Daily Current Affairs 17th October, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 17 October 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Sewa Service Trains flagged off in Delhi

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal flagged off 9 Sewa Service Trains at New Delhi Railway Station and said these rails will benefit in connecting small towns to major cities in different states.

Chenani-Nashri tunnel to be renamed after Shyama Prasad Mukherjee

The Chenani-Nashri tunnel, the longest tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir, will be renamed after Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, announced Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari.

UP Culture Dept to organise training & performance programme of KHON Ramlila

The Culture Department of Uttar Pradesh government is going to organise the country’s first training and performance programme of world famous KHON Ramlila, a masked form of Ramlila art of Thailand in collaboration with Thai government.

• KHON Ramlila of Thailand is included in the list of UNESCO’s Intangible cultural heritage and it’s a form of masked dance depicting the scenes of Ramlila. It has no dialogues and background voices narrate the whole story of Ramayana.

Bengaluru to host World Coffee Conference

International Coffee Organization (ICO) under the aegis of United Nations will organize its 5th Edition of World Coffee Conference to be held at Bengaluru from September 7th to 9th 2020. The Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India will host the 3-day event themed, ‘Sustainability Through Consumption’ that will celebrate all things of coffee in an immersive experience with conferences addressed by international speakers, coffee exhibition, buyer sellers meets, competitions and awards, skill building workshops, amongst many others.

India, Japan begins joint Air Force exercise ‘Shinyuu Maitri’

The Indian Air Force carryied out a joint military exercise ‘Shinyuu Maitri’ with Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) at Air Force Station, Arjan Singh in Panagarh town in West Bengal.

• The focus of the exercise will be to undertake Joint Mobility and Tactical interoperability among the two forces.

Shirui Lily Festival inaugurated in Manipur

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism and Culture Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated Shirui Lily Festival, 2019 at Shirui Vangayan Ground of Ukhrul in Manipur. 

• Mr Patel along with State Chief Minister N. Biren Singh also inaugurated the Strength of Unity Statue as a mark of opening the third edition of the four-day state festival.

Kiran Uniyal, w/o a serving Colonel of Indian Army sets Guinness World Records

Kiran Uniyal, w/o a serving Colonel of Indian Army has created Individual Guinness World Records for “The most full contact knee strikes in three minutes (one leg) (female), 263 strikes” & “The most full contact knee strikes alternate legs in one minute(female),120 strikes”.

• The earlier records were of 177 strikes and 102 in female category respectively.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India, Oman begin joint training exercise ‘EX EASTERN BRIDGE-V’

Indian Air Force (IAF) kickstarted its bilateral joint exercise with Royal Air Force Oman (RAFO), named ‘EX EASTERN BRIDGE-V’ at Air Force Base Masirah, Oman.

• The exercise will enhance inter-operability during mutual operations between the two Air Forces and will provide an opportunity to learn from each other’s best practices.

World Giving Index: India ranks 82, USA tops the list

India ranked 82 spots among the 128 countries surveyed in the World Giving Index (WGI). The average figures for India over the past decade show that 34 per cent people helped a stranger, 24 per cent donated money and 19 per cent volunteered or donated their time.

• According to the WGI, the USA stood at the top followed Myanmar, New Zealand and Australia.

India hands over 2nd pair of Mi-24V helicopters to Afghan Air forces

India handed over the second pair of Mi-24V helicopters to war-torn Afghanistan, boosting the capability of the Afghan Air forces.

• These helicopters are a replacement for the four attack helicopters previously gifted by India to Afghanistan in 2015 and 2016.

UAE announces establishment of world’s 1st AI university

UAE announced the establishment of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence( MBZUAI) in Abu Dhabi.

• This is the first graduate-level, research-based AI university in the world. MBZUAI will enable graduate students, businesses and governments to advance the artificial intelligence field.
• The University is named after Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, who has long advocated for the UAE’s development of human capital through knowledge and scientific thinking to take the nation into the future.

BANKING & FINANCE

Gruh Finance merger with Bandhan Bank completes

Affordable housing finance company Gruh Finance formally merged with private sector lender Bandhan Bank, in accordance with the amalgamation scheme. Formerly, India’s largest mortgage lender HDFC Ltd was the promoter of Ahmedabad-based Gruh.

• The scheme of amalgamation of Gruh into and with Bandhan Bank was earlier approved by the National Company Law Tribunal’s Kolkata and Ahmedabad benches.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

India halved its poverty rate since 1990s: World Bank

India has halved its poverty rate since the 1990s and achieved a seven plus growth rate over the last 15 years, the World Bank said.

• The country has achieved annual growth exceeding seven per cent over the last 15 years, halved its poverty rate since the 1990s, and enjoyed strong improvements in most human development outcomes, the World Bank said.

Mastercard and MS Dhoni partner to build ‘Team Cashless India’

Mastercard, along with cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni, announced the launch of a nationwide initiative to accelerate the acceptance and adoption of digital payments.

• Titled ‘Team Cashless India’, the initiative brings consumers and merchants to the forefront of the digital payments dialogue.

SPORTS

India Pip Bangladesh to Clinch SAFF U-15 Women’s Championship

India emerged champions of the SAFF U-15 women’s championship 2019 at the Chalimithang Stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan defeating Bangladesh 5-3 on penalties after the match ended 0-0 post 90 minutes.

Yashasvi Jaiswal becomes youngest batsman to score double century

17-year-old Mumbai opener Yashasvi Jaiswal became the youngest batsman to score a double century in List A (One-Day) cricket. Jaiswal scored 203 runs from 154 balls against Jharkhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019 at KSCA Cricket Ground, Alur.

• Jaiswal also became the seventh Indian batsman to score a double century in List A cricket and fourth to achieve it in the domestic circuit.

Lionel Messi receives his sixth Golden Shoe

FC Barcelona striker Argentina’s Lionel Messi received the 2018/19 Golden Shoe, the sixth of his career and the third consecutively.

• The 36 goals in 34 games that he scored last season in the league have served to ensure a new European Golden Shoe and a continuation of his records.

Jenny Gunn retires from international cricket

England all-rounder Jenny Gunn has announced her retirement from international cricket. Gunn has made 259 appearances for her country, winning three World Cups and five Ashes series. She leaves with 204 wickets and 2702 runs under her name across all formats.

APPOINTMENTS

I-B Secretary Amit Khare takes additional charge of Secretary in HRD

Information and Broadcasting Secretary Amit Khare was given additional charge of Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy.

• The order said that Khare, an IAS officer of 1985 batch from Jharkhand cadre, will have additional charge till the appointment of a regular incumbent to the post or till further orders.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Global Handwashing Day

Global Handwashing Day (GHD) is an international handwashing promotion campaign to motivate and mobilize people around the world to improve their handwashing habits. Washing hands at critical points during the day and washing with soap are both important. Global Handwashing Day occurs on 15 October of each year.

• This year’s theme is “Clean Hands for All”.

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

The United Nations’ (UN) International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed on October 17 each year since 1993. It promotes people’s awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution worldwide, particularly in developing countries.

• This year’s theme is “Acting Together to Empower Children, their Families and Communities to End Poverty”.

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