CURRENT AFFAIRS 19/12/2017

CURRENT AFFAIRS 19/12/2017

Bengali Poet Joy Goswami to Get 31st Moortidevi Award

i. Eminent Bengali poet Joy Goswami will be given the 31st Moortidevi Award for the year 2017. The committee, headed by poet and scholar Satya Vrat Shastri, unanimously decided to confer the award upon Goswami for his poetry collection titled Du Dondo Phowara Matro.

ii. It is the first time the award will be given to a Bengali poet. The award consists of a Saraswati Statue, a Citation Plaque and cash award of Rupees 4 lakh.

2. India to Host Meeting of WTO Member Countries on Food Security

i. India will host a meeting of WTO member countries in February 2018 to muster support for food security and other issues. The announcement was made by Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu in New Delhi.

ii. The proposed meeting would be in the backdrop of developed nations forming groupings to prepare ground for pushing investment facilitation, preparing rules for e-commerce, promoting gender equality and reducing subsidy on fisheries.

3. Goa Celebrates 56th Liberation Day

i. Goa has celebrated its 56th Liberation Day. The state was liberated on 19th December in 1961 from Portuguese control after almost 450 years of colonial rule.

ii. The main program was organized at the Sports Authority of Goa Ground, Campal in state capital Panaji. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar unfurled the national flag at the Goa Liberation Day celebrations in Panaji.

4. Global Innovation Index- India Ranked 60th Most Innovative Country, Switzerland Tops

i. India currently ranks 60th out of 127 countries on the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2017 as compared to 66th rank on GII 2016. The list was topped by Switzerland. NITI Aayog, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) together launched a mega initiative “India Innovation Index”.

ii. This Index will rank states on Innovations through country’s first online innovation index portal that will capture data on innovation from all Indian states on innovation and regularly update it in real time.

The Top 3 Countries on Global Innovation Index 2017 are-

1. Switzerland,
2. Sweden,
3. Netherlands.

5. International Migrants Day- 18 December

i. The International Migrants Day is organized across the world on 18th December. The theme for IMD 2017 is 'Safe Migration in a World on the Move.' On 4 December 2000, the General Assembly proclaimed 18 December as International Migrants Day.

ii. On that day, in 1990, the Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

6. ICRA Launches Fixed Income Indices for Debt Markets

i. ICRA Management Consulting Services (IMaCS), an arm of ICRA, launched a set of four fixed income indices including one on corporate bonds. It aims to create more depth in the Indian debt market.

ii. ICRA Gilt Indices, ICRA Liquid Indices, ICRA Corporate Bond Indices and ICRA Composite Debt Indices, the four indices launched, would help asset managers and financial services companies make the objective analysis and provide comprehensive benchmarking of debt portfolios. 

7. Bharti Airtel to buy Millicom’s Operations in Rwanda

i. Bharti Airtel Ltd has entered into a definitive agreement with Millicom International Cellular S.A., under which Airtel Rwanda Ltd will acquire 100% equity in Tigo Rwanda Ltd.

ii. This comes after Airtel’s announcement to merge with Millicom, which operates the brand Tigo, in another African nation Ghana.

8. Ola Acquires FoodPanda India Business, to Further Invest $200 million

i. Ola, operated by ANI Technologies Pvt. Ltd has acquired food delivery start-up Foodpanda India Pvt. Ltd from its German parent Delivery Hero AG in an all-stock deal that will see the ride-hailing major infuse $200 million in Foodpanda’s India operations.

ii. Under the deal, Foodpanda’s India business will be transferred to Ola in exchange for the latter’s stock. The share-swap arrangement and details of the transaction are still not disclosed.

9. NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar Retires

i. National Green Tribunal (NGT) Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar retired from the post after completing his five-year tenure.

ii. His successor is yet to be appointed. Justice Kumar resigned as Supreme Court judge after he was appointed NGT chairperson on December 20, 2012.

10. BJP wins absolute Majority in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh

i. The BJP has retained power in Gujarat for the 6th time in a row and swept the polls in Himachal Pradesh finishing just short of the two-third majority. The party romped home again in Gujarat by winning 99 seats, seven seats more than the mark of absolute majority in the 182-member House. Congress won 77 seats and others 6. 

ii. In Himachal Pradesh, BJP wrested power from Congress by winning 44 seats, two seats short of two-third majority, in the 68 member House. The Congress won 21 and others three. In Himachal Pradesh, Congress Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has won, while former BJP Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has lost.

11. Iraq Overtakes Saudi Arabia as Top Oil Supplier to India

i. Iraq has overtaken Saudi Arabia for the first time to become India's top crude oil supplier in the current fiscal, according to the Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

ii. Saudi Arabia traditionally has been India's top oil source but in the April-October period of 2017-18, Iraq dethroned it, supplying 25.8 million tonnes (MT) of oil.

12. Tata Steel Joda Mine Gets Golden Peacock Innovation Award

i. Joda East Iron Mine (JEIM) of Tata Steel has been honored with the prestigious Golden Peacock Innovation Management Award for the year 2017 for driving innovation in mines.

ii. The award was given at Institute of Directors India’s 2nd Global Convention held at Singapore. Golden Peacock Awards Secretariat receives over 1,000 entries per year for various awards, from over 25 countries worldwide.

13. India Finishes 1st at Junior Boxing Championship in Germany

i. Indian junior boxers had clinched total 11 Medals (six gold, four silver and a bronze medal) at the fifth International Sven Lange Memorial Tournament, to finish as overall champions in the German city of Schwerin.

ii. Bhavesh Kattamani (52kg) picked up the best boxer trophy along with his gold medal. In the three-day tournament, the other gold-medallists for India were Vijeydeep (63kg), Akshay (60kg), Ish Pannu (70kg), Lakshay Chahar (80kg) and Vinit (75kg). India was named the tournament's best team.

14. Badminton Jr. Nationals: Aakarshi Kashyap Wins U-17 & U-19 Singles Titles

i. India’s top-ranked junior shuttler Aakarshi Kashyap won U-17 and U-19 singles titles at Badminton junior Nationals in Guwahati, Assam.

ii. In Under-17 category, 16-year-old from Bhilai defeated Malvika Bansod in the final. In under 19 categories final, Kashyap has beaten Vaidehi Choudhari.