21 August 2017 Current Affairs

Comedy Legend Jerry Lewis Dies

Veteran American entertainer Jerry Lewis died aged 91. One of the most popular comic actors of the 1950s and ’60s, Lewis perfected the role of the quirky clown in slapstick comedies like “The Nutty Professor” but also won acclaim as a writer, actor, and philanthropist. Honoured with accolades at home and abroad, including a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977.


Defence Ministry approves delegation of powers to BRO

The Union Defence Ministry has approved delegation of administrative and financial powers to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). The purpose of delegation of powers is to improve the functioning of the BRO and speed up works to avoid delays in projects and to achieve the desired outcomes according to the requirement of the Armed Force.


China launches first cyber court in e-commerce hub of Hangzhou

China launched its first cyber (internet) court specialising in handling internet-related cases in the e-commerce hub of Hangzhou, amid a spike in the number of online disputes. The cyber court will handle cases such as online trade disputes and copyright lawsuits. These cases handled by the court will be tried online. According latest report of China Internet Network Information Center, China had about 751 million netizens and 724 million mobile Internet users as of the end of June 2017. With high internet penetration, Chinese people have increasingly turn to online shopping and payment.


India, US Establish TWO-BY-TWO Ministerial Dialogue

India and US have established new two-by-two (2 by 2) ministerial dialogue to enhance strategic coordination between them and maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The new dialogue format will replace the earlier India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue. It will be similar to the India-Japan 2+2 dialogue format between foreign and defence secretaries of the two countries.


Scientists discover new state of matter

Scientists Los Alamos National Laboratory, US have discovered a potential new state of matter that may help explain phenomena like superconductivity. It was discovered in the high-magnetic-field state of the heavy fermion superconductor CeRhIn5. Heavy fermions are intermetallic compounds, containing rare earth or actinide elements.


First 3 fast track courts for Maharashtra to be set up in Mumbai, Thane

The Law and judiciary department has issued an order for setting up of the first three of 24 fast track courts for Maharashtra in two of its most popular cities. While one of the courts would be set up in Mumbai, the other two would be set up in Thane. The courts would be dealing with heinous crimes like rape and murder.


Shapath Bharadwaj wins bronze at Jr Shotgun World Cup

Teenager Shapath Bhardwaj won a bronze medal in the double trap event in the Junior Shotgun World Cup in Porpetto, Italy. The 15-year old Bharadwaj, from Meerut, shot a 48 in the final to finish behind gold-medal winning Briton James Dedman and Finland’s Miki Ylonen. This was India’s first medal in the competition apart from the bronze won by Sheoran and Keer in the mixed team trap competition, which had the status of a test event.


Ghosh-Sathiyan wins silver at Bulgaria Open

India’s Soumyajit Ghosh and G Sathiyan won silver medal in the men’s doubles at the Bulgaria Open Table Tennis in Panagyurishte, Bulgaria. The Indian pair lost to Jin Ueda and Maharu Yoshimura of Japan, who won the gold of the tournament. This was Japanese pair’s second title in three World Tour final appearances. Earlier, they had won the 2013 Japan Open and 2017 China Open.


Government launches digital police portal under CCTNS

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs launched digital police portal under Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems Project (CCTNS). The portal is a smart policing initiative of the Government to provide services to citizens and aid efficient police investigation. It will help in realising Government’s dream of ‘Minimum Government Maximum Governance’. The police portal is a platform for citizens to file online crime related complaints and also request for antecedent verification. It will also provide 11 searches and 46 reports from the national database for state police and central investigation agencies. Central investigating and research agencies. Central investigating and research agencies also have been provided logins to the portal to access crime statistics.


Nestle ties up with Amazon India to launch Maggi’s new range

Nestle India has joined hands with e-commerce major Amazon India to exclusively sell the newly launched Nutri-Licious range of Maggi noodles on the latter’s market place, a move aimed at getting quick traction for the product before it hits brick and mortar stores later this year. The product will be launched on August 20 on Amazon.in, and will be available in three variants. As part of the special launch offer, Amazon Prime members will get a 33% discount on the new range.


Serena Williams Heads The Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2017

Forbes recently released its list of the highest-paid female athletes, and to no-one’s surprise, Serena Williams is right at the top and leads by a significant margin. Between June 2016 and June 2017, Williams earned $27 million (R361,19 million), Forbes reports. This is more than double any other female athlete in the world this year. While she’s earned a lot from prize money, much of Williams’ revenue comes from her multitude of endorsements. This is Williams’ second straight year as the highest-earning athlete. Before last year, Maria Sharapova held the spot for 11 years straight.


Arabian cap-shaped World Cup stadium to be built in Qatar for FIFA 2022

The organisers of the 2022 FIFA World Cup announced that Qatar, the host nation, would be building a stadium shaped like an Arabian skull cap for the event. The gulf state has moved ahead with its preparations for the big tournament despite rising tensions due to a diplomatic rift with its Arab neighbours. Four Gulf States including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates boycotted Qatar in June 2017, accusing it of supporting and sponsoring terrorism-a charge that Qatar has denied. The states not only cut off all links with the country but also imposed economic sanctions on it. Despite the boycott, Qatar has got food flown in from Turkey and Iran and chartered ships through Oman to bring in construction material needed for World Cup building projects.


Nepalese PM Deuba to Begin Four-Day Visit to India

In his first foreign visit after assuming office, Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba will arrive on a four-day trip. During the visit, he will hold wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on issues of mutual interest. Deuba will be accompanied by a high-level delegation and will also call on the President and the Vice-President.


First Regional Centre of NDB Opens in S Africa

The first regional centre of the New Development Bank, set up by India and other BRICS nations, was officially opened by South African President Jacob Zuma and the bank’s Indian head K V Kamath. NDB has anauthorized capital of the bank is USD 100 billion. In 2018 it is expected to present about 15 to 20 projects involving a total lending of about USD 4 billion for the boards consideration.


NASA Launches Satellite to Help Astronauts Talk to Earth

NASA launched the latest in a series of satellites aimed at ensuring astronauts at the International Space Station can communicate with Earth. The $408 million Boeing-made Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-M) soared into space atop an Atlas V rocket that launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The satellite will support critical space communication into the mid-2020s. TDRS-M is the last of 13 such satellites that have been launched since 1983.


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