Current Affairs Daily Updates 8th January 2017
APPOINTMENTS
Olympic Champ Rudisha
named Mumbai Marathon ambassador:
- Reigning
Olympic and World 800m champion David Rudisha was on
Saturday named the international event Ambassador of the14th edition of
Mumbai Marathon.
- With
USD 384,000 in prize money, the Marathon will witness more than 42,000
runners, professionals and amateurs.
- The
marathon will be held on January 15.
Gen. Raheel Sharif to head
Islamic Military Alliance:
- Pakistan’s
former Army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif (retired) was appointed head
of Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism (IMAFT).
- The
appointment was confirmed by Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad
Asif as both the government and the Army allowed Gen. Sharif take charge
of the alliance.
- Raheel
had retired as the Pakistan army chief in November 2016 and was succeeded
by General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
- IMAFT
is military coalition comprising 39 nations. It was
established by Saudi Arabia in December 2015 and its
command centre, headquarters is based in Riyadh.
DEATHS
Former West Bengal Minister Saral Deb passes away
- Veteran
All India Forward Bloc leader and
former West Bengal minister Saral Deb passed away following a prolonged
illness. He was 82.
- He
was a six-time state legislator, winning from Barasat constituency of
North 24 Parganas district. He was the state Library Minister from 1977 to
1982 and also had held the Cooperative portfolio from 1982 to 1987.
- He
was the front runner to organise cooperative movement in the state. Born in
Khulna district (now in Bangladesh) of undivided India.
Portugal former president Mario Soares dies at 92
- Portugal's former president
Mario Soares died today in Lisbon. He was 92. The spokesman of the hospital where he
passed away said this.
- The
founder of Portugal's Socialist
party, Soares spent decades in politics. He was admitted to hospital
on December 13, where he later fell into a deep coma, and never recovered.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Nana Akufo-Addo sworn in as president of Ghana
- Nana Akufo-Addo has been sworn
in as Ghana's new president after beating John Mahama in last month's election.
- Heads
of state from across Africa and thousands of guests and dignitaries
watched him take the oath of office at a ceremony in the capital, Accra.
- MrAkufo-Addo,
a 72-year-old former human rights lawyer, promised free high school
education and more factories.
Donald Trump names Dan Coats as new national intelligence
director
- The
Indiana ex-senator formerly served on the Senate Intelligence Committee. US President-elect said, Coats would
provide unwavering leadership and spearhead his administration's
ceaseless vigilance against those who seek to do them harm.
- The
appointment comes a day after an intelligence report accused Russia's President of ordering a
campaign aimed at helping Trump to victory. Coats will need the Senate
to confirm his appointment, replacing James Clapper.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
International Kite festival begins at Ahmedabad
- In
Gujarat, a week long international Kite
festival is being held at Sabarmati River Front in Ahmedabad. Gujarat
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani inaugurated the festival this morning.
- As
many as two thousand students from the schools run by the Municipal Corporation performed
'suryanamaskar' this morning during the opening ceremony of the
festival.
- About
51 kite fliers from 8 different states while more than 100 kite fliers
from 31 countries are participating in this event. Kite fliers from
Canada, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, New-Zealand, Poland,
Russia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and USA are part of
them.
- The
international kite fliers will also visit Palanpur, Rajkot, Vadodara,
Pavagadh, Valsad and Gandhidham as a part of international kite festival.
PM Modi announces Pravasi
Kaushal Vikas Yojana at PBD Convention
- Prime
Minister Narendra Modi says that Government will shortly launch a skill
development program – Pravasi
Kaushal Vikas Yojana – targeted at Indian youth seeking overseas
employment.
- At
Pravasi Bhartiya Divas convention Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged
the overseas Indian community to
convert their PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) cards to OCI (Overseas
Citizens of India) cards.
- Addressing
the main convention of 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Bengaluru today, Mr
Modi said, the government has extended the deadline for the conversion of
cards from 31st December 2016 to 30th June 2017 without any penalty.
- Chief Guest of the event
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa stressed the role of the Indian
community’s contribution in Portugal. Mr Costa said, he is proud that he is a person
of Indian origin. Stressing his country’s geographic advantage, he said, Portugal
wants to attract foreign direct investment.
India, Portugal sign six
agreements:
- India
and Portugal have signed six memorandum of understandings (MoUs) including
in defence cooperation.
- These
agreements were signed after delegation level talks Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and his visiting Portugal counterpart Antonio Costa who
is chief Guest of 2017 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.
- Six
agreements signed are MoU on Defence, Renewable Energy, Marine Research
and Resources, Agriculture and Allied Sectors, field of Information
Technology and Electronics. and establishment of an ICCR Chair of Indian
Studies in University of Lisbon.
Jaipur International Film Festival begins
- The
ninth edition of Jaipur
International Film Festival (JIFF) began in Jaipur tonight in the
presence of renowned film makers.
- The
ceremony opened with tributes to veteran actor Om Puri who died of a
massive heart attack yesterday.
- This year's Life Time
Achievement Award was presented to internationally acclaimed
cine-visionary Ramesh Prasad, hailed as creator of specialised post production
facilities.
SPORTS AFFAIRS
Novak Djokovic beats Andy
Murray to win the Qatar Open:
- Tennis
ace Novak Djokovic made defeated world number one Andy Murray at Qatar
Open final in Doha on Saturday.
- Djokovic
secured a win with set of 6-3 5-7 6-4 against Murray.
Sania Mirza wins Brisbane
doubles title:
- Sania
Mirza and her American partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands defeated 2nd-seeded
Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina in the final.
- The
Indo-American duo triumphed 6-2, 6-3 against the Russian team.
