The World Maritime Day is observed across the world on 29 Sept.
The 2016 theme is “Shipping: indispensable to the world”.
The theme focuses on the critical link between shipping & global society & to raise awareness of the relevance of the role of International Maritime Organization (IMO).
The day was first held on March 17, 1978 to mark the date of the IMO Convention’s entry into force in 1958.
China to Build Deepest Rail Station
China will build the world’s deepest & largest high-speed railway station at a popular section of the country’s Great Wall.
The station will be at Badaling, the most visited section of the Great Wall.
The Badaling station will be located 102m (335ft) below the surface, with an underground construction area of 36,000 sq m.
The Badaling station will run through mountains under the Great Wall.
US, Vietnam Navy Kick-Off
The US and Vietnamese navies have begun the 7th annual Naval Engagement Activity NEA, Vietnam 2016 at Tien Sa Port in Da Nang.
The exercise will focus on non-combatant events & include seminars in military medicine and maritime law.
The exercise will also include Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea and search and rescue scenarios.
Congress Rejects Obama Veto of 9/11 Bill
The US Congress has voted to override President Obama’s veto of a bill that would allow families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabian officials.
In the first veto override of his presidency, the Senate voted 97-1 & the House of Representatives 348-77, meaning the bill becomes law.
The House & Senate unanimously passed the legislation, known as the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism (JASTA).
Ujjwala Yojana Launched in J&k
J&K CM,Mehbooba Mufti & Union Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan launched the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) in the State.
PMUY was launched by the Prime Minister in May 2016.
Under PMUY, 5 crore LPG connections will be provided to BPL families across the country during the next three years.
For J&K , a target of 35 lakh connections has been set under PMUY.
Govt Approves India-Singapore MoU
The government has approved the signing a MoU with Singapore to boost innovation, creativity and technological advancement in both countries.
The MoU will enhance bilateral cooperation activities in the arena of industrial property rights of patents, trademarks and industrial designs.
The MoU will be signed at the upcoming visit of Singapore’s Prime Minister to India.
Conference on Prison Reforms Begins
The two-day national conference on Prison Reforms begins in New Delhi.
The Union Minister of Statefor Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir inaugurated the 5th National Conference.
Heads of Prisons of States and Union Territories will take part in the conference.
The conference will provide a platform to the stakeholders to exchange ideas and learn from each other’s experiences.
Telangana Inks MoU with ISRO
The Telangana government has signed a MoU with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to improve services of its educational channel ‘Mana TV’.
The MoU was inked by officials of the Dept of IT, Electronics & Comm of the state govt, & ISRO’sDevelopment & Educational Communication Unit (DECU).
The state govt & DECU will work together to create & disseminate educational content.
Mumbai Richest City in India
India’s financial capital Mumbai, home to 45,000 millionaires & 28 billionaires, is the wealthiest city in the country with total wealth of $820 billion.
According to New World Wealth, Mumbai is followed by Delhi & Bengaluru.
Delhi is home to 22,000 millionaires and 18 billionaires and has total wealth of $450 billion.
The report defines ‘wealth’ as the net assets of a person.
Cabinet Decides to Ratify Paris Agmt
The Union Cabinet has decided to ratify the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting here presided over by PM Narendra Modi.
PM Modi had announced during the BJP National Council meeting that India would ratify the 21st Conference of Parties (CoP) protocol.
The Paris Agreement is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Indian Women’s Kabaddi Team Wins Gold
India bagged their first gold medal at the 5th Asian Beach Games with the women’s beach kabaddi team.
Women’s team won the title for the record fifth time in succession in Danang,Vietnam.
Indian beat Thailand 41-31 in a hard-fought summit clash.
The Indian women’s kabaddi team had been winning the gold since the inception of the biennial Games in 2008.
Official Emblem of FIFA U-17 WC Unveiled
The Organising Committee of the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 has unveiled the official emblem.
The ceremony held in Goa was attended by Fifa President Gianni Infantino.
It is shaped like the World Cup trophy, the emblem combines the global look of the beautiful game with a quintessentially Indian feel.
The FIFA U-17 WC India 2017 will happen in six venues across the country.
Ashwin at No. 2 in ICC Test Rankings
India off-spinner R Ashwin gained a place to be second in the latest ICC Test Rankings.
He overtook England’s James Anderson by one point.
Ashwin’s match haul of 10 for 225, that helped India notch a 197-run victory in the first Test.
He is now within seven points of number-one ranked Dale Steyn.
Ravindra Jadeja too gained a spot in the rankings and is now placed 7th.
Rosneft Deal Gets the Govt All-Clear
The Union Cabinet has given its nod to a consortium of Indian Oil Corporation, Oil India & Bharat Petro Resources for acquiring stakes in two Russian oilfields for around $3.24 billion.
The consortium will acquire 23.9% stake in Vankorneft & 29.9% stake in Taas-Yuryakh fields from Rosneft.
Rosneft operates Vankor & Taas-Yuryakh oilfields.
Cabinet Panel Approves Project Saksham
The Union Cabinet chaired by the PM Modi approved ‘Project SAKSHAM’.
It is a new Indirect Tax Network (Systems Integration) of the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC).
Under the project, the CBEC’s existing IT systems will be integrated with the GST Network.
The total project cost involved is Rs.2256 crore which will be incurred over a period of seven years.
OPEC Reaches Deal to Cut Oil Output
OPEC has agreed to cut its oil output for the first time since 2008.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said the group would reduce output to 32.5 million barrels per day from current production of 33.24 million bpd.
OPEC is an intergovernmental organization of 14 nations & headquartered in Vienna.
OPEC member countries produce 40% of the world’s crude oil.
Bank of India Cuts Base Rate to 9.65%
Bank of India has cut the base or the minimum lending rate by 0.05% to 9.65% with effect from 30 Sept.
The base rate means all those elements of the lending rate that are common across all categories of borrowers.
All categories of loans are required to be priced only with reference to the base rate.
The banks are not permitted to resort to any lending below the base rate.
Sebi Allows Options Trading
Markets regulator Sebi has allowed options trading on commodity bourses.
This has been a long pending demand from the exchanges, investors and market participants.
So far, only future trading was permitted on commodity bourses.
The moves aim at increasing liquidity and attracting more investors to the commodities market.
Option trading can be speculative in nature & carry substantial risk of loss.
Cabinet Gives Approval for VPBY
The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for the Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana (VPBY) 2003 & VPBY 2014.
Approval has also been granted for the expenditure incurred on subsidy amount released to LIC during the period 2003-04 to 2014-15 for VPBY 2003.
Both are pension schemes intended to give an assured minimum pension to the senior citizens.
Centre to Wind up Hindustan Cables
The Cabinet has given its nod for a strategic sale of sick public sector firm Bharat Pumps and Compressors.
The cabinet also approved the closure of Hindustan Cables by offering a golden handshake to its employees.
There is no production activity in the company since Jan 2003.
With the present time bound closure, the valuable assets of the company will be available for other optimum utilization.
