Daily Current affairs - December 8th, 2017 for all competitive exams
Central Board of Direct Taxes, CBDT, has extended the date for linking Aadhaar with PAN till 31st of March next year.
- In a release, Finance Ministry stated, it has come to the notice that some of the taxpayers have not yet completed the linking of PAN with Aadhaar.
- Therefore, to facilitate the process of linking, it has been decided to further extend the time for linking of Aadhaar with PAN.
- All taxpayers having Aadhaar Number or Enrolment Number are required to link the same with Permanent Account Number
India joins elite multilateral export control regime
India has become the 42nd member of Wassenaar Arrangement (WA).
Wassenaar Arrangement is a multilateral export control regime.
- The WA membership is also expected to build up a strong case for India’s entry into the NSG.
- The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies, commonly known as the Wassenaar Arrangement, is a multilateral export control regime established to ensure regional and international security and stability promoting transparency in transfer of arms and dual-use goods and technologies.
- India’s entry into the export control regime would enhance its credentials in the field of non-proliferation despite not being a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
- The WA membership is also expected to build up a strong case for India’s entry into the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
Union Minister highlighted for Border Protection Grid (BPG)
The Union Home Minister recently highlighted the importance of having Border Protection Grid (BPG) in the country. The concept was highlighted during the recently held meeting of the Chief Ministers of the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB) States, in Kolkata.
- Border Protection Grid (BPG) is a multi-pronged and foolproof mechanism to secure border. The grid will comprise of various elements namely physical barriers, non-physical barriers, surveillance system, Intelligence agencies, State Police, BSF and other State and Central agencies.
- BPG will be supervised by a State level Standing Committee under the Chairmanship of respective Chief Secretaries.
Ministers not under RTI: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has set aside the Central Information Commission order declaring Ministers as “public authorities” and answerable under the Right to Information law.
- Justice Vibhu Bakhru overturned the March 12, 2016, CIC verdict saying “there was no occasion for the CIC to enter upon the question as to whether a minister is a 'public authority' under Section 2(h) of the Act”.
- The High Court’s order came on the Centre’s appeal against the CIC order.
Can’t lower cut-off once set: HC
The Allahabad High Court has held that cut-off marks for the reserved category in a recruitment process cannot be decreased in a later stage because vacancies under the reserved quota remained unfilled.
- Dismissing a petition filed by Bhuvnesh Pachauri, an unsuccessful candidate belonging to the “Dependents of Freedom Fighters” (General) category, Justice Siddharth observed, “Petitioner participated in recruitment process and later challenged select list and prayed that cut-off marks for reserved category should be lowered to fill vacant posts.”
- However, once the petitioner agreed to the procedure of selection but was unsuccessful, he cannot turn around and protest against the terms of the process of selection.
- The petitioner’s contention was that according to law, 2% seats were required to be reserved for the “Dependents of Freedom Fighters”.
Hindi now fourth most-spoken language in New Zealand
New Zeland envoy Joanna Kempkers said Hindi is now the “fourth most-spoken” language in her country.
- She also emphasised that the inflow of Indian tourists to New Zealand and the number of students going there are on the rise.
- A few months ago, Education New Zealand, a government agency for international education, had signed up Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon as its brand ambassador.
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Wellington
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Jacinda Ardern
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World’s 1st robot citizen calls for Saudi women’s rights
The humanoid robot Sophia who became the world’s first robot citizen in October this year after receiving Saudi Arabia’s citizenship has called for women’s rights in the kingdom.
- Notably, women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to marry, divorce, travel or get a job without permission from their male guardians as per the country’s law.
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Riyadh
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Saudi Riyal
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King
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Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud
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Queen Elizabeth inaugurates new “Best of British” aircraft carrier
Queen Elizabeth 2 formally commissioned into the British navy the UK’s newest and biggest aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, at a ceremony on December 7.
- The warship, which cost 3 billion pounds to build, was hailed as a true flagship for the 21st century.
- The ship can operate with a crew of 1,000 and 40 aircraft on deck, and measures 280 metres in length and weighs 65,000 tonnes.
Britain & EU reach historic deal on terms of Brexit divorce
Britain and the European Union reached a historic deal on the terms of the Brexit divorce.
- European Commission, President Jean-Claude Juncker stated that sufficient progress had been made by Britain on separation issues including the Irish border, Britain’s divorce bill, and citizen’s rights.
- British Prime Minister Theresa may stated that EU citizens in the UK will be able to go on living as before and there would be no hard border.
- Theresa may expect a formal agreement to be approved at the summit.
- The agreement paves the way for EU leaders at a summit on 14th and 15th of this month to open the second phase of Brexit negotiations, covering trade talks and a transition period.
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London
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Pound Sterling
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Britain Prime Minster
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Theresa may
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European Union Capital
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Brussels
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European Union Headquarters
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City of Brussels, Belgium
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Qatar and France sign $1 billion Rafale fighter jet deal amid gulf crisis
Qatar announced a deal to buy 12 French-built Rafale fighter jets, as it faces a boycott by neighbouring Gulf states in the region’s worst political crisis in years.
- The 1.1-billion-euro ($1.3-billion) order, announced during an official visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, allows for an option to buy a further 36 jets.
- It comes on top of a 2015 agreement on the purchase of 24 Dassault Aviation-built Rafale warplanes.
World’s smallest Mona Lisa ‘painted’ with DNA
Scientists have created the world’s smallest copy of Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting Mona Lisa using DNA.
- Researchers from California Institute of Technology in the U.S. developed an inexpensive method by which DNA origami self-assembles into large arrays with entirely customisable patterns, creating a sort of canvas that can display any image.
- While DNA is perhaps best known for encoding the genetic information of living things, the molecule is also an excellent chemical building block.
- A single-stranded DNA molecule is composed of smaller molecules called nucleotides - abbreviated A, T, C and G - arranged in a string, or sequence.
- The nucleotides in a single-stranded DNA molecule can bond with those of another single strand to form double-stranded DNA, but the nucleotides bind only in very specific ways: an A nucleotide with a T or a C nucleotide with a G. These strict base-pairing “rules” make it possible to design DNA origami. A large DNA canvas is assembled out of smaller square origami tiles.
- Researchers developed software that can take an image such as the Mona Lisa, divide it up into small square sections, and determine the DNA sequences needed to make up those squares.
- They then got those sections to self-assemble into a superstructure that recreates the Mona Lisa.
SAICON 2017 held in New Delhi
SAICON 2017 is the First International Conference on Sports Medicine and Sports Sciences. It is being held in New Delhi.
- Organized by Sports Authority of India, the 3-day conference is being attended by about 1000 national and international delegates.
- It aims to promote scientific temperament in the country and inspire students, researchers and educationists alike to take up sports science and research to the next level.
Wearable devices may soon win insurers’ nod
Insurance regulator IRDAI has constituted a working group to examine the use of wearable and portable devices in the insurance framework.
- The 10-member group will evaluate how technological advancements, particularly in wearable and portable devices, may be treated from a “point of view of risk improvement, risk assessment and use/distribution of such devices as part of policy design.”
- This apart, it would examine various aspects that are bound to impact the pricing as well as suggest a policy framework keeping in view the interests of policyholders.
- The working group has to submit its report within eight weeks.
Mateusz Morawiecki to be new prime minister of Poland
Poland’s prime minister resigned and will be replaced by Finance Minister Mateusz Morawiecki
- As the conservative ruling party took the risk of trading a popular leader for a former international banker who seemed better-suited to representing Poland to critics outside the country
- The reshuffling came after weeks of speculation that Prime Minister Beata Szydlo might be replaced, even though her government is popular with many Poles and the economy is booming.
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Warsaw
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Andrzej Duda
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi was Yahoo India’s Most Searched Personality in 2017
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was Yahoo India’s Most Searched Personality in 2017.
- Virat Kohli tops list of Yahoo’s Most Searched Sportsperson in 2017
- India skipper Virat Kohli led his team to the number one spot in the ICC Test rankings and also found himself on top of Yahoo’s list of most searched sports people in 2017.
- The 29-year-old’s exploits on and off the field also saw him make it to the fifth spot among Yahoo’s India’s Most Searched Personality.
Time person of the year 2017
Time has chosen its 2017 Person of the Year: the Silence Breakers, the women and men who have come forward to shed light on sexual harassment and abuse in America.
- “The Silence Breakers” is the vanguard of a global movement by millions of women to share their stories of sexual harassment and abuse.
Irrfan Khan receives Honorary Award at Dubai International Film Festival
Actor Irrfan Khan was presented with an Honorary Award at the 14th edition of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF).
- He was awarded for the “incredible body of work of more than 80 films in India as well as his work in British films and Hollywood”.
- Irrfan’s drama film ‘The Song of Scorpions’ will also screen at the festival.
- The other recipients of awards at the ceremony were, Cate Blanchett (Carol, Elizabeth: The Golden Age), Sir Patrick Stewart (Star Trek and X-Men franchises) and Egyptian writer Wahid Hamed (the Yacoubian Building).
Deep purple named the colour of 2018
What we have here in 2017 is a heap of chaos and disruption. What we need in 2018? The Pantone Color Institute thinks whatever that might be will come in the deep purple hue of “Ultra Violet”, its colour of the year
- Ultra Violet leans more to blue than red
- The 2018 colour of the year follows 2017’s “Greenery”, a grassy fresh, revitalising shade that reflected new beginnings.
- The purple choice, a la Prince and the glam rock of David Bowie both of whom died in 2016 speaks to rebellion, finding new ways to interpret our lives and surroundings, Ms. Pressman said. It also speaks to the pleasing calm of Provence and its purple flower fields.
Cristiano Ronaldo wins his 5th Ballon d’Or award as the best player
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or award as soccer’s best player of the year.
- He made a record-equalling fifth time, with Barcelona star Lionel Messi.
- Messi won it from 2009-12 and again in 2015.
- Ronaldo also took home the Ballon d’Or prize in 2013 and 2014, and in 2008 when playing for Manchester United.
Batra set to become IOA president
International Hockey Federation president Narinder Batra is all set to take charge as president of the Indian Olympic Association as well after his only rival, Anil Khanna, withdrew from the race.
- Khanna, one of AITA’s three honorary life presidents, wrote to the IOA members informing them of his decision.
Kohli grabs the second position in Test rankings
India captain Virat Kohli jumped three places to grab the second position among batsmen in the ICC Test rankings.
- Smith is in top rank with 938 points while Kohli is on 893 points.
- Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting is the only batsman to have been at the top in all three formats at the same time in December -January 2005-06.
Nagpur’s Kanchanmala becomes first Indian to win gold at World Para-Swimming Championship
Kanchanmala became the first Indian to win the gold medal in the World Para-Swimming Championship.
- Kanchanmala secured the top spot in 200 meters medley event in the S-11 category.
- She was expecting a medal at Mexico but a gold medal was totally unexpected
