11 January 2017 - Daily Current Affairs

11 January 2017 - Daily Current Affairs

National Appointments

Rocket scientist K Sivan appointed as Chairman of ISRO

Rocket scientist K Sivan appointed as Chairman of ISRO

  • Renowned scientist K Sivan (Rocket Man of ISRO) has been appointed as the Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), also as Secretary in the Department of Space and chairman of Space Commission for a tenure of three years.
  • He will succeed A S Kiran Kumar.
  • Currently, Sivan is serving as the Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Trivandrum.
  • Mr. Sivan completed his graduation from Madras Institute of Technology in aeronautical engineering (in 1980), Master of Engineering in Aerospace engineering from IISc, Bangalore (in 1982) and Ph.D. in Aerospace engineering from IIT, Bombay (in 2006).
Note:
  • The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is the space agency of the Government of India headquartered in the city of Bangalore.
  • Its vision is to harness space technology for national development while pursuing space science research and planetary exploration.

National Affairs

Prez Kovind to inaugurate three-day 4th International Dharma Dhamma conference

  • Today, President Ram Nath Kovind has inaugurated a three-day International Dharma-Dhamma conference at Rajgir in Bihar.
  • The conference has been jointly organized by India Foundation, Nalanda University, Ministry of External Affairs, Asean-India and Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha.
  • The objective of the conference to provide an opportunity to academics and policy makers from India and abroad to share ideas and build collaboration for a better world.

Monorail used by Maharaja of Patiala is now operational

  • The National Rail Museum has announced, to start heritage train Monorail for visitors (108-yrs old used by Maharaja of Patiala).
  • The Museum announced to start this heritage train on every Thursday for visitors.
  • The National Rail Museum (NRM) is a museum in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi which focuses on the rail heritage of India it opened on the 1st February 1977.

UIDAI Introduces ‘Virtual ID’ to Strengthen Privacy and Security of Aadhaar Data

  • The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has introduced a 'Virtual ID' (temporary and revocable 16-digit random number) to further strengthen privacy and security of Aadhaar number holders.
  • Aadhaar card holder can generate the Virtual ID from UIDAI website for various purposes like SIM card verification, instead of sharing the actual 12-digit biometric ID.
  • This temporary number, like an OTP, will be valid for a particular time period (decided by UIDAI), unless revoked and replaced by the Aadhaar holder.
  • The UIDAI has introduced Virtual IDs (VID) that Aadhaar holders will be able to generate for a temporary period and can use in place of Aadhaar numbers to validate their identity.

West Bengal govt launching water ATMs in city, districts

  • The West Bengal government has launched a water ATM project to provide bacteria-free drinking water in schools with the help of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Asian Development Bank, and the World Bank.
  • If someone can prove the presence of harmful bacteria in any such water ATM, he will be given Rs 2 lakh.
  • This was a novel project and the pilot has already begun in some areas of Kolkata (50 such water ATMs).
  • Arsenic contamination was most alarming in 90 blocks of seven districts, but now it contains by 61%.

Banking & Finance

BSE, NSE launches new IRF contracts offering 7.17% yield on govt bonds

  • Today, Leading Exchanges - BSE and NSE has launched the new interest rate futures (IRF) contracts offering 7.17% yield on government bonds
  • The 10-year-benchmark bonds will mature on 8th January 2028.
Note:
  • An IRF is a contract between a buyer and a seller agreeing to the future delivery of any interest-bearing asset such as government bonds.
  • Banks, primary dealers, mutual funds, insurers, FIIs, corporates and brokers, as well as retail investors trade in this product.

SEBI bans Price Waterhouse entities from issuing audit certificates for 2 yrs

  • The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has barred auditor major Price Waterhouse's network entities from issuing audit certificates to any listed company in India for two years.
  • The order comes after Price Waterhouse's network is guilty of the multi-crore Satyam scam.
  • SEBI also ordered disgorgement of over 13 crore rupees wrongful gains from the audit major and it's two erstwhile partners who worked on the IT major's accounts.

International Affairs

Honduras: 7.6 earthquake triggers Tsunami alert

  • According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), The earthquake of magnitude 7.6 was felt across northern Central America, briefly prompting a tsunami warning in Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean Islands.
  • The tremor occurred in the sea between the island of Cuba and the coasts of Honduras and Belize.
  • The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that tsunami waves of up to 1 meter above tide level could hit parts of Honduras, Belize, Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, San Andres and Providencia (Colombia), Jamaica, Cuba, among others.

Canada files WTO complaint against the US over trade rules

  • Canada has filed a comprehensive complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO)accusing the United States of breaking international trade rules.
  • The complaint challenges the ways that the US investigates products for subsidies and below-cost sales.
  • The action comes amid disputes between the two countries over areas such as dairy, aircraft sales, and lumber as well as efforts to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Sports

Wang Jiali has been banned for 8 years after failing drugs test: CAA

  • According to the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA), China's national marathon champion, Olympian Wang Jiali (31-year) have been banned for eight years after failing a drugs test.
  • Wang won gold at the 2017 National Games, tested positive for the banned blood booster EPO during out-of-competition testing in August and her career now appears over.
  • The CAA also fined Wang 40,000 yuan and banned her coach Lyu Qiang for life.

India to tour Ireland for two T20 Internationals in June

  • According to the BCCI, India will tour Ireland for two T20 Internationals in June before the full series in England from July to September.
  • India's England tour comprises five Tests, three ODIs, and as many T20s.
  • Both the T20 matches against Ireland will be played in Dublin on 27th and 29th of June this year.
Note India played Ireland just once in the T20 format when the two sides met in Nottingham during the 2009 World T20.

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