23 Jul
IPCI Info

23 July

International News Affairs

  • A US state department has recently revealed that India in 2016 replaced Pakistan as the world’s third largest terror target after Iraq and Afghanistan.
    • It added that out of the 11,072 terror attacks across the world in 2016, 927 took place in India.
  • For the first time India is going to host Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS) 2017, the world’s largest conference on cyber space and related issues in New Delhi in November 2017.
    • This is the 5th edition of the conference.
    • This is for the first time GCCS is taking place outside Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations.
    • Theme of GCCS 2017: ‘Cyber4All : An Inclusive, Sustainable, Developmental, Safe and Secure Cyberspace’.

 

National News Affairs

  • Today (23rd July) is National Broadcasting Day.
    • On this day in 1927, India got its first radio station.
    • Note: The first station of the Indian Broadcasting Company (IBC) was inaugurated at Bombay by the British Viceroy of India Lord Irwin on 23rd July 1927.
    • Minister for Information & Broadcasting – Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani
    • Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting – Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore
  • Nation remembered freedom fighters Chandra Shekhar Azadand Lokmanya Tilak, on their birth anniversaries today.
    • Indian nationalist leader Bal Gangadhar Tilak‘s 160th birth anniversary.
      • Popularly called ‘Lokmanya’, meaning ‘accepted by the people’, Tilak was born on July 23, 1856in Maharashtra.
      • The pioneer of the Swadeshi Movement, he is also widely known for his quote ‘Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it’.
    • Indian revolutionary Chandra Shekhar Azad, popularly known as ‘Azad’, was born on this day (23rd July) in the year 1906.
      • He fought for the Indian independence struggle till the age of 24 years, before shooting himself to keep his pledge of never being caught alive.
    • The Union Ministry of Rural Development is going to launch Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY), a sub-scheme under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
      • This scheme aims to provide an alternative source of livelihood to members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) by facilitating them to operate public transport services in backward rural areas.
    • The Lok Sabha has passed The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017.
      • This Bill amends the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE), 2009 to extend the deadline for teachers to acquire the prescribed minimum qualifications for appointment.

 

Science & Technology

  • The US Navy today officially inducted the world’s largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford.
    • The nuclear-powered carrier is worth over ₹83,000 crore ($12.9 billion) and weighs 1 lakh tonnes.
  • Iran today announced the production of a New Defence Missile amid ongoing tensions with the US.
    • This missile can target fighter planes, unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles and helicopters.

 

Obituary

  • Hollywood actor John Heard(71) passed away today.
    • He was best known for his role as Peter McCallister in ‘Home Alone’ (1990) and ‘Home Alone 2: Lost In New York’ (1992), among other films.

 

New Appointments

  • Raveesh Kumar is going to be the next spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs.
    • He is going to replace Gopal Baglay, who was recently appointed as the joint secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office.

 

Banking, Business & Economic News

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to introduce ₹200 notes before 2017-end to ease pressure on lower denomination currencies that are in short supply.
    • Introduction of this note will fill in the “missing middle” even as new currency in circulation has already reached 84% of pre-demonetisation levels.
  • Vondaraguppe village in Karnataka’s Ramanagara district has transitioned to a completely cashless system.
    • Around 350 families, 90% of which are involved in the silk-rearing business, have deposited their cash in banks and carry their business transactions through cheques.
    • The villagers are using RuPay, an Indian domestic card scheme, for everyday transactions.

 

Current Sports News

  • Indian tennis player Vishnu Vardhan won the Men’s doubles event at the $125,000 ATP Astana Challengerwith Japanese partner Toshihide Matsui today.
    • Important Notes :
    • This is his second Challenger title of the season.
    • He has already won six ITF Futures doubles titles this season.
  • India’s Karamjyoti Dalal has won Bronze medal at the World Para Athletics Championships 2017 in the discus-throw.
  • India’s para athletes Sharad Kumar and Varun Singh Bhati clinched the Silver and bronze medals respectively in High jump at the World Para Athletics Championships.
  • Indian Super League side Atletico de Kolkata has been renamed to ‘Aamar, Tomar Kolkata’ (ATK) after the team’s partnership with Spanish football club Atletico Madrid ended.
    • The Spanish club, which had provided technical support to the Indian club, will be selling their stake in the club to the club’s principal owner Sanjiv Goenka.
22 Jul
IPCI Info

22 July

International News Affairs

  • The United States today announced that the government will ban citizens from traveling to North Koreadue to “the serious risk of arrest”.
  • Insurance giant Swiss Re is preparing aninsurance policy for the Mesoamerican Reef in Mexico to prevent its further deterioration.
    • Under the scheme, which is the first for a natural structure, the premiums will be paid by hotels and government, and money to pay for the repair of the reef will be released if a storm strikes.
  • The US Defence Department today announced that it will not make military reimbursements to Pakistanfor 2016 fiscal.
    • This comes after US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said that Pakistan had not taken sufficient action against the Afghan insurgent group Haqqani Network.
    • Note: Earlier, the US Senate had voted to impose tougher conditions on defense aid to Pakistan.

National News Affairs

  • The government is pro-actively considering having two separate time zones in the country.
    • This came after Odisha MP B Mahtab raised the issue and said that there was a gap of nearly two hours in the sunrise between the eastern and western regions of the country.
  • The government has said that India has less than 1 doctor for every 1,000 people, which is less than the World Health Organisation standard.
    • Around 8.18 lakh doctors may be available for active service, giving a doctor-population ratio of 0.62:1000, the Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel said.
    • Note : The WHO prescribes a ratio of 1:1000.

New Appointments

  • Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Gopal Baglay was appointed as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) 
    • He will have the tenure of 3 years.
    • He is going to replace Vinay Mohan Kwatra, who has been named as India’s Ambassador to France.
  • Sanjay Kothari, a 1978-batch IAS officer of Haryana cadre, has been appointed as the Secretary to President-elect Ram Nath Kovind.
    • Senior journalist Ashok Malik has been appointed as the Press Secretary to Kovind.
  • The Deputy President of the UK Supreme Court,Brenda Hale has been appointed as the first female president of the UK Supreme Court.

 

Banking, Business & Economic News

  • Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said that the Financial year may soon begin from Januaryin sync with the calendar year.
    • Important Note: In May, Madhya Pradesh became India’s first state to shift its financial year format to January-December from the present April-March cycle.
  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has refused to deposit cash of over ₹200 crore in old notes from 31 district central cooperative banks in Maharashtra.
    • RBI argued that the cooperative banks collected the notes after they were demonetised, but the banks claim they were collected before.
  • For a 4th consecutive year, US retail giant Walmart has topped the 2017 Fortune Global 500 list with a revenue of $486 billion.
    • Important Points to Note :
      • 7 Indian companies were featured in this list.
      • Indian Oil, with revenues of over $53 billion in previous fiscal, is the highest ranked Indian company and placed 168th globally.

Current Sports Affairs

  • Taking India’s medals tally to three, the Indian para-athlete Karamjyoti Dalal won a Bronze Medal in discus throw at the ongoing World Para Athletics Championships 
21 Jul
IPCI Info

21 July

International News Affairs

  • The landmark India-Japan civil nuclear agreement came into effect from today.
    • This deal would enable Japan to export nuclear power plant technology as well as provide finance for nuclear power plants in India.
    • It will also assist India in nuclear waste management and could undertake joint manufacture of nuclear power plant components under the Make in India initiative.
  • The report by the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS, ‘Ending AIDS: Progress towards the 90-90-90 targets’, today revealed that India, China and Pakistan are among the 10 countries that accounted for more than 95 per cent of all new HIV infections in the Asia and the Pacific region in 2016.

National News Affairs

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited a total of 49 countriesin the last three years.
    • Modi’s foreign trips as PM started with his visit to Bhutan in June 2014.
    • Further, he has visited the USA five times in the last three years.
  • The Gujarat government has decided to celebrate the ‘World Heritage City’ status granted to Ahmadabadby UNESCO for a fortnight (a period of two weeks).
    • The programme, starting on August 1, will include heritage walks, cultural events, lectures and seminars about the 600-year-old city.
  • Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang won the vote of confidence in the state assembly today, garnering the support of 47 out of 59 MLAs.
    • Note:Zeliang was re-appointed the CM after former CM Shurhozelie Liezietsu was sacked for not appearing for the floor test.

Science & Technology

  • Indian Navy’s second LCU Mark IV L52 ship was formally launched in Kolkata, West Bengal today.
    • The LCU Mark-IV vessels are designed for multipurpose amphibious operations jointly carried out Indian Navy and Indian Army to ensure maritime security of Andamans and Lakshadweep islands.
    • LCU L52 ship is the second in series of the eight Mark IV LCU vessels built by GRSE for Navy. The first ship of the series was commissioned in 2016.
    • LCU – Landing Craft Utility

Obituaries

  • American rock band Linkin Park’s lead vocalist Chester Bennington(41) died by committing suicide.
  • Bhiku Daji Bhilare (98), who claimed to have saved Gandhi from an earlier assassination attempt by Nathuram Godse in 1944, passed away today.
    • According to Mahatma Gandhi’s great grandson’s book, there were four attempts on Gandhi’s life before Godse killed him in 1948.
    • Bhilare reportedly foiled the second attack in Panchgani by overpowering Godse.

 

Banking, Business & Economic News

  • The much awaited pension scheme-Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana– for senior citizens aged 60 or above was formally launched by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today.

 

MOUs & Agreements

  • The Indian Army has signed MoU with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to raise one regiment of the advanced Medium Range Surface to Air Missiles (MRSAM) defence system.
  • The regulator for the securities market in India Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has signed an MOU with the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA).
    • The MoU was signed for exchange of information concerning Central Counterparties (CCPs) under the European Markets Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR).
    • CPs are entities that help facilitate clearing and settlement activities.

Current Sports Affairs

  • India’s only ATP tournament the Chennai Open is set to move out of Chennai after 21 years because it is unable to meet the commercial demands of the main organizers IMG.
    • Important Note: Now Pune is going to host the tournament from next year.
  • India’s women’s cricket team defeated defending champions Australia by 36 runs to reach the World Cup final for the second time in history.
    • India, who will face hosts England in the title clash on Sunday, first reached the final in 2005, where they lost to Australia.
    • Important Points to Note :
      • Cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur scored 171, the highest WWC score by an Indian.
      • With this she became only the second player in women’s World Cup history to score a century in the knockout stage.
20 Jul
IPCI Info

20 July

International News Affairs

  • Uruguay has become the 1st country in the world to allow the sale of marijuana for recreational use.
    • The move comes four years after a law was passed under which cannabis trade was fully legalised.
  • The United States has ended a four-month ban on flyers carrying laptops on US-bound flights from airports in North Africa and the Middle East.
    • Note : The UK continues to enforce a similar electronics ban on flights from several Middle Eastern airports.

 

New Appointments

  • NDA’s presidential candidate and former Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind was today elected as the 14th President of India.

 

National News Affairs

  • The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDA) has launched ‘mAadhaar‘, a new app for syncing Aadhaar data on mobile phones.
    • This app allows users to carry their Aadhaar information including name, date of birth, gender, address, and the linked photograph, on their smart phones.
    • This app also allows users to lock or unlock biometrics data.
  • The Maharashtra government is going to purchase a chopper for the VIPs of the state after private agencies were suspended from flying them.
  • To develop Bengaluru as the international hub of computer graphics technology, the Cabinet today approved the Karnataka Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics Policy, 2017-22.
    • The city will also have a centre for animation in collaboration with Gobelins, which is among the world’s best animation schools.
  • The Kerala government today approved the construction of a Greenfield airport near pilgrim site Sabarimala.
    • The 2,263-acre airport, which will be situated 48 kilometres from the Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa Temple, will be the fifth in Kerala.

 

People in News

  • Arpan Doshi, an Indian-origin man, who studied in Gujarat until he was 13, has becomeUK’s youngest ever doctor.
    • Doshi, who is due to start work next month, beat the previous record by 17 days.

Science & Technology

  • Over 3 billion tonnes of plastic, enough to cover the entire country of Argentina, has been generated by humans since the material’s mass production started in 1950s, a US-based research has revealed.
    • It also said that around 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic was produced by 2015, of which 79% resides in landfills or natural environment, while only 9% was recycled.

Banking, Business & Economic News

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is going to issue a new batch of ₹20 notes under the Mahatma Gandhi series-2005
    • The notes will have the inset letter ‘S’ and RBI Governor Urjit Patel’s signature.
  • Union Cabinet today gave its in-principle approval for sale of the government’s 51.11% stake in Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL)to India’s largest oil producer ONGC for ₹30,000 crore.
    • Note: After this, the HPCL will become a subsidiary of ONGC and will remain a listed company.

Current Sports Affairs

  • India’s top-ranked female shot putter Manpreet Kaur has been suspended by the Athletics Federation after she failed dope test.
    • He is also set to lose her gold medal which she won at the 22nd Asian Athletics Championships.
19 Jul
IPCI Info

19 July

International News Affairs

  • India, US, and Japan have concluded the ‘Malabar 2017‘ international naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal.
    • As many as 16 ships, 95 aircraft, and two submarines from the three countries took part in the 21st edition of the annual exercise.
    • The drill was aimed at increasing interoperability among the three countries’ navies to counter shared maritime threats.
  • China today announced that it would stop accepting shipments of garbage such as waste plastic and paper as part of a campaign against “foreign garbage”.
    • The ban will come into force by the end of this year.
    • Note: China imported 7.3 million tonnes of waste plastics, valued at $3.7 billion last year, accounting for 56% of world’s waste imports.
  • Lahore High Court today lifted a ban on the airing of Indian television serials in Pakistan.
    • The court noted that instead of a blanket ban, Indian content with “objectionable” or “anti-Pakistan” content could still be censored.
  • The United States has imposed new economic sanctions against Iran over its ballistic missile programme and for contributing to regional tensions.
    • Under the new sanctions, the US Department of Treasury targeted 16 entities and individuals from Iran citing them as illicit Iranian actors or transnational criminal activity.
  • Facebook-owned WhatsApp has been partially blocked in Chinafollowing a censorship crackdown by the government.
    • Note: China operates world’s largest censorship system, called the ‘Great Firewall‘, blocking platforms like Facebook, Google, and Instagram.

National News Affairs

  • Karnataka government has recently formed a panel to design a separate flag for the state.
    • Significance of Design And Colour of Kannada Flag
    • The official state flag for Karnataka is a longstanding demand of pro-Kannada activists.
    • The Kannada flag, which is divided into two equal horizontal stripes, a yellow strip for the top half and a red strip below, could become the official state flag of Karnataka.
    • This flag was designed by Kannada writer and activist Ma Ramamurthy for a pro-Kannada political party.
    • The flag’s red colour stands for Kumkuma (Vermilion) and the yellow stands for Arrishna (Turmeric), symbolising auspiciousness and well-being of the state and its people.
    • This flag is unofficially adopted and is hoisted on the state’s formation day every year since 1960s.
  • The Telangana School Education Department today issued an order capping the weight of school bags for students in primary, upper primary and high schools.
    • The order directed school managements to ensure that the weight of a bag does not exceed 5 kilograms for class 10 students.
  • The Delhi government today announced a ‘merit cum means‘ scholarship for students from low and middle-income groups studying in state universities.
    • The scheme has three categories based on the students’ family income and will provide fee waivers up to 100%.
    • However, students will need a minimum of 60% in the class they passed to qualify for the scheme.

Banking, Business & Economic News

  • The Bank of England today unveiled a new polymer£10 note featuring 19th century novelist Jane Austen, in a move to replace paper £5, £10 and £20 with secure plastic notes.
    • This makes Austen the only woman other than Queen Elizabeth to be featuredon a polymer British banknote.
    • Note: This note’s introduction marks the 200th anniversary of Austen’s death.

 

Science & Technology

  • US Navy today successfully tested the world’s first-ever active Laser Weapons System (LaWS).
    • In the test, the LaWS deployed aboard the USS Ponce amphibious transport ship was able to destroy a drone in flight and moving targets on the Persian Gulf.
    • Note: USS Ponce is first ship in the world to be deployed with such advanced weapons system.

New Appointments

  • TR Zeliang, the former Chief Minister of Nagaland, was today appointed to the post again.
    • This decision was took by the state’s governor PB Acharya after CM Shurhozelie Liezietsu failed to turn up for the floor test.
  • Actor Kamal Haasan has been appointed as the Ambassador of the new Kabaddi team Tamil Thalaivas for the fifth season of Pro Kabaddi League.
    • Note : The team Tamil Thalaivas is co-owned by Sachin Tendulkar.
18 Jul
IPCI Info

18 July

International News Affairs

  • Today (18th July) is ‘Nelson Mandela International Day‘.
    • He was born on this day in the year 1918.
    • In November 2009, the UN General Assembly declared 18 July “Nelson Mandela International Day” in recognition of the former South African President’s contribution to the culture of peace and freedom.
    • Important Points to Note :
      • Mandela was awarded India’s highest civilian honour,the Bharat Ratna in 1990 for his role in the anti-apartheid movement.
      • Apart from Pakistan nationalKhan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, he is the only non-Indian to have received the award.
      • He was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize in the year 1993.
    • Somalia has entered the 4 week of internet blackoutafter a ship cut an undersea cable connecting the country to global data networks.
      • With this, the Somalian economy has been losing $10 million a day in business without internet.
    • Thailand has amended a royal property law to formally give King Maha Vajiralongkorn full control of the agency which manages royal assets worth more than $30 billion.
      • The amendment, which is the first legislation concerning crown property in decades, also empowers the King to appoint any individual or agency to manage the assets and properties.
    • Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte today offered self-rule to the country’s Muslim minority in an attempt to defeat militants loyal to Islamic State who have besieged the city of Marawi for nearly two months.

 

National News Affairs

  • The Karnataka government has set up a 9-member committeeto design a state flag (an identity symbol unique to the state).
    • Important Note: As of now, Jammu and Kashmir is the only state that has its own flag.
  • While hearing petitions challenging Aadhaar, the Supreme Court today appointed a9-judge bench to decide whether privacy is a fundamental right or not under the Constitution.
  • The Delhi government has released ₹100 crorefor the completion of the Signature Bridge, which is twice the height of the Qutub Minar.
    • The bridge was supposed to be ready by 2010 Commonwealth Games, but its construction was slowed down due to insufficient funds.

Science & Technology

  • The United States and Australia have jointly test-fired a hypersonic missile capable of moving at a speed eight times faster than sound as part of a $54-million research project.
  • The Union Ministry of Science and Technology has launched SOHUM, an indigenously developed low-cost hearing screening device for newborns.
    • The portable Sohum hearing screening device measures auditory brain waves via three electrodes placed on the baby’s head.
    • When stimulated, they detect electrical responses generated by the brain’s auditory system. If there is no response, the child cannot hear.

 

New Appointments

  • The BJP-led NDA today announced Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naiduas its candidate for the upcoming Vice Presidential elections.
    • He will contest against the Congress-led Opposition’s candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson).
  • Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani was given the additional charge of theInformation & Broadcasting Ministry after M Venkaiah Naidu resigned.
  • Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar gets additional charge of Urban Development Ministry.
  • Tesla has added two new independent directors to its board, namely James Murdoch, CEO of 21st Century Fox, and Linda Johnson Rice, Chairman of Johnson Publishing.
  • Vikram Limaye has taken over as the Managing Director and CEO of the National Stock Exchange.
    • He will have a term of five years at the exchange and will be paid ₹8 crore a year.
  • Britain’s 1st woman Sikh MP, Preet Kaur Gill elected to influential cross-party panel in UK Parliament that examines workings of Home Office.

 

Banking, Business & Economic News

  • The State Bank of India (SBI) today launched SBI Realty, a dedicated portal that will help home buyers to choose flats from its 3,000 approved projects across the country.
    • SBI Realty will be a one stop integrated website for home buyers.
    • It will help customers to choose their dream home from 3,000 SBI approved projects, which are spread across 13 states/UTs covering 30 cities.
  • India has ranked 4th among world’s fastest growing economies. according to recently released World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects.
    • Note: India has been placed behind smaller economies of Estonia, Uzbekistan, and Nepal in growth rate.
  • SBI Life Insurance, a unit of State Bank of India, has filed for an Initial Public Offering (IPO), that will reportedly raise over $1 billion (over ₹6,400 crore).
    • Note: SBI Life will be the second Indian life insurer to go public.

 

Current Sports Affairs

  • The BCCI today named former Indian cricketer Bharat Arun as the Indian cricket team’s bowling coach.
    • Note: Sanjay Bangar and R Sridhar will remain the batting and fielding coach respectively.
  • Italian football legend Francesco Totti today anounced his retirement from football after spending his 25-year-long playing career with Seria A club Roma.
  • Former national-level hockey player Amit Saroha, who met with an accident in 2007, clinched the Silver medal in the club throw event in the F-51 category at the World Para Athletics Championships.
17 Jul
IPCI Info

17 July

International News Affairs

  • Today (17th July) is World Day for International Justice (International Justice Day).
    • This day is celebrated throughout the world as part of an effort to recognize the emerging system of international criminal justice.
    • Important Note: July 17 was chosen to celebrate this day, because it is the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the International Criminal Court (ICC).
    • Theme of International Justice Day 2017 : “Preventing conflict and sustaining peace through decent work”
  • Today (17 July) is ‘World Emoji Day’.
    • Emoji enthusiasts around the world have been celebrating this day since 2014.
    • The date was kept after Apple’s emoji artwork for calendar, which displays July 17.
  • Pakistan has launched a military operation in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)targeting the Islamic State.
    • Note: ISIS has claimed to have carried out several attacks in Pakistan over the past two years.

 

National News Affairs

  • Voting to choose the 14th President of India began at the Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies at 10 am today.
    • A total of 4,120 MLAs and 776 MPs will cast their vote to choose between NDA’s Ram Nath Kovind and Opposition’s Meira Kumar.
  • President Pranab Mukherjee today gave his assent to Maharashtra government’s ‘Prohibition of Social Boycott Bill’, making Maharashtra the first Indian state to enact an anti-social boycott Bill.
    • It aims to prevent atrocities carried out by extra-judicial courts and panchayats and, will include religious rituals, inter-caste marriage, dress or vocation as reasons for social boycott.
  • Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led Madhya Pradesh government is setting up ‘astro-OPDs‘ in Bhopal where astrologers and such soothsayers will provide consultation to patients facing diverse problems.
  • The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday issued instructions to all states to stop using bouquets during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tours within India.
    • Instead of bouquets, states can offer PM Modi a flower along with a Khadi handkerchief or a book to welcome him.
  • The Union Minister of Health and Family WelfareJ P Nadda today launched the National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22).
    • This Strategic Plan gives year wise elimination targets in various parts of the country depending upon the endemicity of malaria in the next 5 years.

Places in News

  • A museum in honour of late President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam will be inaugurated on July 27 in Tamil Nadu’s Rameshwaram.
    • The museum will come up on a 3.45-acre site and will also house a planetarium.
    • Note: Earlier, another museum in memory of Dr Kalam was opened in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram.

Obituary

  • Oscar-winning Hollywood actor Martin Landau (89) passed away.
    • He won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1995 for the film ‘Ed Wood’.
    • He is known for his role in the television series ‘Mission: Impossible’ for which he received numerous Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe award.

Awards & Honours

  • Actress Taapsee Pannu was named the Woman of the Year at the 18th edition of the IIFA Awards held in New York.
    • Note: Actress Alia Bhatt was given the Style Icon of the Year Award for 2017.

 

Banking, Business & Economic News

  • Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries today crossed ₹5 lakh crorein market capitalisation for the first time in its trading history, making it the second Indian company to do so after TCS.
  • According to new regulations, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has powers to start probe against service providers registered with it without intimating them, .
    • IBBI, which is implementing the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), has notified the regulations for inspection and investigation of service providers registered with it.
16 Jul
IPCI Info

16 July

International News Affairs

  • The US House of Representatives has voted for three legislative amendments to impose tougher conditions for reimbursement of defence funding to Pakistan.
    • The amendments make it conditional for Pakistan to show satisfactory progress in its fight against terrorism.

 

National News Affairs

  • Matunga suburban railway station in Mumbai has become the first station in India to be run by an all-women staff.
  • Union Minister MJ Akbar today said that the government is working towards setting up a passport centre every 50 kilometres in the country.
  • The Mumbai railways is going to introduce a software which will help commuters book tickets through Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) 
    • The software will make use of SMS services, which will allow commuters without smart phones to book tickets.

 

New Appointments

  • Indo-Canadian YouTube personality Lilly Singh, also known as Superwoman, has been named UNICEF’s Goodwill Ambassador.

 

Banking, Business & Economic News

  • ICICI Lombard General Insurance, a joint venture of ICICI Bank and Fairfax Financial Holdings, has filed draft prospectus for its IPO.
    • This makes it the first non-life insurance company in India to file for IPO.
    • Important Note : This is the second insurance company from ICICI group to go public.
  • Axis Bank, India’s third-largest private sector bank, has appointed search firm Egon Zehnderto look for a new CEO to succeed Shikha Sharma, who is set to step down next year.
  • Baba Ramdev-led Patanjali Ayurved has been featured among the Top 10 most influential brands in India along with Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio, according to research firm Ipsos.
    • Important Points to Note :
      • Google has been ranked at the top, while Microsoft and Facebook are ranked second and third, respectively.
      • The State Bank of India (SBI), the only financial institution on the list, moved up four ranks to the fifth position.

 

Awards & Honours

  • Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt won the Best Actor and Best Actress awards respectively for the film ‘Udta Punjab’ at the 2017 IIFA Awards.
    • Sonam Kapoor’s ‘Neerja won the best picture award.
    • Music composer AR Rahman was honoured for 25 years of his musical contribution.
    • Check complete list of IIFA Award Winners from HERE
  • San Miguel de Allende in Mexico has been named the World’s Best City in a survey by Travel and Leisure magazine.
    • India’s Udaipur has been ranked 14th in the list.
    • Top 5 in the List :
      • San Miguel de Allende (Mexico)
      • Charleston (US)
      • Chiang Mai (Thailand)
      • Kyoto (Japan)
      • Florence (Italy)
    • The Tamil Nadu government has announced the State Film awards for six consecutive years from 2009-2014.
      • Winners of Best Picture Category
        • Pasanga (2009)
        • Myna (2010)
        • Vaagai Sooda Vaa (2011)
        • Vazhakku En 18/9 (2012)
        • Ramanujan (2013)
        • Kutram Kadithal (2014)

 

Science & Technology

  • US-Russia research collaboration at Harvard has created the world’s most advanced quantum computer with 51 quantum bits, or qubits– the fundamental unit of information in a quantum computer.
    • Note: A classical bit can store data in 0 or 1 state whereas a qubit can store both simultaneously.

 

Obituary

  • Maryam Mirzakhani(40), the world’s first woman as well as the first Iranian to win the Fields Medal for mathematics died today of breast cancer.
    • Mirzakhani, who was a professor of mathematics at Stanford, was awarded the medal nicknamed “Nobel Prize for Mathematics” in 2014.

Current Sports Affairs

  • Spain’s Garbine Muguruza has today won the Wimbledon Women’s singles title.
    • With this she became only the second Spanish women’s player in the history of tennis to win the wimbledon single’s title.
  • Indian women’s cricket team today defeated New Zealand to book a spot in the Women’s World Cup 2017 semi-finals.
    • Indian captain Mithali Raj recorded the joint-highest 50-plus scores in women’s ODIs after smashing her 55th such score in the form of her sixth ODI hundred.
    • With the win, India have joined England, Australia and South Africa in the semis.
  • Indian hammer thrower Damneet Singh won a silver medal in the boys’ hammer throw eventto give India their first medal at the IAFF World U-18 Athletics Championships in Nairobi today.
  • Former India captain Sourav Ganguly today inaugurated an 8-foot tall bronze statue of himself at the Balurghat Stadium in West Bengal.
    • The statue has been installed by the South Dinajpur District Sports Association as a tribute to the former player.
15 Jul
IPCI Info

15 July

International News Affairs

  • Today (15th July 2017) is World Youth Skills Day.
    • The United Nations General Assembly in November 2014, declared 15th July as World Youth Skills Day.
    • The 1st World Youth Skills Day was observed on 15th July 2015.
    • This day is celebrated all over the world to raise awareness about the issue of unemployment among youth.
    • Theme of World Youth Skills Day 2017 : “Skills for All”
  • Indonesia today renamed part of the South China Sea as the North Natuna Sea.
    • Although Indonesia said it is a non-claimant state in the sea, it added that China’s maritime boundary overlaps its exclusive economic zone around the Natuna islands.
  • France has celebrated its 228th Bastille Day.
    • This is President Emmanuel Macron’s first celebration as the President.
    • Note: US President Donald Trump presided over the event as the guest of honour.

New Appointments

  • An 18-year-old ragpicker Bilal Dar has been appointed as Srinagar’s civic ambassador.
    • Dar will get a special uniform and vehicle to go and meet people and sensitise them about environmental issues, cleanliness and garbage disposal.

Science & Technology

  • Russian space agency Roscosmos today successfully launched ‘Kanopus-V-IK‘ Earth-imaging satellite and 72 microsatellites into orbit on a single rocket.
    • The microsatellites include 62 CubeSats developed by US and others made by Japan, Germany, and Canada.
    • Note: This comes after ISRO launched a world record 104 satellites at once earlier this year, breaking Russia’s previous record of 37 satellites.
  • With 24.1 crore active users, India has overtaken the United States to become Facebook’s largest country audience, according to data shared by the platform for July.
  • Nepal will get Internet services through Chinese optical fibre starting next month, ending its reliance on India for the service.
  • France and Germany today announced plans to develop a “new generation” European fighter jet, in an effort to strengthen the European Union and increase cooperation between the two countries.
    • Note: The two nations aim to come up with a joint roadmap by 2018 to replace the existing fleet of rival warplanes, which includes the Rafale and Eurofighter.

Awards & Honours

  • Actress Priyanka Chopra has been nominated at the Teen Choice Awards 2017 in the ‘Villain’ category for her Hollywood debut film ‘Baywatch’.
    • This is Priyanka’s second nomination after she bagged one for her role in American television series ‘Quantico’ in 2016.

Banking, Business & Economic News

  • The Finance Ministry has received around 90 applications for the post of RBI Deputy Governor as SS Mundra’s three-year term is coming to end this month.
    • Several private bankers have also applied for the post as the position was open to private sector.
    • Note : This post will have a fixed salary of ₹2.25 lakh per month plus allowances.
  • The US House of Representatives has passed a $621.5 billion defence policy billwhich includes proposals of boosting defence cooperation with India.
    • US officials now have 180 days to develop a strategy on the cooperation between the countries.
    • The proposal then needs to be passed by the Senate before US President Donald Trump signs it into a law.
  • Swami Vivekananda Airport of Raipur was ranked first in Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI)Survey among 49 airports in the country.
    • It was followed by Udaipur (2nd), Amritsar (3rd) and Dehradun (4th) airports.
  • India and European Union (EU) have established Investment Facilitation Mechanism (IFM)for EU Investments in India.
    • The mechanism will allow for a close coordination between EU and India with an aim to promote and facilitate EU investment in India.

Current Sports Affairs

  • Indian Para-athlete Sundar Singh Gurjar became only the second Indian to win a gold at the World Para Athletics Championships, winning one in javelin at the 2017 edition in London today.
    • Note: Rio gold medalist Devendra Jhajharia was the first Indian to win gold in 2013.
  • 35 year-old Roger Federer has become the oldest men’s singles Wimbledon finalist since 1974, after defeating Czech tennis player Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals today.
    • Now Federer will face first-time Wimbledon finalist Marin Cilic in the final tomorrow.
14 Jul
IPCI Info

14 July

International News Affairs

  • UK PM Theresa May today published the landmark ‘Brexit repeal bill‘ to end the supremacy of EU laws and the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the UK.
    • The repeal bill is a largely technical measure to copy all existing EU legislation into domestic UK law to ensure a smooth transition after Brexit.
  • India has contributed an additional $1 millionto India-UN Development Partnership Fund launched to support sustainable development projects across the developing world.
    • Earlier, India had made an initial contribution of $1 million when the fund was created.
    • The amount was allocated for the implementation of a project benefiting seven Small Island Developing States in South Pacific Ocean.
  • Top 9 in 2017 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Index 
    • Sweden
    • Denmark
    • Finland
    • Norway
    • Czech Republi
    • Germany
    • Austria
    • Switzerland
    • Slovenia
    • Note:India has been ranked 116 on the index with a score of 58.1, behind countries such as Nepal, Iran, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and China. Pakistan is ranked 122.
  • India for the first time is going to host International Theatre Olympics, the greatest carnival of theatre in the world in 2018.
    • The 51-day carnival of theatre will begin on February 17, 2018.
    • This event is going to be organised by the National School of Drama (NSD) in coordination with the Union Culture Ministry.
    • This is the 8thedition of the Olympics.
    • The 7th edition was held in Poland in 2016.

 

National News Affairs

  • The government has extended financial powers to the Army Vice-Chief to make emergency purchases to keep the force ready for ‘short intense wars’.
    • The Army has identified 46 kinds of ammunition apart from spares for 10 weapons platforms, which can be purchased through the emergency route.
    • Further, there is no limit on expenditure to purchase minimum ammunition for Army’s reserve.
  • TheMumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is going to introduce a second underground metro in the city by extending the Wadala Metro 4 route by 8 kilometres, up to General Post Office.
  • President Pranab Mukherjee has given his assent to Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill, 2016.
    • Note: Maharashtra is the first state in the country to formulate a law to punish social boycott.

New Appointments

  • Canadian PM Justin Trudeau will appoint former astronaut Julie Payette as the next Governor General.
    • Note: The Governor General is Canada’s ceremonial commander-in-chief.
  • Tata Sons today announced that it has appointed TCS Executive Director Aarthi Subramanian as group’s Chief Digital Officer.

 

Science & Technology

  • In a bid to promote environment-friendly system, Indian Railways today launched first 1600 HP solar-powered DEMU train from the Safdarjung railway station in Delhi.
    • This train will save about 21,000 litres of diesel and thereby bring cost saving of Rs 12 lakh per year.
    • DEMU – Diesel Electric Multiple Unit
  • Astronomers at Pune-based IUCAA and IISER have discovered a supercluster of galaxies, which they named ‘Saraswati‘.
    • A cluster could have galaxies ranging from 1,000 to 10,000, however, a supercluster could have clusters ranging from 40 to 43, researchers said.
    • The Saraswati supercluster, 4 billion light-years away, may be more massive than 20,000 trillion Suns, they added.

Awards & Honours

  • Singer Ariana Grande has been made the first honorary citizen of Manchester city in UK.
    • She was praised for returning to perform at the One Love Manchester concert less than two weeks after the terror attack on her earlier concert in Manchester, which killed 22 people.
    • She also raised around ₹16.5 crore for a fund to help the victims.

 

Obituary

  • Chinese Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo (61) who was recently released from prison on compassionate grounds passed away today.
    • Liu had been diagnosed with liver cancer in May while serving an 11-year sentence for penning a pro-democracy manifesto in 2008.
    • It called for an end to one-party rule and improvements in human rights in China.

 

Banking, Business & Economic News

  • Income tax authorities have added a provision in the tax return form (ITR2), which will require all non-residents to disclose details of their bank accounts outside India.
    • Earlier, NRIs were allowed to claim funds lying in foreign accounts as lawful income earned abroad.
  • Individuals selling old jewellery to traders or hostel accommodation provided to students by educational institutions will not be subject to GST, the government has clarified today.
    • Sale of old jewellery is not taxable as it is not a transaction made in the course of running a business.
    • Further, GST will also not apply on sale of old cars or two-wheelers.
  • Patanjali Group founder Baba Ramdev today launched a private security firm called ‘Parakram Suraksha Private Limited‘ in Haridwar.
    • The company has been launched with the aim of preparing “individuals for self and country’s security,” Ramdev said during the launch.
  • The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) will establish India’s first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC)at Patent Information Centre, Punjab.
    • In this regard, DIPP has signed an Institutional agreement with the Punjab State Council of Science and Technology.
    • Note: The TISC will be set up under the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) TISC program.

 

Books & Authors

  • Defence Minister Arun Jaitley today released a Coffee Table Book titled ‘Ganga Avahan – The Epic Tale of a Historic Swim’.
    • Important Points to Note :
      • The ‘Ganga Avahan’ was a pioneering and historic exploratory open-water swim expedition on the Ganga River.
      • This was the first ever human effort to swim down the entire stretch of the river and also the longest ever social campaign undertaken through an adventure sporting activity for the Swachh Bharat National Mission, Clean Ganga projectand Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative.