# Cairn energy

• India has been ordered to return upto $ 1.4 billion to Cairn energy PLC of United Kingdom.

• India lost the arbitration case at an international arbitration tribunal.

• The three member tribunal comprised of a nominee of the Indian government.

• The tribunal uninamously ruled that India’s claim of 10,247 crore rupees in past taxes over a 2006-07 internal reorganisation of Cairn India business was not a valid demand.

# New coronavirus strain in UK

• A new virus strain found in UK has created a sense of fear in different parts of the world.

• This coronavirus strain is found to be 70% more efficient in transmission.

• However, it is not ascertained if, it is more deadly or lethal than the previous one or not.

• Many european countries and India has decided to put a travel ban on UK bound flights.

• Most of the travellers in last few weeks from UK are being traced and tested for coronavirus and further contact tracing is being done.

# I&B ministry

• The cabinet on wednesday approved the merger of four government run film media units.

• These include the merger of the films divisions, the directorate of film festivals, the national film archives of India and the autonomous body children’s film society – with the national film development corporation.

• Thw merger of film media units under one corporation will lead to convergence of activities and resources and better coordination.

• The films division, established in 1948 and the oldest of the four units,was created primarily to produce documentaries and news magazines as publicity for government programmes and to keep a cinematic record of Indian history.

# Nepal

• The supreme court of Nepal on wednesday started hearing writ petitions filed against the dissolution of the house of representatives by president Bidhya Devi Bhandari.

• The Supreme court has now transferred the case to a constitutional bench.

• The bench will examine the constitutionality of the decision to dissolve the house especially as the 2015 constitution does not allow for such a move for political necessities.

# GST registration

• The government has introduced mandatory physical verification of business premises for the purpose of obtaining GST registration.

• The GST council secretariat said that the move, aimed at controlling the menace of GST fake invoice frauds, was recommended by the council’s law committee.

• Now, there must be in person verification before registration is granted to an applicant.