Daily Current Affairs for All Exams- 15th October 2016

Dear Readers, we are presenting Daily Current Affairs for All Exams- 15th October 2016.

1. India decided to eliminate potent greenhouse gas HFC-23 by 2030

1. India announced its decision to eliminate the . HCF-23 gas. The decision was made in line to its commitment to combat the threat emanating from climate-damaging HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons).

2. The announcement was made by Minister of State Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Anil Dave at Kigali, Rwanda, at a meeting of parties to the Montreal Protocol, where final negotiations are taking place to substantially reduce the use of HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) by 2030.

3. HFC–23 gas, a potent greenhouse gas, with Global Warming Potential of 14800, is produced during the manufacture of a common refrigerant gas, HCFC-22. If vented out in environment, is a threat to the environment. HCFC stands for hydrochloroflurocarbon.

2. PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Shaurya Smarak in Bhopal

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 'Shaurya Smarak', the war memorial in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The 'Shaurya Smarak' was constructed by the state government in honour of those who laid down their lives for the country.

3. International Day of Rural Women 2016 observed across the world

1. The International Day of Rural Women was observed across the world on 15 October 2016.

2. The theme for the day for the year 2016 is Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too.

3. The theme tries to bring focus on farmers, fishers and pastoralists who are standing on the frontlines of food insecurity as temperatures rise, weather patterns become less predictable and climate-related disasters become more frequent. As key actors in food systems, as small-scale farmers and those in charge of ensuring adequate nutrition for families, rural women are at the centre of this challenge.

4. Nearly 200 nations reach historic deal to limit greenhouse gases

1. In a landmark step to combat climate change, about 200 nations, including India, today struck a legally-binding deal after intense negotiations to phase down climate-damaging HFCs that have global warming potential thousand times more than carbon dioxide.

2. Negotiators and policymakers held meetings since yesterday morning and through the night, having intense deliberations to iron out differences concerning the amendment to the Montreal Protocol to reach the Kigali Amendment to phase down the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

3. The agreement reached by 197 parties on the amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is expected to prevent a global temperature rise of up to 0.5 degrees C by the end of the century, while continuing to protect the ozone layer.

5. India, Russia seal big ticket defence deals

1. India and Russia today sealed a number of big ticket defence deals including purchase of missile systems, frigates and joint production of helicopters, besides deciding to deepen cooperation in a range of crucial sectors even as the two close allies resolved to fight the menace of terrorism unitedly.

2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held wide-ranging talks covering the entire expanse of bilateral engagement following which the two sides signed a total of 16 MoUs and made three announcements to boost ties in sectors such as trade and investment, hydrocarbons, space and smart cities.

3. The two leaders also dedicated unit two of the Kudankulum nuclear power plant and witnessed the foundation laying of its Unit 3 and 4.

4. The defence deals included India buying the ‘gamechanger’ S-400 Triumf air defence system from Russia at a cost of over $5 billion. The two countries will also collaborate in making four state-of-the-art frigates, besides setting up a joint production facility for Kamov helicopters.

6. Rosneft-led group acquires Essar Oil for nearly $13 billion

1. Billionaire brothers Shashi and Ravi Ruia have agreed to sell 98 per cent of Essar Group flagship firm Essar Oil to Russian oil major Rosneft and a consortium of oil trading firm Trafigura with private investment group United Capital Partners for $13 billion, making it the largest foreign direct investment in India.

2. The decision to sell ‘family silver’ was taken to pare the Group level debts of Rs 90,000 crore by half to Rs 45,000 crore.

3. Essar Group agreed to sell 49 percent each of Essar Oil Ltd. to Rosneft and the consortium for an enterprise value of Rs 72,800 crore ($10.9 billion), Essar said in a statement adding that all-cash deal includes India’s second-largest refinery at Vadinar with capacity of 20 million tonnes, and another $2 billion will be paid for a port terminal that helps feed the refinery.