The Daily Brief – 17th August 2017

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The Daily Briefs are a comprehensive update of current affairs for the day. If you’d like to receive updates for current affairs every day, you’ll need to subscribe by entering your email address at the right side of this page. The previous Briefs can be accessed at the archives here. You can thank Aparajita Kaul in the comments below for this brief! Also, check out our test series!

  • China and Nepal have signed three pacts to boost their ties in power, energy and economic sectors. The agreements cover different areas: (i) economic and technological cooperation, (ii) framework agreement on promotion of investment and economic cooperation and (iii) China-aid oil and gas resources survey project.
  • The Public procurement portal Government eMarketplace (GeM) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) have signed a MoU to establish GeMSamvad, a GeM-Industry forum. This forum seeks to make people aware about online purchase of goods and services by government agencies and departments.
  • The Union Cabinet has approved creation of a single corpus fund non-lapsable known as Madhyamik and Uchchtar Shiksha Kosh (MUSK). Under it, all proceeds of secondary and higher education cess will be credited and utilised for the government’s schemes in education sector.
  • The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved revision in the procedure and mechanism for strategic disinvestment.
  • The drug price regulator National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA) has capped the prices of orthopaedic knee implants upto 70% lower than current market rates.
  • Scientists from the University of Toronto, Canada have formulated an injectable tissue bandage named as AngioChip, smaller than a stamp that can repair damaged hearts. The Chip is a tiny patch of heart tissue with its own blood vessels and heart cells beating with a regular rhythm. It is made out of biocompatible, biodegradable polymer.
  • Aeroplanes may be ejecting significant amounts of black carbon (BC) which in turn is affecting monsoon, depleting the ozone layer and quickening glacier melt according to a study that was conducted by climate researchers from institutions across India including from the Indian Institute of Science and ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.

Today’s Quiz

  1. What is the name of the injectable tissue bandage that can repair damaged hearts?





2. What is the full-form of CII?





3. What is the full-form of MUSK, a single corpus fund non-lapsable?





4.National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA) has capped the prices of orthopaedic knee implants upto what % lower than current market rates?









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