Current Affairs 6th July 2017

Current Affairs 6th July 2017 - Important Points

• Who has been appointed as DGP of Himachal Pradesh? - Somesh Goyal
• Plantation drive to mark Van Mahotsav launched by - Environment Minister
• World's most detailed scan of the brain's internal wiring produced by - Scientists
• Overwhelming majority in Parliament won by -French PM Edouard Philippe
• Crocodile from Jurassic-era with T-rex teeth discovered in - Madagascar in Africa
• Volkswagen returns to Iranian market after 17-year absence on - 4th July 2017
• Xiaomi to acquire key Nokia patents on - 5th July 2017
• Electric buses to run - In Gurgaon
• Ordinance allowing Kambala in Karnataka approved on - 4th July 2017
• Har Haath Ek Kitaab launched by - National Book Trust
•  Italy passes bill making ‘Torture’ crime under national law on - 5th July 2017
• CGST won't apply on items not registered under trademark law on - 5th July 2017
• Heavy communications satellite Intelsat 35e is launched by - SpaceX
•  Who has been appointed as DG of National Disaster Response Force? - Sanjay Kumar

Current Affairs 6th July 2017 - Details

Who has been appointed as DGP of Himachal Pradesh? - Somesh Goyal

Somesh Goyal, a 1984-batch IPS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre, was appointed as the Director General of Police (DGP) of Himachal Pradesh on 5th July 2017. Before succeeding Sanjay Kumar, Goyal was presently serving as the DGP (Prisons) of the state.
Goyal's main concern as the DGP was improving the delivery system, projecting a people-friendly image of police, rooting out drug menace and ensuring safety of women.

More about Somesh Goyal

• He is a trained commando and had worked with the Black Cats (National Security Guard), a trained special protection group responsible for the security of the prime minister.
• He has served in Kashmir and West Bengal as DIG and as Inspector General in BSF.
• He has also served in the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and provided direction to its operations in Kashmir and Naxalite areas such as Chhattisgarh and Bihar.
• He has been conferred with various medals for his work including President's Police Medal for distinguished Services- the Internal Security Medal,the Kathin Sewa Medal,the High Altitude Medal and the Police Medal for Meritorious Service.

Do you know?

Somesh Goyal was conferred with the Tinka Tinka Award for best prison management in 2016.

Plantation drive to mark Van Mahotsav launched by - Environment Minister

The Union Environment Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan launched a month-long plantation drive to mark Van Mahotsav on 5th July 2017.
The Minister planted a sapling and also distributed saplings to local residents for plantation.
The plantation drive was organised at Ram Lila Park, C. C Colony and Model Town in the early morning.
During the occasion, Harsh Vardhan requested the states to undertake similar initiatives and urged people to become ‘green ambassadors’ and participate actively in plantation drives during the monsoon period, in keeping with the spirit of Van Mahotsav.
He further insisted on native trees, as they have a high survival rate, should be planted as they readily adapt to the local climate and integrate well into the eco-system too.
He also stated that in order to achieve goals set by India under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), initiatives such as plantation drives with large scale active participation from people are very much crucial.

More about Van Mahotsav

• Dr. KM Munshi initiated the festival of tree plantation in 1950.
• The main motto to celebrate Van Mahotsav is to keep localites involved in plantation drives and spread environmental awareness to mass.
• It is usually observed in the first week of July every year and is celebrated on different days in different states of India.
• The occasion is also marked with programs like screening of short films, documentaries, seminars, exhibition, painting and poster competitions.

World's most detailed scan of the brain's internal wiring produced by - Scientists

The world's most detailed scan of the brain's internal wiring has been produced by scientists at Cardiff University. This detailed scanning has been carried out at Cambridge, Cardiff, Nottingham, Stockport,London England and Ontario. The findings were published on 5th July 2017.
Key Highlights

• The Scan of brain's internal wiring  took around 45 minutes and seemed unremarkable.
• The scan showed fibers in the white matter also called as axons. These are the brain's wiring carrying billions of electrical signals.
• The scan not only showed the messaging direction but also the density of the brain's wiring.
• Special MRI scanner - one of only three in the world produced extra ordinary images produced in Cardiff.
• The MRI machine reveals the fibers that carry all the brain's thought processes.
• This detailed scan of brain’s wiring will be helping to increase understanding of a range of neurological disorders and can be used directly instead of invasive biopsies.

Overwhelming majority in Parliament won by -French PM Edouard Philippe

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe won the confidence vote in the National Assembly on 4th July 2017 overwhelmingly.
Philippe won the vote in France's lower house of parliament by a huge margin, 370-67.
He not only had the backing of President Emmanuel Macron's party that has a wide majority after a landslide victory last month but he also got votes from centrist allies and some even from the conservative lawmakers.

Financial crisis of France

• Speaking on France’s financial crisis, Philippe said that the country’s debts had reached to an unbearable level, putting it at the mercy of financial markets.
• He also added that while their German neighbors raise 100 euros in taxes and spend 98, they are raising 117 euros and are spending 125 and this situation is not sustainable.
• The country’s national audit office reported last week that France's budget deficit could reach 3.2 percent and even more than the EU limit for the 10th consecutive year in 2017 if no measures are taken immediately.
• To resolve the same, Philippe pledged to bring the country's budget deficit under the European Union limit of 3 percent this year without raising taxes.
• He further pledged not to increase the number of state employees and to make the government focus on its main priorities and to stop spending money on policies that are not delivering results.

Crocodile from Jurassic-era with T-rex teeth discovered in - Madagascar in Africa

The crocodile relative with deep and massive jaw bones armed with enormous serrated teeth like those of a T-rex are recently discovered by a group of researchers. This study was published on 4th July 2017 in the journal PeerJ. It  was a top land predator of the Middle Jurassic period, when dinosaurs ruled the Earth as per the study conducted on them. This animal found in Madagascar, Africa. The complete name of the predatory crocodyliform is Razanandrongobe sakalavae, which means "giant lizard ancestor from Sakalava region".

Important highlights

• Nicknamed Razana, the animal’s jaw bones and serrated teeth strongly suggested that just like T-rex, it also used to feed on hard tissue such as bone and tendon.
• These anatomical features indicate that it is a Jurassic notosuchian, close to the South American baurusuchids and sebecids,  that were highly specialized predators of terrestrial habits, but different from present-day crocodiles having a deep skull and powerful erect limbs.
• The animal is believed to be the oldest and possibly the largest representative of a group of crocodile-like animals called Notosuchians.
• The animal could out-compete even theropod dinosaurs which were at the top of the food chain.

Volkswagen returns to Iranian market after 17-year absence on - 4th July 2017

German car giant Volkswagen announced its return to the Iranian market on 4th July 2017 for the first time in 17 years due to the lifting of economic sanctions.
The company would be resuming selling cars in Iran after signing a deal with local importer Mammut Khodro from August 2017. The deal will be initially cover Volkswagen’s Tiguan and Passat models to gain an insight into current market needs, establishing the Volkswagen brand in Iran, and offer Iranians modern technologies.

These opportunities were being watched by European firms in Iran since a nuclear deal with world powers came into force in January 2016, lifting many sanctions in exchange for tight controls in the country's atomic program.
Volkswagen first started selling cars in Iran during 1950s.
The company was taken out of the market due to leveling of International sanctions against the Islamic Republic in 2000.

More about Volkswagen

• Volkswagen is a German automaker founded by the German Labor Front on 28th May 1937.
• The automaker is headquartered in Wolfsburg.

Xiaomi to acquire key Nokia patents on - 5th July 2017

Chinese tech major Xiaomi signed an agreement for business collaboration and patent licensing with Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Nokia on 5th July 2017. Xiaomi will be acquiring key patent assets from Nokia, as per the agreement.

Key highlights of the agreement

• The multi-year patent agreement is including a cross license to each company's cellular standard essential patents.
• In this agreement, Nokia will be providing network infrastructure equipment designed to deliver high capacity, low power requirements for large web providers and data centre operators.
• The companies will also be exploring opportunities for further cooperation in areas such as IOT (Internet of Things), augmented and virtual reality and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• In Indian market, Xiaomi has witnessed a fast growth already and knocked more than USD 1 billion in revenue in 2016.
• In addition to smartphones, Xiaomi is also a leading Internet of Things (IoT) player. The Mi Ecosystem IoT platform has crossed 60 million connected devices,
  and now more than eight million daily active connected devices on the Mi Ecosystem platform are already there.

Electric buses to run - In Gurgaon

State’s Urban Local Bodies Minister, Kavita Jain stated on 4th July 2017 that The Haryana government is planning to set up an environment-friendly transportation system in Gurgaon on the pattern of Poland.
The Cabinet Minister added that in the first phase, 75 to 100 electric buses would be operated.

Important Highlights

• In the first phase, the electric vehicles would be operated in Gurgaon as the city has excellent infrastructure and facilities in residential, commercial and public sectors.
• The deployment of the electric vehicles will also reduce traffic congestion and provide better public transport system to an average of 50,000 people daily.
• Gurgaon Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) will be funding the project jointly with Municipal Corporation, Gurgaon and the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC).
• The GMDA would be bearing 50 percent of the cost while Municipal Corporation, Gurgaon and HSIIDC would bear 40 and 10 percent respectively.
• Plant to manufacture CNG buses in Ballabhgarh has already set up by JBM Group, that would soon start manufacturing electric buses under the Make in India program.

Ordinance allowing Kambala in Karnataka approved on - 4th July 2017

President Pranab Mukherjee approved the promulgation of The Prevention of cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 to legalise Kambala in Karnataka. Kambala is the folk sport involving the bullock cart race on 4th July 2017. The ordinance also calls to ban bulls from The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The Karnataka High Court banned kambala along with bull-cart race in the state while hearing a case filed by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) citing animal cruelty in Nov 2016.

The high court put a stay these traditional sports in view of the Supreme Court’s ban on jallikattu, a traditional bull taming sport of Tamil Nadu. However, following the protests by people and kambala organisers, Karnataka Assembly passed an ordinance Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2017 in February 2017 to allow Kambala. The Union Ministry of Law and Justice cleared the bill with an aim to legalise Kambala in June 2017.

More about Kambala

• It is the traditional buffalo race held annually in coastal districts of Karnataka to entertain rural people of the region.
• The race generally goes from November till March every year.
• The race takes place between two pairs of buffaloes where each pair races in two separate wet rice fields tracks and a whip-lashing farmer controls it.
• In the traditional form of Kambala, buffalo racing was non-competitive and buffalo pairs ran one after other in paddy fields.
• But lately, Kambala has become an organized rural sport.

Har Haath Ek Kitaab launched by - National Book Trust

The National Book Trust (NBT) recently launched the Har Haath Ek Kitaab scheme to make donations to children, between the ages of six and twelve, in the form of books with a simple method.

Important highlights of the scheme

• People who wish to donate can transfer money to online shopping site Snapdeal with which the Trust, an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MoHRD), has tied up formally.
• National Book Trust will be receiving the money after that.
• The NBT is also subsidizing the cost of the books by about 23.5 percent. So far, 3726 children's books have been sent out under the scheme.

 Italy passes bill making ‘Torture’ crime under national law on - 5th July 2017

Italy has finally passed a bill making torture a crime under national law, after years of parliamentary back-and-forth on 5th July 2017 with 198 lawmakers backing the legislation where 35 were opposing it and 104 were abstaining.
The focus is to make torture punishable by four to ten years in prison and 12 years for members of the security forces.

Rome signed the UN Convention against Torture in 1984 but could never transfer it into national legislation. Torture is defined under the law as intense physical suffering or psychological trauma verifiably caused by violence, cruel actions or grave threats.

CGST won't apply on items not registered under trademark law on - 5th July 2017

The Union Finance Ministry stated that the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) rate of 5 percent
will not be applicable on  goods supply  unless the brand name or trade name is actually on the Register of Trade Marks and is registered under the Trade Marks Act, 1999 on 5th July 2017.

Certain goods such as wheat, rice, chena or paneer, natural honey, and pulses, flour of cereals,other cereals, pulses and other goods except those put up in unit container and bearing a registered brand name will be attracting no CSGT. These goods, when put up in unit container and bearing a registered brand name, attracts 2.5 percent CGST rate.

The Registered Brand Name is defined as the brand or trade name, which is registered under the Trade Marks Act, 1999. In this regard, Section 2 (w) of the Trade Marks Act, 1999 provide that a registered trade mark means a trademark which is actually on the Register of Trade Marks. Unless the brand name or trade name is actually on the Register of Trade Marks and is in force under the Trade Marks Act, 1999, CGST rate of 5 percent will not be applicable on the supply of these goods.

Heavy communications satellite Intelsat 35e is launched by - SpaceX

SpaceX launched a commercial communications satellite Intelsat 35e into space using Falcon 9 rocket on 6th July 2017. The rocket blasted off in Florida from Kennedy Space Center, delivered the satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit. This satellite was deployed about 32 minutes after launch.

It was the third flight of the Falcon 9 rocket within just 12 days. On 23rd June 2017, SpaceX launched a Bulgarian communications satellite into space from launch complex 39A, using a pre-flown first stage booster while, the second launch took place on 25th June when SpaceX launched 10 communication satellites into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

SpaceX tried launching the Intelsat 35e satellite previously on 2nd -3rd July, but stopped twice in the final seconds of countdown.

Important Highlights

The Intelsat 35e is the heaviest satellite Falcon 9 has ever sent to orbit with a launch mass of more than 6.7 tons.
It is the fourth of the next-generation high throughput satellites for Luxembourg-based Intelsat.
The Intelsat 35e satellite will be providing commercial broadband communications services in the Caribbean, as well as services for government applications in trans-Europe to Africa, the Caribbean and the African continent.

This satellite also marked the 10th of SpaceX launch this year. The company planned to launch more than 20 satellites in 2017. Previously, the company completed eight successful launches.

 Who has been appointed as DG of National Disaster Response Force? - Sanjay Kumar

Himachal Pradesh DGP Sanjay Kumar was appointed as the Director General (DG) of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on 5th July 2017. Kumar, who is presently serving as the Director General of Police in Himachal Pradesh, is set to retire in December 2018. Kumar is a 1985-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer.

He has earlier served in central deputation with the CISF, the vigilance wing of the Railway Ministry and the Railway Protection Force.

More about National Disaster Response Force

• The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has 12 battalions with a strength of over 13000 personnel established in 2006.
• It is mandated to undertake special disaster response and stop roles independently.
• It also helps local authorities to launch a quick rescue and response operation to save property and life.