G.K Update 10, July 2016 (English)

i. India and South Africa have signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in four areas of co-operation.

ii. The MoUs have been signed after a delegation-level talks headed by Prime Minister Narendara Modi and South African President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria, South Africa.

iii. The first MoU is on cooperation in the area of information and communication technology. Another MoU calls for cooperation in the tourism sector and is being seen as an important bid to improve people-to-people ties. A third MoU calls for cooperation in grassroot innovation in the science and technology sector. While the fourth agreement has been signed for a programme of cooperation in arts and culture. The two countries have also agreed to cooperate in combating terrorism, regionally and globally.

i. Coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mozambique, India has handed over 30 SUVs to Mozambique.

ii. With this India completed the delivery of 4.5 million US dollar grant assistance as part of supporting the institutions of this African country. The vehicles were handed over by Amar Sinha, Secretary (Economic Relations) in the External Affairs Ministry, to an official of Mozambique’s Interior Ministry.

iii. Swarup handed over the SUVs in a ceremony along with the caption “supporting Mozambican institutions. Shortly before that, the Prime Minister handed over four buses to Centre for Innovation and Technological Development (CIDT) as donation from India.

i. The NATO summit has begun in Warsaw, Poland.

ii. In the two day Summit, the leaders of the 28 NATO Allies and many partner nations will deliberate and take decisions to enhance the Alliance’s security by strengthening its deterrence and defence, and projecting stability beyond its borders.

iii. On the heels of a U.S. announcement to keep 8,400 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, NATO leaders will discuss key security topics. Issues such as continuing support for Afghan forces, defeating Islamic State militants on NATO’s southern flank and deterring Russian aggression on the alliance’s eastern flank will be discussed.

i. Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will lead a delegation of over 110 Indian companies that will showcase their engineering prowess at a trade fair in Russia.

ii. India is the partner country for ‘INNOPROM 2016’, which is the largest annual international industrial trade fair of Russia. The 4-day fair starts from the coming sunday (10th july) in Ekaterinburg.

iii. Apart from the large, medium and small Indian companies participating in the event, states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh are also going to showcase their industrial strengths.

i. The Kerala government has announced its decision to impose 14.5 per cent tax on junk food on the lines of ‘Fat Tax’ imposed on such food items. This will make food items like burgers, pizzas, pasta costlier.

ii. The first-of its-kind move in the country was announced in the maiden budget of the CPI(M)-led LDF Government in Kerala presented by Finance Minister Dr. T.M. Thomas Issac.

iii. The need for the so-called ‘fat tax’ is explained by the fact the state currently has the second-highest obesity rate for children in India.

Besides health issues, Kerala authorities are also looking to earn over 100 million rupees ($1.4 million) as a result of the levy.

i. Kevin Turner has resigned as the Chief Operating Officer ( COO) of Microsoft with effect from 31 July 2016.

ii. Kelvin was handling Microsoft’s enormous sales operations. He had been at Microsoft for 11 years. Prior to Microsoft, Turner spent nearly 20 years at Wal-Mart Stores, where he rose through the ranks and was the youngest corporate officer ever at age 29.

iii. He would now be joining Citadel Securities as Chief Executive Officer.

i. Radhika Menon will become the first woman in the world to receive the Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea from the International Maritime Organisation for saving the lives of seven fishermen, whose hopes of survival were all but over.

ii. Five year ago, she became the first woman captain of the Indian Merchant Navy.

iii. A native of Kodungallur in Kerala, Menon was at the helm of oil tanker ‘Sampurna Swarajya’ of Shipping Corporation of India.

i. The country’s largest IT services firm Tata Consultancy Services stated that its non-Executive Director Phiroz Vandrevala has resigned from the company. However, Vandrevala, also the Vice-Chairman and MD of Diligenta, a TCS subsidiary, will continue with this role.

ii. Phiroz Vandrevala has relinquished office of Non Executive Director of the company, due to personal reasons, with effect. He had been a director on the TCS board since September 2007.

iii. With over 25 years of consulting and leadership experience with TCS, Vandrevala had been involved in TCS’ foray into the life and pension industry at the outset and has also overseen the transformation of the UK—based Diligenta.

i. Sanjay Gupta has been appointed as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL).

ii. Prior to his elevation, he was working as Director (Operating and Commercial) of KRCL.

iii. Mr. Gupta has worked on several prestigious and coveted posts as well as on various assignments over the Railways and has more than 30 years of experience as a Mechanical Officer of Indian Railways.

i. The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has announced that Srinivasan K Swamy, Chairman of R K Swamy Hansa, would be the recipient of this year’s AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award.

ii. This award is the highest honour to be given to an individual in India for outstanding contribution in the advertising industry

i. Noted Pakistani philanthropist, social activist, ascetic and humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi has passed away in Karachi. He was 88 years old.

ii. He was the founder and head of the Edhi Foundation in Pakistan and was known as Angel of Mercy, Pakistan’s ‘Father Teresa’ and was considered country’s most respected figure.

iii. He was born at Bantvain Gujarat to a family of memon traders in 1928. For his contributions to the humanity, he received numerous accolades including Nishan-e Imtiaz (highest civilian honour), Pakistan Civil Award, International honours include Ramon Magsaysay Award, International Balzan Prize, 2007 UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Prize and 2011 London Peace Award among others.