Download : 23rd January, 2017 – Current Affairs PDF
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NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
Himachal Pradesh Found Best State in Learning Outcomes by ASER
- According to the 2016 Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), Himachal Pradesh was found to be best performing state in India on the education front.
- Himachal Pradesh had the highest reading and mathematics learning levels, surpassing Kerala which is regarded as the most literate state of India.
- The enrollment rate of students in the age group 6-14 in Himachal Pradesh was 99.8 percent and the state secured first rank in achieving learning outcomes in basic reading and mathematics across the country.
Bihar Forms 11,292 km Human Chain to Eliminate Alcohol
- Bihar formed the world’s largest human chain in the state by holding hands of each other in order to express unity and support towards liquor ban.
- The human chain was about 11,292 km comprising of two crore citizens.
- This human chain is considered to be the world’s largest. The previous record is of 1050 km long human chain that was formed in Bangladesh in 2004.
Special Task Force for Women Safety in Delhi Reconstituted
- The 11-member STF will have Delhi Chief Secretary, Delhi Police Commissioner, DCW chief, and Principal Secretary, Home Department (Delhi) among others as its members.
- The task force was established in 2013 following the December 16, 2012 Nirbhaya Gangrape. It was disbanded in 2016.
Three-Day Arogya Mitra Conference Begins in Silchar, Assam
- Aim of the Conference
1. Make available minimum free medical services to the people of isolated and backward places.
2. Make people conscious of their health.
3. Provide special training to the workers, extend social services.
4. Arrange health check-up camps.
Centre forms Committee to Frame Rules for Implementation of RPD Act
- The committee is to frame uniform rules for the states to avoid delay in proper implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPD) Act across the country.
- The committee has to submit its report within three months. The Ministry plans to notify the rules on April 14, 2017.
Russian Railways help India to increase the speed of train to 200km
- India’s passenger train speed will be increased to 200 km per hour with the help of Russian Railways and budget of the high speed train will be shared between the two countries in the ratio 50:50
- Russian Railways is at present collaborating with Indian Railways on a 575-km stretch between Nagpur and Secunderabad.
- The fastest train in India is Gatimaan Express with the speed of 160 km per hour.
INTERNATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
2017 World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting Held in Davos, Switzerland
- The theme of 47th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2017 is Responsive and Responsible Leadership.
- The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) was launched at World Economic Forum (WEF) Davos with $460-million funding to develop vaccines against 3 emerging highly-contagious and fatal diseases namely Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-coronavirus, Lassa fever, and Nipah virus.
No More Visa-Free Facility for Indians in Hong Kong
- From now, the Indian nationals must apply for and successfully complete pre-arrival registration online before they can visit or transit the HKSAR visa-free.
- For those Indians who are travelling in direct transit by air via Hong Kong and not leaving the Hong Kong airport transit area would not require pre-arrival registration.
- Indians were till now permitted by Hong Kong to enter with valid passport for a period up to 14 days without a visa.
- The facility has been withdrawn since the number of Indian asylum seekers was on the rise for business, trade and holiday purpose.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Kwality Ltd Signs MoU with Bank of Baroda for Rs 4000 Cr Loan to Farmers
- Kwality Ltd has signed an MoU with Bank of Baroda to provide Rs. 4000 crore loans to one lakh farmers out of the established networks from whom the company procures milk.
- The MoU aims to provide financial assistance to improve socio-economic lives of farmers and encourage them towards digitisation.
- Kwality has a network of about 3.25 lakh across about 4,500 villages in largest milk producing states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan.
- The funds will be available at preferential rate and will be utilised mainly for purchasing of milching animals, smartphone and two wheelers.
Punjab National Bank Launches Contactless Credit Card
- Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched a Contactless Credit Card named PNB Wave N Pay to further enhance its digitalization initiative.
- The customers simply need to waive the card across the terminal to complete the transaction process, without the need to enter any PIN number for transactions.
Apple Named as The Most Innovative Company In The World
- According to the annual 50 Most Innovative Companies survey report published by the management consulting firm BCG (Boston Consulting Group), , Apple Inc. has been named as the World’s Most Innovative Company in 2016.
- This is the 11th time that the report has been revised since it first appeared in the year 2004.
- Top 5 Most innovative Company
| 1 | Apple |
| 2 | |
| 3 | Tesla Motors |
| 4 | Microsoft |
| 5 | Amazon |
CCI Approves Merging MakeMyTrip with ibibo Group
- Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the proposed merger of online travel firm MakeMyTrip’s Indian travel business with rival Ibibo Group.
- Under the deal, MakeMyTrip will own the business of Ibibo Group including goibibo, redBus, Ryde and Rightstay
- The two companies together processed 34.1 million transactions during the financial year 2016.
- With the deal Ibibo’s owners, Naspers and Tencent will own 40% stake in the merged entity and will have 10 directors.
PEOPLE IN NEWS
Ex-BCCI president Anurag Thakur to head Himachal Olympic Association
- Ex-BCCI president Anurag Thakur was today unanimously elected head of the Himachal Pradesh Olympic Association (HPOA) for a four-year term.’
- Virender Kanwar was elected Senior Vice-President, while Rajesh Bhandari, who is a Vice President of the Boxing Federation of India, was elected General Secretary.
AWARDS
Over 3.5 lakh People Sing National Anthem to Create World Record in Gujarat
- Earlier, similar record was made by 2,54,537 people who sung the national anthem in Bangladesh in 2014.
- The record was made during the installation of idol of goddess Khodiyar at a newly-built Khodal Dham temple in Kagvad town in Rajkot district.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
TeamIndus proposes nameplate on the Moon for Rs.500
- Bengaluru start-up TeamIndus proposes nameplate on the Moon for Rs.500.
- Indians are being offered the opportunity to leave their name on the moon, for a price.
- Space start-up TeamIndus will get the names of public ‘donors’ micro-engraved on a small-sized aluminium object, which will be placed on the lunar surface when its lander descends on the moon.
China Commissions its 31st Stealth Warship
- China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy commissioned its 31st stealth warship
- With the commissioning of the 31st Type—056 class corvette warship, CNS Ezhou, China has become the world’s largest fleet of modern corvettes.
- With a maximum speed of 52 km/h, the ship is installed with a high-level of automation and stealth capability, and is capable of hitting aircraft, ships and submarines. The ship has been deployed to perform coastal patrol, fishery escort, anti-submarine and anti-ship operations.
Indian Scientists Deploys Plasma to Heal Human & Earth
- Indian scientists at the Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), lying between Sabarmati River in Gandhinagar and Amul Diary have taken steps to make use of plasma for healing not only humans but also the earth.
- Plasma is a unique state of matter (other than solid, liquid and gas) in which charged ions are bound in gaseous form but since the whole mass is charged they behave uniquely unlike any other known form of matter.
- Cool plasma can be used to cure human fungal infections. Besides, it is also used to treat a type of very warm wool called Angoora that produces some of the warmest woollen clothing.
- In addition, high temperature plasmas are also being used to destroy toxic and organic waste from hospitals, thus helping heal the Earth.
SPORTS
Sunish wins ITF Juniors title
- Dhruv Sunish won ITF Juniors title at the Dakshin Kalikata Sansad clay courts.
- The under-18 India number two, who had lost in the finals of the Chandigarh Grade 3 ITF Juniors in the first week of 2017 and 2 ITF Juniors in 2016, played flawlessly to win the title.
Saina Nehwal Lifts 2017 Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold
- Indian badminton ace Saina Nehwal clinched the 2017 Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold women’s single title
- This was her first award of 2017 and 23rd title overall.
2017 Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold winner list
| Title | Winner | Runner |
| Men’s Singles | Ng Ka Long(Hong Kong) | Lee Hyun-il(South Korea) |
| Women’s Singles | Saina Nehwal(India) | Pornpawee Chochuwong(Thailand) |
| Men’s Doubles | Berry Angriawan & Hardianto9 Indonesia) | Goh Sze Fei & Nur Izzuddin(Malaysia) |
| Women’s Doubles | Jongkolphan Kititharakul & Rawinda Prajongjai(Thailand) | Poon Lok Yan & Tse Ying Suet(Hong Kong) |
| Mixed Doubles | Tan Kian Meng & Lai Pei Jing9 Malaysia) | Goh Soon Huat & Shevon Jemie Lai(Malaysia) |