Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 16 July 2018

Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 16 July 2018

::NATIONAL::

Measures to curb spread of fake news in Jammu

  • A clampdown is under way in Jammu & Kashmir to contain circulation of fake news on social media platforms, especially through instant messaging service WhatsApp, as the police on Sunday identified several social media groups that were “responsible for” rioting in Srinagar last week.
  • Several Facebook pages, WhatsApp groups and individuals using social media and circulating rumours had been identified in the July 12 case of arson during clashes in Srinagar’s Soura area.
  • The authorities were adopting a multi-pronged strategy to end fake news and rumours on social media platforms, responsible in many cases for deterioration of the law and order situation in the Valley.
  • The administration has invoked the Information Technology Act and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in its order.

New AAI plan to make peak flying hours costlier

  • The government is mulling over a proposal to impose a surcharge on airlines for operating flights during peak hours to enhance airport capacity and to avoid flight delays, according to the Airports Authority of India (AAI)
  • A concept note is being prepared and global models are being studied to encourage use of non-peak hours. This is right now at the proposal stage and a final decision is yet to be taken.
  • Airlines are awarded slots for summer and winter schedules on a first-come-first-served basis as well as on the historicity of slots.
  • An airline is said to maintain historicity of a particular slot if it is able to operate flights during a given slot punctually 80% of the time for a period of six months or the length of an entire season.

::ECONOMY::

Reports suggests farm loan waivers are main drivers of rural growth

  • According to recent Nielsen data, rural growth outpaced urban demand, rising by 13.5% in the March quarter. Many large States have announced farm loan waivers last year, as farmer suicides became a big political tool.
  • Last week, Karnataka became the latest State to join U.P., M.P., Maharashtra and Punjab, among others, to write off farm loans.
  • But the extent of this pick-up depends on a number of factors. Firstly, a good monsoon alone will not do the trick. Adequate procurement and the effectiveness of MSPs to act as a floor for crop prices will be crucial.
  • The recent jump in items such as tractor sales could have at least been driven by farm loan waivers A similar phenomenon was witnessed in 2009 when the then government had waived farm loans and tractor sales grew by 30%.

Government to give priority to domestic tech security firms

  • The Centre has mandated giving preference in all public procurement to locally produced cybersecurity products where intellectual property rights are owned by companies or start-ups incorporated in India.
  • The notification is based on Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order 2017 which aims to enhance income and employment in the country.
  • Preference will be granted to a firm incorporated and registered in India or to start-up firms that meet the prescribed definition, provided revenue from the product and intellectual property licensing accrues to the firm in India.
  • Though IP registration is not mandatory in the country, a firm claiming benefit should have the right to use and commercialise the product without third party-consents, distribute and modify it, the order said.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

U.S –North Korea military officials meeting held

  • U.S. and North Korean military officials met on the inter-Korean border on Sunday to discuss the return of remains of U.S. soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War, the first time in nine years that generals from the two sides have held talks, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said.
  • South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, citing South Korean government and U.S. military sources, said the negotiations had begun at 0100 GMT at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas.
  • The repatriation of U.S. remains was one of the agreements reached during an unprecedented summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in June in Singapore.

India becomes the Vice Chair of the Asia Pacific Region of World Customs Organisation (WCO)

  • India has become the Vice-Chair (Regional Head) of the Asia Pacific Region of World Customs Organisation (WCO) for a period of two years, from July, 2018 to June, 2020.
  • Being the Vice Chair of AP Region of WCO will enable India to take on leadership role. India is a wealth of experience inpromoting security and facilitation of cross border trade.
  • To mark the assumption of Vice Chair, an event is being organised on Monday, 16th July, 2018 in New Delhi by Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) in partnership with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
  • The Ceremony shall be followed by a Seminar on Cross Border Trade through e-commerce and the role of Customs administration. The Seminar would focus on the framework of standards spearheaded by WCO to cope with the exponential growth in e-commerce shipments and the tsunami of parcels that cross borders every day.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

Link found between Herpes Virus & Alzheimer’s disease

  • Scientists have found evidence of a link between herpes infection and Alzheimer’s disease as well as the potential of antivirals in reducing the risk of the neurodegenerative disease.
  • In the study, when people who suffered with severe herpes infection were treated aggressively with antiviral drugs, the relative risk of dementia was reduced by a factor of 10.
  • Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) infects most humans in their youth or later and remains in the body for life in dormant form, within the peripheral nervous system.
  • These safe and easily available antivirals may have a strong part to play in combating the disease in these patients.

::SPORTS::

France lifts the world cup after 20 years

  • With a dominating 4-2 win over Croatia France claimed the world cup final title with ease after a gap of 20 years.
  • Mercifully for France, and its visiting President Emmanuel Macron in the stands, there were no more hiccups and a second World Cup was secured with Didier Deschamps (1998) becoming only the third individual — after Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer — to win the trophy both as a player and manager.

Djokovic slams Wimbledon title

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