Daily Current Affairs Updates– 9th July 2016

Daily Current Affairs Updates– 10th May 2016

Daily Current Affairs Updates– 9th July 2016:

Daily Current affairs News Updates about the National and International events were listed here. Candidates those who are preparing for IBPS/SBI/PO/Clerk exam and all other competitive exams can use this.

8 MoUs inked at India-South Africa CEOs forum:

· Business leaders from India and South Africa on Friday signed eight MoUs at a CEO forum on the sidelines of PM NarendraModi's visit to the African country.

· The MoUs were signed in sectors including mining, railways, defence and education.

· The biggest of the MoUs was signed between a South African port and Cipla, involving investment worth around $90 million.

PM Modi signs four pacts with South Africa:

· PM NarendraModi, who is currently on a five-day tour of Africa, signed four pacts on Friday with South African President Jacob Zuma.

· The agreements are linked to the fields of information and communications technology, tourism, arts and culture, and science and technology.

· PM Modi also sought deeper collaboration with South Africa in the defence sector.

Aurangabad to host first SAARC Tourism Summit:

· Maharashtra Tourism has said that the state's Aurangabad town will host India's first SAARC Tourism Summit during the second week of October.

· The two-day summit aims to tap foreign direct investment under the Make in Maharashtra and Make in India schemes.

· Maharashtra Tourism also said that it is planning to set up a Buddhist Centre at Ellora during the summit.

Government rolls out KrishiVigyan Kendra portal for monitoring of farm centres

· Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh launched an online portal designed to monitor nearly 645 KrishiVigyanKendras (KVKs) across the country.

· The KVKs also known as known as farm science centres which have a mandate to assess agri-technology and demonstrate to farmer’s application and capacity development, are being set up in rural districts.

· The centres will play a key role in broadcasting farm information at the grassroots level, the government is making efforts to strengthen them with a budget provision of Rs.300 crore.

· The portal will have a facility for online monitoring of KVKs, which comprises submission of monthly reports.

Joint issue of postage stamp between Department of Posts and Portugal Post:

· The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister ShriNarendraModi was apprised of a joint issue of postage stamps between Department of India Posts and Portugal Post.

· Department of Posts and Portugal Post will issue joint postage stamps on the theme of folk dances (Dandiya of Gujarat)

· India and Portugal enjoy excellent bilateral relationship with each other with frequent and active interaction through different platforms that allow both countries to exchange views on many of common issues of concern.

· This collaboration has been fruitful and beneficial for both countries and the ties of both countries will continue to grow from strength to strength over the years.

Kerala Government imposes 14.5 per cent fat tax on Junk Food:

· Kerala Government has proposed a “Fat Tax” on fast food items like burgers, pizzas, donuts and pasta etc. served in branded restaurants in a bid to discourage the junk food culture.

· The first-of its-kind move in the country was announced in the maiden budget of the CPI(M)-led LDF Government in Kerala presented by Finance Minister Dr. T.M. Thomas Issac.

· The revised state budget for 2016-17 expects the Fat tax will add an additional Rs.10 crore to the state coffers. The fat tax’s major concern is with issues related to public health more than revenue generation.

Kerala announces pension scheme for transgenders:

· The Left Democratic Front government in Kerala announced a pension scheme, starting this year, for transgenders above 60 years of age.

· It also announced special education aid for transgender students. Only last year, Kerala became the first state in India to announce a Transgender Welfare Board that aims to end stigma towards the sexual minority group.

Film festival on wildlife has begun in Shimla:

· A three-day Woodpecker Environment and Wildlife Film Festival has begun at historic Gaiety Theatre in Shimla.

· The festival is being organized by WWF-India in collaboration with CMSR foundation, Delhi with the support of the Himachal Pradesh’s Department of Language, Art and culture and Department of Forest.

· The focus of the festival is the critical environment and wildlife conservation issues like climate change, forest conservation, biodiversity and man-animal conflict and success stories will also be showcased in it.

Government starts SUUTI stake sale process:

· The government has initiated the process to sell its stake in 51 companies held through the Specified Undertaking of the Unit Trust of India (SUUTI) to boost revenue by about Rs.50,000 crore.

· The asset sales would help the government meet its disinvestment revenue target of Rs.56,500 crore for 2016-17 and reduce the fiscal deficit projected at Rs.5.33 lakh crore.

Government plans to clean 10 iconic places under Swachh Bharat mission:

· Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation Narendra Singh Tomar has said that government will carry out a drive to clean ten iconic places in the country, including TajMahal, Vaishno Devi temple and Ajmer Sharif, as part of a pilot project under the Swachh Bharat mission.

· Inaugurating a two-day National Workshop in New Delhi on Special Cleanliness drive, Mr Tomar said, his ministry is in the process of selecting 100 iconic places for cleaning under the mission and most will be either tourist or religious spots.

· The other places which have been selected are Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh, Golden Temple in Punjab, Jagannath temple in Odisha, ChhatrapatiShivaji Terminus in Maharashtra, ManikarnikaGhat in Uttar Pradesh, Meenakshi Temple in Tamil Nadu and Kamakhya Temple in Assam.

Arunachal Pradesh: Lohit district administration launches mobile app “AapnaLohit”

· In Arunachal Pradesh, Lohit district Administration has launched a mobile app “AapnaLohit” at Itanagar.

· It is an effort of the Lohit District administration to make information and awareness available at the finger of the people.

· The app includes useful information about the district like history, geography, culture, disaster management, first aid guide, Lohit tourism, one touch helpline, etc.

· Lohit Deputy Commissioner Danish Ashraf says that the app is first of its kind in Arunachal Pradesh and is going to be the cornerstone of various e-Gov initiatives in the district. It will also be used as a monitoring tool for various government schemes.

Delhi government approves new slum and Jhuggi-Jhopdi rehabilitation policy:

· Delhi government approved the new Slum and Jhuggi-Jhopdi Relocation and Rehabilitation Policy.

· As per the policy, the cut-off date for eligibility for alternative accommodation for slum and jhuggi-jhopdi dwellers has been revised from 4th of June, 2009 to 1st of January 2015, but JJ clusters must have been in existence prior to 1st of January, 2006.

· Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board,DUSIB, will function as the nodal agency and rehabilitate the eligible JJ dwellers before removal of jhuggies as per this policy. The same policy was earlier approved by DUSIB at its board meeting.

· Delhi government has also decided to set up Mission Swaraj for implementation MohallaSabhasproject.The objective of the mission will be to carry out mapping and related activities to define the exact constitution of mohallas in the city.

Meghalaya cabinet approves formation of fifth pay commission:

· Meghalaya cabinet has approved the formation of the fifth pay commission to increase the salaries, allowances and pension of State government employees.

· The cabinet also approved the appointment of former chief secretary P.J. Bazeley as chairman of the fifth pay commission with former NEC secretary Uttam Kumar Sangma and former Education official L. Roy as members.

West Bengal to set up three biotechnology hubs:

· The West Bengal Government has taken up a project to set up three biotechnology hubs across the state to bring in more biotechnology innovations to the State.

· The three proposed biotechnology hubs will come in Bardhaman, Kalimpong and Medinipur districts. They will help in the coordination of various departments with the Biotechnology Department in a better way.

· The Biotechnology Department of the State has already taken up an elaborate scheme to not only tie up with other departments like Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Processing to increase the productivity and quality of various products but to also provide germ-free food to the common people.

Cyber cell set up to tackle internet trolls:

· Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi set up a cyber cell to tackle trolls that harass women and children online.

· Gandhi also advised women and children to use the hashtag #IamTrolledHelp if they are "bullied, stalked or abused online".

INTERNATIONAL:

US, S Korea to deploy missile defence system:

· South Korea and the USA announced that they will deploy an advanced missile defence system 'Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD)' in the Korean peninsula to counter threats from North Korea.

· Following the announcement, China criticised the move saying it would destabilise the security balance in the region without achieving anything to end North Korea's nuclear program.

France gets 1st floating hotel 'OFF Paris Seine':

· France has got its first floating hotel with the OFF Paris Seine, which is docked on the River Seine in Paris.

· The 58-room hotel is now the largest boat moored in the city, between the Austerlitz viaduct and Charles de Gaulle Bridge.

· The OFF Paris Seine also has a plunge pool and marina, and prices start from $177 a night.

China: Red alert issued as typhoon 'Nepartak' approaches coast:

· China's State Oceanic Administration (SOA) has issued this year's first red alert, warning people of heavy havoc expected to be caused by typhoon Nepartak, which is approaching the Chinese coast.

· The SOA estimated that from last night till today, sea waves as high as nine metres will emerge in Taiwan Strait, while coastal waters near Fujian Province will see waves as high as six metres.

· 160 people were killed and 28 went missing in heavy rains and floods in a number of provinces in the last few weeks ahead of the typhoon.

· The SOA also issued a yellow alert storm tides and estimated that the sea level off Fujian Province will rise up to 150 centimetres.

IMF sets $5.3 billion programs for Iraq:

· The IMF has announced a $5.34 billion program for Iraq to help strengthen the country's finances, hit by the crash in oil prices and the fight against the Islamic State group.

· The International Monetary Fund said the three-year loan will see $634 million immediately allocated to Baghdad, which needs the money to stabilise its balance of payments and ensure it can keep up with its debt obligations.

· It will also focus on maintaining the peg of the Iraqi currency to the US dollar, while slowly removing exchange restrictions.

· The program will involve fiscal consolidation moves aimed at cutting inefficient capital expenditure and at the same time protecting social spending. The IMF added that the money under the new program will also support measures to protect the poor, strengthen financial management, and fight corruption.

APPOINTMENTS:

Vishal Kapoor to be the new CEO of IDFC MF:

· IDFC Mutual Fund has named Vishal Kapoor as its chief executive officer, who would assume charge from September this year.

· Presently he is a senior executive from Standard Chartered Bank. Vishal has over two decades of rich experience in Financial Services across functions and businesses.

· Kapoor is a management graduate from IIMAhmedabad and a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata.

S K Kohli appointed chief defence accounts auditor:

· Senior civil servant S K Kohli has been named as the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA). He is an Indian Defence Accounts Service officer.

· The Appointments Committee of Cabinet has given its nod to Kohli’s empanelment for promotion to the post of CGDA.

· Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) heads the Defence Accounts Department (DAD), operates under the Ministry of Defence of India is mandated to audit, payment and accounting of all charges pertaining to the armed forces, including bills for supplies and services.

Dior names Chiuri new Creative Director:

· Luxury goods maker Christian Dior named Maria GraziaChiuri as its new creative director, making her the first woman to take up the role at the French fashion label.

· Chiuri, who was formerly co-creative director at the Italian clothing brand Valentino, will feature her first collection for Christian Dior in Paris on September 30, the company said.

Kevin Turner resigns as Chief Operating Officer of Microsoft:

· Kevin Turner resigned as the Chief Operating Officer ( COO) of Microsoft with effect from 31 July 2016.

· Being the COO, Turner was handling Microsoft's enormous sales operations. He had been at Microsoft for 11 years.

· Turner would now be joining Citadel Securities as Chief Executive Officer.

Goldman Sachs hires ex-European Commission chief:

· Goldman Sachs announced the appointment of José Manuel Barroso, former President of the European Commission, EU's executive arm, as an advisor and non-executive chairman of its international business.

· Following the UK's exit from the European Union, Barroso will help the firm in advising clients on dealing with "challenging and uncertain economic and market environment," officials said.

SriniGopalan quits BhartiAirtel and going to join Deutsche Telekom:

· Consumer business director of BhartiAirtelMr.SriniGopalan has quit the company and is all set to join Deutsche Telekom from October 1st as a member of new board management for Europe business.

· In BhartiAirtel, Gopalan was the in charge of increasing data usage by Bharti’s subscribers, where he also led the rolling out of app services including Wynk.

· He had joined Bharti in 2013 from Vodafone UK, where he was working as the director for consumer business.

AWARDS AND HONORS:

Captain RadhikaMenon first woman to receive Exceptional Bravery award at Sea:

· RadhikaMenon will become the first woman in the world to receive the Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea for 2016, from the International Maritime Organisation, IMO.

· She will be awarded for saving the lives of seven fishermen, whose hopes of survival were all but over.

· The Awards ceremony is set to take place at IMO Headquarters in London, on 21 November.

Double Dhamaka Prize Money( $40,000) for UNESCO KALINGA PRIZE:

· The Odisha government has decided to double the prize money of UnescoKalinga Prize-2017 to $40,000

· The Kalinga Prize was established in 1951 by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) with a generous grant from BijuPatnaik, the founder-president of the Kalinga Foundation Trust.

· The Kalinga Prize is given to a person(s) who make outstanding contribution to the interpretation of science and technology to the general public

· It is noted that Argentinian scientist Diego Andres Golombek received the UNESCO Kalinga Prize 2015.

UK woman fastest to finish Explorers Grand Slam:

· Forty-two-year-old mother-of-two from Britain, Masha Gordon has become the fastest woman to finish the Explorers Grand Slam by achieving the feat in seven months and 19 days.

· The Explorers Grand Slam is an adventurous challenge wherein mountaineers have to climb seven of the tallest peaks in the world, each from different continents, and reach the North and South Poles.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

5 Indian hotels in World's 100 Best Hotels list:

· Five Indian hotels have made it to the 'Travel + Leisure' magazine's 100 Best Hotels list, with The OberoiUdaivilas in Udaipur ranked 22nd.

· In a survey conducted by the magazine, The OberoiVanyavilas (Ranthambhore) was ranked 28th, while The OberoiRajvilas (Jaipur) was 59th. The list also included The Leela Palace New Delhi and the Taj Lake Palace (Udaipur).

Indonesia's Nihiwatu voted World's Best Hotel:

· Waterfront resort Nihiwatu, which is on the Indonesian island of Sumba, has been voted the World's Best Hotel in a survey by the Travel + Leisure magazine.

· Nihiwatu boasts a spa safari and a three-villa treehouse, costing $6,000 per night. The Spectator Hotel in United States' Charleston and the Huka Lodge in New Zealand were ranked second and third respectively.

India's 1st crowdfunded electric bike unveiled:

· India's first crowdfunded eco-friendly electric bike, named Spero, was unveiled.

· The bike, priced between Rs.29,900 and Rs.50,900, will launch in three variants based on the distance it covers on a single charge – 30 kms, 60 km and 100 kms.

· It can go from 0-25 kmph in 10 seconds and is equipped with five gears in electric mode.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

Borneanorangutan declared critically endangered:

· The Borneanorangutan, an orangutan species native to the island of Borneo, has been declared as a "Critically Endangered" species.

· Its count has reportedly shrunk by over 50% to 100,000 since 1973 due to growing human pressures, and is expected to further drop to 47,000 by 2025.

· The Whale shark, world's largest fish, was also enlisted as an "Endangered" species.

Eminent Pakistani philanthropist Abdul SattarEdhi died: