Daily Current Affairs Updates – 8th April 2017

Daily Current Affairs Updates – 8th April 2017:

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.

India moves up to 40th rank at World Economic Forum Travel list :

India has jumped 12 places to the 40th rank in the World Economic Forum Global Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017. India was one of the countries that improved the most, with the WEF saying, "India continues to enrich its cultural resources". Spain topped the list, followed by France and Germany.

1st NBA Basketball School inaugurated today in Mumbai :

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has launched the first NBA Basketball School in Mumbai on Saturday. The school is part of NBA's initiative of a network of tuition-based basketball development programmes, open to international male and female players aged between 6 to 18. Additional NBA Basketball Schools will be launched in India and around the world in the coming months.

UP govt orders English compulsory language in schools from Class 1 :

English will be taught as a compulsory subject from class 1 in all government-run schools in Uttar Pradesh, Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma said on Friday. "The teaching standards in state schools will be brought on a par with private or missionary institutes," he added. Notably, English was till now being taught as a compulsory subject from class 5.

State : Uttar Pradesh

Capital : Lucknow

CM : Yogi Adityanath

Governor : Ram Naik

State highways in Uttarakhand to be classifed as district roads by govt :

Uttarakhand's government on Friday decided to denotify state highways falling in the area of local civic bodies and categorise them as other district roads. "Highway specifications are posing practical problems in the maintenance... of state highways," it said. The decision, expected to provide relief to liquor vends after the alcohol ban near highways, will denotify 63 of 64 state highways.

State : Uttarakhand

Capital : Dehradun

CM : Trivendra Singh Rawat

Governor : Krishan Kant Paul

Bill passed in Maharashtra assembly to prevent attacks on journalists :

The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Friday passed a bill that seeks to prevent attacks on journalists and media houses. Introduced by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the bill was passed without discussion in the absence of opposition members in the lower house. A police officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police shall investigate any offense under this act.

State : Maharashtra

Capital : Mumbai

CM :‎Devendra Fadnavis

Governor : C Vidyasagar Rao

Haryana Sex ratio reaches 950 mark out of 1000 boys :

In Haryana, the sex ratio has touched the 950 mark for the first time in the history of the State. Stating this, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said yesterday that the sex ratio at birth stood at 950 girls to 1,000 boys in March this year.

He said, the state had accepted the challenge of improving the skewed sex ratio after the launch of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' programme by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Haryana.

State : Haryana

Capital : Chandigarh

CM : Manohar Lal Khattar

Governor : Kaptan Singh Solanki

UP govt to purchase one lakh metric ton potato direct from farmers :

In Uttar Pradesh, the government has decided to purchase one lakh metric ton potato direct from farmers to provide them better price of their produce. Government has fixed rate of 487 rupees per quintal.

The government took this decision on the basis of market interference scheme and has authorised National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Federation of India, NAFED, and three institutions of the State Government to purchase potatoes on the rate fixed by government. They have been asked to complete the purchase within a month with complete transparency. Purchase centres shall be opened as per need of the procurement agencies.

State : Uttar Pradesh

Capital : Lucknow

CM : Yogi Adityanath

Governor : Ram Naik

INTERNATIONAL:

US, China agree to follow '100-day plan' for dipping trade deficit :

US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have agreed to pursue a '100-day plan' aimed at reducing the US trade deficit with China. The two leaders held their first summit at Trump's Mar-a-Lago retreat in the southern US state of Florida during last two days. Mr Trump said, he is seriously concerned because China's economic and trade policies are threatening US jobs and exports.

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross later told reporters that the presidents agreed to the plan to correct the trade imbalance. It includes the boosting of US exports to China. Ross attended the summit talks.

Country : United States of America

Capital : Washington, D.C.

President : Donald Trump

Currency : United States Dollar

Country : China

Capital: Beijing

Currency: Renminbi

President: Xi Jinping

BANKING NEWS:

Banks got extension on deadline for account holders to give PAN to June 30 :

The Income Tax Department has given banks three more months till June 30 to obtain Permanent Account Number or Form-60 from all account holders. Following demonetisation, the government had issued a notification making it mandatory for savings account holders to provide PAN or Form-60 by February 28. Form-60 is a declaration filed by an individual without a PAN card.

AGREEMENTS:

22 agreements signed between India and Bangladesh in various sectors :

Following PM Narendra Modi's meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on Saturday, the two countries signed 22 agreements in various key sectors. PM Modi announced a Line of Credit of ₹3,213.5 crore for Bangladesh's defence procurement and ₹28,921 crore for projects in priority sectors. India would partner Bangladesh in the goal of power for all by 2021, he added.

Country : Bangladesh

Capital: Dhaka

Currency: Bangladeshi taka

Prime minister: Sheikh Hasina

Missile deal signed by India with Israel worth around ₹13,000 cr :

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has announced that it has signed a $2 billion (nearly ₹13,000 crore) contract with India to supply advanced medium-range surface-to-air missile systems. IAI said it was their largest defence contract. IAI added that it would also supply additional long-range air and missile defence systems for the first locally-made Indian aircraft carrier.

Country : Israel

Capital: Jerusalem

Currency: Israeli new shekel

President: Reuven Rivlin

Prime minister: Benjamin Netanyahu

APPOINTMENTS:

SN Subrahmanyan becomes as new CEO Larsen & Toubro :

Engineering conglomerate Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on Friday named SN Subrahmanyan as its new CEO with effect from July. Further, long-serving head AM Naik will move to a new position of non-executive Chairman. Notably, Naik will assume the new role for a period of three years beginning October 1, immediately upon his retirement as Executive Chairman on September 30.

Company : Larsen & Toubro (L&T)

Headquarters : Mumbai

CEO : SN Subrahmanyan

Donald Trump nominates Indian-American Vishal Amin as his 'IP czar' :

President Donald Trump has tapped Indian-American Vishal Amin as his new 'IP czar' to coordinate US law-enforcement strategy around copyright, patents and trademarks. The White House said yesterday that Amin has been nominated to be the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator in the Executive Office of the President as Trump made a number of key administrative appointments.

AWARDS AND HONOURS:

Malala Yousafzai becomes UN Messenger of Peace :

UN Secretary General António Guterres has selected Malala Yousafzai as a UN Messenger of Peace, the highest honour bestowed by the UN chief on a global citizen. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric on Friday announced that Malala would focus on promoting girls' education worldwide. Malala, also the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner, will be officially designated at a ceremony on Monday.

Organisation : United Nations (UN)

Headquarters : New York City

Secretary‑General : António Guterres

SPORTS NEWS:

Indian boxer wins gold at Thailand International after Hasanboy walkover due to Injury :

Indian boxer K Shyam Kumar won a gold medal at the Thailand International Tournament on Saturday after getting a walkover in the final. Kumar was supposed to fight Olympic champion Hasanboy Dusmatov in the 49 kg final, but the latter pulled out due to injury. India's Rohit Tokas won a bronze medal in the 64 kg event at the tournament.

IOA grants affiliation to Boxing Federation of India :

The Indian Olympic Association, IOA, has granted affiliation to the Boxing Federation of India, BFI. The affiliation ends a logjam that goes back to September last year when BFI took charge of the sport after elections conducted in the presence of International Boxing Association, AIBA, and Sports Ministry observers. With this, the BFI now becomes the fully recognised body for Indian boxing, having already been granted affiliation by AIBA and the Sports Ministry. BFI chief Ajay Singh told PTI that he welcomes the grant of affiliation by the IOA.