Current Affairs
Select Date
Tags:
Hindi

Important Current Affairs 11th October 2019

AGREEMENTS AND MOUS:

GeM signed MoU with UBI to avail online services.

• Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Union Bank of India (UBI) under which the bank will offer several services to it including the transfer of funds.

MoU:

♦ The MOU will facilitate a cashless, paperless and transparent payment system on the portal

♦ It will also enable the GeM to create an efficient procurement system for government entities

♦ It will facilitate the online integration for payments and various banking services to GeM.

♦ UBI will provide various services including transfer of funds through GeM pool accounts, advising of performance, bank guarantees and earnest money deposit to the registered users on the portal

GeM:

The commerce ministry launched the procurement portal GeM to increase transparency in public procurement of goods and services, which is estimated at about Rs 8 lakh crore per year.To enable the Online integration for payments and various banking services, GeM has signed MoU with 14 public sector and private banks.

AWARDS:

Olga and Handke won the Nobel Prize for literature.

• Olga Tokarczuk and Peter Handke have won the Nobel Prize for literature for the year 2018 and 2019. It was announced by the Royal Swedish Academy. Each received a nine million Swedish kronor, a medal and a diploma.

2018 award:

As the award was not announced for the year 2018, the academy awarded two winners, one for the year 2018 and one for 2019. The Swedish Academy suspended it in 2018 after a sexual assault scandal.

Olga Tokarczuk:

Polish author Olga Tokarczuk was awarded the Nobel Prize for the year 2018. She also won the Man Booker International Prize in 2018. Tokarczuk, 57, was rewarded for a narrative imagination with an encyclopaedic passion that represents the crossing of boundaries as a form of life.

In 1993, her debut novel was published. She has also authored the famous Primeval and Other Times.

The Nobel prize committee appreciated The Books of Jacob that presents a rich panorama of a little-known chapter in European history. she became the 15th female winner of the Nobel Prize out of 116 literature laureates.

Peter Handke:

The Austrian author and playwright Peter Handke, 76, was recognized for his influential work that with linguistic ingenuity has explored the periphery and the specificity of human experience. He has been a controversial figure as he supported the Serbs during the 1990s Yugoslav war. He was charged in 2001 with the Bosnian Genocide.

Nobel Peace Prize: Ethiopia PM Abiy Ahmed wins.

The 2019 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed who made peace last year with bitter foe Eritrea.

He was awarded the prize for his efforts to "achieve peace and international cooperation".

Mr Abiy's peace deal with Eritrea ended a 20-year military stalemate following their 1998-2000 border war.

He was named as the winner of the 100th Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, where he will receive the award in December.

SPORTS:

Annu Rani won gold at the 59th National Open Athletics Championships.

Javelin thrower Annu Rani won a gold medal in the women's javelin throw event at the 59th National Open Athletics Championships on 10 October in Ranchi, Jharkhand. She defeated Sharmila Kumari to win the title.

She gave a series of throw of 56.97m, 55.97m, 58.31m, 57.29m, 56.86m, 58.60m. Sharmila Kumari's best throw in the event was 53.28m.

In October 2019, the  25-year-old set the national record at 62.43m at the World Championships in Doha.

Result:

Javelin Throw:

1.Annu Rani - 58.60m

2.Sharmila Kumari - 53.28

3.Poonam Rani - 50.67

Read More
Read Less

Important Current Affairs 10th October 2019

NATIONAL:

Hindon to operate its first flight on 11 October.

• Hindon airport is all set for the first commercial flight from 11 October. The first flight from Hindon Airport is operated by the Heritage Aviation company. The 9-seater will take off to Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district from Hindon Civil Airport.

The company has set the price for one seat in the aircraft at Rs.2,500. The company has planned to launch flights for Dehradun, Hubli, Shimla, Faizabad, Gulbarga, Nasik and Coonoor among other popular destinations.

Hindon Airport:

Hindon Airport is an upcoming civil airport in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. The airport is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) at Hindan Air Force Station of the Indian Air Force. The Hindon airport will serve as the second airport in Uttar Pradesh. This airport will reduce the load at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.

INTERNATIONAL:

Pakistan PM Imran Khan declared as 2020 Muslim Man of the Year.

• Jordan’s Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre (RISSC) has declared the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan as Muslim Man of the Year 2020. He won the title in the recent list of the most persuasive Muslims in the world issued by the Centre. His name has also been included in The Muslim 50, the Most Influential Muslims in the World published by the RISSC. Mr. Khan has also become the 6th most popular world leader on Twitter with 10.5 million followers on the social media platform.

The RISSC has also declared Rashida Tlaib as Muslim Woman of the Year 2020. She is an American Congresswoman.

RISSC:

The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre (RISSC) is an autonomous research organization in Jordan. It is affiliated with the Royal Aal Al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought. It aims to protect, preserve and propagate Islam as defined by the international Islamic Consensus on the Three Points of the Amman Message arrived at over the years 2005-2006. It also aims to publicize the religious and legal positions of Islam on key issues relevant to life in the modern world.

AGREEMENTS AND MOUS:

India and France agreed to deepen defence ties.

• Defence minister Rajnath Singh visited France from 7th October to 8th October. He held discussions with the French Minister of Armed Forces Florence Parly.

Highlights:

♦ During his visit, he reviewed the full spectrum of the bilateral defence engagement.

♦ India and France reaffirmed their strong commitment to further deepen cooperation to combat terrorism.

♦ Both the countries discussed ways to further deepen defence-related official and operational level interactions.

♦ Both sides agreed to expand the scope and complexity of the existing regular bilateral joint exercises including SHAKTI, VARUNA, and GARUDA.

♦ He received the first of 36 Rafale combat jets during his visit.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS:

Cultsport sportswear appointed Jasprit Bumrah as brand ambassador.

• Cure.fit, an integrated health and wellness start-up, appointed Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah as the brand ambassador for its premium sportswear brand, cultsport.

Cure.fit:

Cure.fit brand offers apparel that are made with high quality fabric blended with the latest technology to enable an athletic lifestyle. The company features the custom designed collections like Vitals, Code, Signature, the t-shirts have an easy, relaxed fit  etc. The cultsport premium sportswear is distributed through the cure.fit app, and e-commerce partnerships with the likes of Myntra and, Flipkart.

Jasprit Bumrah:

Indian Skipper Jasprit Jasbirsingh Bumrah plays for the Indian national cricket team. He bowls at 140–145 kilometres per hour. This made him one of the fastest bowlers in India.

DAYS:

World Sight Day 2019 is observed on 10 October 2019.

• World Sight Day 2019 is observed annually on 10 October. The day aims to create awareness to focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment.

Report highlights:

♦ World Health Organization (WHO) launched the first World report on vision on 8 October 2019.

♦ The report said that more than 1 billion people are living with vision impairment due to lack of care they need for conditions like short and far sightedness, glaucoma and cataract.

♦ Also, it said that the change in lifestyles and limited access to eye care are the major cause of visual impairment, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

♦ Other mains reasons are Myopia (near-sightedness), Diabetic retinopathy, Late detection.

♦ It said that all people living with severe vision impairment can still be treated if they access rehabilitation services.

♦ Optical magnifiers and reading use Braille, to smartphone wayfinders and orientation and mobility training with white canes will make it possible.

Read More
Read Less

Important Current Affairs 9th October 2019

NATIONAL:

India ranked 68th in the 2019 Global Competitiveness Index

• Singapore topped the 2019 Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) and pushed the US to the second place. India ranked 68th on the GCI. The list is compiled by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF).

• Top 5 countries of the list:

1) Singapore

2) The US

3) Hong Kong SAR

4) Netherlands

5) Switzerland

• Report highlights about India:

♦ India ranked 58th in the 2018 GCI report. It is among the worst-performing BRICS nations. The reports suggested that India should grow its skills base.

♦ India's product market efficiency has been undermined by a lack of trade openness.

♦ About Indian's labour market, WEF said that it is characterized by a lack of worker rights’ protections.

INTERNATIONAL:

India handed over 10,000 vials of antirabies vaccines to Myanmar

• India handed over 10,000 vials of anti-rabies vaccines to Myanmar. The move is to help Myanmar in its fight against the Rabies disease. The handing over ceremony was held in Yangon, Myanmar on 8 October. The vials of Anti-Rabies Vaccines were handed over by the Deputy Chief of Mission Sumit Seth to Myanmar's Director General of Department of Medical Research [DG(DMS)] Zaw Than Htun at the Indian Embassy in Myanmar.

• Aim:

The aim of the move of donating vials is to provide support to the Government of Myanmar for its fight against Rabies. This showcases the strength of India's pharmaceutical industry in manufacturing high-quality vaccines at a highly competitive price.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Google partners with the government for the Crafted in India project

• Google Arts & Culture’s new project Crafted in India was unveiled on 7 October. For this Google has partnered with the Ministry of Tourism, Dastkari Haat Samiti, and 20 other cultural institutions for the project.

Aim:

Crafted in India project aims to showcase the county's rich handicraft heritage. This will also make it accessible for the world to experience Indian crafts.

• Crafted in India:

♦ Crafted in India is the largest online exhibition on Indian Crafts.

♦ Over 50 of India's crafts will now be available in Crafted in India.

♦ Around 280+ exhibits and 11,000+ images & videos will give people an immersive tour of varied Indian craft forms including fabrics, embroidery, wall paintings to stonework, metal casting, wood carving, and more.

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS:

IFS officer Ramesh Pandey to receive Asia Environmental Enforcement Award

• Senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Ramesh Pandey has been selected for the prestigious Asia Environmental Enforcement Award for the year 2019. He was selected by the UN Environment in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). He will receive the award at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok on 13 November 2019. The selection panel recognized Pandey for his excellent work to combat transboundary environmental crime.

Ramesh Pandey:

Ramesh Pandey is a 1996-batch IFS officer. He was posted as Chief Conservator Forests in Lucknow and Secretary, UP State Bio-diversity Board. He is popularly known for his investigation and intelligence gathering on poachers.

He was selected to be a part of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau by the Indian government because of his work in Katarniaghat to curb poaching. He also served as Field Director of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. He introduced the Monitoring System for Tigers Intensive Protection & Ecological Status (M-Strips), a new software-based patrolling in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve on the recommendation of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS:

Gitesh Sarma appointed as Indias next High Commissioner to Australia

• Senior diplomat Anumula Gitesh Sarma is appointed as India's next High Commissioner to Australia. The announcement was made by the Ministry of External Affairs. He will be taking up the assignment soon. He replaces A.M Gondane as India's envoy in Australia.

• Anumula Gitesh Sarma:

Anumula Gitesh Sarma is a 1986 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer. Previously, Sarma was serving as Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He has also served as the Indian envoy to Uzbekistan and Fiji.

SPORTS:

Simone Biles won the 21st World Gymnastics Championships medal

• Simone Biles, 22, set the record by clinching the World Gymnastics Championships 2019 in Stuttgart, Germany. This is Simone Biles' 21st medal at the championships. With this title, she became the most decorated women's gymnast in history. She defeated Russia's Svetlana Khorkina to win the title.

• The USA won the women's team won gold with a tally of 172.330 for the fifth time. Russians won the silver medal with a tally of 166.529 and Italy won bronze with a tally of 164.796.

• 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships:

Held at: Stuttgart, Germany

Date: 4 October - 13 October 2019

Competitors: 548 from 92 nations

Read More
Read Less

Important Current Affairs 8th October 2019

NATIONAL:

Centre launched eDantseva website.

• Centre launched the e-Dantseva website and mobile application, the first-ever national digital platform, on oral health information and knowledge dissemination. It was launched by Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare on 7 October in New Delhi.

e-DantSeva:

e-DantSeva is the first-ever national digital platform. It aims to provide oral health information both in the form of a website and mobile application.

Aim:

It aims to create awareness among the significance of maintaining optimum oral health. It will also equip them with the tools and knowledge to do so, including awareness of the nearest oral health service facility.

e-DantSeva provides oral health information that were gathered from scientific resources and connects the public to timely advice for managing any dental emergency or oral health problem.

Developed by:

e-DantSeva initiative was developed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare along with AIIMS and other stakeholders.

Other launches:

♦ The Union minister released the Braille booklet and Voice over on Oral Health Education for the visually impaired individuals

♦ Also, oral health posters for pregnant women and children were released

INTERNATIONAL:

US Astronauts Complete 1st of 5 Power Upgrade Spacewalks.

• Two NASA astronauts have successfully wrapped up a seven-hour and one minute spacewalk, marking the completion of the first of the five spacewalks to upgrade the station's power systems this month.

The replacement of nickel-hydrogen batteries with newer, more powerful lithium-ion batteries on the far end of the station's port truss, Expedition 61 Flight Engineers Christina Koch and Andrew Morgan of NASA concluded their spacewalk at 2.40 pm EDT on Sunday.The astronauts were also able to accomplish get-ahead tasks, including the removal of an additional nickel-hydrogen battery, originally scheduled for the second spacewalk.

These new batteries provide an improved power capacity for operations with a lighter mass and a smaller volume than the nickel-hydrogen batteries.

Mr Morgan and Ms Koch are scheduled to venture outside again for another spacewalk to continue the battery replacements on the first of the two power channels for the station's far port truss

The next spacewalks dedicated to the battery upgrades are scheduled on October 16, 21 and 25.

The battery spacewalks, the second half of this sequence of spacewalks will focus on repairs to the space station's Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer.

The Dates for those spacewalks are still being discussed, but they are expected to begin in November.

The Space station crew members have conducted 219 spacewalks in support of assembly and maintenance of the orbiting laboratory.

WTO to host first World Cotton Day celebrations in Geneva.

• World Trade Organisation, WTO will host the first World Cotton Day (WCD) celebrations in Geneva . This event stems from the application by the Cotton-4 countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali) to the United Nations General Assembly for its official recognition of a World Cotton Day, reflecting the importance of cotton as a global commodity.

The five-day event of World Cotton Day being observed at Geneva beginning today. The plenary session will be attended by heads of states, heads of international organisations and executives from the private sector.

World Cotton Day will celebrate the many advantages of cotton, from its qualities as a natural fibre, to the benefits people obtain from its production, transformation, trade and consumption. World Cotton Day will also serve to shed light on the challenges faced by cotton economies around the world because cotton is important to least developed, developing and developed economies worldwide.

The World Cotton Day launch will give more than 30 countries exposure to producers, processors and businesses and more than 400 participants will be celebrating cotton in Geneva with thousand more around the world.

A cotton exhibition is also being held where TEXPROCIL, Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC), Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) and the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) will be setting up their stalls.

A sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi made out of cotton will be displayed to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation. The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL) will be displaying India’s high quality cotton textiles at the exhibition.

HEPC will be displaying hand woven products from prominent clusters of India and will also have a live demonstration of the charkha by Pitta Ramulu, National Awardee weaver. The charkha will be donated to the WTO after the event.

Cotton is a global commodity that is produced all over the world and a single tonne of cotton provides year-round employment for five people on average. Cotton is a drought-resistant crop ideal for arid climates, it occupies just 2.1 per cent of the world’s arable land, yet it meets 27 per cent of the world’s textiles need. In addition to its fibre used in textiles and apparel, food products are also derived from cotton-like edible oil and animal feed from the seed.

World Trade Organisation WTO

Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland

Membership: 164 member states

Founded: 1 January 1995

DAYS:

October is observed as the Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

• The month of October is observed as the Breast Cancer Awareness Month every year. The annual campaign aims to raise awareness of the disease. It also helps to increase attention and support for awareness, early detection, and treatment as well as palliative care of this disease.

World Health Organization (WHO) aims to promote breast cancer control programmes as part of national cancer control plans.

IARC Globocan 2008 reports say that about 1.38 million new cases and 4,58,000 deaths from breast cancer every year. It is most common in both developing and developed countries.

Lack of awareness:

Currently, there is no sufficient knowledge of the causes of breast cancer. Because of the lack of awareness, early detection of the disease remains the cornerstone of breast cancer control. By early detection, adequate diagnosis and treatment there is a high chance that breast cancer can be cured. The majority of deaths, around 269 000, that occur in low- and middle-income countries, where most women with breast cancer are diagnosed in late stages. This is mainly due to the lack of awareness of early detection and barriers to health services.

India celebrated its 87th Air Force Day on 8th October.

• India celebrated its 87th Air Force Day on 8th October 2019. The year 2019 is special because the Indian Air force received the first of 36 long-awaited Rafale fighter jets. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is on a visit to France will receive the fighter jets.

IAF is conducted a spectacular air display ceremony will take place at the Hindon Air Force base near Delhi. IAF showcased its Chinook and Apache helicopters for the first time. Both these helicopters were acquired from the United States and inducted within the last few months. The Air Force Day 2019 will be celebrated in the presence of IAF chief Birender Singh Dhanoa and senior officials of the three armed forces.

Indian Air Force (IAF):

Founded on: 8 October 1932

Headquarters: New Delhi

Part of: Indian Armed Force

Motto: Touch the Sky with Glory

Chief of the Air Staff (CAS): Air Chief Marshal RK Singh Bhadauria

Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS): Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora.

Read More
Read Less

Important Current Affairs 7th October 2019

NATIONAL:

The 50th IFFI to be held in Goa from 20th to 28th November

• The 50th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has been scheduled to be held from 20th November to -28 November 2019 in Goa. Over 250 films from various countries are to be screened at the premiere movie festival. Nearly, 12 films that were made in different languages about 50 years ago will also be screened at the golden jubilee festival of IFFI. Russia will partner India at the IFFI film festival.

• International Film Festival of India (IFFI):

IFFI was founded in 1952. It is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. IFFI is being organized in Goa since 2004 under the leadership of the Chief Minister of Goa. From the 35th edition, the International Film Festival of India became globally competitive.

Supreme Court bars Maharashtra govt from cutting more trees in Aarey

• Supreme Court (SC) ordered the Maharashtra government to not cut more trees in the Aarey area. The Bombay High Court allowed the state government to go ahead with the felling of trees, following which the state had swiftly moved to cut the green cover to make way for a shed for the upcoming metro project in the city.

• The state government has promised to implement the SC order.

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) planned to cut some 2600 trees for the proposed infrastructure. The SC order is a win for the environmentalists, activists and members of the Hindi film fraternity who were opposed to the axing of the green cover.

• Several politicians had also extended their support to the activists protesting against the feeling of trees in Aarey.

Exercise Nomadic Elephant XIV commenced on 6th October in Bakloh

• The Exercise Nomadic Elephant XIV, 14th edition of Indo–Mongolian joint military training has commenced from 6 October 2019. The exercise is conducted over a period of 14 days from 6 October to 18 October 2019 at Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh.

Aim:

Nomadic Elephant-XIV aims to train troops in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations under the United Nations mandate. It aims to enhance defence co-operation and military relations between the two countries.

Drills:

♦ The exercise will provide a platform to share the experiences and best practices of the two countries and gain mutually during the joint training.

♦ It aims to evolve various tactical drills in counter-terror environment like Convoy Protection Drill, Room Intervention Drills, Ambush/ Counter Ambush Drills.

India and Bangladesh signed MoU to set up coastal surveillance

• India and Bangladesh have signed an MOU to set up a coastal surveillance system radar in Bangladesh on 5 October. Delhi will enable the setting up the surveillance. The countries have decided to further expand connectivity network corridors to boost Delhi's Indo-Pacific strategy with Dhaka emerging as a key pillar in that vision.

MoUs:

Including this, India and Bangladesh signed MoUs to strengthen ties: The MoUs include:

♦ MOU to provide a Coastal Surveillance System

♦ Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on the use of Chattogram and Mongla Ports for Movement of goods to and from India

♦ Withdrawal of 1.82 cusecs of water from Feni River by India for drinking water supply scheme for Sabroom town, Tripura

♦ Agreement concerning Implementation of the Lines of Credit (LoCs) committed by India to Bangladesh

♦ Between the University of Hyderabad and the University of Dhaka for the renewal of Cultural Exchange Programme

♦ Co-operation in Youth Affairs

INTERNATIONAL:

Trade opportunities between the US and India are historic

• The governor of Arkansas state Asa Hutchinson in the US said that the trade opportunities between the US and India are historic although there is a re-examining of trading relationships based on a look at new trading rules.

• Because of the national leaders who foster trade and investment between India and the United States the trade opportunities are very high.

• Hutchinson:

Asa Hutchinson is one of 5 governors of New Jersey, Colorado, Delaware, and Indiana apart from Arkansas. He has been scheduled to visit India over the next few months to enhance economic ties with the country.

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS:

Nobel Prize for Medicine awarded to William Kaelin and Gregg Semenza of US, Peter Ratcliffe of Britain

• Three researchers from the US and Britain on Monday shared the Nobel Medicine Prize for discoveries on how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability, paving the way for new cancer treatments.

William Kaelin and Gregg Semenza of the US and Britain's Peter Ratcliffe split the nine million Swedish kronor ($914,000, 833,000 euros) award.

• They established the basis for our understanding of how oxygen levels affect cellular metabolism and physiological function,

• The trio identified molecular machinery that regulates the activity of genes in response to varying levels of oxygen, which is central to a large number of diseases.

• The intense ongoing efforts in academic laboratories and pharmaceutical companies are now focused on developing drugs that can interfere with different disease states by either activating, or blocking, the oxygen-sensing machinery.

DAYS:

World Habitat Day is observed on 7 October

• World Habitat Day is observed on 7 October 2019 every year. The day aims to reflect on the state of the towns and cities and the basic right of all to adequate shelter. It also aims to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat.

• Theme:

The theme for 2019 is Frontier Technologies as an innovative tool to transform waste into wealth. The theme promotes the contribution of innovative frontier technologies to sustainable waste management to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG-11).

• SDG-11 includes safe, resilient and sustainable cities. The theme also includes solid waste, all waste produced by human activities that cause a huge impact on climate change, public health and the environment.

Wildlife Week is celebrated from 2nd to 8th October

• Wildlife Week is celebrated in India in the month of October from 2nd to 8th October every year. The week is celebrated with the view to preserve the fauna means the animal life of India.

• This week, the government has launched varieties of sanctuaries and national parks have been already launched in the appropriate localities all across the country.

• Aim:

The week aims to make people more aware of the conservation and protection of wildlife. It will focus the people’s attention on the importance of conservation of wildlife. It aims to implement more services to preserve wildlife. It will also discuss all the issues related to the preservation of wildlife.

• History:

Wildlife Week was first started in the year 1952. The week was initiated with a great vision of saving the life of the Indian animals by taking some critical steps. The week has been initiated planning to save animal extinction of any species of India. The Indian Government has established an Indian Board of Wild Life to improve awareness as well as the consciousness of the Indian people towards wildlife preservation.

SPORTS:

Novak Djokovic won Japan Open 2019 title

• Novak Djokovic, World No.1, won the 2019 Japan Open title on 6 October. He defeated the Australian qualifier John Millman to win the title. Djokovic secured 6-3, 6-2 and marked his 10th win in a tournament main draw debut in his celebrated career.

It was his first competition after pulling out of the US Open due to a left shoulder injury.

Result:

Singles: Serbia Novak Djokovic

Doubles: France Nicolas Mahut / Edouard Roger-Vasselin

• 2019 Japan Open Tennis Championships:

Date: 30 September–6 October

Edition: 46th

Location: Tokyo, Japan

The 2019 Japan open is a part of the ATP Tour 500 series of the 2019 ATP Tour. The men's tennis tournament is played on outdoor hard courts.

Surender Singh won gold in 2019 World Powerlifting Championship

• Surender Singh of India won gold in 110 kg category, Classic Raw and the Best Lifter Award in Classic Raw and Single Ply at the 2019 World Powerlifting Championship in Berlin, Germany. He created three world records at the event.

• Also, 3-time World Champion Mukesh Singh won gold only to be known as 4-time World Champion. On the first day of the championship, Indian players bagged a total of 4 gold and 1 silver medal.

Naomi Osaka won the 2019 China Open title

• Japanese Tennis player Naomi Osaka won the 2019 China Open title. She defeated world number one Ashleigh Barty to win her second Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour 2019 title.

Result:

Men's Singles: Dominic Thiem, Austria

Women's Singles: Naomi Osaka, Japan

Men's Doubles: Ivan Dodig / Slovakia Filip Polášek, Croatia

Women's Doubles: Sofia Kenin / United States Bethanie Mattek-Sands, the United States.

Read More
Read Less

Important Current Affairs 6th October 2019

INTERNATIONAL:

Scotland becomes the first country in the UK to ban the smacking of children.

• Scotland has become the first part of the United Kingdom to ban the smacking of children. The country introduced a law that makes smacking the children a criminal offence for parents and carers to use physical punishment against a child.

Aim:

The law change is aimed to give children the same protection from assault as adults. This law has brought Scotland into line with United Nations recommendations. Currently, the parents and the carers are allowed to use reasonable physical force in order to discipline children.

India and Bangladesh signed 7 projects.

•  Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bilateral talks on 6 October. The two leaders jointly inaugurated 3 projects to strengthen ties in diverse areas including defence and security, trade and connectivity.

Discussion:

The two countries signed 7 pacts in core areas namely transport, connectivity, capacity building and culture. Three projects involving the import of LPG from Bangladesh were also launched during the meeting. The leaders also discussed the issue of implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS:

UNESCO appointed Yalitza Aparicio as ambassador for indigenous peoples.

• The United Nations’ cultural agency, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has appointed Mexican actress Yalitza Aparicio as its goodwill ambassador for indigenous peoples. She will be helping the UNESCO’s work among the indigenous peoples across the world by preserving their cultural heritage and environment knowledge and fighting for equal access to education.

Yalitza Aparicio:

Yalitza Aparicio made history as the first indigenous performer nominated for a best actress honor at the Academy Awards 2019 for her performance in the film Roma. In the film she spoke in an indigenous language and in Spanish.

The 25-year-old actress was born in the poor Mexican state of Oaxaca. She set her commitment to fight racism and advocate for gender equality and indigenous rights.

Read More
Read Less

Important Current Affairs 5th October 2019

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS:

Justice Vinod Kumar Sharma appointed as new Punjab Lokpal.

• Justice Vinod Kumar Sharma has been appointed as new Punjab Lokpal. The State government, however, failed to amend the Punjab Lokpal Act, 1996, hence leaving the Chief Minister and the Cabinet ministers out of its ambit. The post was lying vacant since 23 April 2018, after Justice Satish Kumar Mittal (retd) had resigned. The lokpal will hold the office for a tenure of six years. Justice Sharma had served as Punjab and Haryana high court judge.

ECI appoints 2 Special Observers for Telangana and Sikkim elections.

• Election commission of India (ECI) has appointed 2 Special Observers for Telangana and Sikkim elections. ECI appointed Mr. B. R. Balakrishnan (ex IRS 1983) and a serving Indian Revenue Service officer, Mr. Suresh Kumar (IRS 1988) as Special Expenditure Observers for the Bye-Elections. The appointments are in the exercise of the powers conferred on ECI under Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of The Representation of the People Act 1951.

Roles of special observer:

The Special Observers will supervise and monitor all the works that are carried by the electoral machinery.

The observers will also ensure that necessary and effective enforcement action are taken based on intelligence inputs and complaints received. The common people can submit their complaints through C-VIGIL, Voter Helpline 1950 against all persons/entities who try to induce voters by distributing cash, liquor & freebies etc. in order to vitiate the poll process.

DAYS:

World Space Week is observed from 4 to 10 October.

•  World Space Week is observed from 4 October to 10 October 2019. It is the largest space event on Earth.

Theme:

The 2019 theme for the week is The Moon: Gateway to the Stars. The week showcases some of the creative, innovative and popular events that brought people together to celebrate space.

History:

The World Space Week was declared by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 6 December 1999. It passed the resolution and declared that the week will be observed each year from 4-10 October. The week celebrates science and technology and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition.

These days commemorate the following two events:

♦ On 4 October 1957, Sputnik 1, the first human-made Earth satellite was launched. The way for space exploration was thus started.

♦ On 10 October 1967, the signing of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activites of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies was held.

SPORTS:

Niklas Kaul became the youngest world decathlon champion.

• Niklas Kaul set a record by becoming the youngest world decathlon champion in history at the World Athletics Championships 2019 held at Doha, Qatar. Kaul progressed steadily through the field after each of the 10 events.

He started off in 20th place after the 100m, ending the first day in 11th place and then breaking into the top three following a monster 79.05m throw in the javelin. A secured a high 4:15.70 run in the 1500m and sealed the record. Kaul won with a score of 8691. This is his third personal best of the season.

Read More
Read Less

Important Current Affairs 4th October 2019

NATIONAL:

India Economic Summit was held in New Delhi.

• The India Economic Summit of the World Economic Forum (WEF) was held in New Delhi on 4 October 2019. The Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina and Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways, Piyush Goyal were present in the summit.

Summit highlights:

During the summit, two Government to Business (G2B) MoUs were signed between Startup Bangladesh and Tech Mahindra and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority and Adani Ports and SEZs. Over the last decade, bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh has grown steadily over the last decade. India's exports to Bangladesh for the financial year 2018-19 (April-March) stood at $9.21 billion and imports from Bangladesh for the same period stood at $1.22 billion.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS:

Amrit Lugun is appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Greece.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has appointed Amrit Lugun as the next Ambassador of India to Greece. Lugun will be taking up the assignment shortly. Amrit Lugun is a 1989-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer. Previously Lugun served as the country's ambassador to Sudan and Yemen respectively.

Greece: President: Prokopis Pavlopoulos Prime Minister: Kyriakos Mitsotakis Capital: Athens Currency: Euro (€) (EUR) Official and national language: Greek.

AWARDS:

Shanti Raghavan, Dipesh Sutariya won Social Entrepreneur of theYear Award.

Shanti Raghavan and Dipesh Sutariya of EnAble India awarded the 10th Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award, 2019, for building an ecosystem of skilling, employment, and entrepreneurship for persons with disabilities (PwDs).

EnAble India changed the mindset of 729 business houses and built frameworks of inclusion in universities and government agencies, thus creating a robust business case for employing PwDs in formal and informal sectors across India.

The non-profit organization is bringing changes to the lives of PwDs through technology innovations, breakthroughs in skill trainings, new workplace solutions and behavioural change tools.

Over the past 20 years, Raghavan, Sutariya and their teams have transformed the lives of 220,000 individuals with disabilities and their families, community leaders, and employers across all the states.

All EnAble India trainees work across a wide spectrum of 14 disabilities, perform at par and receive salaries at par with their non-disabled peers. The organization aims to transform one million PwDs as confident taxpayers, active citizens, and nation-builders over the next three years through partnerships with 200 non-profit organizations.The PwDs leads to 5-7% loss in India’s GDP. It starts with when the parent, who first thought that their child .

Jubilant Bhartia Foundation

Jubilant Bhartia Foundation, established in 2007, is the not-for-profit organization of the Jubilant Bhartia Group. It focuses on conceptualizing and implementing the corporate social responsibility initiatives for the group. The Jubilant Bhartia Foundation’s activities include various community development works, healthcare programmes, cultural and sports events, an environmental preservation initiative, vocational training, women empowerment and educational activities.

SPORTS:

Katarina Johnson won Heptathlon gold at the World Championships.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson won Heptathlon gold at the World Championships 2019 in Doha, Qatar. She won with a British record of 6,981 points. She defeated 2017 champion Nafissatou Thiam by 304 points. Austria's Verena Preiner took third.

2019 World Athletics Championships:

Edition: 17th

Venue: Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar

Dates: 27 September-6 October

Events: 49 (24 men, 24 women, 1 mixed)

Organized by: IAAF, Qatar Athletics Federation

Individual prize money (US$): 60,000 (gold), 30,000 (silver), 20,000 (bronze)

Team prize money (US$): 80,000 (relay gold), 40,000 (silver), 20,000 (bronze)

Read More
Read Less

Important Current Affairs 3rd October 2019

NATIONAL:

India gets its first Floating Basketball Court.

• India got its first-ever Floating Basketball Court in the Arabian Sea near Bandra Worli Sealink. It was installed by the National Basketball Association on 2 October.

NBA India Games 2019:

On 20 December 2018, NBA India had announced that the first-ever NBA game would be organized in the country in October in Mumbai. The NBA India Games 2019 has been prepared to feature the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers, who will play two pre-season games on October 4 and 5 at the Dome, NSCI, SVP Stadium.

National Basketball Association:

Founded on: June 6, 1946

Countries: United States (29 teams), Canada (1 team)

Headquarters: New York City

Champion(s): Toronto Raptors

AGREEMENTS AND MOU’s:

India and USA to launch new initiative for clean energy.

• India and America will launch a new initiative for clean energy to fuel economic growth in the strategically-important Indo-Pacific region where China has been trying to expand its sphere of influence.

The US has been pushing for a broader role by India in the Indo-Pacific region in the backdrop of China's rising military maneuvering in the region.

China trying to expand its military presence in the biogeographic region, comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) partners from US department of energy and the US agency for international development. India’s ministry of power will host, along with the ministry of new and renewable energy, the Indian Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, and the Indian Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board. Together they will strengthen India’s energy security by jointly working toward a national power system for India that is stable, reliable, and affordable.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS:

OIL India appointed Sushil Chandra Mishr as MD and CEO.

• Oil India Limited appointed Sushil Chandra Mishra as the new Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company.

He will replace Utpal Bora. Mr. Bora ceased to be Chairman & Managing Director of the company on 30th September.

Sushil Chandra Mishra:

Mishra started his career as an executive trainee with OIL in 1984. He developed deep expertise in commercial matters and played a key role in framing and implementing procurement policies and procedures for inventory management, vendor development, framework agreement and its related strategies.

He acquired significant Board level exposure at corporate office at the time of launch of OIL's IPO in 2009. He also developed the Strategic Plan 2020.

DAYS:

Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot flags off Walkthan for Senior Citizens to mark International Day of Older Persons.

• Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment flagged off a Walkthan for older persons and senior citizens to mark the International Day of Older Persons at Commonwealth Games Village Stadium, near Akshardham Mandir.

It is organised by the National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) under Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment in collaboration with Confederation of Senior Citizens Association of Delhi. Smt. Neelam Sawhney, Secretary, M/o SJ&E, Shri J.R. Gupta, Chairperson of the Confederation and many dignitaries were present. Senior citizens in a large number from all parts of Delhi took part in the Walkthan.

The event consisted of Police Band performance, Cultural and musical programmes by Senior citizens and Yoga & fitness session with Police Band.

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is committed to the overall welfare of older persons and senior citizens. The new programmes and schemes for the welfare of senior citizens. The Ministry felicitates senior citizens and older persons by conferring ‘Vayoshreshtha Samman’ every year on the eminent senior citizens and institutions in many categories in recognition of their services towards the cause of the elderly persons.

Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana

Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana under which physical aids and assistive living devices namely wheel chairs, hearing aids, spectacles, support stickset care distributed to the older persons of below poverty line category. He said that so far 1 lakh 13 thousand Vayoshri camps had been organised where physical aids and assistive device worth Rs. 68 crore have been provided to senior citizens. This scheme has been initiated in 250 districts of the country. He urged the people especially the young generation to accord due respect to older persons.

The International Day of Older Persons, every year since 2005 the mass awareness event Walkthan is being organised by NISD. The event has a great value for awareness about welfare of Senior Citizens and giving a life of dignity to elderly persons. Showcasing of various positive physical activities were done like a RUN, slogan March, Yoga and fitness session. This mega event became colorful with the participation of various organizations from Delhi & NCR.  

Read More
Read Less

Important Current Affairs 2nd October 2019

NATIONAL:

Government launched the DIN system of CBDT.

• Ministry of Finance has launched the Documentation Identification Number (DIN) system of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on 1 October 2019. On the day of launching, about 17,500 communications with DIN were generated. DIN system has been created as per the direction of Finance Minister Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman. The introduction of DIN will make every CBDT communication to have a documentation identification number.

Aim:

The DIN system is expected to ensure greater accountability and transparency in tax administration.

Provisions of DIN:

♦ Any communication from the Income Tax (IT) Department without a computer-generated DIN, including notice, letter, order and summon or any other correspondence, would be invalid.

♦ All communications with DIN will be verified on the e-filing portal

♦ No communication would be issued manually without DIN except only if it is in the specified exceptional circumstances.

♦ Any communication issued manually under exceptional circumstances should be uploaded and regularised on the system portal within 15 days of its issuance.

Paryatan Parv 2019 launched.

•  Center has launched the nationwide Paryatan Parv 2019 on 2 October. It was inaugurated by the Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and  Minister of Steel, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi.

Organized by:

Paryatan Parv 2019 was organized by the Ministry of Tourism.

Aim:

Paryatan Parv aims to propagate the message of Dekho Apna Desh with the objective to encourage Indians to visit various tourist destinations of the country. It also spread the message of Tourism for All.

Paryatan Parv 2019:

Paryatan Parv 2019 will be held from 2nd to 13th October 2019 across the country.

Paryatan Parv 2019 is dedicated to the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Paryatan Parv is being organized with the objective of drawing focus on the benefits of tourism, showcasing the cultural diversity of the country.

It also reinforces the principle of Tourism for All.

The three components of Paryatan Parv, are:

♦ Dekho Apna Desh - To encourage Indians to visit their own country.

♦ Tourism for All - Tourism Events at sites across all States in the country are being organized.

♦ Tourism & Governance - Interactive Sessions & Workshops with Stakeholders on varied themes.

Gandhi Jayanthi is celebrated on 2 October.

•  Gandhi Jayanthi is celebrated on 2 October in India. The Day marks the to mark the birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. The celebrations in the year 2019 mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The day is celebrated every year. His birth anniversary is observed as the International Day of Nonviolence.

Mahatma Gandhi:

M.K. Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869. He was known for his non-violence protest during the British rule. He was a leading figure of freedom movements whether in India or South Africa. India got freedom from colonial rule with his efforts.

Major events in the freedom struggle:

♦ In 1906-07, Satyagraha in South Africa

♦ In 1910, Satyagraha against emigration and restriction in Natal

♦ In 1917, Champaran Satyagraha

♦ In 1917-1918, Kheda Satyagraha

♦ In 1919, Khilafat Movement

♦ In 1920, Non-Cooperation Movement

♦ In 1930, Civil-Disobedience Movement

♦ In 1942, Quit India Movement

The above major movements that were led by Mahatma Gandhi helped India in attaining freedom from the British rule.  Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist, on 30 January 1948.

International Day of Non Violence is observed on 2 October.

•  International Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2 October. The day is observed on the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. He is the leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence. The day aims to disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness.

The principle of non-violence rejects the use of physical violence in order to achieve social or political change.

History:

On 15 June 2007, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed a resolution to declare 2nd October as International Day of Non-Violence. The resolution reaffirmed the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence. It desires to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding, and non-violence.

Read More
Read Less

All Rights Reserved Top Rankers