Current Affairs: April 2016

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IMPORTANT DAYS

  • April 5: National Maritime Day
    • 2016 theme was “Ease of doing business in the maritime sector”.
  • April 7: World Health Day
    • 2016 theme: “Beat Diabetes”.
  • April 12: International Day of Human Space Flight
    • On this day in 1961, Yuri Gagarin, Soviet Union (USSR) cosmonaut undertook first successful first human space flight
  • April 18: World Heritage Day
    • Also known as International Day for Monuments and Sites.
    • 2016 Theme: ‘The Heritage of Sport’. – Decided by the International Council for Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)
  • April 22: Earth Day
    • 2016 Theme: ‘Trees for the Earth!’
    • The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970.
    • John McConnell, formally proposed concept of Earth Day, at UNESCO conference on Environment in 1969.
    • In 1971, a proclamation was signed to observe international Earth Day annually on the Vernal Equinox by UN Secretary-General U Thant.
  • April 23: World Book and Copyright Day
  • April 24: National Panchayati Raj Diwas
    • Why April 24?: The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from 24 April 1993.
  • April 25: World Malaria day
    • 2016 Theme: “End Malaria For Good”.
    • Aligns with the SDG vision of a malaria-free world and set out in the Global technical strategy for malaria 2016-2030
  • April 26: World Intellectual Property Day
    • 2016 Theme: “Digital Creativity: Culture Reimagined“
  • April 28: World Day for Safety and Health at Work
    • 2016 Theme: “Workplace Stress: a collective challenge”.

 

NATIONAL

  • Union Government constituted 8-member inter-ministerial committee, headed by Ashok Dalwai , to prepare blueprint for doubling farmers’ income by 2022.
  • Mahindra & Mahindra became the first Indian company to sign up for global energy productivity campaign -“EP100”.
    • By joining the campaign, M & M has committed to double their energy productivity by 2030,
    • EP100 energy is a brainchild of the “Climate Group”, an international non-profit organization.
    • Helps businesses, state, regional, finance and civil society leaders to increase their energy productivity and thereby lessen their carbon footprints.

 

  • India formally ratified the WTO’s (World Trade Organisation) Trade Facilitation Agreement, which aims at easing customs procedures to boost commerce.
    TFA
  • The Ceasefire between the Centre and the NSCN-IM (National Socialist Council of Nagaland- Isak Muivah) has been extended by another year i.e. till April 2017.
  • President Pranab Mukherjee has nominated of six eminent members to Rajya Sabha
    • Mary Kom: Boxer
    • Narendra Jadhav: Economist
    • Suresh Gopi: Malyalam Actor
    • Swapan Dasgupta: Jornalist
    • Subramanian Swamy: BJP leader
    • Navjot Singh Sidhu: cricketer-turned-politician
  • The nominations have been made as per Article 80 (Part V) of the Constitution, under which President can nominate 12 members in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha).
  • These persons should have special knowledge or practical experience in the field of Art, Science, Literature and Social Service.
  • Union Commerce and Industry Ministry launched a new service Twitter Seva to address issues and grievances of startups, exporters and importers.
    • Twitter handle: #mociseva
  • Reserve Bank of India gave in-principle approval to Bharti Airtel’s payments bank venture — Airtel M Commerce Services Ltd.
  • Union Government renamed Department of Disinvestment as Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM).
  • Flipkart acquired a Bengaluru-based mobile payments company PhonePe for an undisclosed sum.
  • Germany’s Development Bank KfW announced to provide loan assistance for the modern and sustainable metro system for Nagpur city.
  • Union Finance Minister extended the safeguard duty on import of some steel products for another two years, till March 2018.
    • The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) issued notification declaring that safeguard duty will be reduced to 10% in stages till 2018 from current 20%.
    • What is Safeguard Duty?
    • The safeguard duty is a tariff barrier imposed by government on identified commodities to ensure that imports in excessive quantities do not harm the domestic industry.
  • The IIT (Indian Institute of Technology)-Kharagpur won the National Intellectual Property (IP) Award in the academic institutes category.
  • DCB Bank launched India’s first of its kind Aadhaar-based Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) usage facility.
    • Under this facility, DCB customers will be able to transact using aadhar based biometric details instead of the PIN.
    • Thus it is a cardless and PIN less ATM.
  • India’s First Semi-High Speed Train (SHST) Gatimaan Express was flagged off between New Delhi and Agra.
    • Speed 160 Km/hr
  • Union Cabinet gave its ex-post facto approval for implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) retrospectively with effect from 1st July, 2014.
    • OROP shall include ex-servicemen of all three services- Army, Navy and Air Force.
  • Prime Minister Modi launched the Stand-up India scheme aimed at providing credit to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, and women borrowers in the non-farm sector.
    • Under the scheme, composite loans between 10 lakh rupees and up to 1 crore rupees will be provided to SC/ST and women entrepreneurs
    • The loan shall be inclusive of working capital component for setting up any new enterprise.
  • The third phase of Indradhanush, Union Health Ministry’s universal vaccination programme Mission began on 7 April, 2016.
    • Mission Indradhanush:
    • The 7 colors of the rainbow which aims to cover all those children who are either unvaccinated, or are partially vaccinated against 7 vaccine preventable diseases by 2020
    • The 7 diseases included in program are diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B.
    • All vaccines under the program are made available free of cost.
  • The East Coast Railway (ECoR) Zone headquartered in Bhubaneswar (Odisha) has emerged as largest Freight Loading Railway Zone the country in year 2015-16 in terms of revenue loading performance.
  • The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) entered into collaboration with the Germany’s Government for a special programme on ‘Soil Protection and Rehabilitation for Food Security‘.
    • The programme is part of recently introduced special initiative ‘One World, No Hunger’ initiative by the Germany’s government.
  • Parliament passes Industries (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015
    • Bill seeks to bring industries engaged in the manufacture of potable alcohol under the exclusive control of States in all respects.
    • History: In the Bihar Distillery versus Union of India case (1997), Supreme Court demarcated the regulation of production of alcohol between Centre and states. SC ruled that Union Government should regulate the production of alcohol for industrial use and states should regulate the production of alcohol for potable purpose (domestic consumption).
    • However, Union Government will continue to be responsible for formulating policy and regulating foreign collaboration for all products of fermentation industries, including industrial and potable alcohol.
  • To check the price rise of sugar in the market, Union Government decided to allow States to impose and enforce stock limits on sugar.
  • Union Government decided to make addition of built-in panic button and global positioning system (GPS) mandatory for mobile manufacturers in all phones models from January 1, 2017 and 2018 respectively.
    • In this context, Department of Telecommunications notified the Panic Button and Global Positioning System in Mobile Phone Handsets Rules, 2016 under section 10 of the Indian Wireless Telegraph Act, 1933.
  • Union Railway Ministry decided to create 1 lakh crore rupees safety fund named Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh to strengthen safety measures on the rail network to prevent accidents.
  • Union Tourism Ministry launched National Monuments Authority Web Portal called NOC Online Application and Processing System (NOAPS).
    • The web portal shall provide single window clearance for construction-related works near protected monuments and allow applicants to get no-objection certificates (NoC) within six working days.
  • Union Government launched India’s first online interactive heritage portal named Sahapedia.
    • The web portal is a portal of collaborative knowledge resource on the arts, culture and heritage of India.
  • Union Government merged Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan (RGKA) with the Khelo India Programme for development of sports.
    • Khelo India Programme is based on Gujarat Government’s model of Khel Mahakumbh.
  • The RBL Bank (formerly Ratnakar Bank) became the first private sector bank in India to open dedicated branch for startups.
  • Union Government extended the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme in additional 61 districts across 11 States and UT’s with low Child Sex Ratio.
    • The campaign was launched in January 2015 by PM from Haryana in 100 districts of the country to address the issue of declining Child Sex Ratio.
  • Union Government released a circulation coin of 10 rupees and commemorative coin of 200 rupees on freedom fighter Tatya Tope.
    TATYA TOPE
  • The Union Government has imposed anti-dumping duty of up to US 149 dollars on imports of N-Butyl Alcohol from 5 countries namely Malaysia, Singapore, US and European Union (EU).
  • Prime Minister Modi launched National Agriculture Market portal eNAM to connect e-mandis in several States to one single platform.
    • During the launch, 21 mandis from 8 states were connected to the portal.
    • The States include Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkahnd and Uttar Pradesh.
  • Prime Minister Modi inaugurated Maritime India Summit 2016 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
    • Organized by Union Ministry of Shipping.
  • Prime Minister Modi launched ‘Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan’ (Village Self Governance Campaign) to strengthen Panchayati Raj institution in villages and ensure Village social harmony.
    • Launched on the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar at his birthplace Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.
  • National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) launched “Unified Payments Interface (UPI)” to revolutionize mobile payment system in the country.
  • India and Germany signed Implementation Agreement for Ganga Rejuvenation under the Namami Gange Programme.
  • Union Ministry of Human Resource Development launched the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) portal in New Delhi.
    • ISBN is a 13-digit unique International Publisher’s Identifier number.
    • The ISBN Nos. are allotted free of cost.
    • In India, Raja Ram Mohan Roy National Agency for ISBN, affiliated to UK based International Agency, is responsible for ISBN registration and is.
  • Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry constituted a three-member Committee, under former CEC B B Tandon, to see that guidelines set for government advertisements by the Supreme Court are followed.
  • The first-ever North East-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Business Summit was held in Imphal, Manipur.
    • Focus on road connectivity, trade and tourism.
  • Union Cabinet approved operationalization of new Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.

MOU

  • Union Cabinet approved MoU between India and Sweden on Technical Cooperation in the Railway Sector.
  • India and Papua New Guinea signed four MoU’s in various sectors to boost bilateral cooperation.
    • Capital of Papua New Guinea: Port Moresby
  • Union Cabinet approved increase of investment by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) in Bharat Oman Refineries Limited (BORL).
    • BPCL functions under Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and holds India’s second-largest refinery capacity.
  • Union Cabinet approved MoU between Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and the Insurance Authority of United Arab Emirates.
  • Union Cabinet has given approved expansion of India-Chile Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between both countries.
  • Union Cabinet approved MoU between India and Bhutan on Technical Cooperation in the field of benchmarking, capacity building and bilateral exchange in Infrastructure Engineering.
  • India and Mauritius inked MoU to promote cooperation in traditional medicine and homeopathy.
  • India and South Korea signed MoU for cooperation and mutual assistance in development of ports.
  • Union cabinet approved the adoption of the Statute of the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN).
    • Hence, India became member of SAWEN.
    • What is SAWEN?
    • SAWEN is regional inter-governmental body combating wildlife crime and supporting wildlife law enforcement.
    • Launched in January 2011 in Paro, Bhutan.
  • Union Cabinet approved signing of MoU between India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) on cooperation in preventing and combating of Human Trafficking.

 

STATES

  • Bihar Government in a decision put complete ban on all types of liquor (alcohol) throughout the state including Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL)
  • Kachhabali village in Bhim tehsil of Rajsamand district became the first in Rajasthan to liquor-free village.
  • World’s first White Tiger Safari was inaugurated at Mukundpur in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh.
    • In 1951, Rewa Maharaja Martand Singh captured a white tiger cub named Mohan.
    • Later the cub later became the progenitor of all known white tigers in the world after the Maharaja arranged for its breeding.
  • Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Radha Mohan Singh laid the foundation stone of Haryana State University of Horticultural Sciences at Karnal.
  • Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited commissioned a season-wise tiltable canal top solar PV plant at Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh
  • Odisha Government launched Adarsh Vidyalaya (AV) project to provide modern schools facilities on the lines of Kendriya Vidyalayas in the underdeveloped rural areas of the state.
  • Gujarat Government decided to provide 10 percent reservation for economically backward classes (EBCs) in general category.
  • India is going to host the 2018 Commonwealth Judo Championships in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
    • The Judo Federation of India (JFI) announced it.
  • In order to check sale of spurious liquor, Maharashtra Government made it mandatory to have a hologram on every alcohol bottle manufactured and sold in the state.
  • To check the steep decline in ground water level across the state, Maharashtra Government banned digging of borewells beyond 200 feet in order.
  • Delhi Government launched the second phase of odd-even car rationing scheme to check pollution in the national capital.
    • The second phase was implemented 15 April 2016 till 30 April 2016
    • Each day it was applicable from 8 AM to 8 PM
  • Jharkhand Government has launched Bhimrao Ambedkar Awas Yojana for widows to create equality and harmony in society, ensuring all round development enshrined in the Constitution.
  • Delhi government banned the manufacture, distribution, storage and sale of all forms of chewable tobacco for one year in the interest of public health.
  • The Maharashtra legislature has unanimously passed the Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill, 2016
    • Why? To end the menace social boycott practiced by extra-judicial institutions like caste and community panchayats.
    • Maharashtra became first state in the country to implement a law to root out oppression carried out by parallel justice delivery system (kangaroo courts).
  • Haryana Government decided to rename Gurgaon as Gurugram.
  • The traditional festival of Sajibu Cheiraoba was celebrated in Manipur to mark the beginning of a new year with cultural gusto and religious fervor.
  • Rajasthan state assembly passed the Rajasthan Urban Land (Certification of Titles) Bills, 2016 for providing statutory backing to land records
    • Hence, Rajasthan has become the first state to pass land title bill for effectively guaranteeing land and property ownership.
  • The Union Government approved country’s first Metrino Pod projecte. personal rapid transit (PRT) network for Gurgaon, Haryana.

 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

  • India signed MoU with US for setting up Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) in India.
  • Union Government released Indian Intellectual Property (IP) Panorama to increase awareness and build sensitivity towards IP in the SME sector, academia and researchers.
    • The IP Panorma is a single window interface for information on IP.
  • Scientists fear that ballast water carried by ships is providing a vehicle to bring in exotic invasive species across the Indian Coast.
    • What is Ballast?
    • Ballast is a compartment in a ship that holds water, which moves in & out and provides balance the ship.
  • Indian scientists successfully developed an eco-friendly biopolymer using nanotechnology for water-softening and water purification applications.
    • Developed by the team of scientists from Guwahati (Assam) based Institute of Advance Study in Science & Technology (IASST).
    • The eco-friendly biopolymer has been created using a naturally occurring substance, chitosan.
  • China has successfully launched the Kunpeng-1B sounding rocket
  • Sounding rockets:
    • They are low-cost launch vehicles designed to carry scientific instruments that take measurements during the rocket’s sub-orbital flight.
    • Kunpeng-1B sounding rocket is research rocket for carrying measurements in the upper atmosphere and help in high-speed flight and space tourism research.
  • Chinese researchers developed Graphene based all-weather solar cell that can generate electricity even during rains.
  • India and France launched $1 trillion Potential Solar Program under the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
  • ISRO has indigenously developed world’s lightest synthetic material called ‘silica aerogel’ or ‘blue air’.
    • Arogel is made up of 99 per cent air.
    • Blue Air
  • To provide Internet to over 1.5 million people, Google extended free internet service through WiFi to 10 railway stations across the country.
  • Supercomputer Param Kanchenjunga was unveiled at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Sikkim.
    • It has been named after Kangchenjunga mountain (8,586 m), the third highest mountain in the world
    • Kangchenjunga lies partly in Nepal and partly in Sikkim.
  • Private SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket contracted by NASA successfully launched the first inflatable habitat room that will attach to the International Space Station (ISS).
  • Researchers developed the world’s smallest nanoscale diode or molecular rectifier
    • This could impact the development of molecular electronic devices in future.
    • The same was achieved through insertion of layers of a molecule called coralyne between layers of DNA.
    • This made it electrically active and the behavior of the circuit showing necessary characteristics of a nano diode.
    • What are diodes?
    • Diodes are electronic devices that that allow current to move through it in one direction with far greater ease but not another.

 

SPORTS:

  • Cyprian Kotut from Kenya has won the 40th edition of the 2016 Paris marathon in the men’s category.
  • West Indies has won the ICC Cricket World Men’s T-20 Cup 2016 by defeating England by 4 wickets in the final match played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
  • Australia has won the 25th edition of Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament 2016 for record ninth time.
    • Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament is an annual international men’s field hockey tournament held in Malaysia.

 

 DEFENCE

  • Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has constituted high-level committee, headed by Madhukar Gupta, to suggest ways to tighten security along India-Pakistan border.
  • Terms of reference include:
    • Suggest ways to strengthen the security along the India-Pakistan Border
    • Address the issue of gaps and vulnerability in border fencing.

 

  • The Southern Command of the Indian Navy inaugurated a naval detachment at Androth Island of the Lakshadweep archipelago.

 

  • The 11th edition of India-Mongolia joint military training Exercise ‘Nomadic Elephant – 2016’ was held in Mongolia.

 

  • Japan successfully tested the maiden flight of its first domestically developed single-pilot stealth fighter jet X-2.

 

  • The Indian Army conducted major battle exercise code named ‘Shatrujeet’ in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan.
    • Aim: To check Cold Start – proactive war strategy to respond swiftly to any threat to nation’s security.

 

  • Nuclear capable submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLMB) code named K-4, was successfully test fired from an undisclosed location in the Bay of Bengal.

 

  • Pakistan successfully test fired anti-ship surface to sea “Zarb” missile from the coastal areas.
  • Key facts:
    • Zarb is the Chinese C-602 Missile (export version of the YJ-62).
    • The C-602 is claimed to have a range of 280 kms and weighs around 300 kg.
    • It has semi-armour-piercing warhead and GPS guidance.

 

  • Pakistan and China launched joint bilateral air force exercise named Shaheen (Eagle) 5 in Pakistan.

 

 PERSON in NEWS

  • Former bureaucrat and parliamentarian Nand Kishore Singh has been selected for Japan’s highest civilian award -‘Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver’.
  • IT major Mindtree co-founder Subroto Bagchi was appointed as head of the Odisha Skill Development Authority.

 

  • Pakistani women’s rights activist from Swat valley Tabassum Adnan won prestigious 2016 Nelson Mandela Graça Machel Innovation Award.

 

  • Senior IPS officer Surender Kumar Bhagat was appointed as the Director General (DG) of Railways Protection Force (RPF).
    • RPF is under Ministry of Railways.

 

  • K Ashok Kumar, a research food engineer scholar from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur won the prestigious 2016 International Plant Nutrition Scholar Award (IPNSA).

 

  • Rahul Johri was appointed as the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

 

  • Co-founder of Hero Cycles group Satyanand Munjal passed away in Ludhiana, Punjab.

 

  • Dogri Poetess and novelist Padma Sachdev was awarded Saraswati Samman for the year 2015.
    • She was chosen for her autobiography ‘Chitt-Chete’ written in Dogri language and published in 2007.

 

  • Mother Teresa was posthumously conferred with the United Kingdom’s prestigious Founders Award 2016.

 

  • The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) appointed CP Gurnani as its Chairman for 2016-17.
    • Currently, Gurnani is MD & CEO of Tech Mahindra.
    • NASSCOM Headquarter: New Delhi.

 

INTERNATIONAL

  • Fourth edition of Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) began in Washington, United States
    • Agenda: To discuss issues pertaining to nuclear security.
    • Heads of about 53 countries and representatives of 5 international organizations that includes the UNO, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), European Union (EU), Interpol participated.

 

  • India was ranked 6th among the world’s Top-Ten largest manufacturing countries in the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) 2015 Yearbook report.
    • Top 5: China, United States, Japan, Germany and South Korea.

 

  • Asia’s first public dengue vaccination programme was launched in the Philippines with a French drug Dengvaxia (world’s 1st dengue fever vaccine) to combat mosquito-borne disease.
    • Globally, Mexico was the first.

 

  • A bronze bust of ancient Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhatta was unveiled at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.
    • An international conference on zero was held at UNESCO HQ

 

  • Reliance Infra-led Reliance Defence Ltd signed a strategic partnership agreement with 3 Ukrainian state firms (Ukroboronprom, Spetstechno Exports and Antonov) to collaborate on a range of military products.

 

  • Russia successfully launched the first rocket from its newly built Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur Oblast, in Far East Russian region bordering China.

 

  • The Tibetan government-in-exile re-elected Lobsang Sangey as the Prime Minister for a 2nd consecutive term.

 

  • The Heart of Asia (HoA) conference began in New Delhi with the objective of bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan.

 

  • 175 nations including India signed the historic Paris Climate Change Agreement at United Nations Headquarters in New York along marking a significant step to combat global warming.
  • Paris Climate

 

  • China and Pakistan signed an agreement to launch a special satellite to monitor the development of the multi-billion dollars China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.
    • Both countries agreed to launch Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite (PRSS-1) System in June 2018.

 

  • According to FDI Intelligence Report India has replaced China as the top Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) destination by attracting $63 billion worth FDI projects in 2015.
    • FDI Intelligence is a division of international media company – The Financial Times Limited.

 

  • Vietnamese American professor Viet Thanh Nguyen has won the Pulitzer Prize for his fiction novel – The Sympathizer

 

  • Europe became the world’s first region to wipe out Malaria, a mosquito-borne vetor disease with zero cases reported in the year 2015.

 

  • India and China agreed to adhere to peaceful negotiations to settle the border issue and reach a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution.
    • Decision in this regard was taken during the annual 19th round of boundary talks between National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi at Beijing.

 

  • India ranked 133/ 180 nations in the recently released 2016 World Press Freedom Index (WPFI).
    • Finland -Ranked 1st.
    • WPFI is compiled and produced by France-based international non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders (RWB), or Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF).

 

  • In the 14th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Russia, India and China (RIC) Forum agreed to deepen cooperation in combating terrorism.
  • Meeting was held in Moscow, Russia

 

  • The federal grand jury in the US State of Wisconsin slapped fine of 940 million US dollars against two companies of India’s Tata group –
    • Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)
    • Tata America International Corp.

 

  • The Republic of Nauru became the 189th member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank i.e. Bretton-Woods institutions.
    • Nauru is a tiny island country in Micronesia, in Pacific Ocean, northeast of Australia. I
    • Smallest sovereign state in the world after the Vatican City in terms of both area and population.

 

  • Global Tiger population increased for the first time in 100 years by 22%: WWF & GTF
    • India highest population of tigers: 2226

 

  • The Group of G7 countries’ foreign ministers issued Hiroshima Declaration that calls for a world without nuclear weapons.
    • G7 countries include Canada, Germany, France, Italy, UK, Japan and US.

 

  • Sri Lankan Government formally announced the resumption of work on the stalled Chinese Colombo Port City project.

 

  • In a recent report of World Bank titled Migration and Development Brief – India remained the world’s largest remittance recipient in 2015.
  • In 2015, India attracted about 69 billion US dollars in remittances, down from 70 billion in 2014

 

  • Saudi Arabia and Egypt decided to build bridge connecting each other over the Red Sea to boost trade and commerce.

 

  • The World Bank unveiled an ambitious Climate Change Action Plan (CCP) to accelerate efforts to tackle climate change over the next five years i.e. by 2020.
    • It seeks to help developing countries to deliver their targets set in the national climate plans submitted for the historic climate agreement reached at COP21 in Paris in December 2015.

 

  • The World Trade Organization revised its 2016 global trade updated forecast for 2016 downward to 2.8% from 3.9%.
    • The main reasons for cutting the forecast rate include
    • Slowdown in China and
    • Broad market volatility.

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