Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 17 AUGUST 2019

SSC CGL Current Affairs


Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 17 AUGUST 2019


::NATIONAL::

India affirms that Kashmir is an internal matter at UNSC meet

  •  Briefing the media following theconclusion of the informal meeting requested by China and Pakistan, SyedAkbaruddin said India's position was and remains that matters related toArticle 370 of the Constitution are entirely an internal matter of India andthese have no external ramifications.
  •  Syed Akbaruddin also said that India is committed to ensure the situationremains calm and peaceful.
  •  Indian envoy to the UN without naming Pakistan, has said there are some who aretrying to project an "alarmist approach" to the situation in Kashmir,which is far from the ground realities. Akbaruddinsaid one state isusing the terminology of 'jihad' against and promoting violence in Indiaincluding by their leaders.
  •  Slamming Pakistan for interfering in the internal matters of India, SyedAkbaruddin asserted that there are normal diplomatic ways when countries dealwith each other. "That is the way to do it. But using terror to thrive andpush your goals is not the way that normal states behave. No democracy willacknowledge or accept talks when terror thrives. Stop terror, starttalks.
  •  India has categorically told the international community that its move to scrapArticle 370 of the Constitution revoking the special status to Jammu andKashmir was an internal matter and has also advised Pakistan to accept the reality.

India gets its first national essential diagnostics list

  •  India has got its first National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL) finalised by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) which aims to bridge the current regulatory system’s gap that do not cover all the medical devices and in-vitro diagnostic device (IVD).
  •  With this, India has become the first country to compile such a list that would provide guidance to the government for deciding the kind of diagnostic tests that different healthcare facilities in villages and remote areas require.
  •  NEDL builds upon the Free Diagnostics Service Initiative and other diagnostics initiatives of the Health Ministry to provide an expanded basket of tests at different levels of the public health system, explained a senior ICMR official.

::ECONOMY::

Govt. amends DVR provisions in companies act

  •  The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has amended the provisions relating to the issue of shares with Differential Voting Rights (DVRs) provisions under the Companies Act.
  •  Its objective is to enable promoters of Indian companies to retain control of their companies in their pursuit for growth and creation of long-term value for shareholders.
  •  The key change brings in an enhancement in the previously existing cap of 26 per cent of the total post-issue paid-up equity share capital to a revised cap of 74 per cent of the total voting power.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

India to expand cooperation with Baltic states

  •  Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu will embark on a three-nation visit to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia today. The Vice President will be accompanied by a high-level delegation. Vice President's visit will be the first-ever high level visit to the three Baltic countries.
  •  The visit takes place in the context of increasing political engagement, as well as intensified trade and commercial ties. The visit of Vice President to the three Baltics countries is to advance India’s outreach to the important countries in the region.
  •  This visit will also provide an opportunity to brief the Baltic countries and get their views on enhanced opportunities for cooperation, thus further strengthening our existing friendly ties.
  •  Notably, India and Baltic countries have historical connect and common linguistic roots. The cutting edge technology and innovation ecosystems of the Baltic countries complement India’s huge market and appetite for these technologies.

BRICS nations to cooperate on urban environment management

  •  Acknowledging the importance of urban environmental management for improving quality of life in cities, the Environment Ministers of BRICS countries today, agreed to work together to resolve the multifaceted environmental issues faced by BRICS cities.
  •  These discussions and announcements were made during the 5th BRICS Minister of Environment Meeting held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This meeting was preceded by two-days meeting of BRICS Joint Working Group on Environment.
  •  Highlighting the path breaking work done by India in achieving its Nationally Determined Contributions(NDCs) Union Environment minister, ShriPrakashJavadekar said that India under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister NarendraModi is walking the talk on NDC’s.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

Researchers develop new treatment for deadly strain of TB

  •  Scientists have developed a new treatment for the dangerous TB strain.
    The new treatment which cures highly drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis will drastically shorten the treatment period.
  •  The three-drug regimen consists of bedaquiline, pretomanid and linezolid — collectively known as the BPaL regimen.
  •  Pretomanid is the novel compound developed by the New York-based non-profit organisation TB Alliance and which received the FDA greenlight on Wednesday.
  •  The treatment regimen was studied at three sites in South Africa involving 109 patients and achieved a 90% success rate after six months of treatment and six months of post-treatment follow-ups.
  •  With the treatment involving five pills of the three drugs daily taken over just six months, it is easier to administer.This compares to between 30 and 40 drugs that multiple-drug resistant TB patients take each day for up to two years.

::SPORTS::

Ravi Shastri re appointed as Indian coach

  •  Ravi Shastri was today re-appointed head coach of the Indian men's team by the KapilDev-led Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), which unanimously felt that the incumbent's communication skills and understanding of team issues stood out.
  •  Shastri, who had the public backing of captain ViratKohli even before the short-listing was initiated, has been reappointed for a two-year period, ending with the 2021 T20 World Cup in India. The three-member CAC also comprised former India coach AnshumanGaekwad and ex women's captain ShanthaRangaswamy.

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