Current Affairs Daily Updates: 28th July 2017
APPOINTMENTS
PV Sindhu
appointed Group-I officer by Andhra Pradesh Govt
- Olympic
silver medallist P V Sindhu has been appointed a Group-I officer in Andhra
Pradesh. Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu handed over the government
order to the Rio Olympics silver winning shuttler.
- Chandrababu
Naidu had promised a Group-I post to Sindhu when she won the silver medal
in Olympics. Accordingly, she was appointed the deputy collector.
- The
21-year-old shuttler has been working with Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd
(BPCL) since 2013 and is currently an assistant manager (sports) at its
Hyderabad office. Although Sindhu had missed out on gold in Rio de
Janeiro, she scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman athlete
ever to win silver at the Olympics.
Shikha
Sharma re-appointed MD & CEO of Axis Bank
- Shikha
Sharma has been re-appointed as MD&CEO of Axis Bank for three-year
term from June 2018.
- Her
current term was to end in June 2018. Axis Bank informed Bombay Stock Exchange
that board of directors has approved the re-appointment.
- Sharma
began her career with the erstwhile infra lender ICICI Ltd in 1980 and
played a key role in setting up the group’s investment banking business.
- She
joined Axis from ICICI Prudential Life where she was the managing director
and chief executive and replaced the first chairman and chief executive of
the bank P J Nayak.
AWARDS AND
HONOURS / RECOGNITIONS
Amazon's
Jeff Bezos briefly overtakes Gates to become world’s richest
- Amazon
founder Jeff Bezos became the world's richest person, as a jump in the
share price of the US tech giant enabled him to overtake Microsoft founder
Bill Gates.
- He is
chairman and chief executive of the Seattle-based company, was worth
almost $91billions after Amazon’s share price rose more than 1 per cent in
morning trading in New York.
- According
to Forbes, Gates is the richest person in the magazine's annual rankings
in March for the past four years and for 18 of the past 22 years.
BUSINESS AND
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
BSE signs
Cooperation agreement with Egyptian Exchange
- Bombay
Stock Exchange (BSE) joined hands with Egyptian Exchange (EGX) for
cooperation in exchange of information across business areas.
- This
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) further complements EGXs strategy to
cooperate with global exchanges beyond its traditional markets in Africa,
the Middle East and Europe.
- The
MoU between BSE and EGX represents an important step in integrating both
the exchanges to build capital market flows.
Punjab
National Bank ties up with Bajaj Allianz General for distribution
- 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 and Commercial line of insurance products to the bank's
customers.
- The
insurance company will also offer a wide range of rural insurance
products. Such type of insurance tie-ups leads 100 million customers to
various products under one roof.
DEATHS
Bollywood
actor Inder Kumar passes away
- Bollywood
actor Inder Kumar passed away recently. He was 44. Inder Kumar suffered a
heart attack at his residence in Andheri’s Four Bungalows. He has worked
in more than 20 films.
- He
also shared the screen space with Salman Khan in Wanted and Tumko Na Bhool
Paayenge among others. He was currently shooting for his next film Phati
Paid Hai Yaar. The cremation will be held today evening at Yaari Road
Shamshaan Bhoomi.
IMPORTANT DAYS
OBSERVED
World
Hepatitis Day being observed today
- World
Hepatitis Day is one of eight official global public health campaigns
marked by the WHO.
- The
World Hepatitis Day is being observed on 28th July
worldwide to raise global awareness of Hepatitis and encourage prevention,
diagnosis, and treatment.
- The
Theme of this year is "Eliminate Hepatitis" to mobilize
intensified action towards the health targets in the 2030 Sustainable
Development Goals.
- Hepatitis
is a group of infectious diseases known as Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E.
INTERNATIONAL
AFFAIRS
Bolivian
President declares ‘Total Independence’ from World Bank & IMF
- Bolivia’s
President Eva Morales has declared that his nation has achieved “total
independece” form the IMF and the World Bank. President Morales declared
the news on his official twitter account.
- The
socialist leader published his comments following a meeting with his peers
at a gathering in Argentina of the Mercosur, a sub-regional economic bloc.
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.
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.
- It has
played a reliable long-term role in supplying India’s growing energy
needs.
- The
transfer is part of ongoing commercial negotiations between Australian
uranium exporters and India’s Department of Atomic Energy on possible
sales contracts for civil nuclear-Power Generation.
2017 BRICS
Labour and Employment Ministers’ meeting held in Chongqing
- The
2017 BRICS countries agreed to work together to ensure stable employment
and better quality of life for their people.
- The
decision in this regard taken at the 2017 Labour and Employment Ministers
meeting held in Chongqing, China.
- BRICS
is the acronym for an association of five major emerging national
economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The BRICS
members are all developing or newly industrialised countries and all five
are G-20 members.
NATIONAL
AFFAIRS
Odisha
formally names Wheeler Island after APJ Abdul Kalam
- Odisha
government has formally named the Outer Wheeler Island in Bhadrak district
as APJ Abdul Kalam Island as a tribute to the former president.
- Dr.
Kalam's emotional attachment with the interim test range at Chandipur in
Balasore district and Wheeler Island in Bhadrak district.
- He had
spent most of his time in these two places as part of his efforts to
develop missiles for the protection of the country.
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 Harshvardhan launched an app “India Quake”
on the occasion of Foundation Day of Ministry of Earth Sciences in New
Delhi.
- National
Centre for Seismology (NCS) operates a national seismological network with
84 stations. These stations are connected to NCS headquarter through VSAT
for real time data communication.
- In the
event of an earthquake, NCS locates them using data from its network and
disseminate earthquake parameters to all the concerned government
department and other stake holders through SMS, email and fax.
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
ministry of road transport and highways had sought the approval of NITI
Aayog to experiment and introduce six latest mass rapid transportation
technologies.
- The
new technologies are being explored by the Government as current public
transportation is unable to resolve the increasing traffic crisis in the
country.
Mumbai
Metro launches India’s first mobile ticketing system
- The
Mumbai Metro One Private Limited announced the launch of India’s first
Mobile Ticketing System ‘OnGo’ recently.
- It
will help commuters to buy their tickets on their mobile phones.
- Commuters
will also be able to book tickets for future journeys up to seven days in
advance using the system.
- A QR
code will be generated that will have to be displayed before a
non-protruding glass at the Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) gates.
SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY AFFAIRS
Iran
successfully launches rocket designed to carry satellites
- Iran
successfully launched its most advanced satellite-carrying rocket called
‘Simorgh’ into space.
- The
launch took place at the Imam Khomeini National Space Station in Semnan,
some 220 kilometers (138 miles) east of Tehran.
- The
development marks a significant step forward for the Islamic Republic’s
young space program. It also raises alarm among the nation’s adversaries
who fear that the same technology could be used to produce long-range
missiles.
- The
U.S. State Department has termed the launch as “provocative”. The rocket
is capable of carrying a satellite weighing 250 kilograms (550 pounds).
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.
- SurfNet
software using hundreds of thousands of 2D shapes of objects can
reconstruct it a model in 3Dimensions.
- It can
be used in robotics, object recognition and even self-driving cars.
SurfNet will give them the ability to understand the 3D environment around
them using standard 2D cameras.
SPORTS AFFAIRS
Ajay Singh
wins bronze medal in Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships
- India’s
Ajay Singh won the bronze medal in Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting
Championships at Kathmandu, taking India’s tally to three.
- He got
third place in 77 kgs men’s junior category lifting 143 kgs in the snatch
and 172 kgs in clean and jerk.
- S.
Nirupama Devi won bronze in 69 kgs women youth category.
- Konsam
Urmila Devi won gold in the 44kg weight category.
Indonesia
to host AFC U-19 Championship
- The
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Competition Committee awarded Indonesia
the hosting of the AFC Under-19 Championship 2018.
- The
AFC U-19 championship is scheduled to be held from 18 October to 4
November 2018.
- The
committee felt that Indonesia was regarded as the most favourable among
the bidders.
