Vol. XXXII February,2018 No.2 NEWS DIGEST VOL. XXXII No.2

February 2018

CONTNNTS

PACES

I KERALANEWS - 1- 10

II NAIIONAL NEWS - 11. - 21

,.. NEWS FROMOTHEIT STATES ANI) "' ulttoN trnnltontrs 22_32

IV INTERNAI'IONAI, NI]WS . 33- 42 oc, 63.0Gor'l

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I.E. Indian Express

T.O.r. The Times of India

F,E, Financial llxprcss

E.T, Economic Times

S. The Statesman

T. The l'elegraph oeoe aJoD'

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o".6n/ool 2018 .Dd.[rooo!es$$ 10 ational News

NATIONALNEWS

Union Budget 2018-19: Capital spending pegged at Rs.l.s lakh crore for railways The Railways may chart a course to spend the highest ever plan size in Budget 2018-19 with sources pegging a figure close to Rs 1.5 iakh crore of capiral expenditure.While the Railways has been scaling up capital expenditure every year for the last three years, what makes the coming one different is that it is mosdy based on institutional financing and monetisation of assets, not so much on Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) from the government, sources said. 0.E.,0r/02) Navy launches 3rd Scorpene class submarine Ildian Navy's third Scorpene class $ubmarine Karanj constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders was launched by Mrs Reena lanba, president of rhe Navy Wives Welfare Association, after the recitation of Sanskrit shlokas from thc AthaNa Veda and traditional ceremonies associated with the launch oi naval platforms. Navy Chief Adminl Sunil Lanba was the chief guesr on the occasion. The submarine was then towed to Mumbai Port Trust, for sepantion from the pontoon. Kamnj will now undergo rigorous trials and tests, both in harbour and at sea before it is commissioned into the Naw 0.E.,0rl02) Govt maintains promised pro-poor, pro-farmer,thrust Modi Covernment's 2018-19 Budget did not spring surpdses but mther sruck to fiscal consolidation path by restdcting the liscal delicit target of 3.3 per cent of rhe cDP in 2018- 19, lower from 3.5 pcr cent expectcd in 2017-18. Some criticised the Government for slipping from the odginal target of 3.2 per cent deficit in 2017-18, but Finance Mnister Arun Jaidey did well gliding around that. Being the last full Budget beiore the 2019 general election, there was speculation about the Govcmment announcing populist measures. On the con[ary the Budget has enough measures to curb the elements that have long been causing slippages in the fiscal deficit and irreparable damage to the economy. (P.,O2l02) CrI publishes subjective-wise roster for the first time in history; keeps PIL$ to him$elf After an unprecedented prcss conferencc by four senior mo$t Supreme Court judges on January 12 over "selective" allocation and amidst subsequent parleys to resolve the fift, Chiel Justice Dipak Misra published a new subject-wise roster for allocation of cases to larious Supreme Court Benches to be implemented from February s.The publicatio[ of the judges' roster of case allocation is for the first time in the history ofrhe Supreme Court. (rr.,o2 /02) Independerce Day launch Soal for National Health Protection Scheme The Niti Aayog is working towards a launch on Independence Day of the government's latest flagship National Health Protection Scheme, which was announced in the Union Budget. Top officials in the Aayog said that Gandhi Jayanti, on October 2, was rhe "upper limit" deadlile for the formal launch while the fullscale rollout, subject to the pace ofwork by states, is expected to take place in about one and a halfyears. (r.E.,03/02)

February 2018 News Digest 11 otionol N€ws

India joins Ashgabat Agreement' for better connectivity with Centrat Asia In a move that will strengthen India's connectivity with Central Asia, New Delhi, has been admitted to the Agreement on tle Establishment of an International Trunsport and Transit Corridor between the Governments of IIan, oman, Turkmenistan ard Uzbekistan. Turkmenistan, as depository State ofthe Ashgabat Agreement' signed in 2011, has informed India that all the four founditrg members have consented to its accession to the agreement which would come into force Saturday. (s.,03/02) Indiau, U,S. air forces to deepen cooperation in Indo-Pacific region: U,S. Air Force chief Chief of U.S. Air I'orce General David L, Goldfein has said lndian and U.S. air forces will significantly ramp up opelational cooperation to complement the strategic interests ofthe two countries in tie Indo-Pacific regon where China has been expanding its military influence.Calling India a "central strategic partner" ofthe U.S. in pursuing common interests in the region, he said two of the world's largest air forces were going to jointly shifr the focus on the Indo-Pacific region and asserted that tlle rules-based order must be preserved in the critical sea lanes. (H.,04/02) 64010 of antibiotics sold i! India unapproved: UK study Multinational companies continue to produce and sell unregulated antibiotics in India, worsening the problem ofantimicrobial resisrance in the country and impeding effofis to fight drug resistance $obally, a UK study said. The report, to be made public on Monday by researchels at Queen Mary Universiry of London and Newcastle University, said millions of antibiotic pills in the Indian market have not been regulated in India, the UK or US. The research was published in rhe British Journal of Clinical pharmacology. It found rhar of llg different formulations of fixed dose combination (lDC) antibiotics being sold in India berween 2OO7 a'i,d 2OI2,64% were not approved by the Central Drugs Standard Contol Organisation (CDSCO), even though sale or supply ofunapproved new medicines in India is illegal. (TO.r.,o5/02) Chandrayaan-2 mission: Rover to spend 14 daJrs on moon,s surface, says ISRO chief Geadng up for its most challenging space mission, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is leaving no stone unturned to make the Chandrayaan-2 (lunar-2) mission a success. Unllke the llrst lunar mission when a PSIV rocket callied the spacecraft to the mooD's orbit, this time heary-payload lifter csl k 1I will launch the spacecraft weighing 3,29okg as the module will carry an orbite!, a rover alrd a lander to the moon. Giving exclusive details about the mission, ISRO chairman Dr. K. Sivan told TOI, "Chandraayan 2 is a challenging mission as for the first time we will carry an orbitex, a lander and a rover to the moon. The launch date schedule is sometime in Apdl. (r.o.L,0s/02) Nuclear-capable Ag -I missile test ffred fuccessfully India test-fired irs indigenously developed nuclear capable Agni-I ballistic missile as part of a user trial by the Army from a test lange off the Odisha coasr.The SFategic Forces Command of the Indian Army conducted the user rrial of the 700 km range missile from launch pad-4 ofrhe Integruted Test Range (ITR) ar Abdul Kalam Island in Balasore. (H.,06/02)

February 2018 News Digest 72 Natrbnal Nerrs

Bid to embarrass govt on Motion of ThanlG: In RS, Opposition lists 924 amendmeqts to President address Havilg left the BJPJed goveqrment red-faced by passing amendments to the president's Address in Rajya Sabha twlce in tle last three yeals, opposition parties, which have an upper hand in t}le House, have moved 324 amendments this time. They are engaged in discussions on whethe! to force a division in the House when the Motion of Thanks will be put to vote. Among the 324 amendments, there are many on which opposition parties can find common ground. 0.E.,06/02) 75 militants gunned down in 2017 As many as 515 "cases of infiltration" from across the border in Jammu and Kashmh were repolted in 2017 which saw the killing of 75 militants, a jump of almost 1S0% over the 2015 figures, the Lok Sabha was informed.As many as 454 cases were reported in 2015 when 45 militants were killed, while 223 cases were reported in 2015 when 64 militants were gunned down, Union Minister of State for Ilome Kiren Rijiju said white replying to a written question, (H,O1 /O2) Centre plans programme to attract girl students to careers in science "Catch them young" is the slogan of an upcooing programme by tie Deparrmenr of Science and Technology (DST), under which the brightest girl students studying in classes D( X and )C will get a chance to rub shoulders with top woman scienrists of Indla. This first-of-it8-kind intervention progmmme, named 'Vig5/an Jyoti', is solely aimed at helplng teenage girl students choose a career in science and technolosf at a young age. (t.8.,o7 /02) India test fires Prithvi-Il mi$$ile off Odisha India test-fired surface to-surface ballistic missile lrithvi-Il off the Odisha coast. The indigenous missile, which has the capability to strike 350 kn away, was test-fired from rhe Integlated Test Range (ITR) at rhe Abdul Kalam Island in Balasore distlict. The Stmtegic Fomes Command (SIC) of the Indian Army conducted the trial as pan of a user-taining exercise, which reconfirrrs its readiness to ffre the weapon at short nodce,The missile ha6 already been inducted into the armed Iorces. (s.,08/02) The rankings 2018: 42 Indian Universities in list, none in top 25 The Times Higher lducation (THE) released the list of the best colleges in Asia in rhe Asia Udversity Rankings 2018 on Tuesday, 6 tebruary While the top 10 spots were secured by unive$ities from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and South Korea, India Banaged to lmprove its score on the index with a total of 42 findtng a place among just over 350 Universities,Indian Institute ofScience (IIS) in Bengaluru was the topmost Indian University in the list comlng in at rank 29. According to the TIIE, India's representation in the list has gone up, the rankings of many Universities have gone dowll There are 12 more universities in the list than last yea( (s.,08/02) Centxe tells States not to involve prftrate firms to organise public eventf All State governments have been asked not to involve private firm$ in organislng or sponsodng official events, the Centre has said. The move comes foUowing a report from a ParliameDtary committee i4 this regard. The committee on'Violation ofProtocol Norms ard Contemptuous Behaviour of Govemment Offrcers with Members of lok Sabha' in its report tabled in the Lower House on January 4 has recommended "discouraging and desisting tie state governments to involve private companies/agencies in organising/sponsoring functions

February 2018 News Digest National News which essentially fall under the domain ofstate governments': (H.,O9 /02) Congress' Reruka Chowdhury move$ privilege motion againEt Rijiju Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury filed a pdvilege motion in rhe Rajya Sabha against Union Minister Kiren Rijiju for $haring a video of hysterical cackling by mythological charafier 'Surpanakha' linking it to Prime Minister Narendru Modi's comment on her. The development comes a day after the Congress parliamentarian had taken strong objection to the video shared by the Union Minister of State for Home on Twitter and threatened to move privilege motion against Rijiju as well as Modi. The Congress Mp had accused both Modi and Rijiju of denigrating the status ofwomen. (s.,09/02) Over l3K Indian Rlys employees on long leaves to be sacked With a clear aim to make the Indian Railways a robust, agile and highly efficient system, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has decided to terminate the seryices ofthose on unautlorised absence for a long period of time. The Railways had launched a massive drive to identily long telm absentees in various cstablishments of Railways. It has been found tiat more than 13,000 employees out of the 13 lakh employed by the Indian Railways who are on unauthorised absence for a long time. This meals that jobs of I per cent of the total workforce will be terminated. Railways said that tie establishment has initiated disciplinary action under the rules to terminate services ofsuch absentees. (s.,10/02) PM Modi conferred 'Grand Couar of the State of palestine, Pdme Minister Narendra Modi was conferred the 'Grand Collar of the Starc of palestine' by President Mahmoud Abbas, recognising his key contribution to promote relations between India and Palestine. President Abbas conferred the Grand Collar of the Srate of palestine on the Indian Prime Minister after the conclusion of the bilateral meeting between the two leaders. Modi is the first Indiar P me Minisrer to make an offirial visii to palesrine. The Gmnd Collar is the highest order given to foreign dignitaries-Kings, Heads of Srate/ Government and persons ofsimilar rank. (s.,r0/02) India, UAE sign five agreements Pdme Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks wirh Crown pdnce of Abu Dhabi Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on February 10 as thc two sides signed five agreemenrs including a historic pact awarding a consortium of lndian oil companies a 10% stake in offshore oil concession. Mr Modi, who arrived in Abu Dhabi from Jordan on the second leg of histhree nation tour, was received by the Crown prince and other members ofthe royal family at the airport. The Prime Mnister said his visit will have a Dositive impact on India-UAE tie$. (H.,r1l02) To safeguard environment, PM Modi gives Six Rs for sustainable developmenr Wift the view to safeguard environment, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday propounded the concept of six Rs for susrainable development - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Redesign and Remanufacture. Delivering tie keynote address at the inauguration of the World Government Summit in Dubai, PM Modi said that humans are using technology in ways that are affecting nature adversely. (T.O.L,1rl02)

February 2018 News Digest L4 Naabncl News

Inter-Governmental Agreements, the prefeued route for defence deals While allegations continue to be made on the Rafale fighter deal with Fnnce, governmenr-ro- govemment deals have become the preferred route to conclude maior defence conrracrs anq will remain so in the face of unending delays in defcncc modernisirion, officials say. Several deals are being lined up for likely conclusion through Inter-Governmenral Agreements (IGA), some of which could be concluded this year "An Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) between two sovereign governments ensurcs tra[sparency and avoids troubles latel It has become the only way now ro conclude pending crirical deals. Especially with elefiions close by, this is a safe bet," an official source said. (H.,r2/02) PM Modi meets French PM at World covernment Summit ..good Pdme Midster Narendra Modi met French ?rime Minister Edouard philippe and had a discussion" on ways to boost bilateral strategic ties ahead of president Emmanuel Macrcn's first visit to India next monrh. PM Modi met Philippe on the sidelines of the World Government Summit in Dubai. (s.,r2l02) India posts marginal increase in forest cover, says report India posted a marginal 0,2170 rise in the area under forest between 2015 and 2017, according to tle bicnnial India Stare of Forest Reporr (SIR) 2017. The document says that India has about 7,08,273 square kilometres of forest, which is 21,53% ofrhe geographic area of the country 92,87 ,569 sq. km). Getting India to have at least 33% of its area under forest has been a long standing goal of the government since 1988.Andhra pradesh, Kamataka and Kemla topped the States tlat posted an increase in forest cover (H.,r3/02) India urges for political solutions oyer peacekeeping response Warning that more reliance on stronger peacekeeping operations will not bdng peace or protect peacekeepers in high risk environments, India has urged the IJN to scale up strategies for political resolution of conflicts in the face of mounting fatalities among its personnel. "Peacekeepers cannot be substitutes for effons to resolve conflict," India's permanent Representative Syed Akbaruddin told the Special Committee on peacekeeping Operations. (s.,r3l02) Centre to states: Strengthen cyber security IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad asked states to focus on strengthening the cyber security ecosystem to push adoption of digiral services in the country a senior official said.The minister met IT ministers and secretades from almost all states du ng a two-day conference to discuss tie roadmap on making India a trillion-dolar digital economy by 2025. (H.,r4/02) Armed forces to get 7.4lakh assault rifles, 5,719 snipers In a step that will help fulfill a major demand of the armed forces, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, approved Rs. 15,93 5 crore worth of Capital Acquisirion proposals of rhe Services. Much of the amount will go in thc purchase of assault rifles for the three services. According to the Ministry of Defence, around 7.4 lakh 'Made in lndia' assault rifles costing Rs. 12,280 crore will be procured for the Services. Another Rs. 1819 crore has been earmarked for the purchase of Light Machine Guns through the Fast Track Procedure. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by rhe Defence Minister, approved the purchase of 5,719 sniper rifles

February 2018 News Digest Natr'onal News

for the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force from a foreign seller This purchase will cost Rs. 982 crcre. (s.,r4l02) Visit to Taj Mahal to cost more, visitors' stay duration to be limited The tourists may have to pay Rs. l0 more to see the Taj Mahal, as the governmenr proposes ro increase the entry fee to Rs. 50 from Rs. 40 and introduce an additional fee of Rs. 200 to for visiting the main mausoleum, a Union Minister said. The enrry fee hike, which is likely ro be implemented April onwards, will be applicable for domestic visitors only and IIot foreign toudsts, said Union Minister for Culture Mahesh Sharma at a press conference. The millistry has also proposed to introduce a duration of three hours for visitors' stay inside the Taj premises to check crowding, after the National Envircnmental xnginecdng Research Institute (NXERI) said that foodall must be controlled to prctect integdty ofthe Taj Mahal. (s.,r5/02) Defence sales at an all time high with India: Top US commander America's defence sale with India is at an all time high, a top pentagon commander said, adding that it supports all Indian considemtion of a number oiUS sysrems including F-35 joint stdke fighter. US Pacific Command Commander Admiral Harry B.Haris told tie House Armed Services Committee dudng a Congressional hearing on Indo-pacific region that US-India strategic panne$hip continues to advance at a historic pace and has the potential to be the most consequential bilateral relationship ofthe 2lst centurv. (T.O.[,r5/02) On average, a Dalit woman dies 14 years younger than one from upper caste: UN report A womalr's caste in India can increase her exposure to mortality as a result of factors such as poor sanitation and inadequate watc! supply and health care, says a UN women report. "The average age of death for Dalit women is 14.6 years younger than for higher caste women," stales the report, Turning promises into action: gender equality in the 2030 Agetda, citing a finding from the Indian Insrirute of Dalit Studies in 2013. I.E-,l6lo2) lran President Hassan Rouhani arrives on 3-daytrip to India han's President Hassan Rouhani addressed Muslim intellectuals, religious scholars and students at an interaction held at a hotel in Hydcrabad. Rouhani also interacted with 1ranian students studying in Hyderabad, where about 40,000 Iranians live. Earlier, Rouhani arrived at Begumpet airport on a rhree day tour oflndia. He was received by MoS (power) R.K.Singlr and Governor forAndhra Pradesh and Telangana E.S.L. Narasimhan.

(r.E.,76 / 02) Solar alliance biggest win since Paris accord, says pM The biggest developmenr on taclding climate change since the paris Accord of 20lS has been the Intemational Solar Alliance, said P me Minister Narendra Modi at the inaugural session of the World Sustainable Development Summit. "India and France initiated the International Solar Alliance.It already has 121 members lcountries] and is perhaps rhe single mosr important global achievement since the pads Agreement of 201S;'he told a crowd ofstudents, Ministers and delegatcs from 40 counrnes. (H.,77 /02)

February 2018 News Digest ational News

Sex ratio at birth dips in l? of 2l large Btates, cujarat records 53 points fall The sex mtio at birth (SRB) saw a decli[e in 17 out of 2l large states of the country with Gujarat recording an alarming dip of 53 points, a report release; by the Niri Aayog sta;d and stressed on the need to check ser-seleclive abortion.According to the repoli, among the 17 states which recorded substantial drop of 10 points or mo!e, in Gujarar rhe SRB fell to g54 females from 907 females per I,OO0 males born registering a drop of S3 points irom 2012-14 (base year) to 2013_15 (reference vear) in rhis indicator e,E,l7lO2) Magnetic Maharashtra: pM Modi praises state for pushing India's growth Prime Minisrer Narendra Modi delivered the inaugural address at th;Magnetic Maharashtra Investors Summit 2018 on Sunday evening in the presence of prominent narnes from the plvl, world of politics and business. The who arrived in Mumbai in the aftemoon, was welcomed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendru Fadnavis and Govemor C Vidyasagar Rao at the airport. The PM laid the foundation stone of the long_pending Navi Mumbai airport project before heading for the Summit. (s.,r8/02) Canadian PM arrives; defence, counter-terrorism on agenda Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived on a week long State visit to India aimed at strengthening ties between the two nations in key areas such as tfade, counter tefodsm, energy, education, inf.astructure and development. The Canadian lead€r, who is accompanied by a highlevel delegation, was received at the airport by se or canadian and Indian officials. There are as many as six ministers in his delegation, including all four Sikh members of rhe Cabinet.

(s ) Lok Adalats clear over 12 lakh cases in one dav '18/02 India's.legal machinery swung into action on February 10 ro clear ofover 12 lakh cases during a dayJong session of Lok Adalats organised across the counrry This is only a fraction o] pending cases - over three crore at last count - but represents a significant step in clearing the massive backlog. Currently, the 24 High Courts in India have a coliective backlog of41,8g,530 cases, out ofwhich over 80% have been pcnding for more than two yearc. The lowerjudiciary has a backlog of 2,64,38,962 cases. The Supreme Court had 55,i59 cases pending, as on November 01 last yearcollecrively, they rake the backlog figures to 3,06,82,571. (H.,rg /o2) Foreign Secretary, Army chief, NSA visited Bhutan Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, General Bipin Rawat and Narional Secudty Adviser Ajit Doval visited Bhutan in the first fortnight of this month for bilateral discussions, sources said, lhe level high meering, a ffrst since the Doldam standolfbetween India and China last year yielded a -positive' outcome. The visit came days after prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Bhutanese counterpart Tscring Tobgay in Guwahati on the sidelines of the clobal Investors Summit in rhe first week of this month (H.r9/02) India test fires medium rauge nuclear capable Agni-Il missile India test-fired its medium range nudear capable AgniII missile with a shike range of 2,000 km from Abdul Kalam Island offOdisha coast, Dcfence sources said.The trial of the surface to, surface missile was conducted from a mobile launcher at the launch Complex_4 of the Integrated Tesr Range (ITR) at around 8.3g am, the sources said. (r.8.,2O / 02)

February 2018_ Ncws l)igesr 17 Nan'onol News

Despite having rraximum newborn deaths, India reduce$ under-ffve mortality rate by 66010 At 5,40,000 newborn child deaths in 2016,India has tie largest number ofbabies dying in rhe world, but having notched up a 66 per cent reduction in under five deaths between 1990 ro 2015, the country is way ahead of the global curve, shows a new UNICXF report. India, howeve4 is the only major country in the world to have a higher mortality for girls as compared to boys. 0.E.,20/02) Ex-ChiefElection Commissioner to chair panel to select 20 Institutioqs of Eminence Former Chief Election Commissioner N.Gopalaswami was appointed the chairperson of the committee that will select 20 Institutions ofEminence. The Appointments Committee ofthe Cabinet, headed by P me Minister Narendra Modi, also approved names of professor Tarun Khanna, director of the South Asia Institute at Harvard Unive$i& Renu Khator. Dresident of the University of Houston and former director of IIM Lucknow, p;itam Singh, as members of the Empowered Expert Committee. (1.E.,27 /02\ Cabinet commiftee clears several rail, road projects The governmenr approved several railway projects, including a 130 kmlong Jeypore- Malkangiri project at a cost ol1 2,676 crore and another 425 kmJong JhansiManikpur and Bhimsen Khaimr line doubling-cum-electrification projects costing { 4,956 crore. The ]eypore-Malkangiri new line project, likely to be completed by 2OT,,22, will cover the lefr wing extremism (LWX) affecred districts of Koraput and Malkangiri of Odisha, an official statement said. (H.,zr /02) Avani Chaturvedi becomes first Indian woman to fly a fighterjet solo Flyhg Officer Avani Chaturvedi scripted history by becoming the ffrst woman in rhe history of the Indian Air Folce to fly a fighter aircrafr solo.The IAF said that Fg Offr Charurvedi flew a MiG-21 Bison on 19 lebruary from Air lorce Station Jamnagar in Gujarar.Fg Offr Chaturyedi was among the first three women to have qualified as fighter pilots in rhe Indian Air lorce.On 18 June 2015, Manohar Parrikar, who was then the defence minister, had commissioned Chaturvedi, Mohana Singh of R4asthan and Bhawana Kanth of Bihar all three flighr caders at the time into the IAF at Air Force Academy in Dundigal near Hydembad following their graduation.Their commissioning was historic as it made the IAF the first ofthe three services to allow women in combat, (s.,22 / 02) SC bench overrules 2014 verdict on land acquisition A three-judge bench of the Supremc Court faulted rhe procedure adopted by another bench of the same composition to stdke down a 2014 judgment of the apex court without following standards of judicial discipline that required the mattcr to be referred to a larger bench.The issue relates to land acquisitioq where a question aro$e whether a person who refuses to take compensation for his acquired Iand can revive his claim.On February 8,2018, a three judge bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra by a 2:1 majority held that claimants or landowners after refusal, cannot take ad ntage of tleir own wrong and seek protection under the provisions of Section 24(2) of the Right to Fak Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Rescftlement Act, 2013. (P.,22/02)

February 2018 News Digest 1B stionnl News

India slips in corrupt nations list India has been ranked 81st in Transparency International's Global Corruption Perception lndex 2017. While it maintained its score at 40 on a 100-point scale where anytling below 30 is considered seriously corrupt, its mnking changed from 79th last year partly because Vanuatu, one of the countrics added to the rankngs this year, was rated higher and partly because others improved.A Tmnsparency Intcmational release also chanctelised India as "among the worst regional offenders" in the Asia Pacific region on grounds of journalists, activists, oppositiou leaders and even staff of law enforcement or watchdog agencies being threatened or even murdered. In this, it was clubbed with the Philippines and Maldives. "These counhies score high for corruption and have fewer press freedoms and higher numbers ofjournalist deaths," the report added. (T.O.r.,23 / 02) Government to continue with price control on stents The government has said it will continue witi the price cap on life-saving coronary stents and asked the industry to be ready to meet the demald for medical devices once the mega health insurance plan is rolled out, xarlier tiis yeac the government had revised the ceiling prices for bare metal stents and drug-eluting ones.last year, it slashed the ratcs by up to 85 per cent. In case of bare metal stents (BMS), the government has increased the prices from current Rs.7,400 to Rs.7,660. The price of drug eluting stents (DxS) has been lowered to Rs. 27,890 from Rs 30 18o [E.,2g ro2) Maldives warns ludia against interfering in its internal alfairs The Maldives has warned hdia against taking "any actions" that could hinder resolving the political cdsis in the counrry as New Dclhi expressed its decp dismay over thc extension of emergency in the island nation.The Maldivis Foreign Ministry in a statement said President Abdulla Yameen's govcmment takcs note of the public statements is$ued by the Indial Government that "ignore thc facts and ground realities" with regard to the ongoing political developments in the Maldives, (P.,24102) India, Canada pledge to neutrause Sikh, Islamic terror groups; sign six pacts Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sought to shed his government's image of being soft on'Khalistan' supporters as lndia and Canada came out with a framework for coopention to counter the threats posed by global Islamic and Sikh terro st outfits.The two countries committed to work togcther to neutralise the threats emanating from terrorist gloups such as Al Qaeda ISIS, Haqqani Network, leT JcM, Khalsa Intemational and the International Siki Youtl lederation, the framework document said.The two countries also signed six agreements, including olre on enhancing enelgy cooperation. (s.,24/02) Rustom-2 UAV successfully test-flown India's under development Unmanned Aedal Vehicle Rustom-2 was successfully test-flown on Sunday by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).'This flight assumes significance because of tie fact that this is the firct flight in user configuration with a higher power engine. All pammetels were normal;' the DRDO said in a statement. The flight was conducted at the DRDO'S Aeronautical Test Range at Chitradurga ir Karnataka. Rustom-2 belongs to a family of UAVs under development, besides Rustom-l and Rustom I{. It is a

February 2018 News Digest 19 ational Nev)s

Medium Altitude Long Endurance drone (MALX). It can fly up to an altitude of 22,000 feet and has an endurance of over 2O hours. Ir is capable of carrying payloads for electronic and signal intelligence missions. (H.,25/02) Ministry to set up weather observatories at district level to help farmers With a view to helping the farmers with accurate, localised weather repofting, the Mnistry of Xarth Sciences has planned to enhance its meteorclogical forecasting capabilirla Under ihis plan, weather observatories will be set up at the district level to predict accurare weaurer at the block level. Under the plan, a total of 6,500 weather observatories will be set up across the country union Minister for Earth sciences, Dr Harshvardhan told that once the weather oDservato es are set up, the MeT department would be able to forecast the weatier at block level. (P.,2s/02) Centr€ plans law to seize assets offleeing offenders The Central government may soon bring in the lugitivc Economic Offenders Bill, which proposes confiscation of assets ofthose who flee the country to evade prosecution, or refuse to return, in cases involving more than {100 crore. The proposed law aisumes sigdficance in *p:"r major bank y:y::h" :bour fmuds in the past formight. Accused ofcomf,tcity in the 1 .r r,.ruu-crore punjab lraudulent transactions in the National Bank diamond merchant Nirav Modi and his family members are curreltly abroad. The passports of Mr Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi have been revoked. (H.,26/02) CJI Misra sets up ConstitutioD Betrcb Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra formed a five-judge Constiturion Bench, led by him, to resolve the confuct between two three-judge Benches of the Supreme Court, which ias again b_rought to the fore the $immering tension$ within the court.Trouble started when Kurian Justice Joseph, one of the five senior-most judges, voiced his concern in open court about fellow judges "tinkering ..one,, witl judicial discipline" and how rhe judges should funmion as rarher than in disparate voices $.,26/02) Proposed revision: Govt relaxes rules on cattle market, drops reference to slaughter In ..slaughter,,in a significant rollback, the Centre is all set to remove any reference to the term its new version ofthe Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markei; Rules, 2017, accoding to a draft of the notification being vetted by the Union Law Midstry The original version, dated May 23, 2OI7, had, notified a ban on sale of cattle for slaugirter in animal markets, triggering an outcry over its effect on trade across the country. The diluted version is being vetted by the Law Ministry prior to its notificarion by rie Minisrry of Environment, Forest and Climate Chanse. (r.E.,27l02) Social media executives to monitor local news Ior a sharper delivery ofthe government's message to the voters, the Ministry oflnformation 8^Broadcasting (I8B) approved the hiring of 716 social media executives, one for each districr of the countryTheir primary responsibilrty will be to analyse local news media and help the adapt the message according -government to the rcsponses to it.This hidng is part oi the Ministry's outreach programme for smaller cities and rural areas. (H.,27 /O2)

February 2018 News Digesr 20 ationol News

Government announces cut in Haj air fare The air fare for the annual Haj pilgrimage from Mumbai has been fixed at Rs. S7,8S7 without a government subsidy for the ffrst time as per dilections ofthe Supreme Court.Mnority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "Haj fare from Mumbai was Rs. 98,750 for 2014, announced by the UPA government in December 2013, and ir has been reduced to Rs. 57,857 for Haj 2018. The Central government's commitment to tmnsparency and strict directives to airlines to check unreasonable increase in fares has ensured that air fares come down significantly in compadsor to fares for Haj 2014." (r.8.,28 /02)

February 2018 News Digest 21 ews From other States

NEWS FROM OTHER STATES

ANDHM PRADESH Audhra Pradesh bandh to protest again$t Budget 2018 The state-wide bandh called by the Left parties to protest against the "anti Andhra,,Union hrdget-2018 evoked good response in the north coistal Andhra pradesh, particularly Vizag ciry All the major cities like Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Tirupari, the protestors came on to the roads since morning displaying placads demanding justice ior Ap (T.O.r.,08/02) Centre grauts {1,269 crore for Andhra pradesh projects The Centre has released a sum of {1,2b9 crore to Andhra pradesh under difierent heads in the past few days, amid a strain in ties between rhe Narional Democratic Alliance (NDA) and it$ ally, the Telugu Desam Pa.ty (TDp), over allocation given to the State in the Union Budger. The gross grant polavaram itcluded {417.44 c.orc for thc multipurpose project, one ofthe issues ofcontention between the allies, the TDp and the Bharatiya Jan"i, p""ty iSJp). (H.,rrl02) 77 MoUs worth Rs. 31,546 cr. signed on day one of summit On the irlaugural day of the three-day CII parrnership Summit and Sunrise Ap Investment Meet being held in Vishakapatanam, 77 MoUs wortt Rs. 31,546 crores were signcd. The employment projected was 98,291. Leading frcm the fronr was the tourism sector with 56 MoUs with an investment of Rs. 7,807 crore and employment of 33,123. The automotive sector saw a windfall with 14 MoUs wirh an investment of Rs. 14,124 crore and employment of 47,358, followed by Marquee with 3 MoUs and investment of Rs. 5,600 crore arld 14,000 employment. In the industdes secto4 four MoUs were signed for an investment of Rs. 3,015 crore and projected employmenr of 3,800. {H.,25/02) Cabinet sanctioned 350 new posts in ACB: KEK The State Cabinet approved sanction of 350 new posrs in thc Anti Corruption Bureau, which is !-ty1lg pivotal role in curbing coruption in the State, Deputy Chief Minister K.E. " Krishnamurthy said. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was k;en to make the State corruption-free and started the toll-free No. 1100 to receive complaints of corruption, Mr. Kdshnamurthy said while inaugurating rhe ACB DSp's office by unveiling a plaque. The office was built with an outlay of {87 lakh in Chanakyapuri Colony in Kurnool on 10 cenrs of land allotted in 2014. (H.,26/02) ASSAM Rs.233 crore for walls, drainage, screens: How government plans to protect Majuli island Yajuli satd to be the largest inhabired river island in the world, has beerl shdnting for decades. Measurcdar 1,256 sq m by a govemment survey in 1891, it is only about 525 sa kn today, with the Brahmaputru constantly earing into the landmass ofthe isiand, which is;ho the socio-cultural heart of Assam, On December 30, Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkad laid the foundation stone for an Rs.233.54,crore prcject to save the island, one that also looks at redamation of lost landmass apart from preventing further shdnking due to riverbank erosion. 0.E.,18/02)

February 2018 News Digest 22 News From other States

BIHAR Bihar bans socks, shoes inside Class X board exam centres to check cheating To keep an eye on cheating the Bihar School Examination Board (BSIB) has asked srudents appeadng for the upcoming Class X board examinations, beginning from February 21, not to wear shoes and socks and instead wear slippers. In the just-concluded Intermediate examination in the State, 985 students were expelled for use of -unfair means,' and 25 were caught for impersonating other students. (H'rg /O2) DELHI Over 400 newborns died in l6 neighbourhood care units in Delhi last year: RTI As many as 433 newboms died in 16'Special Neighbourhood Care Units' (SNCUS) i[ Delhi due to various diseases in the first six months of 2017, an RTI query has revealed.Most of the deatis were due to infection in the blood, pneumonia and meningitis, the state health depa ment said in a reply to the RTI query o.E.,0s/02) Three yearE after promise, Delhi to get 1.4lakh CCTVS at Rs.272 crore After nearly three years of delay, AAP'S promise of installing CCTV ca&eras across the city is finally seeing fruition. Public sector unir (PSU) Bharar Elecrronics Limited (BXL) has worl the bid for the installation of 1.4 lakh cameras across the capital. Officials said BEI had won the bid at Rs. 272 crore and MLAS of each constituency would decide the locations where these cameras would be installed. 0.E.,09/02) Tihar fail launches 'Wah-O' perfume with Nafisa Ali as brand Ambassador The Tihar Jail is set to enter the perfume market by launching its product 'Wah-O' , with eminent activist and acto! Nafisa Ali being its bmnd ambassadon officials said.'School of Perfumes and Fmgrances'wa$ inaugurated by Director General (Pdsons) Ajay Kashyap on Friday, they said. It will also provide opportunities to inmates to become economically independent and "productive members" ofsociety, officials said. (H.77 /O2) Delhi witnessed lowest ever power cuts this fiscal The national capital witnessed its lov/est ever power cuts in the current financial year that also saw the highest ever peak power demand, according to a Delhi government data. A government official said reduction in power cut points towards improvement in processes and systems of electricity supply and transmission. (I.E.,r8/02) CBI books Delhijeweller six months after Oriental Bank ofCommerce complained After Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, the CBI has registered a case against a Delhi based diamond jewellery expofter for at alleged bank loan fraud to the tune of {389.85 crore towards the Oriental Bank of Commerce. The CBI has booked Dwarka Das Seth International for the alleged fraud.Six months after the public sector bank filed a complaint with the CBI, the agency booked the company, and Sabhya Seth, Reeta Serh, Krishta Kumar Singh, Ravi Siqgh - all directo$ ofthe firm * and another company named Dwarka Das Seth SEZ Itcoryoration. (H.,24102)

February 2018 News Digest 23 News From other States

Delhi: From 120 species in 2014, Garhimandu forest down to just 44 There has been a decrease of bird species diversity in t]le Garhimandu ciry forest in north Delhi - from 120 in 2014 to just 44 species this year - ecologists said. This, they said, is due to loss of dense forest cover in the capital. On'Big Bird Day'organised on lebruary 18 by DelhiBird a network of birders across nofih India - bird watchers and ecologists fanned out across the city to conduct a census of bird species.The India State of Forcst Report 2017, released recently by the Centre, found that the total forest cover and trce cover in Delhi has Sone up by 0.25% and 0.137o, respectively. Since 2015, the forest cover in India has gone up by 1%. But'very dense'forest cover in Delhi has declined from 6.94 sqkm in 2015 ro 6.72 sqkm in 2017,while medium dense'forest cover has dropped from 57.1 sqkm to 56,2 sqkm during the same time. (t.8.,27 /02) GOA SC cancels 88 mining lea$es in coa The Supreme Court cancelled 88 mining leases in Goa that were renewed by the state government in 2015 just before the Mines and Minerals (Regularion and Development) Act mandated the auction of mining leases. Cancelling the leases that were renewed for 20 years from 2007, a bench of Justices Madan B. lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta said that the Goa government will examine the applications for mining leases afresh in accordance with the law. (P.,O? /O2) GU'ARAT Taiwanese oil refiner to invest Rs. 41,500 crore in cujarat A Taiwanese public sector undertaking, CPC Corp, has proposed to invest around Rs. 41,600 crore for setting up a naphrha cracker plant in cujamt either ar rhe Mundra SEZ in Kurch or at the Petrcleum, Chemicals and Perrochemicals Investment Region (pCpIR) io Dahej. Top officials of the Taiwanese oil refiner recently met chief minister Vijay Rupani and senior government officials to discuss the proposed investment. According to Eources priw to the development, the prime ministcr's office is coordinating the project, announcement regarding which is likely to be madc soon. (T.O.r.,03/02) Gujarat Budget 2018: Injob mat x, govt banks on private sector, self-employment With the demand for jobs becoming a rallying poinr among the youths, the BJp govemment promised to create employment avenues for 7.5 lakh youths and has set aside Rs.785 crore for it. Howevet the government has set a target of hiring directly only 30,000 youtis in the next one year, which is just 4 per cent ofthe entire employment the government wants to generate. (r.E.,27102) Gujarat Socio-Economic Reviewi 54 o/o jump in man-days lost due to strikes, lockouts Industrial disputes are on a dse in Gujamt that has always been promoted as an ideal destination for corporate investments. The figures published in the latest edition of the Socio Economic Review (2017 18) show a 54 per cent rise in the number of man-days lost due to strikes and lockouts during 2015. (r.8.,22 / 02) GujaratAssembly poll results challenged, Election Commission gets High Courr notice The Gujarat High Court issued notices ao the Election Commission of India and BTp leaders. among others, on four separate election petitions moved by Congress leaders challenging the

February 2018 News Digest 24 News Frcm other States

recently held Assembly results where they were defeated by the BJP. Among the peritioners are Dhirajlal Madhavjibhai Kalathiya, who lost Botad Assembly seat to current state enersr minister Saurabh Patel by a margin of 906 votes. In all, more than 20 Congress leaders who lost in the recently held Assembly elections, have moved the High Court asking for direction to the Xlection Commission of India to count vorer verifiable paper audit trai.l (WPAT) slips which were not considered while pronouncing the results. (r.8.,24 /02) Gujarat municipal poll: Congress, BIP $hare power itr Pardi, pr€sident chosen via lurly draw With ttle Congress and BJP both winning 14 seats each in the 28-member Pardi Municipality in Valsad district, a Iucky draw through chits decided on who will be rhe president and vice president of the civic body. The Congress and the BJP will now share power with each parry ruling the civic body for two-atd-a-half years, as per the laid down rules. While BIP'S Falguni Bhait was choseII as the president in the lucky draw, Congress's Bipin Patel was selected vice, president. "The term of president and vice-president will be of two-and-a-half years. For the Iirst two- and-a-half years, BJP will rule the municipality, and the remaining two-and-a-half- years, Congress will rule ir;'Pardi Municipality ChiefOfficer G.J.Gamit rold. (r.E.,27l02) }IARYANA Straw management device$ to be subsidised To bring an end to the pollution due to stubble burning, the Union government is nnalising a scheme to finance straw management equipments. Disclosing this, Haryana chief secretary DS Dhesi, who is member of tie Prime Minister's task force to tackle this issue, olr Friday said under this scheme, straw management equipments will be provided to farmers on subsidy. (s.,19l02) After Me Haryana proposes death penalty for rapists ofgirls below 12 years AJter Madhya Pradesh, now Haryana has proposed to punish mpists of girls below 12 years with a maximum punishment of death penalty. Madhya Pradesh became the first state in the country to introduce this stdngent provision by passing the amendments in December 2017. The state Cabinet took this decision, which shall ncw be taken up in thc forthcoming Budget Session ofthe Assembly, scheduled to commence from March 5. once passed by the Assembly, it shall be sent for President's assent. (t.8.,28 /02) IAMMU KASHMIR After l14 years, J&K to get new Act for protection offisheries More than a century after enacting an Act to preserve fisheries in Jammu and Kashmit the state is all set to get a new legislation for the secton The Legislative Council passed "a Bill to provide for the protection, conservation and development of fishedes in the state and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto." The bill was moved by Minister for Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Fishe es, Abdul Gani Kohli and passed with a voice vote. (T.O.|.,O7 / 02) Beating odds, Aadhaar enrolments 8o up in J-K Despite facing problems and challenges in militancy-hit regions of Jammu and Kashmir (JetK), Aadhaar enrclment has touched over 73 per cent in the foubled state. As per the states latest figures till 31 lanuary 2018, Aadhaar enrolment for all age groups has reached 73 48 per cent, thanks to different strategies adopted to get the enrollments done. (s.,16/02)

February 2018 News Digest 25 News From oaher States

KARNATAKA Only 17 tmcft live storage in Cauvery reservoirs The,comtined tive storage in all four major reservoirs in the Cauvery basin in Karnataka is just 17.154_thousand million cubic (tmcft) feet as agaiNt their full fiue cap"city of 106.321 tmcft. Nevertheless, the situarion is far.bett"" "'to"ag" iher, f"r, V""* Kdshnaraja Sagar r:1" Srirangapama of Mandya Kabini"omp""eJi" !T|t] _disticr, n""" tt"ggJ" i"u"n, r

Q.,O9 /O2) MAJIARASHTM Maham$htra govt approves new wildlife Eanctuary at chodazari The._Maharashtra government has approved Ghodazad in chandmpur district as a new wildlife sanctuary in the state. The decision was taken at the r:tt meetiii otttre rvrarrarastrtra state Board for Wildlife, chaired by chieJ Mi.i.r". D"*;l;;;l;r;sluhe North - -'" -" sanctuary, in trre Xasr of Tadoba, will include 159 sq km of Brahmapuri for;. Mumbai o'E airport sets record with 980llights in 24 hours '01102) On January 20, Mumbai airport created a-new world record for single_runway operations by handling 980 arrivals and tike-offs m za r,our., with the. Mumbai chhatmpati -,rrnori';;il;ft;e[ -,rute! this, shivaji Maharal hrernational airpon bettered flights irs owr tbat of 974 in 24 hours, recorded on Decembei 5, 2017.

Mah€rash*a govt forms sub-commiftee to finalise scheme t" h..r"" during Emergency ,hr". i:X;?3"121 fiaah.a,rashya governmelt plans to honour those imp soned dudng has]fe constituted the Imergency and a sub-commitree to frame a pficy ior impf"meniiri-n Pradesh, Chhattisgarh oiit o".irion. fr.lrany" and Raiasthan have ilreaiy rnou"a ir, ,f,i" Ai"".iion." ..r^""g"r,.y _", ti thecountry from 2s, 1975, 9j:l1i:d iune to March 31, 1977. A proposal to honour those imprisoned during rhe Emergcncy period was tabted in ttre caUir"i ir"i'"rr".y z rhe cabiner arrer dtscussion decided to con$tirure a sub_committce ro frr1n"" poiiJy'on the government resolution. issue;,said a (LF,,16/02) Februdry 2018 News Digest 26 News From other States

Pune Municipal Corporation set to work towards 'children-friendly city' After taking up an initiative towards making the city friendly for people with disabilities, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is hoping to establish a children-ftiendly city as it is set to join hands with the Belnard van leer foundation to be part of the Urban95 progmmme. The progmmme focuses on providing facilities for children within the scope of planning and management of cities. The civic adminishation wor d seek nod from Standing Committee to sign a Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU) with the foundation. (r.8.,2O /02, Maharashtra drafts workers' safety, health policy The state labour department has dmfted the safety and health policy for workers employed in factories, shops and establishments, consftuction workers and workers from dre unorganised sector. Officials said that the draft policy includes fixing the responsibility on safety auditors and owne$ of factories and establishments for accidcnts, appointing one safety officer for 250 workers instead ofthe current provision of one for 1,000 workers. (r.E.,26 /02) MEGHAI.AYA Italy, Argentina, Sweden set tg vote in upcoming Meghalaya polls Italy, Argentina, Sweden and I{donesia will vote and choose their representative to the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly this February 27. Well, if you wonder how these countries have voting dghts in this hill statc in India's Nofih East, you are in for a surprise ltaly, Argentina, Sweden and Indoncsia are the names ofvoters of Umniuh Tmar Elaka village under Shella constituency in East Khasi Hills disftict. Sisters Promiseland and Holyland Dkhar and their namesake neighbour jerusalem Khiewtam will also panicipate in the adult franchise. (s.,r2l02)

NAGAT.A.ND NIA to quiz officials of Nagaland cMO The National lnvestigation Agency (NIA) has summoned three officials of the Nagaland Chief Minister's Office for questioning in connection with an investigation into alleged diversion of government funds to the banned terrodst organisation NSCN(K) An MA official said the ;fficials, including Chief Minister TR. Zeliang's Officer on special Duty, Ruokuovizo chupno, had been asked to appear before the chief investigating officer Jasveer Singh in Guwahati in the year-and a half-old case. (H.,1s/02)

?50/o polling in Nagalaud, electors queued up as voting ends As many as 75 per cent of the total 1170 lakh vote$ exerciscd their fnnchise in Nagaland Assembly elections, with hundreds still awaiting their turll to cast their ballot when voting hours ended, the Election Commission said. The 2013 Assembly elections turnout was 90 57 per cent. (s.,!8/02) ODISTIA Panel wrap$ up inquiry against Orissa Hc iudges (CJI) The in-house inquiry committee instituted by the then chief Justice of India in 2015 to probe allegationi ofwrongdoing against two sittingjudges of Orissa High Court completed its iearings aird is expected 6 submit its final report to the CII by the end of this month Sources told th'at the report is likely to indict the two judges based on documented evidence against

27 February 2018 News Digest rn" *-,o**.rn" *t""-*"-b"" p.ob" p"tl"r:"::;ffi:i",: ,n"- "*u**',nn ofPunjab and Haryana High Court Justice S, J, Vazifdar. (r.E.,06/02)

CM Vijay Rupani inaugurates Air Odisha'8 frrst fli8ht under UDAN scheme Air Odisha launched its maiden flight under the Centre's UDAN scheme, linking Mundm with Ahmedabad in Gujamt. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani launched the inaugural flight of the Bhubaneswar-based airline. Air Odisha, which started services as a non-scheduled operator in November 2012, was granted the flying permit by the DGCA to launch flilhts under the Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN), the Centre's regional connectivity scheme (RCS) It has bagged 50 routes under the RCS. (r.8,r7 /02) PUNIAB Village Common Lands (Regulation) Acti Decide on amendment, HC tells Punjab government The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted a final opportunity to the Puniab government to decide on the proposed amendment in the Punjab Vilage Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961 and said tlle court would go ahead with the tlansfer of pending cases of Gram Panchayat land grabbing in Mohali and Rupnagar districts to the empanelled officers on March 20 if the government decides not to amend the Act. G'E '09/02) RATASTHAN congre$s sweep$ by-election$ in Rajasthan In a setback to the NDA, the congress registered an impressive victory in tie three by- elections in Rajasthan, while the Tdnamool Congress made a clean sweep io west Bengal.The Congress wrested rwo Lok Sabha seats - Alwar and Ajmer - and one Assembly seat, Mandalgarh, from the ruling BJP in the western State with huge margins. The Trinamool won the Ulubeda Lok Sabha and Noapam Assembly constituencies. (H.,o2 /02) Raje announces farm loan waiver for Rajasthan's small, marginal farmers Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje announced a one-time loan waiver for small alrd marginal farmers up to 150,000 each from their outstanding short-term debt in the 2018-19 State budget presented in the Assembly. While this move will cost {8,000 crore to rhe State exchequel no new taxes were imposed in the budget.The budget, which gave sops to almost every section of the population, was perceived as a populist one, coming in the wake of her party's defeat in the recently concluded by-elections in Rajasthan. This was Ms. Raje's last budget in her present tenure, as t}Ie State goes to polls in Deccmber this yeax (H.,13/02) Funds push for project to beuefit desert areas A new loan agreement for water sector is set to benefit the desert areas in Rajasthan throuplh restructuring of lndira Gandhi Canal and formulation of flood management systems for the Ravi, Beas, Sutlej and Ghaggar vers. The agreement with dre New Development Bank, stipulating tie release of {1,000 crore as first instalment of a loan worth {3,300 crore, was signed by Rajasthan Principal lrrigation Secretary Shikhar Agrawal, loiut Secreury in Union I inance Ministry Govind Mohan and an NDB rcpresentative in New Delhi. (H.,1s/02)

Irebruary 2018 News Digest 28 Nerrs From other Stdtes

TAMILNADU Government lookE to monetise STC land The State governmenr is planning to allow State Transport Corporations (STCS) to run petrol bunks with the help of public sector oil companies. This will be part of the plan of rie government to monetise land owned by the STCS for widening the scope for revenue, according to a Transport Department senior official. (H.,02 / 02) Satellite phone to ald fishing in troubled waters When cyclone Ockhi was churning the sea last December, the fishermen in their boat$ had no means to communicate with the world or figure out their exacr location. It now appears that some good may well come frcm the tropical storm. The cyclone has speeded up the process of getting a leliable mode of communication on board the fishing crafts, an alternative to rhe mobile phone, which only has coverage up to 12 nautical miles (one nautical mile equals 2 km). The solution most tishermen prefer is a satellite phone. (H.,04/02) Seven heritage EiteE to get disabled-friendly fucilities The Archaeological Survey oflndia (ASI) will develop disabled-friendly facilities at seven sites in TaDil Nadu, including the Sli Kailasanatlar temple in Kancheepuram, Sithanavasal caves, Moovar Koil in Kodambalur near Pudukottai, and the Vellore and Gingee forts. The facilities to be created include ramps, Bmille boards with information about r}le sights and signage and tactile flooring, as well as disabled-friendly rest rooms. (H.,0s/02) Teams to check structural stability oftemples: Minister The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HRCTCE) will form tcams to check the structuml stability aod quality of electdcal works in temples acloss the State, said HR&CE Minister Sevur S. Ramachandlan. Addressing a press conference, he said the renovation work would be taken up based on tlre repoft of the teams, Incroachments on temple sites and in surrounding areas would be removed in tlree months, he added. (H.,r0/02) Jayalalithaa'8 portrait unveiled in Ar$embly Amid opposition from political parties and anti-coruption activists, the portrait of the late AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was unveiled in tie Assembly by Speaker P Dhanapal. The portnit, measuring 7 ft x 5 ft and hung behind the treasury benches facing the east, shows tie former CM standing with folded arms in a green saree. (H.,r3l02) Panel to identify non-essential poEts in go!t. department$ In a major step towards re mping the administrative machincry the Tamil Nadu goYemment has constituted a Staff Rarionalisation Committee to identiiy non-essential posts in various govemment depanments to reduce its revenue expenditure. The panel will also identii-posts that can be "outsourced or appointed through contmct appointment for an initial period to conftol expenditure." The linance department has also constituted a one member committee to look into the pay anomalies highlighted by various employees' associations, in line with the Governor's speech in the Assembly last month, (H.,2rl02)

February 20IB News Digest 29 News From other States

Kamal Haasan launches Tamil Nadu potitical party Makkal Needhi Maiam Kamal Haasan launched his political party, following months ofspeculatio! as to whether the veteran Tamil actor would take the plunge. After embarking on the first phase of his tour through the state, Haasan announced Mal'4

February 2018 News Digest 30 News From other States number of people were still standing in queues even after the voting hours were oven The polling will conrinue rill 9 pm 10 as it was_delayed in the morning flllowing complaints ol EVM matfunctioning. The voter rurnout stood at 91.g2 per cent in the last Assembly election. 0.E.,r8/02) UTTAR PMDESH 21 become HMnfected a6 Unnao quack uses common sSrringe At least 21 people became inlecred with pradesh,s HMn Uttar Unnao district allegedly after a quack used a cornmon syringe to administer the injection, an official has said.A case has been registered against rhe quach he said. chiefMedical Officer (cMO) Dr. S.p. Chaudhary said rhe matter came to lighr ..high after the healrh department launched a probe followiug rcports of number ofHIV cases" in the area. (r,8.,06/ 02) Allahabad to get Eea plane and amphi bus before Kumbh Pilgrims and devotees coming to the Salgam ciry for Kumbh 2019 would be enjoying the ride ofsea plane (rhat lands on water) and amphi bu; (which can ply on road and water alike). One each,of these mode of modern transport would be provided by the central government before t(umbh.lhrs was announced by the union minister for road and surface transport, Nitin Gadkari. He was in the city to lay the foundation stone of several projects worth over Rs 55OO crores. (TO.r.,08/02) By-elections in Gorakhpur, phulpur constituencies on March ll A month ahead yogi of the completion of one year of Adityanath government in the state, the polit,.al landscape heated up with the llectiolr Commission of india (fCI) announcing the schedule for bypoll to two lok Sabha seats in Uttar pradesh. The yogi government will complete one year in. office on March 19. polling for by-elections to Goraihpur and phulpur (Allahabad) Lok Sabira seats, vacated respecrtvity by'CM edityanath iogi ana neputy CIi,t Keshav Prasad Maurya, will be held on March 11. A notification for both seats will be issued by panel the poll on February I3 and counting ofvotes will be held on March 14. (s.,r0/02) UP Govt declines to provide automatic firearms to gunners on security duty of legislators The Uttar Pradesh government refused to entertain a demand from a section of opposiiion members to provide automatic firearms like AK-47 to gunners. The opposition members claimed that PSOS were armed widr antiquated carbine ind ,tun gurr, .hi.h did not work properly. Mohammad Aslam Raini (BSp) through a quesrion in rhe Assembly,said that t}le life of legislators were in danger as gunners provided to them have worn out firearms which sometimes do not work. Parliamentary Affairs minister Suresh Kumar Khanna outrightly rejected the demand saying that the previous Sp government had issued a Government Order !9Ol in May, 2014 maintaining rhat no gunner of legislators should be provided with Ak_47, Ak-56 and Mi-5 weapons. (P.,r4/02) UP govt's New Tourism policyr Target to create live lakh jobs, attract Rs, S,ooo_crore inveEtments every year The state Soverumenr unveiled its new Tourism policy-2018 and claimed t}lat it would helD genelate five lakh jobs and attract Rs. 5,000-crore worth investmenrs every yeac Under rhe

February 2018 News Digest News From other Stutes new policy, the government said that it plans to develop 10 tourist circuits across the state The policy, which will be placed before thc investors in the state government's maiden UP Investors' Summit to be held on lebruary 21 and 22, was unveiled by state Tourism Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi. (r.E.,2Ol02) UP Investors Su[rmit: Iudia Inc opens waUet, MoUs worth Rs. 4.28 lakh crore inked The Uttar Pmdesh government siSned 1,045 Memorandum of Understanding amounting to proposed investments worth Rs. 4.28 lakh crore at the UP Investors Summit 2018 in Lucknow. The summit wimessed the presence of lndia Inc leaders such as Mukesh Ambani, Kumar Mangalam Birla, N chandrasekaran, Anand Mahindra and Gautam Adani, among others, and they announced investment plans in UP over the next three to five years. (r.8.,2s /02) WEST BENGAL State Finance Minister Amit Mitra proposed Rs.100 crore for a special corpus to ensure that farmers get due pdce of their produce.Tabling the State Budget for the financial year 2018- 19 in the Assembly, Mitra saidi During bumper production of food grains and vegetables, we have seen that many times there is a cmsh in the prices and the farmers have to make distress sale. To ensure that farmers get due pdce of their produce and do not have to make distress sale, the honourable chief ministe! has decided to create a special corpus to assist farmers in such event. I propose to provide Rs. 100 crore for this purpose." o.E.,01/02) ln a first in state, Malda medical college gets oxygen storage plant Malda dishict magistrate Kaushik Bhattacharya on lriday inaugurated a liquid medical oxygen storage plant at the Malda Medical College and Hospital, making it rhe first of its kind in a govelnment hospital in the state. The total project was carried out under the supervision of the West Bengal Medical Services Corpomtion. According to an official of the WBMSC, the total project cost for the storage, exclusively for the MMCH, was around Rs. 20 lakh, and that the gas is stored in a temperature of minus 182 degrees. (s.,03/02)

February 2018 News Digest 32 nternational News

INTERNATIONAL NEWS Merit-based immigration system nece8sary to match needs ofUS economy! White House The flood of low-skilled immigrants into rhe US has supplessed wages, harmed American workers and stmined fedeml resoulces, the White House said as it defended president Donald Trump's proposal for a merit-based immigratiol system. According to the White House, countries like Canada and Australia use a merit-based immigration system that benelits both the immigrants and those nations. (r.E,,0r/02) Polish lawmakers back draft Holocau$t law, US voices concern Polish lawmakers approved dmfr legislation penalising suggestions of any complicity by Poland in the Nazi Holocaust on its soil during World War II, defying criticism by Israel and rhe United States. The proposal has triggered a diplomatic spat between Israel and Warsaw s conservative government since its initial approval in the lower house of parliament last week, with IsEeli Pdme Minister Benjamin Netanyahu comparing it ro an effort to change history (r.o.r.,0r/02) Donald Trump grants 6,900 Syrians temporary protection President Donald Trump has extended tempomry protection for 5,900 Sydans living in the US by 18 months as the war continues to ravage their country They were shielded from deportation under a humanitarian progmmme called Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The protection will be extended for the Syrians already living and working in rhe US, the BBC reported. But Syrians who entered the country after August 2016 will be excluded from the progmmme. The extension does not apply to any new or recent applicants from Syda, the report said. Trump cancelled TPS progmmmes for various countries earlier, affectiog immigmnts ftom Xl Salvador, Haiti and Nicaragua. (s.,02l02) US not contemplating military action inside Pakistan: Pentagon The United States is not contemplating military acrion inside Pakistan, the Pentagon has said, refuting such reports appearing in Pakistani newspaper$. Instead, the US seeks Pakistan's cooperation and assistance in valious operations under its new South Asia strategy, Lt Gen Kenneth I McKenzie told reporters at a news conference. (r.o.r.,02/02) 'British press focusses on negative reports on Itrdia,' says India's HiSh Commiscioner in London The Bdtish press focussed too much on negative stories about India, India's High Commissioner in London YK. Sinha said at an event in Parliament this week, urying parliamentarians and others in both countries to become champions of a stronger bilateral relationship. Pointing to the The limer, the Guardion and the Finoncial Times (the last ofwhich he said had been very bullish on India until very recently), he said stories about India focussed on negative angles. (H.,03/02) High levels ofcellphone radiation linked to tumors in male rats, reveals Us study Male rats exposed to very high levels ofthe kind ofradiation emitted by cellphones developed tumors in the tissues around their hearts, according to a draft report by US government lesearchers on the potentiat health risks of the devices. Female mts and mice exposed in the

February 2018 News l)igest Internotionsl News same way did not develop tumors, according to the preliminary repofi from the US National Toxicolos/ Progmm (NTP), a part ofthe National lnstitute ofEnvironmental l{ealth Sciences. 0.8.,03/02) Warren Buffeft on hand as US Navy commissiol$ newest warship The US Navy commissioned its newest warship, tie USS Omaha, a futuristic, $440 million vessel named for the Nebmska hometown of billionaire Waren Buffett, who was on hand for the ceremony. The Omaha, a 218-footlong littoral combat ship, was commissioned at its new home port in San Diego, reports AP, 0.E.,04/02) Reinstated Maldivian lawmakers enter Parliament despite military deploynent 12 Maldivian lawmakers, who were reinstated by rhe country's Supreme Court, entered Parliament despite military deployrnent to block their entry into the building, reported ANI. These MPs had been ousted for switching allegiance to the opposition. But with their retum, Prcsident Abdulla Yameen's Progressive Party of the Maldives will lose its majodty in the 85- member Parliament, reported AP This can result in the legislative body functioning as a rival power to the president. (T.O.L,04/02) Ecuador referendum boosts President in battle with ex-mentor Ecuadoreans voted by a landslide to limit presidents to two terms in a nationwide referendum that delivered a blow to former President Rafael Correa's hoDes of retuminc to Dower. Results from Sundays balloring showcd voters approved by an almost Z-to-t margin a measure reilstating the term limits that Correa eliminated frcm the constitution in 2015. President Lenin Moreno, who was a protege of Correa until taking office last year, hailed the results as a tdumph for Xcuador's democracy. Correa warned that they would usher in a new period of political instabiliry. (T.O.r,0s/02) Japan's PM vows to proceed with US base relocation in Okinawa after poll Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe welcomed rhe victory of a ruling party-backed candidate in a mayoral election on Okinawa, vowing to press ahead with a controversial plan to move a US Madnes air base on the soutiern island, The candidate, Taketoyo Toguchi, backed by Abe,s ruling coalition, defeated incumbent Susumu Inamine, who opposed moving the US Marines' Futenma air base to his cify of Nago in Okinawa's north from a more populous part of tie island. (T.O.r.,05/02) Maldives President declares emergency, former leader arrested The Maldives govemment declared a state of emergency for 15 days, before heavily armed troops stormed the country's apex court and a former president was arrested amid a spiralling political crisis that followed a surprise Supreme Court ruling last week. In an announcement, President Abdulla Yameen's office said: "Dudng this time, though certain rights will be restricted, general movements, services and businesses will not be affected." (H.,06/02) DeEocratic memo released by US House Intelligence Committee A congressional panel has voted unanimously to release a Democratic rebunal to a Republican memo allegitg bias againsr US President Donald Trump. The Republican president has five days to decide whether to declassifu the 10 page documenr.The Housc Intelligence Committee

February 2018 News Digesr 34 International News released the Democmtic memo which highlights flaws in the Republican one, BBC reported. The Republican document claimed tie FBI abused its power by investigating a Trump adviser (r.E,,o6l02) Bill introduced in Us HouEe to end non-defence aid to Pakistan A bill was introduced in the US House of Representatives to end non-defence aid to Pakistan as it "provides military aid and intelligence" to terrodsts. It sought that the amount be redirect to infrastructure projects in the Us.Introduced by Congressmen Mark Sanford from South Carolina and Thomas Massie from Kentucky, the legislation will prohibit the US State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) from sending American taxpayer money to Pakistan.Instead, these funds will be redirected to the Highway Trust lund, the account that pays for road infrastructure in the US. (H.,O1 /O2) Spacexlaunches world's most powerful rocket SpaceX successfully launched the world s most powerful rocket, a towering behemoth known as tlre Falcon Heal'y that tore through the sky with the thundering force of 18 Boeing 747 jetliners.Lifting off at 3.45 p.m., on Tuesday frcm tle same launch-pad that sent the crew of Apollo 11 to the moon, the locket sent up a mountain-sized plume of smoke aDd a ratding roar across Florida's Space Coast, where thousands gathered to watch.The mission represented the first test of the massive rocket, powered by 27 engines in thrce first-stage boosters that are strapped together The maiden flight also marked the first time a p vately financed venture ever attempted to launch a rocket so powerful that it was capable of hoisting a payload out of Earth's orbit (s"ozl'2) .Pakistan raises Kashmir in UNSC, ask$ for review of 1948 resolution Pakistan has brought up the Kashmir issue in the Security Council, accusing it of'selective implementation" of its resolutions. Nothing undermines the credibility of the council more than tJre selective implementation of its resolutions;' Pakistan's Permanent Representative Maleeha Lodhi said during a session on its working methods "The Council should therefore periodicaUy review the implementation of its resolutions, especially on longstanding issues iike the Jrmrnu and Kashmir dispute;'she added. "Iailure to enforce ils own resolutions undercuts not just the Council's standing in the world, but the UN as well,"Her reference was to a 1948 Council resolution that called for a ptebiscite to determine the future of Kashmir, while also demanding the withdrawal of Pakistani 'tribesmen' who enteled the state.India has ..tribesmen" said that tlle were Pakistani troops who tried to annex Kashmirciven Pakistan s refusal ro withdraw irs troops, India could not hold a plebiscite and New Delhi maintains that by palticipating in the elections in the state the Kashmid people have exercised their democratic rights integrating with India (s.,08/02) ground vehicles India, lapan to collaborate in areas ofrobotics, uqmanned collaboration in the India and Japan have started technical discussions for future research areas of unmanned ground vehicles and robotics, Japanese Ambassador ro India Kenji Himmatsu has announced. Addressing a seminar on "India I Japanr Towards A Hlgher Stage organised by a think tank here on Tuesday night, he also declared Tokyo's readiness to privide its state-of the-art US-2 amphibian aircmft to India, describing it as a symbol of the irigh degree of tmst between t}te two countries. IIe said the two countries were working hard tohrther enhance exchanges and coopemtion between thet respective forces in the air' sea and land (s 'os/02)

35 February 2018 News Digest Internationol News

US declares Pak-based LeT, Teliban a$ global terrorists Pakistan-based terror oudits The US declared as global terrorists three individuals linked to to "dangerous" rit" trr" r"r and thle Taliban and asked Islamabad to deny sanctuaries property and interests in individuals and orgadsations.As a result of the designation, all Khan and Dilawar pt"p""ay *3 Rahman zeb Faqir Muhammad, Hizb Ullah-Astam - US citizens are prohibited Khan Nadir"fiit" Khan - sublect to Us iurisdiction are blocked and the of Treasury designated the tdo iro. enguging in t""nsactions with them The US Depaitment (LeT) and the Taliban "grouit i"tiotittt" for thetu links to telror outlits like Lashkar e-Taiba ". (s.,09/02) china deploys Su-35jets in South China Sea to counter US patrols jets its combat mission china ha; deployed the newly- acquired Russian made Su 3 5 lighter in and naval patrols asserting over the disputed south China Sea to challenge recurdng US aerial sent its Su-35 freedom of navigation and over-flight in region The Chinese air force rec€ndy air force fighterjets to take part in ajoint combat patrol over the South China Sea' the chinese force jets to assert ,ulid in Th US military is periodically sending warships and ail ofit' freedom" "t"t"."nt.of flights and navigation over the Souti china Sea as China claims most (r.o.[,09/02) Trump signs budget deal, bringlng end to second shutdown of 2018 budget United States President Donald Trump on Friday signed a combined funding and bill of that was passed by Congress hours earlier ard will increase federal spending by hundreds billions oi doltarc, bringing an end to the second government shutdown this yearF day's shutdown lasted just a iew hours, while an earlier partial government shutdown in January was resolved after a three-day standofl Efe reported (5,,10/02) N.Korean leader invites s.Korea's Moon to the Northr president's office to Pyongyang North Korean leader Kim Jong un invited south Korean President Moon Jae-In "at an early date-, the presidential Blue House in Seoul said, potentially setting up the first meeting ofKorean leaders in more than 10 years. Mx Kim's sister Kim Yo Iong' who is visiting South iorea to attend the Pycongchang Winter olympics, delivered her brother's perso[a] invitation dudng a meeting with Moon at the Blue Housc, a presidential spokesman said A visit by Mr Moon to the N;rth would enable the fiIst summit between leaders from the two Koreas since 2oo7 1H.,ro/02) Gevora, the world's tallest hotel, open$ in Dubai Gulf metropolis Dubai, on its never-ending quest to break records, announced the opening of the "world;s new tallest hotel" on Sunday, pipping another towering landmark in the city for the title. The gleaming gold 7s-storey Gevora Hotel stands 3 56 metes, or nearly a quarter of a mile, tall. The new recold-holder is withinview of its predecessor, Dubai's JW Mariott Marquis - just one metre shorter (H.,rrlo2) PM Modi launches project for first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially launched a project for the construction of the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, describing the holy place as a "catalytic agent" of humanity and harmony that will become a medium oflndia's identity Mr' Modi laid the foundation stone for the BAPS Swaminarayan temple via video conferencing from the Dubai Opem House, where he addressed the members of the Indian communiw. (H.,f f /02)

February 2018 News Digest 36 ntemationol Neu)s

Rajapaksa-backed party wilrs big in Sri Lanka local government polls The Sri lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), backed by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, appeared set for a landslide win in the local governDcnt pous held on Saturday.lven as the counting continued on Sunday evening, the SLPP, formed in 2016 by Mn Rajapaksa's suppofiers, had won nearly 200 out of the 340 councils. Prime Minister Ranil wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP) appeared a distant second with around 37 councils, and P.esident Maithripala Sirisena's faction of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) secured even fewer councils. (H.,r1/02) India, Oman sign I agreementE as PM Modi meets Sultan Qaboos Prime Minisrer Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with the sultan of oman and later rhe two sides signed eight agreements, including pacts on cooperation in the field of defence, health and tourism. Modi, who arived in Oman ftom Dubai on the last leg of his three-nation tou!, led delegation-level talks with Qaboos bin Said al Said and discussed measures to strengthen coopemtion in trade and investmcnt, enerey, defence, security, food security and regional issues. (s.,72/02) Ru$$ian plane with 71 on board cmshes A Russian passenger plane with 71 people on board crashed shortly after taking off from Moscow ailport on Sunday, media reports say. Emergency Services told Interfax news agency that there was little chaoce ofanyone having survivcd after the aircraft crashed qear the town ofArgunovo in Moscow plovince, Efe news agency repofted. The AN-148 was flying to the city of orskwhen it disappeared from radar screens,Interfax said. (s.,72102) Trump unveils massive $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a massive $1.5 trillion plan to modernise America's infrasfucture including $200 billion in fedeml funding.Desc;ibing it as a most comprehensive infrasbucture bill in the history of the US, Mr. Trump said tJle plan addresses more than traditional infrastucture - like roads, bridges and airyolts - as well as drinking and waste water systems, waterways, water lesources, energy, rural infrastructure, public lands, vetemns hospitals and Brownfield and superfund sites. (H.,13/02) Giving up control ofBrussels mosque, Saudi Arabia sends a $ignal Saudi Arabia has agreed to give up confol of Belgium's largesr mosque in a sign that it is trying to shed its leputation as a global exporter of an ultra-conservative brand of Isiam.Bel6um leased the Grand Mosque to Riyadh in 1959, giving Saudlbacked imams access now to a growingMuslim immigrant community in return ior cheaper oil for its industryBut it wanis to cut Riyadh's links with the mosque, near the European Union's headquarters in Brussels, over concerns that what it preaches breeds radicalism. (H.,13/02)

US, I$rael hold fir$t foreiSn policy dialogue global The US and Israel held their lirst foreign policy dialogue here to discuss regional and upon issues of mutual intcrest, the State Department 8aid in a statement The dialogue touched opportunities for cooperation in Africa on development, economics, and countcr rellonsm; wavs to ailvance shared intelests in the Asia Pacific region; and efforts to advance shared

37 February 2018 News Digest International News

approaches to rcgional engagement in the Americas in collaboratiol with the Organisation of American Statcs, the statement said.It also focused on digital diplomacy and recent developments in research and social media technology, reports Xnhua news agencyThe gathering was co chaired by US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon and Yuval Rotem, Director General ofthe Israeli Foreign Ministry (s.,r4 /02) Us proposes $336 m aid to Pak, down by $10 m US President Donald Trump has proposed $335 million in civilian and security aid to Pakistan for fiscal 2019, beginning 0ctober I, but has tied disbursement of the $ 80 million security aid component to Islamabad taking decisive action against teror outfits. Trump's $4 trillion annual budget scales down Pakistan assistance by about $10 million as part of the overall spending cuts on foreign aid that he has proposed. (s.,14l02) CPN-UML names Oli as Nepal's next Prime Minister The CPN-IML picked party Chairman K.P Sharma oli as the next Prime Minister of Nepal, a senior leader of the party said, over two months after the successlul conclusion of historic parliamentary polls.Mr. Oli,65, served a$ the country's Pdme Minister frcm October 11,2015 to August 3, 2015. He is krown for his pro China stance A Standing Committee (SC) of the party held in lalitpur named Mr, Oli as the prime ministerial candidate as he is also the UMLs Parliamentary Pany leader, senior pafiy leader Surendra PandeJ said. (H.,15/02) south African President zuma resigns South Airican President Jacob Zuma resiSned in a televised addrcss to the nation, ending a turbuient tenure marred by corruption scandals that sapped the populadty of the ruling Aftican National Congress and hurt one ofAfrica's biggest economies The resignation signaled an imminent end to a lcadership crisis in South Africa and set the stage for Mr Zuma to be replaced by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, who has promised a robust campaign against conuption but will quickly face pressure to produce rcsults in a country struggling with unemployment, economic inequity and other problems. (H.,1s/02) Brazil to dedare 'emergency' on Venezuela border Brazil said it will declare a "statc of social emergencY" and boost troops on its border with Venezuela in response to an influx ol people fleeing the cdsis in that countryThe declaration will free the authorities to allocate "infrastructure funds and to put in place humanita an measures ' on the Vcnezuelan border, the government said in a statement. (H.,16/02) Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba resiSns Nepal Pdme Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba resigned opening the door for the lefi alliance to form the next government, over two months after his party faced a debacle in the country's histo c par[a;entary and local polls. Deuba was elccted as the 40'h P mc Minister on ]une 6 with the suppofi from CPN (Maoist Centre) which is now a part of Left alliance and opting ior merger with cPN tlMl. (T.O.r.,16/02) Pakistan tr deploy troops in saudi Arabia In a major policy shifr, Pakistan will deploy troops in Saudi Arabia under an existing bilateml security cooperation agrecment with its close ally which is involved in a civil war in

February 2018 News Digest ntemational News neighboudng Yemen.Pakistan Army announced the decision to send troops on a "faining and advise mission- to Saudi Arubia after a meeting between Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Saudi amba$sador to Pakistan Nawaf Saeed Al-Maliki at the army headquarteN in Rawalpindi. (H.,r1 /O2) Pakistan borrows $500 million from china to shore up depleting reserves Pakistan has contlacted another foreign commercial loan of USD 500 million from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) to shore up its depleting reserves The Express Tribune reported that with new borrowing the Chinese financial institution s co;tibution to supporting a srong rupee against the US dollar increased to USD 1 billion in just three months. (r.E.,r7 / 02) Israel strikes Hamas targets in Gaza after soldiers wounded The Israeli military said it struck 18 targets in Gaza ovemight, in response to an explosive device that wounded four soldier$ along the border with the terdtory as Gaza officials said the bodies of two Palestinian teenagers who were killed trying to infiltrate Israel were recovered on Sunday. The military said its airstrikes were part of its expanded response to the attack, in which two ol the soldiers were seriously wouqded.The border area has been generally quiet since the 2014 war between Ismel and Hamas, but has seen an increase in violence after President Donald Trump's announcement in December recognizing Jerusalem as Ismel's capital. 0.E.,r8/02) Ramaphosa targets 8raft, vowr jobs in new dawn for S-Africa South Africa's freshly-appointed president, Cyril Ramaphosa' hailed "a new dawn" as he pledged to tackle corruption that his predecessor Jacob Zuma is accused of fostering.In his filst major speech after Zuma's bruising nine-year term ended, Ramaphosa outlined a grand vision to revive the stagnant economy, address dire unemployment and control spiralling government debt (s.,r'/02) saudi women to start own business without male permission Women in Saudi Arabia can now open their own businesses without the consent of a husband or male relative, as the kingdom pushes to expand a fast-growing private sector'The policy change, announced by the Saudi government on Thursday, also marks a major step away from the strict guardianship system that has ruled the country for decades. (H.,rg /02) Philippine senate probes frigate deal; Rodrigo Duterte aide denies meddling Philippine senators began a public inquiry into the $300 million purchase of two navy frigaies, to determine whether president Rodrigo Duterte's closest aide had interfered in the p"i"nr"rn"nt process. The inquiry was prompted by media reports that caried a leaked document with an annotation that links the president's longtime special assistant, Christopher "Bong" Go, to t}Ie process of procuring a combat management system for the frigates from a South Korea s Hyundai HealT Industries. (r.8,.,r9 /02) Saudi foreign minister rejects Qatari proposal of Eu-style security pact Saudi Ambia has no inrerest in participating in a European Union-style tegional secudty

39 February 2018 Nevrs Digest nternational N?ws

alliancF as proposed by Qata., its Foreign Minister Adel afJubeir said on Monday. Qatar,s !mir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani said on Friday that Middle Eastern states should put their differences behind them and forge a security pact modelled on the Xuropean Union in order to pull the region back from the brink.He asked the international community to keep up diplomatic pressure on the couDt.ies concemed to achieve that, but offered few other details. (r.E.,2O / 02) Every Singaporean aged 2l and above will receive up to S$g0O bonus, announces govt in 2Ol8 budget The Singapore government announced that all Singaporeans aged 21 and above will receive a ..hongbao", one-time bonus of up ro S$300 each. Described as thl bonus will be paid according to a person's annual income. About 2.7 Singaporeans stand to bcnelit from the payout which will cost the government 5$700 million.Finance Minister Heng Swee Kear, while making the announcement in his Budget speech, said this..reflects the Government's long_standing commitment to share the fruits ofSingapore's developmerlt with Singaporeans': (r.8.,2O /02) 'China deploys warship$ in Indian Ocean' A chinese naval conringent has been deployed in the East Indian ocean for more than a week at a time when the Maldives is undergoing a political crisis, a Chinese website has reported.The website, sina.com.cn, has linked the deployment of the warships, including an amphibious vessel that can tmnsfer troops from sea to land, to the evolving situation in the Maldives. (H.,21/02\ Nepal's two Communist parties decide to merge In a major political development, two ruling Communist parries in Nepal _ CPN_UML and (Maoist CPN Centre) have decided to unifo and form a new party.Top leaders of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Malxist-Leninist) and CpN Mtoist Cente) forged colsensus on seven points, including the name of the new political party, after their unification on Monday night.According to the seven-point ag""ement signed by the two parties, the name of the unified party would be Nepal Communist parry (NCp).The leaders of the iiML and Maoist Centre decided to hold the uniry general convention by revising the theoretical issues through discussions and delibemtions. (s.,27 /02) Germany suspends visas for Cambodian goyernment members over crackdown Germany said it has suspended preferential visas for private travel by members ofCambodia,s government, including Prime Minister Hun Sen, following a govemment crackdown on the opposition. The visa suspension is the latest action taken against Hun Sen s government by a Western country following the dissolution of rhe oppositio; Cambodia National Rescue party (cNRp), Hun Sen's mailr rival, by the supreme court lastyear, [8,,22/02) New Yorktops list of America'E dirtiest cities: Survey New York is the dirtiest city, with more pests and litter tha[ any place else in the United States, according to a review of government data by the cleaning-services company Busy Bee.The newly released report mnked 40 urban areas across the Us_based on pest and litter data from the. American Housing Survey, air pollution data from the Environmental protection Agency and population estimates from the US Census Bureau, Xnhua rcDorted. (r.8.,22 / 02)

February 2018 News Digest 40 ln|f,rnationa, News

Donald Trump admin makes Hl-B visa approval tough; Indian firms to be impacted procedure The Trump administlation has announced a new policy that makes very tough the a move of issuing H 19 visas to those to be employed at one or more third-party worksites' policy' itt"t \^rltt"ttugety impact Indian 1T compinies and their employees Under the new tie party company wJuld have to go an extra length to prove that its H-1B employee at a third worksite has specific and non-qualifying speculative assignments in speciality occupation (r.E.,23 /02) Draft resolution on ceaseffre in Syria fails to Pass inUNsc in Syria s The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has held discussions on the situation 30-day confucting enclave of Eastein Ghouta but failed to agree on a resolution calling for a Kuwait i"n the war-torn countryThe council was considering a resolution' drafted by ceasefire .,a and Sweden, that demands cessation of hostilities t}rroughout syda fol all military oper"tions eo"pt those directed at the Islamic State (IS), Al-Qaeda and al Nusra lront'for 30 dis to allow aia delivedes and medical evacuations, Xinhua reported' (s.,23/02) two' US imposes more North Korea sanctions, Donald Trump warns of'phase to plessure The United States said on Friday it was imposing its largest package of sanctions warned of a North Korea to give up its nucleir missile program, and President Donald Trump "phase two" that could be "very' very unfonunate for the world" if the steps did not workln aidressing the Trump administation s biggest national secudty challenge, the US Treasury salctione; on" pe"sorr, 27 companies and 28 ships, according to a statement on the US Treasury Department's website e,E.,24lO2) China's PLA equip$ ground unit along Indian border with US army-style combat gear:Report powerful US- Ihna has equlpped a branch ofthe PLA deployed along the India[ border with a ,tyte integ""tJ individual soldier combat system to plepare for- a furirre "infolmatised warfare'l i media report has said. Informatised warfare' a term widely used by the chinese in military in recent years refers to the use ofIT' digital and artificial intelligence applications Army tattteneta conditions.The Sky Wotf Commandos, a branch of the People's liberation spu.ur opemtions roices from the westem Theatre command, have been equipped iirll with fte china with th; QTS-1i system in their training, Weihutang, a column affiliared looks the security Central Television aCCTV), reported. The Western Theatre Command after alongthe 3,488 km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) with lndia' (r.E,24/02') Rauil takes over t aw Ministry in key reshufrle Amid considerable speculation about the Cabinet reshuffle, seen as part of the Sri lankan govemment's co ective measures following its recent poll drubbing, Prime Minister Ranil aide and fuickremesinghe took over the key Law and order Ministry 'He replaced his close act on cases party colleagie Sagala Ratnayaka, who some in govemment accused of failing to iinked to the govemment offormer President Mahinda Raiapaksa (H.,2sl02)

New H-lB policy memo is to protectworkers: U'S' agency to protect The new H 1B policy memomndum is part ofan effort by the Trump administration and prevent the wages and working conditions of both Amedcan and non-immigmnt workers (USCIS) said The USCIS any fra-"ud o. abuse, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration SeNices have go to extra issued a new poticy memorandum, according to which a company would to 4l February 2018 News Digest Internaaiondl News length to prove tiat its H-18 employee at a third-pafty worksite has specific and non- qualifying speculative assignments in speciality occupation. (H.,25/02) Michael Mccormack replaces Barnaby loyce as Australia Deputy PM The junior paftner in Ausffalia's coalition government elected as its new leader a former n"*ipupu" takes over as Deputy Prime Minister after an embarassing sex scandal threaiened a"ditot\'ho decades-old conseryative alliance. Michael Mccormack was chosen in a party- room ballot to replace Barnaby Joyce as the leader of the rural-based National Party after with his former Joyce, who campaigned on family values, resigned over an exffamarital affair media secretary (r.8.,26 / 02) China sets rtage for Xi Jinping to rule indefinitely China moved to extend the reign ofXi Jinping as President beyond his term limit of 2023, with the ruling Communist Party's centml commiftee proposing the removal frcm the constitution of a clause limiting the presidency to two five year terms.China's constitution currently has set Iimits oftwo five-yearrerms for the president and th

e vice-president. The rule was initiated by Deng Xaoping in the 1970s and has been st ctly followed over the last four decades. (r.E ,26 /02) Russia vetoes UN resolution citing Iran sanction$ violation Russia vetoed a British-drafted UN resolution on Monday that took aim at lmn over a report by UN experts that said t]Ie country violated an arms embargo by failing to prevent missiles and drones from being supplied to Shiire rebels in Yemen. The vote in tle Security Council was 11 in favor, Russia and Bolivia opposed, and China and Kazakistan abstaining. (r.8.,27 / 02) Saudi military leaders replaced amid stalemated war iu Yemen Saudi AEbia replaced its military chief of staff and other defence officials in a shake-up apparently aimed at overhauling its Defence Ministry during the stalemated war in Yemen.The kingdom also announced a new female Deputy Ministcr of Labour and Social Development as ir tries to broaden thc role ofwomen in the workplace. (H,,27 /O2) Despite outcry lranian minister addreEseE UN rights body Imn's justice minister, a sanctioned human rights violator, unapologetically took the podium at the llN's top human rights body to bemte US and Saudi policies, defying calls for him to stay away in a visit a top US diplomat said made a "mockery" of the body.Justice Minister Seyyed Alireza Avaei's visit has been criticized because he's faced EU sanctions for six years for his role in arbitrary arrests, denying prisoners' dghts, and increasing executions in lran. (1.E.,24 l02) Court paves way for diesel vehicles ban in Germany A German court rang the death knell for dirty diesel cars , striking a blow to the country's flagship auto industry that could now be forced ro spend billions ro upgrade or replace millions of cars, according to a report from Dow Jones Newswires.Rejecting an appeal of a lower court decision, the trederal Administrative Court in Leipzig has opened the door for

February 2018 News Digest 42 nternational News German including cities the hometowns of German auto icons Mercedes-Benz, BMW alrd Audi - to ban diesel vehicles from urhan traffic to reduce pollution, Efe reported. (s.,28l02)

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February 2018 News Digest 43