Important Current Affairs 9th July 2017

Current Affairs 9th July 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Foundation stone of country's largest Global Skill Park laid in Bhopal

In continuation of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Skill India programme, foundation stone of Global Skill Park was laid in Bhopal, on Monday, July 3.
●    Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajeev Pratap Rudi and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan laid the foundation stone of India's biggest Global Skill Park in Bhopal, at the Academy of Administration.
●    Madhya Pradesh is the first state in the country which has undertaken all programmes and schemes of centre's skill enhancement simultaneously.
●    The park will be spread in 37 acre land, which has been allotted in Narela Shankari area of Bhopal.
●    The construction of the Global Skill Park is estimated to cost around 645 crore rupees
Training will be imparted to 1000 students every year by trainers of international standard.
●    The park will function on the spirit of 'With Industry-For Industry.
●    Trained students will be given placement in India and outside India at international level Provision of international joint certification will also be there.

India ranks 23rd among 165 nations in cybersecurity index

India is ranked a high 23rd out of 165 nations in a global index that measures the commitment of nations across the world to cybersecurity. 
●    The second Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), released by the UN telecommunications agency International Telecommunication Union (ITU), said only about half of all countries have a cybersecurity strategy or are in the process of developing one and urged more countries to consider national policies to protect against cybercrime. 
●    India is ranked 23rd on the index with a score of 0.683 and has been listed in the "maturing" category, which refers to 77 countries that have developed complex commitments to cybersecurity and engage in cybersecurity programmes and initiatives
●    The index has been topped by Singapore with a 0.925 score. 
●    The report said about 38 per cent of countries have a published cybersecurity strategy and an additional 12 per cent of governments are in the process of developing one. 

Snapdeal joins hand with the NBT for online books donation drive

In a bid to inculcating reading habit among underprivileged children, e-commerce major, Snapdeal,  announced the launch of ‘HarHaathEkKitaab’ campaign, in partnership with The National Book Trust (NBT).
●    The campaign aims at nationwide online books donation drive especially targeting underprivileged children, and aims at inculcating a reading habit among them. 
●    Snapdeal’s partnership with the NBT is the first time the latter has come on-board an e-commerce platform.
●    As a part of the campaign, Snapdeal will encourage its customers to buy and donate books published by the National Book Trust India. 
●    People can choose to donate anywhere between 10 to 2000 books by simply visiting https://www.snapdeal.com/offers/har-haath-ek-kitaab and clicking on the donation plan one prefers. 
●    The average price of the books available is approximately Rs. 25. Books in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and English are available for the first phase of the campaign. 
●    NBT will dispatch books to NGOs across India working towards educating India’s underprivileged children including Teach for India, Goonj, Bhumi, Aarti, Idea, Impact, 17000 ft, Books For All, Turnstone Global, Guzarish, Educate Girls, PYDS, Pratham, Vimukti Sansthan, Deepalaya, Shikshanandan and the Indian Dreams Foundation.

Union Minister Shri Vijay Goel and Wrestler Shakshi Malik Flag off 7th Slum Yuva Daud 

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports shri Vijay Goel today flagged off the 7th Slum Yuva Daud with Ramesh Bidhuri, MP and Olympic medalist ace wrestler Sakshi Malik. 
●    Today’s Daud started from Tughlakabad Fort village and ended at Karni Singh Shooting Range. More than 3000 youth from Delhi slums participated in it. 
●    Addressing the participants shri Goel said, that This is not just any other run but we are running for a better tomorrow, a ‘New India’ where each youngster is a capable being and sports being one field in which we must grow big and powerful. 
●    The Minister also interacted with the participants via quiz contest and songs etc. He asked them to retain their shirts, medals and certificates as these would help them gain access to a mega Programme being planned with all the participants of 11Slum Runs. 
●    Olympic medal winner wrestler Sakshi Malik urged the youth to participate in sporting activities and promote healthy living and cited sports and youth as two pillars of India’s greatness. Sakshi Malik gave a thumbs up to the Sports Ministry’s initiative of Slum Yuva Daud and called it a ‘great way” to tap young talent.

Current Affairs 9th July 2017: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India and Israel sign 7 Agreements

India and Israel have signed 7 agreements on areas including space, tech and agriculture during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel. 
●    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel. 
●    Also, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit marks the 25 years of establishment of diplomatic relationship between India and Israel.
●    In the joint statement released after talks between India and Israel, both the countries have called for taking strong measures against terror organisations and also against those who encouraged, supported and financed terrorism.
●    MoU for setting up of India-Israel Industrial R&D & Technological Innovation Fund (I4F)
●    MoU for conservation of water in India
●    MoU on State Water Utility Reform in India
India-Israel Development Cooperation- 3-year work program in Agriculture (2018-2020)
●    Plan of cooperation regarding cooperation in atomic clocks
●    MoU regarding cooperation in GEO-LEO optical link.
●    MoU regarding cooperation in electric propulsion for small satellites.

Giant crocodile teeth found In Madagascar

Paleontologists found on the island of Madagascar the remains of a potentially ancient giant crocodile seven to ten meters in length and weighing a tonne that lived on land and could compete with the size of teeth and the power of a bite with tyrannosaurs, according to an article published in the PeerJ magazine.
●    “Like many other giant crocodiles of the Jurassic period, Razana could battle and defeat many carnivorous dinosaurs, including those that were on the top of the food pyramid,” says Cristiano dal Sasso of the Natural History Museum History in Milan (Italy).
●    The first dinosaurs, as paleontologists think today, appeared at the end of the Triassic period, about 240 million years ago, after the disappearance of all the large animal monsters that dominated the Earth in the Permian period. 
●    The main competitors of the dinosaurs for the crown of the most successful animals on earth were crocodiles, which at that time were huge in size and inhabited not only in water bodies, but also on land.
 

Current Affairs 9th July 2017: PERSONS

Indian-American student wins top original oratory contest in US

An Indian-American student in the US has won this year's National Speech and Debate Tournament, considered to be the most prestigious high school competition in the country.
●    J J Kapur, a Sikh, composed his own persuasive speech titled 'Let's Dance' addressing a social issue.
●    His speech, which won the competition in the category of original oratory, started out with a lively Bollywood dance and focused on his experiences as a Sikh-American youth. 
●    He earned top rankings in the semifinal and final rounds of the tournament of champions before earning the championship trophy, the West Des Moines community schools reported.
●    Kapur, who is a Valley High School junior in West Des Moines, Iowa, shared his experience to highlight the stereotyping of Sikh and Muslim identities post-9/11 attacks
●    He said he was two years old when the September 11, 2001, attacks happened. His family was watching the news when he thought he saw a picture of his father on the screen and pointed it out to his family. 

Important Current Affairs 8th July 2017

Current Affairs 8th July 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

PM Modi held Informal Meeting in Hamburg to discuss terrorism

The leaders of the 5 BRICS nations had an informal meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany on 7 July 2017. 
●    This was in run up to the forthcoming 9th BRICS Summit scheduled to be held in September 2017 in Xiamen, China.
●    During the meet, the leaders discussed preparations and priorities for the forthcoming Xiamen BRICS Summit. 
●    In addition, President Xi, the leader of the host country for the September Xiamen BRICS Summit said he looked forward to welcoming the BRICS leaders.
●    Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was a participant of the meet mentioned that BRICS has been a strong voice and needs to show leadership on terrorism and global economy.
●    He stressed that G20 should collectively oppose terrorism financing, franchises, safe havens, support and sponsors.

EPFO inks agreement with 4 private banks to collect PF dues

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) on 5 July 2017 inked an agreement with four private banks and Bank of Baroda for collection of provident fund dues from employers and payments to its subscribers.
●    It is the first time that the EPFO has tied up with private banks. These four banks are ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank.
●    Before, only State Bank of India was authorised to collect contributions from employers and make payment to employees.
●    The agreement will help the EPFO save about Rs 300 crore annually as the five banks have agreed to zero transaction charges.
●    Bandaru Dattatreya, Union Labour and Employment Minister, stated that “With today’s agreement, we have tied up with 10 banks now to collect provident fund contribution and pay dues to the workers. 
●    EPFO settles around 1.16 crore claims every year and collects Rs 75000 crore annually from establishments under the EPF Act.”

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly passes GST Bill

The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Friday passed the state GST Bill 2017 amidst opposition boycott, making it the last state of the country to join the new tax regime.
●    The bill entitled the Jammu and Kashmir Goods and Services Tax Bill 2017 moved by finance minister Haseeb Drabu was adopted by a voice vote as all opposition members decided to boycott the proceedings, accusing the government of undermining the special status of the state by seeking a presidential order for extending the GST regime.
●    Drabu said the GST regime will roll out in the state at midnight tonight, making Jammu and Kashmir the last state to join the new tax regime.
●    Before moving the bill for consideration and passing by the state assembly, Drabu read out the contents of the presidential order pertaining to the special status of the state and its exclusive taxation powers.
●    “Although there is no tradition of tabling a presidential order in the assembly, we are starting a new tradition in the democracy of the state by tabling this presidential order in the House.

Uttarakhand to have its own ‘Super-30’

Taking cue from the famous ‘Super 30’, run by Anand Kumar in Bihar, the Uttarakhand government has launched its own version of ‘Super-30’ to improve higher education. 
●    Super 30 coaches meritorious students for Joint Entrance Exam (JEE). 
●    These students are taken from underprivileged families who can’t afford expensive coaching.
●    Moreover, the Uttarakhand government has also introduced similar facility for civil services aspirants, Higher Education minister Dhan Singh Rawat said at a function held at the Himalayan University Jolly Grant to award meritorious students.
●    Announcing a third scheme for postgraduates, Rawat said 100 such meritorious students will also be selected every year for doing PHD and will be provided with financial assistance by the government.

India likely to clock GDP growth of 6.9 per cent this fiscal: BMI Research

●    Indian economy is expected to recover in the coming quarters and the country is expected to clock a real GDP growth of 6.9 per cent in this financial year, says a report. 
●    According to a report by BMI Research, India's growth is expected to pick up following the negative ramifications from the demonetisation drive in November 2016, but weak public banks will likely cap the recovery. 
●    Real GDP growth slowed substantially to 6.1 per cent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2016-17. 
●    The Fitch Group company, noted that the negative effects from the demonetisation measure is already wearing off, and the Indian economy will likely benefit from positive demographic trends, greater external stability (due to improved terms of trade from low oil prices), and continued reforms that should help to improve the country's admittedly poor business environment. 
●    The report, however, noted that the public banking sector is still weak and plagued with mounting non-performing assets, and it is likely to weigh on India's growth potential.
 

Current Affairs 8th July 2017: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

PM Modi visits Haifa, pays homage to Indian World War I heroes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday visited the Indian cemetery in Haifa, Israel, and paid homage to Indian soldiers whose bravery in 1918's Battle of Haifa is the stuff of legend.
●    The Indian Army commemorates September 23 every year as Haifa Day to pay its respects to the two Indian Cavalry Regiments that helped liberate the city. 
●    In the autumn of 1918, the Indian Brigade was a part of the Allied Forces sweeping northwards through Palestine in what is seen as the last great cavalry campaign in history.
●    Captain Aman Singh Bahadur and Dafadar Jor Singh were awarded the Indian Order of Merit and Captain Anop Singh and 2nd Lt Sagat Singh were awarded the Military Cross (MC) as recognition for their bravery in this battle.
●    In 2012, the municipality of Haifa decided to immortalise the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers, many of whom are buried in the cemetery, by including their stories in school curricula.
●    The municipality also decided to organise a ceremony every year to commemorate the role of the Indian Army in liberating the city from Turks after almost 402 years.
 

Current Affairs 8th July 2017: GLOBAL NEWS

Italy passes bill making ‘Torture’ crime under national law

Italy has finally passed a bill making torture a crime under national law, after years of parliamentary back-and-forth.
●    The bill was passed on 5 July 2017 with 198 lawmakers backing the legislation, 35 opposing it and 104 abstaining. 
●    It aims to make torture punishable by four to 10 years in prison and 12 years for members of the security forces.
●    Rome signed the UN Convention against Torture in 1984 but had never transferred it into national legislation. 
●    Torture is defined under the law as intense physical suffering or psychological trauma verifiably caused by violence, grave threats or cruel actions.
●    In 2015 the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) had blasted Italy for police violence against anti-globalisation activists on the sidelines of the 2001 G8 summit in Genoa, ruling that officers' actions against protesters sheltering in a school were similar to torture.
●    Several members of the Italian security forces were convicted after the violence but this did not include any officers who had been at the scene. 
 

Current Affairs 8th July 2017: SPORTS

Indian men's wrestling team for World Championships selected

Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt and reigning Commonwealth Games champion Amit Kumar were among the 16 male wrestlers selected on Tuesday to represent India in the World Championships to be held in Las Vegas between September 7 and 12.
●    The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) selection committee picked the grapplers of both the Greco-Roman and Free Style categories during the selection trials conducted at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here.
●    In the hard fought bout of Free Style 65 kg category, Yogeshwar beat Asian Championships gold medallist Amit Dhankhar 6-3, while in the 74 kg category, Olympian Narsingh Yadav beat Parveen Rana from Railway Sports Promotion Board 6-5 in a very close clash.
●    In the 57 kg category, 2013 World Championships silver medallist Amit Kumar overcame Sandeep Tomar of Services Sports Control Board 3-2.
●    Asian Games 2014 medallist Mausam Khatri (97 kg) also booked his berth for the World Championships as he ousted Satywart Kadian 6-0.
●    In the 61 kg category, Sonu from Haryana has only been selected for the Kazakhstan Tournament and will have to give final trial against Bajrang before the World Championships. 
●    The 2013 World Championships bronze medallist Bajrang couldn't participate in the trials due to injury.
 

Important Current Affairs 7th July 2017

Current Affairs 7th July 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Minister of Food Processing Industry laid foundation stone for First Maize Based Mega Food Park in Kapurthala, Punjab

Shri Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister of Food Processing Industry laid the foundation stone for First Maize based Mega Food Park in Kapurthala, Punjab today. 
●    Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Minister of State for Food Processing was also present on the occasion.
●    Speaking on the occasion Shri Harsimrat Kaur Badal said that Maize is an amazing cereal and is an alternate to Jhona (paddy) and Kanak (wheat). 
●    Maize is rich in protein, provides nutritional requirements that India needs and Maize consumes much lesser water and could contain the problem of further water depletion. 
●    The Mega Food Park is being developed by Sukhjit Mega Food park & Infra Limited at village Rehana Jattan, Phagwara, District Kapurthala, Punjab.  
●    She also said that Kapurthala has been declared as a Dark Zone district where slow desertification is happening because of overexploitation of water due to cash crops. So establishment of this Mega Food Park was not allowed. 
●    Since this would be a maize based Mega Food Park which will promote crop diversification and water conservation, Smt Harsimrat Kaur Badal informed that her ministry made special efforts to get this Mega Food Park approved from Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. 
●    Establishment of this Mega Food Park will result in the development of this Dark Zone which includes Job opportunities, Environmental Conservation, she added.

Tree Plantation Drive by Railway Women’s Welfare Central Organisation (RWWCO)

In view of Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu’s continued efforts on Tree Plantation in railway areas, the Railway Women’s Welfare Central Organisation (RWWCO) has undertaken  Tree Plantation Drive  on 6th July, 2017 at railway premises in New Delhi.   
●    Smt. Rashmi Mital, President/RWWCO & Executive Members of  RWWCO planted various shady, flowering and fruit bearing trees in railway premises.
●    Railway Women’s Welfare Central Organisation  is the apex body of the chain of women’s welfare organisations spread over all Indian Railways engaged in the task of welfare of railwaymen and their families through various need-based socio/welfare activities.  
●    The organization started its activities in 1962 after Indo-China War, and while the primary concern of the Organisation is the welfare of Railway employees and their families, it has always risen to the call of the society and the nation- be it environmental awareness, family welfare drives, disturbances on the borders or the natural calamities.  
●    It is one of the fore-runner voluntary Organisations in the country today.

Online Translation-Training Platform by Official Language Department Home Ministry

Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University, Vardha Vice Chancellor Prof. Online translation-training platform developed by Girishwar Mishra, Central Translation Bureau, under the Official Language Department, Home Ministry, Government of India, was inaugurated here today. 
●    Officials of the Department of Official Language Mr. Prabhas Kumar Jha, Joint Secretary Dr. Bipin Bihari were present on the occasion along with the officials of various government departments / ministries / departments etc. were present.
●    The online translation-training platform was inaugurated in the first session of this program held in two sessions and detailed information about the benefits of this platform was given by Dr. S.N. Singh, Director of Central Translation Bureau. 
●    In the second session, the statement was given on important topics such as translation by famous litterateur Padmashree Dr. Narendra Kohli, language linguist and technical expert Dr. Om Vikal, Linguist and Hungarian and well-known translator of Hindi, Dr. Vimlesh Kanti Verma.
●    Addressing the inauguration of the online translation-training platform, Prof. Girishwar Mishra said that this is an important effort and a new initiative. 
●    He said that this platform will be available to all. He said that a country like India where such languages are spoken and many languages are available in the world, translation is the medium through which we can share ideas. 
●    Pro. Girishwar Mishra said that information about various schemes of the government should also be available in public language and in simple language. 
●    He said that knowledge of history and different cultures is possible through translation.

RBI issued revised guidelines to protect customers from net banking fraud

Customers will not suffer any loss if unauthorised online banking transactions are reported within three days and the amount involved will be credited in the accounts concerned within 10-days, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said on Thursday.
●    In case the third party fraud is reported with a delay of four to seven working days, a customer will face liability of up to Rs25,000. 
●    However, in cases where the loss is due to negligence by the account holder (such as sharing of payment credentials), the customer will bear the entire loss until the unauthorised transaction is reported to the bank.
●    Any loss occurring after reporting of the unauthorised transaction will be borne by the bank, RBI said while issuing revised directions on ‘Customer Protection – Limiting Liability of Customers in Unauthorised Electronic Banking Transactions’.
●    RBI said the revised directions are being issued amidst recent surge in customer grievances relating to unauthorised transactions resulting in debits to their accounts/cards.

Sanjiv Goenka renominated as the Chairman of IIT Kharagpur

Sanjiv Goenka was recently selected as the Chairman of the Board of Governors at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur.
●    Goenka will serve as the Chairman of the institute for three years.
●    Goenka was nominated by the President, Pranab Mukherjee, in his capacity as Visitor of the Institute.
●    This will be his second stint for Goenka as the Chairman of Board of Governors. He previously served as the Chairman of the premier institute between 2002 and 2007.
●    Sanjiv Goenka is the Chairman of RP Sanjiv Goenka Group.
●    He has also served as a former member of the Prime Minister’s Council on Trade and Industry.
●    At present, he is serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Woodlands Medical Centre Ltd., a premier hospital located in Kolkata.
●    In 2009-10, he became the President of the All India Management Association (AIMA).
 

Current Affairs 7th July 2017: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

India, US, Japan begin Malabar Exercise 2017

India, Japan and the United States on 7 July 2017 began the joint naval exercise Malabar 2017.
●    Warships, submarines, aircraft and personnel from India, Japan and the US will be participating in the Malabar exercise in the Bay of Bengal from 7 July to 17. 
●    The exercise will feature both ashore and at-sea training.
●    The ashore training in Chennai will include professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol operations, surface warfare, medical operations, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), helicopter operations, and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations.
●    The at-sea training will be conducted in the Bay of Bengal and will be  ocused on advancing military-to-military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multinational environment.
●    Events planned during the at-sea portions include liaison officer professional exchanges; a photo exercise; submarine familiarization; high-value unit defence and air defence exercises.
 

Current Affairs 7th July 2017: GLOBAL NEWS

France will 'ban all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040'

France plans to ban all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040, the country's new environment minister has announced.
●    Nicolas Hulot made the announcement as he unveiled a series of measures as part of newly elected President Emmanuel Macron's plan to make the country carbon neutral by 2050.
●    Mr Hulot said he recognised the target would put pressure on France's car manufacturers, but he said they currently had projects which "can fulfil that promise".
●    As part of the plan, poorer households will receive a premium so they can swap their polluting vehicles for clean alternatives.
●    The announcement comes after Volvo said on Wednesday it planned to built only electric and hybrid vehicles from 2019.
 

Current Affairs 7th July 2017: SPORTS

Manpreet Kaur wins shot put gold at Asian Grand Prix Athletics Meet

Indian shot putter Manpreet Kaur on 24 April 2017 clinched a gold medal in the first leg of the Asian Grand Prix Athletics Meet in Jinhua, China.
●    Manpreet came up with a best throw of 18.86 metre, a national record. 
●    In 2015, she made a national record after throwing a shot put at the distance of 17.96 metre.
●    With the win, the shot putter also acquired the No 1 spot in the world rankings.
●    With the performance, Manpreet also qualified for the IAAF World Championships to be held in August 2017 in London, UK.
●    Bian Song of China finished a distant second with 17.96 metres.
 

Important Current Affairs 6th July 2017

Current Affairs 6th July 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Signing of MoU between CSIR & KVS

Jigyasa, a student- scientist connect programme was officially launched in the national capital today. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has joined hands with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) to implement this programme. 
●    The focus is on connecting school students and scientists so as to extend student’s classroom learning with that of a very well planned research laboratory based learning.
●    Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony was held in the presence of Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, Environment, Forests and Climate Change and Shri Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Human Resource Development.
●    Addressing the gathering, the Minister for Science & Technology, Dr Harshvardhan said, that the Jigyasa programme was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a new India and “Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR)” of scientific community and institutions. 
●    It is a historic day when two ministries are collaborating on the Youth who are the future of the nation. The day also coincides with the birthday of Shri Shyama Prasad Mukherjee who is an inspirational figure and a role model for all Indians.

Garib Nawaz Skill Development Centres to be established in 100 districts of the country

The Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) & Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today said here that Garib Nawaz Skill Development Centres will be established in 100 districts of the country which will effectively ensure employment oriented skill development of youth belonging to Minority communities. 
●    Shri Naqvi said that in next six months, Garib Nawaz Skill Development Centres, providing job oriented skill training in various fields, will be established in Hyderabad, Noida, Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Bhopal, Indore, Allahabad, Mysore, Chennai, Goa, Gauhati, Kolakata, Patna, Kishanganj, Dehradun, Shahjahanpur, Rampur, Ranchi, Giridih, Mewat, Tijara, Panipat, Delhi, Uddhamsingh Nagar, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Mumbai etc. 
●    The Minority Affairs Minister today felicitated candidates, belonging to Minority communities, selected in the prestigious civil services examination who got financial assistance under “Nai Udaan” scheme, for coaching and preparation of competitive exams, of Ministry of Minority Affairs. 
●    Shri Naqvi said that education is solution to several problems including poverty. Through education, we can also tackle menace of radicalism and terrorism.

India declares itself free from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1 and H5N8)

India had reported outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza at various epicenters in Delhi, Gwalior (MP), Rajpura (Punjab), Hissar (Haryana), Bellary (Karnataka), Allappuzha and Kottayam (Kerala), Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Daman (Daman) and Khordha and Angul (Odisha during October, 2016 to February, 2017.
●    All the outbreaks of Avian Influenza (HPAI) mentioned above were notified to OIE and the control and containment operations were carried out as per the Action Plan on Preparedness, Control and Containment of Avian Influenza. 
●    Surveillance was carried out throughout the country and around the areas of the outbreaks since completion of the operation (including culling, disinfection and clean-up) and surveillance in the states showed no evidence of presence of Avian Influenza Virus.
 

Current Affairs 6th July 2017: ECONOMY

Ministry of Food Processing Industry establishes GST facilitation cell to guide industry about GST regime 

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has established a four member GST Facilitation Cell at its office to guide the industry about the new tax regime. 
●    The members of the GST Facilitation Cell can be accessed through Toll Free No 1800111175 or on #AskonGSTFPI. Further details can be accessed from http://www.mofpi.nic.in
●    The ministry has created a GST cell for the purpose of implementation and facilitating the rollout of GST with immediate effect. The GST facilitation cell will provide all possible support for the rollout of the levy to the major industry and business associations related to MoFPI. 
●    This cell will serve as the first point of contact to address any issue being faced by any sector related to the ministry. The GST cell will be equipped with the complete knowledge of the relevant GST Act, rules, rate structure etc.
●    The cell will be headed by Shri Bijaya Kumar Behera, Economic Advisor and Shri G Srinivasan, senior marketing officer, Shri S N Ahmed, Assistant Director, Shri Bikram Nath, Assistant Director as its Members.
●    The Ministry is in the process of organising several programmes for the industry to sensitise associates about GST, and has also planned to conduct seminars to disseminate information about the new tax regime.
 

Current Affairs 6th July 2017: APPOINTMENT

Achal Kumar Joti takes over as new Chief Election Commissioner of India

Shri Achal Kumar Joti has assumed charge as the 21st Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, succeeding Dr. Nasim Zaidi here today. 
●    Dr. Zaidi demitted office yesterday after completing his tenure.
●    After the assumption of charge, Shri Joti spoke about the priorities of the Commission and said that the Commission shall pursue vigorously its commitment to hold free, fair, inclusive and credible elections throughout the country. 
●    Secondly, the Commission will also pursue its mission to ensure that “No Voter to be Left Behind”. Thirdly, the Commission shall actively promote e-Governance for holding of elections to the State Assemblies and Parliamentary Elections in the country, Shri Jyoti added. 
●    Shri Jyoti has served as Election Commissioner since 13th May, 2015. 
●    During his tenure as Election Commissioner, State Assembly elections in the States of Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakand, Manipur and Goa were successfully conducted. 

Sanjay Kumar takes charge as DG, NDRF 

Shri Sanjay Kumar, is 1985-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Himachal Pradesh Cadre.
●    He took charge as the Director General (DG) of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), today. 
●    The post of DG, NDRF fell vacant after incumbent Shri R K Pachnanda was appointed as the Director General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police.
●    Prior to the appointment as DG, NDRF, Shri Sanjay Kumar was serving as Director General of Police in Himachal Pradesh.
 

Current Affairs 6th July 2017: SPORTS

Pankaj Advani defeats Sourav Kothari to win Asian Billiards Championship

Pankaj Advani on 14 April 2017 defeated Sourav Kothari 6-3 to win the Asian Billiards Championship final held in Chandigarh.
●    It is Advani’s seventh Asian title.
●    Born on 24 July 1985, Pankaj Arjan Advani is an Indian professional player of English billiards and former professional snooker player.
●    He has achieved a hat-trick of hat-tricks in English billiards, holding the World, Asian, and Indian National Championship titles simultaneously, in three different years: 2005, 2008 and 2012.
●    In 2012, he became a snooker professional.
●    He won the 2014 IBSF World 6-Red Snooker Championship, on his debut in that discipline.

Indian national team rises to 96th in FIFA rankings

Indian national football team climbed four places to sit on the 96th position in the latest FIFA rankings updated on 6 July 2017. 
●    It is the second highest ranking for the country ever.
●    In addition, it is India’s highest FIFA ranking under coach Stephen Constantine.
●    The rankings were updated following India’s 2-0 win against Nepal in a friendly match. 
●    The national team also emerged victorious against Kyrgyzstan in AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifiers group match held in June 2017.
●    India currently scores 341 points, seven points behind 95th placed Cyprus.
●    Earlier in May 2017, the Indian football team had made into the top 100 of the FIFA World Rankings for the first time in 21 years.
●    It was in February 1996 that India was placed on the 94th spot, which is the country's best ever FIFA ranking.

Important Current Affairs 5th July 2017

Current Affairs 5th July 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Ministry of Minority Affairs issues advisory for Haj Pilgrims on misleading advertisements with false promises of making arrangements for Haj 2017

Instances have come to the notice of this Ministry that unscrupulous elements are publishing misleading advertisements in print media with a view to entice intending Haj Pilgrims with false promises of making arrangements for Haj 2017 with different types of facilities by implying that they have got Haj quota allotted from this ministry.
●    It is hereby clarified that 45000 Haj seats have been allocated among 569 PTOs for Haj 2017. The list of such PTOs is available at this ministry’s website at www.minorityaffairs.gov.in. and www.haj.gov.in. 
●    The general public and intending Haj pilgrims desirous of availing the services of PTOs for Haj 2017 are hereby advised to check the above website and also make necessary enquiries and take precautions before engaging a PTO in order to avoid incidents of cheating by unscrupulous elements. 

MERIT app and e-Bidding portal launched

Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Shri Piyush Goyal launched here today the ‘MERIT app (Merit Order Despatch of Electricity for Rejuvenation of Income and Transparency)’ and the e-bidding portal for providing e-Bidding solution to States to select Independent Power Producers (IPPs) for procurement of power by transferring their domestic coal under the scheme of flexibility in utilization of domestic coal.
●    Briefing the media on the occasion, Shri Goyal said that both the initiatives are taken in the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Minimum Government and Maximum Governance’ through ‘Speed, Skill and Scale’. 
●    The app and the web portal would result in optimum utilization of Coal which would save the consumer close to Rs. 20,000 crores five years down the line, the Minister added.
 

Current Affairs 5th July 2017: APPOINTMENT

Somesh Goyal appointed as DGP of Himachal Pradesh

Somesh Goyal, a 1984-batch IPS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre, was on 5 July 2017 appointed as the Director General of Police (DGP) of Himachal Pradesh.
●    He succeeds Sanjay Kumar who has now been appointed as Director General of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Goyal was presently serving as the DGP (Prisons) of the state.
●    Goyal's main concern as the DGP would be to improve the delivery system, project a people-friendly image of police, root out drug menace and ensure safety of women.
●    A trained commando, Goyal had worked with the Black Cats (National Security Guard), a trained special protection group responsible for the security of the prime minister.
●    He has served in Kashmir and West Bengal as DIG and as Inspector General in the Border Security Force.

Natarajan Chandrasekaran named Chairman of Tata Global Beverages

Tata Global Beverages Ltd (TGBL) on 3 July 2017 appointed Tata Sons head Natarajan Chandrasekaran as its Chairman with immediate effect.
●    The TGBL board approved the "appointment of N. Chandrasekaran as an additional director and as chairman of the board of the company in place of Harish Bhat who expressed a desire to step down as chairman."
●    The board also appointed Siraj Azmat Chaudhry as a Non-Executive Independent Director in the company.
●    Born in 1963, Natarajan Chandrasekaran is the Chairman of Tata Sons.
●    He took over as the CEO of Tata Consultancy Services on 6 November 2009 prior to which he was COO and Executive Director of TCS.
 

Current Affairs 5th July 2017: GLOBAL NEWS

10th Session of the India- Jordan Trade and Economic Joint Committee (TEJC) 

The 10TH India-Jordan Trade and Economic Joint Committee (TEJC) Meeting was held in New Delhi on 4th and 5th July, 2017 under the co-chairs of Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Commerce and Industry, Government of India, and H.E Eng. Mr. Yarub Qudah, Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply, the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
●    On this occasion, the two countries emphasized the need for diversification of bilateral trade and deepening their engagements for greater cooperation in investment sector. 
●    During the TEJC meeting, the two sides also reaffirmed their mutual interest and discussed the roadmap for cooperation in various fields such as Fertilizer Sector, Customs, Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement, Visa and Consular issues, Health and Pharmaceuticals, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Maritime Transport, Rail Transport, and Air Transport, Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Smart Grid development, Information Technology, Higher Education and Vocational Training, Agriculture sector etc.
●    The two leaders also inked the revised Economic and Trade Cooperation Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India, and the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, aiming at boosting and diversifying bilateral trade relations, in addition to promote economic, trade and investment cooperation based on the principle of equity, non-discrimination.
●    On the sidelines of the TEJC, business federations from both sides also met and discussed the roadmap for promotion of trade and investment through B2B mechanism.

Visit of Royal Australian Navy Ship to Kochi 

Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ship, HMAS Newcastle commanded by Commander MD Sirois is visiting Kochi from 04 - 07 Jul 17. 
●    On 04 Jul 17, the Commanding Officer of the visiting RAN Ship accompanied by Ms. Harinder Sidhu, High Commissioner of Australia and Captain Sheldon Williams, Defence Attache called on Vice Admiral AR Karve AVSM, Flag Officer Commanding- in- Chief Southern Naval Command (SNC) for interactions on issues of common interest to both navies. 
●    A friendly volleyball match between teams from SNC and the visiting ship was also played.
●    During the ship’s stay in harbour, various activities such as guided tour for Indian Naval personnel onboard HMAS Newcastle, conducted tour of some of the training units under SNC at Kochi like the Navigation & Direction, Anti- Submarine Warfare School, Damage Control Training Facility ‘Avinash,’ for the visiting ship’s crew have been planned. 
●    The crew from the HMAS Newcastle would be also visiting places of interest at Fort Kochi, Marine Drive and various museums at Kochi. 
●    On their departure on 07 Jul 17, the RAN ship is planned to participate in a passage Exercise with IN Ships off Kochi.
●    Recently, IN Ships Jyoti, Shivalik and Kamorta from Eastern Fleet had also visited Fremantle, Australia from 13–17 June and participated in the second edition of AUS INDEX- 17, a bilateral maritime exercise between the two navies. 
●    The naval cooperation between the two countries is in pursuance of India’s Act East policy to promote bilateral relations and enhance interoperability between both navies.

5th Meeting of BRICS Education Ministers held in Beijing

Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Education was held on 5th July, 2017 at Beijing, China. 
●    The Indian delegation was led by Shri Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Human Resource Development, India. 
●    Delegation of all the five BRICS countries participated in the two-day deliberations.
●    Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Human Resource Development, Shri Prakash Javadekar thanked China for hosting the meeting in Beijing. 
●    He said that the Education, being the universal good, empowers everybody. 
●    It will set the tone for the world of the future. 
●    Education is a universal, apolitical agenda. 
●    It’s not negotiation, but cooperation all the way. 
●    So, increased cooperation in education is the need of the hour.

Important Current Affairs 4th July 2017

Current Affairs 4th July 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Dr. Subhash Bhamre Chairs CAC of National Cadet Corps 

Minister of State for Defence Dr. Subhash Bhamre chaired the 50th Central Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) here today. 
●    Dr. Bhamre, in his presidential address complimented the NCC on the performance of its cadets in various activities pertaining to training, adventure, social service and community development. 
●    The committee deliberated on various issues in order to optimise training efforts so that NCC continues to perform in an excellent manner towards character and leadership building of the youth of the nation. 
●    The Minister complimented efforts of the NCC in nation building and urged it to continue ‘Grooming Future Leaders’. 
●    The NCC presently has cadet strength of 13 lakhs and plans to expand to 15 lakhs and beyond. 

Environment Minister to Lead Plantation Drive to Celebrate Van Mahotsav 

Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan will lead a month-long drive to plant saplings to mark Van Mahotsav here starting on July 5.   
●    The plantation drive will be organised at Ram Lila Park, C. C Colony, Model Town tomorrow and in District Park, Paschim Vihar on July 6.  
●    The Minister will plant saplings and also distribute saplings for plantation to local residents. 
●    Dr. Harsh Vardhan has advised the people to plant native trees because they readily adapt to local climate, integrate into the ecosystem, have a high survival rate and are helpful in supporting local birds, insect and animals.
●    Recollecting the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s emphasis on ‘Van Dhan’ to enhance the country’s forest-based economy, while improving the biodiversity and living in harmony with nature has been a part of our culture for thousands of years, the Environment Minister requested all States and the people at large, to hold plantation drives during the monsoon season.  
●    Dr. Harsh Vardhan also referred to India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDCs) to create additional Carbon Sink of 2.5 to 3 Billion Tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030, as has been submitted to UNFCCC under the able guidance of the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi.  

Ministry of Railways sanctioned New BG line between Jeypore & Navarangpur in Odisha 

As per the announcement of Budget 2016-17, Ministry of Railways sanctioned New BG line between Jeypore & Navarangpur  in Odisha. 
●    The length of the new BG line is 38 Kms. The cost of the project is 747.91 Crores. 
●    The project will be completed in 3 years. The project shall be implemented on Cost-sharing basis (50% by Ministry of Railways under GBS and 50% by State Govt. of Odisha)
●    The Project is important for connecting Navarangpur District of Western Odisha, with Jeypore, an existing Station on Kottavalasa- Kirandul line. 
●    This line will provide connectivity to important towns viz. Koraput, Jeypore, Jagdalpur, Dantewada. 
●    Further, the line is useful for connecting Navarangpur to Junagarh/Kalahandi District and result in short lead to many other places of Odisha, Chhattisgarh & Andhra Pradesh.
●    Further,  State Govt. of Odisha will be bearing entire cost of land and 50%  of the construction cost of the project.

All cities of MP, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Telangana to become ODF by October 

All the 1,137 statutory cities and towns in six States of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Kerala and Telangana are set to be declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) by October 2 this year marking the completion of three years of Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban). 
●    This is based on the regular reports being received from States/UTs. 
●    With Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Chandigarh having already declared all the 281 cities and towns under their jurisdiction ODF, a total of 1,418 cities and towns would become ODF by this October, two years ahead of the mission deadline of October 2, 2019. 
●    These nine States account for 39% of the total 4,041 mission cities. 
●    This was revealed during the review of progress of Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) by Shri D.S.Mishra, Secretary(Urban Development) yesterday. 
●    The number of mission cities in Maharashtra are 384, followed by Madhya Pradesh -378, Chattisgarh-168, Kerala-93, Telangana -73 and Jharkhand-41. 
●    Gujarat had already declared all 170 cities and towns ODF while Andhra Pradesh had done so in respect of 110. Chandigarh is the only UT to have become ODF.

J P Nadda chairs high level review meeting on control of vector borne diseases

Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, held a high level meeting to review the preparedness of the Ministry for prevention and control of vector borne diseases (dengue, malaria, chikungunya) in the country, here today. 
●    During the meeting, Shri Nadda asked the States for mounting aggressive IEC campaigns to enhance awareness on prevention and control of vectors in their surrounding areas and neighbourhoods. 
●    Shri C K Mishra, Secretary (Health), Dr Saumya Swaminathan, Secretary (DHR) and DG (ICMR), Dr. (Prof) Jagdish Prasad, DGHS and other senior officers of the Union Health Ministry, National Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) were also present in the meeting along with Directors/ MS from the Central Government hospitals. 
●    Taking stock of the situation, Shri Nadda was briefed on the preparations of the Health Ministry and was informed that Technical Guidelines for prevention and control and clinical management were developed and shared with the states for implementation. 
●    The Ministry has also conducted review meeting with the states and more than 13 advisories have been sent to all States as early as January for strengthening their preparedness before the vector borne disease season. 
●    The Health Minister was further informed that the Ministry has requested the States/UTs to declare Dengue as notifiable disease for improving reporting and for taking preventive measures in the affected areas. 
●    Under the guidance and direction of the Union Health Minister, Government of India has initiated several awareness programmes through print and electronic media and issue advertisements for controlling these diseases. Besides, for sensitization of the masses on the subject, the National Dengue Day was celebrated on 16th May, 2017.

India successfully test-fires short range surface-to-air missile

India on 3 July 2017 successfully test-fired indigenously developed quick reaction surface-to-air missile (QR-SAM) off the Odisha coast.
●    This short range missile with a strike range of 25 to 30 km was test fired from a truck-mounted canister launcher from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur. 
●    It was the second developmental trial of the state-of-the-art missile with an aerial target. 
●    The first developmental trial of the missile was carried out on 4 June 2017 from the same base.
●    Designed to be a quick reaction missile, it is capable of engaging multiple targets and involves an all-weather weapon system capable of tracking and firing. 
●    It was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and other establishments.

Manipur government declares flood situation a 'State Calamity'

An emergency review meeting held on 3 July 2017 to assess the flood situation in Manipur decided to declare the present disaster as a ‘State Calamity.’
●    The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister N Biren Singh, was held at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat. 
●    It was attended by Irrigation & Flood Control Department (IFCD) Minister Letpao Haokip, Education Minister Th. Radheshyam, Chief Secretary O. Nabakishore, Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Commissioners, DCs and Directors of different Departments.
●    The meeting was called due to the worsening of the flood situation in many localities of the state. 
●    The decision was brought upon after thoroughly reviewing the reports presented by the concerned officials and DCs.
●    Besides this, Biren Singh also informed at the meeting that he has requested the Central Government to declare Manipur’s flood situation as a calamity of ‘severe nature’.

Current Affairs 4th July 2017: AWARDS

Indian-Americans Shantanu Narayen and Vivek Murthy to be honoured with Great Immigrants Award

Two Indian-Americans, Adobe Chief Shantanu Narayen and former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, are among 38 immigrants to be honoured with the Great Immigrants Award.
●    They will be honoured for their role in helping advance the country's society, culture and economy on 4 July 2017, the Independence Day of the United States of America.
●    Among other honourees include Canadian-origin social entrepreneur Jeff Skoll, who has been awarded the 2017 Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, PayPal cofounder of Ukrainian origin Max Levchin, Iranian-origin philanthropist and entrepreneur Hushang Ansary.
●    Born on 27 May 1963, Shantanu Narayen is an Indian-American business executive and the CEO of Adobe Systems.
●    Prior to this, he was the President and Chief Operating Officer since 2005.

Important Current Affairs 3rd July 2017

Current Affairs 3rd July 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Mou Signed between Department of Defence Production and MDL

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), a Miniratna Schedule ‘A’ DPSU under the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the financial year 2017-18 with the Ministry. 
●    The annual MoU was signed between Secretary (Defence Production) Shri AK Gupta on behalf of the Ministry and Chairman and Managing Director, MDL Cmde Rakesh Anand. 
●    The MoU outlines the targets and various performance parameters for the company. The revenue from operations has been targeted at 4500 crore.
●    Significant milestones to be achieved under Project 75 (Scorpene Submarines) and shipbuilding projects of 15B (destroyers) and 17A (frigates) also form part of the MoU.

Registration of 1 lakh cos cancelled

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that the government is committed to more tough action against firms helping in hiding black money and added that registration of 1 lakh companies have been cancelled while 37,000 shell firms have been identified for strong action.  
●    He also pointed to the latest figures of Swiss banks to indicate the government’s steps to check black money.
●    Speaking about tax evasion that has taken a huge toll on the economy, PM Modi said that it was a bitter truth that only 32 lakh Indians have declared over Rs 10 lakh income, despite crores in high-end professions.
●    "Data mining to track the black money began on November 8, when demonetisation was announced. 
●    We haven't made this data public or questioned anyone yet. But we found as many as 3 lakh registered companies whose activities came under suspicion," he said.
 

Current Affairs 3rd July 2017: APPOINTMENT

Sanjay Gupta appointed as the Chairman of the Society and Board of Governors of Indian Institute of Management, Amritsar

Sanjay Gupta, CEO & Whole Time Director, Jagran Prakashan Limited has been appointed as Chairman of the Society and Board of Governors of Indian Institute of Management Amritsar for a period of five years w.e.f. 23rd June, 2017. 
●    Shri Sanjay Gupta is the Editor in Chief of Dainik Jagran since 2014 and has been associated with the Jagran Group for more than two decades. 
●    He also served as a Member of Board of Governors in Indian Institute of Management Lucknow from 2004 to 2009 and as Member, Board of Governors of Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad from 2003-2011. 
●    Recently Shri Gupta was also awarded with the AIMA Managing India Award in April 2017. 
●    He is also a Member of Shri Puran Chand Gupta Smarak Trust which is running several schools, colleges and Institutes in different parts of the country.

Current Affairs 3rd July 2017: PERSONS

Abhay Agarwal youngest boy to clear IIT

Abhay Agarwal, who will turn 16 in November this year, has been allotted a seat at IITBHU after scoring 2467 All India Rank. 
●    At 15, when students usually prepare for Class X Board exam, the teenager was at IIT-Kanpur to get his documents verified for admission.
●    Vice-chairman of IIT-JEE Kanpur zone Prof Shalabh said he was pleased to meet the boy when he checked in for document verification. Other staff members also expressed their surprise when they learned about his age. 
●    “He could be the youngest candidate this year to join an IIT. His class X marksheet confirms that he is 15 and a half years old. 
●    He was born on November 9, 2001,” said a JEE staffer.TOI has a copy of Abhay’s class X marksheet.
●    Abhay, who has secured admission in mechanical engineering, has not yet confirmed his seat and instead opted to `float’ the given choice of institute as he wants to study at IIT Roorkee. 
●    His father Mukesh Agar wal, who is posted as a pump attendant at Firozabad Na gar Nigam, said, “Abhay has brought us laurels at an early age. 
●    When the chief medical officer in Firozabad had to prepare his medical certificate, he was surprised. 
●    At IIT Kanpur also, JEE staff was amazed to know he was this young. He is a talented boy with high capabilities. 

Current Affairs 3rd July 2017: GLOBAL NEWS

Carrie Lam sworn in as Hong Kong's new leader

Carrie Lam has been sworn in as Hong Kong's chief executive by Chinese President Xi Jinping as the city marks the 20th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule.
●    Lam took her oath in Mandarin Chinese and not in the local Cantonese on Saturday amid scattered protests.
●    Security was tight at the same harbourfront venue where two decades earlier, the last colonial governor, Chris Patten, tearfully handed back Hong Kong to Chinese rule at a rain-soaked ceremony.
●    Minor scuffles broke out under a blue sky as pro-democracy activists - some with banners bearing the words "Democracy. 
●    Self-determination" - and pro-Beijing groups taunted each other, with hundreds of police deployed on a traditional day of protest in Hong Kong.
 

Current Affairs 3rd July 2017: REPORTS AND RANKING

Money in Swiss banks: India slips to 88th place, UK on top

India has slipped to 88th place in terms of money parked by its citizens with Swiss banks, while the UK remains on the top.
●    Also, the money officially held by Indians with banks in Switzerland now accounts for a meagre 0.04 per cent of the total funds kept by all foreign clients in the Swiss banking system, as per an analysis of the latest figures compiled by the SNB (Swiss National Bank) as on 2016-end.
●    India was placed at 75th position in 2015 and at 61st in the year before that, though it used to be among top-50 countries in terms of holdings in Swiss banks till 2007. 
●    The country was ranked highest at 37th place in the year 2004.

Current Affairs 3rd July 2017: AWARDS

CISF gets best airport security award from World Quality Congress

The security provided by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Delhi airport has been awarded the 'best airport security' by the World Quality Congress (WQC).
●    It is the first time that a central paramilitary force has been recognized by WQC for its standards and professionalism in providing security. 
●    Around 56 million passengers use IGI airport every year. 
●    The independent body usually awards private sector companies for their standards in providing quality service.
●    The award will be given to the CISF at WQC's annual event in Mumbai on July 6.
●    The achievement comes barely months after Airport Council International's airport service quality (ASQ) rating found that security at Delhi airport was better than Heathrow, Dallas, Los Angeles, Dubai and Paris airports.

Writer Preeti Shenoy bags Indian of the Year Award

Writer Preeti Shenoy bags Indian of the Year Award writer Preeti Shenoy in the last week of June 2017 was honoured with the Indian of the Year Award at a function organised in New Delhi.
●    Shenoy was awarded by Brands Academy, one of the most reputed branding companies in India.
●    The Award is given to recognise the achievements of personalities who have contributed towards building up the reputation of the country.
●    Preeti Shenoy is one of India's top five highest selling women authors.
●    She has been consistently nominated for the Forbes List of the 100 most influential celebrities in India since 2013.

Important Current Affairs 2nd July 2017

Current Affairs 2nd July 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Reliance Jio Launches Asia-Africa-Europe Submarine Cable System

Reliance Jio on Thursday launched the Asia-Africa-Europe (AAE-1) submarine cable system, which will deliver up to 40 Terabits of new capacity in the region. 
●    The AAE-1 cable will help address the rising demand for video-centric content in India, as well as outside, says Jio. 
●    The Mukesh Ambani-backed telecom operator adds that the cable will support all types of communications, applications, and content within India and beyond.
●    The new cable has been launched by Reliance Jio at a time when the India's data needs are soaring and consumers in the world's second largest telecom market are just about getting used to streaming music, watching videos and TV on-the-go. 
●    Jio has played a huge role in the increase in data consumption in the country courtesy its ultra-low cost 4G mobile service.
●    The submarine cable system will stretch over 25,000 km from Marseille, France, to Hong Kong, with 21 cable landings across Asia and Europe. 
●    The cable consortium includes China Unicom, Etisalat, GT5L, Mobily, Omantel, Reliance Jio, Telecom Egypt, TeleYemen, and many others.

Union Cabinet gives in-principle nod for Air India disinvestment

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval, in-principle, for divesting stakes in national airline Air India.
●    A group under Mr. Jaitley has been formed to decide upon the modalities of Air India’s stake sale. 
●    Refusing to give a timeline on Air India’s disinvestment, Mr. Jaitley said the group will send a proposal for the Union Cabinet’s final approval. 
●    The Finance Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take a call on the members who will be a part of this group.
●    While the Central government think-tank NITI Aayog and the Finance Ministry are in favour of an outright sale of the ailing airline, the Civil Aviation Ministry is keen that the government continues to remain a stakeholder in the national carrier after handing over the management to the private sector.
●    Air India was founded by J.R.D. Tata in 1932 as Tata Airlines which became a public limited company in 1946. Air India was later nationalised in 1953.

Chana and Chana Dal words added to Oxford English Dictionary

The words Chana and Chana Dal were on 27 June 2017 added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). 'Chana' means Chickpeas and 'Chana Dal' stands for split chickpea lentils.
●    With this, these Indian food essentials Chickpeas (chana) and the split chickpea lentils (chana dal) join the vast list of more than 600 other words and phrases that have been included in its quarterly update of the Oxford English Dictionary.
●    The other prominent new entries in the OED include a batch of tennis-related words like "Forced Error".
●    A slang 'Bagel' has also been added which refers to a score in a set of six games to love, as there is similarity of the numeral zero to the shape of a bagel.
●    A new sense of 'woke', which was shortlisted for 'Word of the Year', has also been added. It means alert to racial or social discrimination and injustice.

Current Affairs 2nd July 2017: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Indian Vice Presidential Election 2017 to be held on 5 August

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on 29 June 2017 announced the election for the post of Vice-President of India. 
●    The election will be held on 5 August 2017 and the results will be announced on the same day itself.
●    The notification for the election will be issued by ECI on 4 July 2017 and the last date for filing nominations for the election is 18 July 2017. 
●    The election for the Vice President will be conducted through a secret ballot where only members of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will get to vote. 
●    The Electoral College for the present election of the Vice-President comprises of  790 members, out of which 245 are Rajya Sabha MPs and 545 are Lok Sabha MPs.

Same-sex marriage approved in Germany

The Chancellor voted against it, but same-sex marriage has been approved by a big margin in the German parliament.
●    The country has become the 14th in Europe and 23rd in the world to legalise same-sex weddings.
●    This after Angela Merkel did a u-turn and allowed MPs in her ruling conservative bloc to follow their conscience instead of vote along party lines.
●    After the vote, Merkel told reporters: “For me, matrimony protected by the constitution means marriage between a man and a woman, and therefore I did not vote for this draft law today.”
●    But Merkel added that she hopes the vote promotes “respect between different opinions and brings more social cohesion and peace”.
 

Current Affairs 2nd July 2017: SPORTS

Lasith Malinga gets one-year ban, fined for media remarks

Sri Lankan fast bowler, Lasith Malinga has been handed over a suspension ban of six months after a disciplinary inquiry found him guilty of breaching his contract by speaking to the media without permission.
●    Malinga will also be fined 50 percent of the match fee from his next one-day international.
●    He will be facing a disciplinary inquiry over his comments about Sri Lanka's Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara.
●    Malinga appeared before Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) special inquiry panel on 27 June 2017, where he accepted the charges against him and tendered a formal apology.
●    The specially convened executive committee meeting then imposed a "1 Year suspension, suspended by six months (whereby the punishment would be imposed in the event of a similar infraction within the stipulated 6 month period) and a 50% fine of his next ODI match fee.

Current Affairs 2nd July 2017: APPOINTMENT

Indian-American Krishna R Urs appointed as US Ambassador to Peru

Indian-American Krishna R Urs was on 28 June 2017 appointed as the United States (US) Ambassador to Peru by the President Donald Trump administration.
●    Krishna is currently serving as the Charge d' Affaires of the US Embassy in Madrid, Spain, where he was also the Deputy Chief of Mission. 
●    He has been a career service American diplomat since 1986.
●    During three decades of State Department service, Urs has specialised in economic issues and developed extensive policy experience in the Andean region of South America.
●    Previously, he served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Affairs and as the Chief US Government Aviation Negotiator at the Department of State from November 2010 until June 2014.
 

Current Affairs 2nd July 2017: AWARDS

Indian Scientific Prof. Ashutosh Sharma awarded UNESCO Award

UNESCO awarded the UNESCO Award for the year 2017 to seven scientists and institutions of the world, including Professor Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.
●    In the headquarter of UNESCO's Paris headquarters, the selected scientists were honored last day.
●    Prof. Ashutosh Sharma has been selected for significant contribution in the development of nanoscience and nanotechnology.
●    This year the award was given to the scientific professor Theo Raging of the Netherlands, Dr. Han Money of Cambodia, Dr. Vladimir Bolshkov of Russia, the American Institute's Site Technology, Japanese Company, Toyoda Gossi and Moscow Technological University.
●    This award is given to scientists, eminent personalities and institutions who have worked in the development of nanotechnology and nanoscience.
●    Starting this year in 2010, 37 individuals and institutions have been honored with this award.
●    UNESCO Director General Arina Boskova said that from the development of innovative substances in drug manufacturing, reducing water pollution and nanotechnology have an important role in communication technology, which have a direct effect on our lives.
●    Nanotechnology has made significant changes in many areas including medical.

Important Current Affairs 1st July 2017

Current Affairs 1st July 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

DDA launched new housing scheme with 12,000 flats 

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA)’s much-awaited new housing scheme with 12,000 flats on offer will be rolled out on Friday, officials said on Thursday.
●    Top DDA officials said the scheme is slated to be launched by Union urban development minister M. Venkaiah Naidu at Vikas Sadan, the housing authority’s headquarters, on Friday afternoon.
●    “We are all set for the launch of the new scheme. Brochure for the scheme is ready. We have printed adequate number of copies. 
●    Out of the total number of flats, most of them are in Rohini, Dwarka, Narela, Vasant Kunj and Jasola. 10,000 unoccupied flats were from a 2014 housing scheme, while 2,000 flats had been lying vacant.

Govt approves amendments in Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011

The Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has approved amendments to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, that will come into effect from January 1, 2018.
●    Under the new amended rules products on e-Commerce platforms have to display declarations required under the amended rules.
●    Use of proper, accurate and standard weights and measures are very important for effective functioning of any economy, as it plays an indispensable role in consumer protection as protection from malpractices of underweight or under-measurement, is an important function of the Government.
●    The Legal Metrology (packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 are framed to regulate the pre-packaged commodities. 
●    Under these rules, the pre-packaged commodities    have to comply with certain   mandatory labelling requirements.

Harsh Vardhan and Shri Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurate Swasth Saarthi Abhiyaan and Fuel Conservation Workshop 

Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences and Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, together, inaugurated the Swasth Saarthi Abhiyaan (SSA) today at Siri Fort Auditorium.
●    The Swasth Saarthi Abhiyaan (SSA) is a two month long mega campaign focusing on providing preventive healthcare to the auto, taxi and bus drivers of the region. 
●    SSA, an initiative of Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL), was inaugurated in the presence of various dignitaries including Members of Parliament, Officials of Delhi Police and other Senior Officials of the Ministry. 
●    The SSA event is a unique initiative to address the major issues being faced by public transport drivers of the region, with almost all of them being users of CNG.
●    Shri Dharmendra Pradhan in his address said that the drivers in the capital region are partners in the growth story of gas used as fuel in vehicles. 
●    CNG is used in vehicles for transport, domestic use, autos etc. He said that approx.. 4.5 Lakh vehicles which use CNG contribute to the Rs 3000 Cr business of IGL. 
●    He said that new aim should be to increase this business from Rs 3000 Cr to Rs 30,000 Cr.

Vivo retains title sponsorship for Indian Premier League (IPL) for five years

Chinese mobile handset manufacturer Vivo has retained the title sponsorship for Indian Premier League for the five-year period of 2018-2022 with a bid valuation of Rs. 2,199 crore, it was revealed by the cash-rich league. 
●    This is a jump of 554% on the previous successful title sponsorship bid made by Vivo for two seasons.
●    BCCI had invited bids for the title sponsorship earlier this year and the tender process was open till June 21 with the applications acceptable till noon on June 27. 
●    “Interested parties can collect the tender documents for the bids between 1 June and 21 June from the BCCI office in Mumbai upon payment of Rs3 lakh,” stated the invitation to tender document. 
●    Vivo had bagged the title sponsorship rights of the T20 League for two years – 2016 and 2017 – or the ninth and tenth edition of the league – at a reported cost of Rs 100 crore per year which was a jump of Rs 20 crore annually from what beverage giant Pepsi had paid through an earlier agreement beginning 2013.

Current Affairs 1st July 2017: APPOINTMENT 

A K Jyoti of Gujarat cadre will be next Chief Election Commissioner

Achal Kumar Jyoti will take over as the next Chief Election Commissioner of India. He would take over from Nasim Zaidi who is due to retire on July 6. 
●    Zaidi took over as the 20th CEC of India on April 19 2015.
●    A K Jyoti of Gujarat cadre will be next Chief Election Commissioner
●    A K Jyoti is currently the Election Commissioner of India along with O P Rawat. Jyoti born on 23 January 1953 is an IAS officer from the Gujarat cadre. 
●    The 64 year old Jyoti has also served as the Chief Secretary of Gujarat. 
●    He has also served as the Chairman of the Kandla Port Trust between 1999 and 2004 and Managing Director of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL). 
●    After retiring as the chief secretary in January 2013, he was appointed as the State Vigilance Commissioner of Gujarat.

RK Pachnanda appointed new Director General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police

RK Pachnanda, Indian Police Service officer of the 1983 batch, West Bengal cadre has been appointed as the new Director General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police(ITBP). 
●    The Officer is currently serving as Director General of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), India’s specialised force for responding to natural disasters and CBRN emergencies. 
●    He will be taking over from Krishna Chaudhary, who is set to retire in June this year.
As mentioned on the official website, has previously served as Additional Director General (Operations & Works), CRPF,  Commissioner of Police, Kolkata,  Director General of Police (SCRB), West Bengal,    Additional Director General (HQ), CISF, New Delhi, Additional Director General (Airport Sector), CISF, Inspector General (HQ)& IG (Training)BSF, IG (South Bengal Frontier), BSF, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations), BSF, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South Division, Kolkata.
 

Current Affairs 1st July 2017: GLOBAL NEWS

EU prolongs economic sanctions by six months on Russia

On 28 June 2017, the Council prolonged economic sanctions targeting specific sectors of the Russian economy until 31 January 2018. 
●    This decision follows an update from President Macron and Chancellor Merkel to the European Council of 22-23 June 2017 on the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. 
●    This paved the way for the renewal of sanctions for a further six months. 
●    The Council formalised this decision today by written procedure and, in line with the rule for all such decisions, unanimously. 
●    The measures were originally introduced on 31 July 2014 for one year in response to Russia's actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine. 
●    They were strengthened in September 2014. They target the financial, energy and defence sectors, and the area of dual-use goods.

Washington approves USD 1.42 billion arms sale to Taiwan

Donald Trump's administration has approved $1.42 billion worth of arms sales to Taiwan, a US government official said Thursday, in a move likely to provoke the ire of Beijing which considers the island a rebel province.
●    The US official emphasized that there is "no change to our longstanding 'One China' policy" -- stating that there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of it -- which Beijing says is a prerequisite for maintaining relations.
●    Announcement of the sale comes at a sensitive moment for the US and China, as President Trump is working to establish a partnership over trade differences and efforts to curb North Korea's nuclear weapons program.
●    Taiwan is a self-ruling democracy but China sees it as part of its territory to be reunified, by force if necessary.
●    The US is the island's most powerful ally and arms supplier despite having no official relations with Taipei after switching recognition to Beijing in 1979.
●    The latest plans are consistent with terms of the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, the US official said, under which Washington keeps trade ties and sells Taipei weapons to "maintain a sufficient self-defense capability".
●    Taiwan thanked the US for its continued commitment under the legislation and said the deal "increases Taiwan's confidence and ability to maintain the status quo of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait".

Important Current Affairs 30th June 2017

Current Affairs 30th June 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Narendra Modi inaugurates 2 water projects for farmers in Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated two water projects in Gujarat Modasa district, asserting that farmers across the state will soon get water through various irrigation schemes.
●    Speaking at the dedication ceremony, Prime Minister Modi said, “We have ensured that farmers across Gujarat get water through our various irrigation schemes. 
●    National Agricultural Market (e-NAM) is helping farmers sell their produce online at the right price across the entire country. 
●    We have introduced PM Fasal Bima Yojana to ensure maximum protection with minimum premium. 
●    We are also ensuring that bus stations in Gujarat are comparable to airports in convenience and cleanliness.”
●    Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was also present for the occasion. 
●    Later on Friday, Prime Minister Modi will have lunch at Gandhinagar Raj Bhawan, which will be followed by the inauguration of the Mahatma Mandir exhibition and conference.
●    He will also address a youth symposium.
●    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also address a textile summit, take part in a roadshow and unveil other state-centric projects.

Indians Top The List Of People Seeking Foreign Citizenship

A recent list of people opting for foreign nationality has kept Indians at the top according to the numbers in which they have applied for citizenship of other countries.
●    In 2015, 1.30 lakh people of Indian origin, comprising largely of expatriates on work visas, acquired citizenship of OECD member countries.
●    This was followed by Mexico (1.12 lakh) and the Philippines (94,000). China came fifth with 78,000 opting to relinquish their citizenship.
●    These were the findings of the report International Migration Outlook (2017) released by Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (Oecd) in Paris on Thursday.
●    The report mentioned that in 2015, just over 20 lakh people acquired the nationality of an OECD country. 
●    This was slightly above (3%) the 2014 figure, even as it remains within the OECD average of the past 10 years.

India to buy C-17 transport aircraft from US

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) today cleared a proposal to buy from the United States ten C-17 heavy-lift military aircraft worth USD 4.1 billion, the biggest-ever defence deal to be entered between the two countries.
●    Under the deal, the US defence major Boeing, the manufacturer of the aircraft, will have to invest 30 per cent of the contract amount for setting up defence facilities in India, they said.
●    As per the procurement procedure, offsets clause entails that a vendor winning a defence deal worth over Rs 300 crore has to reinvest at least 30 per cent of the deal amount in Indian defence, homeland security or civilian aerospace sectors.
●    The deal, which amounts to over Rs 18,000 crore, would be the biggest-ever defence contract to be entered with the US.
●    Prior to this, the biggest deal with the US was worth USD 2.1 billion for procurement of eight P-8I maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft from Boeing through direct commercial sales in 2009.

Current Affairs 30th June 2017: ECONOMY

GST launched

India’s single biggest tax reform, Goods and Services Tax (GST), will be launched nationwide in the intertwining night of 30th June and 1st July 2017. 
●    The new tax regime will be unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a function in Central Hall of the Parliament.
●    The tax regime will replace more than a dozen state and central levies like excise, service tax and VAT, which were built up over seven decades. 
●    With this, GST will be unifying the country’s 2 trillion dollar economy and 1.3 billion people into a common market.
●    The special programme for the launch of the new tax regime will be attended by President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and a host of Senior Ministers and bureaucrats.
 

Current Affairs 30th June 2017: AWARDS

Indian-origin boy Arnav Sharma gets 162 IQ points, more than Einstein and Hawking

Arnav Sharma, an 11-year-old Indian-origin boy in the United Kingdom, secured the top possible score of 162 on a Mensa IQ test.
●    Sharma secured two points higher than physicist Albert Einstein and astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, making him one of the brainiest children in the country.
●    The Indian-origin boy passed the infamously difficult test a few weeks back with zero preparation. In fact, he had never seen what a typical paper looked like before taking it.
●    Sharma’s score in the exam, which primarily measures verbal reasoning ability, puts him in the top one per cent of the nation in terms of IQ level.
●    Sharma currently attends Crosfields School on the outskirts of Reading town in southern England, has been selected for Eton College and Westminster, both highly competitive and sought-after schools, with no preparation.

Current Affairs 30th June 2017: GLOBAL NEWS

Sharjah named World Book Capital 2019 by UNESCO

Sharjah, a city in the United Arab Emirates has been named as 'the World Book Capital' for 2019 by the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova for the quality of its literary and cultural activities and for its efforts to make books accessible to the entire population of the nation.
●    Bokova took the decision on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee that met at the Headquarters of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) at La Haye.
●    Speaking on the occasion, Irina Bokova said, “I applaud the nomination of Sharjah as the World Book Capital as well as the efforts undertaken by the city in order to make reading available to as many people as possible, in particular, the marginalised populations, as a motor for social inclusion, creativity and dialogue.”
●    The city was chosen because of its innovative, comprehensive and inclusive nature of the application, with a community-focused activity programme containing creative proposals to engage the very large migrant population.

Trump banned Visa application from 6 Muslim nations 

The Trump administration has set new criteria for visa applicants from six Muslim nations and all refugees that require a close family or business tie to the United States.
●    According to the new guidelines sent to all the US embassies and consulates on 28 June 2017, visa applicants from six countries- Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen-must prove a relationship with a parent, spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling in the United States in order to get a go ahead.
●    The new guidelines have been set by the State Department, according to which extended family members including grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and fiancées are not considered to be close relationships.
●    These new measures are expected to be implemented from 29 June 2017.