10 July 2017 Current Affairs
India tops medal tally at Asian Athletics
India has topped the medal tally for the first time in the history of Asian Athletics Championships. In a stunning show of dominance on the fourth and final day of competitions in Bhubaneshwar, India clinched five gold, 1 silver, and 3 bronze. With that, the hosts ended the championships on top with a haul of 29 medals which included 12 gold, 5 silver, and 12 bronze. India’s earlier best came way back in the 1985 Jakarta edition where they had won 22 medals (10 gold, 5 silver, 7 bronze). India pushed China to the second spot (20 Medals). China ended this edition with a tally of 8 gold, 7 silver, 5 bronze. Kazakhstan finished third (8 Medals) with 4 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze while Iran ended on fourth with 4 gold and 1 bronze.
Harinder wins South Australian Open title
India’s Harinder Pal Sandhu beat Rhys Dowling of Australia in the final to lift South Australian Open squash title. Sandhu was down 1-7 after winning the first game comfortably as the Australian fought back strongly. He mounted a comeback to win it on extra points. The third game was a no-contest as the Indian, a former national champion, shut out Dowling’s challenge 11-4 to wrap up the victory. It was Sandhu’s eighth title at the PSA level and the third this season after winning two in Malaysia in the month of May.
NSG organises first International Aviation Security Seminar
National Security Guard (NSG) has organized the First International Aviation Security Seminar in Manesar, Haryana, with the aim of bringing all major stakeholders under one roof and facilitate them sharing views/opinion, discussions, brainstorming with the matters concerning Aviation Security. The focus of the two-day seminar was to bring the major stakeholders of the industry and the officials of various agencies involved in aviation security under one roof with a purpose of pooling in ideas, discuss procedures and measures that can further enhance security and increase the efficiency of organisations such as NSG and paramilitary forces that shoulder the responsibility to counter incidents such as hijacking etc.
First Edition of WINGS 2017 “Sab Uden, Sab Juden” was held in New Delhi
The First edition of WINGS 2017 – “Sab Uden, Sab Juden”- Expanding Regional Connectivity was hosted in New Delhi by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The Plenary session was chaired by the Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju. Around 338 delegates from Government and Civil Aviation sector participated in the first edition of WINGS-2017. This event brought together the key stakeholders of the Aviation Sector such as States, Tourism Departments and Tour Operators as a Group representing airline consumers to facilitate interaction with various airlines, airport operators, cargo operators and other ecosystem players at a common forum. The event saw participation from 28 States and Union Territories and out of this 19 states and Union Territory made presentation emphasizing the incentives or special packages to the airlines other than the support offered by Government of India under RCS- UDAN.
Valtteri Bottas wins Austrian Grand Prix
Valtteri Bottas roared to the second victory of his career when he won the Austrian Grand Prix for Mercedes ahead of championship leader Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari. The Finn, in his first season with Mercedes after replacing 2016 champion Nico Rosberg, came home 0.658 seconds clear of Vettel who increased his lead over Lewis Hamilton in the drivers’ championship to 20 points. Bottas finished ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo, who finished second and third respectively. Three-time Formula One champion, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton finished fourth in the race.
India buys first ever US crude oil
India, the world’s third-largest oil importer, will import crude oil from the United States for the first time after Indian Oil Corp bought a cargo that will be delivered in October 2017. India is the latest Asian country to buy US crude after South Korea, Japan, China, Thailand, Australia and Taiwan as the countries seek to diversify oil imports from other regions after the OPEC cuts drove up prices of Middle East heavy-sour crude, or grades with a high sulphur content. IOC bought 1.6 million barrels of US Mars crude, a heavy, high-sulphur grade, and 4,00,000 barrels of Western Canadian Select that will be delivered onboard a Very Large Crude Carrier.
Nepal SBI launches first paperless Banking services
Nepal SBI Bank, a subsidiary of the State Bank of India, launched its fully automatic digital banking services in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu. This is for the first time the State Bank of India has expanded the paperless banking system outside India. Digital banking provides various services including cash deposit, the opening of new accounts, distribution of debit card, ATM and online banking information on the touch of the screen. Customers can avail the services from SBI Intouch Bank. The digital banking unit also has a robot, which provides important information to customers in an interactive manner.
GST intelligence agency gets new chief John Joseph
A key intelligence agency tasked with checking evasion of Goods and Services Tax (GST) has got its new chief. Senior bureaucrat John Joseph has been appointed Director General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DG GSTI). Joseph, a 1983 batch officer of Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), has worked in the Finance Ministry’s important departments, including the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). The DG GSTI is the new name given to the Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence (DGCEI), mandated to check service tax and central excise duty evasion. The post of chief of central excise intelligence (now GST intelligence) was lying vacant for over a month after R K Mahajan took charge as Member, Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC).
GMR gets Rs. 1,330 cr loan from Axis Bank
GMR Goa International Airports Ltd, a subsidiary of GMR Airports Ltd, has executed a debt facility agreement for the development of Greenfield airport at Mopa. The foundation stone for the project was subsequently laid by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on November 13, 2016. The entire debt of Rs. 1,330 crore was underwritten by Axis Bank on a long tenor door to door basis of 18 years on competitive terms. The Greenfield airport will be developed in stages and will be scaled up as per traffic growth demands. The airport will be a full service airport catering to domestic and international passenger besides freight services.
Study indicates Mars soil may be toxic to alien life
As per a research conducted by scientists at the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom, surface of Mars has chemical compunds called perchlorates that can wipe out living organisms. The discovery has major implications for hunt for alien life on the red planet as it means any evidence is likely to be buried deep underground.
Hubble telescope spots two dozen groups of newborn stars
Researchers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope found a new dsk-shaped galaxy surrounded by clusters of newborn stars. They compared the sighting as if the universe launched fireworks. Apparently, the cosmic event took 11 billion years before reaching the Hubble’s lenses, which is just 2.7 billion year after the Big Bang. The data comes from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, which features the sightings made during the Hubble Telescope’s four-year mission. The sum of all image data from the survey adds up to one-fourth of the observable sky.
Danfoss India conferred with Golden Peacock Award
Climate and energy efficiency solutions company Danfoss India has been conferred with the ‘Golden Peacock Award’ for Environment Management. The award was presented in Hyderabad during the 19th World Congress on Environment Management’ in the presence of Supreme Court Justice Kurien Joseph. Acknowledging its commitment towards the environment, the company has been recognized for its LEED Platinum rated constructed the manufacturing facility in Chennai. Danfoss’s commitment towards sustainable development via its energy-efficient products, green initiatives at the Oragadam campus and its ongoing pan India CSR Programmes driving Sustainability are some the key contributing factors for the award.