Top 5 Current Affairs: 18 September 2017

PV Sindhu beats Nozomi Okuhara to win 2017 Korea Open Super Series

PV Sindhu on 17 September 2017 became the first Indian shuttler to win the BWF Korean Open Super Series.

Sindhu defeated Nozomi Okuhara of Japan 22-20, 11-21, 21-18 to grab the prestigious title. The duo had already fought-out the longest match in the final of the BWF World Championship in August 2017, when Okuhara emerged victorious after a 110-minute match.

PV Sindhu is currently world number 4 in the BWF World Ranking. At the 2016 Summer Olympics, she became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic silver medal.

Arjan Singh, iconic war hero of 1965 Indo-Pak, no more

Arjan Singh, Marshal of the Indian Air Force passed away on 16 September 2017 in New Delhi, after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 98.

The Air Force Marshal was the fourth generation of his family to join the British Indian armed forces. His father, grandfather and great-grandfather had served in the cavalry. He officially joined the Royal Indian Air Force at the age of 19.

He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian honour, in 1965.

Assam to set up well-equipped skill city with 10000 training seats

The Assam state government has announced setting up of a well-equipped skill city with a capacity of 10000 training seats in the state.The government would be getting the support of a Singapore based premier institute for the mission.

Under the programme, 30000 former militants will be given skill development training. The ceasefire camps that house the surrendered militants currently will be converted into production centres.

The construction of the proposed skill city is estimated to be completed in 4 to 5 years.

IUCN declares Snow Leopard no longer endangered

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in September 2017 announced that snow leopards are no longer considered an endangered species.

The IUCN moved the animal into the less urgent “vulnerable” category. Although, the species still remain at risk from a reduction in numbers of its prey and poaching for its fur and bones. It is interesting to note that the IUCN has reclassified snow leopard for the first time in 45 years.

India exempts import duty on goods for FIFA U17 World Cup

The Union government has exempted import duty on a wide range of goods and sports items for the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup India.

The government in an official notification stated, “All sports goods, sports equipment and sports requisites, fitness equipment, team uniform/clothing, spares, accessories and consumables of the same will be exempt from the whole of the duty of customs leviable subject to certain conditions”.

The mentioned goods will also be exempt from the integrated tax levied under the GST.