18 October 2016 - Current Affairs

PM Modi inaugurates three hydropower projects in Himachal Pradesh

  • Prime Minster Narendra Modi has inaugurated three hydropower projects of 1,752 MW capacity in Himachal Pradesh.
  • He dedicated to the nation third phase of Parbati Hydropower project (520 Megawatt), Rampur project (412 Megawatt) and Kol Dam power project (800 Megawatt).
  • It is the first visit of  PM Modi to Himachal Pradesh after becoming Prime Minister.
  • International Affairs


World Bank to provide $1 bln to Bangladesh to fight child malnutrition

  • World Bank President Jim Yong Kim has announced One billion US Dollar aid to Bangladesh over the next three years to fight child malnutrition.
  • The announced investment will support programs to ensure sufficient child nutrition and include a conditional cash transfer scheme targeted at six lakh poor families in 43 sub-districts.
  • The Bank’s new announced assistance is almost a 100% increase in investment compared to previous 3-year period.


Vice President Hamid Ansari reaches Algeria

  • Vice President Hamid Ansari has reached Algeria to discuss wide ranging issues including cooperation in Oil, Gas, Phosphate and collaboration in Space field with Algeria’s Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal.
  • Ansari laid the wreath at the Cemetery of El-Alia, known as Square of Martyrs.
  • The diplomatic relationship between India and Algeria was established in 1962, the year Algeria gained independence from colonial rule.


Saina Nehwal appointed member of IOC’s Athletes’ Commission

  • Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal has been appointed as a member of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Athletes’ Commission.
  • Saina has received a letter to the effect from the IOC President Thomas Bach.
  • The Athletes’ Commission is chaired by Angela Ruggiero and it comprises nine vice presidents and 10 other members.
  • Saina’s appointment to the prestigious panel has come just when she is set to resume practice after recovering from a knee injury.


Amandeep Singh Gill appointed as India’s Ambassador to UN

  • Amandeep Singh Gill (IFS officer- 1992 batch) has been appointed as the India’s Ambassador to the UN Conference on Disarmament, Geneva.
  • Gill has represented India on the UN Secretary General’s Panel on Missiles from 2007 to 2008.
  • The Conference on Disarmament (CD) is not formally a United Nations (UN) organization. It is linked to the UN through a personal representative of the UN Secretary-General


Odisha govt. to roll out biometrics authentication for NFSA beneficiaries

  • State Food Supply and Consumer Affairs Minister Sanjay Kumar Dasburma has said Odisha government will roll out biometrics authentication for receiving food grains for beneficiaries of National Food Security Act (NFSA) from January next year.
  • The step would maintain transparency and check corruption in the distribution of food grains.
  • NFSA cards of beneficiaries will be linked to their Aadhaar Cards.


FPIs withdraws Rs 6,000-crore from debt markets in 2-weeks

  • Foreign Portfolio Investors have pulled out nearly Rs. 6,000 crore from the Indian debt markets in the first two weeks of October.
  • They have pumped in just 180 crore rupees in the stock markets during the period under review, according to the data available with depositories.
  • The outflow comes following a net inflow of 9,789 crore rupees in the month of September.
  • This year Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI) have pulled out a net sum of 3,504 crore rupees from the debt markets, while they have pumped in Rs. 51,473 crore in equities, resulting in a net inflow of 47,968 crore rupees.


Rwanda’s last king, Kigeli V passes away

  • The last king of Rwanda Kigeli V (80-year) has passed away in United States of America(USA).
  • King Kigeli came to power in 1959 and was forced to leave the country the following year after clashing with the Belgian colonial power.
  • The king began a life of exile in east Africa, including Kenya and Uganda, before leaving for America, where he settled in the suburbs of Washington in 1992


Sensor to detect vitamin B12 deficiency in a Jiffy

  • Researchers from the University of Adelaide have developed a world’s first optical sensor that can detect vitamin B12 in diluted human blood.
  • The newly developed sensor takes less than a minute and requires minimum preparation, whereas current testing methods are time-consuming and costly.
  • The sensor uses an optical measuring technique called Raman spectroscopy which produces a unique optical fingerprint of a target molecule.
  • Vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.


Maharajas’ Express receives ‘Seven Star Hospitality’ award

  • An Indian luxurious train”Maharaja Express” has earned the tag of world’s most luxurious train.
  • The train has received the 2016 ‘Seven Star Luxury Hospitality and Lifestyle Awards‘ at Marbella in Spain.
  • The Maharajas’ Express operated by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation(IRCTC).


India wrestlers bag four medals at 2016 TAFISA World Games

  • Indian grapplers clinched four medals (a gold), at the sixth edition of the TAFISA World Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.
  • Dalmiya bagged the Gold medal in 60kg category after outplaying Muhammad Sahan of Azerbaijan 4-1 in the summit clash.
  • Indian wrestlers Luv Singh (80 kg category) claimed a silver, while Naveen Kumar and Josil settled for a bronze medal each.

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