Current Affairs 19th July 2019

Current Affairs 19th July 2019 - Important Points

• Nelson Mandela Day 2019 on - 18th July 2019
• 21st Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship started from - 17th July onwards
• Extension of term of 15th Finance Commission approved by - Cabinet
• US slaps sanctions against Myanmar’s military chief for killing - Rohingya Muslims
• US won't sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey for buying Russian S-400 by- Donald Trump
  Current Affairs 19th July 2019 - Details

Nelson Mandela Day 2019 on - 18th July 2019

International Nelson Mandela Day celebrated every year on July 18th. Current years’ celebration highlights 100 years since the birth of Nelson Mandela. This day is an event to imitate on his life and legacy, and to follow his call to "make of the world a better place.”
UN on November 2009 declared that every year 18 July will be observed as Nelson Mandela Day. The day is observed in recognition of the Nelson Mandela's contribution to the culture of peace and freedom. United Nation resolution suggests Mandela’s values and his dedication to the service of humanity comprise skirmish resolution, racism ties; promotion and protection of human rights;
understanding; gender equality and the rights of children and other vulnerable groups.

For year 2019 Nelson Mandela Foundation has released a new strategy named “Mandela Day:
The Next Chapter, to mark the tenth anniversary of the initiative”. In these coming ten years, let us
mobilise people, governments, civil society and corporates to emphasis on these five areas including
Education and Literacy, Food and Nutrition, Shelter, Sanitation and Active Citizenship.
Important Highlights

• Rolihlahla Mandela was born into the Madiba in the Eastern Cape, on 18th July 1918. In his
  primary school, his school teachers gave him the name ‘Nelson.’
• He got admission in University of South Africa for graduation and later, he joined University of the
  Witwatersrand for LLB programme.
• Nelson Mandela began his involvement in politics from year 1942. He joined the African National
  Congress in 1944 as he assisted to form the ANC Youth League.
• Nelson Mandela was arrested in a countrywide police swoop on 5th December 1956, which
  resulted to the 1956 Treason Trial.
• He was intensely concern with matters related to the racism. His government did a lot of work to
  bring South Africa into a new era.

21st Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship started from - 17th July onwards

Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship 2019 started at the Jawaharlal Indoor Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha. The tournament will be organised from Wednesday 17th-22nd July 2019. 12 countries are taking part in 21st edition of Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship. The programme was initiated by Governor of Odisha Prof. Ganeshi Lal.
Key Highlights
The final list of countries that are competing in Table Tennis tournament consists India, Malaysia,
Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Cyprus, England, Nigeria, South Africa, Singapore, Wales and
Scotland. The teams of Ghana, Guyana and Pakistan have pulled-out at the last minute.
Various Groups-
Men:
Group A include England, Sri Lanka, Cyprus
Group B include India, Scotland, Singapore
Group C include Nigeria, Malaysia, Bangladesh
Group D include Australia, South Africa, Wales
Women:
Group A include Singapore, Wales, Scotland

Group B include India, Sri Lanka, South Africa
Group C include Australia, Malaysia, Cyprus
Group D include Nigeria, England, Bangladesh
Format permits 2 teams from each group to qualify for 2nd stage.
More about Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship
It was shaped at meeting of Commonwealth delegates organised in Munich, Germany at World
Championships 1969. It was first played in 1971 in Singapore.

Extension of term of 15th Finance Commission approved by - Cabinet

Union Cabinet led by PM Narendra Modi has sanctioned extension of term of 15th Finance Commission up to 30th November 2019. This will enable Finance Commission to study various comparable estimates for financial projections in view of modifications as well as new realities to finalise its sanctions for period 2020-2025.
The government has also broadened domain of Finance Commission’s sanction to include funds
for defence and internal security.
Key Highlights
15th FC has been established by President on 27th November 2017 in pursuance of clause (1) of Article 280 of Constitution of India and Finance Commission (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1951. Finance Commission was to present its Report on basis of its Terms of Reference by 30th October 2019, covering a period of five years commencing from 1st April 2020.
Reason for Extension

• The constitution of 15th Finance Commission has been in background of various major fiscal and
  budgetary modifications introduced by Union Government in last four years including closure of
  Planning Commission and its replacement by NITl Aayog, removal of distinction between Non-Plan
  and Plan expenditure, progressing budget calendar by 1one month and passing of full budget prior to commencement of new financial year that means on 1st February, introduction of GST from July
  2017 and New Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management architecture with debt and fiscal deficit path.
• Terms of Reference of Finance Commission takes into account above fiscal and budgetary reforms.
  The task of defining expenditure and receipts of Union and State governments grounded on which
  Finance Commission shall make its sanctions is time overwhelming, as checks for information
  consistency across time and data sets become challenging.
  More about Finance Commission
• Finance Commission is established by President under Article 280 of Constitution of India.
• It is formed to give sanctions on distribution of tax revenues between Union and the States amongst States themselves.

US slaps sanctions against Myanmar’s military chief for killing - Rohingya Muslims

The USA has slapped approvals against Myanmar’s Military Chief Min Aung Hlaing and 3 other top officers for gross human rights violations, including killing of Rohingya Muslims. The declaration in this regard was done by United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Key Highlights

• After the United States sanctions, Myanmar’s Army Chief and others namely Deputy Commander-in-Chief Soe Win, Brigadier General Aung Aung and Brigadier General Than Oo along with their other family members have been restricted from inflowing United States. In 2018 United States of
  America had deinked 2 other generals Lieutenant General Aung Kyaw Zaw and General Maung
  Maung Soe.
• With this initiative United States of America has become 1st government to publicly take action
  with respect to most senior leadership of Burmese military.
  Arguments by US
• Ethnic cleansing of Rohingyas is an example of nonstop and severe lack of responsibility for military
  and its top leadership.
• United States State Department has taken action against Army Chief and others after finding
  accountable evidence of their involvement in violence two years ago in 2017 that resulted in to
  fleeing of 740000 Rohingyas over border to Bangladesh since the violence exploded.
• United States remains deeply anxious about human rights situation in Myanmar, mainly in conflict-
  pretentious Rakhine State and other violence-affected areas of Myanmar including Kachin state and Shan states.

US won't sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey for buying Russian S-400 by- Donald Trump

Donald Trump, President of USA has acknowledged that United States would not sell F-35 fighter
jets to Turkey, a major NATO ally following Ankara bought S-400 missile defence system from
sanctions-hit Russia.
It is a stealth, fifth-generation, multirole combat aircraft, outlined for ground-attack and air-superiority
missions.
Key Highlights
Turkey, a member of North Atlantic Treaty Organization- NATO, is denied acquisition of F-35
fighter jets following it received the 1st batch of Russian missile defence system despite frequent
warnings from United States against the purchase.
CAATSA
Under present United States laws, any country purchasing major defence apparatus from Russia
could be subjected to American sanctions. United States has forced a series of sanctions on
Russian individuals or corporations or government agencies over Russia’s military intervention in
Ukraine.
Although United States Congress has done revisions in Countering America’s Adversaries
Through Sanctions Act- CAATSA, for a Presidential waiver and many in India trust that this
Presidential waiver was for India but United States officials had simplified that there was no
blanket sanction waiver for any nation.
Signals for India
On October 2018 India signed a pact with Russia in to buy a batch of S-400 missile systems at a
cost of Rupees 40000 crore. Later in June 2019, S Jaishankar Union Minister of External Affairs
informed his United States counterpart Mike Pompeo that India will go by its national interest on S-
400 missile defence pact with sanctions-hit Russia.
This choice by Trump Administration against Turkey could be an indication for India as New Delhi
has also inked-up with Russia to purchase S-400 missile defence system against the advice of
United States.