Current Affairs July 2016 - Miscellaneous



  • The Supreme Court of India recently stated that its 2014 verdict did not include lesbians, gays and bisexual persons under the category of Transgender.

  • As per the UNWTO Barometer (Volume 14, May 2016), during 2015, India ranks 40th in terms of International Tourist Arrivals.

  • Tamil Nadu recorded the highest number of domestic and foreign tourist visits in 2015 as per the data released by the Ministry of Tourism.

  • S K Jain was appointed as the Acting Director General of Police (DGP), Meghalaya in July 2016.

  • The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on 30th June 2016 notified rules for calculating Fair Market Value (FMV) of assets located in India under the Income-tax Act, 1961.

  • The United States has designated Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), as a foreign terrorist organization and called its leader Asim Umar as a specially designated global terrorist.

  • The journal that published the study of researchers that claims that that the hole in the Earth’s ozone layer over Antarctica is healing is Science.

  • The country for which negotiations for budget contributions began in Brussels for its membership in European Union is Turkey.

  • India agreed to resolve bottlenecks to enhance bilateral trade and boost investments with Nepal.

  • The Maharashtra Government started an initiative for plantation of about 2 crore trees.

  • Neerja Bhanot has been posthumously conferred the Bharat Gaurav Award in London recently.

  • The International Cricket Council (ICC) approved a change to the DRS (Decision Review System) playing condition relating to the LBW “Umpire’s Call that allows changes to the decision review system that will overturn Not-Out LBW decisions.

  • Linda Burney became the first Indigenous woman elected to the House of Representatives (lower house) of Australian Parliament after claiming victory in the marginal seat of Barton.

  • China banned online media from publishing unverified content, especially from the social media, after the country's internet regulator punished some major websites that fabricated stories this year.

  • Afghanistan received its first batch of Chinese military equipment as part of Beijing’s commitment to provide millions of dollars of assistance to help it in its fight against terrorism.

  • The Reserve Bank of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on “Supervisory Cooperation and Exchange of Supervisory Information” with National Bank of Cambodia (NBC).

  • The South Asian Basketball Association (SABA) Zone’s Qualifying round of the FIBA Asia Challenge 2016 was held from July 6 to 8 at the Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium in Bangalore.

  • Footballer Prasun Banerjee was recently conferred Shan-E-Mohammedan.

  • Prakash Javdekar was elevated to the rank of Cabinet Minister in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led NDA Government.

  • Allyson Felix and LaShawn Merritt ran the fastest 400 meters in the world in 2016 and made to the US team for the Rio Olympics at the American trials.

  • A three-day Woodpecker Environment and Wildlife Film Festival will begin on the 7th July 2016 at the Historic Gaiety Theatre in Shimla.

  • The Maldives' Foreign Minister who quit the government over its hasty decision to implement the death penalty is Dunya Maumoon.

  • Union Cabinet approved the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme to train 50 lakh apprentices by year 2019-20.

  • The percentage of tax to be levied on goods brought to local areas for consumption after purchase under e-commerce is 6%.

  • The Union Cabinet approved signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation with Mauritius.

  • The Union Cabinet gave in-principle approval for setting up major gateway container port for Indian cargo in Tamil Nadu.

  • Taste of Cherry movie that won the prestigious Palme d'Or Award at the Cannes Film Festival was directed by – Abbas Kiarostami.

  • Thiruppathi Venkatasamy appointed as the Accountant General of Tamil Nadu in July 2016.

  • Kevin Turner resigned as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Microsoft in July 2016.

  • Telangana launched the second phase of Haritha Haram program of the Government in the state.

  • India has handed over 30 SUVs to Mozambique during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit.

  • Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed the Mumbai Police Commissioner to probe preacher speeches of Zakir Naik and submit a report.

  • India has set up an apparel training centre in Nigeria to support textiles industry.

  • The former English cricketer who registered his name in the Guinness Book of World Record for taking the highest catch of cricket ball is Nasser Hussain.

  • HDFC Bank launched India’s first full-fledged digital banking service for small-and medium enterprises.

  • Operation Chakravyuh seeks to build a border modelled after Israeli security mechanisms along Pakistan.

  • India renewed its existing Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit with Bhutan that was signed on 29th July 2006 for a period of ten years.

  • The Iraqi Interior Minister, Mohammed al-Ghabban, offered to resign after a massive suicide bombing in Baghdad killed more than 200 people.

  • Nasdaq-listed Terrapin 3 Acquisition Corp (TRTL) in July 2016 acquired Yatra Online.

  • India's all women naval team completes 5000 nautical mile voyage on a sail boat – Mhadai.

  • In France, at least 60 people were killed and many injured in the French Riviera city of Nice when a truck ploughed into crowds watching a fireworks display on Bastille Day National holiday.

  • Lifeline Express also known as Magic Train of India celebrated 25 years of service to the underprivileged rural masses.

  • The US and Russia agreed on concrete steps to save the failing Syrian ceasefire.

  • Turkey faced a failed military coup wherein at least 90 people were killed and over 1500 soldiers were detained by a military faction.

  • The name of the autobiography of NASA Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to land on moon, is No Dream is Too High.

  • The Ulaanbaatar Declaration issued recently relates to 11th ASEM Summit.

  • Nalanda Mahavihara known as old Nalanda University entered World Heritage List of UNESCO.

  • Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape from China entered World Heritage List of UNESCO.

  • Persian Qanat from Iran entered World Heritage List of UNESCO.

  • Nan Madol from Micronesia entered World Heritage List of UNESCO.

  • Graham Jarvis won the 5th Red Bull Romaniacs title.

  • Indian-origin former Singapore President, S R Nathan, was conferred with the Outstanding Member of the South Asian Diaspora award 2016.

  • Sarvita Sethi was appointed as the Vice-President-Finance for India and South West Asia of Coca-Cola in July 2016.

  • The National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered immediate banning of diesel vehicles more than 10 years old to deal with pollution in Delhi.

  • Odisha State Government has planned to create 400 hectares of new water area in private land in 2016.

  • World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has called for a ban on all Russian competitors and officials at the upcoming Rio Olympics and other international sports on the basis of the Investigation Report of Richard McLaren, the Canadian law professor.

  • The Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2016 that was passed by Parliament in July 2016 seeks to establish a Regional Centre for Biotechnology in Faridabad, Haryana.

  • The Supreme Court accepted major recommendations of the Lodha Committee on reforms in BCCI including a bar on ministers and civil servants and those above 70 years of age.

  • Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that he is ready to reinstate the death penalty if the people demand it and Parliament approves the necessary legislation, following the recent coup attempt.

  • Morocco formally announced its wish to rejoin the African Union (AU) 32 years after leaving the organization.

  • In Andhra Pradesh, the famous hill shrine of Tirumala Tirupati Devasathanam has made it official that it is compulsorily to produce Aadhaar card as identity proof by the devotees who wish to perform ‘Anga Pradakshinam’.

  • Actor Purab Kohli was appointed as the Digital Ambassador of Axis Bank’s new product named Multi-Currency Forex Card.

  • Devotees of Mumbai's famous Siddhivinayak temple can now offer donations to Lord Ganesha in the form of shares or stocks of listed entities in addition to traditional offerings in cash and gold.

  • The Directorate of Prisons and Correctional services in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh provided a maiden platform to as many as ten jail inmates to fine-tune their musical skills.

  • Imran Ansari, the state sports minister was elected as President of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA).

  • Donald Trump officially clinched the Republican nomination for the US President after a state-by-state vote at the Party Convention.

  • MPs of United Kingdom have backed in Parliament the renewal of the Trident nuclear weapons system.

  • Assam has decided to distribute identity card along with Soil Health Cards to farmers.

  • IMF in its revised global economic growth forecast for 2017 lowered world economy growth to 0.1 percent point from its previous report of April 2016.

  • As per the latest data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the rate of inflation based on Consumer Price Index (Combined) for the month of June 2016 stood at 5.77%.

  • T.P. Dasan recently assumed the charge as President of Kerala State Sports Council.

  • Bar Council of India (BCI) suspended 126 lawyers of Tamil Nadu and prohibited them from practicing in any court or tribunal in the country.

  • The nation's first Green Rail Corridor which ensures zero toilet discharge on rail tracks was inaugurated on the 114 km long Rameswaram-Manamadurai stretch.

  • Anant Naruka won the bronze medal in the Champion of Champions match at the Junior World Cup in Porpetto, Italy.

  • The second phase of the Feed the Future – India Triangular Training Program was launched on 25th July 2016 in New Delhi by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the U.S Agency for International Development (USAID).

  • The North–West railway has further extended its facilities for newborn and their mothers at Jaipur Railway Station in Rajasthan.

  • BRICS policy planning dialogue meeting began on 26th July 2016 in Patna.

  • The American soprano and playback singer, Marni Nixon, best known for dubbing the singing voices of the leading actresses in films, passed away recently.

  • National Centre for Scientific Research, France was ranked World’s No. 1 Government Institute as per the Scimago Institutions Rankings.

  • India wrestler Parveen Rana was named as a replacement for dope-tainted wrestler Narsingh Yadav for Rio Olympics in the 74 kgs freestyle category.

  • Lok Sabha passed the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016 to amend the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) (CLPR) Act, 1986.

  • Hillary Clinton won the Democratic nomination for the US President Elections scheduled to take place on 8th November 2016.

  • Government of Venezuela has asked electoral authorities to declare illegal, the opposition coalition, seeking to oust President Nicolas Maduro via a recall vote, accusing them of committing massive fraud.

  • The World Hepatitis Summit will be held from 29th to 31st March 2017 at Sao Paulo.

  • The 14th US-India counter-terrorism Joint Working Group meet started in Washington.

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a penalty of Rs. 27 crores on 13 public and private sector banks for Foreign Exchange Management (FEMA) Act violations and Know your customer (KYC) lapses.

  • Air Odisha has decided to start an inter-State flight service from Bhubaneswar on 15th August 2016.

  • Shambhu Singh Yadav has been appointed as the Deputy Lokayukta of Uttar Pradesh.

  • Astronomers have detected the Great Red Spot on Jupiter which is the region behind heating of the planet.

  • The Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology is celebrating its 40 years of opening its gate for the public is based in Madras (Chennai).

  • Jharkhand, via an affidavit in the High Court during a course of hearing said that it is going to introduce chapter in school syllabus against witchcraft killings.

  • In the wake of increasing number of road accidents due to drunken driving, the Union Government has requested all States and union territories to ensure no license is issued to liquor vendors along National Highways.

  • The oldest serving aircraft carrier of the world that arrived at Kochi on its last sailing prior to decommissioning later in 2016 is INS Viraat.

  • West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee announced the launch of an online ticketing system for the state-run theatre Nandan from August 1.

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