Current Affairs - July 3, 2018 Current Affairs

In a first, a Sikh man has been hired as an anchor by a news channel in Pakistan. Harmeet Singh, who is a resident of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province's Chakesar city, has joined the Public News channel.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC), the decision-making body of the Democratic Party in the US, has appointed Indian American Seema Nanda to serve as its new CEO. Nanda is currently the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the largest human and civil rights organisation in the US. She replaces interim CEO Mary Beth Cahill, who took the helm of the DNC in February.

India won the six-nation Kabaddi Masters Dubai title in Dubai. India defeated Iran 44-26 in the finals and became champions of the six-nation Kabaddi Masters Dubai. Indian team was led by captain Ajay Thakur. The six-nation invitational tournament was organised by International Kabaddi Federation along with Star Sports and Dubai Sports Council.

In 1991, the Indian government declared July 1 as National Doctor's day. This day marks the birth and death anniversary of the most famous physician of India Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy (Dr. B C Roy). Dr. B C Roy was born on 1st July 1882. He had received the Bharat Ratna Award in 1961. He was the second Chief Minister of West Bengal. Dr. B C Roy had played a major role in the formation of Indian Medical Association in 1928 and also in the formation of Medical Council of India (MCI).

The combined company will have over 60 per cent market share throughout the Middle East and improved profitability due to better unit economics and larger scale of operations. The company, however, did not give any financial details of the acquisition. The transaction, the largest in the travel space in MENA region, will offer Cleartrip a wider outreach and a larger client base in an adjacent market, providing economies of scale as well as enhanced competencies and regional knowledge.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and the Dalai Lama launched a 'Happiness Curriculum' for students studying in Class Nursery to Class 8 in government schools. The curriculum will include a 45-minute 'Happiness' class, which will include meditation, value education, and mental exercises.

The conference of Ministers for Power, New & Renewable Energy of States & Union Territories will be held on 3rd July at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. The purpose of the conference is to review the implementation of various ongoing Schemes/ Programmes & deliberate on a host of issues pertaining to Power and Renewable Energy sectors. The excerpts of the issues to be discussed on the conference are as follows: 100% Household Electrification (under Saubhagya) by December 2018, UDAY performance assessment, shifting to prepaid system in three years and 24X7 Power for All - From 1st April 2019.

IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company Limited, a joint venture between Bank of Baroda, Andhra Bank and Legal and General (UK), has announced its tie-up with Oxigen Services India Pvt. Ltd., to establish the distribution of its insurance products at Oxigen retail outlets.

Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) in Assam has become the first oil public sector undertaking (PSU) to adopt an online legal compliance system by introducing 'Legatrix'. This initiative will boost up NRL's contribution towards the Digital India Mission and induce a greater transparency in its operations.

Tata Steel clinching joint venture (JV) with Thyssenkrupp to create new European steel giant, the combined strength would enhance sustainability of steel business. The new steel company will have a total workforce of 48,000 employees spread across 34 sites, producing about 21 million tonnes of steel a year with revenues of around Euro 15 billion. The joint venture will create a strong pan-European steel company that is structurally robust and competitive.

The International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST), the global voice of food science and technology in association with Indian National Science Academy (INSA) as adhering body, announced the 19th edition of its prestigious global event to be held in Navi Mumbai, India in October 2018. The focal theme for this edition of the prestigious congress is 25 Billion Meals a Day by 2025 with Healthy, Nutritious, Safe and Diverse Foods.

Malaysian Lee Chong Wei beat Japanese shuttler Kento Momota 21-17, 23-21 to grab the Malaysia Open title for a historic 12th time. In the women's singles final, top seed Tai Tzu Ying from Taiwan saw off China's He Bingjiao. Indian campaign had ended with the defeat of PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth in their semi-finals. Lee Chong Wei is currently world number 6.

The 9th and final meeting of Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on India-Nepal relations concluded in Kathmandu. From the Indian side was Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Jayant Prasad, Bhuvan Chandra Upreti and Mahendra P. Lama. They discussed on various bilateral issues including 1950 Peace and Friendship treaty, trade, transit and border. The Group will submit the joint report prepared in the two day meeting to the respective Prime Ministers of the countries involved.

International Joke Day is celebrated every year on 1st July. International Joke Day is said to have officially started in the United States. The first joke is often attributed to the Greeks.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the Austrian Grand Prix in Austria. Kimi Raikkonen was a close second, with teammate Vettel third.

The government has set up a 13-member committee for Sub-National Accounts will be headed by Ravindra H Dholakia, a retired professor of IIM Ahmedabad. It aims to upgrade the norms for computation of economic data at states and districts level to revise the base year for National Accounts or GDP calculation. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) will change the base year to 2017-18 for the calculation of GDP and IIP numbers from the current 2011-12 with an aim to capture changes in the economy. It would review the concepts, definitions, classifications, data conventions, data sources and data requirements for preparation of State Domestic Product (SDP) and District Domestic Product (DDP). It will also suggest measures for improving SDP and DDP in the country, suggest state-level annual/benchmark surveys.