Current Affairs Daily Updates 10th January 2017

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Current Affairs Daily Updates 10th January 2017

APPOINTMENTS
Flipkart replaces Binny Bansal with Kalyan Krishnamurthy as CEO:
  • Flipkart has elevated former Tiger Global Management executiveKalyan Krishnamurthy as the new chief executive replacing co-founder Binny Bansal. 
  • Binny has been redesignated as the group chief executive while co-founder Sachin Bansal continues to be executive chairman. 
  • Krishnamurthy had joined Flipkart in June 2016.
Gionee signs up Virat Kohli as brand ambassador:
  • Smartphone brand Gionee has named Virat Kohli, as its new brand ambassador. 
  • Earlier Gionee had roped in actor Alia Bhatt as its brand ambassador. Kohli will be joining her in helping the brand to amplify its presence in India.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
Amitabh Bachchan Awarded by US Embassy for TB Awareness:
  • The Bollywood Actor Amitabh Bachchan was honoured by the US Embassy on January 8,  2017 for his immense contribution to theIndia-US partnership on tuberculosis (TB).
  • The award was presented by US Ambassador to India Richard R Verma to the 74-year-old actor, who himself was diagnosed TB in 2000. 
  • The US and Indian government has been working for over 20 years on tuberculosis.
Cristiano Ronaldo named the FIFA best player for 2016:
  • Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo was named the world’s best player for the year 2016 at the inaugural Best FIFA Football Awards held in Zurich, Switzerland.
  • Other 2016 FIFA awardees are: 
FIFA Fair Play Award: Atletico Nacional. 
Best FIFA Women’s Player: Carli Lloydll (US). 
Best FIFA Men’s Coach: Claudio Ranieri (Italy). 
Best FIFA Women’s Coach: Silvia Neid (Germany). 
FIFA Puskas Award: Mohd Faiz Subri (Malaysia). 
FIFA Award for an Outstanding Career: Falcao (Brazil). 
FIFA Fan Award: Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool supporters.
BANKING AFFAIRS
Humanoid robot Ira to be deployed at HDFC Bank branch
  • Private lender HDFC Bank launched what it claimed to be the first ‘humanoid’ in the domestic banking space, and also said it is looking to partner with start-ups having technological solutions for rural operations.
  • The bank showcased human-sized robot Ira, developed in association with Kochi-based Asimov Robotics,
  • The robot will perform a limited role and act largely as a receptionist, though the humanoid can also move around in the branch. Chugh claimed this is the first ‘humanoid’ in the domestic banking space.
SBI waives MDR charges for small merchants for one year
  • Country's largest lender SBI has waived Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on debit card transactions for all small merchants with annual turnover of up to Rs 20 lakh for one year.
  • SBI further said the move is targeted primarily towards a segment of population and small merchants, who have not yet experienced the convenience of Card Payments.
Axis Bank becomes third lender to offer block chain service
  • Private sector Axis bank has become the third lender in the country to announce usage of block chain solutions for its operations, after its peers ICICI Bank and Yes Bank.
  • The Shikha Sharma-led bank, the third largest private sector lender, will be using the upcoming technology for cross-border remittances.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
BIS revises Indian Standard on gold hallmarking
  • The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has revised the Indian Standard on gold hallmarking, effective from January 1, 2017.
  • Now, the hallmarked gold jewellery will be available in three grades of 14 carat, 18 carat and 22 carat.
  • Henceforth, the caratage will also be marked on jewellery in addition to fineness for convenience of consumers.
  • Thus, the hallmark on gold jewellery will now have four marks, BIS Mark, purity in carat and fineness, assaying centre’s identification mark and jeweller’s identification mark.
DEATHS
Former German President Roman Herzog dies at 82
  • Roman Herzog, who as President pressed Germany to embrace economic reform in the 1990s and also emphasised the importance of remembering the Nazi Holocaust, has died. He was 82.
  • Herzog won the presidency in 1994, four years after reunification. He was one of the first leaders to address Germany's resistance to reform.
IMPORTANT DAYS OBSERVED
11th World Hindi Day: 10 January
  • The World Hindi Day is observed annually on 10 January. 
  • The number of Hindi literates across the globe is reportedly rising at a high pace.
  • The World Hindi Day was first observed on 10 January 2006. It is in addition to present National Hindi Divas which is being observed annually on 14 September.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Xi Jinping to become first Chinese president to attend Davos
  • President Xi Jinping will become the first Chinese president to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, the foreign ministry said today, as the country seeks a greater role in global affairs.
  • Xi Jinping will have a state visit to Switzerland from January 15-18 and attend the forum's annual meeting alongside billionaires and politicians on January 17, ministry spokesman Lu Kang informed.
Italy to reopen its embassy in Tripoli, Libiya
  • Italy will reopen its embassy in Tripoli, which was closed in 2015 along with all other Western embassies due to violence.
  • Announcing the re-opening, Italy's foreign ministry said, the reopening of the embassy shows confidence in the process of stabilising the countrys.
  • Earlier, Interior Minister Marco Minniti held talks with Libyan officials on cooperation in the fight against illegal immigration and terrorism.
  • Libya's Foreign Minister Mohamad Taher Siala said, Libya have agreed to build new relations of cooperation on the basis of the friendship treaty signed in 2008.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
Manohar Parrikar inaugurates International Conference & Exhibition on Re-enforced Plastics
  • Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar inaugurates three-day international conference & exhibition on 'Reinforced Plastics 2017' (ICERP 2017) organised by FRP Institute, an association of Indian Reinforced Plastics or Composites sector.
  • After the inauguration, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar announced the Government of India's ambitious 'Design in India' policy.
  • The policy aims at building, enhancing and promoting designing capabilities of Indian manufacturers and entrepreneurs so that they can design products of world-class standards to compete with global counterparts and take advantage of 'Make in India' programme.
IRCTC launches new App for faster booking of train tickets
  • Indian Railways has launched a new ticketing App, IRCTC Rail Connect, to facilitate booking of train tickets in a faster and easier way.
  • Equipped with latest technology, the new App also makes possible booking of tatkal ticket, ladies quota, premium tatkal quota booking and current reservation. This app will replace the existing ‘IRCTC connect’ app.
Assam govt comes up with e-Wallet
  • The Assam government will be shortly launching its indigenously-developed e-Wallet, Tokapoisa.in, to enable the people of the state for hassle-free online transactions in local language.
  • The mobile application Tokapoisa.in has been developed by the Assam Electronics Development Corp. Ltd. Besides being an e-Wallet, it will be a virtual payment terminal.
Shri Rajnath Singh lays the Foundation Stone of New NDRF Campus in Andhra Pradesh
  • The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone of the new NDRF campus at Konda Pavuluru, Gannavaram (Mandal), Krishna, Andhra Pradesh.
  • This campus will come up in 50 acres land provided by the Andhra Pradesh Government and the expenditure for construction will be borne by the Central government.
  • The campus will be completed in two years. 10th Battalion of NDRF is responsible for looking after the areas of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka for disaster response.
  • The NDRF which has completed over a decade in the field of disaster response has responded to numerous calamities across the country and beyond and proved its worth in the field of disaster response by rescuing over half a million precious lives and sensitized over 47 lakhs people through its capacity building programmes.
Maharashtra govt launches India's largest WiFi service:
  • Maharashtra government has launched India’s largest public WiFi service called 'MumbaiWifi'.
  • The facility, inaugurated by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai and initially provide 500 Wifi hotspots across various locations like Vidhan Bhawan, Kalanagar in Bandra, Bombay High Court, and Mumbai Police Commissioner’s office.
Haryana to set up 'Prarambh School for Teachers Education' in Jhajjar:
  • In Haryana, the State level Prarambh School for Teachers Education would be set up at village Silani in district Jhajjar over an area of 10 acres.
  • Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal who presided over the first meeting of the Governing Body of Prarambh School for Teachers Education, at Chandigarh stated that it would have all basic facilities.
Digi Dhan Mela organizes in Chandigarh begins:
  • A Digi Dhan Mela has been organized in Chandigarh to promote digital transactions. 
  • AIR correspondent reports that in this unique meal, many visitors including housewives, students and shopkeepers are getting training in the Digital Pathshala where experts of financial institutions are explaining everything through demonstrations.
Tamil Nadu becomes 21st state to join UDAY
  • Tamil Nadu became 21st state to join Central Government’s power utility turnaround scheme Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY).
  • The UDAY Scheme aims at financial restructuring and turnaround of Power Distribution companies (DISCOMs) and also ensures a sustainable permanent solution to the problem.
  • By becoming part of it, states power DISCOMs can convert their debt into state bonds as well as roll out number of measures to improve efficiency at power plants.
  • The other states that are still not part of UDAY are Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, Odisha and Sikkim.
PM Modi inaugurates Nobel Prize Series India Exhibition in Gandhinagar:
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Nobel Prize SeriesExhibition in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. 
  • It is the first-of-its-kind conclave of Nobel laureates to be held in India. 
  • It has been organised by Nobel Media and coordinated by the Department of Biotechnology. Nine Nobel laureates are attending it and interact with students of Indian Universities. 
  • The Nobel Prize Series 2017 will feature a five week long Science Exhibition. 
Sex ratio in Haryana touches 900-mark for first time in 20 years:
  • The child sex ratio at birth (SRB) in Haryana for the first time has touched 900-mark in two decades. 
  • SRB in December 2016 in Haryana was 914. 
  • Reasons for increase in SRB in Haryana In 2011, India’s child sex ratio stood at 914 girls to 1000 boys, the lowest since Independence and Haryana had a child sex ratio 834 girls to 1000 boys, far worse than the national average.
DEFENCE / SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
China launches first commercial space mission with new Kuaizhou-1A rocket:
  • China successfully launched first commercial mission using an updated version of the low-cost Kuaizhou-1A rocket. 
  • As part of the mission three satellites JL-1, CubeSats XY-S1 and Caton-1 were launched into space.  
  • The rocket was launched form northwestern China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu province. 
ISRO, CNES ink pact on satellite launch
  • Space cooperation is one of the cornerstones of the Indo-French strategic partnership and spans over 50 years. ISRO is the second partner of CNES, in terms of volume, after NASA.
  • The agreement was signed between ISRO Chairman Kiran Kumar and CNES President Jean-Yves Le Gall in the presence of visiting French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Marc Ayrault in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
  • This agreement will strengthen the CNES-ISRO partnership. It will enable France to benefit from the Indian model of streamlining the costs of space programmes.
  • Besides, agreement was also signed for equipping Axiom Research Lab’s lunar rover with two latest-generation CASPEX micro-cameras, developed by CNES in partnership with French firm 3DPlus.
Pakistan test-fires first nuclear-capable submarine cruise missile Babur-3:
  • Pakistan successfully test-fired its first Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM) Babur-3 capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.  
  • The Babur-3 missile was fired from an underwater mobile platform from an undisclosed location in the Indian Ocean and hit its target with precise accuracy. 
  • SLCM Babur-3 is a sea-based variant of Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM) Babur-2. 
  • It has been named after the first Mughal Emperor Zahir-ud-Din Babur. It has a range of 450km.
SPORTS AFFAIRS
World Cup: FIFA to expand competition to 48 teams

  • FIFA has decided that the World Cup will be expanded to host 48 teams, up from 32. An initial stage of 16 groups of three teams will precede a knockout stage for the remaining 32 when the change is made for the 2026 tournament.
  • The number of tournament matches will rise to 80, from 64, however, the eventual winners will still play only seven games. The changes mark the first World Cup expansion since 1998.
Kane Williamson climbs to fourth in ICC T-20 rankings
  • New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has become the second batsman after Indian skipper Virat Kohli to feature in the top-five of the ICC rankings for all three formats by climbing to fourth in the latest Twenty20 list issued in Dubai.
  • Williamson has broken into the top five after a good series against Bangladesh which his side won 3-0.
  • Williamson already occupies positions in the top-five of Tests and ODIs. He sits in fourth place in the Test rankings, while he is ranked fifth in ODI rankings.