Daily Current Affairs- 12 October

Author : TR-Admin

October 12, 2022

Today's Current Affairs - 12th October 2022

INTERNATIONAL

EU passes single charger reform for electronic devices

According to a new law passed by the European Union parliament, all new smartphones, tablets and cameras will have a single standard charger from late 2024. The law was adopted with a vote of 602 in favour, and 13 against. It mandates smartphone, laptop and camera manufacturing companies to adopt a standard charger, at least in Europe. Makers of laptops will have extra time, from early 2026, to also follow suit.
EU policymakers say the single charger rule will simplify the life of Europeans, reduce the mountain of obsolete chargers and reduce costs for consumers. It is expected to save at least 200 million euros ($195 million) per year and cut more than a thousand tonnes of EU electronic waste every year.
The European Union’s 27 countries are home to 450 million people who count among the world’s wealthiest consumers. Regulatory changes in the bloc often set global industry norms in what is known as the Brussels Effect. The EU move is expected to ripple around the world.

About European Union:

Founded: 1 November 1993, Maastricht, Netherlands;

Founders: Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg.

NATIONAL

Union Minister Anurag Thakur inaugurates Water Sports Center in Himachal Pradesh

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated a Water Sports Center in the Koldam Barmana, Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh. The Water Sports Centre, the very first of its kind in Himachal Pradesh, has been jointly initiated by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also exchanged between SAI and NTPC during the event. The centre will be dedicated to training athletes in water sports like Rowing, Canoeing and Kayaking.
Anurag Thakur said that this water sports centre at NTPC Koldam would be a big sports facility for the children of Himachal Pradesh in future. He said that this water sports center has a straight range of 3 km, which is found in some places. Many of our water sports athletes will come here to learn. Good coaches have also been arranged. There are very good facilities here.

About Himachal Pradesh:

Capital: Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala (Winter);

Chief Minister: Jai Ram Thakur

Governor: Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar

Ethanol subsidy scheme extended till March 2023

The Centre has extended the timeline for disbursement of loans up to March 31 under the ethanol blending programme interest subsidy scheme, notified first in 2018, to facilitate entrepreneurs to complete their projects while availing of government support.
The Food Ministry issued a notification on October 6 stating the applicants who have submitted their applications to DFPD after the date of notification of the scheme but within the cut-off date prescribed in the notification. Loans were disbursed to them prior to the in-principle approval of DFPD, will also be eligible for interest subvention under the scheme. The applicants have been asked to complete their projects within two and half years after receiving their first instalment, said the notification.
Immense benefits can accrue to the country by 20% ethanol blending by 2025, such as saving Rs 30,000 crore of foreign exchange per year, energy security, lower carbon emissions, better air quality, self-reliance, use of damaged foodgrains, increasing farmers’ incomes, employment generation, and greater investment opportunities.

SPORTS

Taylor fritz wins 2022 Japan Open men's singles title

America’s Taylor Fritz registered a 7-6(3), 7-6(2) victory against countryman Frances Tiafoe in the final to clinch the Japan Open Tennis Championships men’s singles title, on Sunday.
Immediately following seven days in hotel quarantine in Seoul, Fritz completed a perfect five-day stretch in Tokyo to claim his third title of a career-defining year. With this, the third seed became the 10th different American singles champion at the ATP 500 event and the first since Pete Sampras in 1996.
“It is crazy, I don’t even think it’s set in just how fast the last four or five days have been," said Fritz after the match.
“It’s so crazy, and I couldn’t have written it any better. It’s exactly what I needed for the Race To Turin, for my ranking, to kind of put me in a good position for the end of the year, so it’s amazing," he added.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Ananth Narayan Gopalakrishnan assumes charge as whole-time member at Sebi

Former banker Ananth Narayan Gopalakrishnan took charge as the fourth whole time member (WTM) in the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). Narayan, who has been a member of various advisory committees of Sebi and RBI, has been appointed for an initial period of three years.
Before assuming charge, Narayan was an associate professor at SP Jain Institute of Management & Research. He has over two and half decades of experience in the banking and financial markets, during which he held the position of Regional Head of Financial Markets for ASEAN and South Asia at Standard Chartered Bank.
He has strong expertise in foreign currency, interest rates, derivatives and debt capital markets. Narayan has also worked with Deutsche Bank and Citibank.

About SEBI:

Founded: 12 April 1992

Sector: Securities market

Headquarters: Mumbai

Chairperson : Madhabi Puri Buch

Law Ministry notifies appointment of Chief Justices to Karnataka and J&K High Courts

The central government announced the appointment of two judges as chief justices of the high courts in Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Karnataka. It also announced the transfer of the chief justice of the J&K high court to the Rajasthan high court.
According to the Constitution’s provisions, Justice Prasanna B. Varale has been named the Karnataka High Court’s Chief Justice.
Justice AM Magrey has been named the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Justice Pankaj Mithal has been appointed Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, according to Kiran Rijiju.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Arthritis Day 2022:12^th October

World Arthritis day is observed on 12 October every year and it is a global health awareness event that helps create awareness about rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. This day aims to bring people around the world on a single platform so that their voices are heard and more support is provided for better treatment options for the people affected with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs).
The theme for World Arthritis day 2022 is “It’s in your hands, take action”. The theme aims to encourage people with arthritis, their caregivers, families, and the general public so that they don’t feel that they are alone in this situation.
World Arthritis day (WAD) plays a major role in encouraging people, medical organizations, and governments across the world to participate in the campaign to spread awareness.
World arthritis day (WAD) was established by Arthritis and Rheumatism International (ARI). The first event for World Arthritis day was organized on 12 October 1996.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

PM addresses United Nations World Geospatial International Congress

Addressing the Second United Nations World Geospatial International Congress via video message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that steps taken by India over the past few years has been of empowering the “last person at the last mile’’, reflecting the theme of this year’s conference — ‘Geo-Enabling the Global Village: No one should be left behind’.
Welcoming the international delegates to India, the Prime Minister said, “We have been working on a vision of Antyodaya which means empowering the last person at the last mile, in a mission mode. 450-million unbanked people, a population greater than that of USA, were brought under banking net and 135-million people, about twice the population of France, were given insurance. Sanitation facilities were taken to 110-million families and tap water connections to over 60-million households. India is ensuring no one is left behind.’’

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Indians Can Soon Pay Through UPI In Europe

Pay in Europe using UPI soon: NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) and European payment services provider Worldline established a corporation due to which Indians will soon be able to make payments through UPI (United Payments Interface) across Europe. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)’s international division is called NIPL.
The aim of the collaboration between NIPL and Worldline is to increase the adoption of Indian payment methods in Europe.
Worldline will increase convenience for Indian clients in the European markets as part of the cooperation by enabling point-of-sale (POS) systems at businesses to accept payments from UPI (United Payments Interface).
The total number of UPI (United Payments Interface) transactions in 2021 was 38.74 billion, with a value of USD 954.58 billion.
In terms of actual cards, NPCI has so far distributed 714 million locally manufactured RuPay cards.