Current Affairs Update 25 July, 2017

Appointments

Ramnath Kovind takes oath as 14th President of India

Ramnath Kovind on 25 July 2017 took oath as the 14th President of India. He was administered the oath
of office by Chief Justice of India Justice JS Khehar at a special function in the Parliament.

After swearing-in ceremony of Kovind, he was given 21-gun salute. With this, Kovind has become the
second Dalit President of India after KR Narayanan.

The ceremony was attended by outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and senior members of the Cabinet.

Kovind was elected as the President on 20 July 2017 after he defeated the Opposition parties' nominee
Meira Kumar by a huge margin.

News related to India & States

Union Government launches mobile app Aarambh for road maintenance

The Union Government on 24 July 2017 introduced a mobile app Aarambh for road maintenance.

The app was launched by Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister for Panchayati Raj, Rural Development,
Drinking Water & Sanitation, and Deborah Greenfield, Deputy Director General (Policy) of the
International Labour Organization (ILO).

In addition, Tomar and Greenfield also launched a Concept Note and Guidance Note for Mobilizing Funds
for Maintenance of Rural Road. The Concept Note outlines innovative ways, which can be adopted by the
State Governments for mobilizing additional funds for road maintenance and presents some international
best practices worldwide.

Aarambh is a mobile phone based app for performance based maintenance contracting and community
contracting for maintenance of rural roads.

The mobile phone app aims at use of Geographic Information System (GIS) based mapping for making
road inventories, condition surveys, and producing cost estimates and other relevant data for preparation
and monitoring of annual road maintenance plans.
BillionAbles App to help disabled find accessible public places

The Delhi-based start-up, BillionAbles has launched a new app called BillionAbles that aims to assist
people with disabilities to find accessible restaurants, tourist locations and other public places across
India.

According to the start-ups founder, Sameer Garg, the app is Indias first lifestyle app for people with
special needs. Sameer himself suffered a spinal cord injury at the age of 19 that left him with paralysed
lower limbs. Voicing his struggle, Sameer said, Over the years, I have struggled to find an inclusive
environment, whether it is a workplace or public place.

He further continued by saying that though currently a lot of organisations in India provide skill-based
training, conduct accessible tours, run accessible cabs and provide facilities like ramps and washrooms,
the information is not compiled and listed anywhere.

FSSAI bans stapler pins in tea bags from January 2018

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on 24 July 2017 banned the use of stapler pins
in tea bags.

The decision is effective from 1 January 2018.

The FSSAI has deemed the use of stapler pins in tea bag a serious health hazard. The move is expected to
affect the fast growing packaged tea business in the country.

In its order, FSSAI has stated that The use of stapler pins in tea bags poses potential hazard to consumers
since any loose staple pin consumed inadvertently with tea may cause a serious health hazard. It went
on to state that The Food Authority, in exercise of the power conferred under Section (15) FSS Act, 2006,
hereby directs the concerned food business operators to discontinue the manufacture, storage,
distribution, sale and import of stapled tea bags by January 1, 2018.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has also directed all food safety commissioners to take
action to prevent the use of unsafe packaging materials by companies and take up measures for
enforcement of its order.

World News

World's first floating wind farm emerges off coast of Scotland

Construction began in July 2017 on the worlds first full-scale floating wind farm, around 15 miles off the
coast of north-east Scotland.
The Peterhead wind farm, known as Hywind, is a trial which will bring power to 20000 homes.

The wind farm will be lased with revolutionary technology that will allow wind power to be harvested in
waters too deep for the current conventional bottom-standing turbines.

The manufacturer of the worlds first full-scale floating wind farm is Statoil, which says that output from
the turbines is expected to equal or surpass generation from current ones.

Sports News

India finishes 7th in Youth Commonwealth Games with 11 medals

The Indian contingent finished an impressive seventh in the recently-concluded 6th Youth Commonwealth
Games at the Bahamas with a total tally of 11 medals including four gold, one silver and six bronze medals.

The six-day event was kick-started on 18 July with India grabbing four medals in Judo.

While Soni picked up Indias first gold medal by beating Australias Uros Nikolic in the 73kg category event,
Ashish followed it up with a bronze medal in the 60kg category after defeating Englands Harry Zane-
Prosser.

Among the girls, Antim Yadav and Rebina Devi Chanam won two bronze medals, defeating Bahamian
Jasmine Russell in 48-kg and Australia's Saskia Jolande Brothers in 57-kg categories respectively.

In the boxing category, India grabbed four medals including one gold, one silver and two bronze. World
Youth Champion Sachin Siwach defeated James Nathan Probert of Wales 4-1 to clinch the gold medal in
the Light Flyweight (49 Kg) category.

The silver was won by girl boxer Jony in the Lightweight (60 Kg) category after losing 2-3 to Australias Ella
Jade Boot in the finals.

Mithali Raj named Captain of ICC Womens World Cup 2017 team

India skipper Mithali Raj was on 24 July 2017 named as the Captain of the ICC Women's World Cup 2017
team by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Besides Mithali, Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma
were the other two Indians included in the ICC's team.

This is the second time that Mithali has been named in the Team of the tournament at a World Cup. She
was first included in the team in 2009.

Mithali's selection as the Captain came after she led India to the finals of the just-concluded ICC Women's
World Cup. Unfortunately, India lost to England just by nine runs in one of the most thrilling finals at the
Lord's.
Mithali scored a total of 409 runs during the 30- day tournament. She was at her best in the quarter-final
against New Zealand in Derby when she scored 109 to enter into the semifinals with a 186-run victory.

India to host men's, women's World Boxing Championships in 2021

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) has awarded to India next year's women's World
Championship and the men's 2021 World Championship.

This is the first time that India have been awarded the rights to host the men's event while the women's
tournament will be held for the second time. The country had earlier hosted the women's World
Championship in 2006.

The announcement was made by the AIBA at the end of its two-day executive committee meeting here.

The sports world governing body also announced that the men's World Championships will be held in the
German city of Hamburg next month while Russia will host the 2019 edition.

Obituaries

Renowned Indian scientist Yash Pal passes away

Renowned Indian scientist and Padma Vibhushan awardee, Professor Yash Pal passed away at his
residence in Noida in the National Capital Region of India on 24 July 2017. He was 90.

Though the cause of death is not yet known, he had reportedly recovered from cancer a few years ago.
His last rites would be held at 3 pm this afternoon.

Known for his contributions to the study of cosmic rays, as well as for being an institution-builder, he was
awarded Indias third highest civilian honour, the Padma Bhushan in 1976 and India's second highest
civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan in 2013.

In his later years, he became one of the leading science communicators of the country.