Current Affairs 20th July 2016

National News:

• Health Minister J P Nadda introduced Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill and Dentists (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha
• The Centre has set a target of creating food grain storage facilities storehouse with a combined capacity of hundred lakh tonnes by 2019
• Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told the Rajya Sabha today that the Centre will build a memorial for the former President and Defence Scientist Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam in Tamil Nadu
• Parliament has passed the Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2016 with the Rajya Sabha approving it
• India and the United States have agreed to deepen the scope of cooperation in the maritime sector
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) signed seven Unilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs) with Indian taxpayers
• India’s first e-court was opened at High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad
• The Netherlands and Uttar Pradesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up a skill development centre to help farmers
• The state government has planned to create 400 hectares of new water area in private land this year

International News:

• North Korea has fired three ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan. US and South Korean military officials said the missiles were launched from the western city of Hwangju
• India and Malaysia have agreed to “proactively” engage in combating the “menace” of ISIS activities, a statement read
• Moroccan King Mohammed VI has formally announced that his country wanted to rejoin the African Union, 32 years after it quit the bloc

New Appointments:

• World Bank Group appointed Paul Romer as World Bank Chief Economist with effect from September 2016
• Odisha-born bureaucrat Guruprasad Mohapatra was appointed as the Chairman of Airports Authority of India (AAI) with effect from 19 July 2016
• Malcolm Turnbull was sworn in for another term as Australia’s prime minister after a narrow election victory with budget repair and a public vote on same sex marriage among his top priorities

Awards & Honours :

• Sikkim’s Khangchendzonga National Park has been designated as India’s first “Mixed” site on the UNESCO World Heritage List, by fulfilling the criteria under both natural and cultural heritage.

Banking :

• In line with the announcements under the Indradhanush initiative and the Budget, the Centre has allocated Rs.22,915 crore for the capitalisation of 13 public sector banks for the year 2016-17

Business & Economy :

• Japan’s Softbank agreed to acquire ARM Holdings, the U.K. based semiconductor firm, in a deal worth more than 32 billion US dollar
• MoS for Textile Ajay Tamta inaugurated the India International Garment Fair 2016
• Sajjan Jindal-promoted JSW Energy acquired the 500-megawatt (Mw) power plant of debt-laden Jaiprakash Power Ventures at Bina in Madhya Pradesh for Rs 2,700 crore, 10 months after the two firms got into a binding agreement
• Dabur India inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Defence Research and Development Organization’s (DRDO) Defense Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR)

Science & Technology :

• NASA has announced the discovery of 104 new planets outside our solar system including four that could have Earth-like, rocky surfaces
• Facebook launched a new tool called App Event Optimization, which will enable advertisers to target those users who will not only install their applications but will use them as well

Sports :

• Abdul Wahid Tanveer of Team TVS clinched the 2016 MRF MoGrip FMSCI National Rally Championship for two-wheelers, as he extended his run to the fourth round at the MRF Rally of Coimbatore in the six-round competition
• China will send 416 athletes to Rio de Janeiro, its largest overseas delegation in Olympic history, continuing its pursuit of medals that saw it take second spot in the table behind the United States four years ago
• The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has called on international sports society to ban Russian athletes from taking part in all international athletic competitions, including the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Brazil in August

Obituary :

• Legendary singer Mubarak Begum passed away at her residence in Mumbai last night after a prolonged illness