Current Affairs 25th April 2017

Current Affairs 25th April 2017 - Important Points

• World’s fifth largest military spender - India
• Ghantasala national award bagged by - Vani Jairam 
• Ghana, Kenya and Malawi taking part in WHO - malaria vaccine pilot programme
• Dinanath Mangeshkar Award 2017 received by - Aamir Khan
• Legendary filmmaker Kasinathuni Viswanath wins - Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2016
• Cuba and Morocco re-establish diplomatic ties after - 37 years

Current Affairs 25th April 2017 - Details

World’s fifth largest military spender - India

India became the world’s fifth-largest military spender on 24th April 2017, as per the figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). India spent around USD 55.9 billion for its military in the year 2016. 

As per the data of SIPRI, the United States remains the world’s largest military spender followed by China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia on 2nd,  3rd and 4th rank respectively. The other prominent military spenders are Japan, Australia, and South Korea.

 Key Highlights of the world military expenditure as per SIPRI

• Global military spending amounted to 2.2 per cent of the worldwide GDP. 
• Military spending as a part of GDP was highest in the Middle East and was the lowest in the Americas. 
• In Asia and Oceania, military expenditure raised by 4.6 per cent in 2016, which was the result of tensions in the region such claims of territorial rights made by various countries in the South China Sea.
• The US is the top spender whose military expenditure grew 1.7 percent in 2015 and in 2016 to USD 611 billion. 
• China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia stood at 2nd, 3rd and 4th place respectively in the top 5 list of military spenders.
• Saudi Arabia, which was the third largest spender in 2015, is now ranked at 4th position in 2016 with a spend of USD 63.7 billion. 
• Pakistan did not figure in the list of top 15 spenders while it spent USD 9.93 billion in 2016. 
• Military expenditure in Western Europe rose for the second consecutive year and was more by 2.6 percent in 2016.

Ghantasala national award bagged by - Vani Jairam 

 Vani Jairam , the versatile playback singer of the south industry awarded with Ghantashala national award on 23rd April 2017 in Andhra Pradesh.  The award was given by A. Ramalingeswara Rao, a High court judge in Andhra Pradesh and R Ananda Bhaskar , Rajya Sabha member from Congress party, to 71 years old singer.

Key highlights

• She is called as Meera of Modern India.
• She started her singing career in 1971 and so far has completed over 4 decades in the Industry.
• She was also awarrded with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement award in 2012.

Ghana, Kenya and Malawi taking part in WHO - malaria vaccine pilot programme

 The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO) announced on 24th April 2017 that Ghana, Kenya and Malawi will take part in a WHO-coordinated pilot implementation programme. The programme will make the world’s first malaria vaccine available in selected areas, starting in 2018.

The injectable vaccine, RTS,S, was developed to protect young children from the most deadly form of malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum.

The vaccine will be assessed in the pilot programme as a complementary malaria control tool that could potentially be added to the core package of WHO-recommended measures for the preevention of malaria.

In October 2015, two independent WHO advisory groups recommended pilot implementation of RTS in three to five settings in sub-Saharan Africa. The recommendation came from the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization and the Malaria Policy Advisory Committee (MPAC). The WHO formally adopted the recommendation in January 2016.

Important highlights

• The WHO pilot programme will check whether the vaccine’s protective effect among children aged 5 – 17 months old during Phase III testing can be replicated in real-life.
• It will also assess the feasibility of delivering the required four doses of RTS,S, the vaccine’s potential role in minimizing childhood deaths, and its safety in the context of routine use.
• It will be administered via intramuscular injection and delivered through the routine national immunization programmes.  

Dinanath Mangeshkar Award 2017 received by - Aamir Khan

Indian actor Aamir Khan was honoured with the 75th Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Award for his film Dangal on 25th April 2017 by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

Key Highlights

• Legendary actress Vyjayanthimala Bali was also honoured with Master Dinanath Vishesh Puraskar to appreciate her achievements in Hindi cinema. 
• Uday Nirgudkar received an award for his editorial work while Kaushiki Chakraborty was awarded for her endeavour in the music field.
• Kapil Dev was given the award for his outstanding contribution in the Indian cricket.
• Kishore Deshpande was presented with Anadmayee Puraskar for his dedicated work in social service.
• Vijaya Rajadhyaksha was conferred with Vagvilasini Puraskar for her work in literature field.

Legendary filmmaker Kasinathuni Viswanath wins - Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2016

Renowned filmmaker and actor Kasinathuni Viswanath won the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2016 on 24th April 2017. The award will be presented to him by President Pranab Mukherjee on 3rd May 2017 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. With this, Viswanath became the 48th recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, which is the highest recognition in Indian cinema.

 More about Kasinathuni Viswanath

• Kasinathuni Viswanath was born at Gudivada in February 1930 in Andhra Pradesh. 
• A passionate art lover, he made a series of films based on varied themes of art, music and dance. 
• He also received recognition for his contributions in filmmaking in the form of the Padma Shri Award in 1992 by the Union Government. 
• He has been awarded with 5 National Awards, 20 Nandi Awards (awarded by the State Government of Andhra Pradesh), 10 Filmfare Awards including Lifetime Achievement Award. 
• His National Award-winning film Swati Mutyam was also the India's official entry to the 59th Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Film category.
• One of his most memorable films, Sirivennela was on a sensitive story of a blind flutist and a mute painter who fall in love with each other over the love of music and their individual setbacks. 
• His another film Sankarabharanam is one of India's most memorable classics, which was appreciated globally. 

Do you know?

• Dadasaheb Phalke Award was introduced in 1969 by the Union Government to recognise the contribution of film personalities towards the Indian Cinema development. 
• The award prize consists of a Golden Lotus, a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh and a shawl. 
• The first winner of the award was Devika Rani in the year 1969.

Cuba and Morocco re-establish diplomatic ties after - 37 years

Cuba and Morocco signed an agreement to re-establish diplomatic ties in the third week of April 2017 after a gap of 37 years. Cuban Foreign Ministry made the announcement.

Mohamed VI, Morocco's King has already ordered the opening of an embassy in Havana. Cuba is one of the few Latin American countries where Rabat was not represented to date. After Cuba’s diplomatic re-establishment with Morocco, South Korea, Somalia and Israel are the only remaining countries having no ties with the Latin American nation.

 Important Information

• Cuba and Morocco relationship suffered several strains due to Cuba’s decision to side with Algeria during the Morocco-Algerian military conflict of 1963 also called the Sand War.
• Havana again decided to side with Algeria in its support for the independence of the Western Sahara from Morocco in the 1970s.
• Morocco finally cut ties with Cuba in 1980 after the latter officially recognized Western Sahara as the independent Sahrawi Arab 
• Democratic Republic, which Morocco claims its own territory.