Current Affairs 13th August, 2017

1. Environment Minister launches ‘Gaj Yatra’ to mark World Elephant Day

Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, launched ‘Gaj Yatra’, a nationwide campaign to protect elephants on the occasion of World Elephant Day.

• The campaign is planned to cover 12 elephant range states. The Environment Minister released the All India Census 2017 Report on elephants as also the Agreed Points of Action on Trans-Boundary Conservation of Elephants by India and Bangladesh and a document titled ‘Right of Passage’ on elephant corridors in India.
• The ‘Gaju’ mascot, which was released by the Ministry in 2012, will be helm the campaign. The campaign will be led by the Wildlife Trust of India.
• Actor and wildlife enthusiast, Ms. Dia Mirza, participated in the walk and run event organised on the occasion along with the children.

About World Elephant Day

• World Elephant Day is an annual global event celebrated across the world on August 12, dedicated to the preservation and protection of elephants. African elephants are listed as “vulnerable” and Asian elephants as “endangered” in the IUCN Red List of threatened species. 

2. Israel fence systems at Pak Borders

India is deploying along its volatile border with Pakistan a smart Israel-developed fencing system having a ‘quick response team’ mechanism which strikes when the CCTV-powered control room detects an infiltration attempt.

• The BSF is implementing an ambitious project called the comprehensive integrated border management system (CIBMS) as part of the Narendra Modi government’s plan to completely seal the Indo-Pak and India-Bangladesh borders in the next few years.

3. Government launches national anthem video in sign language

Union Minister of State for HRD Mahendra Nath Pandey, on Thursday, launched an Indian National Anthem video in sign language, featuring differently-abled and partially differently-abled children.

• Directed by filmmaker Govind Nihalani, the three-minute video features Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan along with physically challenged children performing the anthem in sign language with the Red Fort in the background.

4. Indian Coast Guard ship ‘Shaurya’ commissioned in Goa 

Indian Coast Guard ship “Shaurya”, the fifth in the series of six 105-metre offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) commissioned in Goa by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan.

• The OPV, which draws 2,350 tonne and is propelled by 9100 kilowatt diesel engine, has been designed and built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Ltd and is fitted with state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machineries.
• The ship is designed to carry one twin engine light helicopter and five high-speed boats, including two quick reaction inflatable boats for swift boarding operations, search and rescue, law enforcement and maritime patrol.

5. India one of the most open economies globally for FDI: Survey

According to the Economic Survey, India has now emerged as one of the most open economies in the world for receiving foreign direct investments (FDI), on the back of a host of liberalisation measures.

• In terms of the sectors receiving FDI equity inflows, Services (finance, banking, insurance etc) sector received the highest (19.9%) followed by telecommunications (12.8%) and computer software and hardware (8.4%), the Survey added.
• Mauritius, Singapore and Japan have been top three source countries of FDI inflows to India contributing 36.2%, 20% and 10.8%, respectively, during 2016-17, according to the survey.

6. David Rasquinha appointed MD of Exim Bank

David Rasquinha appointed as Managing Director of Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank).

• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment to the post for three years, an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said.
• Rasquinha is at present Deputy Managing Director of the Exim Bank.

7. I V Subba Rao appointed secretary to Vice President

Retired IAS officer I V Subba Rao was appointed secretary to Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu.

• Rao, a 1979 batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, retired from service as special chief secretary last year.
• He held several important posts in Andhra Pradesh and later served the UNESCO.

8. The Hindu Playwright Award 2017 presented

The Hindu Playwright Award 2017 went to Gerish Khemani and Akshat Nigam for their play ‘In Search of Dariya Sagar’. 

• The award, instituted in 2008 to reward the best new unpublished and unperformed play-script in English.
• The other shortlisted works included Deepika Arwind's ‘The Playwright is Dead’ and K. Madavane's ‘1947 - The Man from Lahore’.

9. N.K. Jemisin's 'The Obelisk Gate' wins Best Novel 2017

The Hugo Award for Best Novel 2017 was given to Nora K. Jemisin, an American speculative fiction writer for her work 'The Obelisk Gate'.

• The award was presented at the 75th World Science Fiction Convention in Helsinki.
• The fantasy novel tells a story about the life on a planet where the inhabitants would undergo a "Fifth Season" of catastrophic climate change every a few centuries.

10. U-19 cricket Asia Cup shifted

The Under-19 cricket Asia Cup, scheduled to be held in Bengaluru, has been moved to Malaysia following the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s objection to the tournament being held in India. The tournament will now be held in November in Malaysia.

• The matter of shifting the tournament to Malaysia was amicably agreed by all participants in the development and executive committees.

11. Pakistan’s ‘Mother Teresa’ Dr Ruth pfau dies

Dr Ruth Pfau, a German doctor popularly known as Pakistan’s ‘Mother Teresa’ for dedicating her life to eradicate leprosy in the country, died. She was 87.

• Dr. Pfau first visited Pakistan in 1960 and was so touched by the plight of leprosy victims that she decided to stay forever in the country to treat them.
• The nun founded the Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre in Karachi in 1962 and later set up its branches in all provinces of Pakistan, including Gilgit-Baltistan, and treated over 50,000 families.
• Due to her tireless efforts, the World Health Organisation in 1996 declared Pakistan one of the first countries in Asia to be free of leprosy.