Current Affairs 24th March 2018

Current Affairs 24th March 2018 - Important Points

• Endangered snow leopard population witnesses a rise in the - Himalayas
• BCCI clears Mohammed Shami of match-fixing allegations on - March 22nd 2018
• World’s first brass futures contracts launched  by- MCX

Current Affairs 24th March 2018 - Details

Endangered snow leopard population witnesses a rise in the - Himalayas

The snow leopards population has witnessed a surge in the Himalayas lately. The wildlife wing of Himachal Pradesh's forest department has spotted a significant rise in the number of snow leopards in Chichim valley of Lahaul Spiti lately. The main reason behind this surge in the population of endangered snow leopards is reported to be due to the prey-base available to them.

Conservation Efforts

• The Himachal Pradesh wildlife department is working in collaboration with the NCF (Nature Conservation Foundation) in Mysore and carrying out  freesearch and conservation activities in the Valley.
• Though conservation efforts were being made from the last 15 to 20 years, the number of snow leopards has seen a steady increase.

Did you know?

• The snow leopard is the state animal of Himachal Pradesh, and the state’s wildlife department has been putting efforts religiously to conserve the leopard species in the hill state.
• The leopards are generally found near Komic, Kibbar, Pangi, Hikkim, Miar and Demul regions of Himachal Pradesh.

BCCI clears Mohammed Shami of match-fixing allegations on - March 22nd 2018

The BCCI on March 22nd , 2018 issued clean-chit to Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami's and retained the central agreement following its Anti-Corruption Unit freed him of bribery charges levelled by his wife Hasin Jahan. 

Shami has been issued a Grade B yearly retainership agreement, which will draw him three crore rupees. He will also be allowed to play in the IPL season for Delhi Daredevils, opening on April 7th , 2018. 
Key Highlights 

• The Board of Control for Cricket in India had finalised to deny the cricketer’s agreement afterward his wife Hasin Jahan raised a series of assertions, consisting match-fixing, disloyalty and domestic-violence, and even lodged a Police-complaint against Shami. 
• The Supreme Court nominated Committee of Administrators had precisely asked Neeraj Kumar, previous Police Commissioner of Delhi and Chief of Board of Control for Cricket in India’s Anti-Corruption Unit to inspect assertions levelled against the fast-bowler that he took money from a person named Mohammed Bhai through a Pakistani origin female Alishba.
• Neeraj Kumar presented his report freshly and nowhere did it accuse Mohammed Shami of any unethical practices under the prevailing Anti-Corruption Unit Code. 
• Hence, the CoA decided that no further proceedings under the Board of Control for Cricket in India anti-corruption code are defensible in the issue. 
• After this, the Board of Control for Cricket in India finalised to proceed with presenting a Grade-B yearly retainership agreement to the fast-bowler.
  Did you know?
• Previously this month, Shami's wife Hasin Jahan raised a series of assertions against him including cheating, domestic-violence and attempt to murder by food-poisoning and physical-attack.
• Mohammed Shami had refused all the allegations affirming that it was attempt to destruction of his profession.
• Though the allegations of adultery and domestic-violence against the fast-bowler Shami are being inspected by the Kolkata Police, the Board of Control for Cricket in India upheld that they will not be sitting in ruling about Shami's personal life and that is out of the Board's purview.

World’s first brass futures contracts launched - MCX

India’s major commodities exchange stage, Multi Commodity Exchange of India Limited, released World’s 1st Brass futures agreements. It will enable brass stockholders to hedgerow their value risk.

Multi Commodity Exchange Brass futures will be the 1st non-iron agreement with essential delivery
option. Its amount will be cited according to the rate at ex-storeroom Jamnagar all-encompassing taxes
and duties.
Importance

• It will provide its shareholders with well-managed and healthy price discovery platform.
• It will also facilitate them to utilise National level standard price as ready reference. It will empower them to alleviate their price risk.
• It will result to finest price discovery for brass, which is of main significance to its shareholders including importers, foreign exporters, producers and refiners who are seeking to hedgerow their rates exposure.
  Brass Industry
• Brass is alloy of copper i.e. 55-60 percent and zinc i.e. 40-45 percent with minute quantity of lead and ferrous. It is utilised in electrical gadgets, electric pump parts, marine locomotives, sanitary products, vehicles, switch gears and defence purposes.
• The approximated yearly manufacturing of metal brass in India is assumed in between 100,000 to
  150,000 tonnes, which consists of manufacturing through principal metal and re-cycled brass.
• India is the mega exporter of finished brass products. India imports large measures of brass scrap from United States, Middle East, Europe and Africa which is then divided and re-cycled to produce brass.