DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS : JANUARY 16, 2018

NATIONAL

India’s exports grow by 12.36 in December to USD 27.03 billion:

The Country’s exports grew by 12.36 per cent in December, 2017 to 27.03 billion US dollars on account of strong performance by sectors like engineering goods and petroleum products. According to data released by Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Exports of engineering goods as well as petroleum products showed an increase of over 25 per cent in December.

Centre & J&K govt agree to use education as tool to bring normalcy to state:

Centre and Jammu and Kashmir Government have resolved to use education as a tool to bring normalcy to the state. The Central and State Governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the 65th Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) meeting in New Delhi.

The two governments have planned a number of measures, including an exchange programme, setting up ICT and digital platforms in the state’s schools. The roadmap will be implemented in three years with the goal of bringing a major improvement in learning levels of students by 2020.

JAMMU AND KASHMIR

Capital: Srinagar
Chief Minister: Mehbooba Mufti
Governor: NarinderNath Vohra

Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore unveils the Khelo India Anthem:

The union sports ministry’s ambitious programme, ‘Khelo India’, an initiative to scout for talent at the grassroots and provide it substantial long-term scholarshipwill be launched on January 31.

In the run-up to the launch, Union Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathoreunveiled the mascots (Vijay the tiger and Jaya the black buck) and launched the anthem “Aurkhelnachahtehain hum…Khel mein hi mastihai….khel se abaadhonge hum” at a ceremony in Delhi.The anthem is conceptualized by Ogilvy, composed by Louis Bank and the film has been produced by Nirvana Films.

Punjab inks MoU with IOC to set up biogas, bio-CNG plants:

The Punjab government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Oil Corporation to set up bio-gas and bio-CNG plants in the state. The MoU with IOC was signed by Punjab Bureau of Industrial Promotion (PBIP) and Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) in the presence of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

The project will be initiated with 42 plants becoming operational in 2018. It will be scaled up to 400 plants over the next 3-4 years, making it the one of the biggest such projects in the country.

PUNJAB

Capital: Chandigarh
Chief Minister:Amarinder Singh
Governor: P. Singh Badnore

INTERNATIONAL

India, Israel ink nine pacts on cyber security, other sectors:

To upgrade strategic partnership India and Israel inked nine pacts in key areas. They are

MoU on Cyber SecurityCooperation between India and Israel.
MoU between the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Ministry of Energy on Cooperation inOil and Gas
Protocol between India and Israel on Amendments to theAir Transport Agreement.
Agreement on Film-co-production between India and Israel.
MoU between the Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, Ministry of AYUSH and the Centre for Integrative Complementary Medicine, ShaareZedek Medical Center on Cooperation in the field of Research inHomeopathic Medicine.
MoU between Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) and the Technion- Israel Institute of Technology for cooperation in the field of
Memorandum of Intent between Invest India and Invest in Israel.
Letter of Intent between IOCL and Phinergy Ltd.For cooperation in the area of metal-air batteries.
Letter of Intent between IOCL and Yeda Research and Development Co Ltdfor cooperation in the area of concentrated solar thermal technologies.

ISRAEL

Capital: Jerusalem
Currency: Israeli new shekel
Prime minister: Benjamin Netanyahu

Digital launch of ‘I4Fund call for proposal’ website at India-Israel Business Summit:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu launched the maiden call for joint R&D projects under the ‘India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F)’ during the India-Israel Business Summit in New Delhi. Under this, the Department of Science and Technology, India and the National Innovation Authority of Israel have established a 40 million US dollar Fund.

India contributes $50K to UN Youth Envoy’s office:

India has contributed $50,000 to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’s Office of Envoy on Youth to help with its mission of involving young people in the world body`s goals.PaulomiTripathi, a First Secretary in India`s UN Mission, handed over the contribution to the Youth Envoy, JayathmaWickramanayake.

The Youth Envoy`s mission is to promote the engagement of youth and advocate for them across all the four pillars of the UN`s work – sustainable development, human rights, peace and security and humanitarian action.

India, Sri Lanka sign four agreements for collaboration in ICT sector:

India and Sri Lanka signed four agreements for collaboration in ICT sector, setting up of e-office system and connecting of National Knowledge network (NKN) for collaboration among universities and academics. The MoU for cooperation was signed by Union minister for Information Technology Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad with his Sri Lankan counterpart in Colombo.

Prasad said that Sri Lanka has become the first country to be connected to NKN through a Gigabyte optical fibre network. This will connect NKN to Lanka education & research network (LEARN) through which universities on both sides can share best practices and research ideas.

SRI LANKA

Capitals:Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Currency:Sri Lankan rupee
Prime Minister: RanilWickremesinghe

Indian peacekeepers rebuild AkokaBridge in South Sudan in record time:

The bridge in Akoka village in the northern part of the land-locked country in East-Central Africa had been inoperable since last June when heavy rains washed away a 300-metre-long road segment.Rebuilt in record 10 days by the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in collaboration with the government, it has greatly benefited humanitarians, enabling faster aid delivery as well as security patrol and outreach activities by the Mission.

RESIGNS

Romania’s PM resigns after he loses support from party:

Romania’s Prime Minister Mihai Tudose resigned after his Social Democrat Party (PSD) leaders withdrew backing for him in an overwhelming vote, making him the second premier ousted by the party in less than seven months.

ROMANIA

Capital: Bucharest
Currency: Romanian leu

AWARDS

Actor Sudhir Dalvi gets Janakavi P Sawlaram award:

Actor Sudhir Dalvi was honoured with the Janakavi P Sawlaram award at a glittering function in Thane. The award is jointly given by the Thane Municipal Corporation and the Janakavi P Savlaram Kala Samiti. Well-known dancer Jaishree T was given the Ganga Jamuna award.

SPORTS

Indian boxers claim 11 gold medals in 7^th edition of Nation’s Cup tournament in Sombor, Serbia:

Indian boxers have claimed 11 gold medals and both the team championship trophies in the Nation’s Cup tournament for junior and youth women in Sombor, Serbia. The junior team won 13 medals, nine gold, two silver and two bronze medals, while the youth team clinched four medals 3 gold (60, 64 and 81 kilogram)and one bronze (54 kilogram).

SERBIA

Capital: Belgrade
Currency: Serbian dinar

Premier Badminton League: Hyderabad Hunters Claim Maiden Title

Hyderabad Hunters overcame a fighting Bengaluru Blasters in a thrilling summit clash to claim their maiden title at the third Premier Badminton League (PBL)at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium, Hyderabad.Mixed Doubles pair of SatwiksairajRankireddy and Pia Bernadet put up a dominant display in the last match to clinch the title and the winners’ prize purse for the Hunters.

Assam wins 8th Sub-junior National Hockey C’ship:

Hosts Assam Hockey rallied back in the first half to beat Hockey Rajasthan in the final of the 8th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship 2018 (B Division), at the Hojai Hockey stadium, Assam.

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