Current Affairs Daily Updates: 24th July 2017

  /  
Mentor for Bank Exams
Current Affairs Daily Updates: 24th July 2017
APPOINTMENTS
Brenda Hale to be First Woman President of UK SC
  • The UK government has appointed 72-year-old Brenda Marjorie Hale as the first female president of the Supreme Court, the head of the highest court in the country.
  • Hale will take charge as the head of Britain’s top judging panel in September following the retirement of current President, Lord Neuberger. She has served as Neuberger’s deputy since 2013.
  • Three new justices have also been appointed to the Supreme Court – Lady Justice Black, Lord Justice Lloyd Jones and Lord Justice Brigg – who will take up the role when Lady Hale is sworn in officially as President on 2nd October.
Raveesh Kumar to be next ministry of External affairs Spokesperson
  • Raveesh Kumar, a 1995-batch IFS officer is currently posted in Frankfurt, Germany as Consul General of India, is to be the next spokesperson for the ministry of External Affairs.
  • He will replace Gopal Baglay who was appointed the joint secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office.
  • The IFS officer started his career at the Indian Mission in Jakarta. It was followed by a stint in Thimphu and London.
BANKING AFFAIRS
Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017 introduced in Lok Sabha
  • Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley introduced the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017 in Lok Sabha. The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017 seeks to amend the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 and replace the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance 2017, which was promulgated in May 2017.
  • Provisions of the Bill:
    • It authorises the RBI to direct the banking companies to resolve the problem of stressed assets.
    • It also allows the RBI to initiate insolvency resolution process on specific stressed assets.
    • It empowers RBI to issue other directions for resolution, appoint or approve authorities or committees to advise the banking companies for stressed asset resolution.
    • The recovery proceedings will be carried out under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 that provides for a time-bound process to resolve defaults.
DEATHS
Sr Congress Leader & Freedom Fighter Shivajirao Patil passes away
  • Shivajirao Girdhar Patil, Senior Congress Leader, freedom fighter and former Maharashtra Minister passed away at a private hospital in Mumbai. He was 92.
  • The father of late national Award winning actress Smita Patil, he began his social activism at an early age when he took part in the Indian Independence movement.
  • Patil like his daughter had always displayed a staunch commitment to social causes across sectors with unwavering resolve and contribution in the fields of education and agriculture through the cooperative sector.
Former ISRO Chairman U R Rao passes away
  • Internationally-renowned space scientist and former chairman of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization), Udupi Ramachandra Rao passed away in Bengaluru.
  • Prof Rao is credited with having played an instrumental role in building up Indian satellite programmes right from nation’s first satellite Aryabhatta.
  • He served as Chairman of ISRO from 1984 to 1994.
  • He has published more than 350 scientific and technical papers in various journals covering topics like cosmic rays, high energy astronomy, interplanetary physics, space applications and satellite and rocket technology and also authored many books.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
India ranks 132 in Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index
  • India ranked 132nd out of 152 countries on the inaugural “Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index” released by international NGO Oxfam in association with Developmental Finance International.
  • Sweden topped the list while Nigeria remained the last.
  • The top 5 countries in the list are Sweden, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Germany.
Iran and Iraq sign agreement on military cooperation
  • Iran and Iraq signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to step up military cooperation and the fight against terrorism and extremism.
  • The MoU encourages the promotion of interaction and share of experiences in the fight against terrorism and extremism, border security, training and logistical, technical and military support between both countries.
  • Iran and Iraq are hoping that the agreement would result in deeper and more serious military cooperation between the two countries. Moreover, Iran is going to continue to provide full support to establish sustainable security and stability.
India, Bangladesh signed agreement to connect both countries by waterways
  • India and Bangladesh signed an agreement to connect both the countries by waterways.
  • The waterways will facilitate movement of passengers and goods between India’s northeast and West Bengal with Bangladesh.
  • The Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya informed that infrastructure for the services would be set up along the major rivers in Bangladesh, West Bengal and the Brahmaputra in Assam.
World's 1st floating wind farm starts to take shape off coast of Scotland
  • The world's first full-scale floating wind farm has started to take shape off the north-east coast of Scotland.
  • The technology will allow wind power to be harvested in waters too deep for the current conventional bottom-standing turbines used.
  • The Peterhead wind farm (Hywind) is a trial which will bring power to 20,000 homes.
  • The output from the turbines is expected to equal or surpass generation from current ones.
  • It hopes to cash in on a boom in the technology, especially in Japan and the West Coast of the US, where waters are deep.
India to host 2017 Global Conference on Cyber Space
  • India will host Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS), the world’s largest conference on cyber space and related issues in New Delhi in November 2017.
  • The theme for the GCCS 2017 is 'Cyber4All: An Inclusive, Sustainable, Developmental, Safe and Secure Cyberspace'.
  • This is for the first time GCCS is taking place outside Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations.
  • It is a prestigious International Conference that aims at encouraging dialogue among stakeholders of cyberspace. It was incepted in 2011 in London.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
Union Govenment launches SHe-box portal for Sexual Harassment
  • The Women and Child Development ministry launched an online platform to enable women employees of the Central Government to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace.
  • The SHe-box (Sexual Harassment Electronic box) is available for the Private Sector as well.
  • We just need to make a few changes in our online interface. Once it is done, Employees from private companies would also be able to lodge complaints.
Uttar Pradesh launches free power connection scheme for BPL families
  • Uttar Pradesh Power Minister Srikant Sharma launched free power connection scheme for the Below Poverty Line (BPL) card holders.
  • The people who do not have BPL cards will have to pay between Rs 80 to Rs 120 for getting the power connection.
  • The scheme is launched at 624 places across the state.
Meghalaya CM launches ‘Mission Football’ at JN Sports Complex in Shillong
  • Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma launched a statewide football grassroots development programme ‘Mission Football’at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
  • Mission Football is a project for developing a sustainable infrastructure for the sport in all the 11 districts of the state. The Government is also seeking financial support from different sources including the North Eastern Council, Union ministry of sports and youth affairs, and funds under Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR).
  • A total of eight grounds will be developed and the development of football stadiums in seven districts with an investment of Rs 5 crores per stadium.
Kiren Rijiju inaugurates RIWATCH Museum in Arunachal Pradesh
  • Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju inaugurated the Research Institution of World Ancient, Traditional, Culture & Heritage (RIWATCH) Museum at Roing in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • He inaugurated the 235-meter long Chimari Bridge serve as a life line between the National Highway 52 of Roing-Tezu.
  • The bridge has been constructed by Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AFFAIRS
World’s largest supercarrier USS Gerald R Ford commissioned in USA
  • US Navy commissioned world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R Ford into the fleet. The commissioning ceremony was held at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia in presence of US President Donald Trump.
  • USS Gerald R. Ford is the first ship in this new class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers for the U.S. Navy. The ship is named after the 38th President of the United States Gerald Ford and has been built by Newport News Ship Building Company.
  • The massive 1,106-foot-long carrier displaces a staggering 100,000 tons fully loaded and is powered by two new generation nuclear reactors.
SPORTS AFFAIRS
India end campaign with five medals in World Para Athletics
  • India ended their World Para Athletics Championship campaign withfive medals ( one Gold, two Silver, and two bronze medals) inLondon.
  • The lone Gold came through Sundar Singh Gurjar in men's javelin throw F-46 event.
  • India bagged two medals in the high jump, Sharad Kumar won a silver medal, Varun Bhati bagged bronze medal in the T42 event.
  • Karamjyoti Dalal has won the bronze medal in the women’s F55 category at the World Para Athletics Championships 2017 in the discus-throw.
  • Amit Saroha won the silver medal in the club throw event in the F-51 category.
H S Prannoy wins US Open Grand Prix Gold Badminton title
  • Ace Indian Shuttler H S Prannoy won the 2017 Yonex US Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament title.
  • It was third Grand Prix Gold title of badminton.
  • The 2017 US Open Grand Prix Gold was the eleventh Grand Prix’s badminton tournament of the 2017 Badminton World Federation (BWF) Grand Prix and the tournament.
India lose to England by 9 runs in ICC Women's World Cup final
  • India lost to England by nine runs in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women's World Cup final at Lord's in London.
  • The country England got its fourth Women's World Cup.
  • Indian Team Opener Poonam Raut top scored with 86, while Harmanpreet Kaur scored 51 runs in the finals.