IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUGUST 28th, 2017

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUGUST 28th, 2017

1. India, China Agree to Disengage at Doklam

i. India and China have agreed to withdraw their troops from Doklam after being in a standoff for over two months. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the expeditious disengagement has been agreed to and is going on.

ii. The standoff had started after India objected to China constructing a road in the disputed area.

2. Dipak Misra Sworn in as CJI

i. Justice Dipak Misra was sworn in as the 45th Chief Justice of India. At a brief ceremony in the Darbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhawan, President Ramnath Kovind administered the oath of office to Mr. Misra.

ii. Justice Misra, 64, assumes office following the retirement of Justice J.S. Khehar. Justice Misra will have a tenure of about 14 months till October 2, 2018. 

3. Two-day Indian Ocean Conference in Colombo

i. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will participate in the two-day Indian Ocean Conference to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in which Sri Lankan prime minister and the president are among key speakers.

ii. The theme of the conference is peace, progress, and prosperity. It will see participation from around 35 countries and have speakers from 25 countries. The conference will be held in Temple Trees, the official residence of the Lankan prime minister.

4. Arun Jaitley hands over LRSAM to Indian Navy
i. Defence Minister Arun Jaitley handed over the Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM) jointly developed by India and Israel, to the Indian Navy, at Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL). LRSAM is an advanced combat suit for missile defence against air targets and missiles, and has full capabilities of air and surface surveillance, threat alert and fire control.
ii. The minister also dedicated a first-of-its kind 50-tonne Rocket Motor Static Test Facility. He inaugurated the ASTRA Manufacturing Unit at the BDL’s Bhanur unit.

5. IRDAI Launches Central Database of Insurance Sales Persons

i. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has launched a Central Database of all Insurance Sales Persons in the country.

ii. Named as `Envoy’, the database will ensure that all licensed insurance sales persons working for insurers and intermediaries including entities such as insurance agents, broker qualified persons, specified persons of corporate agents do not work with multiple insurers and intermediaries in the same business category.

6. Rural Games to Take Place in Delhi

i. Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Mr. Vijay Goel announced that the first edition of Rural Games or Grameen Khel Mahotsav will kick-start from Delhi.

ii. The Rural Games will aim at popularising the indigenous games like wrestling, athletics etc. and will also have fun games like Matka Race, Tug of War for senior citizens to add the fun element in the games.

7. Sushma Swaraj Inaugurated 1st 'Videsh Bhavan' in Mumbai

i. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj inaugurated the country's first 'Videsh Bhavan'. The Bhavan integrates all offices of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in Maharashtra It is located in the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai.

ii. As a first pilot project, four offices of MEA - Regional Passport Office (RPO), Protector of Emigrants (PoE) office, Branch Secretariat and Regional Office of ICCR - have been assimilated and brought under one roof at the state-of-art office.

8. Island of Tuvalu World’s Least Visited Country: UN Report

i. According to a report by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the island of Tuvalu was the least visited country in 2016.
ii. According to the report, 2,000 people visited Tuvalu in 2016, while 1,000 people visited the country in 2014. Located in the South Pacific Ocean, Tuvalu is 4.6 meters above sea level and has a population of 11,000 people.

9. Airtel Ties up with Symantec

i. The country's largest telecom services provider, Bharti Airtel, entered into a partnership with Symantec Corp, the world’s leading cyber security company, to serve the growing cyber security requirements of businesses in India.

ii. It will provide protection and prevention of online threats in an increasingly digitally connected world. According to the agreement, Airtel will be the exclusive Cyber Security Services partner for Symantec in India, and will distribute Symantec’s enterprise security software. 

10. Hamilton Wins Belgian Grand Prix

i. Mercedes' British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton registered his 58th career race win after claiming the Belgian Grand Prix title.

ii. Hamilton's rival Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel came second, while Daniel Ricciardo was placed third. With the win, Hamilton has cut Vettel's lead at the top of the drivers' championship to seven points.

11. P V Sindhu Won Silver at World Badminton Championship 2017

i. PV Sindhu won the Silver medal in World Badminton Championship 2017. She lost the historic match against Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in an epic final, in Glasgow, Scotland. In the longest match of the tournament, Sindhu lost (19-21 22-20 20-22) after battling hard for one hour and 49 minutes.

ii. For India, it still is a historic edition since for the first time country’s shuttler are returning with two medals. Saina Nehwal won a bronze.

12. Baba Ram Rahim Sentenced 10 Years of Imprisonment

i. Special CBI judge Jagdeep Singh sentenced Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to 10 years of imprisonment. The sentencing came three days after the CBI court in Panchkula convicted Singh in a 2002 rape case.

ii. A three-tier security ring was set up around the district jail. The Dera chief was sent for a medical examination and then will be given a prison uniform and will be allotted a jail cell.