Current Affairs Daily Updates: 16th June 2017

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Current Affairs Daily Updates: 16th June 2017
APPOINTMENTS
Neeru Chadha is first Indian woman to be judge at ITLOS
  • Indian lawyer Dr Neeru Chadha will be the first Indian woman to be a judge at the International Tribunal Law of the Sea (ITLOS) following her election to the international body.
  • She will have a nine-year term at ITLOS from 2017 to 2026.
  • ITLOS is the top UN body which adjudicates international cases related to the law of the seas.
  • Currently, former judge P Chandrasekhara Rao is representing India at the tribunal whose term expires in September 2017. He was elected member of the tribunal in 1996.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
Delhi Metro Railway Corporation (DMRC) Principal Sreedharan selected for Nanniyode Rajan award
  • Delhi Metro Railway Corporation (DMRC) Principal Adviser E. Sreedharan has been selected for the Nanniyode Rajan Memorial Award.
  • It is instituted by the Milma Thiruvananthapuram Regional Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union (TRCMPU) in memory of its former chairman.
  • The award consists of a purse of Rs.25,000 and a trophy.
  • The previous award recipients are E. Chandrasekharan Nair, PrayarGopalakrishnan, V. Kurian, M.S. Swaminathan, P.J. Joseph, Vakkom B. Purushothaman, K.C. Joseph, and C. Divakaran.
Bhupen Hazarika Award conferred to Yeshe Dorjee Thongshi
  • The Fifth Bhupen Hazarika National Award 2017 awarded to an eminent writer from Arunachal Pradesh Yeshe Dorjee Thongshi.
  • This award is presented to honour whose outstanding literary work at National and International level.
  • The award has been instituted by Sarhad, a Maharashtra-based organisation.
  • His famous novel includes Mauna Onth Mukhar Hriday (Silent lips, murmuring hearts) which won the Sahitya Akademi award in 2005.
BANKING AFFAIRS
RBI places restrictions on banking activities of Central Bank of India
  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has placed Central Bank of India under prompt corrective action (PCA) which puts restricts on banking activities such as from lending, hiring and expanding branches.
  • RBI PCAs for four banks namely IDBI Bank, UCO Bank, Dena Bank and Indian Overseas Bank.
  • The Central Bank has reported a loss of Rs 2439 crore for the financial year 2016-17.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
AIIB approves $150 million for India Infrastructure Fund
  • China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) approved $150 million equity investment loan to the India Infrastructure Fund.
  • The $150 million investment would go the India Infrastructure Fund (IIF)
  • The Infrastructure Fund aims to invest in mid-cap infrastructure companies in India.
  • AIIB is a multilateral development bank backed by China and is seen as a rival to the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Flipkart and eBay India received approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI)
  • Flipkart and eBay India approved by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for subscription of Flipkart’s shares issued by its Singapore-headquartered entity.
  • It raised United State Dollars 1.4 billion from Tencent Holdings, Microsoft Corp and eBay Inc.
  • In April this year, eBay Inc. had invested $500 million into Flipkart and sold its India business to the company to pick up a stake in Flipkart.
DEATHS
Justice PN Bhagwati, a Pioneer of Judicial Activism passes away
  • Former Chief Justice of India Prafullachandra Natwarlal Bhagwati who is considered as a pioneer of Judicial Activism has passed away.
  • He was a former chief justice of the Gujarat High Court and was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court in July 1973.
  • He served as the 17th Chief Justice of India from July 1985 to December 1986.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
India 60th most innovative globally, China at 22nd Global Innovation Index (GII) 2017
  • India ranked 60 on the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2017. The index has been co-authored by Cornell University, European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD) and World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
  • The top five positions are obtained by the following countries.
    • The First place is got by Singapore.
    • The second place is got by Sweden.
    • The third place is got by Netherlands.
    • The Fourth Place is got by the United States of America.
    • The fifth place is got by the United Kingdom.
UN General Assembly approves Creation of New UN Office of Counter Terrorism
  • The United Nations General Assembly approved the establishment of a new United Nations office of counter-terrorism to help Member States implement UN’s global counter-terrorism strategy.
  • The creation of new UN office of counter terrorism, UN will transfer the relevant functions out of the UN Department of Political Affairs (DPA) into the new body.
  • The Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force Office (CTITF) and the UN Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) currently under the DPA will be transferred to the new office together with existing staff and associated budgetary resources.
  • To enhance coordination and coherence across the 38 Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force entities for ensuring balanced implementation of the four pillars of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
World Bank approves $500 million grant package for Afghanistan projects
  • The World Bank has approved financing worth more than $500 million for Afghanistan to support a string of projects to boost the economy, help improve service delivery in five cities and support Afghan refugees sent back from Pakistan.
  • The bank said the six grants, including donor money, worth some $520 million would help the Afghan government "at a time of uncertainty when risks to the economy are significant."
India re-elected to UN's principal organ on economic, social, and environmental issues
  • India has been re-elected to the UN's principal organ on economic, social, and environmental issues for another three-year term.
  • India was among 18 nations to win election to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
  • India obtained 183 votes in the Asia Pacific category.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust organizes ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas Sammelan’ at Tenkasi in Tamil Nadu
  • The Union Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Shri Pon. Radhakrishnan opened the centre has implemented various schemes like Ujwala, Jan Dhan Yojana and Skill Development for the benefit of the weaker sections of the society.
  • Welfare measures under Ujwala scheme, farm loan and cash incentives to students were also distributed to beneficiaries during the program.
  • ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas Sammelan’ organised by V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust at Esakki Mahal in Tenkasi in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.
  • The Sagarmala programme launched by the Prime Minister last year aims to increase the capacity of Major and Non-Major Ports to 3000 Metric tonnes per annum from the present 1054.
  • Enayam Port Project is implemented Tamil Nadu become the first state to have four Major Ports.
Andhra Pradesh Cabinet approves for setting up of a cloud-based IP CCTV surveillance system in state
  • Andhra Pradesh Cabinet presided by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has approved for setting up of a cloud-based IP CCTV surveillance system in the State.
  • Andhra Pradesh will set up a surveillance cloud with the technical support of State wide Fiber Optic Network Infra’s Network Operations Centre for security, traffic control, real-time monitoring, cleanliness of the surroundings and other purposes.
  • It has also been decided to procure another 14,770 surveillance cameras to the existing 5169 cameras to establish State wide Surveillance Platform.
  • The two data centers would come up in Visakhapatnam and Amaravati.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AFFAIRS
Facebook to use Artificial Intelligence to prevent posting of problematic content
  • According to the Facebook officials, it will use Artificial Intelligence(AI) to prevent the posting of problematic content.
  • The company uses AI to find and remove terrorist content immediately before users see it.
  • The move is aimed at preventing videos of crimes and other inappropriate content from being streamed.
SPORTS AFFAIRS
Yuvraj Singh fifth Indian to play 300 One Day Internationals
  • Yuvraj Singh became the Fifth Indian cricket player to feature in 300 One Day Internationals (ODI).
  • After Mohammed Azharuddin, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, and Rahul Dravid Yuvaraj obtained the pride.
  • Yuvraj Singh started his ODI in the year 2000 scored 8500 runs and picked 100 wickets.
Virat Kohli creates Record by becoming Fastest Batsman to Score 8000 runs in ODIs
  • India’s Skipper Virat Kohli created a record by becoming the quickest batsman to score 8000 runs in One-Day International Cricket (ODI).
  • He defeated South Africa’s AB de Villiers record by seven fewer innings.
  • He managed to cross the 8000 run mark in his 175th innings during India’s match against Bangladesh in ICC Champion’s Trophy semi-final in Birmingham.
  • The most top scorers are Virat Kohli (175 innings), AB de Villiers (182 innings), Sourav Ganguly (200 innings), Sachin Tendulkar (210 innings), Brian Lara (211 innings).