KARNATAKA

• Karnataka Bank’s all-woman branch

• Karnataka Bank opened its first all-woman branch at Bull Temple Road in Bengaluru. This is the 800th branch of the bank.

• Speaking on the occasion, Mahabaleshwara MS, Managing Director and CEO, said the bank opened 36 branches during 2017-18.

• The bank has registered a business turnover of Rs 1.06-lakh crore. 

  INTERNATIONAL

   

  • China scrapped two-term limit for Presidential rule

   

  • China has abolished the limit on how long its leader can serve, meaning President Xi could now rule the country indefinitely.

   

  • The amendment overhauls a system introduced by former leader Deng Xiaoping in 1982, which was introduced with the aim of preventing a repeat of the bloody reign of Mao Zedong.

   

  • Until now, presidents had been limited to two consecutive terms.

   

   

  NATIONAL

   

  • Multilateral naval exercise begins in Andamans

   

  • The Indian Navy began an eight-day-long mega naval exercise along with leading maritime powers of the region at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

   

  • The biennial exercise — Milan — is taking place in the backdrop of imposition of state of emergency in Maldives and Sri Lanka, two of India’s maritime neighbours.

   

  • 28 warships including 17 from India and 11 from Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand are participating in the 10th exercise.

   

  • Diu becomes first UT to run 100% on solar power

   

  • The harnessing of solar energy has made Diu the country’s first energy surplus Union territory and a model for an effective way for people to harness this renewable energy source.

   

  • In just three years, Diu has made rapid progress in solar power generation.

   

  • Diu generates a total of 13 megawatts of electricity from solar power generating facilities daily.

   

  • Around 3 MW is generated by rooftop solar plants and 10 MW by its other solar power plants.

   

   

  • India’s top court allows passive euthanasia

   

  • Over a decade after NGO Common Clause filed a petition seeking the right for terminally-ill patients “to die with dignity,” India’s Supreme Court has decreed that passive euthanasia is legally valid across the country.

   

  • In a judgment delivered on March 09, the court said patients have the right to refuse life-support instead of prolonging their pain, and that a “living will,” in which they can authorise family members in advance to let them die, should be recognised.

   

  • The judgment was made by a bench consisting of chief justice Dipak Misra and justices AK Sikri, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud, and Ashok Bhushanin.

   

  • India is 22nd country to legalize passive euthanasia.

   

  Gk bit – Euthanasia

   

  • Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending a life to relieve pain and suffering.

   

  • There are two procedural classifications of euthanasia:

   

  • Passive euthanasiais when life-sustaining treatments are withheld. The definitions are not precise. If a doctor prescribes increasing doses of strong painkilling medications, such as opioids, this may eventually be toxic for the patient. Some may argue that this is passive euthanasia.

   

  • Others, however, would say this is not euthanasia, because there is no intention to take life.

   

  • Active euthanasiais when someone uses lethal substances or forces to end a patient’s life, whether by the patient or somebody else.

   

  • Active euthanasia is more controversial, and it is more likely to involve religious, moral, ethical, and compassionate arguments.

   

  Assisted suicide

   

  • Intentionally helping a person commit suicide by providing drugs for self-administration, at that person’s voluntary and competent request

   

   

  • CSO projects the growth of GDP to be 6.6 per cent in 2017-18

   

  • As per the Second Advance estimates released by Central Statistics Office (CSO) the growth of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is estimated to be 6.6 per cent in 2017-18, which is same as the annual average GDP growth rate during last 30 years, starting from 1987-88 to 2016-17.

   

  • However, it may be mentioned that the growth rate of GDP from 2012-13 may not be strictly comparable with the growth rate prior to that period.

  ·        Prime Minister Narendra Modi Inaugurates National Legislators Conference On We For Development

   

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated National Legislators Conference on the theme ‘We For Development’in New Delhi.
  • The motive of the conference is to bring MPs and MLAs on a single platform where ideas and plans for development can be exchanged.
  • The conference will hold discussions on how women help in the development work being done for the country where ideas on projects and plans can be debated.
  • NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant will give a presentation on the first day and the plenary will be presided over by Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai.
  • Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu will address the concluding session.

   

  ·        India’s Biggest M&E Services Market, EnTTech 2018 Inaugurated

   

  • India’s biggest Media & Entertainment Services Market – enTTech 2018was inaugurated in Mumbai.
  • The market, spread over two days saw fast matchmaking between 100 international delegates and their Indian counterparts.
  • The event was organized by Service Export Promotion Council (SEPC) in association with MEAI (Media & Entertainment Association of India) and supported by the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. Indian film industry is the world’s largest industry in terms of the number of films produced.

   

  • Virat Kohli named Uber India’s first brand ambassador

   

  • Popular ridesharing app Uber has announced the appointment of Indian skipper Virat Kohli as its first brand ambassador in India.

   

  • This partnership will see Uber and Virat Kohli joining hands to underscore the company’s commitment to serve billions in the country, in the years to come.

   

   

  • President receives the book ‘Fulfilling Bapu’s Dreams – Prime Minister Modi’s tribute to Gandhiji’

  

  • The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, received the first copy of the book ‘Fulfilling Bapu’s Dreams – Prime Minister Modi’s Tribute to Gandhiji’ from Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, who formally released it at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

   

  • Speaking on the occasion, the President said that this book underscores an important aspect of India’s developmental process.