Current Affairs July 28, 2017 – Uttarakhand records second highest tiger count in India

NATIONAL

National Centre for Seismology launches ‘India Quake’ – An App for Earthquake Parameter Dissemination:

    Union Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan launched an app “India Quake” on the occasion of 11th Foundation Day of Ministry of Earth Sciences in New Delhi.

    The mobile application India Quake will provide information on earthquakes like its timing, epicentre and intensity  while Sagar Vani will give details and alerts users about Tsunami and high waves.

Uttarakhand records second highest tiger count in India:

    Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Trivendra Singh Rawat confirmed that the count of tigers in Uttarakhand shot up 242 with an increase of 63 big cats in the year 2017.

Uttarakhand

• Capital: Dehradun
• Chief Minister: Trivendra Singh Rawat  
• Governor: Krishna Kant Paul

India’s first mobile ticketing system to be launched by Mumbai Metro:

    Mumbai Metro has announced the launch of India’s first Mobile Ticketing System ‘OnGo’ which will help commuters cross the AFC gates using their mobile phones.

    The system, which is in the final advance stage of testing, will be implemented by mid-August. With this will end the days of standing in long queues for tickets, tokens, card recharges and value passes.

Maharashtra

• • Capital: Mumbai
  • Chief Minister: Devendra Fadnavis
  • Governor: C. Vidyasagar Rao

Uma Bharati to inaugurate national 4th Jal Manthan seminar:

    Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Minister Uma Bharati will inaugurate a national 4th Jal Manthan seminar in New Delhi. The two day seminar will be attend by Union Ministers of related ministries and departments, chief ministers, irrigation and water resources ministers of some states and union territories, eminent experts, representatives of NGOs and senior officers.

Food processing sector attracted FDI worth $183 million in last two months: Harsimrat Kaur

    Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the growth in FDI in the sector will directly or indirectly help about 25 lakh farmers and generate employment for 5 lakh people.

    ‘World Food India: 2017’, to be held in Delhi later this year, she said the food processing sector has attracted FDI to the tune of 183 million dollars during last two months.

NITI Aayog clears six proposals for high-tech public transport:

    The NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog approved 6 transport proposals of the Transport ministry exploring options to improve public transport.

    It includes high-tech mass rapid transportation technologies such as metring, Hyperloop, pod taxis, Stadler buses, hybrid buses and freight rail road. The new technologies are being explored by the Government as current public transportation is unable to resolve the increasing traffic crisis in the country.

PM Narendra Modi launches deep-sea fishing scheme for Rameswaram fishermen:

    Tamil Nadu government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a deep-sea fishing scheme for fishermen of this region, saying it would help them overcome problems of fishing in Palk Strait.

    Under the initiative taken up under the “Blue Revolution” scheme, the Centre would allocate Rs 1,500 crore over a period of time for conversion of bottom trawling boats into deep sea liners.

INTERNATIONAL

Shri Bandaru Dattatreya attends the BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers’ Meet in China:

    Indian delegation led by Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour & Employment participated in the BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers’ Meet, held on 26-27th, July, 2017 at Chongqing, China. China is the chair for the BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers’ Meet for the year 2017.

    The Declaration covered a variety of areas that are of critical importance to all BRICS countries including India and called upon strengthening collaboration and cooperation on these through appropriate institutionalisation. These areas consisted of: Governance in the Future of Work”, Skills for development in BRICS”, Universal and sustainable social security systems”, BRICS Network of Labour Research Institutions”, BRICS Social Security Cooperation Framework” and BRICS entrepreneurship research”. 

China

• Currency: Renminbi
• Capital: Beijing
• Prime minister: Li Keqiang
• President: Xi Jinping

Australia sends its first uranium shipment to India:

    Australia has sent its first uranium shipment to India for testing purposes ahead of possible commercial sales. This comes after India and Australia signed an agreement for civil nuclear cooperation in 2014 to meet India’s growing energy needs. This is a first of its kind agreement as India is not a party to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

Australia

• Capital: Canberra
• Currency: Australian dollar
• Prime minister: Malcolm Turnbull

BRICS nations sign memorandum to facilitate taxation cooperation:

    Tax authorities of the five BRICS countries have signed a landmark document to establish a mechanism for taxation cooperation. The BRICS Taxation Cooperation Memorandum, signed at the fifth meeting of BRICS Heads of Tax Authorities, is the bloc’s first document that elevates taxation cooperation to the institutional level.

    The authorities also agreed to cooperate on taxation information exchange, improve consultation procedures efficiency, boost taxation capacities and plan paths for coordination of taxation policies and tax collection. The meeting comes ahead of the 2017 BRICS Summit to be held in Fujian province’s Xiamen city from September 3 to 5.

BANKING & BUSINESS

PNB ties up with Bajaj Allianz General for distribution:

    State-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance have signed an agreement for the distribution of insurance products through the branches.

    Under this agreement, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance will offer personal lines of insurance products such as health, personal accident, home, motor and travel along with commercial line of insurance products such as property, marine and engineering insurance, etc to the banks customers.

Punjab National Bank

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• CEO: Sunil Mehta

BSE Inks Pact with Egyptian Exchange:

    BSE joined hands with Egyptian Exchange (EGX) for cooperation in exchange of information across business areas. EGX Executive chairman Mohamed Omran said the exchange aims to cross list and trade securities that would provide new investment alternatives.

Axis Bank to buy FreeCharge from Snapdeal for Rs 385 crore:

    Axis Bank, India’s seventh-biggest lender by assets, Announced that it has agreed to buy mobile payments wallet provider FreeCharge from e-commerce company Snapdeal for Rs 385 crore ($60.04 million).

Amazon.in opens centre in Lucknow:

    Amazon India has announced its second Fulfilment Centre in Uttar Pradesh. The new centre would empower thousands of small and medium businesses to leverage the growth of the digital economy and reach a wider customer base.

Uttar Pradesh

• Capital: Lucknow
• Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath
• Governor: Shri Ram Naik

Jeff Bezos was briefly the world’s richest person:

    Jeff Bezos was the richest man in the world for a time, with a fortune of over $90 billion.

    According to Forbes and Bloomberg, the Amazon CEO had a net worth of over $89 billion as of the close of markets, while Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates had a net worth of just over $90 billion.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

In a first, scientists have edited the DNA of human embryos that could turn into people using CRISPR:

    The experiment, using the revolutionary genome-editing technique CRISPR-Cas9, was led by Shoukhrat Mitalipov of Oregon Health & Science University. It went beyond previous experiments using CRISPR to alter the DNA of human embryos, all of which were conducted in China, in that it edited the genomes of many more embryos and targeted a gene associated with a significant human disease.

Scientists develop new software that can crate 3D models from 2D photographs:

    Scientists including one of Indian origin have developed new Artificial intelligence (AI) software called SurfNet that can create three dimensional (3D) models from 2D photographs.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

PV Sindhu appointed Deputy Collector in Andhra Pradesh government:

    Rio-Olympic silver-medallist PV Sindhu was issued an appointment letter for the post of Group-I officer in Hyderabad.

Andhra Pradesh

• Capital: Amaravati
• Chief Minister:  N. Chandrababu Naidu
• Governor: E. S. L. Narasimhan

Axis Bank extends Shikha Sharma’s term by three years:

    Shikha Sharma has been re-appointed as MD&CEO of Axis Bank for three-year term from June 2018, putting to rest rumours about her being sounded out to head Tata’s financial services vertical.

    Axis Bank informed Bombay Stock Exchange that board of directors has approved the re-appointment.

Japanese defence minister to resign over South Sudan cover-up claims:

    Japan’s Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said that she had tendered her resignation after a scandal broke out over a cover-up of reports on Japanese peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.

AWARDS

Japanese who helped save Angkor Wat awarded “Asia’s Nobel”:

    A Japanese historian who helped save Cambodia’s renowned Angkor Wat temple complex was among the winners of this year’s Magsaysay Awards, widely regarded as Asia’s version of the Nobel prize, organisers

    Yoshiaki Ishizawa, 79, was honoured for decades of work in helping preserve the historic landmark after the 12th-century temple complex barely survived years of war and civil strife, the award foundation said.

    Gethsie Shanmugam, 82, a teacher and psychological counsellor from Sri Lanka’s Tamil community, won for braving bombings. Indonesian Abdon Nababan, 53, also received the award for organising indigenous people in his country. Tony Tay, 70, received the award for addressing the unseen plight of the poor in wealthy Singapore, setting up “Willing Hearts,” in 2003. Lawyer Lilia de Lima, 76, was cited for her leadership of a government agency overseeing the Philippines’ export processing zones.

Japan

• Capital: Tokyo

• Currency: Yen
• Prime minister: Shinzō Abe

SPORTS

Indonesia to host AFC U-19 championship:

    The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Competition Committee officially awarded Indonesia the hosting of the AFC Under-19 championship next year. The decision was made during a meeting of the AFC competition committee. The AFC U-19 championship is scheduled to be held from October 18 to November 4 of next year.

Indonesia

• Currency: Indonesian rupiah
• Capital: Jakarta

Ajay Singh wins bronze medal in Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships:

    India’s Ajay Singh has won bronze medal in Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships at Kathmandu, taking India’s tally to three. Ajay got third place in 77 kgs men’s junior category last evening lifting 143 kgs in snatch and 172 kgs in clean and jerk.

Indian Railways rewards women cricketers with Rs 13 lakh each:

    Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu announced a cash award of 13 lakh rupees for each of the 10 women cricketers employed with his department for their inspiring show at the recently concluded World Cup.

Amateur golfer Diksha wins silver at Deaflympics:

    Young Indian golfer Diksha Dagar scripted history after winning a silver medal in the women’s individual golf event of the Deaflympics, which is being held at the Samsun, Turkey.

HISTORIC EVENTS OF THE DAY

World Hepatitis Day July 28th 2017: Eliminate Hepatitis

    The elimination of viral hepatitis has now been firmly put on the map. At the 69th World Health Assembly in Geneva, 194 governments adopted WHO’s Global Strategy on Viral Hepatitis, which includes a goal of eliminating hepatitis B and C in the next 13 years. The community responded by launching NOhep, the first ever global movement to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030.

    Theme: “Eliminate Hepatitis” (to life through the ShowYourFace campaign).

OBITUARY

Actor Inder Kumar passes away:

    Actor Inder Kumar passed away. He was 43. He suffered a heart attack at his residence in Andheri, in the western suburb of Mumbai.

Current Affairs Quiz – 28, July 2017