Current Affairs 17th July 2018

National News

1. President Gives Nod To Assam's Anti-Witch Hunting Bill 

i. President Ram Nath Kovind has approved the Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2015, converting it to an Act, almost three years after it was passed by the state Assembly. 

ii. The Act, aimed at eliminating the superstition from the society, imposes a punishment of up to seven years and a fine of up to Rs. 5 lakh. 

Static/Current Takeaways Important for SBI PO/Clerk Exam 2018- 

·                     Assam CM- Sarbanand Sonowal, Governor- Jagdish Mukhi. 

2. Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar Launches 'Paudhagiri' Campaign 

Manohar Lal Khattar 

 i. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar launched the 'Paudhagiri' campaign with an aim to increase the green cover in Haryana. CM Khattar launched the 'Paudhagiri' campaign by planting a 'maulsari' sapling in the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex premises of Gurgaon. 

ii. Under this plantation drive, 22 lakh students from class 6 to 12 of all government and private schools in Haryana will plant a sapling each during three months of monsoon ie July, August and September. 

Static/Current Takeaways Important for SBI PO/Clerk Exam 2018- 

·                     Kaptan Singh Solanki is the present Governor of Haryana. 

3. Prakash Javedkar Inaugurates Conference Of Heads of AYUSH National Institutes 

i. With an aim of upgrading quality of education, research, hospital care facilities in the national AYUSH institutions throughout the country and develop them as light house institutions, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) under Ministry of AYUSH organized two days Conference of Heads of AYUSH National Institutes in New Delhi. 

ii. The Inaugural session of the conference was graced by Minister of Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar and Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH Shri Shripad Yesso Naik. AYUSH joined hands together and signed MoUs with Sports Authority of India, Indian Institute of Technology for collaborative ventures.  

Static/Current Takeaways Important for SBI PO/Clerk Exam 2018- 

·                     Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy is abbreviated as AYUSH.

4. Odisha To Get Country’s 1st Skill Training Centre 

i. Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan announced that the Centre is planning to set up one National Skill Training Institute (NSTI) in every State to meet the rising demand for skilled manpower in the country. He laid the foundation stone of country’s first such skill training institute in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. 

ii. The Centre’s endeavour is yet another step to empower the youth of the State and make them job ready for industries. This will also help in addressing the issue of migration. 

Static/Current Takeaways Important for SBI PO/Clerk Exam 2018- 

·                     Odisha CM- Naveen Patnaik, Governor- Ganeshi Lal. 

5. BEL Signs MoU With Saab For Surveillance Radar 

i. Defence public sector undertaking Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has signed an MoU with Saab, Sweden, recently for jointly marketing the L-Band 3D Air Surveillance Radar, RAWL-03, co-developed by BEL and Saab. 

ii. BEL has joined hands with Saab, Sweden and the US, to market the Long Range Air Surveillance Radar, a cost-effective L Band three dimensional radar, for early detection and tracking of air and surface targets, thereby, enabling engagement of fire control systems to neutralise the same.

6. IIT-Madras Unveils World’s 1st Remote LEAP Microscope 

i. IIT Madras has launched “world’s first” remotely operatable microscope that would enable a precise atom-by-atom view of a material. The 'Local Electrode Atom Probe' (LEAP) was developed in a collaborative exercise involving eight top research institutions headed by IIT Madras.

ii. It was developed at a cost of Rs 40 crore. The microscope also enables a true three-dimensional (3D) atomic scale reconstruction which would impart a major thrust to research in nanotechnology, among other fields. 

7. Steel CPSE Employees Pension Scheme Announced 

i. Ministry of Steel has agreed to the proposal received from various Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) under its control to introduce the pension scheme with effect from 1st January 2007 in case of executives and 1st January 2012 in case of non-executives or from a subsequent date as decided by the company. 

ii. The pension scheme will benefit over 94,000 serving and 56,000 retired employees of CPSEs under the Ministry of Steel and put an additional financial burden of Rs. 45 crore per month. 

Static/Current Takeaways Important for SBI PO/Clerk Exam 2018-

·                     Chaudhary Birender Singh is the present Minister of Steel of India. 

8. Committee Set Up To Synergise NCC and NSS 

i. The government has decided to set up a committee under the Chairmanship of Mr Anil Swarup, former Secretary, School Education, with suitable representations from NCC, M/o Youth Affairs and Ministry of HRD to suggest measures to strengthen National Cadet Corps (NCC) and National Service Scheme (NSS). 

ii. The Committee will deal with on issues like expansion, strengthening training infrastructure, rationalizing resources, reducing manpower deficiency affecting NCC and NSS.  

9. T-Hub To Host Country’s 1st Defence Incubator 

i. One of the country’s first Defence incubators will come up in Hyderabad, which is India’s missile development centre and fast emerging the hub for aerospace industries. The incubator will be housed at T-Hub. 

ii. The incubator will be funded through the Ministry’s Innovation for Defence Excellence (iDEX) scheme. Under the scheme research in the fields of Aerospace & Defence by MSMEs, start-ups, research institutions, educational institutions are to be funded. The iDEX will be funded and managed by a Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO). 

Static/Current Takeaways Important for SBI PO/Clerk Exam 2018- 

·                     Nirmala Sitharaman is the present Defence Minister of India. 

International News

10. JK Rowling To Release Next Book 'Lethal White' 

i. JK Rowling will come out with the fourth novel titled 'Lethal White' in the series about the exploits of private investigator Cormoran Strike in September 2018 under her pseudonym Robert Galbraith. 

ii. Lethal White is billed by publishers Hachette as the most epic Robert Galbraith novel yet, a gripping mystery and a page-turning next instalment in the ongoing story of Strike and his assistant Robin Ellacott. 

Static/Current Takeaways Important for SBI PO/Clerk Exam 2018- 

·                     The three previous Strike novels of JK Rowling are The Cuckoo's Calling (2013), The Silkworm (2014) and Career of Evil (2015). 

11. 8th India-Oman Joint Commission Meeting Begins In Muscat  

i. The Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu co-chaired 8th session of India-Oman Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) along with Minister of Industry, Investment, Trade and Digital Economy of Oman, Dr Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy. 

ii. Suresh Prabhu invited Omani companies to build on their success in India and make investments to benefit from ‘Make in India’ and ‘Invest India’ programmes which are aimed to encourage manufacturing. Areas of discussion in the JCM. 

Static/Current Takeaways Important for SBI PO/Clerk Exam 2018- 

·                     Oman Capital: Muscat, Currency: Omani rial.

Ranks and Reports

12. Forbes Releases 2018 'Celebrity 100' List Of World's Highest-Paid Entertainers 

i. The Forbes has Released the 'Celebrity 100' list of World's Highest-Paid Entertainers. Boxer Floyd Mayweather captures the top spot on Forbes’ 20th annual Celebrity 100 ranking of the world’s highest-paid celebrities.
ii.Few of the famous names on the list are Leonel Messi 8th, Cristiano Ronaldo 10th. From India, Akshay Kumar (40.5 million dollars) is ranked 76th while Salman Khan (37.7 million dollars) is on the 82nd spot.
iii. The top 3 celebrities on the list are: 

1. Floyd Mayweather (Athlete, Boxing, $285M)

2 George Clooney (British liquor giant, $239M)

3. Kylie Jenner (Founder, Kylie Cosmetics, $166.5M)

Static/Current Takeaways Important for SBI PO/Clerk Exam 2018- 

·                     Forbes- American Business Magazine, Founded in- 1917.

·                     Headquarters- New York City, USA.

13. UK Tops Global Ranking Of Nations' Soft Power  

i. The UK has topped an annual global ranking of nations' soft power, with France placed second on the list of 30 countries which does not feature India. The 2018 'Soft Power 30' index, published by UK-based strategic communications consultancy firm Portland and the University of Southern California Center on Public Diplomacy, ranked Germany as third followed by the US. 

ii. This year's report also features a chapter dedicated solely to Asia, listing 10 countries in the region, ranking India's soft power as eighth. In the fourth edition of the annual Soft Power 30 Index. 

Static/Current Takeaways Important for SBI PO/Clerk Exam 2018- 

·                     United Kingdom Capital: London, Prime minister: Theresa May, Currency: Pound sterling. 

14. IMF Cuts India’s GDP Growth Forecast To 7.3% in 2018 

i. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cut India’s GDP growth forecast by 10 basis points to 7.3% in the year 2018 and by 30 basis points to 7.5% in 2019, as the international body expects the central bank to tighten the monetary policy faster. 

ii. The IMF announced that India remains a key driver of global growth and India will still retain its top spot in the global growth league. 

Static/Current Takeaways Important for SBI PO/Clerk Exam 2018- 

·                     Managing Director of IMF- Christine Lagarde, Headquarters in- Washington DC, USA. 

Appointments

15. Gautam Kaul Won Prestigious Post In Federations' Executive Committee Elections 

i. India has been elected new President of Asian Tug of War Federation. India's Gautam Kaul won the prestigious post in the Federations' Executive Committee elections held in Kathmandu, Nepal. 

ii. This is the first time when India has been elected to lead the organisation. The post of Secretary-General has also gone to India, while Nepal has got Treasurer's post. Pakistan and Cambodia have won posts of Vice Presidents. The tenure of newly elected office bearers will be for 3 years. 

Static/Current Takeaways Important for SBI PO/Clerk Exam 2018- 

·                     The Asian Tug of War Federation is having its headquarter in Bangkok. 

Awards

16. Indian Experts Get Oxford Awards For Arsenic Poisoning Research 

i. A team comprising experts from the Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur and the University of Oxford has been selected for an award for exceptional research-led innovation to mitigate arsenic poisoning in the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta in the north and northeast India.

ii. The innovation awards instituted by the university’s vice-chancellor include one for prominent Oxford-based linguist Aditi Lahiri, who was selected for the “inspiring leadership” award for developing a flexible approach to speech recognition.

Sports News

17. Thailand Open 2018: Nozomi Okuhara Beats PV Sindhu To Win Maiden Title 

i. India's star shuttler PV Sindhu (seeded second) suffered a defeat to fourth seed Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in straight games inside 50 minutes to settle for runners-up spot in the Thailand Open at the Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok. 

ii. In men's singles, Kanta Tsuneyama (Japan) was the winner and Tommy Sugiarto (Indonesia) was runner up. 

18. Marc Marquez Wins German Grand Prix  

i. Honda's Marc Marquez (of Spain) cruised to his ninth consecutive German Grand Prix victory to extend his MotoGP lead. He has now won in the top category at Sachsenring for the past six years and three times in the smaller classes before that. 

ii. Seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi finished second with his Yamaha team-mate Maverick Vinales third. 

19. Vinesh Phogat Wins Gold At Spanish Grand Prix 

i. Wrestler Vinesh Phogat won gold at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, conceding just one point in five bouts en route to the title victory in the women's 50kg freestyle category. The 23-year-old outclassed Canada's Natasha Fox 10-0 in the final. 

ii. Vinesh began her campaign by beating Mariana Diaz on technical superiority and then thumped Erin Golston 12-1 and Valeria Chepsarakova 5-0.

Obituaries

20. Actor Rita Bhaduri Passes Away 

i. Veteran actor Rita Bhaduri passed away after fighting a kidney-related ailment for many days. She was 62 years old. 

ii. She was from the 1973 batch of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune.