GK and Current Affairs Updates

India and Maldives signed a treaty regarding Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in Criminal Matters.
Objectives:
1. It will enhance effectiveness of both countries in investigation and prosecution of crime, through cooperation and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. 
2. Treaty will provide a broad legal framework for bilateral cooperation with Maldives in investigation and prosecution of crime as well as in tracing, restraint and confiscation of proceeds, and instruments of crime as well as funds meant to finance terrorist acts.

It is a joint initiative if IIT and IISc. It is based on the Prime Minister’s suggestion that research done by institutions of national importance must be linked with immediate requirements of the society at large. 
The objectives of this initiative are to:
(1) identify areas of immediate relevance to society requiring innovation, 
(2) direct scientific research into identified areas, 
(3) ensure higher funding support for research into these areas and 
(4) measure outcomes of the research effort with reference to impact on the standard of living in the rural/urban areas.
IMPRINT India will focus on ten themes with each to be coordinated by one IIT/IISc, namely:-
 (a) Health Care - IIT Kharagpur,
(b) Computer Science and ICT – IIT Kharagpur,
(c) Advance Materials – IIT Kanpur,
(d) Water Resources and River systems – IIT Kanpur,
(e) Sustainable Urban Design – IIT Roorkee,
(f) Defence – IIT Madras,
(g) Manufacturing – IIT Madras,
(h) Nano-technology Hardware- IIT Bombay,
(i) Environmental Science and Climate Change – IISc, Bangalore and
(j) Energy Security – IIT Bombay. 

Simone Biles of Spring, Texas, won the balance-beam and floor-exercise competitions Sunday at the world championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
She  is an American artistic gymnast. 
Achievements of Biles:
1.Three-time United States national all-around champion (2013, 2014, and 2015), 
2.Three-time world all-around champion (2013, 2014, and 2015), 
3.Three-time world floor champion (2013, 2014, and 2015), 
4.Two-time world balance beam champion (2014 and 2015), and 
5.A member of the gold-medal-winning American team at the 2014 and the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.

Former state Assembly Speaker and CPM veteran Hashim Abdul Halim passes away after a cardiac arrest.
About Hashim Abdul Halim:
1. He was the the longest-serving Speaker in the country, served as the Assembly Speaker for 29 years — from 1982 to 2011.
2. He was also a much-respected lawyer, had served as the state’s law and justice minister from 1977 to 1982.
3. He was the MLA for Amdanga from 1977 to 2006.
4. Had also represented the state at numerous seminars in India and abroad. 
5. He was the chairman of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and president of World Federation of United Nations Association.

Hockey India (HI) nominated former President Vidya Stokes as the Life President of the federation.

Life President: 
1. It is an honorary post and does not have any powers.
2. He is advisory in nature. 
3. He is an invitee to all the Executive Board and Congress meetings.
About Vidya Stockes:
1. She is a member of the Indian National Congress from 1970.
2. She has served as the President of the now defunct Indian Women's Hockey Association in the years 1984, 1988, 1995 and 2003. 
3. She currently serves as the President of Hockey Himachal apart from her role in the state government as the Irrigation and Public Health minister. 
4. She was earlier elected as President of HI in 2009. 

According to the Tax Justice Network,Switzerland has retained its top spot in the financial secrecy index (FSI) 2015. 
Top 5 counteries are:
1. Switzerland
2. Hong Kong
3. US
4. Singapore
5. Caymen Islands.
India has secured 32nd rank.
Financial Secrecy Index: The Financial Secrecy Index ranks jurisdictions according to their secrecy and the scale of their offshore finanical activities. A politically neutral ranking, it is a tool for understanding global financial secrecy, tax havens or secrecy jurisdictions, and illicit financial flows or capital flight.

 Senior diplomat Manpreet Vohra has been appointed as India's Ambassador to Afghanistan.
About Manpreet Vohra:
1. He is a 1988-batch Indian Foreign Service officer.
2. He is currently serving as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. 
3. He had served in the Indian High Commission in Pakistan as the Deputy High Commissioner. Afghanistan is a strategically important country for India.India has invested $2 billion in aid and reconstruction and trained scores of Afghan officers.It is also important for India to check terrorism. 

India and Indonesia signed two memorendum of understanding. These are:
1.MoU for cooperation in new and renewable energy sector:This cooperation is important as both India and Indonesia have committed themselves to reduce carbon emissions by 35 per cent and 29 per cent respectively by 2030.
2. MoU for for cooperation in cultural field.This engagement is as part of our Act East policy. 
Indonesia's recent participations:
 a. Organizing 60th Asian African Conference Commemoration  in April 2015 
 b. assumed chairmanship of Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) 
Indian Ocean Rim Association: The IORA is an international organisation consisting of coastal states bordering the Indian Ocean. The Association comprises 20 member states, including India and Indonesia and six dialogue partners. 

A new website - http://www.ncdmaindia.gov.in has been launched by the National Clean Development Mechanism Authority (NCDMA) in the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. It will capture the entire life cycle of CDM Projects. With step, the Ministry has taken another step in applying the principles of e-governance. National Clean Development Mechanism Authority (NCDMA) was established in December 2003.

A scheme Alternate Train Accommodation Scheme (ATAS) called “VIKALP” has been conceptualized. 
Salient Features of the scheme
• The Alternate Train Accommodation Scheme (ATAS) is presently being launched under the name “Vikalp” on pilot basis only for the tickets booked through internet (E-ticket) on two sectors i.e. Delhi-Jammu and Delhi-Lucknow sectors.
• The scheme is presently being implemented only across Mail/Express trains of same category.
• No extra charges shall be taken from passenger or any refund shall be provided for difference of fare.
• The scheme is applicable to all waiting list passengers irrespective of booking quota and concession. In pilot phase the scheme will be available on few pre-designated trains in the above sectors only.
• Under this scheme, waiting list passengers will give choice to opt for ATAS scheme.