122 Countries adopts historic global treaty to ban Nuclear Weapons

The United Nations has adopted a historic global treaty banning nuclear weapons. The treaty was adopted by a vote of 122 members in favour. The Netherlands was the only country who voted against the treaty. Singapore abstained from voting. Costa Rica’s ambassador, Elayne Whyte Gomez, was the president of the UN conference that negotiated the treaty. Nearly 129 countries signed up to take part in the drafting of the treaty which represents two-thirds of the UN’s193 member states. Nearly 141 countries led by Austria, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and New Zealand drafted the treaty in a hope that the treaty would increase pressure on the nuclear powers to take disarmament more seriously. The treaty would be opened for signature on September 20. It will enter into force once 50 countries ratified it. All of the ratifying countries should never under any circumstances develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. The treaty also bans any transfer or use of nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive device.

The nine nuclear powers, namely, the United States, Russia, Britain, China, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel neither took part in the negotiations nor cast their vote. Even Japan the sole sufferer of atomic attack refrained from taking part in the negotiations. Most of the NATO countries too boycotted the negotiations. The nuclear powers view the treaty as unrealistic and argue that it will not have any impact on reducing the global stockpile of 15000 atomic weapons. According to the nuclear powers, their nuclear arsenals serve as a deterrent against nuclear attacks and they remain committed to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The NPT seeks to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and puts the onus on nuclear states to reduce their stockpiles. But the non-nuclear states are increasingly worried about the slow pace of disarmament and are concerned that weapons of mass destruction may fall into the wrong hands.

BICS INSTITUTE 9213105732,36

Tata Steel Ltd has bagged Prime Minister’s trophy for ‘Best Performing Integrated Steel Plant’ in the country for the performance years 2014-2015 and 2015- 16. 

Salient Facts For the third consecutive year, Tata Steel has bagged the award. Overall, the company has been recognised as the best integrated steel plant for 12 times and has won the PM’s Trophy 10 times. The company was selected for the award after it went through rigorous assessment by a panel of distinguished judges. As per the company, it is making continuous efforts to embrace modern technology and strive towards creating a world-class plant environment. Tata Steel Group is ranked as one of the top 10 steel companies in the world with an annual crude steel capacity of 27.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) as of March 2017. The company is also the world’s second most geographically diversified steel producer. It is operating in 26 countries and has a commercial presence in over 50 countries.

BICS INSTITUTE 9213105732,36

Current Affairs

⧫ Pradeep Kumar Rawat appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Indonesia
⧫ Arunachal Pradesh celebrates Dree festival with traditional ethics 
⧫ Yes Bank signs new agreement with Santander in United Kingdom 
⧫ Axis Bank launches super bikes loans to fund largest loan amount 
⧫ China-backed AIIB approves USD 329 million loan for Gujarat rural roads 
⧫ Haryana Government to run electric buses in Gurgaon
⧫ United Forum of Bank Unions decided to observe July 19 as Save public sector banks day 
⧫ Union Ministry of Power announced the total outstanding debt in UDAY Scheme 
⧫ New Israeli flower named after Prime Minister Narendra Modi 
⧫ Karnataka launches ‘Elevate 100’ scheme for start-ups company 

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Free GST facilitation centres set up across Goa

In Goa, the Office of the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes has set up GST facilitation centres in ward offices across the state. The department’s head office has set up inPanaji.
Key Notes:
a. The trained help desk personnel have been appointed for each ward and the head office to assist taxpayers in resolving their technical issues related to migration to GST, registration, amendments, return filing and payments.
b. The chartered accountants will provide free consultation services related to GST between 4-6 pm till the 10 July.
c. The Government has identified some Chartered Accountants for this work and the fees of the identified CA’s would be paid by the government itself.
d. The accountants would give free advice or consultation to the taxpayers on the implementation of the landmark Goods and Service Tax system.
e. The facility will also be available at the Commercial Tax Ward Offices in Panaji, Margao, Mapusa, Ponda and Vasco.
Key facts:
➽ Dabolim Airport in Goa
➽ Mollem National Park in Goa

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Supreme Court allows woman to abort 26-week foetus due to abnormalities

The Supreme Court has permitted a woman, who is in her 26th week of pregnancy, to abort her foetus that is suffering from severe cardiac ailments. It has been announced by Supreme Court on 3rd of July 2017.
Key Points:
i. A bench of Justice Dipak Misra and M Khanwilkar said the procedure of termination of pregnancy should be carried out “forthwith” at the SSKM Hospital in Kolkata.
ii. The direction came after the bench perused the report of the medical board.
iii. It has been adviced by the SSKM hospital the termination of pregnancy on the grounds that the mother would suffer “severe mental injury” if the pregnancy is continued and the child, if born alive, has to undergo multiple surgeries for severe cardiac ailments.
iv. The woman and her husband had approached the apex court seeking permission to abort her foetus on grounds of abnormalities which could be even fatal to her.
v. Supreme Court allows woman to abort 26-week foetus due to abnormalities.

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NASA is developing Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), the first-ever mission that will deflect a near-Earth asteroid. The mission will help to test the systems that will allow mankind to protect the planet from potential cosmic body impacts in the future. Key Facts The DART will be built and managed by the John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). It will be NASA’s first mission to demonstrate kinetic impactor technique.  The target for DART is an asteroid called Didymos that will have a distant approach to Earth in October 2022 and then again in 2024. The asteroid Didymos (Greek word for twin) is an asteroid binary system that consists of two bodies: Didymos A (about 780 metres in size), and Didymos B (about 160 metres in size), smaller asteroid orbiting Didymos A. DART will impact only the smaller of the two bodies, Didymos B. After launch, DART will fly to Didymos and use an APL- developed onboard autonomous targeting system to aim itself at Didymos B. The refrigerator-sized spacecraft will strike the smaller body at a speed about 6 km/s i.e. about nine times faster than a bullet. Earth-based observatories will observe the impact and the resulting change in the orbit of Didymos B around Didymos A. It will allow scientists to better determine the capabilities of kinetic impact as an asteroid mitigation strategy. Didymos asteroid system The Didymos asteroid system has been closely studied since 2003. It has been classified as potentially hazardous asteroid. Its primary body is a rocky S-type object, with composition similar to that of many asteroids. The composition of its small companion, Didymos B is unknown, but its size is typical of asteroids that could potentially create regional effects should they impact Earth. Kinetic impact technique This technique involves sending one or more large, high-speed spacecraft into the path of an approaching near-earth object to shift its orbit to defend against future impact.  It works by changing the speed of a threatening asteroid by a small fraction of its total velocity. This is done well before the predicted impact so that this small velocity adds up over time to a big shift of the asteroid’s path away from Earth.

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    All points of 2nd july 2017

• Vikrikar Bhawan situated in Mumbai has been renamed as GST Bhavan
• Telangana have decided for a separate Agriculture budeget from next year
• PNB to block all Maestro debit cards from 31st july 2017
• Karnataka Bank has launched Image debit card that can be personalized with the image of his/her choice
• Preeti Shenoy a writer was awarded with Indian of the year award.
• Mahesh Murlidhar Bhagwat IPS officer from telangana get Award of 2017 trafficking in persom report Heros Award by US Department
• Achal kumar Jyoti will be made new chief election commissioner of India replacing now chief election commissioner Nasim Zaidi
• Hong Kong’s chief executive was appointed named as Carrie lam she became first woman to lead the city
• First Indian Batsman to hit 200 sixes :- MS Dhoni

   BICS INSTITUTE 9213105732,36