Today (20th February) is World Day of Social Justice.
It is an awareness day which had been initiated by the United Nations (UN) in 2009 and it aims to bring back the approach of social justice to mind.
One of its basic principles is the fair dispersal of goods. Social Justice is the basic condition for peace and respect between the nations on a connected world.
Theme of World Day of Social Justice 2017 : "Preventing conflict and sustaining peace through decent work”
NATO is going to approve a plan to build its anti-terrorism headquarters in Italy to monitor terrorist activities spreading across Europe.
This will help in coordinating information on crisis countries like Libya and Iraq, and addressing terrorism.
Secretary-General of NATO :Jens Stoltenberg
India
Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram are celebrating Statehood Day today.
Both these states were granted statehood on this day in the year 1987.
Both of these were Union Territories before being granted statehood.
Test drills for the construction of the first undersea bullet train route in India have begun today.
The 7-kilometre route will form part of the country's first bullet train project, the 508-kilometre Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor.
The corridor, set to cost ₹1 lakh crore, will feature multiple underground and underwater passages.
Within days after proving the majority of his government in the Assembly, the newly-appointed Tamil Nadu CM E Palanisamy today announced 50% discount for over a lakh women in the state to buy mopeds.
He also announced the closure of 500 state-run liquor outlets.
In a campaign named "Break the Bloody taboo", NGO Sacchi Saheli is going to conduct sessions on menstruation for girls in 70 Delhi government schools.
New Appointments
National People's Front President Shurhozelie Liezietsu was today elected as the next Chief Minister of the Nagaland.
This comes after the current CM TR Zeliang tendered his resignation on Sunday.
The Saudi Stock Exchange has appointed Sarah Al Suhaimi, CEO of investment bank NCB Capital, as its first female head.
Important Note : She is the first woman to chair a major government financial institution in the kingdom.
Science & Technology
Elon Musk-led space exploration startup SpaceX today successfully launched its Dragon spacecraft which will deliver nearly 2,500 kg of cargo to International Space Station for NASA.
Dragon spacecraft is also carrying strains of the MRSA superbug to study its behaviour in microgravity.
The launch was conducted from the same pad used for NASA's first manned mission to the moon.
People in News
Actor and model Milind Soman successfully completed the 517.5-kilometre-long Ultraman Florida challenge, considered to be one of the world's toughest endurance races.
Awards & Honors
Hungarian drama film 'On Body and Soul', a love story set in a slaughterhouse, won the Golden Bear, the top prize at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival today.
The film has been directed by Ildikó Enyedi, one of the four female filmmakers in the competition.
Banking & Economy
The government today launched a QR (quick response) code-based payment solution called BharatQR to allow cashless payments without a card swiping machine.
BharatQR has been jointly developed by MasterCard, Visa and Rupay.
A customer will scan the BharatQR code to pay directly to a merchant.
Currently, BharatQR is integrated into ICICI Bank’s Pockets app and HDFC Bank’s PayZapp.
Beginning today, the maximum cash withdrawal limit from savings account has been increased to ₹50,000 a week from ₹24,000.
The relaxation is followed by an RBI notification issued on January 30, announcing the changes in the weekly withdrawal limits effective from February 20.
The limits on cash withdrawals from savings bank account will be withdrawn completely from March 13.
Cash purchases of jewellery will attract 1% tax collected at source (TCS) from April 1 if the amount exceeds ₹2 lakh, as against the current threshold of ₹5 lakh.
Once the Finance Bill 2017 is passed, jewellery will be treated on par with general goods.
This comes amid the government's decision banning cash transactions above ₹3 lakh from April 1.
India has committed soft loans amounting to $340 million (around ₹2,280 crore) to Nepal for infrastructure projects.
Through these loans, India committed itself towards a bridge project and 15 road projects in the neighbouring country.
Sports
Virat Kohli has become the first Indian athlete to sign a deal worth over ₹100 crore with a brand, after signing up with Puma.
With the reportedly eight-year-long deal, Kohli will join Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and Thierry Henry as Puma's global ambassador.
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi announced his retirement from T20 internationals today, thereby ending his 21-year long international career.
Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi has become the first cricketer from his country to join the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Nabi was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹30 lakh in the auction held today.
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