India and Indonesia Cooperation
- Indonesia has recently agreed to give India access to its port for operational turnaround for Indian Navy.
- In a first, , Indian ship INS Sumitra berthed at Sabang Port close to the Malacca Strait for operational turnaround.
- INS Sumitra sailed from Port Blair to Sabang, where it will take provisions and fuel before going for further deployment in the Indian Ocean.
- It will increase the Indian Navy’s footprint in the region.
- Sabang port is in Sumatra island of Indonesia
Buddha of Swat
- Buddha of Swat is located in Jahanabad, the epicentre of Swat’s Buddhist heritage, a beautiful valley in the foothills of the Himalayas.
- It belongs to 7th century depicted in a lotus position at the base of a granite cliff in northern Pakistan.
- It was damaged by Afghan Taliban in 2007.
- It is restored recently by Italian government nearly 12 years after the Afghan Talibans damaged.
Directive of Archaeological Survey of India
- The Archaeological Survey of India, an organisation under the Ministry of Culture, has recently issued a notification regarding photography within the premises of archaeological monuments.
- ASI has decided to allow photography within the premises of all centrally protected monuments/sites except three sites.
- The 3 monuments/sites in which the photography would not be permitted are Ajanta Caves and Leh Palace having paintings, and Mausoleum of Taj Mahal.
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
- The EBRD is a multilateral development bank set up in 1991 after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
- It aims to promote private and entrepreneurial initiative in emerging Europe.
- It invests in 38 emerging economies across three continents.
- The Indian government had applied for membership in the London-based EBRD in December 2017.
- The EBRD board of governors, voted unanimously in favour of the country's application in March 2018, with the entire membership process completed this week.
- India takes a shareholding in the EBRD but it will not be a recipient of EBRD financing.
- India's membership opens up further joint investment prospects in markets such as Central Asia, Egypt and Jordan.
Global Innovation Index (GII)
- The 11th edition of Global Innovation Index (GII) has ranked India as the 57th most innovative nation in the world.
- The GII is being developed jointly by Cornell University, the Paris-based business school Insead and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in Geneva.
- GII ranks 126 economies based on 80 indicators.
- India has improved its ranking from 60th position in 2016 and 81st position in 2015.
- China improved its ranking from 22 in 2017 to 17 this year.
- Since 2011, Switzerland has been ranked at the top every year. This year, Netherlands follows at second place and Sweden at third.
Deputy Chairman in Rajya Sabha
- The Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha presides over the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha in the absence of the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
- The Deputy Chairman is elected from amongst the Rajya Sabha members.
- The chairman of Rajya Sabha (Vice President of India) presides over its sessions.
- Whenever a vacancy arises, the election takes place in the very next session.
- Currently, the chair of Deputy Chairman remains vacant since June 30.
- The Rajya Sabha has a panel of six to seven senior members as part of Vice-President’s panel who officiate in his absence.
- But the panel can’t play the role of Deputy Chairman.
Source: The Hindu, Economic Times
