Daily Current Affairs : October 8 & 9, 2017

NATIONAL

First Meeting of India-Australia Joint Steering Committee held:

The First Meeting of India-Australia Joint Steering Committee was held. Shri TVSN Prasad, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs and Mr. Stephen Bouwhuis, First Assistant Secretary, International and Auscheck Division, Criminal Justice Group, Attorney-General’s Department led the respective delegations.

Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime exchanged between the two sides during the visit of Australian Prime Minister Mr. Malcolm Turnbull to New Delhi in April this year and his talks with the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

Australia

• Capital: Canberra
• Currency: Australian dollar
• Prime minister: Malcolm Turnbull

Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and UP Sign MoU to Boost Culture and Tourism:

To boost cultural ties, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya under the ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’ programme.

Under the ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’ programme, the states will connect with each other to know more about the culture, heritage and traditions of each other. The programme aims at actively enhancing interaction between people of diverse cultures living in different states and union territories, with the objective of promoting greater mutual understanding among them.

Arunachal Pradesh

• Capital: Itanagar
• Chief Minister: Pema Khandu
• Governor: B D Mishra

Meghalaya

• Capital: Shillong
• Chief Minister: Mukul Sangma
• Governor: Banwarilal Purohit

Uttar Pradesh

• Capital: Lucknow
• Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath
• Governor: Shri Ram Naik

India’s first Marine Police Training Institute to be set up at Dev Bhoomi Dwarka:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the setting up of the country’s first “Marine Police Training Institute” at the newly created Dev Bhoomi Dwarka district of Gujarat.

This announcement was given at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of a bridge between Okha and Beyt Dwarka, during PM Narendra Modi’s two day visit to Gujarat.

Gujarat

• Capital: Gandhinagar
• Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani
• Governor: Om Prakash Kohli

ISRO to Set up Research Centre in Guwahati:

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will set up a research centre here for startups, academicians, environmentalists and entrepreneurs.

ISRO would set up the exclusive research facility in Assam to explore the possibility of using geospatial technology, which include data generated through global positioning system (GPS), geographical information systems (GIS) and satellite remote sensing for expediting the development of Assam

India and European Union 14th summit, Three key pacts inked; both sides agree to strengthen trade and security ties:

India and the European Union agreed to strengthen ties in key areas of trade and security after their 14th summit, during which Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the top EU leadership deliberated extensively on bilateral, regional and international issues.

After the summit, European Council President Donald Franciszek Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker talked about the much-delayed trade pact between the two sides at a joint press event with Modi.

The two sides also inked three pacts, including one on an international solar alliance, after the summit.

President launches Mata Amritanandamayi Math Project Jeevamritham in Kerala:

President launched 100 crore rupees Mata Amritanandamayi Math Project “Jeevamritham “to provide filtration system for cleaning drinking water to 5000 villages across India, in kollam district in kerala.

The President also distributed the certificates to three village out of 12 villages in the States of Bihar, UP, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Chatisgarh, Uttarakand, Maharashtra and kerala, which were adopted by the Math, verified as Open Defecation Free by Swatch Bharat Abhiyan.

Kerala

• Capital: Tiruvanantapuram
• Chief Minister: Pinarayi Vijayan
• Governor: Sathasivam

INTERNATIONAL

US to sell $15 bn missile defence to Saudi Arabia:

The US government has approved the sale to Saudi Arabia of the advanced Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) missile defence system for USD 15 billion, the State Department.

This sale furthers US national security and foreign policy interests, and supports the long-term security of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region in the face of Iranian and other regional threats.

USA

• President of the United States: Donald Trump
• Currency: United States Dollar
• Capital: Washington, D.C.

Saudi Arabia

• Capital: Riyadh
• Currency: Saudi riyal

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Panel to review GST composition scheme:

A group of ministers or GoM has been set up under Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to make the composition scheme more attractive and to revisit the goods and services tax rates on restaurants.

To bring simplicity and to reduce the compliance cost for the small taxpayers, the GST Council in its 22nd meeting has decided to allow taxpayers with Rs 1.5 crore to file quarterly returns and at the same time increased the threshold for composition scheme to Rs. 1 crore from the present Rs. 75 lakh.

Axis Bank acquires Freecharge, appoints Sangram Singh as CEO:

India’s third largest private sector bank – Axis Bank acquired payments wallet Free charge for Rs 373 crore in an all-cash deal.

Sangram Singh has been appointed as the CEO of Free charge Payment Technologies Private Ltd.

John Hastings Retires from Test and ODI Cricket:

 Australian fast bowler John Hastings has called it quits from Test Match and ODIs, citing recurring injuries as the reason. The 31-year-old wants to solely focus on T20 cricket.

AWARDS

BHEL wins National Safety awards:

Among a host of public and private sector companies in the country, six ‘National Safety Awards’ have been won by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) for outstanding achievements in terms of the longest accident free period and lowest accident frequency rate at their works.

The awards were received by Sh. Atul Sobti, Chairman & Managing Director, BHEL from Sh. Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Hon’ble Union Minister of State, Labour & Employment (Independent Charge), at a function in New Delhi.

Belarussian student becomes first-ever Miss wheelchair world:

A psychology student from Belarus, Aleksandra Chichikova, was chosen Miss Wheelchair World in the first-ever edition of the beauty pageant held in Warsaw.

Lebohang Monyatsi from South Africa was the runner-up ahead of Poland’s Adrianna Zawadzinska.

Belarus

• Currency: Belarusian ruble
• Capital: Minsk

Rajesh Nath Gets Germany’s Highest Civilian Honour:

Rajesh Nath, Managing Director of VDMA India, has been conferred the ‘Cross of the Order of Merit’, the highest civilian honour awarded to individuals for their services to Germany.

The award, also known as Bundesverdienstkreuz or Federal Cross of Merit was instituted in 1951 and is Germany’s only honour that is awarded to both Germans and foreigners for achievements in the economic, social, political or intellectual realms.

GERMANY

• Currency: Euro
• Capital: Berlin

SPORTS

Lewis Hamilton wins Japanese Grand Prix:

Lewis Hamilton moved within reach of a fourth Formula One world championship after winning a Japanese Grand Prix that saw Ferrari title rival Sebastian Vettel retire with engine problems.

Japan

• Capital: Tokyo
• Currency: Yen
• Prime minister: Shinzō Abe

Samiya Crowned Asian Junior Championship:

Indian shuttler Samiya Imad Farooqui clinched the gold medal at the Under-15 women’s singles competition after defeating Indonesia’s Widjaja Stephani at the Asian Junior Championship Yangon,Myanmar.

Myanmar

• Currency: Burmese kyat
• Capital: Naypyidaw

Rafael Nadal Wins Mens single title of china open:

World number one Rafael Nadal won his sixth title of another remarkable year at the China Open

Caroline Garcia stuns new no.1 Simona Halep to win China Open:

Unseeded Caroline Garcia of France won her second title in as many weeks as she stunned new world number one Simona Halep in the closely fought final of the China Open.

China

• Currency: Renminbi
• Capital: Beijing
• Prime minister: Li Keqiang
• President: Xi Jinping

Anupama Clinches World Open Under-16 Snooker Championship Title:

India’s Anupama Ramachandran clinched the World Open Under-16 Snooker Championship title at St. Petersburg in Russia.

This is the Federation of Billiards Sports of Russia hosted this first-ever World Open championships for Under-16 boys and girls.

Russia

• Russian President: Vladimir Putin.
• Currency: Russian ruble
• Capital: Moscow

OBITUARY

Noted Journalist Bismoy Kumar Mohanty no more:

Noted journalist Bismoy Kumar Mohanty died following a heart attack at Puri. Mohanty was 62.

Famous Filmmaker Kundan Shah passes away:

Veteran director Kundan Shah, best known for the dark comedy Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, passed away. He was 69.

Former Union Minister Purushottam Lal Kaushik Passes Away:

Former Union minister and socialist leader Purushottam Lal Kaushik died due to age-related ailments at his home in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district. He was 87.

HISTORIC EVENT OF THE DAY

Air Force Day: October 8^th

The 85^th anniversary Air Force Day parade was marked by a stunning air display with various aircraft at the Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.