Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 5 June 2015

Current Affairs for IAS Exams – 05 June 2015

:: National ::

Law unclear if celebrities endorsing food products can be prosecuted

The Maggi controversy has opened a Pandora’s box on the legal liability of celebrities who endorse food products even as it exposes ambiguities in the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006, making the current debate an opportunity to interpret judicially the role and liability of brand ambassadors.
There is no specific word in the Act about the extent, or lack, of liability or duty of care of the brand ambassador, who signs on to promote the brand as its ‘face’ and takes on the role of a marketing representative. Sections 24 and 53 in the 2006 Act deal specifically with advertisements.
Section 24(1) says in general terms that “no advertisement shall be made of any food which is misleading or deceiving or contravenes the provisions of this Act, the rules and regulations made there under.” Here, it does not explain whether the term “made” is only confined to commissioning the advertisement or its actual making. In the latter case, a brand ambassador does play a part.
One of the primary statutory objectives of the FSSA is to “ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption” and it makes the promoter, manufacturer, packer, wholesaler, distributor, seller and even the ‘manager’ of a food business outlet liable for violations, including ‘unfair trade practice’ in several instances.

New demand by States could hit GST rollout (Register and Login to read Full News..)

:: International ::

Beijing for code of conduct at border

Without closing the option, China appeared lukewarm about restarting the process of clarification of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocating that it be revived.
Instead, the Chinese side appeared to be in favour of an elaboration of the “code of conduct” along the border areas to enhance “peace and tranquillity” along the unsettled frontiers.
In a conversation with a visiting Indian think tank and media delegation, Huang Xilian, a senior official in the Asia department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said in response to a question that, “Whatever we do in the border area, it should be constructive.”

Khamenei rules out warming of ties with U.S. (Register and Login to read Full News..)

:: Business and Economy ::

Snapdeal, Gojavas join hands

Online marketplace Snapdeal and supply chain company Gojavas have joined hands to provide a new experience to online shoppers.
The new partnership, an industry first service for customers — 90 minutes reverse pick-ups —will help customers replace or return items within 90 minutes of intimation.
The facility is available in 15 cities, and will enable hassle-free returns as well as refunds.
Ashish Chitravanshi, Vice-President Operations, Snapdeal, said, “The 90-minute reverse pick-up facility is a continuing collaborative effort to design insightful logistics solutions that strengthen our supply chain infrastructure. Our association helps us create unique offerings based on Snapdeal’s insights into customers’ everyday shopping needs and Gojavas’ understanding of logistics and delivery challenges with the ultimate focus on delivering customer delight.”

Infosys completes acquisition of Skava

IT services major Infosys said it had completed the acquisition of Kallidus Inc. (d.b.a Skava) and its affiliate, the company said in a press release.
Earlier, on April 24, Infosys has announced that it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire the U.S.-based Kallidus Inc. and its affiliate in an all-cash deal for a total consideration of $120 million, including retention bonus and a deferred component.
Kallidus provides solutions such as mobile websites, apps and other digital shopping experiences.
“Infosys today completed the acquisition of Kallidus Inc. and its affiliate, a leading provider of digital experience solutions, including mobile commerce and in-store shopping experiences to large retail clients,” it said.

India loses poultry case against U.S. at WTO (Register and Login to read Full News..)

Aditya Birla Nuvo in pact with MMI Holdings (Register and Login to read Full News..)

:: Science and Technology ::

Maruti to bring in new green technologies to cut emissions

Car market leader Maruti Suzuki is planning to bring new green technologies, which could include parent Suzuki’s mild hybrid system and downsized direct-injection turbo petrol engine to cut emissions by enhancing fuel efficiency.
The company said fleet emissions of carbon dioxide had been down by over 11.6 per cent in the last five years and it would continue to work to bring it further down to promote clean air benefits. “This has been possible through fuel efficiency improvements, reduction of exhaust emissions and development of alternate fuel products during this period, the company said in a statement.
Maruti Suzuki India Managing Director and CEO, Kenichi Ayukawa said: “Going forward, we will continue our focus on investing in new technologies and strengthen our capability to bring down emissions per vehicle by enhancing fuel efficiency of our cars.”
“The recent new models, product upgrades and even minor changes have been substantially more fuel efficient than the outgoing ones. With Auto Gear Shift technology the company is able to offer the convenience of an automatic without the need to emit more,” he added.
“These future technologies will bring down emissions while raising vehicle performance. These technologies could find relevance in India and the company may explore these options as per customer requirements,” the company said.

:: Sports ::

Silver medals for Poovamma and Liksy

M.R. Poovamma, the fastest qualifier in the semifinals, retained her 400m silver while Liksy Joseph came up with an inspired performance for the heptathlon silver with a personal best as India’s women athletes did themselves proud at the 21st Asian athletics championship.
Purnima Hembram, a former Asian junior champion, followed Liksy for the women’s heptathlon bronze, and in the men’s section, G. Lakshmanan won the 5,000m bronze bettering his personal best by nearly 14 seconds.
Qatar’s Femi Ogunode did what he had been promising for some time by lowering his own Asian 100m record to a stunning 9.91s. That should make him the fifth fastest man in the world this year.
The Nigeria-born Ogunode had set the previous mark of 9.93 while winning the Asian Games gold in Incheon last year.
There were disappointments too for India, with both the country’s eight-metre long-jumpers, Ankit Sharma (7.76m) and K. Prem Kumar (7.69m) finishing fourth and fifth respectively.
Ankit was in the medal range for a brief while before going down. An eight-metre jump would have fetched them gold, for it was with a 7.96m that China’s Goa Xinglong took the top spot.
Poovamma, the Asian Games bronze medallist who has a personal best of 51.73s, was in fact quicker in semifinal which she topped with 52.94s. Her silver, behind China’s Yang Huizhen, came in 53.07s.
Arokia Rajeev, also an Incheon Asiad bronze medallist, was seventh in the men’s 400m while Srabani Nanda was fifth in the women’s 100m.
The women’s sprint relay team finished fourth and the men sixth. Suprisingly Manikanda Arumugam, who had helped the team to qualify for the Asians in 39.11s in the controversial trials in Bengaluru recently, was not part of the men’s relay squad which finished in 39.67s.
Qatar’s Mohamad Al Garni, who had won the men’s 1,500m, completed a distance double by taking the 5,000m title.