WBCS Current Affairs 24/06/2017 to 30/06/2017 Part 1

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1. The 31st anniversary of the signing of the historic Mizo peace accord on June 30, 1986, was celebrated in Mizoram. The Mizo Accord was signed by the Mizo National Front (MNF) leader Laldenga, Mizoram Chief Secretary Lalkhama, and Union Home Secretary R D Pradhan. The accord ushered in an era of peace after 20 years of violence and disturbance that hampered Mizoram. Mizo Peace Accord-Significance On pre-condition of statehood to Mizoram, the Mizo Accord was signed. The MNF fighters surrendered en masse and government fulfilled its promise by giving full-fledged state status to Mizoram, along with its own High Court. Mizo was notified as an official Indian language. A university was proposed. Mizo religious and social customs were promised Constitutional protection. As per the accord, the MNF agreed to forgo all contacts with other insurgent groups in the Northeast. Mizo Accord is considered to be the most successful agreement with insurgents. The peace established under the accord has been sustained in Mizoram for over 30 years. This is an achievement when the situation in parts of Manipur, Nagaland and Assam still remains turbulent and unsettled.

2. The NASA has successfully launched Terrier-Improved Malemute sounding rocket that created colourful artificial clouds visible in the skies of the US. The rocket was launched from its Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Salient Facts The rocket during the 8-minute flight had released 10 canisters about the size of a soft drink into space. It was ejected about 9 to 19 kilometres away from the 300-kg main payload. The canisters deployed blue-green and red vapour that formed artificial clouds visible in the skies of the United States from New York to North Carolina. The artificial clouds are formed through the interaction of barium, strontium and cupric-oxide. The vapour tracers will help in understanding the movement of the particles in the ionosphere. It will help to learn more about the movement of the air currents at that altitude. The artificial clouds or vapour tracers will help in understanding the movement of the particles in the ionosphere. It will help to learn more about the movement of the air currents at that altitude. They will permit scientists on the ground to visually track particle motions in space. The multi-canister ejection system will also help scientists to gather information over a much larger area than previously possible. Sounding rockets have been in use for more than 40 years to carry science payloads on scientific missions that usually last five to 20 minutes. Sounding rockets have been in use for more than 40 years to carry science payloads on scientific missions that usually last five to 20 minutes. Ionosphere The ionosphere is called so because it is ionised by solar radiation. It plays an important part in atmospheric electricity and forms the inner edge of the magnetosphere. Ionosphere stretches from 50 to 1,000 km and typically overlaps both the exosphere and the thermosphere. It has practical importance because it influences, for example, radio propagation on the Earth. It is also responsible for auroras.

3. Anti-hunger activist Ankit Kawatra has been awarded the Queen’s Young Leaders Award for 2017 by Queen Elizabeth II at a ceremony in the Buckingham Palace. Salient Facts The Queen’s Young Leaders Award recognises exceptional work towards solving hunger and malnutrition in India. Ankit Kawatra is the founder of Feeding India, an organisation which works towards eradicating hunger and food wastage in India. The organisation which was established in 2014 functions across 43 Indian cities with the help of 4,500 volunteers serving 8 million meals to the needy. Queen’s Young Leader Awards The award was established by The Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Trust, the Royal Commonwealth Society and Comic Relief. The awards mark the Queen Elizabeth’s 60 years on the throne and over six decades of service to Commonwealth nations. The award highlights the importance of solving the problem of hunger and take action towards “725 million people around the world who do not even have basic food and nutrition.” The award identifies and supports 60 exceptional young people from across the Commonwealth, aged 18-29 who have made a lasting difference by transforming the lives of others.

4. According to the data released by Zurich-based SNB, money parked by Indians in Swiss banks have nearly halved to 676 Swiss francs (about Rs. 4,500 crore) in 2016. The data release comes ahead of a new framework for the automatic exchange of information between Switzerland and India to check the menace of black money. SNB (Swiss National Bank) is Switzerland’s central banking authority Salient Highlights During 2016, the total money held by Indians fell by 45 % to stand at CHF 675.75 million. This is the biggest ever yearly decline in such funds. Out of the total funds, CHF 377 million was in the form of customer deposits, about CHF 98 million owed to Indians through other banks and CHF 190 million constitutes other ‘liabilities’. The funds reported in 2016 is the lowest amount of funds possessed by Indians in the Swiss banks ever since 1987 and marks the third straight year of decline. Apart from this year, since 1987, the earlier lowest ever figure was recorded in 1995 at CHF 723 million. On the other hand, the funds held through fiduciaries was nearly $11 million. These funds which used to be in billions till 2007 has been falling since then due to the regulatory crackdown. Similarly, the funds held by Indians with Swiss banks was CHF 6.5 billion (Rs 23,000 crore) at 2006-end. But at present, the funds have come down to nearly one-tenth of that level. Except in 2011 and 2013, the quantum of funds held by Indians has seen a decline. Swiss banks have said that Indians have parked their money in other global financial hubs like Singapore and Hong Kong after a global clampdown was initiated on the mighty banking secrecy practices in Switzerland. Background In November 2016, India and Switzerland had signed a Joint Declaration for implementation of Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) in respect of accounts of Indians held abroad. Under the pact, both countries will start collecting data in accordance with the global standards in 2018 and exchange it from 2019 onwards. Switzerland agreed for the introduction of the AEOI (Automatic Exchange of information) on tax matters under the guidance of G20, OECD and other global organisations. AEOI, based on Common Reporting Standards, when implemented fully would put in place a system wherein bulk taxpayer information will be sent periodically from the source country of income to the country of residence of the taxpayer. It would enable India to get access to information virtually from almost all the countries in the world including offshore financial centres. In June 2017, Switzerland has ratified automatic exchange of financial account information with India and 40 other countries. This will facilitate Switzerland to share information about suspected black money with India and other 40 nations.

5. Germany has legalised same-sex marriage in line with a host of other European countries. German lawmakers had voted 393 for- and 226 against legalising same-sex marriage. Salient Facts Since 2001 Germany permits same-sex couples to enter into civil partnerships but do not grant them full marital rights which include the possibility to jointly adopt children. The new law can enter into force after receiving the nod from the upper house of Parliament and the President, though those are formalities. Though Chancellor Angela Merkel had voted against the measure, she had allowed her party members to vote as per their conscience. The move has to be seen in the light of upcoming September 24 general elections in Germany. This bill is one of the very last to be introduced in parliament before the September general elections. In her 12 years as Chancellor, Merkel has steered her party clear of conservative orthodoxy. She has been credited for speeding up Germany’s exit from nuclear power and ending military conscription. Many European countries have a same-sex marriage law. In the countries like Norway, Sweden, Denmark (excluding the Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, France, the UK (except Northern Ireland and Jersey), and the Republic of Ireland civil marriages are legally recognised. But in Austria and Italy, only civil partnerships are permitted.


6. The Asian Development Bank has committed USD 10 billion to support infrastructure building and to cater to the immediate development needs of less-developed States in India. This has been stated by ADB President Takehiko Nakao during his 3-day visit to India. Salient Highlights The ADB president has said that the bank is ready to meet immediate critical infrastructure needs of less developed states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh over a period of five years. ADB has also assured its support to relatively lesser developed states in the area of power, transport, urban development, and health services. ADB’s President has also in-principle accepted India’s suggestion of setting up a regional hub in New Delhi to cater to the needs of the South Asia region. As per the estimates of ADB, India is expected to grow by 7.4% in the current financial year and 7.6% in 2018-19. ADB ADB is multilateral lending agency based in Manila, Philippines. It was established on 19 December 1996. It aims to reduce poverty in Asia and the Pacific region through inclusive environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. It provides finance to both sovereign countries as well as to the private parties. It provides hard loans to middle-income countries and soft loans to poorer countries. ADB has 67 members – 48 from the Asia-Pacific region including India and is collectively owned by these 67 members. The non-Asia Pacific region members are only developed countries. Most of the ADB’s lending is concentrated in five operational areas viz. Education; Environment, Climate Change & Disaster Management; Finance Sector Development; Regional Cooperation & Integration; and Private sector lending.

7. SIERRA ODC building has been recognised as the world’s second highest ranking Green Building. The building has scored 103 points out of 110 under LEED certification. Salient Facts The SIERRA ODC is a three-storeyed building which has been constructed by laying specific emphasis on increasing the efficiency of resource use such as energy, water or materials. The building has managed water use efficiency of 89% by using water saving fixtures and curbing wastage. In the building, water is recycled 100%. The building is a carbon-neutral building. The building was the first to implement a technology called Amorphous Silicon Thin Building Vortec for the first time in South India. By using this technology, photovoltaic modules produce power at the low cost per watt. Green Buildings Green Buildings are designed and operated to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment. The green buildings efficiently use energy, water, and other resources, protects occupant health, improves employee productivity, and reduces waste, pollution and environmental degradation. Besides a Green Building has tremendous environmental benefits and provides a better place for the occupants to live and work in. So the main challenge of a green building is to achieve all its benefits at an affordable cost. The aim of a green building design is to minimize the demand on non-renewable resources, maximize the utilization efficiency of these resources, when in use, and, maximize the reuse, recycling, and utilization of renewable resources.

8. US has decided to sell one C-17 transport aircraft to India. US and India have built a close defence relationship in recent years. The US along with Russia and Israel has emerged as a top three arms supplier to India. Salient Facts The sale of USD 366.2 million C-17 transport aircraft manufactured by Boeing also includes one Missile Warning System, one Countermeasures Dispensing System, one Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) Transponder and precision navigation equipment. This proposed sale is expected to improve the capability of India to meet current and future strategic airlift requirements as the country lies in a region prone to natural disasters. It will also provide additional capability for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. In addition, India will be able to provide more rapid strategic combat airlift capabilities for its armed forces. The proposed sale is expected to improve the capability of India to meet current and future strategic airlift requirements as the country lies in a region prone to natural disasters. It will also provide additional capability for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. In addition, India will be able to provide more rapid strategic combat airlift capabilities for its armed forces. At Present, India is using C-17 aircraft and according to Pentagon, the sale of this aircraft will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The Boeing C-17A Globemaster III military airlift aircraft is one of the most flexible cargo aircraft of the US Air Force fleet. The aircraft is capable of strategic delivery of up to 170,900 pounds of personnel and/or equipment to operating locations. In addition, the aircraft is capable of short field landings with a full cargo load. The Boeing C-17A Globemaster III military airlift aircraft is one of the most flexible cargo aircraft of the US Air Force fleet. The aircraft is capable of strategic delivery of up to 170,900 pounds of personnel and/or equipment to operating locations. In addition, the aircraft is capable of short field landings with a full cargo load. The aircraft will have a fully integrated electronic cockpit and advanced cargo delivery system. It can carry out tactical airlift and airdrop missions as well as transport litters and ambulatory patients. The aircraft will have a fully integrated electronic cockpit and advanced cargo delivery system. It can carry out tactical airlift and airdrop missions as well as transport litters and ambulatory patients.

9. UNESCO has named Sharjah as the World Book Capital for 2019. Sharjah was chosen for its efforts to make books accessible to its entire population. Salient Highlights Sharjah was selected to underline the efforts taken by it to make books accessible for reading to as many people as possible, especially the marginalised populations. It has followed an innovative and inclusive community-focused activity programme to engage people, in particular, the very large migrant population. Sharjah is the 19th city to be named as World Book Capital by the UNESCO. The earlier cities which were named as World Book Capital are: Madrid (2001), Alexandria (2002), New Delhi (2003), Antwerp (2004), Montreal (2005), Turin (2006), Bogota (2007), Amsterdam (2008), Beirut (2009), Ljubljana (2010), Buenos Aires (2011), Yerevan (2012), Bangkok (2013), Port Harcourt (2014), Incheon (2015), Wroclaw (2016), Conakry (2017) and Athens (2018). Sharjah has become the first among the Gulf Cooperation Council and third in the Arab world and the Middle East to receive this prestigious recognition. The GCC countries include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Earlier, it has received various accolades like Capital of Arab Culture (1998), Capital of Islamic Culture (2014), and Capital of Arab Tourism (2015) etc. World Book Capital City UNESCO has been annually designating a city as World Book Capital City beginning with the designation of Madrid as World Book Capital City in 2001. For designating a city, UNESCO invites the International Publishers Association, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, and the International Booksellers Federation to nominate and take part in deciding the World Book Capital. The designation of a city does not include any financial prize, it rather acknowledges the programmes followed by the city dedicated to books and reading.

10. U.S. President Donald Trump has appointed an Indian-American named Krishna R Urs as the new US Ambassador to Peru. Facts Krishna R Urs is a career service American diplomat who has served at seven US embassies as well in several senior leadership positions in Washington, DC. At present, he is serving as Charge d’ Affaires of the US Embassy in Madrid, Spain. Earlier, he has also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Affairs and Chief US Government Aviation Negotiator at the Department of State (2010 to 2014) Krishna R Urs has specialisation in economic issues and has extensive policy experience in the Andean region of South America. He had earned his MS from the University of Texas and a BS from Georgetown University.

11. NALSA has launched a web application for free Legal Services to Prisoners at the conference held at Indian Law Institute, New Delhi. The Conference saw the participation of Member Secretaries and administrative officers of 18 State Legal Services Authorities. The Legal Services Management System has been developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC). Salient Facts The State Legal Services Authorities and District Legal Services Authorities will feed into the web application the data for each individual prison inmate in the jails within their jurisdiction. The feeds will have details regarding the representation of prisoners through a counsel in the court. The software will also help in generating reports showing the total number of inmates, the number of inmates unrepresented, the number of inmates represented by legal services lawyers and the number of inmates represented by private lawyers. All these information can be generated State wise, District wise and also with respect to each jail. The software is also capable of generating information with regard to prisoners eligible for bail under Section 436-A Cr.P.C. Significance The web application will help in making the legal services system more transparent. It would be useful for all the concerned authorities to monitor the grant of legal aid to the prisoners in order to make sure that all prisoners are represented right from their first day in the court. NALSA NALSA provides for free legal aid inter-alia to all persons in custody. It has been constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. It provides services of free legal aid in civil and criminal matters for the poor and marginalised people who cannot afford the services of a lawyer in any court or tribunal. Its aim is to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reasons of economic or other disabilities. NALSA also identifies specific categories of marginalised and excluded groups and formulates various schemes for implementation of legal service programmes. It also organises Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes.

12. The US has issued new criteria for visa applicants from six Muslim countries. The US Supreme Court has partially restored President Trump’s executive order that banned travel of people from the six Muslim-majority countries. President’s executive order was widely criticised as a ban on Muslims. Salient Facts As per the new criteria, applicants from the six Muslim-majority countries must prove a relationship with a parent, spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling in the US. In short, the applicants must prove a “close” family or business tie to the United States. As per the new guidelines, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, fiancées or other extended family members will not be considered as close relations by the US State Department. However, the applicants can be exempted from the ban if they can prove a “bona fide relationship” with a US person or entity. The Supreme Court has given only a broad guidelines on such relationships and has suggested that such bonafide relationships would include a relative, job offer or invitation to lecture in the US. The Government lawyers must determine how to define such a relationship. The new guidelines are expected to come into force immediately. Background Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump had signed an executive order that banned travel of people from Muslim-majority countries into the US for a period of 90 days. These countries were Iraq, Iran, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Syria. Besides, the order had also suspended US Refugee Admissions Programme for 120 days and indefinitely barred entry of refugees from Syria. The executive order and the controversial ban had sparked protests and debates across the US. Even, the lower courts of these countries had labelled the ban as discriminatory. Subsequently, the White House had asked the Supreme Court to reinstate a travel ban on people from the six Muslim-majority countries. Ultimately, the Supreme Court’s nine justices overturned the rulings of the lower court and have partially restored President Trump’s order.

13. India has contributed $ 100,000 to the UN Trust Fund for International Cooperation in Tax Matters (the UN Tax Fund). The fund is aimed at helping the developing countries to actively participate in the discussion of tax issues. This was announced by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs Office for Financing, Development Office. India has also earned the distinction of becoming the first country to make a voluntary contribution to the UN tax fund. Salient Highlights The objective of UN Tax Trust Fund is to support the work of the Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters (the UN Tax Committee). The funding will be used for supporting the participation of the developing countries’ in the sub-committee meetings of the UN Tax Committee, which are currently unfunded. The UN and the Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters have been calling for the voluntary contributions for the tax fund since its establishment in 2006. The call for the contribution to the tax fund was also made at the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, which was adopted at the third International Conference on Financing for Development in 2015. India has become the first country to respond to this call. India has expressed its hope that other countries will also make similar contributions to the UN fund in near future. The UN expects that the funding will support more developing countries to draw upon the best practice of other bodies, ensuring effective and efficient global tax cooperation norms and rules for all countries and all stakeholders. Background The UN Tax Committee is a subsidiary body of the UN Economic and Social Council (ESOSOC). The UN Tax Committee offers guidance on current issues such as double taxation treaties, transfer pricing, taxation of the extractive industries and taxation of services. It also strives to promote international tax cooperation among national tax authorities. It also makes recommendations on capacity-building and the provision of technical assistance to developing countries and countries with economies in transition. Addis Ababa Action Agenda provides a global framework for effective mobilisation of resources at the national and international level for sustainable development. Implementation of this agenda also supports the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It forms an integral part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was unanimously adopted in 2015.

14. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the centenary celebrations of Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. The Prime Minister has also released the coin and postal stamp in the honour of Shrimad Rajchandraji on his 150th birth anniversary at Abhay Ghat. Shrimad Rajchandraji was the guru to Mahatma Gandhi Sabarmati Ashram Sabarmati Ashram otherwise called as Gandhi Ashram, Harijan Ashram, or Satyagraha Ashram is located on the banks of the River Sabarmati. Sabarmati Ashram served as one of the residences of Mahatma Gandhi for twelve long years. The ashram has been declared as a national monument by the Indian government. Gandhiji started the Dandi march also called as Salt Satyagraha from Sabarmati Ashram on 12 March 1930. Shrimad Rajchandraji Shrimad Rajchandra is a Jain poet, philosopher, scholar and reformer born in the year 1867 in Vavania near Morbi. His mother was a Jain and father a Vaishnava Hindu. He was the spiritual guide to Mahatma Gandhi. He is known for his teachings on Jainism. He has written a large number of letters and commentaries and also translated some religious texts. He got into fame by performing Avdhan, a memory retention and recollection test which gained him popularity.

15. NASA has reached a major milestone in developing a quieter supersonic passenger jet that is capable of safely travelling over land. Salient Highlights NASA has completed the preliminary design review (PDR) of its Quiet Supersonic Transport (QueSST) aircraft design. NASA had forged a partnership with Lockheed Martin, in February 2016 for the QueSST preliminary design. With this development, NASA is a step closer to actually building an X-plane. The project falls under the ambit of NASA’s Commercial Supersonic Technology Project. Quiet Supersonic Transport (QueSST) aircraft design is the initial design stage of NASA’s planned Low Boom Flight Demonstration (LBFD) experimental airplane. The LBFD is also known as X-plane. QueSST design will be capable of fulfilling the LBFD aircraft’s mission objectives. NASA will be developing LBFD aircraft to fly at supersonic speeds which will produce a soft “thump” instead of creating the disruptive sonic boom associated with supersonic flights of the present day. NASA has already completed testing a scale model of the QueSST design in its supersonic wind tunnel located at Glenn Research Centre in Cleveland. In the early next year, NASA will award a contract to build the piloted, single-engine X-plane.

16. The government has notified the roll out of Goods and Services Tax (GST) from July 1st. Salient Facts To launch GST in the midnight of June 30th, the government has organised a special programme to be held in Central Hall of Parliament. The event will see the participation of President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and other Ministers and bureaucrats. As per the last year’s Constitutional amendment approved by Parliament, the government has been given time only till 15th of September, 2017. Within that time period, the government has to replace the existing indirect tax structure by the GST, failing which may trigger a constitutional crisis as no tax can be levied on goods and services. So, the government has ruled out the possibility of deferring the roll out of GST by any further time period. GST which will subsume a host of indirect levies like excise, service tax and VAT will be one of the nation’s biggest economic reform. GST-Background Goods and Services Tax is a comprehensive indirect tax which is to be levied on the manufacture, sale and consumption of goods and services in India. This is so far the biggest tax reform in the country. GST eliminates the cascading effect of taxes because it is taxed at every point of business and the input credit is available in the value chain. France was the first country to introduce GST system in 1954. More than 140 countries have implemented the GST. The Genesis of GST occurred during the previous NDA Government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government when it set up the Asim Dasgupta committee to design a model for GST. The UPA Government took the matter further and announced in 2006 that this tax would be introduced from April 1, 2010. However, so far it was not introduced. All the GST bills including Constitution (101st Amendment) Act have been passed now and GST is set to come into force from July 1, 2017. GST would replace almost all vital indirect taxes and cesses on Goods & services in the country. Among the taxes levied by centre, GST will subsume the following: Central Excise Duty & Service Tax, Duties of Excise (Medicinal and Toilet Preparations), Additional Duties of Excise (Goods of Special Importance), Additional Duties of Excise (Textiles and Textile Products), Additional Duties of Customs (commonly known as CVD), Special Additional Duty of Customs (SAD), and finally the Central Surcharges and Cesses. Among the state taxes that would be replaced by GST include State VAT, Central Sales Tax c. Luxury Tax, Entry Tax (all forms), Entertainment and Amusement Tax (except when levied by the local bodies), Taxes on advertisements, Purchase Tax, Taxes on lotteries, betting and gambling, and finally the state Surcharges and Cesses.

17. ISRO has successfully launched GSAT-17 communication Satellite onboard the Ariane-5 launch vehicle from the Guiana Space Center at French Guiana on June 28. GSAT-17 will be the ISRO’s third satellite that is launched within a span of three months. Salient Highlights The 3,477-kg GSAT 17 communication satellite will be placed in the geostationary orbit and will have a mission life of 15 years. The satellite will be an addition to the current fleet of 17 Indian communication satellites that are already providing services from space. Apart from providing communication services, the satellite will provide meteorological and satellite-based data to help rescue services which were earlier provided by geostationary satellites called Indian National Satellite System (INSAT). GSAT-17 will provide continuity of services of operational satellites in C, extended C and S bands Once launched, ISRO’s Master Control Facility at Hassan in Karnataka and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh will take over and place the satellite in geostationary orbit. GSAT-17 was designed and assembled at the ISRO Satellite Centre in Bengaluru. In addition, GSAT-17 will also launch communication satellite Hellas Sat 3-Inmarsat S EAN. Hellas Sat 3 will provide directly to home television and telecom services across Europe, West Asia and South Africa. Inmarsat is set to provide in-flight Internet facilities for European airlines. Launch Vehicle As ISRO is yet to have a launcher that is capable of lifting payloads above 2,000 kg. ISRO has just started testing the GSLV-Mark III for this purpose. GSAT-17 will be the 21st Indian launch for the Arianespace. ISRO’s upcoming GSAT- 11 which will weigh more than 5,000 kg will also be launched by Arianespace.

18. Petya Ransomware is part of a new wave of cyber-attacks and has infected computer servers across the world. Extent of Attack India In India, the ransomware has crippled the operations at one of the terminals of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust. The affected terminal was being operated by AP Moller-Maersk. The company operates the Gateway Terminals India (GTI) which has a capacity to handle 1.8 million standard container units. The attack has impacted the external trade by affecting the systems dealing with the cargo and ships at the country’s largest port. World The Petya ransomware has hit computer servers all across Europe. Ukraine and Russia are the worst affected countries. The ransomware has also impacted some companies in the US and other Western European countries. In the severely affected Ukraine, government offices, energy companies, banks, cash machines, gas stations, and supermarkets, Ukrainian Railways, Ukrtelecom, and the Chernobyl power plant has been worst affected. Petya ransomware Petya is a ransomware, similar to the Wannacry ransomware. However, it is a variation of the WannaCry cyber-attack. It follows the WannaCry’s pattern and locks up the computer data and cripples the Enterprise services in the corporate sector. Researchers are yet to find who is responsible for this attack. The ransomware demands $300 Bitcoins as ransom to unlock computer’s files. The attack is believed to have originated against an update used on a third-party Ukrainian software called MeDoc. This explains why Ukraine is the worst affected.

19. China has launched its most powerful naval destroyer, the Type 055, at the Shanghai port. The naval destroyer is one among the largest warships in the world. Analysis The Type055 vessels will weigh more than 12,000 tonnes when fully armed. The Type055 vessels are larger and more powerful than India’s latest Project- 15B “Visakhapatnam” class destroyers. India is yet to commission Project- 15B “Visakhapatnam” class destroyers. India’s destroyers when fully armed will displace only 8,200 tonnes and are capable of carrying only a mix of nearly 50 surface-to-air, anti-ship and land attack missiles. On the other hand, the Type055 vessels will combine nearly 120 missiles, making it one of the most heavily-armed ships in the world. Chinese vessels are fitted with powerful phased array radars that are capable of focusing on targets at sea, on land and in the air. The vessel is more modern and has more sophisticated control and battle management system. Chinese vessels are fitted with powerful phased array radars that are capable of focusing on targets at sea, on land and in the air. The vessel is more modern and has more sophisticated control and battle management system than India’s vessels under construction. In the last five years, China has launched several naval vessels. From March 2014, China has commissioned five Type 52D destroyers which have similar capability to that of India’s Visakhapatnam’ class warships. In addition, China has planned to build a fleet of at least 18 such naval ships. India, on the other hand, has planned to build only seven ships belonging to the Vishakhapatnam class. Earlier this year, China had also launched its first indigenous aircraft carrier whose construction began only in 2013. India’s indigenous aircraft carrier, the Vikrant whose construction is carried out since 2009 is unlikely to be completed before 2023. Growing Chinese naval prowess is a cause of worry to India. In the last five years, China has increasingly begun to deploy its nuclear submarines, warships and other support vessels in the Indian Ocean. India’s important maritime ally, the United States has also expressed its deep concerns about the expansion of the Chinese Navy, particularly in the Indian Ocean.

20. The Election Commission of India has joined hands with Facebook to launch nationwide voter registration reminder aimed at reminding eligible Indian voters to register themselves on the electoral rolls. Salient Highlights As a part of the initiative, Facebook will activate a unique ‘Register Now’ button reminding all the eligible Indian users to enrol themselves as voters. The reminder will be made available for four days beginning July 1. When the users click the button, they will be redirected to National Voters’ Services Portal, where they can register themselves as voters. The reminder will be available in 13 languages-English, Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Bengali, Urdu, Assamese, Marathi and Oriya. In 2016 and 2017, Election Commission had joined hands with Facebook to implement such features in selected states during the state elections. However, this is the first time the initiative is carried out all over India. The Election Commission is expecting to reach over 180 million Indians on Facebook through this drive. The initiative aims at enrolling left-out voters with a particular focus on first-time electors. Election Commission Election Commission of India is a permanent body entrusted for the conduct of free and fair elections. An independent Election Commission has been provided for in Article 324 of the Constitution of India. One of the most important functions of the election commission is to prepare an up-to-date list of all the persons who are entitled to vote at the elections. Election Commission is entrusted with the Election of President; Election of Vice-President; Election of Lok Sabha as well as Rajya Sabha; Elections to State Legislatures as well as Legislative Councils; Reservation of Seats in Lok Sabha and State Legislatures; Qualifications of the MPs and MLAs; and Determination of population for purposes of the election.

21. Odisha is set to become the first state in the country to open a blood bank for cattle. The proposal has received the nod from the National Agriculture Development Programme (NADP). It is now awaiting the approval from the state government. Salient Highlights The blood bank for cattle would be set up on the premises of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) at an estimated cost of Rs. 3.25 crore. 60% of the project cost would be funded by the Central government and the rest 40% would be funded by the Odisha state government. Under this initiative, the blood would be procured voluntarily from the cattle farmers. The blood bank will also have blood transfusion facility for cattle blood. The blood bank will help in preventing cattle deaths during deliveries and other ailments. It would come handy in saving the lives of the domesticated animals.

22. Dr Manoj Soni has taken Oath of Office and Secrecy as a member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The Oath was administered to him by the UPSC Chairman Prof. David R. Syiemlieh. Born on 17th February 1965, Dr Manoj Soni was a former Vice-Chancellor of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University. He became the youngest-ever Vice Chancellor in independent (India). Manoj Soni is a scholar of Political Science with specialisation in International Relation Studies. He has earned his doctorate in “Post-Cold War International Systemic Transition and Indo-US Relations” from Sardar Patel University. He has received several awards and recognitions such as “Honorary Mayor-President of the City of Baton Rouge” from Mayor-President of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA and World Education Congress Global Award for Distance Learning Leadership. UPSC UPSC is a constitutional body that conducts the prestigious civil services examination. It has been established under Article 315 of the Constitution and consists of a Chairman and ten Members, who are appointed and removed by President. The chairman and members of the Commission hold office for a term of six years or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. Article 316 of the Constitution deals with the appointment and term of office of members.

23. India and the Netherlands have signed three MOUs after the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte in Hague the Netherlands. Prime Minister’s visit to the Netherlands has come at a time when both the countries are celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations. Salient Highlights The Netherlands has backed India’s entry into Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and other multilateral export control regimes. The Netherlands also supported India’s bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat. For its part, India has thanked the Netherlands for its role in India’s accession to the Missile Technology Control Regime in June 2016. Also, Prime Minister Modi invited the Netherlands to join the International Solar Alliance. In addition, both the countries have reaffirmed their commitment towards Paris climate deal. Agreements In total three agreements were signed: MOU on Cultural Cooperation, MOU on Water Cooperation Agreement on Amending Social Security Arrangement India-Netherlands After Independence, Indo-Dutch relations have been multifaceted. Since, the 1980s, the Netherlands have identified India as an important economic partner. The relationship got further intensified after India’s economic liberalisation in the 1990s. Both the countries have the potential to further collaborate in areas like water management; infrastructure, logistics, ports, highways; inland water transportation; ICT; biotech; agriculture, agro-processing, floriculture; creative design industry etc. Major Indian exports to the Netherlands includes textiles & garments; electric machinery & equipment; agricultural products and processed foods including marine products; leather goods etc. The main imports from Netherlands include machinery/equipment; medical/optical instruments; chemicals; plastics, and metal products. Netherlands is host to one of the largest population of people of Indian origin in Europe. It is home to about 220,000 Indian and Surinami Hindustani Diaspora.

24. After decades of wait, the Indian Army has finally received its first batch of bullet-proof helmets. The helmets were manufactured by Kanpur-based MKU Industries at the cost of Rs 180 crore. Salient Facts The new bullet proof helmets are capable of withstanding the impact of 9mm ammunition fired from a short range. The helmets match global standards of equipment for armed forces. According to MKU, the bullet-proof helmets undergo rigorous quality and ballistic lab test at the company’s testing facilities in India as well as in Germany. The helmets are designed in such a way that it can be comfortably integrated with communication and night-vision devices. Need Head forms the most vulnerable part of the body that is prone to get injured during the combat operation. As per the studies, nearly 26%-28% soldiers die of head injuries. Bullet proof helmets can make a significant difference between life and death during combat operations. At present, Indian armed forces are using patkas that are worn over outdated infantry helmets. However, it had severe limitations as they are bulky and heavy, weighing over 2.5 kgs. They are capable of protecting only the forehead and back of the head. Background The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had asked NITI Aayog to come up with a roadmap over the possibility of encouraging domestic production of light weight body armours. NITI Aayog in March had prepared a draft note on ‘incentivising’ domestic manufacturing of light weight body armours for the army and para-military forces. Earlier this year, the 30-year old Kanpur-based company, MKU limited, was awarded a contract worth Rs 180 crore to supply nearly 1.6 lakh helmets. In India, MKU and Tata Advanced Materials exports body armour to UN and NATO as well as to the armed forces around the world including United Kingdom, Germany and Spain.

25. The world’s first ATM (automated teller machine) celebrates its 50th anniversary. In the past five decades, ATM machines have heralded a transformation in the way people obtained and used cash. Salient Facts The ATM machines were the brainchild of Scottish inventor Shepherd-Barron. The first ATM was opened on June 27, 1967, by Barclays Bank in Enfield, north London. English actor Reg Varney became the first person to withdraw cash from the first ATM machine. At present, there are over 3 million cash machines across the globe. Around 70,000 cash machines are present in the UK alone. The World’s most northerly ATM machine is present at Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway. The most Southerly ATM is situated at the McMurdo station of the South Pole. To commemorate the 50th anniversary, Barclays Bank has transformed the first ATM that it commissioned at its Enfield branch into gold.

26. The European Union’s competition watchdog has fined Google a record 2.42 billion euro for breaching the anti-trust rules by illegally favouring its shopping service. The European Commission regulates EU competition rules. Salient Highlights According to the European regulators, Google has abused its market dominance by offering an illegal advantage to its another product, its comparison shopping service. The fine of 2.42 billion euro is the biggest fine for a single company in an EU antitrust case. It exceeds the 1.06-billion-euros slapped on Intel in 2009. EU’s action has come after a 7 year-long investigation from the complaints received from Google’s rivals such like Yelp, TripAdvisor, UK price comparison site Foundem, News Corp and lobbying group FairSearch. The EU has asked Google to stop its anti-competitive practice in 90 days or be prepared to face penalty payments up to 5% of Alphabet’s average daily worldwide turnover. Time Line November 2010: The EU opened its formal inquiry to ascertain whether Google manipulates search results in a way that favours its own business. April 2013: Google came forward to change its practice in the hope of ending the EU investigation. July-December 2013: EU rejected Google’s offer to change its search results as not good enough. February 2014: A tentative agreement was reached between the EU and Google on how to fix the search results. May 2014: In a separate case, the European Court of Justice had asked Google on the plea of EU citizens’ to remove irrelevant or embarrassing personal information that is being served on a search of their names. September 2014: Acting upon the complaints of Google’s competitors, the EU made a U-turn on its settlement with Google on search results. April 2015: EU formally charged Google and opened a preliminary investigation to ascertain whether Google used its Android mobile operating system to rig the market for apps. June 2017: The EU has slapped Google a record 2.42 billion euros ($2.72 billion) for breaching antitrust rules with its online shopping service.

27. Kaushik Basu has taken over as president of the International Economic Association (IEA). Basu will serve a three-year term as the President. Kaushik Basu has served as India’s chief economic adviser from 2009 to 2012. He has also served as senior vice-president and chief economist at the World Bank from 2012 to 2016. At present, Basu is the C. Marks Professor of International Studies at Cornell University. IEA The International Economic Association (IEA) is one of the key organisations of professional economists and has been significant in determining global economic policy and research. Amongst the past presidents of IEA were the Nobel Laureates Robert Solow, Amartya Sen and Joseph Stiglitz. IEA produces a large number of research papers and books and organises roundtables on topics of present-day interest. Its principal activities include International Congress organised every 3 years. The occasion serves as one of the major assemblies of economists from around the world.

28. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has constituted a special seven-member committee to analyse the few contentious Lodha panel reforms which are being opposed by the state units. Salient Highlights The seven-member Lodha committee has been formed under the head of Rajeev Shukla. The other members of the committee include former India captain Sourav Ganguly, T.C. Mathew (Kerala Cricket), Naba Bhattacharjee (North East representative), Jay Shah (Gujarat Cricket Association), BCCI Treasurer Anirudh Chaudhary and BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary. The decision to form the panel was arrived at the BCCI’s Special General Meeting in Mumbai. One of the major reforms of the Lodha Committee which are being opposed by the state units speaks about disqualifying any individual who is more than 70-years-old, and who has already completed nine years in cricket administration. The BCCI committee has been asked to submit its written report by July 10. BCCI’s move to constitute a committee is widely seen as its attempt to delay the implementations of the reforms suggested by the Lodha Committee. Lodha Committee Justice Lodha committee was appointed by the Supreme Court in 2014 to make recommendations to the BCCI in order to prevent frauds and conflict of interest in cricket administration. The committee was appointed in the wake of the spot-fixing scandal in Indian Premier League (IPL). The recommendations of the committee are aimed at resolving issues of governance, transparency, and conflict of interest in BCCI. As per the Lodha Committee recommendations approved by the Supreme Court, no official should hold a position for more than three tenures of three years each, with no two consecutive terms. The office bearers are subjected to an age cap of 70. Office-bearers cannot be ministers or bureaucrats and they should distance themselves from the state association which they represent.

29. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has come out with draft regulations for organic food products to ensure the authenticity of organic foods. FSSAI’s guidelines have been prepared in view of rising demand for organic food products. Organic foods will have to comply with the government’s provisions under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) or the Participatory Guarantee System for India (PGS-India) run by the Agriculture Ministry or any other standards notified by FSSAI. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has invited comments from the public regarding the provisions of the draft regulations. Need At present, the consumers do not have any method to check the authenticity of the organic food products due to the absence of a regulatory framework. Organic food products are those that have to be grown without the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides or those made from organically produced raw materials. The draft regulations are aimed at ensuring the authenticity of organic food products sold in the market. Salient Highlights Definition The draft regulations have come up with the following definitions: Organic agriculture has been defined as a system of farm design and management that creates an eco-system of agriculture production without the use of synthetic external inputs such as chemicals, fertilisers, pesticides and synthetic hormones or genetically modified organisms. The organic farm is defined as the product obtained from organic agriculture. Organic foods are defined as those food products that are produced in accordance with specified standards for organic production. Organic farm produce means the product obtained from organic agriculture, while organic food means food products that have been produced in accordance with specified standards for organic production. Other features FSSAI’s regulation mandates that labelling of organic foods should provide full and accurate information regarding the organic status of the organic foods. Organic food products must carry a certification mark or a quality assurance mark provided by the notified certification bodies. FSSAI’s regulations have exempted organic food marketed by the original producer or producer organisation through a direct sale from verification compliance. However, this exemption will not be applicable to processed organic products.

30. The United States is set to declare China as one among the world’s worst offenders on human trafficking in its annual Trafficking in Persons Report. The report will be unveiled by the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to the US Congress. Salient Highlights The declaration would place China in the same category as North Korea, Zimbabwe and Syria. The move will be Donald Trump administration’s first major public rebuke of China’s human rights record. Trump’s administration has so far avoided direct public criticism of China. The report is expected to receive condemnation from China’s Communist government. The US is seeking China’s cooperation in combatting North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats. China will be placed in “Tier 3,” which will be the ranking system’s lowest category. Countries listed in this tier are those who have failed to meet minimum standards to prevent human trafficking. Countries like Sudan, Iran and Haiti have recently been on that list. As per the report, forced begging in China which particularly affects children is a matter of great concern. In the previous year’s report, the US had placed China on its “watch list.” Countries which are placed in the watch list are those who are not meeting minimum standards. The 2016 report had called China as a “source, destination and transit country” for forced labour and sex trafficking. In this year’s report, China has been downgraded to the lowest classification as it had not increased its anti-trafficking efforts from the previous year. Implications Countries placed on Tier 3 are liable to be penalised with sanctions, including the withholding of non-humanitarian aid and assistance that could affect agreements with the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Officials of the Tier-3 countries are also liable to be barred from participating in US government educational and cultural exchange programs. However, the US president retains the authority to waive the sanctions taking into account national interest or if he feels that the penalties could adversely affect vulnerable populations. The previous administrations of the US have often granted waivers for the tier-3 countries.