5th February 2017 Important Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs of 5th February 2017

International Current Affairs

India is going to host a key meet on nuclear security in New Delhi next week.
- The MEA in coordination with the Department of Atomic Energy is hosting the Implementation and Assessment Group Meeting of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) from February 8 to 10.
- Approximately 150 delegates from various GICNT partner countries and international organisations will participate in this event.
Sweden's deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lövin signed a climate bill aimed at cutting all greenhouse gas emissions in the country by 2045.
The US State Department has announced today that it will allow people with valid visas to enter the country in compliance with a Federal judge's ruling which overturned President Donald Trump's immigration ban.
- Visitors with valid visas not physically cancelled will now be allowed to visit the United States.
United Nations Security Council today lifted sanctions including a travel ban and arms embargo against the Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, previously branded as "a global terrorist" and accused of war crimes.
- The move follows a peace deal between Hekmatyar's insurgent group Hezb-i-Islami and the Afghan government in September last year that granted him legal immunity from past offences.

National Current Affairs

As voting ended in Punjab and Goa on Saturday for the 2017 Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India announced that Goa witnessed its highest-ever voter turnout of 83%.
- Goa had recorded 81.7% voter turnout in the previous Assembly elections.
- Meanwhile, the 117-member Punjab Assembly recorded 75% voter turnout.
- Important Points to Note :
- - To encourage female voters, election officials gave away pink teddy bears to first-time female voters and pens for male voters during the voting for the Goa Assembly polls.
  - The pink-coloured model polling booths were completely managed by women officials.
The iconic Mughal Gardens of the Rashtrapati Bhavan will open for the general public from today.
- President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the gardens, as part of the annual Udyanotsav yesterday.

Recent Committees in News

The Centre has formed a 6-member committee to give a report on ways to improve India’s Haj policy and also look into issue of subsidy to the pilgrimage.
- The panel has been constituted in the light of 2012 Supreme Court order on gradually reducing the subsidy and abolishing it by 2022.
- Convener of the Committee : Afzal Amanullah (Former Consulate General of India, Jeddah)
- Member Secretary : J Alam (Ministry Joint Secretary)
- Other Members :
- - SS Parkar (Bombay High Court judge (retd))
  - Qaiser Shamim (Chairman, ex-Haj Committee of India)
  - Michael Mascarenhas (former Air India CMD)
  - Kamal Faruqui (Muslim scholar-chartered accountant)

New Appointments

Anand Kumar Gupta has taken over the charge as Director commercial at National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC).
- As director commercial, he will be responsible for the activities relating to commercial, international and domestic business development and consultancy business of NTPC.
AIADMK General Secretary VK Sasikala elected as the President of the legislature party.
- Important Note : She is expected to take over as the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on February 9.

Science & Technology

US-based scientists have set a new record of data transfer via superdense coding, a process by which the properties of particles like photons, protons, and electrons are used to store information.
- While computers transmit information in the form of bits (1 or 0), quantum bits can employ two states simultaneously and therefore represent more information than a traditional bit.
Google-owned video hub YouTube has rolled out a new feature that lets smartphone users double-tap on the left or right side of the screen to fast forward or rewind any video by 10 seconds.
- The functionality works only in full-screen mode and is available in the latest version of the YouTube app for both iOS and Android.

Deaths

Eminent stage craft director, theatre personality, actor, director, artist, painter and writer Asim Basu (82) passed away.
- He was closely associated with the art and culture scene of Odisha for over five decades.
- He has received the state Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1998 and was chosen for Dharmapada Award for the year 2010.

Banking & Economic Affairs

A penalty of equal amount will be levied for any cash transaction of over ₹3 lakh from April 1, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia has announced today.
- "Supposing you do a transaction of ₹4 lakh in cash, then the penalty would be ₹4 lakh," Adhia explained.
- Note : A ban on cash transaction of over ₹3 lakh has been proposed in the Union Budget.
Atlanta-based startup Greenlight has developed a debit card for children that their parents can manage with a smartphone app.
- The company claims the card enables parents to give a child a specific amount that he or she can spend at a specific store or website.
- The parents are alerted when purchases are made or the child makes a new request.
India will allow non-state mining companies to mine and sell coal for the first time in more than four decades,
- The Coal Ministry will auction four mines to both state-run and private companies in April.
- The winning bidders will be allowed to sell the coal, which can currently be done by few state-run companies.

Awards & Honors

England Test captain Alastair Cook has been honoured with Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE).
- He is the only England player to have scored over 10,000 runs in Tests and has also led England in the most number of Tests.

Sports Current Affairs

ICC has approved the consistent use of Decision Review System (DRS) in all international cricket, besides approving its use in the World T20 next year.
- The decision was taken in principle at an ICC meet today and will be formalised in May, with a roll-out expected to begin in October.
- Note : Till now, DRS was not used in T20Is.