Jwala Gutta included in Governing Body of Sports Authority of India

Jwala Gutta included in Governing Body of Sports Authority of India Commonwealth badminton doubles gold medallist Jwala Gutta in the second week of March 2017 was included as a member of the governing body of the Sports Authority of India (SAI). In addition, BV Papa Rao, IAS (retired), was also added to the newly constituted governing body. He has the experience of being an officer on special duty of SAI from 1985 to 1990. At present, he is a sports administrator and advisor to Telangana Government. About Jwala Gutta
• Jwala Gutta is a left-handed Indian badminton player.
• She is India’s most successful doubles specialist.
• She has won the National Badminton Championships fourteen times.
• She has won numerous medals for Indian badminton including the bronze medal BWF World Championships in 2011 and a gold and silver at 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games respectively in women's doubles. • In 2011, she was awarded the Arjuna Award, India's second highest sporting award, for her achievements. About Sports Authority of India
• The Sports Authority of India is an apex National Sports body.
• It was set up in 1984 by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.
• It was instituted for broad basing and bringing excellence in sports across India.
• SAI has 9 Regional Centres, which are located at Bengaluru, Gandhinagar, Chandigarh,Kolkata, Imphal, Guwahati, Bhopal, Mumbai,Lucknow and Sonepat.
• It has two Academic institutions, which are Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports (NS NIS), Patiala and Laxmibai National College of Physical Education (LNCPE), Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala).

Bibhu Prasad Kanungo appointed as Deputy Governor

Bibhu Prasad Kanungo appointed as Deputy Governor of RBI Odisha's Bibhu Prasad Kanungo was on 14 March 2017 appointed as Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) with effect from April 2017. His appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) for a period of three years. He will succeed R Gandhi. Kanungo is the second person from Odisha to be appointed as Deputy Governor of RBI after Harun Rashid Khan whose term ended in July 2016. About Bibhu Prasad Kanungo
• In March 2016, Kanungo was appointed as Executive Director of RBI.
• He was in charge of Foreign Exchange Department before taking over as Executive Director of RBI.
• Earlier, he had served as RBI’s Regional Director in Jaipur and Kolkata.
• He also served as the Banking Intermediary for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
• He began his banking career in 1979 by joining Oriental Bank of Commerce as a Probationary Officer and later in 1980, he joined RBI as an Officer.
• Kanungo is Certified Associate of Indian Institute of Bankers and also holds a degree in Law (LLB) from Utkal University.
• He hails from Kendrapara district of Odisha.

The Governor's Role In The Hung Assembly

The Governor's Role In The Hung Assembly The Assembly Elections in Goa and Manipur produced an inconclusive verdict. As a result, there were Hung Assemblies. In Manipur, the BJP won 21 constituencies and the Congress won 28 constituencies out of 60 Constituencies. But BJP managed to form an alliance. In Goa, the BJP won 13 seats and the Congress won 17 seats out of 40 constituencies. Here also, BJP managed to form an alliance.  In Goa, the Congress Party protested at the Governor’s decision to invite the BJP to form the government. It triggered a debate about the role of the governor in government formation in the states. Especially, in the case of Hung Assembly, what are the constitutional provisions and what we need to know are explained below. History of such cases There are many such incidences in history where the political parties with fewer seats were invited to form the government by the governor. The BJP won 30 out of 81 seats in Jharkhand in 2005. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha who won only 17 seats was invited to form the government. In Jammu and Kashmir 2002, the National Conference won 28 constituencies but the governor invited the Congress and PDP who won 21 and 15 constituencies. The BJP won 31 seats in Delhi in 2013, but the AAP who won 27 seats was invited to form the Government. There are other such incidences which took place in 1952 (Madras), 1967 (Rajasthan) and 1982 (Haryana). Role of the Governor in the government formation In 2006, President of India (then) Dr A P J Abdul Kalam while addressing the governors had emphasized the relevance of recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission and said “While there are many checks and balances provided by the Constitution, the office of the Governor has been bestowed with the independence to rise above day-to-day politics and override compulsions either emanating from the central system or the state system.” In the Rameshwar Prasad Vs Union of India, 2006, case, a five-judge Constitution Bench, clearly recommended the suggestions made by the R S Sarkaria Commission in its report on Centre-State relations, which had emphasized on the impartiality of Governors and their role in upholding the constitutional mandate. Later, the M M Punchhi Commission also elaborated that the governor should follow “constitutional conventions” in a case of a hung Assembly. Further, in a case of a Hung Assembly, the Punchhi Commission prescribed:
1. The party or alliances which get the widest support in the Legislative Assembly should be called upon to form the government.
2. If there is a pre-poll coalition or alliance, it should be treated as one political party. And in case, such coalition gets a majority, the leader of such alliances shall be called by the Governor to form the government.
3. In case no pre-poll coalition or party has a clear majority, the governor should select the Chief Minister in the order of priorities indicated here: (i) The group of parties which had a pre-poll alliance of the largest number. (ii) The largest single party which claims to form the government with the support of others; (iii) A post-electoral alliance with all partners joining the government; (iv) A post-electoral alliance where parties are joining the government and the remaining including independents are supporting the government from outside. In the Nabam Rebia and Bamang Felix Vs Deputy Speaker case a five-judge Bench, recommended the views of the Punchhi and Sarkaria Commissions regarding giving the Governor an independent discretion to take a call on the floor test when the government has lost the confidence of the legislature. In the S R Bommai case, a nine-judge Bench had underlined the significance of a floor test when there are claims by two political groups while laying down that the floor test must be conducted by the Governor as soon as possible. Constitutional Provisions In 1993, advocates on Record Association Vs Union of India, case which was a case in regards to weight of “constitutional convention”, a seven-judge bench, in Supreme Court, had held that “there is no distinction between the ‘constitutional law’ and an established ‘constitutional convention’ and both are binding in the field of their operation. The Supreme court also observed that “Once it is established to the satisfaction of the court that a particular convention exists and is operating then the convention becomes a part of the ‘constitutional law’ of the land and can be enforced in the like manner,”. Article 164(2) of the Constitution says that the Council of Ministers must be collectively responsible to the House. Similar Case in the Lok Sabha In Lok Sabha, the debate between a combination of parties constituting a majority versus the largest single party lacking majority was answered by the former President Shri KR Narayanan. Mr. Narayanan elaborated it in his communiqué in March 1998 when he invited Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee to form the Government. He had said “when no party or pre-election alliance of parties is in a clear majority, the Head of State has in India or elsewhere, given the first opportunity to the leader of the party or combination of parties that has won largest number of seats subject to the Prime Ministers so appointed obtaining majority support on the floor of the house within a stipulated time. This procedure is not, however, all time formula because situations can arise where MPs not belonging to the single largest party or combination can, as a collective entity, out-number the single largest claimant. The President’s choice of Prime Minister is pivoted on the would be Prime Minister’s claim of commanding majority support.” Conclusion In a democracy, the proper representation of public interest is of supreme importance. And the governments are chosen by the people. And, our constitution has clearly directed the ways how the government should be formed in the case of Hung Assembly. And it has given this prerogative to the Governors. So the governor should analyze which political party or alliance is forming the majority on the basis of constitutional provisions. And his decision should be followed by the political parties.

New Zealand River gains legal status of a person

New Zealand River gains legal status of a person, ending 140 years battle The Whanganui River in New Zealand has become the first landmark in the world to be granted the same legal rights as that of a human being, following a 140-year struggle. The river’s new legal identity comes with the passing of the Whanganui River Claims Settlement bill. The bill passed its third reading in New Zealand’s Parliament on 15 March 2017. It aims to establish a new legal framework for the river. Key Highlights
• The bill recognised the river as an indivisible, living whole from the mountains to the sea.
• The river is the first in the world to be granted all the rights, duties, liabilities and legal status of a person.
• The bill’s passing brought an end to the longest running litigation in the history of New Zealand. The people of Whanganui iwi have been fighting for the recognition of their relationship with the river since the 1870s.
• The settlement included a financial redress of $80 million as well as an additional $1 million contribution for establishing the river’s legal framework.
• Besides this, the crown would also be contributing a sum of $30 million for further betterment and well being of the river.
• The move followed the example used in the Tuhoe Settlement Bill that saw Te Urewera National Park gain the status of a legal entity in 2014.   Indian-American teen Indrani Das wins 2017 Regeneron Science Talent Search Mercer released 2017 Quality of Living Survey Commenting on the century-long fight, Gerrard Albert , the lead negotiator in the case, stated that the  river is a sacred landmark for the Maori Iwi tribe, they treat it as an ancestor and thus, they needed to find something that would help uphold its position. Speaking on the case, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson stated that the approach of granting legal identity to a river was unique, as the legislation recognised the deep spiritual connection between the locals and the ancestral river and created a strong platform for the future of the river. The new status means that from here on, any abuse or harm caused to the river will be viewed in the same light as harm caused to a human being. Besides this, two guardians will be appointed – one from the crown and one from the Whanganui iwi to act on the behalf of the river. Union Government approves National Health Policy 2017 Background
• All the Maori tribes regard themselves as part of the universe, at par with the mountains, rivers and seas.
• The local tribe of Whanganui has been fighting for the recognition of the river as their ancestor for almost 140 years. • The river is New Zealand's longest navigable river and so, it has got a rich history of human interactions.
• There were once more than 100 Maori villages along the river’s banks.
• The introduction of a riverboat service in 1891 made the river an ideal channel for the flourishing of tourism and trade.
• The trade and communication undertaken through the river reached as far as Wellington, Waikato, Taranaki, Taupo and the Bay of Plenty.

Audit how much timber and money are generated from felling of trees in Delhi:

Audit how much timber and money are generated from felling of trees in Delhi: High Court to CAG  The Delhi High Court on 16 March 2017 asked the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to audit the forest department and other agencies on the aspects of how much timber and money are generated from the felling of trees in the city. The direction was issued by a two-judge bench of Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed and Justice Ashutosh Kumar. The direction was issued by the court while hearing a PIL initiated by the court on the issue of air pollution and its causes. In its reply on the plea, the Delhi Government informed the court that some timber is auctioned off and some are provided free of cost to crematoriums. In response to which, the court said that it wants to know what happens to the funds that are received by auctioning the timbers and the quantity of timber that is provided to the crematoriums. It also observed that the bereaved families are made to pay for the wood at crematoriums. Highlights of the observation of the High Court
• The court said that it wanted to know how the timber from felled trees and the money charged for permission to cut them were being utilised.
• The bench observed that the trail of timber and the trail of money has to be checked.
• In its observation, the court said that what concerns is that whether each and every tree felled is accounted for in terms of money and timber and whether compensatory afforestation is taking place. Besides, the court also directed the Delhi government to increase the green cover in the national capital to the desired objective of 25 per cent. It also said that not only the existing forests should be preserved and maintained, but areas under encroachment should be reclaimed. It said that the trees in non-forest areas should be replenished if cut and further plantation of trees under compensatory afforestation scheme be undertaken. Who will fall under the bracket of the audit by CAG? CAG will be auditing the case in aspects of the forest department of the Delhi Government and other agencies including the three municipal corporations, the New Delhi Municipal Council, the Public Works Department, Delhi Metro, the Cantonment Board and Northern Railway.

Parliamentary panel suggests BSNL-MTNL merger for long-term

Parliamentary panel suggests BSNL-MTNL merger for long-term survival A Parliamentary panel in its report has suggested a merger of state-run telecom firms Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) for their long-term survival. The Committee on Petitions, chaired by Bharatiya Janata Party MP Bhagat Singh Koshyari, in its report tabled in Lok Sabha on 16 March 2017, said that for the long-term survival and success, the merger of the MTNL and BSNL would be a good proposition. The panel opined that their merger would give both the entities a chance to compete against private sector players. Madhukar Gupta Committee report submitted to Union Government In addition to this, the panel also suggested that the synergies and advantages inherent in an integrated national telecom infrastructure would pave the way for the lower cost of investment and greater combined ability to face competition. As per reports, the panel was informed that both the public sector firms are in financial losses and are facing declining revenues from the loss of market share and increasing expenditure. The information was provided by the Department of Telecom (DoT). UN launches Women in Politics Map 2017; India placed at 148th number Highlights of the DoT’s information to the panel
• The two PSUs were not successful in investing adequately in the expansion and modernisation of their network, which leads to coverage issues.
• Now, these firms are taking steps to modernise their wireline and wireless networks.
• The panel was informed about phase 7 and 8 network expansion plan for BSNL.
• In the case of MTNL, the DoT informed that due to financial crunch, the firm was not able to upgrade its GSM and landline network for the last three-four years. But at present, it is exploring Managed Service Model with BSNL for its mobile services. Mercer released 2017 Quality of Living Survey Besides, urging the government to consider its findings in relation to the merger of BSNL and MTNL, the panel also requested it to constitute an expert committee. The committee was formed to look into representation received by BJP MP Arvind Sawant regarding improvement in services provided by BSNL and MTNL.

Indian-American teen Indrani Das wins 2017 Regeneron Science Talent

Indian-American teen Indrani Das wins 2017 Regeneron Science Talent Search Indrani Das, an Indian-American high school student, in second week of March 2017 won the 2017 Regeneron Science Talent Search bagging the top award of USD 250000. Das won the prestigious high school science and mathematics competition for her new approach to neurological damage. The Indian-American teen is a student at the Academy for Medical Science Technology in Hackensack. Aaron Yeiser, a senior at Perkiomen Valley High School, Pennsylvania, won the second place award of USD 175000. He grabbed the prize for his development of a new mathematical method to solve partial differential equations on complicated geometries. The third place was clinched by another Indian-American student, Arjun Srinivasan Ramani. He was awarded USD 150000 for blending the mathematical field of graph theory with computer programming to answer questions about networks. About Regeneron Science Talent Search
• The Regeneron Science Talent Search is a research-based science competition in the United States for high school seniors.
• For its first 57 years, the competition was known as the Westinghouse Science Talent Search. From 1988 to 2015, it was known as the Intel Science Talent Search.
• The competition has been referred to as "the nation's oldest and most prestigious" science competition.
• Former US President George H. W. Bush, in his speech at the dinner honouring the 1991 winners, called the competition as the "Super Bowl of science."

World Bank Board approves USD 175 million National Hydrology Project of India

World Bank Board approves USD 175 million National Hydrology Project of India The World Bank Board on 16 March 2017 approved the USD 175 million National Hydrology Project to strengthen capacity of institutions to assess water situation in their regions. This loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) of World Bank will have a 6-year grace period and a maturity of 23 years. The project is aimed at assisting the institutions in reducing the vulnerability to recurring flood and droughts. Highlights of the National Hydrology Project
• The National Hydrology Project will scale up the successes achieved under Hydrology Project-I and Hydrology Project-II to cover the entire country including the states of Ganga and Brahmaputra-Barak basins.
• For the first time, under HP-I and HP-II, real-time flood forecast systems integrated with weather forecast in Krishna and Satluj-Beas river systems will give reservoir managers an accurate picture of the water situation in their region.
• Apart from benefitting the states in further upgrading and completing their monitoring networks, it will also help new states to better manage water flows from the reservoirs.
• National Flood Forecasting Systems with an advance warning system and reservoir operation systems as well as water resources accounting in river basins will be included under the project.
• It will have the potential to help communities to build resilience against possible uncertainties of climate change.
• It will also help the states to monitor all the important aspects of the hydro-meteorological cycle and adopt the procedures to measure how much rain or snow has fallen right in the catchments of rivers, how much silt has built up, and how much water will reach the reservoir.
• Sensors in the field will instantly transmit this information to data centres through satellite or mobile phone technology to form a clear picture of the water situation unfolding in the region.

Current Affairs Quiz: 14 March 2017

These quizzes will help you in answering questions which can/may be asked in the next exam that will be faced by you. The day’s updated quizzes cover the topics like India’s largest Floating Solar PV Plant, KCR Kit Scheme and National Elephant Day among others.
1. Which institute won the 2017 IEEE Spectrum Technology in the Service of Society Award?
a) IIT-Madras
b) IIT-Delhi
c) IIT-Kanpur
d) IIT-Hyderabad

2. It is in this State the NTPC has recently installed India’s largest Floating Solar PV Plant at RGCCPP Kayamkulam.
a) Maharashtra
b) Kerala
c) Gujarat
d) Karnataka

3. Which State Government announced KCR Kit Scheme to distribute 16 essential things needed for a new born baby?
a) Karnataka
b) Telangana
c) Andhra Pradesh
d) Kerala

4. Who was appointed as the chairman of the Central Water Commission?
a) Narendra Kumar
b) Seema Verma
c) K Srinath Reddy
d) P K Purwar

5. Which country is planning to send its largest warship on a 3-month tour through the South China Sea, in its biggest show of naval forces since World War II?
a) Japan
b) China
c) Russia
d) The United States of America

6. Which country celebrates National Elephant Day on 13 March?
a) India
b) Indonesia
c) Thailand
d) Malaysia

7. Which popular cab service has launched ‘realtime ID check’ in India to ensure rider safety?
a) Meru Cabs
b) Ola
c) Easy Cabs
d) Uber

8. Which state will be hosting the 22nd Asian Athletics Championship to be held in July 2017?
a) Madhya Pradesh
b) Odisha
c) Maharashtra
d) Karnataka

9. Who of the following was given the additional charge of defence ministry after Manohar Parrikar resigned from the post?
a) Kalraj Mishra
b) Subramanian Swamy
c) Arun Jaitley
d) Yogi Adityanath

10. Name the person whose name was confirmed by the US Senate as administrator of the 1 trillion dollars Centres for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) with 55-43 votes.
a) Seema Verma
b) Nikki Haley
c) Harmeet Kaur Dhillon
d) Ashok Mago

11. Mission Fingerling was launched by which Ministry to achieve Blue Revolution?
a) Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
b) Ministry of Power
c) Ministry of Food Processing Industries
d) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

12. George A. Olah, the Nobel laureate who passed away, won the Nobel Prize in which field?
a) Physics
b) Chemistry
c) Economics
d) Medicine

13. Noted film director Diphan, who died recently, was well known for making films in which language?
a) Hindi
b) Bengali
c) Malayalam
d) Marathi

14. Identify the former Chief of the Russian Athletics Federation's Medical Commission who was recently banned for lifetime by CAS in a doping case.
a) Alexander Dyachenko
b) Sergei Portugalov
c) Anastasia Karabelshikova
d) Ivan Podshivalov

15. Who won the All England Open Men's Singles title?
a) Lee Chong Wei
b) Shi Yuqi
c) Lin Dan
d) Rashid Sidek
Answer 1. (a) IIT-Madras
2. (b) Kerala
3. (b) Telangana
4. (a) Narendra Kumar
5. (a) Japan
6. (c) Thailand
7. (d) Uber
8. (b) Odisha
9. (c) Arun Jaitley
10. (a) Seema Verma
11. (a) Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
12. (b) Chemistry
13. (c) Malayalam
14. (b) Sergei Portugalov
15. (a) Lee Chong Wei

First fluorescent frog found in Argentina

First fluorescent frog found in Argentina A group of scientists discovered the world’s first fluorescent frog (Hypsiboas punctatus) near Santa Fe in Argentina. The frog sports a muted palette of greens, yellows and reds under normal light, but emits a bright blue and green glow in the dark. The scientists found that the South American polka dot tree frog uses fluorescent molecules totally unlike those found in other animals. The findings were published on 13 March 2017 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.  Key highlights
• When the researchers trained an ultraviolet A flashlight on polka dot tree frogs, they were surprised to find that the animals gave off an intense greenish-blue glow instead of a faint red.
• The researchers expected to find red fluorescence in these frogs from a pigment called biliverdin.
• Three molecules namely, hyloin-L1, hyloin-L2 and hyloin-G1, found in lymph tissue, skin and glandular secretions of animals, are responsible for the green fluorescence.
• The molecules contain a ring structure and a chain of hydrocarbons. The closest similar molecules are found in plants. Fluorescence in animals
• The ability to absorb light at short wavelengths and re-emit it at longer wavelengths is called fluorescence, a quality that is rare in terrestrial animals. Until now, fluorescence was unheard of in amphibians.
• It is still unclear why animals have the ability of fluorescence, although explanations include communication, camouflage and mate attraction.

on reservation and comments

Sashastra Seema Bal signed MoU with NSDC & NSDF

Sashastra Seema Bal signed MoU with NSDC & NSDF for skill development The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and the National Skill Development Fund (NSDF) for execution of skill development programmes. The MoU was signed on 10 March 2017 in the presence of Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju in New Delhi. During the event, Kiren Rijiju launched an an android based and in-house developed mobile application “MySSB”.Features of the MoU
• Under the MoU, the SSB will be able to provide gainful employment to the retiring and retired personnel of SSB.
• It will help the personnel in resettlement through the generation of second career option. • The MoU will establish a framework under which the dependents of SSB personnel as well as locals, school dropouts, victims and potential victims of human trafficking will also be benefited directly in the area or the region where SSB is deployed.
• Under the MoU, skill development training programmes will be organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
• Sectors like apparel, food processing, beauty and wellness, automotive, security and sports will be given emphasis for the said programme. Features of MySSB app
• The mobile application will cater to the general requirements and information of force personnel.
• It facilitates accessibility to details of salary and allowance, general provident fund (GPF) subscription, service particulars including posting profiles and annual performance assessment report (APAR). About Sashastra Seema Bal
• The Special Service Bureau (now Sashastra Seema Bal) was conceived in November 1962 and eventually created in March 1963.
• It was established with the sole objective of achieving ‘total security preparedness’ in the remote border areas for performing a ‘stay-behind’ role in the event of a war.
• Presently, SSB has been deployed with its mandate to guard 1751 kilometers of Indo-Nepal and 699 kilometers of Indo-Bhutan borders. • The force is also active in Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh for anti-Naxal operations (ANO) duties.

Lee Chong Wei wins All England Open Men's Singles

Lee Chong Wei wins All England Open Men's Singles title Top-ranked Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia on 12 March 2017 won his fourth All England Open crown. Lee defeated first-time finalist Shi Yuqi of China 21-12, 21-10, to grab the Men’s Singles title at the tournament. About Lee Chong Wei • Born on 21 October 1982, Lee Chong Wei is a Malaysian professional badminton player.
• From 21 August 2008 to 14 June 2012, he was ranked first worldwide for 199 consecutive weeks as a singles player.
• He is the fourth Malaysian player after Rashid Sidek, Roslin Hashim and Wong Choong Hann to achieve such a ranking.
• He is the only Malaysian badminton player to hold the number one ranking for more than a year.
• He is triple silver medallist at the Olympic Games. He is also the sixth Malaysian to win an Olympic medal. About All England Open
• The All England Open Badminton Championships is the world's oldest badminton tournament.
• It is held annually in England.
• The tournament was given Superseries status in 2007. It upgraded to Superseries Premier status in 2011.
• The world's first open tournament was held in the English town of Guildford in 1898.
• The tournament halted for two instances: from 1915 to 1919 (due to World War I) and from 1940 to 1946 (due to World War II).
• The 2017 All England Open Badminton Championships had a total purse of USD 600000.
• In 2016, the Men’s Singles title was won by China’s Lin Dan.

Seema Verma to be chief of Centres for Medicare and Medicaid

Seema Verma to be chief of Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services The US Senate on 13 March 2017 confirmed healthcare consultant Seema Verma as administrator of the 1 trillion dollars Centres for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The Senate voted 55-43 to approve Seema Verma to run the US health program. Seema Verma was a nominee of President Donald Trump. The Indian-American woman will be running the US government’s health program for the elderly, poor and disabled. Donald Tusk re-elected as President of European Council The CMS is an agency that oversees health insurance programmes that cover more than 130 million Americans. Seema Verma
• Verma is the owner of SVC Inc, a healthcare consulting firm
• She has helped redesign Medicaid programs in several States, including Indiana when Vice President Mike Pence was Governor.
• Verma will report to US Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price.
• Verma is a first-generation American, whose parents emigrated from India to the US.
• In 1993, she received her bachelor’s degree in life sciences from the University of Maryland, College Park.
• In 1996, she earned a master’s degree in public health with a concentration in health policy and management from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Cultural festival 'India by the Nile' starts in Egypt She was nominated to serve as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on 29 November 2016, by Donald Trump, who was the President-elect at that time. Earlier, the House Republicans released the text of a bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The health care bill backed by Trump will roll back the key elements of Obama’s health care law and will limit the overall federal financing for Medicaid in the future.

Malayalam filmmaker Diphan passes away

Malayalam filmmaker Diphan passes away Malayalam film director Diphan also known as Deepan passed away on 13 March 2017 following liver cirrhosis and kidney failure in a private hospital at Kochi. He was 47. He is survived by his wife and two children. Diphan is known for his films namely Puthiya Mukham, Hero and SIM. About Diphan
• A native of Thiruvananthapuram, Diphan was the son of dubbing artist Anandavally.
• Diphan worked as an assistant director for several years in the Malayalam film industry before venturing out on his own.
• Diphan, in his brief career, directed six films after turning an independent director in 2003 when he directed the political thriller The King Maker: Leader.
• After a gap of six years in 2009, he returned with Puthiya Mukham movie starring Prithviraj.
• In a career spanning about 14 years as a director, he helmed seven films including Hero, SIM and D Company.
• His last directorial venture was Dolphin Bar in 2014 which featured actor and BJP Rajya Sabha member Suresh Gopi.
• His upcoming movie Sathya, which has Jayaram in the lead, was in the post production stage.

Japan to send its largest warship to South China Sea

Japan to send its largest warship to South China Sea in its biggest show of military power In its biggest show of naval force since World War II, Japan is planning to send its largest warship, JS Izumo on a 3-month tour through the South China Sea, starting from May 2017.   The main aim is to test the capability of the warship by sending it out on an extended mission. Key Highlights
• The warship, which was commissioned two years ago, is an Izumo helicopter carrier.
• It will be stopping over in Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia and Sri Lanka before joining the Indian and US naval vessels for a joint naval exercise in the Indian Ocean in July 2017.
• The carrier will return to Japan by August 2017. According to sources, Japan is looking to invite Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to visit the carrier when it reaches the Subic Bay, about 100 km west of Manila, the capital of Philippines. The water of the South China Sea is disputed with China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei all claiming parts of it. While China claims almost all of the disputed water, the other countries claim parts that have rich fishing grounds, oil and gas deposits and through which around $5 trillion of global sea-borne trade passes each year. Though Japan does not have any claim to the waters of the South China Sea, it does have a separate maritime dispute with China in the East China Sea. India successfully test-fired BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile INS Tillanchang commissioned at Karwar Besides this, Japan’s move comes at a time when China’s growing military presence in the sea has fuelled concern in both Japan and the West. About JS Izumo
• Based in Yokosuka, near to Tokyo, the warship’s primary mission is anti-submarine warfare.
• The 249m long carrier is as large as Japan’s World War II-era carriers and can operate up to 9 helicopters.
• While it resembles the assault carriers used by US Marines, it lacks their well deck for launching and landing craft and other vessels. • The carrier has been designated as a destroyer.

CAS bans Sergei Portugalov for lifetime

CAS bans Sergei Portugalov for lifetime in doping case The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on 13 March 2017 upheld a lifetime ban levied against Sergei Portugalov for his role in providing illicit substances to Russian athletes. Portugalov is former Chief of the Russian Athletics Federation's Medical Commission. The CAS upheld the ban as part of an arbitration involving the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) and the Russian Athletics Federation. In a statement, the CAS stated that there is a "clear evidence" that Portugalov violated IAAF doping rules governing possession and trafficking of prohibited substances. In a 2015 report, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has stated that Portugalov supplied performance enhancing drugs to athletes and coaches, administered doping programmes and "even injected athletes himself". About Court of Arbitration for Sport
• The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international quasi-judicial body.
• It was established to settle disputes related to sport through arbitration.
• Its headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• Its courts are located in New York City, Sydney and Lausanne.
• The CAS was originally conceived by International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch to deal with disputes arising during the Olympics.
• In 1984, the body was established as a part of the International Olympic Committee in 1984.