WBCS Current Affairs 24/07/2016 to 30/07/2016

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1. The first-ever meeting of BRICS Employment Working Group (BEWG) was held in Hyderabad, Telangana from July 27 to 28, 2016. The agenda of the two day meeting was to shape the agenda for labour and employment track in BRICS countries. Key highlights of meeting BRICS member countries were able to reach a consensus on employment generation, social security agreement and networking of labour institutes. The meeting set the agenda to promote decent work and promote job creation between BRICS countries. The foundation works for BEWG were also laid by delegates from member countries. India has drafted the Terms of Reference (TOR) of BEWG which has now been finalised. Besides, India also put forth some proposals for concrete collective action in the field of social security as well as research and capacity building. The BEWG meeting is a prelude to the BRICS Labour and Employment Ministerial Meeting scheduled on September 27-28, 2016 under the Indian Presidency at Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The need to set up employment working group was first recognised at the first BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers meeting held at Ufa, Russia in 2015.

2. Haryana Government has launched Pashudhan Bima Yojana, an insurance cover scheme for cattle breeders in the state. It was launched by Haryana Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister, O. P. Dhankar in Jhajjar.

3. The Parliament has passed the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2016 after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha. The bill provides for establishment of funds under the public accounts of the Centre and State levels for compensatory afforestation. Salient features of the bill Establishes National Compensatory Afforestation Fund (NCAF) under the Public Account of India, and a State Compensatory Afforestation Fund under the Public Account of each state. The payments into the funds include compensatory afforestation, net present value of forest (NPV), and any project specific payments. The NCAF will get 10% of funds collected and the remaining 90% will go to respective State Fund. The collected funds will be utilised for afforestation, regeneration of forest ecosystem, wild life protection and forest related infrastructure development. Establishes National and State Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authorities to manage the funds. The determination of NPV will be delegated to an expert committee constituted by the central government. Net present value (NPV) of forest: It is the value of diverted forest which is calculated and recovered from the user agency for diverting forests. It is calculated for 50 years period. Basically an expert committee calculates the NPV for every patch of the forest. Comment The legislation will allow states to access nearly 42000 crore rupees that is lying idle and channel it into afforestation projects. It has provisions for administration of funds and utilization of funds by the user agencies to undertake plantations, protection of forests and forest-related infrastructure development.

4. Eminent author and social activist Mahasweta Devi passed away in Kolkata, West Bengal after a multi-organ failure. She was 91. Her writings had mainly focused on the marginalised communities in the country and served as the voice of the oppressed and downtrodden. About Mahasweta Devi Mahasweta Devi was born in Dhaka (now in Bangladesh) in 1926 into a family of literary figures. Her first book Jhansi’r Rani (The Queen of Jhansi) was published in 1956 when she was teaching at Kolkata’s Bijoygarh College. In a literary career spanning more than 50 years, she has written over 120 books i.e. 100 novels and over 20 collections of short stories. She was the author behind award-winning Hindi films Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa (1998) and Rudaali. Some of her noted stories are Agnigarbha (Womb of Fire), Aranyer Adhikar (The Occupation of the Forest), Dhowli, Dust on the Road, Bashai Tudu, Till Death Do Us Part, Old Women, etc. As a social activist, she was founder member of Aboriginal United Association and had started a tribal magazine named Bortika in 1980. Awards and Honours: Sahitya Akademi award (1979), Padma Shree (1986), Jnanpith (1997), Ramon Magsaysay award (1997) and Deshikottam award (1999).

5. The International Tiger Day (also known as Global Tiger Day) is observed annually on 29 July to raise awareness for tiger conservation. The goal of observance of the day is to promote the protection and expansion of the wild tigers habitats and to gain support through awareness for tiger conservation. Many international organisations are involved in the celebration of this day, including the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), the IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) etc. Background The International Tiger Day was founded in 2010 at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit. The summit had issued St. Petersburg Declaration on Tiger Conservation with an aim to double the big cat population by 2022. The tiger is the largest of the world’s big cats with its distinctive orange and black stripes and beautifully marked face. It is has been founded that in the last century 97% of all wild tigers had disappeared, with only around 3,000 left alive. Tigers are on the brink of extinction. Many factors have caused their numbers to fall, including habitat loss, hunting and poaching, climate change.

6. Noted Tabla maestro Pandit Lachu Maharaj passed away in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh due to cardiac arrest. He was 73 years old. Lacchu Maharaj was renowned internationally and his table performance had drawn attention of the connoisseur of performing arts from across the country and world.

7. The Union Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has announced that India Meteorological Department (IMD) will use supercomputer to forecast India’s annual summer monsoon. The forecast made by a supercomputer will be based on a dynamical monsoon model and will be operational from year 2017. This model will be used along with the present traditional ensemble model. Dynamical Monsoon Model The dynamical monsoon model works by simulating the weather on powerful computers (supercomputers) and extrapolating it over particular timeframes. This modern forecasting model is being tested at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune. The dynamical monsoon model is also called the Coupled Forecast System version 2. So far it has achieved only 60% accuracy in forecasting the monsoon. This method is widely used in forecasting weather over a few days. But using it to forecast the annual monsoon over 3 or 4 months has proved difficult. Ensemble model Currently, IMD relies on an ensemble model for forecasting monsoon. This traditional model uses a statistical technique. It uses an average of 6 meteorological values correlated to the monsoon such as sea surface temperatures in the Pacific, and North Atlantic sea level pressure. These meteorological values are traditionally derived from century-old meteorological data linked to the historical performance of the monsoon. However, this traditional approach in has failed to predict monsoon recent decades (for instance in 2002 and 2004) leading meteorologists to call for a new, modern forecasting system. India Meteorological Department (IMD): It is an official national weather forecaster of India. It was established in 1875. It is a division of Union Ministry of Earth Sciences.

8. The World Hepatitis Day is being observed every year on July 28 around the globe to spread awareness about viral hepatitis. Significance of the Day: It seeks to encourage diagnosis, prevention and treatment of Hepatitis. Provide a single global platform to raise awareness about hepatitis and influence real change in disease prevention, testing and treatment 2016 Theme: “Elimination”. It focuses on elimination of hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. About World Hepatitis Day The day is being observed since 2010. It is one of the 8 official global public health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO had passed a resolution for observance of this day on viral hepatitis in May 2010 had passed, providing official endorsement to it. The date 28 July was chosen to mark the birth anniversary of Professor Baruch Blumberg who had discovered hepatitis B virus. He was awarded with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1976) for this discovery. What is Hepatitis? Hepatitis name has derived from Greek word ‘Hepar’ meaning liver and ‘itis’ meaning inflammation. Thus, it is a medical condition in which inflammation occurs in liver cells and its complications vary with the type of infection It is mostly caused by a group of viruses called hepatitis viruses. There are 5 types of hepatitis viz. A, B, C, D and E. Each type is caused by a different hepatitis virus. It can also be caused by intoxicants like drugs, alcohol, chemicals and other infections and autoimmune diseases.

9. India has signed a defence deal with United States worth over $1 billion to purchase four additional Poseidon-8I (P8I) long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft. This deal is a follow-up order to the eight P-81 aircrafts that are already bought by India in a direct deal with Boeing’s Indian subsidiary in 2009. The acquisition of additional four P-8I aircraft will give the Indian Navy much-needed punch to build up its naval surveillance capabilities. About Poseidon-8I (P8I) aircraft The P-8I is a long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft. The P-8I is a variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing is developing for the US Navy. It is capable of broad area, maritime and littoral operations. It is equipped with the sophisticated Harpoon missiles, lightweight torpedoes and rockets. The Indian Navy is the first international customer for the P-8I. Indian Navy has been using the P-8I to keep watch over the Indian Ocean. The P-8I fleet of Indian Navy is based at naval air station Rajali in Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu.

10. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has selected Muttiah Muralidaran, Karen Rolton, Arthur Morris and George Lohmann to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. These four iconic cricketers were voted by the ICC Cricket Hall of Famers as well as members of the media. They will be presented with commemorative caps to honour their contribution to the game of cricket in order to mark their induction. With this, Muralitharan becomes the first Sri Lankan cricket player to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

11. The European Union (EU’s) executive has appointed Michel Barnier, as its Chief Negotiator for the United Kingdom’s exit from the bloc. Michel Barnier is former French Financial Services Commissioner. He was appointed under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. About Michel Barnier Michel Barnier is a French politician belonging to Union for a Popular Movement (UMP). He is Vice President of the European People’s Party (EPP). He has served as Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries in French government from June 2007 to June 2009. He had stepped down from the position after he was elected as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP). He had served as European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services (ECIMS) from February 2010 to November 2014. As ECIMS, he had handled many important issues, such as the reforms in the banking union, financial sector and digital single market in the EU.

12. The Union Cabinet has given its approval for raising foreign shareholding limit from current 5% to 15% in Indian Stock Exchanges. The decision brings the investment limit of foreign entities at par with that of domestic institutions. This enhanced limit is for a stock exchange, depository, banking company, insurance company and commodity derivative exchange. Additionally, the Union Cabinet also gave its approval for foreign portfolio investors to acquire shares through initial allotment, besides secondary market, in the stock exchanges. Implications Enhance global competitiveness of Indian stock exchanges. Enable Indian stock exchanges to acquire and adopt latest technology and global best practices. Pave way for better overall growth and development of the Indian capital market Background The Union Cabinet approval is in pursuance of implementation of the 2016-17 Budget Announcement made by the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Finance Minister had made this announcement with regard to reforms in FDI Policy in order to enhance investment limit for foreign entities in Indian stock exchanges from 5% to 15%.

13. Distinguished agricultural scientist Dr. Neelamraju Ganga Prasada Rao passed away in Hyderabad, Telangana following a brief illness. He was 89. He is famously known as “Father of Hybrid Sorghum”. He is also famous for his basic and applied research in breeding and agronomy of several dryland crops.

14. The Union Cabinet has approved Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) between India and Cambodia to boost trade and business. Decision in this regard was taken during the Union Cabinet Meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Key Facts The Treaty seeks to promote and protect investments in either country with the objective of increasing bilateral investment flows. It also seeks to encourage each country to create favourable conditions (climate) for investors of the other country to make investments in its territory and also to admit investments in accordance with its laws. This Treaty is the first Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) signed between both countries in accordance with the text of the Indian Model BIT which was approved by the Union Cabinet in December, 2015.

15. The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of a new AIIMS at Bhatind, Punjab under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). The medical institution will have a hospital with capacity of 750 beds which will include Emergency Beds, Private Beds, ICU Speciality & Super Speciality beds and AYUSH beds.

16. The Council of Scientific Industrial Research (CSIR) was ranked world’s 12th best government institution out of 746 institutions. These institutes were ranked by a prestigious Scimago Institutions Rankings Report based on various parameters including the research performance, innovation and social impact. This is for the first time CSIR has improved its position among government institutes after it was ranked 14th spot for three consecutive years. CSIR is the only Indian government institute to have found a place among the top 100 global institutions. Top 5 institutions: National Center for Scientific Research (France), Chinese Academy of Sciences (China), Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres (Germany), Max Planck Society (Germany) and Spanish National Research Council (Spain). About Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) CSIR is an autonomous body and the largest research and development (R&D) organisation in India. It was established in 1942. It operates as an autonomous body registered under the Registration of Societies Act of 1860. It is mainly funded by the Union Ministry of Science and Technology. CSIR’s R&D activities include aerospace engineering, ocean sciences, structural engineering, metallurgy, life sciences, chemicals, mining, food, petroleum, leather, and environment.

17. The Lok Sabha passed the Lokpal and Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2016 without discussion. The bill seeks to amend the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013 which provides Lokpal (at Centre) and Lokayukta (at States) statutory backing to inquire into allegations of corruption against certain public functionaries and for related matters. Key Provisions Enable the leader of the single largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha in the absence of a recognised Leader of Opposition to be a member of the selection committee that would select the ombudsman. Amends section 44 of parent Act that deals with provision of furnishing of details of assets and liabilities of public servants within 30 days of joining the government service. The amendment has removed the period of 30 days. Now the public servants will make declaration of their assets and liabilities in the form and manner as prescribed by government. Gives extension of the time given to public servants and trustees and board members of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to declare their assets and those of their spouses. In this case public servants and trustees and board members of NGOs must be receiving government funds of more than Rs. 1 crore or foreign funding of more than Rs. 10 lakh.

18. Two Indians, social activist Bezwada Wilson and musician TM Krishna, have won the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award 2016. They are among the total six awardees selected for the 2016 Ramon Magsaysay Award, often regarded as Asia’s Nobel Prize. The 6 awardees are Bezwada Wilson (India): He has been recognized for asserting the inalienable right to a life of human dignity. He is the National Convener of the Safai Karmachari Andolan (SKA). He has done remarkable work in liberating scores of people engaged in manual scavenging across the country. Thodur Madabusi Krishna (India): He has been recognized for ensuring social inclusiveness in culture. He is a Carnatic music vocalist. Conchita Carpio Morales (Philippines): She has been recognized for restoring faith in the rule of law. Dompet Dhuafa (Indonesia): She has been recognized for expanding the transformative impact of zakat. Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (Japan): The organisation has been recognized for building a world of genuine solidarity. Vientiane Rescue (Laos): The organisation has been recognized for volunteering to save lives at risk. They will be bestowed with this award at the awarding ceremony scheduled to be held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City on August 31, 2015 i.e. on the birth anniversary of former Filipino President Ramon Magsaysay. About Ramon Magsaysay Award Ramon Magsaysay Award is Asia’s highest honour and is often regarded as the region’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize. It was established in 1957 in the memory of Philippines’ 3rd President Ramon Magsaysay who had died in air disaster in March 1957. It was established by trustees of the New York City based Rockefeller Brothers Fund and Philippine government. It is awarded annually to individuals or organizations from Asia region for their altruistic and philanthropic service. The award carries a Medallion bearing the likeness of the late President Ramon Magsaysay, cash prize and a certificate.

19. Joint expeditions by India and the United States have discovered large, highly enriched accumulations of natural gas hydrate (an icy form of the fuel) in Indian Ocean. The discovery was made by the Union Oil Ministry and the US Geological Survey in the Bay of Bengal. It was the result of the most comprehensive gas hydrate field venture in the world to date that comprised of scientists from India, Japan and the US. Significance This is the first of its kind discovery in the Indian Ocean that has the potential to be producible and opens up a new resource to meet needs of energy hungry India. The discovery will help unlock the global energy resource potential of gas hydrates as well as help define the technology needed to safely exploit (extract) them. What are Natural gas hydrates? Natural gas hydrates are a naturally occurring, ice-like combination of natural gas and water. They are mainly found in oceans and Polar Regions. Gas hydrates are considered as vast resources of natural gas. They are known to occur in marine sediments on continental shelf margins. Composition: By nature Gas hydrates is mostly methane (CH4). Methane gas hydrate is most stable at the seafloor at water depths beneath about 500 meters. Distribution of Gas hydrates The amount of gas within the world’s gas hydrate accumulations is estimated to greatly exceed the volume of all known conventional gas resources. In India, gas hydrate resources are estimated at 1,894 trillion cubic meters (tcm) and these deposits occur in Eastern, Western and Andaman offshore areas. It is postulated that gas hydrate deposits along ocean margins are estimated to exceed known petroleum reserves by a factor of three.

20. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands has ruled against Antrix Corporation in the case with Devas Corporation over sharing of spectrum on satellites. A PCA tribunal has found that the Union Government’s actions in annulling a contract between Devas and Antrix Corporation Ltd. It also found that it has denied Devas commercial use of S-band spectrum constituted an expropriation (state actions in modifying the property rights of an individual in the exercise of its sovereignty. Following the ruling, India may have to give 1 billion compensation to Devas. What is the case? In 2005, Devas Corporation and Antrix Corporation had struck a deal which had provided for the launch of two satellites allowing Devas. These satellites were to establish a hybrid satellite and terrestrial communications network to supply wireless audio-visual, broadband and mobile internet service across India. But later, Antrix Corporation terminated the contract citing changes in Indian policy and that the allocation of S-band Spectrum to companies unconnected with India’s space programme was now regarded as a risk to national security. Devas had moved to PCA, citing Antrix had contended that the national security and force majeure issues reasons for termination of deal as “contrived excuses”. It also had asked damages amounting to 1.6 billion dollars from Indian Government under the UNCITRAL (United Nations Commission on International Trade Law) Arbitration Rules. About Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) PCA is an intergovernmental organization established in 1899. It is located at The Hague in the Netherlands. It is not a court in the traditional sense, but a permanent framework for arbitral tribunals constituted to resolve specific disputes. PCA seeks to facilitate arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution involving various combinations of states, state entities, international organizations and private parties. It was the first permanent intergovernmental organization that provided a forum for the resolution of international disputes through arbitration and other peaceful means. The PCA also administers cases under the arbitration rules of the UNCITRAL. Antrix Corporation: It is the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is an anglicised version of Antariksha, from the Sanskrit word for “space”. It functions under the aegis of Department of Space (DoS), an independent Department directly working under the Prime Minister.

21. The Union Government has approved nearly 1,600 crore rupees for Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) under skill development initiative ‘Himayat’ programme. Under it, youths from both rural and urban areas of J&K would be imparted with training in various job-intensive vocational courses over the next three years. Youths enrolled for this scheme will be given training for six-months, nine-months and one year job-oriented courses. They will be trained in and outside the state. A provision has been also kept for foreign placements as well. About Himayat Scheme Himayat is a placement linked skill development initiative for training and placement of 1 lakh youths from J&K in next 5 years. ‘Himayat’ is an Urdu word which means support. Vision: Empower the youth of J&K by providing employment opportunities through vocational training programs. Accelerate social and economic development in J&K. The scheme is part of the Skill Empowerment and Employment scheme of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The project envisions support J&K youths by providing them vocational training linked to placement in various sectors like ITeS, Sales and Customer Service and Hospitality etc.

22. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has officially declared Brazil free of measles, after no case of the disease was registered in the year 2015. The eradication of measles in Brazil is the conclusion of work spanning several years. The WHO had worked along with the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) to eradicate the disease. From 1985 to 2000, Brazil did not saw any domestic cases of measles because of joint efforts to WHO and PAHO. But the disease broke out again in 2013 in the northeastern Brazilian states of Pernambuco and Ceara. About Measles Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease transmitted orally, through mucus or saliva. It mainly affects children and can be spread rapidly through the air due to sneezing or a cough. Thus it is highly infectious airborne disease. The first symptoms of disease appear after 10 days with red spots on the skin. Most patients recover within three weeks. It can also cause pneumonia, blindness or even death in malnourished children. Most of those infected with this disease and who die are less than five years old. Annually Measles affects about 20 million people across the globe and primarily in the developing areas of Asia and Africa.

23. Parliament has passed the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016. The bill was first passed in Rajya Sabha and later in Lok Sabha during Monsoon session of Parliament. It seeks to amend the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 to widen the scope of the law against child labour and stricter punishments for violations. Key Facts The Bill calls for complete ban employment of children below 14 in all occupations and enterprises, except those run by his or her own family. It defines children between 14 to 18 years as adolescents and bars their employment in any hazardous occupations. It makes child labour a cognizable offence attracting a jail term of up to two years and penalty upto fifty thousand rupees. The Bill has a provision of creating Rehabilitation Fund has also been made for the rehabilitation of children.

24. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has setup a seven-member expert committee for exploring the other possible alternatives to pellet guns as non-lethal weapons. The Committee will be headed by T V S N Prasad, Joint Secretary in the MHA. It will submit its report within two months. Other members of the committee: Atul Karwal (IG, CRPF), Rajeev Krishna, (IG Operations, BSF), Tushar Tripathy (DDG, Small Arms, Ordnance factory Board) and Naresh Bhatnagar (Professor at IIT, Delhi). Background Earlier Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had announced in Lok Sabha that an expert committee will be set up to recommend alternatives to pellet guns. Pellet guns have been categorised as non-lethal weapon. In this gun, pellets are loaded with lead balls and once fired disperse into huge numbers. They may not kill the person they hit, but penetrates skin tissue and cause serious injuries. Pellet guns are being used since 2010 in Kashmir to disperse and control crowd i.e as deterrence to antisocial elements. The use of pellet guns is blamed for causing fatal injuries and blindness among protestors in Kashmir.

25. The Union Government has issued notification for the implementation of 7th Pay Commission. It was issued as per the Cabinet approval in June 2016. With this issuance, 4.8 million central government employees and 5.2 million pensioners will get the increased payout from their August 2016 salaries. Besides, Union Government has given CBSE chief Rajesh Kumar Chaturvedi an additional charge of Chief of the implementation cell of the Seventh Central Pay Commission. Key Facts The 7th Pay Commission hike will result in increase in salaries of central government employees in the range of 7 thousand rupees to 18 thousand rupees per month. A fitment factor of 2.57 will also apply for pay revision of all employees and the rate of annual increment has been retained at 3%. There will be two dates for grant of increment i.e. on January 1 and July 1 every year – instead of the existing July 1 only. Employees will be entitled to only one annual increment on either of these two dates depending on the date of appointment, promotion or grant of financial upgradation. It is estimated that the total burden on the exchequer on account of the 7th Pay Commission recommendation will be 1.02 lakh crore rupees in 2016-17. There will be an additional impact of 12,133 crore rupees on arrears and of salary and pension for two months. Background The 7th Pay Commission headed by Justice AK Mathur had recommended 14.27 per cent hike in basic pay at junior levels in November 2015. The Commission had recommended changes in the pay of around 1 crore individuals which includes 33 lakh central government employees, 14 lakh armed forces personnel, and 52 lakh pensioners.

26. The Solar Impulse 2 has become the first aircraft to circle the globe using solar energy after landing in Abu Dhabi on the last leg of its journey. In its journey, the long-range solar-powered aircraft has travelled 26744 miles across four continents, three seas and two oceans since setting off from Abu Dhabi in March 2015. Key features of Solar Impulse 2 Solar Impulse 2 is a Swiss long-range solar-powered aircraft project. It is first aircraft to fly day and night without consuming conventional fuel in oder to promote renewable energy. Its construction was started in 2011. The first test flight of the aircraft was conducted in the United States in 2013. Structure: Single-seater aircraft made of carbon fibre. It has a 72 metre wingspan and weighs 2,300 kilo grams. It is solely propelled by the solar energy and emits zero Carbon dioxide (CO2). Solar cells: 17,248 solar cells inbuilt into its wings. These cells supply renewable energy to propel the electric motors of aircraft. These solar cells also recharge 4 lithium polymer batteries mounted on aircraft which allows it fly at night. Journey of Solar Impulse 2 In its 17-leg voyage, the aircraft has racked up 558 hours of flight time. The aircraft was piloted in turns by Markus Scherdel, Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard. Started its journey from Abu Dhabi (UAE). Its first halt was in Muscat (Oman). Later halted in Ahmedabad and Varanasi in India. Later it had halted in Mandalay (Myanmar), Chongqing & Nanjing (China). It had made an unscheduled stop in Japan to await favourable weather over the Pacific. From Japan it crossed the Pacific Ocean via Hawaii (US) and flew across the United States, taking 3 stops at Phoenix, the Midwest and New York City. Then it crossed Atlantic Ocean and took halt in Seville, Spain in Europe. Later in its final leg it landed in Cairo, Egypt and completed its journey in Abu Dhabi.

27. The BRICS Policy Planning Dialogue was successfully concluded in Patna, Bihar. Delegates of BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa had attended the meeting. The two day (25-26 July 2016) dialogue provided a common platform to BRICS countries for sharing of best practices in foreign policy planning and assessment between the BRICS countries. Key Highlights of dialogue It forwarded the Policy Planning talks initiated under the Chairmanship of Russia in 2015 in line with 2016 theme of “Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions”. Discussions on exchanges on strategic assessments of international situation and regional situation of each country were held. They also discussed the role of BRICS in international governance, ongoing cooperation at BRICS Forum and reflected on areas of convergence among BRICS. They also discussed ways to enhance sharing of best practices in foreign policy planning and assessment between the BRICS countries.

28. India’s Rio Olympics bound shot putter Inderjeet Singh (28) has been tested positive for a banned substance. In the out-of-competition test conducted by National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), Inderjeet’s ‘A’ sample was tested positive for a banned steroid. The NADA has asked Inderjeet Singh if he wants to test his ‘B’ sample and if so, to do this within seven days. If his ‘B’ sample also tests positive, he will have to miss 2016 Rio Olympics Games in August 2016. Besides, he may be banned for four years under the new WADA Code. Inderjeet Singh had won a bronze medal in the 2014 Asian Games. He had won the gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships in 2015. He had qualified for the 2016 Olympics by achieving qualification mark with a throw of 20.65 m in May 2015 at 19th Federation Cup.

29. Homegrown e-commerce giant Flipkart acquired online fashion portal Jabong through its fashion unit Myntra. It is said that Jabong was acquired by Flipkart in a cut-price deal that values the online fashion store at 70 million dollars. This acquisition will help Flipkart to strengthen its position in Fashion and Lifestyle e-commerce segment in order to compete with Amazon Fashion in India. About Jabong Jabong was founded in 2012. It was owned by Global Fashion Group (GFG). It offers more than 1,500 international high-street brands, sports labels, Indian designer and ethnic labels and over 150,000 styles from more than 1,000 sellers. In September 2014, Jabong was merged with four online fashion retailers in Latin America, Russia, South-east Asia, Middle East to create GFG by its investor Rocket Internet.

30. The Finance Ministers from the Group of 20 (G-20) major economies have pledged to boost the global economy, which is showing a weak recovery. This announcement was made at the end of the two-day meeting of G-20 Finance ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting held in the Chinese city of Chengdu. Key Highlights of meeting G-20 Finance ministers expressed concern about Britain’s plan to leave the European Union and how Brexit will affect the world’s economy. Member nations are well positioned to pro-actively to address the potential economic and financial consequences from such developments. They vowed to reject trade protectionism, which became a prominent issue at the meeting. They expressed the importance of reducing the excess production of steel that has led to a glut on the global market.

31. India has contributed US 100,000 dollars to the United Nations’ Trust Fund in support of victims of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers. With this India became the first country to make a contribution to the fund and to start UN fund for sex abuse victims. Key Facts With this contribution, India has illustrated its strong commitment to victim-centred approach in addressing sexual exploitation and abuse by UN civilian and uniformed personnel. The Trust Fund was established in March 2016 under the aegis of United Nations Department of Field Support (DFS). The fund seeks to support services for victims and address gaps in services. UN member countries can voluntary make contributions to the Trust Fund. Background Historically, India has been one of the largest troop-contributing countries in the UN peacekeeping operations. Currently, India is second largest contributor of military and police personnel. In the past, UN had faced severe backlash over allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by its peacekeepers, particularly those working in Central African Republic. In 2015, 69 allegations were recorded against peacekeepers but no Indian was accused of any wrongdoing. No Indian peacekeeper faced any allegations of misconduct. India has strongly maintained that instances of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeepers are abhorrent and repugnant. India also has underscored that it has a zero tolerance policy on such cases.

32. Scientists are working towards storing digital data in the base sequence of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid). Thus they are seeking to make the genetic material capable to store data for long time in durable format as an archive data for the future. DNA: information-storing molecule DNA is by its essence an information-storing molecule. It carries the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning and reproduction of all known living These genetic instructions are passed from generation to generation by the genes. It basically transmits the blueprints for creating the human body. How DNA store information? The information in the DNA is stored in strings i.e. in the form four-letter DNA code. It is basically sequences of four building blocks (nuclear strands) abbreviated as A (Adenine), C (Cytosine), T (Thymine) and G (Guanine) found in DNA molecule. Specific sequences of these blocks give the body directions for creating particular proteins. How can DNA carry Digital information? Basically digital devices store information in binary format (1s and 0s) i.e. in a two-letter code that produces strings of 1s and 0s. For ex. capital ‘A’ stored as 01000001 in binary format. In case of converting and storing digital information in DNA involves translating between the two sequences or codes of four building blocks. For ex. capital ‘A’ converted and stored as AATATG. The DNA digital data storage technology uses artificial DNA made using oligonucleotide synthesis machines for storage and DNA sequencing machines for retrieval of stored data. Using this technology strings of DNA can be custom-made that can carry the new code, and store information that code contains. Advantages: DNA digital data storage technology has very long durability i.e. scientists can store digital information in DNA sequences for thousands of years. Information stored in DNA consumes very little space. Challenges: Making this technology practical and much cheaper using current technology is hugely expensive.

33. The Union Government is planning to redraw Red Corridor by reducing the number of Maoist (LWE: Left wing extremism) affected districts by about a fifth. In this regard, approximately 20 of the 106 districts which have been described as being Maoist-affected and are part of the Red Corridor may be removed from the list. Consequences: Once these districts are taken off the list of Red Corridor, the financial aid made available to these districts annually for various developmental works will dry up. Key facts The Red Corridor is a region in the eastern part of India that experiences considerable Naxalite–Maoist insurgency. There are 106 districts spanning across 10 States in the Red Corridor.’ Of these, 44 districts are worst-affected. These 10 states are Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Union Government adds districts into Red Corridor by taking into considerations (i) Their violence profile. (ii) Assessment of logistical and other support provided to armed Maoist cadres by their sympathisers and ground worker (iii) Positive changes brought about by development work that these districts have seen.

34. Top Indian wrestler Narsingh Yadav failed a dope test after he was tested positive for a banned substance steroid. With this, his participation in 2016 Rio Olympics has been jeopardised and if found guilty by the disciplinary panel, he may face a four-year suspension. The out-of-competition doping test was conducted by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). The samples of wrestler were collected at the National camp in Sonepat, Haryana. He was tested positive for a substance methandienone, a banned anabolic steroid. He had qualified for the Rio Olympics in the 74kg freestyle category. Narsingh Yadav had won bronze medal in 2015 World championship of Wrestling to qualify for the Rio Olympics. He also had won gold medal in 2012 Commonwealth Games. Metandienone (C20H28O2): It is an orally active anabolic steroid that binds and activates the androgen receptor. It increases protein synthesis, muscle strength and glycogenolysis over a short space of time. It is popular among bodybuilders. About National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) NADA is the national organization responsible for promoting, monitoring and coordinating the doping control program in sports in all its forms in India. It deals with adopting and implementing anti-doping policies and rules that conforms to the World Anti-Doping Code. It also cooperates with other anti-doping organizations and promotes anti-doping research and education.

35. Brazilian scientists have identified Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito infected by the Zika virus as another type of Zika-transmitting mosquito. It was identified by researchers from the public Brazilian laboratory Fundacion Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz) in three out of 80 groups of mosquitoes analysed up until now. Up until now, transmission of the Zika virus was only known through the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the same vector that spreads Dengue and Chikungunya. The Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito is known as the domestic mosquito in Brazil. In Recife, where the majority of Zika cases of Brazil were registered, the population of this mosquito is estimated to be 20 times larger than that of the Aedes aegypti. About Zika virus Zika virus is vector borne disease transmitted primarily by mosquitoes. The virus is capable of causing serious birth defects i.e. neurological disorders and foetal deformation known as Microcephaly in which infants are born with abnormally smaller heads. Besides a possible link between the virus and Guillain-Barré syndrome (a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the nervous system) is also suspected

36. The India’s first Green Rail Corridor was inaugurated on the 114-km long Rameswaram-Manamadurai stretch in Tamil Nadu. It was inaugurated by Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu through video-conferencing from Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Key Facts The Green Rail Corridor ensures zero toilet discharge on rail tracks as part of its commitment to clean environment under the ‘Swachh Rail-Swachh Bharat’ initiative. Trains in the section have been equipped with bio-toilets to ensure zero discharge of human waste on the rail tracks. Besides, Union Railways Minister also inaugurated high speed upgraded Wi-Fi facility, set up in association with Google, at Chennai Central Railway Station and Tiruchirappalli Railway Station. He also launched a traditional medicine centre under Ayush at Perambur Railway Hospital.

37. Renowned violinist Avasarala Kanyakumari from south India was selected for the prestigious 2016 Sangita Kalanidhi Award. With this, she becomes first female violinist chosen in the history of this prestigious award. She will be bestowed with the award on January 1, 2017. She will also preside over the 90th annual conference of the Music Academy scheduled from December 15, 2016 to January 1, 2017. So far eight male violinists have been bestowed with this award. They are M. Chandrasekaran (2005), M. S. Gopalakrishnan (1997), Papa KS Venkataramiah (1962), TK Jayarama Iyer (1960), T. Chowdiah (1957), Marungapuri Gopalakrishna Iyer (1955), Karur Chinnaswamy Iyer (1950) and Kumbakonam Rajamanickam Pillai (1948).