CURRENT AFFAIRS 6th to 10TH JULY 2017 --- SBI PO/IBPS PO/CLERKS/SSC/IAS

6^th July 2017

EC to tally paper trail slips with EVMs

Election Commission has decided to mandatorily tally paper trail slips with the results of EVMs in 5% of polling stations in each assembly seat, for all state and Lok Sabha elections. Counting of paper trail slips, however, will not take place in more than 14 polling stations and less than five polling stations in each assembly seat. The stations will be selected or identified at random.

India, Israel ink 7 agreements

India and Israel signed as many as seven agreements on areas including space, tech, water and agriculture. A MoU was signed for setting up of USD 40 million worth India-Israel Industrial Research and Development and Technical Innovation Fund. Separate MoUs were signed on cooperation in GEO-LEO optical link and cooperation in Electric Propulsion for small satellites.

India likely to clock GDP growth of 6.9%

Indian economy is expected to recover in the coming quarters and is expected to clock a real GDP growth of 6.9 % in this financial year. A report by BMI Research has said that India’s growth is expected to pick up following the negative ramifications from the demonetisation drive in November 2016. Real GDP growth slowed substantially to 6.1 % year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2016—17.

India 96th in FIFA World ranking

India has moved four places up to the 96th position in the FIFA World ranking released on 6th July. This is India’s second best ranking, its previous best was the 94th position in February 1996. India has been averaging at the 134th rank since the creation of the world ranking system. Among Asian nations, Iran leads at No. 23. Germany topped the rankings followed by Brazil and Argentina.

Target of constructing 57,000 km of road

Govt has set a target of constructing 57 thousand kilometers of roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana during 2017-18. According to the Rural Development Ministry, the roads will be constructed at an average rate of 156 kilometers per day. Pace of construction of PMGSY roads reached a 7 year high of 130 km per day in 2016-17s against an average of 73 km during the period 2011 to 2014.

J&K assembly passes resolution for GST

Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly has finally adopted the GST resolution during a special session on 5th July. The resolution moved by state finance minister Haseeb Drabu was adopted through a presidential order calling on the Centre to safeguard the special status and exclusive taxation powers of the state. With this J&K has become the last state to pass the GST bill in the state.

Indus OS partners with YES Bank

Indus OS has partnered with YES Bank to launch OS-integrated Unified Payment Interface payment platform in India. Users with Indus OS will be able to use this UPI payment platform on SMS/ messaging, dialler interface, and on third party apps like WhatsApp. Users will be able to initiate payments through a ₹ symbol in Indus Keyboard, within the messaging app.

10th Session of the TEJC

10TH India-Jordan Trade and Economic Joint Committee Meeting was held in New Delhi. India and Jordan discussed ways to increase cooperation in diverse areas like customs taxation and visa to promote trade and investments between the two countries. Discussions were also held on ways to increase ties in sectors like maritime, air and rail transport, renewable energy, smart grid development.

MERIT app and e-Bidding portal launched

Piyush Goyal launched the MERIT app and e-bidding portal for offering an e-Bidding solution to States. It will help States to select Independent Power Producers for procurement of power by transferring their domestic coal under the scheme of flexibility in utilization of domestic coal. It would result in optimum utilization of Coal which would save consumer close to Rs. 20,000 cr in 5 years.

Volvo cars to be electric or hybrid

Volvo has announced that starting from 2019, all of its new cars will be fully electric or hybrid. This makes Volvo the first major traditional automaker to set a date for phasing out vehicles powered solely by the internal combustion engine. Volvo will launch five fully electric cars between 2019 and 2021. Three of them will be Volvo models and two will be electrified cars from Polestar

Dilip Pendse commits suicide

Tata Finance’s dismissed managing director Dilip Pendse allegedly committed suicide at his office in Mumbai. In October 2014, SEBI had found Pendse guilty of illegal trades and banned him from accessing capital markets for two years. In October 2014, the markets watchdog Sebi had found Pendse guilty of illegal trades and banned him from accessing capital markets for two years.

SAIC Motor to set up Rs 2000cr car plant

China’s SAIC Motor has entered into an MoU with the Gujarat government to establish the plant at Halol where MG brand cars will be manufactured. SAIC will set up a passenger car manufacturing facility at Halol in Panchmahals district of Gujarat with an investment of Rs 2,000 crore. Project will create 1,000 jobs in the state. SAIC Motor plans to bring the MG car brand in India by 2019.

EPFO ties up with 5 more banks

EPFO has signed agreements with 4 private banks and 1 public sector bank for collection of provident fund dues and make payments of PF withdrawals, pension and insurance at zero transaction charges. The agreement has been signed with Bank of Baroda, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank. The agreement will help EPFO save around ₹125 crore a year.

AIIB approves USD 329 mn loan

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has approved a USD 329 million loan to build access roads to 4,000 villages in 33 Gujarat districts. It aims to construct & upgrade district and farm-to-market roads for the villagers and provide approaches to educational institutions, schools and hospitals. It will also better integrate rural population and industries with national and state economy.

Electric Buses in Gurgaon

            Haryana govt will set up an environment-friendly transportation system in Gurgaon on the pattern of Poland. In the first phase, 75 to 100 electric buses would be operated. Each electric bus would help save about 4.25 lakh litres diesel & reduce carbon emissions by 1150 tonnes in 10 years of operation. JBM Group would soon begin manufacturing electric buses under the Make in India programme.

July 19 as Save public sector banks day

United Forum of Bank Unions has decided to observe July 19, the 48th anniversary of nationalisation of major banks, as ‘Save public sector banks’ day. Members will wear a commemorative badge on the day, display posters in front of all branches, distribute leaflets & hold rallies at all centres across the country. The main challenge that PSB face today is the alarming increase in bad loans.

India wins Asian Snooker Championship

Pankaj Advani-led Indian team demolished Pakistan in the finals to clinch the Asian Team Snooker Championship. Advani remained the only player to not lose a single individual match in the team event. This title brings up Advani’s second Asian title this season and 8th overall while it was the first title for Advani’s teammates Rawat and Singh.

5th Meeting of BRICS Education Ministers

Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Education was held on 5th July, 2017 at Beijing, China. Indian delegation was led by Prakash Javadekar, Minister of HRD. He highlighted some of the initiatives of the Govt. of India in education like National Institutional Ranking Framework which provides a relative ranking of Indian institutions, India’s indigenous MOOCs platform and SWAYAM among others.

US rolls out expedited entry

US has started rolling out for Indian citizens its Global Entry programme which allows for expedited clearance of pre-approved, low-risk travellers. India has become the 11th country whose citizens are eligible to enroll in the Customs and Border Protection initiative. Presently, Global Entry programme is available at 53 US airports and 15 pre-clearance locations.

Yes Bank inks pact with Santander

Yes Bank has signed an MoU in London with Santander to promote India-UK trade and business opportunities. The deal is aimed at Santander UK offering its clients in Britain access to banking facilities and on-the-ground support through Yes Bank’s network across India. The MoU also covers access for Indian businesses looking to expand globally to access Santanders support network in the UK.

7^th July 2017

Odisha govt signs EOI with IAAF & AFI

The Odisha govt signed an Expression of Intent with the International Association of Athletics Federations & Athletics Federation of India to establish a High Performance Academy in Bhubaneswar. The EOI was signed by Sports Secretary Vishal Kumar Dev and AFI president Adille Sumariwala and IAAF president Lord Sebastian Coe. An academy for athletes will be built in the Kalinga Stadium.

2017 Asian Athletics Championships

Manpreet Kaur and Govindan Laxman have managed to win gold medals on the opening day of Asian Athletics Championships held at Kalinga Stadium of Bhubaneshwar. The Asian Athletics Championships is an event organised by the Asian Athletics Association. It is held once in every two years. The 2017 Asian Athletics Championship is the 22nd edition and will be held from 6 July to 9 July 2017

Vietnam renews Indian Oil Deal

Vietnam has granted ONGC Videsh a two-year extension to explore oil block 128 in the South China Sea. The part of the oil block 128 is in the U-shaped ‘nine-dash line,’ the area which is claimed by China.The permission was first granted in the year 2006 which is due to expire in mid-June.

Hebron in World Heritage List

UNESCO infuriated Israel as it voted to list the biblical West Bank city of Hebron as a world heritage site in danger. 12 countries on the world heritage committee voted in favour of the Palestinian request to name Hebron a heritage site, while only 3 voted against it. The move makes Hebron’s old city the 3rd Palestinian world heritage site.

Jail term for not printing new MRP

Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan warned of a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh, including a jail term, if new, post-GST rates are not printed on the inventory in the interest of consumers. Manufacturers have been allowed to clear the unsold stocks by September with new MRP. Under the GST regime, he said some prices of goods have fallen and some have risen.

JIGYASA programme launched

Jigyasa, a student- scientist connect programme was officially launched in New Delhi. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research has joined hands with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan 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.

Goenka Renominated IIT-K Chairman

Industrialist Sanjiv Goenka has been renominated as chairman, Board of Governors (BoG) of IIT-Kharagpur, for the second time. President Pranab Mukherjee, in his capacity as visitor of the institute has nominated Sanjiv Goenka, Chairman, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group for the role for a period of three years. Mr. Goenka has served as chairman of IIT-Kharagpur from 2002-2007.

Srei joins hands with Russian Govt Bank

Srei Infrastructure Finance has joined hands with Russian Govt-owned Vnesheconombank to create a $200 Mn fund. Fund aims to facilitate innovation in the field of IT. The fund will serve as a two-way bridge between the Indian and Russian markets and create opportunities for India-Russia cross-border technology cooperation. This MoU provides for a credit line to Srei of up to $500 million

CopyCat Malware Infected 1.4 cr Devices

A new strain of a malware called CopyCat has infected more than 14 million Android devices around the world. Majority of victims are in Asia, more than 280,000 Android devices in the US were hit by the massive hack. CopyCat is able to replace the Referrer ID on your apps with its own, so every ad that pops up on the app will send revenue to the hackers instead of the app’s creators.

Non-executive chairman of Union Bank

Union Bank of India has appointed Kewal Handa as its non-executive chairman. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved Handa’s appointment as non-official director/non-executive chairman of the bank. Handa will hold the post for a period of three years. Union Bank is one of the largest government-owned banks of India headquartered at Mumbai.

India ranks 23rd 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. India ranked 23rd with a score of 0.683 and has been listed in “maturing” category. Index has been topped by Singapore with a 0.925 score. United States and Malaysia stood at second and third position respectively while Russia stood at 11th position.

Siemens opens its first digital factory

Siemens has opened its 1st digital factory in India, 3rd globally after one each in Germany and China. Company hopes to use this digital factory as a showcase to sell a range of plant automation equipment & software to Indian manufacturing units. It is situated on outskirts of Mumbai and is capable of producing 180+ variants of low-voltage switchgear at the rate of 1 product every 9 seconds.

Garib Nawaz Skill Development Centre

            Minister of State for Minority Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has said that Garib Nawaz Skill Development Centres will be established in 100 districts of the country. They will effectively ensure employment oriented skill development of youth belonging to Minority communities. In next 6 months, Garib Nawaz Skill Development Centres will be established at Hyderabad, Noida, Lucknow etc.

UNSC sanctions splinter group of Taliban

UN Security Council has sanctioned a splinter group of the Pakistan Taliban, subjecting it to assets freeze and an arms embargo. The Security Council’s Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee has added Jamaat-Ul-Ahrar to the terror group Islamic State and Al-Qaida Sanctions List. Jamaat-Ul-Ahrar is the splinter group of the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan and is associated with the Islamic State terror group

Anti-Hijacking Law Comes Into Force

India’s new anti-hijacking law which prescribes capital punishment in the event of death of “any person”, has come into force. It replaces a 1982 law, according to which hijackers could be tried only in event of death of hostages, such as flight crew, passengers. The law mandates central govt to confer powers of investigation, arrest and prosecution on any officer of central govt or NIA.

India slips to be 4th largest investor

India has slipped by one spot to become the fourth-largest foreign investor into the UK. India lost its position as the third largest investor in the UK to France which set up 131 projects last year while India could set up 127 new projects. US remains on the top, investing in 577 projects in the UK, with China (including Hong Kong) remaining in second place with 160 projects.

Customers should report fraud in 3 days

According to RBI, Customers will not suffer any loss if unauthorised online banking transactions are reported within 3 days. The amount involved will be credited in the accounts concerned within 10-days. 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.

Pakistan test fires short-range NASR

Pakistan has successfully test-fired short-range surface to surface ballistic missile named Nasr. NASR is a high-precision weapon system with the ability to be deployed quickly. The test was conducted to validate missile’s new technical parameters including enhanced range from 60 km to 70 km and flight maneuverability. Pakistan is planning to conduct several such tests over next few days.

South Indian Bank ties up with PFG Forex

South Indian Bank has tied up with PFG Forex for remittance facility for the benefit of Indian expatriates from Australia. Under this arrangement, NRIs can enjoy cost-effective and fast remittance services using SIB’s Express facility. NRIs can visit the PFG Forex outlets across Australia for remittances to India.

India declared free from H5N1 & H5N8

India has declared itself free from highly pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1 & H5N8) after surveillance in the states showed no evidence of its presence. India reported outbreaks of Avian Influenza at epicentres in Delhi, Gwalior, Rajpura among others during Oct 2016 to Feb 2017. The move will help India to resume export of poultry products to countries which had banned trade in such items.

8^th July 2017

Sandhu wins South Australian Open

India’s Harinder Pal Sandhu defeated Rhys Dowling of Australia in the final to lift South Australian Open squash title. He had yesterday upset top-seed Piedro Schweertman of the Netherlands 11-9 14-12 7-11 11-9 in the semifinal of the PSA World Tour event. It was Sandhu’s eighth title at the PSA level and the third this season after winning two in Malaysia in the month of May.

No-detention policy to go from 2018

Govt has decided to do away with the no-detention policy for students from the next academic session. Decision was taken as the standard of education had deteriorated because of the policy. Under the Right to Education Act, 2009, no child admitted to a school will be held back in any class or expelled till the completion of elementary education covering Classes 1 to 8.

Ceasefire deal for southwest Syria

US and Russia have reached an agreement on a cease-fire in southwest Syria as Trump held his first meeting with Putin. It aims at permanently ending hostilities, restoring stability and allowing free access of humanitarian aid. Jordan and Israel also are part of the agreement, they share a border with the southern part of Syria and have been concerned about violence spilling over the border.

SC stays HC verdict on Ganga status

Supreme Court froze the status of “legal persons” accorded to rivers Ganga and Yamuna by the Uttarakhand HC in March 2017. A Bench of CJI J.S. Khehar and D.Y. Chandrachud stayed HC verdict which held that the rights of 2 major rivers shall be equivalent to the rights of human beings. Stay came on a petition filed by Mohammad Salim over mining and stone crushing along the banks of the Ganga.

China issues safety advisory

China has issued a safety advisory to its citizens travelling to and living in India over the worsening border row between the two countries. It also asks them to strictly comply with Indian laws and regulations and respect local and religious customs. The advisory comes as Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged in a stand-off in Doklam region in Sikkim sector since mid June.

Microsoft CIO Jim DuBois resigns

Microsoft’s chief information officer, Jim DuBois has decided to quit the company amid a broader reshuffling of its global sales organization to focus on cloud services. DuBois had been with Microsoft since 1993 and was named CIO in 2013. News came after Microsoft announced nearly 4000 job cuts from its global sales force outside US. Kurt DelBene will replace DuBois as Chief Digital Officer

2017 G20 Hamburg summit

12th G20 summit (World’s 19 wealthiest nations plus European Union) began at the German city of Hamburg. Theme for this year’s summit is Shaping an Inter-connected World. Issues like free & open trade, climate change, migration and global stability will be discussed. Summit witnessed massive protests, as protesters believe that G20 has failed to solve many issues threatening world peace.

International Aviation Security seminar

NSG organised the first International Aviation Security seminar in Manesar. It aimed at bringing all major stakeholders under one roof and facilitate them sharing views/opinion, discussions with the matters concerning Aviation Security. Weapons & equipment were also displayed showcasing the current weapons & systems used by the forces and cutting edge systems considered for future planning.

Kohli breaks Tendulkar’s record

Virat Kohli has surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most hundreds in chases during the 5th ODI against West Indies. This was Kohli’s 28th ODI hundred. While Sachin took 232 innings to score 17 hundreds, Virat has taken just 102 innings to score 18 ODI tons while batting second. Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan and West Indies’ Chris Gayle are joint third with 11 tons each.

IISc to get Rs 3000-crore foundry

Indian Institute of Science has received initial approvals from the govt to set up a Rs 3,000-crore foundry to produce a wonder nano material, gallium nitride. The nano material Gallium Nitride is a superior alternative to silica-based semiconductors. Foundry is proposed to be developed around an existing facility for producing gallium nitride transistors on silicon wafers, at IISc’s CeNSE.

Saima as goodwill ambassador for autism

Saima Wazed Hossain has been appointed as the WHO goodwill ambassador for autism in South-East Asia. She has been appointed as the goodwill ambassador for a period of 2 years. As a Goodwill Ambassador she will be promoting Thimphu declaration which also emphasises on integrating the needs of autism affected people, into national health and socioeconomic development plans.

UK launches ‘Grand Trunk Road’ project

British govt has launched a new project ‘Grand Trunk Road’ to mark 70th anniversary of India’s partition. Project was launched this week to bring British Asians of all faiths & backgrounds together to reflect on their shared history through 11 special events. The aim is for the participants to remember lives lost and learn about history of partition from those who lived through the violence.

Sportsperson of the Year 2017

Olympics silver medallist PV Sindhu was bestowed with the ‘Sportsperson of the Year’ award during the ‘Maruti Suzuki Sportsperson of the Year’ Charity Gala Awards. The awards were initiated by Sports Illustrated India and were given to various sportspersons for their achievements. Sindhu’s coach P Gopichand received the ‘Coach of the Year’ award.

Tata Steel bags PM’s trophy

Tata Steel has won PM’s trophy for being the best performing integrated steel plant in India during 2014-15 & 2015-16. This makes it the 3rd consecutive-year for the firm to be honoured with this award. The Group is among top 10 global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 27.5 million tonnes per annum. It is the world’s 2nd-most geographically diversified steel producer.

Scheme for IPR Awareness

            A ‘Scheme for IPR Awareness – Creative India; Innovative India’ has been launched by CIPAM. It aims at raising IPR awareness amongst youth, authors, artists and inventors to inspire them to create, innovate & protect their creations and inventions across India. It aims to conduct over 4000 IPR awareness workshops/seminars in academic institutions  and industry including MSMEs and Startups.

NBFCs to offer NPS

RBI has allowed systematically important non-banking finance companies to offer new pension scheme. NBFCs with asset size of Rs 500 cr & above, that have made a net profit in preceding year will be permitted to offer NPS after registration with the pension regulator. They will have to deposit the subscription collected from public on the day of collection itself with the trustee bank.

GST Rates Finder app

Centre has launched an app – GST Rates Finder to verify the accurate tax rate on commodity and services under the GST regime. This app will not only benefit tax payers but also every citizen of the country will be able to find out how much GST is charged on a particular good and service. The app can be downloaded on any smart phone and can work in offline mode, once downloaded.

Global treaty banning nuclear weapons

A global treaty banning nuclear weapons was adopted at the United Nations despite opposition from US, Britain, France and other nuclear powers that boycotted negotiations. The treaty was adopted by a vote of 122 in favor with one country the Netherlands voting against while Singapore abstained. None of the nine countries that possess nuclear weapons took part in the negotiations or the vote.

Tie up for marketing bancassurance

Private life insurance company Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance has entered into an alliance with Dhanlaxmi Bank for marketing various life insurance products. As part of the agreement, the Bank will be a corporate agent for 3 years. The company has access to around 115 million customers and a pan-India network of over 9500 branches of the three shareholder banks.

Australia’s highest civilian award

Guruswamy Jayraman has been awarded Order of Australia for community work, the highest civilian award in Australia. He works as a senior accountant with Woollahra Municipal Council for a living and has been devoting most of his spare time in community work for the last 25 years. He was also awarded for his contributions for seniors in Western Sydney by the Minister for Ageing & Disability.

9^th July 2017

India to join New GXFC

India will soon get a seat on the Global Foreign Exchange Committee. It is a newly-constituted forum of central bankers and experts working towards promotion of a robust and transparent forex market. Committee has been set up under the guidance of the Bank for International Settlements. GXFC will seek to promote collaboration and communication among local foreign exchange committees.

India’s first World Heritage City

Ahmedabad has been declared as a World Heritage City at the 41st session of UNESCO’s world heritage committee meet in Karkow in Poland. It is the first time an Indian city was declared a world heritage property. With this title, Ahmedabad has joined Paris, Vienna, Cairo, Brussels, Rome & Edinburgh. Nomination of Ahmedabad was supported by about 20 countries including Peru, Cuba and others.

UNHRC to review Pak’s human right record

United Nations Human Rights Council has said that it will undertake a thorough two-day review of Islamabad’s human rights record. Pakistan will be reviewed by the Human Rights Committee for its implementation of the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights. Committee will issue concluding observations based on constructive dialogue and documents submitted by the State.

Shriram Group and IDFC merger

Shriram Group and IDFC have entered into a 90-day exclusive agreement to explore the possibility of a merger. Over next 90 days, the two entities will work out the nitty-gritty relating go due diligence and valuation. IDFC is likely to have about 75% stake in the two Shriram group insurance companies –  life and general. Merger is expected to help IDFC Bank enlarge its retail portfolio.

Digital initiatives over e-education

President Mukherjee launched 3 digital initiatives – Swayam, Swayam Prabha and National Academic Depository to push e-education in the country. Aim of the initiatives is to raise the Gross Enrollment Ratio in  higher education from 24.5 to 30 by 2020. Swayam will host courses taught in classrooms from Class 9th to post-graduation, which can be accessed by anyone, anywhere at any time.
Muslims educationally most disadvantaged

According to a panel formed by a govt-funded agency, Muslims are educationally the most disadvantaged community among the minorities. Panel has recommended that the communities be empowered through a 3 tier model of institutions–central schools, community colleges & national institutes. Proposed schools could follow KV or NV pattern while community colleges may be based on open access model.

Tokio Marine raises stake in IFFCO-Tokio

Japan’s Tokio Marine Asia has raised its stake in a 17-year old general insurance joint venture with India’s fertiliser co-operative from 26% to 49% at a cost of ₹2,530 crore. Marine has purchased total 6,19,43,945 shares of IFFCO-Tokio from IFFCO and IPL for a total consideration of Rs2,530 crore. IFFCO stake will come down to 51% in the JV while IPL would exit from the insurance company.

Sumita Sanyal passes away

Veteran actor Sumita Sanyal, who had worked in both Bengali and Hindi cinema, passed away at the age of 71. She was best known for her role in superhit Bollywood flick “Anand”. She was married to film editor Subodh Roy, and had acted in over 30 Bengali films, including the Dilip Kumar starrer Sagina Mahato.

Beef detection kit

            Directorate of FSL in Maharashtra has developed a portable kit which can determine if a meat sample contains beef or not. If meat sample fed into the kit is beef, the sample turns yellow and will be sent for further confirmation to FSL. Cow Meat Detection ELISA Kit can provide results within 30 mins. It will help police secure more convictions in cases of beef possession or transportation.

Lower berth in 3AC coach to be reserved

Indian Railways has fixed quota for ‘Divyangs’ in 3AC of mail and express trains to make the journey hassle-free. A lower berth in 3AC coach will be reserved for Divyangs. Currently, there is a provision for lower berth quota in sleeper class only. In order to facilitate smooth entry into platforms, all stations are being made accessible for differently-abled passengers.

Battulga wins presidential election

Former martial arts star and businessman Khaltmaa Battulga has won Mongolia’s presidential run-off election. Battulga of the Democratic Party won with 50.6% of the vote on a 60.9% turnout and defeated Miyeegombo Enkhbold of the ruling Mongolian People’s party. The poll was seen as a referendum on the government’s economic recovery plans and the role of southern neighbour China in Mongolia.

SBI in Nepal launches digital village

State Bank of India has launched a digital village initiative in Nepal by installing a cash recycling centre. The cash counter enables the villagers to deposit and withdraw money through the automatic machine. Digital village initiative has been launched in Jarisingpouwa. It was inaugurated jointly by Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank Chiranjibi Nepal & Chairwoman of SBI Arundhati Bhattacharya.

India new global growth pole

According to a Harvard University research, India will be the base to the economic pole of global growth over the coming decade with a 7.7% growth rate annually. The study says India has made inroads in diversifying its export base to include more complex sectors like chemicals, vehicles and certain electronics. The study warns of a continued slowdown in global growth over the coming decade.

UNESCO omits Great Barrier Reef

UNESCO has voted to leave Great Barrier Reef off its “in danger” list despite recent widespread destruction. Back-to-back coral bleaching events had intensified debate about whether UNESCO should change the status of Australia’s reef. The ruling was made at a World Heritage Committee meeting in Poland. It called on Australia to provide updates on its protection efforts by Dec 2019.

Nepal, China ink border security deal

Nepal and China have signed an agreement to set up a border law enforcement centre to manage and curb border related crimes while respecting each other’s sovereignty. The aim of establishing the centre is to cooperate each other on the border security management and to curb border related crimes. Border b/w China and Nepal is 1,236 km in length, along the mountain range the Himalayas.

First Maize based Mega Food Park

Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister of Food Processing Industry laid the foundation stone for 1st Maize based Mega Food Park in Kapurthala, Punjab. It is a major step for containing desertification problem of Punjab and would make farmers turn to maize cultivation which need less water for more production. It will provide employment to 5,000 persons & benefit about 25,000 farmers.

Front-runner in fighting climate change

World Bank has said that India is emerging as a front runner in the global fight against climate change. India’s commitment to solar power, innovative solutions and energy efficiency initiatives to supply its people with 24×7 electricity by 2030 makes India a front runner. With 300 days of sunshine every year, India has among the best conditions in the world to capture and use solar energy.

Sudha bags gold in steeplechase

India’s Sudha Singh has won gold in women’s 3000m steeplechase event on Day 3 of the Asian Athletics Championships at the Kalinga Stadium. She had held the national record in 3000m steeplechase for seven years, but could never make it to the top of podium in the Asian Championship. She clocked an impressive 9:59.47 to win Gold and qualify for the World Championship scheduled next month.

Oracle opens its first Digital Hub

Oracle has launched its first Digital Hub in Asia Pacific region in Bengaluru. Hub would provide cloud computing technology & resources to small & medium businesses to empower them in their digital transformation. There will be 5 hubs across Asia Pacific, India is the 1st hub, other 4 hubs will come up in Sydney, Singapore, Seoul and Beijing. India is Oracle’s one of the top cloud markets.

India, Bangladesh to construct bridge

India & Bangladesh have decided to construct a bridge over Mizoram’s Khawthlangtuipui river to facilitate trade & improve communication. The bridge has been proposed to be made as closer as possible to the nearest land custom station in Bangladesh side. It would not only improve road connectivity but also strengthen ties b/w people of the 2 countries living both sides of the borders.

10^th July 2017

Malabar naval exercise begins

US, Japanese and Indian navies have began Malabar Naval Exercise-2017 in Bay of Bengal, off the Chennai coast. Aim of this exercise is to increase inter-operability amongst the 3 navies as well as develop common understanding for maritime security operations. 16 warships including the world’s largest aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, more than 95 aircraft and 2 submarines are joining the drill.

Merger of Ministries

Government has merged the urban development and housing and urban poverty alleviation ministries. It will now be known as Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). This is third time the ministries have been merged. With this merger, the government now has 51 ministries. The merger will create synergy, better coordination and planning between housing and urban infrastructure projects.

International meet on social justice

A 3 day Babasaheb B.R. Ambedkar international conference on social justice will be held in Bengaluru from July 21 to 23. Conference will unveil ‘Bengaluru Declaration’ outlining specific constitutional, institutional and policy responses to concerns of equity, freedom and democracy. It also commemorates the 126th birth anniversary of the architect of Indian Constitution, B.R. Ambedkar.

No non-veg food on domestic flights

The national carrier Air India has stopped serving non-vegetarian meals to economy-class passengers on all domestic flights from mid-June this year. However, non-vegetarian meals would continue to be served in business and executive class on domestic as well as international flights. The decision was taken to cut wastage and cost, and to avoid mix-up of vegetarian with non-vegetarian meals.

Bharti Airtel launches Project Next

Bharti Airtel has launched “Project Next” to deliver all services across touch points in a seamless digital way. The company plans to invest up to Rs 2000 crore over the next 3 years under the new project to launch new digital innovations. Under the project, Airtel has launched a new version of MyAirtel App that makes the entire customer experience real time.

Citizenship for Myanmar Rohingyas

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has called for granting citizenship to Myanmar’s Muslim Rohingya minority. Grandi said granting citizenship is very crucial for achieving peace and development in the Rakhine state. The Rohingya have long been denied citizenship, freedom of movement and basic rights in Myanmar, where they are often seen as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Iraq declares victory over ISIS

            Iraq’s prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, has declared victory over Islamic State forces in Mosul after months-long of bitter fighting. The city had been the last major urban stronghold Isis held in Iraq, and defeat there pushes the group back towards its insurgent roots. Victory in Mosul is still both a strategic and symbolic milestone for Iraqi fighters backed by US-led coalition forces.

Apple to build second data center

Apple will build its 2nd data center in southern Denmark which will be powered entirely by renewable energy. It is due to begin operations in 2019, will power Apple’s online services, including iTunes Store, App Store, iMessage, Maps and Siri for customers across Europe. Apple will invest around $920 million in the project. The first data center in Denmark will begin operations this year.

Okinoshima gets World Heritage status

A sacred island in south-west Japan “Okinoshima” has been declared a UNESCO world heritage site. Women are banned on the islands while men have to take off their clothes and undergo a cleansing ritual before setting foot on the island. Only 200 visitors are allowed each year. Okinoshima is home to the Okitsu shrine, built in the 17th century to pray for the safety of sailors.

GST intelligence agency gets new chief

Senior bureaucrat John Joseph has been appointed as the Director General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DG GSTI). Joseph is a 1983 batch officer of IRS, has worked in Finance Ministry’s important departments, including the DRI. DG GSTI is the new name given to Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence, mandated to check service tax and central excise duty evasion.

Paperless banking services

Nepal SBI Bank, a subsidiary of SBI has launched its fully automatic digital banking services in Kathmandu. Customers can avail the services from SBI Intouch Bank. This is for the first time the SBI has expanded the paperless banking system outside India. Paperless banking service has been launched to target potential younger customers who are exposed to digital technology.

Raninder Singh re-elected NRAI president

            Raninder Singh has been re-elected as president of the National Rifle Association of India  for another 4 year term. He defeated Shyam Singh Yadav, president of Uttar Pradesh Rifle Association with an overwhelming 89-1 margin. He is an active trap shooter and has participated in ISSF World Cups and National Championships. Raninder is the son of Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.

ASEAN countries for 2018 Republic Day

Centre is planning to invite leaders of 10 ASEAN nations for the Republic Day parade next year. It is being seen as a major step towards the govt’s ‘Act East’ policy. India & ASEAN are marking 25 years of dialogue partnership this year. Move is particularly significant considering India’s current relationship with China. At least 4 of 10 ASEAN nations are involved in South China Sea dispute

Free Surgery Scheme

Delhiites who are unable to have surgeries at any govt hospital can now get free surgery in 48 private hospitals bill of which will be paid by Delhi govt. Govt would facilitate 52 specified surgeries free of cost at private hospitals. If a patient doesn’t get a date for surgery at a govt hospital within 1 month, hospital would refer him to private hospitals & govt would pay all the expenses.

India tops medal tally for first time

India have topped the medal tally for first time in the history of Asian Athletics Championships. India ended on top with their highest ever medal haul of 29 medals pushing China to 2nd spot with 8 gold, 7 silver & 5 bronze. India’s best came in 1985 Jakarta edition where they had won 22 medals. China finished at 2nd position followed by Kazakhstan & Iran at 3rd & 4th position respectively.

First pregnant man gives birth to girl

Hayden Cross has become the 1st man in Britain to give birth after he put his sex transition on hold to get pregnant by a sperm donor. He had been living legally as a man for 3 years and was already part-way through hormone treatment to transform from a woman to a man. The girl was born on June 16 at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. First man to give birth was Thomas Beatie in the US in 2008

Naresh Chandra passes away

Former Indian Ambassador to the United States, Naresh Chandra has passed away. He passed away due to multiple organ failure at Manipal Hospitals in Goa. Chandra had served as the Cabinet Secretary from 1990–92 and was the Indian Ambassador to the US from 1996 to 2001. He was awarded India’s second highest civil awards, the Padma Vibhushan, in 2007.

Youngest winner of professional event

14 years old amateur Atthaya Thitikul has become the youngest known winner of a professional golf tour event with victory at Ladies European Thailand Championship. She defeated Ana Menendez of Mexico by 2 strokes to achieve this milestone. She broke the previous record of Lydia Ko, who at 14 years and 8 months won her first professional event at New South Wales Open in 2012.

Wayne Rooney rejoins Everton

Manchester United record goalscorer Wayne Rooney has rejoined Everton for an undisclosed fee after having spent 13 years at United. Rooney departs Manchester United as the club’s all-time leading scorer with 253 goals in all competitions. Rooney’s return comes as United look set to sign Everton striker Romelu Lukaku. Rooney moved from Everton to United for 27 million pounds in 2004.

Bottas wins Austrian Grand Prix

Mercedes’ Formula One driver Valtteri Bottas has won the 2017 Austrian Grand Prix. Bottas finished ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo, who finished second and third respectively. Vettel continues leading the Championship with 171 points, 20 points ahead of Hamilton. This was the second victory of Bottas’ career.

source testbook.com   thanks