1. Hanan Al Hroub wins Global Teacher’s Prize 2016
(i) Hanan Al Hroub, the Palestinian teacher who teaches refugee children, recently won the $1 million Global Teacher Prize 2016.
(ii) As she grew up in a refugee camp near Bethlehem, she took up the onus of teaching refugee children, especially those torn up by war.
(iii) The finalist of the Global Teacher Prize included teachers from UK, India, Kenya, Pakistan, Japan, US and Finland. On receiving the award Hanan Al Hroub said, “I am proud to be a Palestinian female teacher standing on this stage.” She intends to use the prize money on supporting refugee children.
2. India, Bangladesh conduct first-ever joint exercise in Sundarbans
(i) In a first-ever joint exercise in the riverine borders of the Sundarbans, border-guarding forces of India and Bangladesh recently conducted the ‘Sundarbans Maithri’ drill to enhance bilateral cooperation.
(ii) The exercise began with the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) conducting joint searches of cargo vessels on the Ichamati river along with troopers, including dog and bomb squads.
(iii) It is hoped that such coordinated border management drills will deter smugglers and criminals operating with impunity. As part of the coordinated border management plan, such exercises are likely to be conducted on land also.
3. 4th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves to be held in Lima
(i) The 4th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves is to be conducted in Lima from March 14 to 17. The latest session of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme will also be held in Lima itself.
(ii) The Congress will bring together over 1,000 experts to forge a ten-year roadmap for UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme. The Congress will also evaluate lessons learned and challenges faced by the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, and will formulate and launch an Action Plan for Biosphere Reserves for 2016-2025.
(iii) The Congress is being organised by the Secretariat of the MAB Programme, the Ministry of Environment of Peru and its National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State (SERNANP), and the MAB National Committee of Peru.
4. China plans to set up its own maritime ‘judicial centre’
(i) Recently, China’s supreme court announced plans of establishing develop its own international maritime ‘judicial centre’ to handle territorial disputes and help China become a “maritime power”.
(ii) China has had several conflicts with neighbouring countries over claims in the resource-rich South China Sea.
(iii) Though this move is to secure China’s sovereignty and maritime rights, the institution is unlikely to be recognised by neighbours with whom the Asian nation has territorial disputes.
5. K M Birla declared ‘CEO of the Year’ at the International Advertising Association Awards
(i) Recently, Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, Kumar Mangalam Birla, was declared ‘CEO of the Year’ at the 4th edition of the International Advertising Association (IAA) Awards.
(ii) IAA is an international body of advertisers and agencies which organises annual awards based on popular polls and peer reviews.
(iii) Among others, Bharat Patel, ex-Procter & Gamble India Chairman, was inducted into the Hall of Fame. BBDO India Chairman Josy Paul was declared the ‘Creative Agency Head of the Year’, Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia Chairman Ashish Bhasin was declared the ‘Media Agency Head of the Year’, Colors CEO Raj Nayak was declared ‘Media Person of the Year’ and Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan was declared ‘Brand Endorser of the Year’.
6. Kotak Mahindra Group signs agreement with Canada Pension Plan Investment Board to invest in stressed assets
(i) Kotak Mahindra Group recently signed an agreement with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) in order to invest close to $525 million in stressed assets in India’s banking and corporate sector.
(ii) The CPPIB, Kotak Mahindra Group along with its asset reconstruction arm Phoenix ARC are set to invest in asset sales by banks aimed in order to restructure, recovery and improve companies in distress.
(iii) As per a statement by Kotak Mahindra Group, “Canada’s pension fund will have the ability to invest up to $450 million in the partnership.”
7. Paytm borrows Rs.300 crore from ICICI Bank
(i) Recently, mobile payment platform Paytm took a loan worth Rs.300 crore from ICICI Bank, India’s largest private lender, in two tranches. Analysts say this is a testimony to the slowdown in venture capital (VC) investing.
(ii) Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma said, “This is a treasury management move for working capital. While adequate funds are there, it is advised by our finance teams to get these credit lines for working capital on the back of security such as FDs (fixed deposits), mutual funds, etc. in order to conserve cash.”
(iii) Paytm, financed by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, forayed into the Indian online payment platform and is soon to launch a payments bank as well.
8. Geraint Thomas week-long Paris-Nice cycling stage race
(i) Welshman, Geraint Thomas recently became the third British cyclist to win the week-long Paris Nice stage race.
(ii) He was well ahead of the over two-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contado and Richie Porte.
(iii) With this victory, Thomas now joins other British winners of the race, namely Tom Simpson and Bradley Wiggins.
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