IPCI Info

13 June

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13 Jun

International NEWS Affairs

  • Britain and France have announced a new joint campaign to stop the internet from being a safe space for terrorists as they plan tougher action to tackle online radicalisation.
  • Israel has approved the construction of over 8,000 new homes in West Bank, making it the largest expansion of Jewish settlements in the area in 25 years.
  • Panama has established formal diplomatic ties with China and broke all of its relationship with Taiwan in a move that is seen as a victory for China in its drive to isolate Taiwan from the rest of the world.
    • Note : China claims Taiwan as its own territory.
    • Panama has established formal diplomatic ties with China and broke with Taiwan on 12 of June.

Key Notes:

  • Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela said to media that Panama was upgrading its commercial ties with China.
  • Panama is establishing full diplomatic links with the second most important customer of its key shipping canal.
  • China has commended Panama for its decision.
  • The Panamanian government has announced that it is breaking its ‘diplomatic ties’ with Taiwan, and pledges to end all relations or official contact with Taiwan.
  • Panama is one of the Taiwan’s oldest friends. vi. Some diplomats in Beijing had speculated that the Central American country could become the next nation to break ties.
  • Taiwanese President Tsai Ing­wen visited Central American allies earlier this year but did not stop in Panama.

About Panama :

♦ Capital : Panama City

♦ President: Juan Carlos Varela

♦ Vice President: Isabel Saint Malo

 

SRK, Salman, Akshay part of Forbes’ highest­ earning

  • The Forbes list of the ‘World’s Highest­Paid Celebrities of 2017‘ has been topped by American rapper and entrepreneur Sean Combs, known by his more famous stage name ‘Diddy’, with earnings of 130 million dollars. It was published on 13th of June 2017.

 

  • Indian superstars Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar are among Forbes’ annual list of the highest­earning entertainers in the world.

 

  • The list includes American singer and icon Beyonce on the second spot with earnings of USD 105 million.Author J K Rowling, is at number three with USD 95 million.

 

 

National nEWS Affairs

  • MHA panel to examine rules on people’s movement near Indo­ Myanmar border On June 12, 2017, Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh decided to set up an expert committee to examine the rules which allows free movement of Indian and Myanmarese citizens within 16 kms of the border.
    • The decision to setup the committee was taken by Rajnath Singh while chairing the meeting of Indo­Myanmar Border States in Aizawl, Mizoram on June 12, 2017.
    • The committee will be headed by the special secretary (Internal Security) in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
  • With 2.5 lakh Child labourers, Uttar Pradesh ranks first – CRY report As per a report released by Child Rights and You (CRY), Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of children (250672) engaged in labour.
    • Over 8 lakh children in India between the age group 5 and 6 years are engaged in child labour.Over 60% of these children do not attend school. Majority of these kids are engaged in family based employments.
    • Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of children engaged in labour, followed by Bihar (128087 children) and Maharashtra (82847 children).

 

  • Sikkim govt signs Mou with British Council

The Human Resource Development department of Sikkim government has signed a MoU with the British Council on 13 of June, 2017

Key Notes:

i.Objective: To enhance the quality of education in the state.

  1. The MoU was signed by G P Upadhaya, additional chief secretary cum principal Human Resource Development department and Alan Gemmell, Head of British Council.

iii. The main aim of signing the MoU is to improve the educational structure of the schools of Sikkim.

  1. The purpose of the MoU is to support the aims and aspirations of the young people of Sikkim through collaborative projects.
  2. The CM of Sikkim also planned his vision to revolutionise Sikkim’s education and help children achieves greater feats in life.
  3. The programme includes capacity building in teaching, learning and research pedagogy of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Social Science teachers from undergraduate colleges and universities in Sikkim by UK higher education experts along with internship of young faculties at relevant UK Universities.

About Sikkim

  • Capital: Gangtok
  • Governor: Shriniwas Dadasaheb Patil
  • Chief Minister: Pawan Chamling

 

 

Recent Committees in News

  • Ministry of Home Affairs has constituted an expert committee to examine the rules which allow free movement of people near Indo-Myanmar border.
    • This expert committee would be headed by the special secretary (Internal Security) in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
  • BJP constitutes 3-member high level committee to consult political parties for reaching consensus on Presidential candidate.
    • Members of this Committee :
      • M Venkaiah Naidu
      • Rajnath Singh
      • Arun Jaitley

 

New Appointments

  • Uber has appointed Wan Ling Martello, the Executive Vice President of Nestle in South Asia, as an independent board director.
    • Note : Martello is only the second woman on Uber’s seven-member board after Arianna Huffington, who joined the board in April 2016.

 

Awards & Honors

  • ‘Project Jal Sanchay’, a water conservation model which is successfully adopted in Nalanda district of south-central Bihar, has been chosen for the National Award for excellence inMGNREGP (Mahatma Gandhi national rural employment guarantee programme) by the Ministry of Rural Development.
    • The award will be conferred on June 19 at a function held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.

 

Science & Technology

  • In the first-ever study of dating Jupiter‘s age, an international group of scientists have confirmed that Solar System’s largest planet is also the oldest.
    • Scientists showed through analyses of meteorites that Jupiter’s solid core was the first to form after the explosion of a nebula (cloud of dust and gas) 4.6 billion years ago, that led to Solar System’s formation.

 

Business & Economic Affairs

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is going to introduce a new batch of₹500 currency notes, which will have inset letter ‘A‘.
    • However, old notes, which were introduced following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetisation move, will continue to remain legal tender.
    • The note will bear the signature of RBI Governor Urjit Patel and will have the year of printing ‘2017’.
  • India’s retail inflation in May cooled to a record low of 2.18% from 2.99% in April, according to government data.
    • May’s inflation level is the lowest since India began measuring consumer price inflation in 2012, and remains well below RBI’s 4% target for the seventh straight month.
    • The drop was due to lower prices of pulses, cereals, and perishable goods.
  • Government imposes anti­dumping duty on Chinese ceramic items India has imposed an anti­dumping duty on import of ceramic table and kitchen ware items from China.

Key Notes:

  • The government has done to protect domestic industry against goods being sold at below normal value.
  • The anti­dumping duty imposed shall be levied for a period not exceeding six months (unless revoked, amended or superseded earlier).
  • The main reason of dumping is that the ceramic tableware and kitchenwareare being exported from China to India below its normal value.
  • The Directorate General of Anti­Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) has recommended the imposition of provisional anti­dumping duty in order to remove the injury to the domestic industry

Current Sports Affairs

  • Golden State Warriors have been crowned NBA Champions for the fifth time after defeating LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in the best-of-seven NBA Finals today.
  • In a meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, South Korean President Moon Jae-inoffered to co-host the 2030 World Cup with rival North Korea and other northeast Asian countries in an attempt to promote peace in the region.
  • Virat Kohli has become the Top-ranked ODI batsman, rising two places in the ICC ODI rankings after scoring 157 runs in three matches in the ongoing Champions Trophy.
    • Top 10 in the List
      • Virat Kohli (India)
      • David Warner (Australia)
      • AB de Villiers (South Africa)
      • Joe Root (England)
      • Kane Williamson (New Zealand)