Current Affairs Daily Updates: 15th February 2017

Current Affairs Daily Updates: 15th February 2017

APPOINTMENTS

Nilesh Shivji Vikamsey appointed new President of ICAI:

• Nilesh Shivji Vikamsey was elected as the new President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) for the year 2017-18.
• The 40-member Central Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) also elected Naveen N D Gupta as the Vice-President for the year 2017-18.
• Prior to this, Vikamsey served as vice-president and has been the member of ICAI since 1985 while Gupta was Chartered Accountant of ICAI for more than 20 years. 

Jean-Pierre Lacroix appointed as new UN peacekeeping Chief

• France’s Jean-Pierre Lacroix has been appointed as the Under-Secretary-General for the United Nations’ Peacekeeping Operations.
• He has been appointed for the period of one year beginning 1 April 2017.
• The announcement was made by the United Nations' new Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who took over from Ban Ki-moon on 1 January 2017.
• Besides this, Guterres also announced the extension of the term of three other officials including Jeffrey Feltman, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, Assistant-Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support and Atul Khare, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support until 1 April 2018.

Ravi Shankar appointed as High Commissioner of India to Rwanda

• Shri Ravi Shankar (IFS: 1995) has been concurrently accredited as the High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Rwanda, with residence in Kampala (Uganda).
• He is expected to take up his assignment shortly.
• Presently he was High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Uganda.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

Mumbai Boy Kush Bhagat Awarded CM Title by World Chess Federation:

• Mumbai based Kush Bhagat has been awarded the Candidate Master (CM) title by the World Chess Federation body, FIDE for his outstanding performance in Western Asian Youth Chess championship 2016 at UAE. 
• Kush, a second grade student from Hill Spring International School has presented tremendous performances in the past 6 months.

Olympic Champion Bolt wins Laureus 'Sportsman of the Year' award

• Usain Bolt and Simone Biles, the 2016 Rio Olympic champions won top awards of ‘Sportsman of the Year’ and ‘Sportswoman of the Year’ at the Laureus World Sports Awards 2017, held in Monaco.
• Bolt was conferred with the top honour for the fourth time, equalling the record set by tennis legends Roger Federer and Serena Williams and surfer Kelly Slater, who are all four-time Laureus winners.
• He received his award from one of the world’s greatest sprinters, Michael Johnson.

BANKING AFFAIRS

World Bank Group to conduct training programmes for NBFCs

• International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, has teamed up with Finance Industry Development Council (FIDC) to conduct training programmes for Non Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs).
• The training programmes will be on 'movable asset financing' and 'commercial credit reporting'.
• For this purpose, two engagement letters have been signed between IFC and FIDC, a representative body for NBFCs, especially those engaged in asset financing.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

Nomura Projects India’s GDP at 5.7 % in January-March quarter, 2017

• According to the global financial services major Nomura, the GDP growth of India is estimated to remain low at 5.7% in the January-March quarter due to the effect of demonetization of high value currency.
• Nomura expects the economic growth to slow from 7.3% GDP growth in the July-September 2016 to 6% in the October-December 2016 quarter and further to 5.7% in the first quarter of 2017 ending March 2017.
• However, the growth is also expected to recover after the first quarter of 2017 due to remonetization and wealth redistribution.

IDFC Asset Management Company launches Open-Ended Fixed Income Fund

• IDFC Asset Management Company launched an open-ended fixed income fund named Credit Opportunities Fund in Mumbai which is expected to raise the revenue of the company in the range of Rs 300 crore-500 crore within the NFO period itself.
• A new fund offer (NFO) is the first time subscription offer for a new scheme launched by the asset management companies (AMCs).
• A new fund offer is launched in the market to raise capital from the public in order to buy securities like shares, govt. bonds etc. from the market.
• The Credit Opportunities Fund will open for subscription on February 14, 2017 and close on February 27, 2017.
• It will reopen for continuous sale and repurchase from March 6, 2017.The new fund scheme aims to optimise the higher risk associated with the credit fund category.

DEATHS

Veteran Journalist T V Parasuram Passed Away

• Former correspondent of the Press Trust of India,  T V Parasuram passed away. He was 93.
• Parasuram has won a Harvard Niemen Fellowship in journalism. He had served as the correspondent for The Indian Express for two decades.
• He has authored two books -‘ A Medal for Kashmir’, and ‘Jewish Heritage in India‘

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

IMF opens technical assistance and training centre SARTTAC in New Delhi:

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has opened a first-of-its-kind South Asia Training and Technical Assistance Centre (SARTTAC) in New Delhi for economic capacity building in South Asia. 
• It will work to support local member countries of South Asia viz. India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka to build human and institutional capacity and implement policies for growth and poverty reduction.

India joins Moscow meet, despite exclusion in first round

• India along with six other nations participated in a meet held in Moscow on 15 February 2017. The conference was conducted to discuss Afghanistan’s future.
• In a similar conference held two months earlier, Russia had invited only China and Pakistan, a move that was objected by both India and Afghanistan.
• India especially objected its exclusion from the previous conference on Afghanistan, as it has always believed in a close and constructive cooperation for peace and stability in the region.
• Following it, Moscow agreed to expand its circle and hold a six-nation conference including Russia, China, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Iran.
• The one-day conclave was led by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy to Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov. While Gopal Baglay represented India at the meet, Pakistan was represented by Mansoor Ali Khan.

Harsh Vardhan inaugurates International Conference on NexGen Technologies for Mining, Fuel Industries:

• Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the International Conference on NexGen Technologies for Mining and Fuel Industries in New Delhi.
• The three day conference will cover areas like Innovative ming technology for sustainable development and advances in mine design mine planning recent advancement in drilling and blasting. 
• The conference, organized by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry will take place at Vigyan Bhawan.

Military Exercise Cobra Gold 2017 begins in Thailand

• The Cobra Gold 2017 commenced on 14 February 2017 in Thailand. Cobra Gold is an annual multilateral military exercise co-sponsored by Thailand and the USA.
• The Cobra Gold 2017 is the 36th edition of the multinational military exercise.
• Around 30 nations will take part in the exercise that will continue till 24 February 2017.
• Cobra Gold includes a staff exercise with a senior leader seminar, a field training exercise and humanitarian civic assistance projects.
• Approximately 3,600 soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines of the USA are involved in these activities.

Union Government signs agreement with Croatia on economic cooperation

• The Union Government on 14 February 2017 signed agreement with the Republic of Croatia on economic cooperation in Zagreb, Croatia.
• The agreement was signed by Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce and Industry Minister and Martina Dalic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy of the Republic of Croatia.
• The Agreement will help both the countries in stepping up the ties in continuity as the last agreement expired in November 2009.
• Prior to this agreement, India and Croatia had earlier signed an agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation in September 1994 with an aim to promote and develop bilateral trade and economic relations.
• India’s bilateral trade with the Republic of Croatia during the financial years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 were USD 148.86 million, USD 205.04 million and USD 148.44 million respectively. The bilateral trade during the last three years has remained stable between both the countries despite global slowdown.

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

UNESCOs Nature Fest held in Himachal Pradesh:

• France based UNESCO organised the two-day Nature Fest at the World Heritage Site Great Himalayan National Park (GNHP) at Sairopa in Kullu district in the state of Himachal Pradesh.
• The festival was organised in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and would be attended by prominent conservationists.A media workshop held on the sidelines and Discussion on nature conservation to discuss various aspects of environmental journalism.

IAF inducts indigenous early warning system NETRA:

• The Indian Airforce (IAG) has formally inducted the first indigenously built Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&C) dubbed as NETRA. 
• The AEW&C NETRA has been indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). 
• It was unveiled at the 2017 Aero India exhibition held in Bengaluru, Karnataka.  

Sub-committee to frame blueprint on Integrated Dairy Complexes constituted in Haryana

• Haryana Cabinet constituted a sub-committee of council of ministers. The committee will prepare a blueprint for developing Integrated Dairy Complexes in all cities of the State.
• The decision to constitute the committee was taken at a cabinet meet chaired by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. It has been asked to submit its report within a month.

International coin fair held in Thiruvananthapuram

• More than 2,500 coins from around 500 regions, including those from the time of empires and princely states, were on display at an international coin fair which was organised in Thiruvananthapuram from February 13 to 15.
• The District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) organised the event.
• Minister for Tourism, Cooperation Kadakampally Surendran inaugurated the exhibition.
• The three-day event featured the collections of Justin Gilbert Lopez, who holds a Guinness world record for the largest coin collection.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

ISRO successfully launches record 104 satellites in One Go:

• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) created history by successfully launching a record 104 satellites in single go. 
• These satellites were launched on board of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C37, on its 39th mission from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.’ 
• Of the total 104 satellites, three were Indian and remaining 101 belonged to international customers. 
• India’s three satellites included earth-mapping Cartosat-2 satellite (main payload) and nanosatellites INS-1A and INS-1B.

SPORTS AFFAIRS

Jehan Daruvala wins New Zealand GP, finishes fifth in Toyota series:

• Jehan Daruvala became the first ever Indian to claim the New Zealand Grand Prix at Jehan Daruvalathe Chris Amon Circuit in Manfeild, New Zealand.
• With this win, Jehan, a Force India F1 team racing driver, scored 781 points in the Toyota Racing Series having 15-race held in January-February and was placed in fifth position.
• Australia’s Thomas Randle became the first Australian to win the Toyota Racing Series with 855 points followed by Brazilian Pedro Piquet (850 pts) at second and Dutch driver Richard Verschoor (843) at third.

Jamshed suspended from all forms of cricket

• Left-handed opener Nasir Jamshed has been provisionally suspended from all forms of cricket by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for violating its anti-corruption code.
• PSL chairman Najam Sethi had earlier stated that strict action will be taken against those who are found guilty of corruption charges in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
• PSL has already been rocked by corruption scandal with Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif being suspended from the tournament with Mohammad Irfan currently under investigation.

Adam Voges retires from international cricket

• Adam Voges, Australian batsman, announced his retirement from international cricket.
• The Western Australia batsman has played 20 Tests, scoring 1485 runs at an average of 61.87 - second highest average in Tests after Don Bradman (Among batsmen who have played at least 20 Tests).
• He has also figured in 31 One-Day Internationals and scored 870 runs with an average of 45.78 while 139 runs in seven Twenty20 Internationals with an average of 46.33.