Current affairs : September 15, 2016
National security best left to govt., Army: SC
Supreme Court refused to entertain a petition to direct the government to stop funding separatist groups in Jammu and Kashmir.
- The Centre and the Army are the best judges to decide on matters of national security and threat perceptions.
- The judiciary is here to protect our constitutionally permissible values.
- If there is a threat perception. For that, there is the Centre and the Army to control the situation.
India Declares itself
Free from Avian Influenza (H5N1):
The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying
and Fisheries in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers welfare has declared
India free from Avian Influenza (H5N1).
- India had notified outbreak of Avian Influenza (H5N1) in May 2016 in Karnataka. There has been no further outbreak reported in the country thereafter.
Centre blames High Courts
for vacancies:
The government has blamed the judiciary for
delaying the process of judicial appointments.
- The government recently told the Supreme Court that the government alone can’t be blamed for judicial vacancies as many posts have been lying vacant for over five years.
Unaccounted flow of funds
to NGOs a ‘major problem’: SC
Startled by the number of NGOs operating in
India, Supreme Court has decided to lay down a legal framework to regulate
their funding, spending and working.
The court, in this regard, may also
consider asking the Law Commission of India to bring an effective law to
regulate the flow of money to NGOs.
- According to the court, regulation of funds flowing to NGOs has become a major problem. NGOs in India are getting money from all over the world. Yet, there has not been any comprehensive law to deal with this.
End sterilisation camps,
says Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to
finalise the National Health Policy by December 31, 2016, and end mass sterilisation camps, saying that the poor and tribal men and women cannot be
reduced to mere statistics in the country’s population control campaigns.
- The court also slammed the Centre’s attitude in treating sterilisation as a mere “public health” issue coming under the States’ watch.
Goyal calls for
global implementation of ‘polluter pays’ principle:
Power Minister Piyush Goyal has reiterated
India’s stand for the implementation of ‘Polluter Pays’ principle on
international carbon emissions.
- India is putting out about 4% of greenhouse gases supporting 17% of the world’s population. But, some of the largest polluters in the world are not taking any responsibility in this regard. Therefore, the world will have to recognise the polluter pays principle.
Lemelson-MIT prize awarded to India-born innovator and scientist Ramesh Raskar:
India-born innovator and scientist Ramesh Raskar has been awarded a $500,000 prize, one of the world’s largest single cash awards that recognizes invention.
India-born innovator and scientist Ramesh Raskar has been awarded a $500,000 prize, one of the world’s largest single cash awards that recognizes invention.
- Mr. Raskar is an associate professor at MIT’s Media Lab.
- He is known for his trailblazing work which includes the co-invention of an ultra-fast imaging camera that can see around corners, low-cost eye-care solutions and a camera that enables users to read the first few pages of a book without opening the cover.
- The annual Lemelson-MIT prize, administered by the School of Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, honors U.S. inventors who are mid-career and trying to improve the world through science and technology.
National Hindi Divas:
The National Hindi Divas was observed on 14 September.
The National Hindi Divas was observed on 14 September.
- Hindi Diwas commemorates the day when the Constituent Assembly of India accepted Hindi as the official language of the country along with English.
- The listing of Hindi as official language took place on September 14, 1949.
- Article 351 of the Constitution asks for the promotion and development of the Hindi language in a way that it could serve as a means of expression in all matters.
RCom-Aircel merger a strong challenger to Idea
Cellular
Anil Ambani led Reliance Communications (RCom)
signed definitive agreements with Maxis Communications Berhad (MCB) for the
merger of wireless businesses of Aircel Limited with itself, making it the
largest-ever consolidation in the Indian telecom sector.
- with the combination of our business with Aircel Ltd. in a 50:50 Joint Venture with MCB.
- The merged entity will be one of India’s largest private sector companies, with an asset base of over Rs. 65,000 crore ($9.7 billion) and net worth of Rs. 35,000 crore ($5.2 billion).
U.S. finalises $38 bn military deal with Israel:
The United States will provide Israel’s military with $38 billion during the next 10 years.
- This is the largest batch of military assistance the U.S. has ever pledged to another country.
- Under the agreement, Israel’s ability to spend part of the funds on Israeli military products will be gradually phased out, eventually requiring all of the funds to be spend on American military industries. Israel’s preference for spending some of the funds internally had been a major sticking point in the deal.
Indian-American woman to be federal judge
U.S. President Barack Obama
has nominated a 47-year-old Indian-American woman attorney "Diane Gujarati" to the U.S. District
Court bench in New York.
- Ms. Gujarati, the Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division of the U.S. attorney’s office for the southern district of New York since 2012, has been nominated on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. She will serve as a federal judge after approval from the Senate.
India Blue wins 2016-2017
Duleep Trophy tournament
Gautam Gambhir-led India Blue has won the inaugural day/night Duleep Trophy Cricket tournament held in Greater Noida.
Gautam Gambhir-led India Blue has won the inaugural day/night Duleep Trophy Cricket tournament held in Greater Noida.
- Cheteshwar Pujara was named the Player of the Match.
