Current Affairs 18th June 2018

Current Affairs 18th June 2018 - Important Points

• World's largest iceberg set to disappear after 18-year-long journey by - NASA Study
• India among over 90 nations without paid paternity leave for new dads by- UNICEF
• WhatsApp Introduced payments service in India on - 17th June 2018
• NASA’s record-breaking spacewoman retires as astronaut - Peggy Whitson
• 80 Social Enterprise Programme in all 8 member nations to be launched by – SAARC Fund
• Union Cabinet approves proposal for enactment of Dam Safety Bill, 2018 on – 13^th June 2018

Current Affairs 18th June 2018 - Details

World's largest iceberg set to disappear after 18-year-long journey by - NASA Study

The World’s major iceberg could be nearing the end of its voyage, that was broke-away from Antarctic's Ross ice shelf about 18 years before, according to NASA study.
The iceberg B-15 calculated approximately 296 kms long and 37 kms in width when it 1st torn away in March 2000 and since then its numerous smaller bergs have been molten away.
Just 4 fragments remaining that have the least size needed, minimum 37 kms to be chased by the United States National Ice Centre.
When spacemen clicked a photo of the iceberg on May 22nd , 2018 from the International Space Station, it calculated just 18 kilometres in length and 9 kilometres in width.
In a documentation, NASA informed that the iceberg is still well within the appreciable size, however, it may not be noticeable if it further shards down into smaller particles.
A bigger fracture is visible sideways the centre of the iceberg and minor fragments are visible as breaking-off from the edges.
When the May 2018 photos were captured, the iceberg was approximately 277 kms North-West of the South Georgia islands.

India among over 90 nations without paid paternity leave for new dads by- UNICEF

As per to the fresh study by UNICEF, India is among 90 nations in the world without National Strategies in place that make sure new fathers granted satisfactory paid leave with their new-born babies.
Important points from UNICEF’s Analysis

• The study explained that approximately 90 million of the world's children under one year old reside in nations where their fathers are not eligible by law to a single day of paid-paternity leave.
  India and Nigeria are among the 92 nations who do not have National Guidelines for new fathers to enjoy sufficient paid leave with their Newly-born babies.
• It noted that Worldwide, momentum for family favouring policies were increasing.
• India is the nation where bureaucrats are suggesting a Paternity Benefit Bill for attention in the upcoming session of Parliament which would permit fathers about 3 months Paid Paternity leave.
• “Super Dads” Campaign The fresh study forms part of UNICEF's “Super Dads” Campaign in its 2 nd year, goals to break down barricades avoiding fathers from playing an active role in their young one's growth.
• The campaign observes Father's Day, which is observed in over 80 nations in the month of June, and aims on the importance of Love, Play, Protection and Healthy Nutrition for the healthy growth of young children's brains.

WhatsApp Introduced payments service in India on - 17th June 2018

WhatsApp payment service has been in beta testing on June 17th , 2018 and almost 1 million people are testing the feature. This is being executed with the support of NPCI multiple banks.
Key points:

• WhatsApp has linked-up with banks to simplify financial transactions viaUnified Payments Interface.
• The RBI has mandated all payment system machinists to make sure that information concerned to payments will be kept only within India, thus, giving organisations 6 months to conform with it.
• The acquiescence would be supervised byNPCI.
• It has been informed that sensitive subscriber information including the lastsixdigits of a
  debit card and Unified Payments Interface PIN is not saved at all.

NASA’s record-breaking spacewoman retires as astronaut - Peggy Whitson

 NASA’s record-breaking female astronaut, Peggy Whitson at the age of 58 has publicized her retirement as astronaut less than year after coming back from her past and longest spaceflight. During her career, she had tormented up sum of 665 days in space, which is more than any other NASA spaceperson, and record for women around the world. Her previous spaceflight took about 10 months, spanning 2016 and 2017.

More about Peggy Whitson

• Peggy Whitson was born on February 9 th , 1960 in Mount Ayr, Iowa, United States.
• She is a biochemist and Peggy joined NASA as scientist in 1986 and became a spaceperson in 1996.
• She had sailed 3 missions aboard International Space Station, Expedition 5 in year 2002, Expedition 16 in year 2008 and her longest stint in space from November 2016 till September 2017, which crossed Expeditions 50, 51 & 52.
• She had directed Expedition 51 and became the 1st woman to guide an International Space Station mission two folds.

Records

• Peggy Whitson is world’s most knowledgeable female spacewalker, with record-setting total time of 60 hours and 21 mins.
• She is the oldest female astronaut ever to fly in space.
• She was 1st and onlyfemale to work as principal of NASA’s male subjugated spaceman forces from 2009-2012.

80 Social Enterprise Programme in all 8 member nations to be launched by – SAARC Fund

 SAARC Development Fund will soon be releasing a Social Enterprise Development Programme just to Endowment 80 entities yearly across the8 members states including India.

Key points

• SAARC Development Fund would enable access to financial services which can boost job creation, reduce vulnerability and rise investments in human capital in SAARC nations Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
• SAARC Development Fund is presently implementing12Home-grown projects with above 70 implementing and lead implementing agencies covering all the member countries under the social window funding.
• It has already committed USD 73.74 million for social window projects till date out of which it has disbursed USD 47 million to the member states.
• It has recently launched2energy infrastructure projects in the region:
• These include left-over to energy production project in Sri Lanka with participation of India and Hydro-Power project in Nepal with contribution of Bangladesh and India.
• The total loan commitment would Be USD thirty million.

More about SDF

• SAARC Development Fund was established by the Heads of 8 SAARC member states in April 2010 and its Governing Council is comprising finance ministers of these eight countries.
• It had launched the Social Enterprise Development Programme as part of its social window to be implemented in all the SAARC member states with the objective of identifying and building social enterprises by using a mix of grants and concessional returnable capital.

 Union Cabinet approves proposal for enactment of Dam Safety Bill, 2018 on – 13^th June 2018

The Union Cabinet headed by PM Narendra Modi sanctioned the suggestion for introduction of Dam Safety Bill, 2018 in the Parliament, on June 13th , 2018. The draft bill has been completed following extensive consultation with foremost Indian professionals and international specialists.

Key Features of the Bill

• The Bill will be delivering for appropriate surveillance, examination, operation and maintenance of all definite dams in the nation to make sure their harmless functioning.
• It will  be delivering for the building of a National Committee on Dam Safety that will develop dam safety policies and commend essential guidelines as needed for the purpose.
• It will also deliver for the constitution of a State Committee on Dam Safety by the state government.
• It will also permit the founding of “National Dam Safety Authority” as a supervisory body, which will release to implement the policy and ethics for dam safety in the nation.

Importance

• The Bill will discourse all matters about dam protection with regular inspection of dams, Emergency Action Plans, Complete Dam Safety evaluation, satisfactory Repair and Preservation funds for dam safety and instrumentation and safety manuals.
• Under the bill, the accountability of guaranteeing dam safety will lay on the dam proprietor.
• The bill will also deliver for penal provisions for commission and oversight of positive acts.