Current Affairs - July 12, 2017 Current Affairs

The board of TATA SIA Airlines Limited owns and operates the full-service airline Vistara appointed former SilkAir head Leslie Thng as its new chief executive officer (CEO). He succeeds Phee Teik Yeoh. Phee Teik Yeoh, currently the CEO of Vistara, will be returning to Singapore Airlines (SIA) to take up a senior appointment.

Gifts from employers to employees worth up to Rs. 50,000 will not attract the Goods and Services Tax, nor will perquisites enjoyed by employees as part of the employment contract. This means that GST will have to paid only in exceptional situations where gifts are given on voluntary basis, such as Diwali gifts to employees and that too if the value is more than Rs. 50,000.

Maharashtra become the first state to enable people to seek information online rocess of filing Right To Information (RTI) applications under the Act. Presently, people file their RTI applications physically and pay a fee of Rs10 via modes like a court fee stamp, demand draft and Indian postal order. The system of filing RTI applications online will help simplify the process.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for 2017-18 with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in Delhi. The MoU outlines targets on various performance parameters of the company during 2017-18. The revenue from operations has been targeted at Rs.17,900 crore, the highest ever, a press release stated.

Ned Segal, a longtime Goldman Sachs banker and the former Senior Vice President of Finance at Silicon Valley's financial software company Intuit, has been appointed as the new Chief Financial Officer at Twitter. He will take over the CFO role from Anthony Noto, who was promoted to COO post last November.

According to recently released the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2017-2026, India will be the world's largest milk producer by 2026 and will account for the biggest increase in wheat production globally.

Abhijeet Gupta completed a hat-trick of titles and fourth in all to become the most successful player in the history of the Commonwealth championship. Abhijeet shared the record of three titles with England's Nigel Short. For the record, Abhijeet scored 7.5 points from nine rounds. He inflict a crushing 24-move defeat on Australia's veteran International Master Aleksandar Wohl in the ninth and final round as India virtually monopolised the medals in the Commonwealth chess championship.

12 July is observed as Malala Day across the World and by United Nations. The day is being observed by the United Nations to highlight the fight of education of the Pakistani child activist Malala Yousafzai. 12 July, the day of Malala's Birth was declared as Malala Day by UN General Secretary Ban-Ki-Moon on her 16th Birthday.

On 12th July 2017 NABARD celebrated its 36th foundation day. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley inaugurated the National Bank For Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD). This day is dedicated on celebrating the Silver Jubilee (25 years) of Self Help Group Bank Linkage Programme (SHG BLP).

The British government has launched a new project titled the 'Grand Trunk Road' to mark the 70th anniversary of India's partition in August 1947 with volunteers from the Muslim, Sikh and Hindu communities in the UK coming together to stage special events. It will explore the relationships formed, as Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims of South Asian background were forced to flee to the UK in the wake of Idi Amin's upheaval in 1972.

Ravi Shastri is appointed as the new coach of the Indian cricket team, while also naming Zaheer Khan as the bowling coach. Shastri, in the process, won five-way battle to grab the post until 2019 Cricket World Cup. Shastri replaced Anil Kumble, who exited after a much publicised difference of opinion with captain Virat Kohli.

The 8th edition of the SAARC Ministers of Law and Order (Interior/ Home Affairs) has started in Colombo, Sri Lanka on July 11, 2017. The 3-day meeting will focus on the issue of tackling terrorism apart from discussing liberalization of visa, illegal trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and small arms.

Axis Bank entered into a collaboration with Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC) to facilitate trade with Latin America and the Caribbean. Axis Bank becomes the first Indian bank to participate in the Trade Finance Facilitation Programme as a confirming bank.

Maharashtra has become the first state in the country to provide women an injectable contraceptive for free. The state's public health department launched a programme called Antara on July 10 to offer women an injection of Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), a birth-control hormone. The injection is supposed to be used within a week from the day a woman's menstrual cycle starts.

In order to help distraught mothers Indian Railways has launched Janani Sewa Scheme. As announced in the Rail Budget 2016-17, Zonal Railways have been advised to ensure availability of baby food, hot milk and hot water at Railway stations on payment basis. At present, children's menu are available through e-catering scheme for all trains passing through New Delhi, Lucknow Jn., Lucknow, Jaipur, Ajmer, Howrah, Chennai Egmore, Pathankot Jn. and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway stations.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced to set up an International Standard Sports City. Kalinga International Sports City will be set up in Bhubaneswar and will be eligible to bid for most international competitions including Commonwealth and Asian games. It also signed an expression of interest with the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) and the Athletics Federation of India for setting up of a high-performance academy inside the Kalinga Stadium.