’ opens in France

The world’s first solar road is here, in the small village of Tourouvre-au-Perche in Normandy, France. 

●    The 1 kilometer road was opened yesterday by French Ecology Minister Ségolène Royal and could generate enough electricity to power the street lights.
●    That might not sound very impressive for 30,000 square feet of solar panels — and it kind of isn’t, especially for its $5.2 million price tag. 
●    The panels have been covered in a silicon-based resin that allows them to withstand the weight of passing big rigs, and if the road performs as expected, Royal wants to see solar panels installed across 1,000 kilometers of French highway.
●    Colas, the company that installed the road, hopes to reduce the cost of the panels going forward and it has around 100 solar panel road projects in progress around the world.
●    Solar Roadway is another company looking at building roads with solar panels, and it installed a small number of panels at the Route 66 Welcome Center in Conway, Missouri earlier this year.

PERSONS

Veerappan, Chasing the Brigand authored by K Vijay Kumar

The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on 8 February 2017 released the book titled - Veerappan, Chasing the Brigand.

●    The book was written by K Vijay Kumar, Senior Security Adviser in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
●    The book is considered as an authoritative narrative as the author K Vijay Kumar spearheaded the Tamil Nadu Special Task Force (STF) that planned and executed the Veerappan’s encounter in 2004.
●    The book is a lucid and incisive account of the rise and fall of India’s most dreaded forest brigand.
●    The book narrates various incidents that shaped Veerappan’s life - whether it is his birth in Gopinatham in 1952 or his death in 2004 in a shootout in Padi.
●    The book describes ruthless killings and high-profile kidnappings masterminded by Veerappan in a fascinating detail. 

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NATIONAL NEWS

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi inaugurates “Hunar Haat” showcasing rich & exquisite skills of Master Artisans

Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi inaugurated the second edition of “Hunar Haat”. It is being organized by the Minority Affairs Ministry to encourage, promote and provide national and international market to master artisans/craftsmen belonging to the Minority communities from across the country.With the theme “Craft Aur Cuisine Ka Sangam”, the second “Hunar Haat” is being organized from 11th to 26th February, 2017 at State Emporia Complex, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place. 
●    For the first time in this exhibition very exquisite pieces of Handicraft & Handloom work like Makrana Marble products, Bandhej from Sikar, Mojri from Rajasthan, Banjara Embroidery from Telangana, Handmade Locks & Door Handles along with Phool-Patti works from Aligarh, Cocoon decorated products from Nagaland, Mizoram Traditional Crafts, etc are being showcased and sold. 
●    Different cuisines from 13 states are being brought by culinary experts for this second “Hunar Haat”. Awadhi Mughlai foods from Lucknow, Dal Bati Churma & Thali from Rajasthan, Sandesh & Rasogolla from West Bengal, Malabari food from Kerala, Litti-Chokha of Bihar, Puran-Poli from Maharashtra, Dhokla & Jalebi from Gujarat, Kashmiri Wazwan from J&K, Bhutte Ki Khees, Sabudana-Kheer & Khichri from Madhya Pradesh, etc. 
●    Shri Naqvi expressed confidence that just like the first “Hunar Haat”, which was organized in November last year at Pragati Maidan, the second “Hunar Haat” at Baba Kharak Singh Marg will also showcase rich and beautiful art/skills of master artisans. The selected master artisans/craftsmen belong to states such as UP (29), Rajasthan (9), Jammu and Kashmir (9), Gujarat (6), Manipur (3), Assam (2), Odisha (2) and Kerala, Telangana and Bihar etc. In “Bawarchikhana”, the people can enjoy food from states such as UP (3), Jammu and Kashmir (3), West Bengal (2), Gujarat (2) and Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan etc.

DEFENCE

India Successfully Test Fires Exo-Atmospheric Interceptor Missile 

 At 0745 hrs today, India successfully conducted a test wherein an incoming ballistic missile target was intercepted by an exo-atmospheric interceptor missile off the Bay of Bengal. 
●    With this commendable scientific achievement, India has crossed an important milestone in building its overall capability towards enhanced security against incoming ballistic missile threats. 
●    It has entered an exclusive club of four nations with developing capabilities to secure its skies and cities against hostile threats. 
●    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar lauded the efforts of the DRDO and all the scientists involved for their dedicated efforts in this significant achievement.

NATIONAL NEWS

‘India Pharma 2017’ & ‘India Medical Device 2017’ International Conference inaugurated

Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Ananthkumar inaugurated the 2nd edition of India Pharma & India Medical Device International Conference in Bengaluru today. 
●    The three day event, with the Vision - ‘For Responsible Healthcare’, is being organized by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) from 11th-13th February, 2017.
●    Talking about the achievements of the Pharma sector, the Minister congratulated the industry for achieving a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of over 15% and expressed confidence that the sector would be worth $55 billion by 2020 from the present $32 billion. 
●    The Minister also said that India accounts for around 20% of the World’s generic medicine supply chain, exporting to over 250 countries globally. Indian Pharma Industry provides over 60% of global vaccines.
●    Further, Shri Kumar informed that in this fiscal year, the Indian Pharma sector has received Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) close to $14 billion and has generated employment for over 2.5 million people across India.

NATIONAL NEWS

Second National Conclave on Mines and Minerals to be held in the National Capital on 15 February 2017

The Ministry of Mines organized the first National Conclave on Mines & Minerals on 4-5 July 2016 at Raipur jointly with the Govt. of Chhattisgarh. It was an astounding success, owing to overwhelming support of all stakeholders of the mining industry. All the participants expressed great satisfaction on the organization and outcome of the conclave.
●    After the first Conclave, several new initiatives have been taken by the Ministry of Mines, such as - launch of Star Rating Scheme, Mining Surveillance System, scheme to attract private explorers, etc. 
●    The implementation of these initiatives requires harmonization of understanding of the regulatory bodies and the mining industry. This called for intensive and wide interaction between all stakeholders.
●    The Prime Minister had launched ‘Make in India’ program encompassing all vital areas in the manufacturing sector of the economy. The mining sector has a pivotal role to play in the ‘Make in India’ vision of the Prime Minister. 
●    The great success, and immense utility of 1st National Mining Conclave on Mines & Minerals to gather solidarity in approach for addressing the issues in the mining sector, the Ministry of Mines is organising 2nd National Mining Conclave on Mines & Minerals in New Delhi in Convention Hall, Hotel The Ashok, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi  on 15th February, 2017. 

NATIONAL NEWS

National Productivity Week Celebrations from Feb 12-18, 2017

National Productivity Council, an autonomous body under Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India was established on 12th February, 1958, with the objective of stimulating and promoting productivity and quality consciousness across all sectors in the country. 
●    With the Government’s focus on Make in India, the need for accelerated growth through higher productivity and quality has never been felt more. 
●    The ongoing process of liberalization and globalization of the Indian economy makes it imperative to re-double our efforts towards enhancing productivity for competitiveness and making it a mass-movement.
●    12th-18th February is celebrated as the ‘National Productivity Week’ every year. The theme chosen for this year’s observance is “From Waste to Profits-through Reduce, Recycle and Reuse”. 
●    Departmental Secretaries, PSU’s, Industry Associations, Autonomous Bodies, Universities, Local Productivity Councils & NPC Regional Directorates have been requested to actively organize workshops, essay/painting/slogan competitions, debates, training programs, etc.  during the week to spread the message of productivity amongst all stakeholders.

NATIONAL NEWS

Union Minister For Science & Technology And Earth Sciences Dr. Harsh Vardhan released Braille Atlas for Visually Impaired

The Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Dr. Harsh Vardhan released the Special Edition of “Atlas for Visually Impaired (India)” in English Braille today in New Delhi. This Braille Atlas has been prepared by National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organisation (NATMO) under Department of Science & Technology.
●    The Minister expressed happiness at the production of these Atlases. He said these atlases will be distributed to various schools across the country for educating the students with visual challenges.
●    Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that all departments of Government will work to implement this. Efforts are being made to make these atlases more cost effective than the current price of Rs.600/- per atlas with 20 maps now. Silkscreen printing used to prepare these atlases is unique to India, he added.
●    About 20 maps on different themes of physical, socioeconomic and cultural aspects such as river system, natural vegetation, Metropolitan cities, Roads and Railways, Food crops and cash crops have been incorporated in the atlas with write-ups on every map as ready reference. 
●    This Atlas has been bestowed with National award for S&T intervention in empowering the physically challenged by the Prime Minister on 3rd January, 2017 in Indian Science Congress held in Tirupati. 

NATIONAL NEWS

 Thaawarchand Gehlot Inaugurates ‘2ND Workshop to Train Professionals as Master Trainers for using INCLEN Tools’

Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment inaugurated the “2nd workshop to train Professionals as Master Trainers for using INCLEN Tools” organized by the National Trust, a statutory body under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment here today. 
●    Shri Gehlot wished all the professional Master Trainers a bright future ahead. Shri N.S. Kang, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and Shri Mukesh Jain, CEO, National Trust and many dignitaries were present.
●    The 1st National Workshop was organized  form 31st August to 2nd September, 2016 in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi in which 78 professionals in the field of Pediatrics, Clinical Psychologist & Psychiatrists from 18 states were trained.
●    The children affected by ASD will be certified by using the INCLEN tools for diagnosis and ISAA tools for severity scoring. 
●    The aim of the proposed workshop is to train and empower healthcare professionals (pediatricians, psychologists, psychiatrists) to diagnose, certify and thus take the first step to manage children with ASD appropriately. 
●    The purpose of training the professionals as Master Trainers is that every State, through its Master Trainers, will train other professionals in using INCLEN and ISAA tools which becomes base in issuing the certificates for Autism. This will solve the problem of issuing certificate for Autism is in the State.

NATIONAL NEWS

Gujarat becomes first State to establish cashless system for distribution of food grains

Gujarat in the first week of February 2017 became the first State in the country to establish a cashless system for distribution of food grains.
●    An announcement in this regard was made by the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan, who congratulated the Government of Gujarat for this achievement.
●    The Government of Gujarat installed Aadhaar Enabled Payment System in 17250 Fair Price Shops (FPSs), much before the targeted date of 31 March 2017.
●    Under this new system, the beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act, 2013 will need to carry only Aadhaar cards for getting their food grains.
●    This will help in establishing the identity of beneficiaries, help in stopping the leakages of grains at shop level and eradicating corruption in the Public Distribution System (PDS).

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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

India-UK sign MoU to Allow More Flights to Boost Tourism and Trade

India and the UK signed a MoU to ease restrictions on the number of scheduled flights between the two countries, following successful talks in India this week. 
●    Limits on flights from key Indian cities including Chennai and Kolkata have been scrapped, allowing for a greater range of flights for passengers while providing a boost to trade and tourism for the UK and India. Building new links with important trading partners is a key part of the government’s plans for a Global Britain, opening up new export markets and creating jobs and economic growth. 
●    The agreement also opened all destinations in the UK for Indian carriers for code share flights, and reciprocally the UK carriers can also operate code share flights to any International Airport in India, through domestic code share arrangements. 
The agreement was formally signed by Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju, on behalf of India and Lord Ahmad of U.K. during a visit to India where he led a delegation of British companies for the 2017 CAPA India Aviation Summit.

SPORTS

Cheteshwar Pujara Breaks 52 year old Record

The meeting of Inter- It must have been a day of mixed feelings for Cheteshwar Pujara and Karun Nair. 
●    Both created records albeit of different kinds. While Pujara may manage a smile despite missing out on a Test hundred, Karun would just wonder what more could he have done apart from scoring a triple ton to miss out on a Test match. 
●    Cheteshwar Pujara slammed 83 to break Chandu Borde's record. AP Pujara today eclipsed Chandu Borde's five decades old national record of most runs by an Indian in a single season. 
●    Borde had scored 1604 runs in the 1964-65 season that included runs in Tests as well as first-class matches. As Pujara reached his personal score of 83, he surpassed Borde by a run and now has 1605 runs in the season.
●    With 4 more Tests to go, Pujara may close in on 2000 runs by an Indian batsman in a single season. Interestingly, the third highest aggregate of runs by an Indian batsman in a single season stands in Pujara's name. 
●    He had scored 1585 runs during the 2012-13 season.

SPORTS

Savio Medeira Becomes the Technical Director of AIFF

Former Indian national football team coach Savio Medeira is set to take up the role of All India Football Federation (AIFF) Technical Director vacated by Scott O'Donell.
●    Savio has a wealth of experience having played his entire career for Salgaocar SC before becoming the team's coach. He started as an assistant coach and took over the helm in the 2001-02 NFL (National Football League) season. He remained at the post for six years and then accepted the invitation from AIFF to be the assistant coach for the Indian side under Bob Houghton. 
●    He was appointed the national team coach in 2011 and managed the team in 2011 SAFF Cup and 2012 AFC Challenge Cup.
●    Exiting Technical Director Scott O'Donell is a former Australian national football team player and took over from Robert Baan in 2015. 
●    The former Cambodia coach had cited family reasons and a desire to go back to Australia while quitting.

DISCOVERY

Archaeologists Discover New Dead Sea Scrolls Cave

Archaeologists have uncovered a new cave that once housed Dead Sea Scrolls, in a discovery described as one of the “most important” in 60 years.
●    The Hebrew University in Jerusalem said the scrolls were missing from the cave.
●    The Dead Sea Scrolls, which include the oldest known manuscripts of the Hebrew Bible, date from the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century CE.
●    About 900 scrolls were discovered between 1947 and 1956 in the Qumran caves above the Dead Sea. 
●    The parchment and papyrus scrolls contain Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic writing, and include several of the earliest-known texts from the Bible, including the oldest surviving copy of the Ten Commandments.

DISCOVERY

New Species of Gecko Discovered

A new species of gecko "EUBLEPHARIS SATPURAENSIS" (reptile) has been discovered for the first time in Chhattisgarh's rich biodiversity forest at Bhoramdeo Wildlife Sanctuary in Kawardha district. 
●    The population of the new species looks quite dense and indicates that the ecosystem suits it for further conservation.
●    Earlier found only in Madhya Pradesh, the species was spotted during tiger census being conducted in the sanctuary on the hills of Satpura range. 
●    Forest department now plans to write to Zoological Survey of India seeking suggestions to conserve Gecko in the region.
●    It's a welcoming move that such rare species are present in state's forest range and deep study of reptiles has become important now. 

REPORTS & RANKINGS

 IP Index : India Stays Near Bottom

India was ranked 37 out of 38 countries, with only Venezuela scoring lower, in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce-International Intellectual Property Index.
●    The report, released on Wednesday, comes at a time when the government is close to finalising a National Intellectual Property policy to improve the IP regime, increase IP awareness and strengthen enforcement of rules.
●    The U.S. was ranked first, followed by the UK, Germany, France and Sweden. 
●    India’s peers in the BRICS grouping were all ranked ahead with Russia ranked 20th, China (22nd), South Africa (26th) and Brazil (29th). 
●    The 38 economies benchmarked in the 2016 Index accounts for nearly 85 per cent of the global GDP.
●    India remains at the bottom of the Index for the fourth year in a row, the GIPC report said.

NATIONAL NEWS

 Ananth Kumar launched 1000 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras

Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Ananthkumar inaugurated and presided over the orientation programme for the district conveners of National Yuva Cooperative Society (NYCS) here today, for launching of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) in the country. 
●    The workshop was targeted to educate and channelize youth to synergize their efforts for taking ahead the mission to open 3000 PMBJKs by March 2017.
●    Speaking on the occasion, Shri Ananth Kumar emphasized on the need to open more and more PMBJKs, which should be based on 3As – Authenticity, Availability and Affordability. 
●    He also appreciated the efforts made by BPPI and NYCS in achieving the same. 
●    As only 40% of the population is able to avail branded medicines whereas the remaining 60% are deprived of it due to poverty and other reasons.

SPORTS

Mission XI Million, launched in New Delhi

Driven by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi´s vision of making football the sport of choice in India, Mission XI Million, the biggest school sport outreach programme was launched here today by the Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Vijay Goel in the presence of President of AIFF Shri Praful Patel. 
●    A first of its kind, the programme will encourage children to play the beautiful game of football, gain healthy habits and learn important life lessons in teamwork and sportsman spirit. 
●    The approach is to work with school principals and sports teachers and encourage and incentivize them to make children play football games on regular basis. 
●    Speaking on the occasion Shri Vijay Goel said, over the past year, his Ministry has made many bold strides towards developing a sporting culture in the country. He said, Projects like Khelo India are helping towards developing sport at the ground level while our TOPS scheme and Olympic Task forces look to help our elite athletes bring glory to India in the international arena. 
●    And with the FIFA U-17 World Cup being held in India in October this year, we are building our infrastructure and showcasing our ability to organize and execute global sporting events. 

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NATIONAL NEWS

President’s Estate to Generate 670 KW Solar Energy through rooftop Solar Panels

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate the first phase of a Solarization Project in the President’s Estate tomorrow (February 10, 2017) under which 670 KW of solar power will be generated through rooftop solar panels installed on seven buildings in the President’s Estate. 
●    The savings in electricity bills resulting from this project is expected to be more than approximately Rs 80 lakh per year. The generation of solar power will result in significant reduction in carbon footprint and make the Estate more energy efficient. 
●    As part of the inaugural event, a day long exhibition showcasing various aspects of energy conservation and green energy is also being held with the support of Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL), Rural Electrification Corporation, Green Jobs Sector Skill Council, Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Central Electronics Limited and Energy Efficiency Services Limited. 
●    Painting and science model competitions as well as a Nukkad Natak on the theme of energy efficiency/solar power will be organized on the occasion. Quizzes and games on green energy will be conducted for students. A life-skill training course for girls of classes 11 and 12 of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Sarvodaya Vidyalaya by TPDDL will be also launched. 

NATIONAL NEWS

First Time a Buffer Stock of Pulses Crosses 10 lakh MT

The meeting of Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on prices and availability of select essential commodities held on February 9, 2017 under the chairmanship of Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs noted that for the first time a buffer stock of 10 lakh MT of pulses has been created through domestic procurement and imports. 
●    Of this, five lakh tonne have been procured during ongoing kharif marketing season.
●    The Government procurement intervention has helped farmers get remunerative prices for kharif pulses. 
●    IMC directed procuring agencies to continue procurement operations for pulses at MSP plus bonus. 
●    Procurement and price support would incentivize farmers to take up cultivation of pulses on larger scale.

NATIONAL NEWS

Opening of the first batch of new Post Office Passport Seva Kendras

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Department of Posts (DOP) announced on 24 January, 2017 their decision to utilize the Head Post Offices (HPO) in the various States as Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) for delivering passport related services to the citizens of our country. 
●    The objective of this partnership is to extend passport services on a larger scale and to ensure wider area coverage.
●    The pilot projects for this joint venture between MEA and DOP was inaugurated on 25 January, 2017 at the HPO at Mysuru in Karnataka by Shri Ananth Kumar, Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs; and at the Post Office at Dahod in Gujarat by Gen (Retd.) Dr. V.K.Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs, and Shri Jaswantsinh Sumanbhai Bhabhor, Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Government of India. 
●    The POPSK at these two places have been running successfully since their inauguration. 
●    One hundred appointments are being released every day for each of these POPSK.

NATIONAL NEWS

Union Textiles Minister to chair Stakeholders’ Meeting of Silk Industry 

The Ministry of Textiles is organizing a Silk Industry Stakeholders Meet on 10th February, 2017 in New Delhi, to discuss various issues related to the development of Indian silk industry. 
●    The Union Textiles Minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani will preside over the meeting. Minister of State, Textiles, Shri Ajay Tamta; Secretary, Textiles, Smt. Rashmi Verma and Chairman, Central Silk Board, Shri K.M. Hanumantharayappa will grace the occasion.
●    The Union Finance Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley; Union Minister of Agriculture, Shri Radha Mohan Singh; Union Minister for Science & Technology, Dr. Harsh Vardhan; Union Minister for Rural Development, Panchayat Raj and Drinking Water & Sanitation, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar; and Union Minister of State (I/C), Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Shri Anil Madhav Dave have been invited to grace the occasion.
●    Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Bhagalpur, Bihar, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey; Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Gorantla, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, Shri Nimmala Kristappa; Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Mysuru, Shri Pratap Simha; Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Akola, Maharashtra, Shri Sanjay Dattray; and Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Mangaldoi, Assam, Shri Ramen Deka, are also expected to participate.

NATIONAL NEWS

First Phase of the Station Redevelopment Program comprising 23 major Railway Stations launched

In order to transform the face of the Indian Railways, Minister of Railways, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu launched the first Phase of the World’s largest Station Redevelopment Program comprising 23 major Railway Stations on Indian Railways network. Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar was present to grace the occasion. 
●    Chairman, Railway Board, Shri A.K. Mital, Member Engineering, Railway Board, Aditya Kumar Mittal, Member Traffic, Railway Board, Shri Mohd. Jamshed and other Board Members and other distinguished guests were present to grace the occasion.
●    Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu said that the Railways have certain advantages out of which one is holding of land on a large scale. He said that Railway Stations is a place where lots of people wait to board a train and thus Railway Station can be developed into an iconic property. 
●    He said that in the first phase, 23 stations will be bid out and redeveloped to the fullest use where so many facilities can be enjoyed by the passengers at one place. He also directed all the General Managers/DRM through video conferencing to collaborate with the Station Government for re-development of Stations.
●    Welcoming the Minister of Railways and other delegates, Chairman, Railway Board, Shri A.K. Mital said that our effort for last 10 years will see a culmination as we launch the first lot of stations for redevelopment through public-private partnership. 

NATIONAL NEWS

Maharashtra to become Open Defecation Free by March 2018

The Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, Shri Swadhin Kshatriya has conveyed to the Centre that the State will be declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) by March 2018. 
●    He said this in a meeting with the Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Parameswaran Iyer, in Mumbai, and mentioned that Maharashtra is on track to achieve this goal.
●    The Secretary was further informed that the Government of Maharashtra has a strong third party verification system for ODF declarations in the State, with three levels of verification. 
The Chief Secretary said that Maharashtra is not only aiming for ODF achievement, but also aiming to include handwashing, menstrual hygiene, community toilets etc. as part of Swachh Bharat implementation in the State. Multiple cleanliness campaigns – such as Clean Offices, Clean GPs, Clean Schools – are also underway in the State.

NATIONAL NEWS

 Health Ministry set for its Third Annual National Deworming Day to Tackle Worm Infections in Children

Close to 34 crore children will be reached out to as part of the National Deworming Day initiative on 10th February. 
●    This was stated by Shri C K Mishra, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, here today as he briefed the media about the third annual National Deworming Day (NDD) on 10 February 2017. 
●    Currently the largest single day, public health program in the world, the National Deworming Day this year is set to reach approximately 34 crore children in the age group of 1-19 years in 34 states and union territories in government and government-aided schools, anganwadis, and private schools, he stated.
Secretary (Health) said that a mop-up day will be held on 15 February, to deworm any child who could not be dewormed on National Deworming Day. The NDD is being implemented through the combined efforts of Department of School Education and Literacy under Ministry of Human Resource and Development, Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
●    All stakeholders are committed towards achievement of the NDD objectives, as reflected in the joint directives signed for NDD by MoHFW, MHRD and MWCD. 

●    The Health secretary further informed that Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri JP Nadda has also sent letters to the Chief Ministries of all States/UTs and all members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for their assistance in key tasks related to NDD.

NATIONAL NEWS

CBDT signs four more unilateral Advance Pricing Agreements 

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT),Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance has entered into four more unilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs) yesterday. 
●    The four APAs signed pertain to the Manufacturing, Financial and Information Technology sectors of the economy. 
●    The international transactions covered in these agreements include Contract Manufacturing, IT Enabled Services and Software Development Services. 
●    With this, the total number of APAs entered into by the CBDT has reached 130. This includes 8 bilateral APAs and 122 Unilateral APAs. 
●    In the current financial year, a total of 66 APAs (5 bilateral APAs and 61 unilateral APAs) have already been entered into. 
●    The CBDT expects more APAs to be concluded and signed before the end of the current fiscal.

On This Day

On February 9, 1900, the solid silver trophy known today as the Davis Cup was first put up for competition when American collegian Dwight Filley Davis had challenged British tennis players to come across the Atlantic and compete against his Harvard team. Great Britain, then regarded as the world’s leading tennis power, answered Davis’ challenge, and on August 8, 1900, three top British players came to the Longwood Cricket Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, to compete against Davis and his all-Harvard team. Davis had devised a three-day format for the event that still exists today: two singles matches on the first and third days each, and a doubles match on the second day. He was captain of the U.S. team. He ended up triumphing in the singles match and the next day with Holcombe Ward defeated the British doubles team. Rain forced the cancellation of two of the singles matches, and the first Davis Cup ended with a 3-0 Harvard sweep. Today, the Davis Cup, as the International Lawn Tennis Challenge Trophy is commonly known, is the premier trophy of international team tennis. 
 

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SPORTS

 Mohit Ahlawat scores first 300 in T20 at Any Level 

21-year-old Mohit Ahlawat became the first batsman in the world to score a 300 in a T20 match on Tuesday. 

●    While the match had no official status and was only a local match played in Delhi, Ahlawat’s knock was one was filled with superlatives and his triple century came in 72 balls.
●    The Delhi wicketkeeper-batsman smashed a whopping 39 sixes and 14 boundaries on his way to the total. 
●    No player has ever crossed the 200-run-mark in international or domestic T20 matches. In professional cricket, the highest individual score in T20 cricket belongs to Chris Gayle, who made 175 runs in just 66 balls for Royal Challengers Bangalore. 
●    The highest individual in international cricket is 156 that Aaron Finch smashed in 63 balls for Australia against England. 

BUSINESS

Ratan Tata launches 'Moonshot Wheels'

Tata Group patriarch Ratan Tata today launched Team Indus Foundation's 'Moonshot Wheels' - a bus which will traverse the country with an aim to inspire the next generation about India's first private moon mission.

●    Team Indus Foundation is the CSR arm of Team Indus, the only Indian team competing for the Google Lunar XPRIZE of USD 25 million that requires privately funded teams to land their spacecraft on the surface of the moon, travel 500 metres and broadcast high-definition video, images and data back to Earth.
●    Moonshot Wheels is a bus which will traverse nine states, 12,500 kms in 12 months, across India impacting 36,000+ students in government schools, the foundation officials said.
●    This programme is curated and administered by Team Indus Foundation with on ground implementation by Agastya International Foundation, which has been dedicated to bring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) alive for children.

NATIONAL NEWS

 Over 19 lakh covered in Measles Rubella Drive 

A total of 9,00,546 children were vaccinated on Monday, the first day of the mass Measles Rubella (MR) vaccination drive across the State.

●       On Tuesday, over 10 lakh students are estimated to have received the vaccine, said Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine K. Kulandaisamy.
●    While the campaign has been by and large smooth, some hiccups were reported in Chennai with some parents not bringing in their children.
●    Though most schools have been cooperative, some have expressed reservations, Dr. Kolandaisamy said.
●    Day one’s target was slightly lower than expected as there were local holidays in Tiruvannamalai and Tiruchi districts, he said.
●    Both days saw anxious parents and panicky students in some districts including Tiruvallur, Sivaganga, Krishnagiri, Virudhunagar, Ariyalur, Tirunelveli and Vellore, but health officials reassured all those who had come, said Dr. Kolandaisamy

NATIONAL NEWS

West Bengal Advocate General Jayanta Mitra Resigns

West Bengal’s Advocate-General Jayanta Mitra today resigned following difference of opinion with the state government.

●    He tendered his resignation to Governor K.N. Tripathi.
●    Mitra said that he did his job properly during his two-year tenure but was forced to quit because of a “difference of opinion with the state government on certain issues”. 
●    Mitra had earlier resigned from his post on May 19 last year but was reinstated in June. 
●    An economics graduate from Presidency College, had Mitra studied law in London and became a barrister in 1963.

NATIONAL NEWS

National Marine Police Training Institute to be set up

With the Union ministry of home affairs keen on setting up the National Institute of Coastal Policing at Dwarka, Gujarat, the internal security division of the state government is now gearing up to use the land reserved for this in Udupi district to set up the State Marine Policing Training Centre.

●    The UPA government had initially planned to set up the institute at Palghar, Maharashtra which the current NDA government shifted to Dwarka.
●    The home ministry intended to set up the institute under the coastal security scheme phase II. 
●    The state government set aside 24.9 acres at Airody village in Kota hobli, Udupi taluk for it. 
●    This included 19.54 acres in Survey No. 120; 2.26 acres in Survey No. 72 and 3.1 acres in Survey No. 112/1A1A. 
●    Accordingly, the land was reserved for the coastal security police subject to certain conditions and made available for public purposes.
 

SPORTS

 Genzebe Dibaba runs fastest ever women's 2000 metres

Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba ran the fastest ever women's 2,000 metres at the indoor Miting Internacional de Catalunya meeting in Sabadell, Spain on Tuesday.

●    Her time of five minutes 23.75 seconds sliced almost seven seconds off the previous indoor world record of 5:30.53 set by Romania's Gabriela Szabo in 1998.
●    The IAAF, athletics' world governing body, said although the 2,000m is not an official indoor world record event, Dibaba's performance was "an outright world record" as it was faster than the outdoor mark of 5:25.36 set by Ireland's Sonia O'Sullivan.
●    The 25-year-old Dibaba, a three-time world indoor champion, now owns the fastest recorded times indoors for the 1500m, mile, 2,000m, 3,000m, two miles and 5,000m as well as the outdoor 1500m world record. 

GLOBAL NEWS

17th International Counter Terrorism Seminar held today

The Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore inaugurated the 17th International Seminar on Counter Terrorism, being organised by National Security Guard, in Manesar, Haryana today.

●    Speaking on the occasion, Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said that terrorism is a global threat and the footprint of terrorism does not restrict to any border. 
●    He said that there should be proper coordination between the agencies within the country, as well as between the countries, because terrorists take advantage of element of surprise if we live in isolation The Minister said that now the focus should be more on Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).
●    The Minister said that the outcome of the seminar should be shared among the different agencies, to develop intelligence and also use the knowledge for safety and security. He said that there should be collaboration in intelligence, strategy and technology. He appreciated the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Defence for keeping pace with other countries in terms of modernising the forces.
●    The Minister unveiled the NSG annual magazine ‘The Bombshell’, which contains details of various IED explosions that occurred in various parts of the world in 2016.
●    Earlier, Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore also inaugurated the Niranjan Auditorium, in memory of Lt Col. Niranjan Kumar, who laid down his life during the Pathankot attack in 2016.
●    During the day, two sessions were held to discuss on the manifestation of IED threats in the last decade and the global cooperation to mitigate IED menace.
●    The Minister of State for External Affairs Shri M. J. Akbar will deliver the keynote address on the second day of 17th International NSG Seminar at Manekshaw Centre, 

NATIONAL NEWS

Shri Piyush Goyal to launch TAMRA Portal and Mobile Application

With an objective to enhance transparency and accountability as a part of the Ease of Doing Business in the Mining sector, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Shri Piyush Goyal will launch TAMRA (Transparency, Auction Monitoring and Resource Augmentation) portal and Mobile Application here on 10th February, 2017. 

●    Ministers of Mining and senior officers from 12 mineral rich States would also be connected through videoconferencing.
●    In context of Prime Minister , Shri Narendra Modi’s Ease of Doing Business initiative, which advocates facilitating overall business activity in India, the Ministry of Mines has developed the TAMRA Portal and Mobile Application which is a step to speed up mining activity in India and facilitate all the stakeholders to track the status of the statutory clearances associated with mining blocks for getting mines to reach till operationalisation for the same. 
●    TAMRA will be an interactive platform for all the stakeholders to compress the timelines for statutory and other clearances as it would help minimize the gestation period for commencing production. 

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OBITUARY

Subhas Chandra Bose's Driver Passes Away 

Colonel Nizamuddin, the driver of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, passed away at the age of 117 in his native Azamgarh district. 

●    Nizamuddin, who had been with Netaji between 1943 and 1945, breathed his last on Monday.
●    He is survived by his wife Ajbul Nisha, three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolence over the death of Nizamuddin.
●    Nizamuddin hails from Dhakwa village in Mubarakpur area in Azamgarh. 
●    He lives there with his wife Ajbul Nisha and youngest son Sheikh Akram. His two other sons, Akhtar Ali and An
●    war Ali, are employed in Saudi Arabia and Bombay, respectively. 
●    His two daughters are married.

BUSINESS

Cyrus Mistry Voted Out as Director of Tata Sons

Cyrus Mistry, the ousted chairman of Tata Sons, was removed as a director of the company by a majority vote of shareholders on Monday, thus stripping him of the only position he had held on to in the group after his resignation from the boards of various group entities.
The extraordinary general meeting (EGM) of Tata Sons held at the company headquarters had but one agenda: Mistry's removal as director. Tata trusts and group companies which hold the controlling stake as well as sections of the Tata clan voted in favour of the resolution.
However, a few members of the family abstained. Mistry himself stayed away but, through a proxy, voted against the resolution. 
Ratan Tata's brother Jimmy Tata, Piloo Minocher Tata (wife of a grandnephew of group founder Jamsetji Tata) and her children Jimmy M Tata and Vera Farhad Choksey  were among those who abstained.

BANKING AWARENESS

Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Launched 

Ujjivan Small Finance Bank on Monday launched the official operation of its services with five pilot branches, aiming to become a leading mass market retail bank over the next five years by catering to the unserved and under-served customers. 

●    Ujjivan Financial Services, a non-banking financial company which is the holding company of the small finance bank, was among the 10 entities that received license from RBI late last year to commence small finance banking operations. 
●    Representational image. Reuters "With a customer base of 35 lakh people, we are now focusing on the under-served. 
●    In the last two years, we have done a lot of market research. There is a huge gap in market potential. 
●    Ujjivan Small Finance Bank will offer interest rates on fixed deposit and recurring deposit in the range of 5.5-8 percent, which is higher than the average rate of interest offered by most banks, the bank said in a statement. 

SPORTS

ICC Votes to Move Away from Big 3 System

The most significant ICC board meeting in three years gets underway on Thursday - significant because the aim of most members will be to sign off on the undoing of the Big Three resolutions that were approved in February 2014, in Singapore.

●    The ides of February is not quite right, but it is clearly a tumultuous month in recent ICC history: it was last February that a formal decision was taken by the board, under the ICC chairmanship of Shashank Manohar, to begin a comprehensive review of the changes wrought by the Big Three.
●    Now February again the results of that review, in the shape of a report put together by a five-man steering committee, will be the weekend's focal point at ICC HQ in Dubai. 
●    And those members in favour of its recommendations are keen to push them through at this meeting, with the hope of finalising them at the Annual General Meeting in June this year.
●    An irony in the identity of the authors of the report has not gone unnoticed: Giles Clarke, the ECB president, and Cricket Australia (CA) chairman David Peever represent two of the Big Three boards behind the changes expected to be reversed.

SPACE SCIENCE

Japan's Mission to Clean Up Space Junk Fails

An experimental Japanese mission to clear ‘space junk’ or rubbish from the Earth’s orbit has ended in failure, officials said on Monday, in an embarrassment for Tokyo.
 

●    Over 100 million pieces of garbage are thought to be whizzing around the planet, including cast-off equipment from old satellites and bits of rocket, which experts say could pose risks for future space exploration.
●    The hope was that the clutter, built up after more than five decades of human space exploration, would eventually enter the Earth’s atmosphere and burn up harmlessly before it had a chance to crash into the planet.
●    The 700-metre-long tether was made from thin wires of stainless steel and aluminium. 
●    It was due to be extended out from a cargo ship launched in December carrying supplies for astronauts at the International Space Station.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

India and Austria Sign Protocol amending India-Austria Double Taxation Avoidance Convention 

India and Austria signed a Protocol amending the existing Convention between the two countries for Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income here today. 

•    The Protocol was  signed by Shri  Sushil Chandra, Chairman CBDT on behalf of India and Mr. Georg Zehetner, Charge d’ Affaires, Embassy of Austria on behalf of Austria.
•    The Protocol will broaden the scope of the existing framework of exchange of tax related information which will help curb tax evasion and tax avoidance between the two countries and will also enable mutual assistance in collection of taxes.

NATIONAL NEWS

WLPGA 2017 Asia LPG Summit begins from 7th Feb in New Delhi

The Government of India’s recent groundbreaking initiatives to increase access to LPG, have ensured LPG access to over 800 million people in the country.

●    Today, India is the world’s second biggest consumer of LPG in the domestic sector with annual consumption exceeding 18 million tonnes and growing at more than 10% per annum.
●    To showcase and share these innovative initiatives, the Indian LPG Industry, in association with the World LPG Association, is organising the WLPGA Asia LPG Summit & the Indian LPG Summit: ‘Emerging Trends’ on 7th– 8th February 2017.
●    The keynote and inaugural address for the event, will be delivered by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Honorable Minister of State (I/C), Government of India, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
●    The three days will comprise a series of events including WLPGA internal meetings and both summits. 

SPORTS

Alastair Cook Steps Down as England Test Captain

Alastair Cook on 6 Februray 2017 resigned as the captain of the England test cricket team. Cook submitted his resignation to England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Colin Graves.

●    However, Cook has stated his willingness to continue playing on as a batsman in the longest format of the game.
●    A left-handed opening batsman, Cook started his international career with a test match against India in March 2006.
●    He played his first one day international (ODI) against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford, England in June 2006.
●    So far, Alastair Cook played 140 matches and scored 11,057 runs from 253 innings. His test career includes 53 half-centuries, 30 centuries and 3 double centuries.
●    So far, he scored 3204 runs in 92 ODIs. The score includes 19 half-centuries and 5 centuries.

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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

 India and UAE Coast Guards to take part in joint exercise

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and their UAE counterparts will take part in a joint exercise and sharing of operational expertise from today.
●    The Indian Ambassador to UAE Navdeep Suri visited the ship yesterday and was briefed on board by DIG Satish Kumar, captain of the ship.
●    Samudra Pavak, the third of the Pollution Control Vessel series of the Indian Coast Guard, was indigenously designed and commissioned in January 2016.
●    ICGS Samudra Pavak has been extensively deployed along the northwest maritime frontier to safeguard the maritime interests of India.
●    The ship has been tasked with EEZ surveillance, search and rescue, pollution response and such other duties as enshrined in the Coast Guard charter.

SPORTS

Cameroon Wins the African Cup of Nations

Cameroon rose again after years of underachievement to win the African Cup of Nations title on Sunday with a fabulous goal in the 89th minute of the final for a 2-1 come-from-behind victory against mighty Egypt.
●    As the final whistle got nearer, substitute Vincent Aboubakar controlled the ball just outside the area, clipped it over a defender, and then shot past the goalkeeper to clinch Cameroon's fifth African title and first since 2002.
●    Egypt's 44-year-old 'keeper, Essam el-Hadary, watched the tournament-winning shot slid past him right at the end to deny the Egyptians a record-extending eighth title, and el-Hadary a fifth triumph an incredible 19 years after his first.
●    Aboubakar, the halftime super sub, completed the rally. Cameroon, already c
●    As he approached the enclosure, he stretched out both his arms and pointed to where Cameroon great Samuel Eto'o, one of the African Cup winners in 2002, stood celebrating the goal as a spectator.

NATIONAL NEWS

Foundation Stone Laid for First Training Centre for Para-athletes 

The Union Minister for Sports, Vijay Goel laid the foundation stone of the boundary wall of the first-ever Centre of Excellence for differently-abled sportsmen on 5 February 2017 in Sector-25 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
●    The government has allotted an estimated amount of Rs 50 Cr for the project. The centre is proposed to provide world class facilities.
●    The centre will be built on 7.5 acres of land belonging to the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
●    It will also have an air-conditioned hostel with 100 beds and 20 suites for foreign guests and an open land for warm-up exercises.
●    A lot of facilities at the centre are expected to be fully functional within the next one year.
●    The centre will also hold educational programmes, seminars and workshops throughout the year with the help of the International Paralympic Committee.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Indian Teen Discovers Cheapest Way to make Seawater Drinkable

An Indian-American student has found a cheaper and easier method to turn salt water into drinkable fresh water and his research has caught the attention of major technology firms and universities.
●    Isolating drinkable water from the ocean in a cost effective way is a problem that has stumped scientists for years.
●    By experimenting with a highly absorbent polymer, the teen discovered a cost effective way to remove salt from ocean water and turn it into fresh water.
●    It is a breakthrough that is estimated to impact millions of lives if ever implemented on a mass scale.
●    Scientists across the country are taking note. He won a USD 10,000 award from the US Agency for International Global Development at Intels International Science Fair and second place at MITs TechCon Conference where he won more money to continue his research.
●    Karamchedu was also named one of 300 Regeneron Science Talent Search Semifinalists. 

BUSINESS

Tata out of World's Top 100 Brands

The spat between Tata Sons and its former chairman Cyrus P. Mistry seems to have pushed Tata out of the top 100 brands in the world ranked by Brand Finance, a consulting firm.
●    According to Brand Finance’s 2017 report, the Tata group has slipped out of the top 100 for the first time since 2007, the first year for which this data is available. 
●    In 2017, it is ranked 103 compared with 82 in the previous year.
●    Tata, however, continues to be the most valuable brand in India ahead of Airtel, LIC, Infosys and State Bank of India, which all find a place in the global top 500. 
●    Reliance Industries, Indian Oil, HCL Technologies and Larsen & Toubro are also part of the global 500. 
●    Google was the top brand globally, followed by Apple and amazon.com.
●    In 2016, it had slipped to rank 89 from 68 the previous year. Its brand value has also been coming down for the past couple of years.
●    While the report on Brand Finance’s website didn’t disclose the brand value of Tata in 2017, last year the brand was valued at $13.7 billion. 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Indian LIGO to be Operational by 2024

The LIGO India project is likely to be commissioned in 2024 and its activities would require Indian universities churning out young researchers trained in the science to take up the mantle of exploration of the universe, an official of the international collaboration.
●    International Collaboration Coming to India to Help Explore the Universe’ at the Presidency University here, Raab said the proposed India-based observatory will “refine the physics” of gravitational waves detection and exploration of the universe.
●    India is poised to set up world’s third advanced LIGO. 
●    The project operates three gravitational-wave (GW) detectors. 
●    Two are at Hanford in the state of Washington, north-western US, and one is at Livingston in Louisiana, south-eastern US.
●    The proposed LIGO-India project aims to move one Advanced LIGO detector from Hanford to India.
●    LIGO India will be set up as a joint scientific collaboration between LIGO laboratories of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the US, and three lead Indian institutions, namely, the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune, Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), Gandhinagar, and Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore.

DISCOVERY

New Bucktoothed Ghost Shark Species Discovered

Researchers recently announced that they discovered a new species of ghost shark in the Jan. 31 issue of the journal  Zootaxa. 
●    Ghost sharks–which aren’t actually sharks–are extraordinarily rare sightings. 
●    They’d never been filmed alive in their natural habitat. 
●    The new species is the second largest ever discovered, and it’s the 50th species of ghost shark so far.
●    Also known as chimaeras or rat fish, ghost sharks have been around since before the dinosaurs, and are a distant relative of rays and regular sharks. 
●    Researchers put the new species into the Hydrolagus genus, which basically means water rabbit. 
●    That’s because it’s got an interesting set of teeth that can only be described as buckteeth. 

NATIONAL NEWS

Tripartite MoU for Implementation of Tourism Projects In Jammu & Kashmir

A Tripartite Memorandum of  Understanding (MoU) for implementation of Tourism projects in Jammu and Kashmir was signed among Ministry of Tourism, M/s  NPCC & NBCC and Government of Jammu and Kashmir here today.

●    The MoU was signed in the presence of Shri Vinod Zutshi, Secretary, M/o Tourism and the signatories for the MoU included :
●    Shri. Suman Billa, Joint Secretary , Ministry of Tourism ;
●    Shri. Shamim Ahmad Wani, Managing Director, J&K Cable Car Corporation ;
●    Shri.  K K Sharma, Executive Director, M/s NPCC ; and
●    Shri.  Alok Rastogi, Chief General Manager (BD), M/s NBCC
●    The Ministry of Tourism under the new initiative - Development of Tourism in the State– New Projects has sanctioned following projects to M/s NPCC and NBCC in the State of J&K for implementation in September 2017.
●    Integrated Development of Tourist facilities at Gulmarg – Baramulla – Kupwara – Leh  to M/s NBCC for Rs. 96.92 Crore
●    Integrated Development of Tourist facilities at Mantalai – Sudhmahadev – Patnitop in Jammu & Kashmir to M/s NPCC for Rs.  97.82 Crore

On This Day

 On February 9, 1952, Princess Elizabeth of England became the Queen. After a long illness, King George VI of Great Britain and Northern Ireland passed away in his sleep at the royal estate at Sandringham. Princess Elizabeth, the oldest of the king’s two daughters and next in line to succeed him, was in Kenya at the time of her father’s death; she was crowned Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953, at age 27.

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We bring you the Latest General Knowledge and Current Affairs daily news, Events, General awareness Today  5th February 2017 Section in FREE PDF (English & Hindi), a section which outlines the latest news, Events headlines which are hardly covered elsewhere. This will help you with the Latest General Knowledge and Current Affairs today asked in various competitive examinations of Banking (IBPS, RRB, SBI, PO, Clerk & other banks) & Government (SSC CGL, CHSL, JE, MTS, Railways, UPSC etc) Sector examination.

NATIONAL NEWS

UD Ministry approves Atal Mission Plans of 6 more States for next 3 financial years 

Ministry of Urban Development has approved in one go investments in six States for improving basic urban infrastructure over the next three financial years i.e 2017-20 under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).
●    A total investment of Rs.2,863 cr has been cleared in 42 mission cities in these six States with a central assistance of Rs.1,432 cr for providing water taps to all urban households besides increasing water supply to the normative 135 litres per head per day, improving sewerage and drainage networks, promoting non-motorised transport and development of parks and green spaces.
●    Details of investments to be made over the next three fiscals are : Karnatata –Rs.2,070 cr  with a central assistance of Rs.955 cr, Jharkhand-Rs.555 cr in 7 cities with central assistance of Rs.262 cr, Himachal Pradesh-Rs.115 cr with central assistance of Rs.103 cr, Arunachal Pradesh-Rs.53 cr with central assistance of Rs.47 cr, Nagaland-Rs.45 cr with central assistance of Rs.41 cr and Puducherry- Rs.24 cr with central government funding the whole project expenditure.

NATIONAL NEWS

President Opens Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Annual ‘Udyanotsav’

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee opened the annual ‘Udyanotsav’ of the Rashtrapati Bhavan today (February 04, 2017). 
●    The Mughal Gardens will remain open for general public from tomorrow to March 12, 2017 (except on Mondays which are maintenance days) between 0930 hrs to 1600 hrs. Members of the public will also be able to visit the Spiritual Garden, Herbal Garden, Bonsai Garden and Musical Garden. During this period, there will be no online booking for visiting the Gardens. 
●    Entry and exit for the general public will be from Gate No. 35 of the President’s Estate, close to where North Avenue meets Rashtrapati Bhavan. Visitors are requested not to bring any water bottles, briefcases, handbags/ladies purses, cameras, radios/transistors, boxes, umbrellas, eatables etc. Such articles, if any, will have to be deposited at the entry point. However, arrangements of drinking water, toilets, first aid / medical facility; rest rooms for senior citizens, women and children will be provided for public visiting the Gardens. 
●    The Mughal Gardens will be open exclusively on March 10, 2017 to special category of visitors viz farmers, differently abled persons, defence/para-military forces and Delhi Police personnel from 0930 hrs. to 1600 hrs. Entry and exit will be through Gate No. 35. 
●    The Tactile Garden will be open for visually impaired people on March 10, 2017 from 1100 hrs. to 1600 hrs. Entry and exit will be from Gate No. 12, situated on Church Road

NATIONAL NEWS

Health Ministry launches single vaccine for dual protection against measles and rubella as part of Universal Immunization Programme 

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched Measles Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign in the country at a function in Bengaluru, here today. The campaign against these two diseases will start from five States/UTs (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Goa and Lakshadweep) covering nearly 3.6 crore target children. 
●    Following the campaign, Measles-Rubella vaccine will be introduced in routine immunization, replacing the currently given two doses of measles vaccine, at 9-12 months and 16-24 months of age. 
●    The initiative was launched in the presence Shri Sadananda Gowda, Union Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Shri Ananth Kumar, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Sharanaprakash Rudrappa Patil, Minister of Medical Education, Karnataka, Sh. K.R. Ramesh Kumar, State Health Minister, Karnataka and Shri Ramesh Arvind, celebrity actor, Karnataka. The dignitaries also launched the communication material on the occasion to raise the awareness about the initiative. 
●    Speaking at the launch, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste stated that the Government is committed to eradicating Measles and Rubella from the country. 
●    This shall be taken up in a mission mode and rolled out in partnership with States , NGOs and development partners such as WHO, UNICEF, Gates Foundation, Lions Club, IPA, IMA, etc. In the nationwide campaign, the Ministry will reach out to and cover 41 cr children in the age group of 9 months – 15 years,. He urged parents, caregivers, community leaders, teachers, anganwaadi workers and other frontline health workers to become the active part of this campaign. 

BANKING AWARENESS

HDFC Bank increases cash transaction fees on savings accounts

In a bid to discourage cash transactions, country’s second largest private sector lender HDFC Bank has decided to steeply increase the fees for savings account holders on a slew of activities involving cash.
●    The move assumes significance as the government post demonetisation has been encouraging people to shift to a cash-less or less-cash regime and use digital mode for transactions.
●    HDFC Bank has decided to steeply raise the charges on certain transactions, capping cash component in others and also introducing charges on certain transactions from 1 March.
●    The city-headquartered bank has capped the third-party transactions at Rs25,000 a day, reduced the number of free cash transactions at branches to four from five earlier and also raised the fee for non-free transactions by a steep 50% to Rs150, it said on its website.

ECONOMY

RBI announces to issue new Rs 100 notes

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will soon issue new Rs 100 denomination banknotes. 
●    The new banknotes will have a similar design as that of the Rs 100 banknotes issued previously in Mahatma Gandhi Series-2005. 
●    All the banknotes in the denomination of Rs 100 previously issued by the RBI will continue to be legal tender. 
●    Short-supply of Rs 100 notes and near absence of new Rs 500 notes in the market resulted in the general public reluctantly accepting Rs 2,000 note as merchants were not able to provide change for this higher denomination currency. 
●    The RBI notified that foreign institutional investors /foreign portfolios investors can now invest up to 36 percent of the paid-up capital of Cera Sanitaryware Ltd under the Portfolio Investment Scheme. 

BUSINESS

Tata Motors launches new sub-brand TAMO

In a bid to regain the lost ground in passenger vehicles segment, homegrown auto major Tata Motors on Thursday launched a sub-brand TAMO with an aim to introduce new technology equipped vehicles faster to the market.
●    Under the TAMO sub-brand, the company will launch vehicles that are low in volumes requiring low investment.
●    It is also looking at a different buying experience for TAMO vehicles, although for the time being it has not confirmed if it would set up a separate retail chain as market leader Maruti Suzuki has done with Nexa.
●    TAMO will be a ring-fenced agile and flexible vertical that would serve as an incubating environment towards new technologies, business models and partnerships.
●    This will be a lean operating model with volume, low investment and faster to the market.

APPOINTMENT

Ashok Amritraj Appointed UN in India Goodwill Ambassador 

Award-winning Hollywood film producer and Wimbledon tennis player, Ashok Amritraj has been appointed the United Nations in India Goodwill Ambassador for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 
●    Chairman and CEO of the Hyde Park Entertainment Group, Mr. Amritraj is the first Ambassador for the UN in India.
●    An internationally-renowned iconic filmmaker, Ashok Amritraj has made over 100 films during the span of his 30-year extraordinary career garnering global acclaim as well as worldwide revenues in excess of $2 billion. 
●    In September 2015, at the UN General Assembly, 193 countries adopted arguably the most ambitious global agenda of our times, The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development - a plan of action for people, planet, prosperity and peace. 
●    India played an important role in shaping the global agenda and is critical to its success.
●    UN Goodwill Ambassadors aim to generate momentum and commitment to achieve the SDGs by 2030 and to foster engagement of new stakeholders in the implementation of these Goals.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

CEO Travis Kalanick resigns from Trump's board

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick will step down from President Donald Trump's economic advisory council, he told Uber employees in an email Thursday. 
●    Criticism against the company reached a fever pitch last weekend, when thousands of users contacted Uber to delete their accounts as a campaign to #DeleteUber spread across social media. 
●    The outcry ignited when Uber tweeted that it would not apply surge pricing at John F. Kennedy International Airport while New York City taxi drivers were striking at the airport. 
●    The surge pricing announcement, coupled with Kalanick's role on Trump's advisory council, caused many Uber users — or former users — to associate the company with Trump. 
●    Kalanick was one of several business leaders on the advisory council, along with Tesla founder Elon Musk who, at time of writing, remained part of it. 

On This Day

On February 5, 1989, the last Soviet troops left Kabul. This was the close of the nearly decade-long Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan. Less than two weeks later, all Soviet troops departed Afghanistan entirely. Soviet armed forces had entered Afghanistan in December 1979 to support that nation’s pro-Soviet communist government in its battles with Muslim rebels. Almost immediately, the Soviet Union found itself mired in a rapidly escalating conflict. Soviet troops were fighting a bloody, costly, and ultimately frustrating battle to end the Afghan resistance. By 1988, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev decided that the Soviet troops would shortly begin their withdrawal. In the midst of tremendous internal political and economic instability at the time, and Gorbachev’s action in regards to Afghanistan was yet another indication that Soviet power was on the wane. In less than three years, Gorbachev had resigned and the Soviet Union had ceased to exist. For Afghanistan, the Soviet withdrawal did not end the death and destruction. The Afghan rebels, who had been armed to the teeth by U.S. aid, simply turned their attention to political and religious rivals within the country. Civil war continued to wrack the nation.  

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APPOINTMENT

Sanjeev Sanyal Appointed Principal Economic Adviser in Finance Ministry

Government on Friday appointed noted economist Sanjeev Sanyal as Principal Economic Adviser in the Ministry of Finance.

●    He has been appointed in a pay scale of Rs 67,000-79,000 for a period of three years.
●    In 2007, Sanyal was awarded the Eisenhower Fellowship for his work on urban issues and was also honoured by the Singapore government at the World Cities Summit 2014.
●    He attended Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi and St. John's College, Oxford, where he was Rhodes Scholar.
●    Sanjeev Sanyal is an Indian economist, bestselling writer, environmentalist, and urban theorist. 
●    He is widely regarded as one of Asia's leading economists and was Deutsche Bank's Global Strategist and a Managing Director till 2015.

ECONOMY

RBI Allows Use of Statutory Reserves

In a step aimed at preventing loss-making banks from defaulting on coupon payments on bonds, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to allow them to use their statutory reserves to pay coupons on Basel-III Additional Tier-I (AT1) instruments. 
●    Analysts said there was a possibility of defaults by some banks on interest payment if they are not allowed to use statutory reserves to pay interest on AT1 bonds. 
●    While AT1 bond is a combination of debt and equity, interest on these bonds — raised to boost their capital adequacy ratio — is paid provided banks have adequate profit to service them.
●    Indian banks were previously required to make coupon payments on AT1 instruments from either their profits or from revenue reserves. 
●    But the RBI’s push for banks to recognise problem loans has led to a deterioration in profitability and depletion of distributable reserves over the last two years.
●    By allowing banks to also make AT1 payments from statutory reserves, into which Indian banks place 25 per cent of their profits, the RBI has reduced a potential trigger for skipped payments. 
●    Crisil said public sector banks have issued Rs 31,000 crore of AT1 bonds, of which Rs 21,500 crore worth of bonds were issued in the current fiscal.

NATIONAL NEWS

 NITI Ayog Launches India Innovation Index

To make India an innovation-driven economy, NITI Aayog, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) together launched a mega initiative “India Innovation Index” that will rank states on Innovations through country’s first online innovation index portal that will capture data on innovation from all Indian states on innovation and regularly update it in real time.
●    The India Innovation Index Framework will be structured based on the best practices followed in Global Innovation Index (GII) indicators and additionally by adding India-centric parameters those truly reflect the Indian innovation ecosystem. 
●    This initiative will be the point of reference for all international agencies to collect India’s up to date data points for global indices and analytic.
●    Inaugurating the portal, Mr Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog said, “This portal will be a first-of-its-kind online platform where Global Innovation Index indicators and India–centric data from various states will be coalesced and disseminated and updated periodically. 
●    This will be a one-stop data warehouse and will track progress on each indicator at the National level and the State level on real-time basis. 

NATIONAL NEWS

Rare Leaf Nosed Bat Sighted After 37 Years

With an extinction record of 37 years, an specie of the bats aboriginal to the Thar desert, has been re-sighted by a group of zoological researchers.Identified as Hipposideros Fulvus, the bat has been found roosting in ancient caves at Daijar near Jodhpur.
●    The colony was found during a routine sighting survey in these caves in October, 2015 at the onset of winter and its 
presence was reconfirmed in three successive surveys, the last being on in March 2016.
●    Dookia said that there are 25 species of bats are reported in Rajasthan, of which 17 are found in the Thar desert. 
●    Of these 17 species, five species - Greater False Vampire Bat (Megaderma lyra), Fulvous Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros fulvus), Indian Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros lankadiva), Dormer's Pipistrelle Bat (Scotozous dormer) and Egyptian Free-tailed Bat (Tadiarida aegyptiaca) - were not reported since 1979 in the Thar.

NATIONAL NEWS

 Swachh Dhan Abhiyaan Started

Launching the “Swachh dhan abhiyan” on Tuesday, the government said it had identified 18 lakh persons who deposited amounts of Rs 5 lakh or more between November 9 and December 30 but whose income profiles did not match the amounts deposited.
●    Following up on their efforts to unearth unaccounted money, the IT authorities are scrutinising these accounts and have asked taxpayers to revert to their queries in 10 days.
●    In a demonetisation exercise, the government had on November 8 announced that currency notes with denominations of R1,000 and R500 would no longer be legal tender and had asked people to deposit these notes in their bank accounts, allowing for some portion to be exchanged across the counter.
●    The tax department has compared cash deposits made during the demonetisation period with taxpayers’ income profiles to cull out suspicious cases.
●    Chandra said more than 1 crore accounts had seen deposits of more than R2 lakh in the last 50 days in 2016. Of these, the accounts of 70 lakh individuals were linked to their permanent account numbers (PAN).

GLOBAL NEWS

China Successfully Tests DF-5C Missiles

China has tested a new version of a missile that can carry up to 10 nuclear warheads, signalling a major shift in its nuclear capability as Beijing gears up for a possible military showdown with the US under Donald Trump Presidency. 
●    The flight test of the DF-5C missile was carried out last month using 10 multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles, or MIRVs. 
●    The test of the inert warheads was monitored closely by US intelligence agencies, said two officials familiar with reports of the missile test.
●    The Dongfeng-5C missile, carrying 10 dummy warheads, was launched from the Taiyuan Space Launch Centre in Shanxi province, and flew to a desert in western China. 
●    The missile is a new variant of the DF-5, an intercontinental ballistic missile that first went into service in the early 1980’s.

INTERATIONAL RELATIONS

India and Norway Jointly to Accelerate Research for Epidemics

India and Norway have founded a Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to accelerate life-saving research and development for epidemics.
●    In a written reply in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Health Faggan Singh Kulaste said the WHO had published a document 'An R&D blueprint for action to prevent epidemics- funding and coordination models for preparedness and response' and asked member countries, including India, to develop a research and development blueprint during epidemics
●    With an objective to tackle disease outbreaks due to epidemic-prone diseases, the government has launched Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme which is implemented in all states and UTs
●    Besides a network of viral research and diagnostic laboratories has been set up across the country to deal with epidemic of diseases of viral origin.

NATIONAL NEWS

19th Edition of Bharat Rang Mahotsav Commences

The 19th Bharat Rang Mahotsav will pay special attention on the different genres of Indian theatre.
The performances will be held at Abhimanch, Open Air Theatre, Bahumukh and Sammukh at the National School of Drama Campus. 
●    The performances will also be held at LTG Auditorium, Kamani Auditorium and Shri Centre for Performing Arts at Mandi House.
●    The festival will see performances from artists belonging to 12 foreign countries including England, Russia, Israel, Turkey, Italy, Tajikistan, Romania, Afghanistan and others.
●    The theatre festival will see 94 theatre performances and 15 foreign productions. It will also include 10 traditional folk theatre performances.
●    Bharat Rang Mahotsav is the annual theatre festival of National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi.
●    The festival was established in 1999.
●    The festival was originally founded to showcase works of Indian theatre practitioners. Gradually, the festival grew over the years to attract international performers as well.