Current Affairs For Bank, IBPS Exams - 20 July, 2015

Current Affairs for BANK, IBPS Exams

20 July 2015

:: National ::

Now its turn to Venus for ISRO

Following the success of Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) and the recent launch of five British satellites, India plans next possible 'deep space exploration' missions to Venus, Mars and even an asteroid.
Besides the second Mars mission, we are looking at Venus and even an asteroid for exploration. A project has to be formulated for this before we chart out a proper roadmap for the explorations, ISRO Chairman Kiran Kumar was quoted as saying.
“Venus is our neighbor and has many scientific challenges and aspects that need to be studied. Exploring an asteroid is also challenging task, he added.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is now embarking on a new planet-hunting endeavour. There are indications that the United States of America will be working with India in this ‘deep space exploration’.

India’s interest in Paris climate conference

India iiiiIhas reiterated its demand and cautioned developed nations to not to make any changes or introduce new agenda at last moments and stick to the plan if the big players want to make the crucial climate change conference in Paris to be held later this year a “success”.
Environment Minister Prakash Javedkar appealed to the developed nations that the meeting should not be “rewritten”.
“We should not forget that what will lapse is the Kyoto Protocol and not he United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). We should not try to rewrite the convention. Annexes are part of the convention’s basic structure stemming from historical responsibility of countries,” said Javedkar at the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate Change at Luxembourg.
He wants Paris event to be a huge success where every country would take their own actions but in accordance with the universal benefit.
“Let Paris be an event for celebration of a universal, yet differentiated new agreement, where every country takes action which it determines on its own. Such collective action will address the challenge of climate change
His entire speech was focused on the developed nations introducing new agenda at last hour. India wants all the developed nations to adhere to pre-2020 action plan that enables developing countries to contribute on their will along with their plan for INDCs.
On contribution of developing countries, Javedkar said that earlier the developing nations weren’t authorized to take any action, but the new climate meet will allow all countries to commit to some action.

:: International ::

Greek Banks Reopen after a long gap

Greeks queued outside banks on Monday as they reopened three weeks after closing to stop the system collapsing under a flood of withdrawals, the first cautious sign of a return to normal after a deal to start talks on a new package of bailout reforms.
However capital controls will remain and payments and wire transfers abroad will still not be possible - a situation which German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday was "not a normal life" and warranted swift negotiations on a new bailout.
The stock market will also remain closed until further notice.
Queues formed outside bank branches in central Athens as people waited to take care of business frozen during the three week-long bank holiday.
Limits on cash withdrawals have been made slightly more flexible, with a weekly limit of 420 euros in place of the daily 60 euro limit previously.
Greeks will be able to deposit cheques but not cash, pay bills as well as have access to safety deposit boxes and withdraw money without an ATM card.
Bankers said there may be minor disruptions after the three-week interruption to services but they expected services to resume largely as normal.
The bank closures were the most visible sign of the crisis that took Greece to the brink of falling out of the euro earlier this month. But Tsipras is eyeing a fresh start and swift talks on the bailout that will keep Greece afloat.

:: Sports ::

Carelessness cost India the second T20 against Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe had never won a T20 International at Harare before 19 July. They had lost nine out of nine. They had also never beaten India in a T20I.
Both streaks came to a screeching halt at the end of 40 overs on Sunday as Zimbabwe celebrated a famous win. They had learned from their mistakes, while India hadn't.
It was poor running, irresponsible batting and undisciplined bowling that undid India.
It started off with the pace bowlers bowling too short and then too wide. The Zimbabwe batsmen were ready to take on the short stuff but bowlers refused to adjust. Nearly 43 percent of the balls India bowled were short of a good length.
It took some brilliant death bowling from Bhuvneshwar Kumar to restrict Zimbabwe to 145 for 7 as India conceded just 33 runs from the last five overs, while taking four wickets.

Sangram Singh wins WWP Commonwealth Championship

Indian wrestler Sangram Singh made the country proud by defeating Canada's Joe Legend to win the WWP Commonwealth Championship at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in South Africa.
This was sangram singh’s first professional fight after a hiatus of three years and he signed a death contract for this fight

Australia level Ashes series 1-1 at Lord's0

England descended to an embarrassing 405-run defeat inside four days at Lord's as Mitchell Johnson hastened their collapse and Australia levelled the Ashes at 1-1.
The hosts, set a notional 509 to win after Australia declared on 254 for two shortly before lunch in this second Investec Test, were all out for a hapless 103 in 37 overs by late Sunday afternoon.
England's costly habit of losing their top order cheaply was revisited, and then Johnson's double-wicket maiden immediately after tea cast aside any remaining doubts.