Daily Current affairs - September 29th, 2017 for all competitive exams
International Coffee
Day is an occasion that is used to promote and
celebrate coffee as a beverage, with events now occurring in places
across the world. The first official date was 1 October 2015, as agreed by
the International Coffee Organization and was launched in Milan.
- This day is also used to promote fair trade
coffee and to raise awareness for the plight of the coffee growers.
September 29 - World Heart
Day, 2017
The World Heart Foundation
organizes World Heart Day on September 29 each year to inform people about
cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which are the biggest cause of death and
disability in the world.
- The day promotes the awareness for preventive
measures to reduce the risk of CVDs.
- This year, World Heart Day theme is ‘share the power’.
World Maritime Day 2017 celebrated on September 28
The World Maritime Day was formally celebrated by the International
Maritime Organisation (IMO) on 28 September 2017.
- World Maritime Day is an official United Nations
day. Every year, it provides an opportunity to focus attention on the
importance of shipping and other maritime activities and to emphasize a
particular aspect of IMO’s work.
- Theme: “Connecting Ships, Ports and People” is the theme
of World Maritime Day this year.
Ministry of Health adjudged
best for ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’, receives award
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been adjudged as the best
department for its contribution during Swachhta Pakhwada, an inter-Ministry
initiative of Swachh Bharat Mission of Ministry of Drinking Water and
Sanitation.
- The Health Ministry observed the Swachhta Pakhwada
from 1st February, 2017 to 15th February, 2017.
- The award was presented to the Ministry on 2nd
October, 2017.
DD’s analogue terrestrial TV
transmitters to go
The Prasar Bharati decided
to phase out analogue terrestrial television transmitters of Doordarshan and
the transition to digital network would open a world of possibilities
including, new city-specific DD channels.
- With digital, one can broadcast as many channels as
needed.
- It will also help DD to talk to its audience in
their own dialects and connecting with them at a micro level. It will be
similar to city-specific radio channels that are airing out of many
metros.
Govt. studying report on
online abuse
The Home Ministry is
examining an expert committee report that has recommended measures to contain
the growing menace of online abuse, particularly against women.
The report also deliberates
on hate speeches and vitriolic messages on online platforms.
- The panel was set up after the Supreme Court struck
down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act in 2014.
- The committee headed by T.K. Viswanathan, former
Secretary General of the Lok Sabha, submitted its report to the Home
Ministry recently.
- The panel has recommended amending Section 78 of the
Information Technology Act, which mandates an officer not below the rank
of an Inspector to investigate such cases of online misuse.
Directorate General of Quality Assurance Celebrates its
Diamond Jubilee
Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) has completed 60 years of
its existence.
- The organisation has quality assured Defence stores
worth Rs. 28,878 crore during the financial year 2016-17.
- In addition, the organisation has been providing
assistance to the User and Manufacturer in difficult and trying
situations, warranting the technical expertise and hands-on experience.
VVPAT to be used in Gujarat polls
The Election Commission of India will use Voter Verifiable Paper Audit
Trail (VVPAT) gadgets with Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in all 50,128
voting booths in Gujarat, which goes to the Assembly polls at the end of this
year.
- This is the first time an entire assembly poll will
be conducted using EVMs equipped with VVPAT.
- VVPAT stands for Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail.
VVPAT system maintains a physical trail of all votes cast. Small slips of
paper records the details of the vote. The Election Commission (EC) first
introduced VVPAT in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
India signs MoU to train Afghan police
India and Afghanistan have exchanged a memorandum of understanding, which
will see Afghan police forces trained in India for the first time.
- The MoU on Technical Cooperation on Police Training
and Development will see India expand its capacity building of Afghan
troops to include policemen and security forces, who are facing the brunt
of Taliban attacks in the country, under a UN Development Programme
project.
ADB plans to raise lending up to $4 billion to India
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has decided to raise its annual lending to
India to a maximum of $4 billion to support the country to accelerate inclusive
economic transformation toward upper middle-income status, as laid out in a new
ADB country partnership strategy (CPS) for 2018-2022 endorsed recently.
- ADB’s programme in India will focus on three main
pillars of activity during the 5-year period — boosting economic
competitiveness to create more and well-paid jobs, improved access to
infrastructure and services, and addressing climate change and improving
climate resilience.
- The planned lending level, which includes private
sector operations, compares with an average of $2.65 billion a year in
loans extended in the period 2012-2016.
4th gravitational wave detected by LIGO, Virgo
observatory
A fourth gravitational wave has been detected — this time with help from
Italy-based equipment — after two black holes collided, sending ripples through
the fabric of space and time.
- The newly produced spinning black hole has about 53
times the mass of our Sun. While this new event is of astrophysical
relevance, its detection comes with an additional asset: this is the first
significant gravitational wave signal recorded by the Virgo detector.
- Gravitational waves were predicted by Albert
Einstein a century ago as part of his theory of general relativity, but
the first hard evidence of their existence came only in 2015, when two
U.S. detectors found the first such signal.
Flight ban on Kurdish capital
All foreign flights to and
from the Iraqi Kurdish capital Irbil will be suspended from September 28.
- Baghdad increases pressure on the Kurds over this
week’s independence referendum. The move by the central government marks
the first major step taken in retaliation for Monday’s vote, which
delivered a resounding 92.7% “yes”.
Tata Capital names Rajiv Sabharwal as new CEO & MD
Tat a Capital named Rajiv
Sabharwal as its next chief executive officer( CEO) and managing director( MD)
who will take charge from April next year.
- Sabharwal will join Tat a Capital in January 2018
and would take over the position from current MD and CEO Praveen.
World Gold Council to form
panel for establishing spot gold bourse in India
The World Gold Council (WGC)
plans to form a committee soon to help set up India’s first spot gold exchange
within 12 to 18 months.
- The committee, which is likely to be formed in the
December quarter, will not set up the exchange.
- It will provide guidance in setting up the exchange,
he said, while releasing a WGC report highlighting the need for a
dedicated spot gold exchange in the country.
- In 2015, Indian government had floated the idea of
setting up a national gold exchange. India’s push for an exchange follows
the gold monetisation and sovereign bond schemes introduced in last few
years, designed to mobilise the country’s gold hoard and reduce imports of
the precious metal that weighs on the country’s trade deficit.
BHU appoints first woman chief
proctor
The Banaras Hindu University
(BHU) appointed its first woman chief proctor, Royana Singh, after
her predecessor resigned taking moral responsibility for the recent violence on
the campus.
- The appointment was approved by Vice-Chancellor
Girish Chandra Tripathi, following the resignation of O.N. Singh.
Jishitha wins World crown
D. Jishitha maintained her
awesome winning spree to claim the gold medal in the girls (under-14) section
of the World Youth Chess Championship.
- Jishitha, seeded six and tottering at the ninth spot after six rounds, won the last five rounds of the 11-round Swiss League to finish with nine points.
