CURRENT GK
1.India to host 8th international Theatre Olympics in 2018 :-
Dr Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (Independent charge) for Culture and Tourism has announced that 8th edition of the greatest carnival of Theatre in the World will take place in India for the first time ever from February 17 – April 08, 2018 simultaneously in various cities across the country.
The Theatre Olympics, being held in India for the first time, is being organised by National School of Drama, under the aegis of Ministry of Culture.
Points to Remember –
The Theatre Olympics was established in 1993 in Delphi, Greece, as the first international theatre festival.
In 2016 the 7th Theatre Olympics were held in Wroclaw, Poland.
2.Forecast Regarding Rapid Rise in Water Levels of Rivers in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, UP and Gujarat :-
Rainfall forecast issued by India Meteorological Department for the next 3 days indicate that Heavy to Very Heavy rainfall at a few places with isolated extremely heavy falls in East and West Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat during the period 13th to 16th July 2017.
Due to this rivers Narmada, Ken, Betwa, Chambal and its tributaries, Mahi, Sabarmati are likely to receive significant water flows in Madhya Pradesh, UP, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
3.Wimbledon 2017: Clinical Williams shuts the door on Konta :-
Exactly two decades after she made her Wimbledon debut, 37-year-old Venus Williams will play a Grand Slam final this Saturday as the old favourite.
Her 6-4, 6-2 defeat of Britain’s Johanna Konta was carried out with a calm and clinical proficiency, with an acute sense of awareness about how exactly to deal the 26-year-old.
Konta, whose climb up the rungs of the tennis ladder has been nothing short of extraordinary — having gone from a WTA ranking of 150 at the end of 2014 to seven before this match — had both the firepower and the mental strength to challenge Williams.
- National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination in India (2017-22) :-
Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare launched the National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22) at a function.
The Strategic Plan gives year wise elimination targets in various parts of the country depending upon the endemicity of malaria in the next 5 years.
Highlighting the salient features of the NSP, Shri Nadda stated that the strategies involve strengthening malaria surveillance, establishing a mechanism for early detection and prevention of outbreaks of malaria, promoting the prevention of malaria by the use of Long Lasting Impregnated Nets (LLINs), effective indoor residual spray and augmenting the manpower and capacities for effective implementation for the next five years.
5.President of India receives first copy of book “President’s Lady” (Pranaber Preyosi) :-
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee received the first copy of the book “President’s Lady” (Pranaber Preyosi) on his wife Late Smt.
Suvra Mukherjee today (July 13, 2017) from Vice President of India, Mohd. Hamid Ansari who formally released it at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that he was grateful to Ms. Sangeeta Ghosh, author of the book and all those who have brought out the publication.
6.Oman Air not to bid for Air India :-
Oman’s national airline Oman Air would rather invest in a profit-making airline in India rather than buying a stake in an ‘ailing’ carrier, its chief executive officer said on Thursday, making it clear that the company would not bid for Air India.
“As a businessman, you are far more eager to participate with a profit-making airline and not having the legacy of the state airline,” Oman Air CEO Paul Gregorowitsch told The Hindu. “If you look at what the neighbouring Gulf airlines have done with state airlines in Europe, you see that those investments have been a complete failure.”
7.President of India to visit West Bengal from July 14 to 15, 2017 :-
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee will visit West Bengal from July 14 to 15, 2017.
On July 14, 2017, the President will inaugurate the Satya Bharti School at Kanidighi. On the same day, he will also inaugurate the 7th Edition of KKM Memorial Gold Cup- Rural Football Tournament -2017 at Mackenzie Park Football Ground.
On July 15, 2017, the President will distribute LPG connections at Jangipur Bhawan. He will also address an Ex-Servicemen rally at Nabagram Military Station before returning to Delhi.
8.Uber merges with Russia’s Yandex in 6 countries :-
Uber on Thursday announced that it was merging in Russia and five other ex-Soviet states with the taxi hailing app of the country’s leading internet giant, Yandex.
“Uber and Yandex have entered into an agreement to form a new company,” the head of Uber’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, said in a statement, calling it “an exciting opportunity in a unique situation.”
The merger applies to ex-Soviet Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Kazakhstan, and will also cover Armenia and Georgia, where Uber does not currently operate — in total covering 127 cities, he said.
9.DIPP to set up India’s first TISC in Punjab :-
The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, signed an Institutional agreement with the Punjab State Council of Science and Technology in New Delhi today to establish India’s first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) at Patent Information Centre, Punjab, under the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) TISC program.
10.Display screens in railway stations soon :-
The Indian Railways has framed a ‘Rail Display Network’ (RDN) policy which entails setting up display screens at railway stations on a public-private partnership model to mop up non-fare revenue.
“The proposed rail display network will enable real-time flow of information to passengers and also unlock digital advertising potential which will lead to increased non-fare revenue,” the Railway Board’s Policy on Rail Display Network, reviewed by The Hindu, stated.
11.Shri Rajnath Singh chairs meeting of Home Minister’s Advisory Committee for Lakshadweep :-
The meeting of Advisory Committee associated with the Ministry of Home Affairs for the Union Territory of Lakshadweep was held today under the chairmanship of Shri Rajnath Singh.
The members had suggested 79 agenda items relating to different fields of development and security in the Islands of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.
Being very remote areas, issues of connectivity including air connectivity, shipping and internet connectivity were discussed in detail.
Agreeing with the request of members, the Home Minister directed that the air connectivity infrastructure should be strengthened and facilities be increased and the matters should be taken up with the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
12.Mallya will be sent to Arthur Road Jail, govt. tells UK :-
If extradited, fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya will be lodged in a high-security cell in Barrack number 12 at the infamous Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, the government has conveyed to the U.K. Crown Prosecution Services.
The government was responding to questions from the U.K. government on where Mr. Mallya would be held and the prison conditions he would be subjected to if India’s extradition request of February 2017 is granted.
13.Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu Inaugurates Various Passenger Initiatives :-
Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu Inaugurated the Following Passenger Initiatives –
1.Lift on Platform No. 4/5 at Bhopal Station.
2.Foundation Stone of Mechanised Laundry at Bhubaneswar.
3.WiFi at Sambalpur Station.
4.WiFi at Vizianagaram Station.
5.22163/64 Bhopal- Khajuraho Mahamana Intercity Express (Daily).
6.22833/34 Bhubaneswar- Krishnarajapuram Humsafar Express (Weekly).
