7th & 8th January CURRENT AFFAIRS

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1 7th & 8 th January Current Affairs 1. Bilateral Annual Haj 2018 Agreement between India and Saudi Arabia Signed According to the Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Saudi Arabia has given the green signal for India s decision to revive the option of sending Haj pilgrims through sea route also. The practice of ferrying Haj pilgrims between Mumbai and Jeddah by waterways was stopped in For the first time, Muslim women from India will go to Haj without Mehram (male companion). 1. Saudi Arabia Capital- Riyadh, Currency- Saudi riyal. 2. Indian Navy Signs MoU with Cochin Port Trust The Indian Navy has inked an MoU with the Cochin Port Trust (CPT), Kerala towards leasing of 228 metres of berths at Mattancherry Wharf for a period of five years. The MoU has been concluded to cater for the futuristic requirements of the Navy with the sizeable increase in its fleet scheduled in the near future. This is the first time such an agreement has been signed between the Navy and CPT. 1. Cochin Port Trust Chairman- P.Raveendran. 2. Admiral Sunil Lanba is the present Chairman of Indian Navy. 3. Haryana Becomes First State to Launch High-Risk Pregnancy Portal Haryana has become the first state in the country to launch High-Risk Pregnancy (HRP) Portal. This portal not only helps in early identification of high-risk pregnant cases up to the grass-roots level but also ensures their timely referral to the civil hospitals for further management and delivery by specialists. This innovative web application has been designed to track every high-risk pregnant woman till 42 days after delivery. 1. Haryana CM- Manohar Lal KhattaR 2. Governor- Kaptan Singh Solanki. 4. International Kite Festival launched in Gujarat 1

2 The International Kite Festival started at Sabarmati River Front in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The International Kite Festival was inaugurated by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Gujarat Governor O. P. Kohli was also present at the occasion. Nearly 149 foreign kite fliers from 44 countries are taking part in this festival. From India, around 96 kite fliers from 18 states and 290 kite fliers from Gujarat participate in this kite festival. This International Kite Festival is to be held at small towns like Dakor, Gandhidham, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Surat, Vadodara, Aravali, Dwarka, Amreli, Palanpur, Pavagadh, Valsad and Saputara also. 1. Bilakhiya Stadium Vapi 2. CB Patel International Cricket Stadium Surat 3. Commerce College Ground Ahmedabad 5. India s Second FTII to be Set up in Arunachal Pradesh Minister of State (I/C) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region Jitendra Singh announced that Arunachal Pradesh would get its first Film and Television Institute, being set up by the Union Government. This would be the second such one in the country. The first Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) was set up in Pune. 1. FTII Pune Established in 1960, Current Chairman Anupam Kher. 2. FTII is an autonomous institute operating under the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. 6. Indian Railways to equip 8500 stations with Wi-Fi by March 2019 Indian Railways has finalised a plan to equip nearly 8500 railway stations across India (including those in rural and remote areas) with Wi-Fi facilities at an estimated cost of Rs 700 crore. At 1200 railway stations, Wi-Fi facility will be provided to rail passengers while at about 7300 stations (in rural and remote areas) the facility will be available not only to passenger but also to local people. Such Railway stations will have kiosks with Wi-Fi, offering services like digital banking, issuing government certificates, including birth and death certificates, Aadhaar generation and filing taxes and paying bills. Target is to provide Wi-FI facility at 600 stations by March 2018, and to cover all 8500 stations by March

3 It is to be noted that under Central Government s Digital India initiative, Indian Railways has already commissioned Wi-Fi services at 216 major stations, providing internet access to nearly 7 million rail passengers. 7. India s 1st Multi-Petaflop Supercomputer Pratyush Dedicated to Nation Union Minister of Earth Sciences Dr Harsh Vardhandedicated India s fastest and first multipetaflops supercomputer named Pratyush to the nation in Pune. It is established at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune. It will be a national facility for improving weather and climate forecasts and services under the umbrella of the Ministry of Earth Sciences. 8. In a First, Delhi Government Launches Common Card for Bus & Metro Rides Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwallaunched a common card for rides on public buses and the metro. Delhi is the first city in the countryto have a common mobility card. The card, which will function like a debit card, will be operational in all DTC and cluster buses from April Transport Minister of Delhi- Kailash Gahlot. 2. Lieutenant Governor of Delhi-Anil Baijal. 9. T S Tirumurti appointed economic relations secretary India s High Commissioner to Kuala Lumpur T S Tirumurti has been appointed as the Secretary (Economic Relations) in the External Affairs Ministry by the government 10. NPCI appoints Dilip Asbe as new MD and CEO Payment utility major National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) announced the appointment of Dilip Asbe as its Managing Director and CEO with immediate effect. 11. Golden Globe Awards 2018: The Complete List of Winners The 75th Golden Globe Award ceremony was held in Los Angeles, the USA. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri dominated the 2018 Golden Globes, taking home four statues, including best drama, best screenplay, and acting awards for Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell in the drama category. Seth Meyers hosted the star-studded show. Here is the Complete List of Winners of Golden Globe Awards

4 1. Best motion picture, drama: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. 2. Best motion picture, musical or comedy: Lady Bird. 3. Best director, motion picture: Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water. 4. Best performance by an actress in a motion picture, drama: Frances McDormand. 5. Best performance by an actor in a motion picture, drama: Gary Oldman. 6. Best performance by an actress in a motion picture, musical or comedy: Saoirse Ronan. 7. Best performance by an actor in a motion picture, musical or comedy: James Franco. 8. Best motion picture, animated: Coco 9. Best motion picture, foreign language: In the Fade 10. Best television series, drama: The Handmaid s Tale, Hulu 11. Best performance by an actress in a television series, drama: Elisabeth Moss. 12. Best performance by an actor in a television series, drama: Sterling K. Brown. 12. All You Need to Know About New Rs10 Banknote in Mahatma Gandhi Series The Reserve Bank of India has announced to issue Rs10 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series. The new denomination has the motif of Sun Temple, Konark on the reverse, depicting the country s cultural heritage. The base colour of the note is Chocolate Brown. The dimension of the banknote will be 63 mm x 123 mm. 13. AIIB plans to issue first US dollar bonds in June 2018 Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is planning to issue its first US dollar-denominated bond by June

5 . AIIB s first US Dollar Bonds: Soren Elbech, Treasurer of AIIB has stated that the minimum size of the issuance will be one billion dollars. Maturity of these bond will be between three and five years depending on investor demand. On account of its strong capital base and stable outlook, AIIB has received three top-notch ratings from the global credit rating agencies, S&P Global Ratings, Fitch and Moody s. China is the largest shareholder in AIIB holding per cent voting shares followed by India with 7.5 per share. Energy, power generation, transport and rural infrastructure are AIIB s priority areas of investment. 1. Opened for Business in January Headquarters Beijing, China 3. Current President Jin Liqun 14. Defence Innovation Centre to be set up in Coimbatore to assist small industries On January 6, 2018, Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman announced that a Defence Innovation Centre would be set up by CODISSIA in Coimbatore, to assist small industries in manufacturing components for the defence sector. Information about Defence Innovation Centre in Coimbatore: 5

6 Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (CODISSIA) is a trade organization based in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. CODISSIA will receive initial funding of Rs 20 crore from Union Defence Ministryfor setting up the Defence Innovation Centre. CODISSIA will identify small and micro units as well as start-ups, that can manufacture components required for defence production. Decision to set up this Defence Innovation Centre has been taken in line with Central Government s Make in India programme. 15. Philippe Coutinho Joins Barcelona, Becomes 2nd Most Expensive Transfer in World Soccer History Team Liverpool sold Brazilian football player Philippe Coutinho to Team Barcelona for 160 million Euros ($192 million). With this, transfer of Philippe Coutinho has become the 2nd Most Expensive transfer in World Soccer History. World s most expensive transfer is Brazilian football player Neymar s transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint Germain team in 200 million pounds in FC Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu 2. Based in Barcelona, Spain. 16. Gilles Simon Wins Inaugural Tata Open Title Gilles Simon of France has lifted the inaugural Tata Open Maharashtra Tennis trophy. In the summit clash in Pune, the unseeded French player defeated second-seeded Kevin Anderson in straight sets. 1. Maharashtra Capital- Mumbai 2. CM- Devendra Fadnavis 3. Governor- Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao. 17. Federer-Bencic Lead Switzerland to Hopman Cup Title Switzerland won their third Hopman Cup as Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic beat Germany s Alexander Zverev and Angelique Kerber in the deciding mixed doubles to secure a 2-1 victory in the final at the Perth Arena. It was Federer s second Hopman Cup triumph after victory in 2001 alongside then world number one Martina Hingis. 6

7 1. The capital of Switzerland is Bern. 2. The Association of Tennis Professionals was formed in September Sports Minister Rathore Launches Khelo India Logo The vibrant Khelo India logo, reflecting the freshness, agility and vitality of New India was launched at a ceremony by the Union Minister of State ( I/C) Youth Affairs and Sports Rajyavardhan Rathore in New Delhi. The logo also conveys an impression of fitness and competitiveness. The three-stroke Khelo India logo, designed by Ogilvy India, has in-built modularity, allowing plenty of adaptability and flexibility into endless pictorial forms. 19. Elina Svitolina Wins Brisbane International Elina Svitolina secured her first WTA title in Australia with a straight-sets victory in the Brisbane International final. Svitolina beat Belarusian qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Nick Kyrgios moved a step closer to claiming his first ATP title on home soil with a semifinal win over defending champion, Grigor Dimitrov. He will face American Ryan Harrison in finals. 1. Elina Mykhaylivna Svitolina is a Ukrainian professional tennis player. 2. The Association of Tennis Professionals was formed in September Actor and comedian Jerry Van Dyke dies at 86 On 5 th January 2018, Jerry Van Dyke, comedian and actor died at his home in Arkansas, US. Death of Jerry Van Dyke: i. Jerry Van Dyke was 86 years old. His health was in a bad state after he met with a car accident two years back. ii. He is a famous comedian. He performed at military bases and in television programs. His first show was The Dick Van Dyke Show. About Jerry Van Dyke: Occupation Actor, comedian Nationality American 21. Former Toyota President Tatsuro Toyoda dies at 88 Tatsuro Toyoda, former president of Toyota died due to pneumonia at 88 years. Death of Tatsuro Toyoda: 7

8 i. Tatsuro Toyoda joined Toyota in Toyota was founded by Tatsuro Toyoda s father Kiichiro Toyoda. ii. In 1984 he took charge as the president of a new firm ventured by Toyota and General Motors. He was president of Toyota from 1992 to Headquarters Toyota, Aichi, Japan Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada President Akio Toyoda 22. First shuttle commander US astronaut John Young passes away at 87 On 5 th January 2018, American astronaut John Young died due to complications from pneumonia in Houston, US. Death of John Young: i. John Young flew the first space shuttle mission and walked on the moon. He was 87 years old. ii. He became the first human to fly in space six times. He flew the first manned Gemini mission in He became the first person to orbit the Moon alone for Apollo 10 in Occupation Naval Aviator, test pilot Missions Gemini 3, Gemini 10, Apollo 10, Apollo 16, STS-1, STS Actor Shrivallabh Vyas passes away On 7 th January 2018, actor Shrivallabh Vyas passed away in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Death of Shri Vallabh Vyas: i. Shrivallabh Vyas had acted in more than 60 Hindi films. He has also performed in television and theatre. He stopped acting after he collapsed in his hotel room in Gujarat in ii. His popular films are Lagaan, Sarfarosh, Abhay, Aan: Men at Work, Shool, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero and Sankat City. He is survived by his wife Shobha Vyas and two daughters. Headquarters Mumbai MD Nina Lath Gupta 24. Powerlifting world champion Saksham Yadav passes away 8

9 On 7 th January 2018, Saksham Yadav, powerlifting world champion, died due to injuries, at the AIIMS Trauma Centre in New Delhi. Death of Saksham Yadav: i. Saksham Yadav met with a car accident and was admitted in an extremely critical condition at the AIIMS Trauma Centre. ii. Saksham Yadav bagged a gold medal in the 2017 world weightlifting championship. Along with Saksham five other men including Rohit, a weightlifter, were also injured in the accident. Type group of autonomous public medical colleges of higher education Locations New Delhi, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Patna, Raipur, Rishikesh 25. Senior sports journalist Shashikant Bhagwat passes away On 8 th January 2018, Shashikant Bhagwat, senior sports journalist, passed away due to heart attack in Pune, Maharashtra. Death of Shashikant Bhagwat: i. Shashikant Bhagwat was 61 years old. He is survived by his wife, a son and daughter. He worked with Sakal, a Marathi newspaper, and retired after several years of service. ii.he was also the president of the Pune Shramik Patrakar Sangh and the Pune Patrakar Prathishthan. General Secretary Anthony Bellanger President Philippe Leruth Location Brussels, Belgium 26. Peter Sutherland, former WTO director general passes away On 7 th January 2018, Peter Sutherland, former World Trade Organization (WTO) director general died after brief illness. Death of Peter Sutherland: i. Peter Sutherland was 71 years old. He was also a long-serving chairman of BP (BP.L), an oil and gas company. He also served as chairman of the overseas arm of Goldman Sachs. ii. He was also Ireland s European Union commissioner and attorney general in the 1980s. 9

10 Headquarters New York, U.S. Chairman & CEO Lloyd Blankfein 10