Current Affairs 9th December 2017 (09/12/2017)

National Current Affairs:

• National Law Day was celebrated on November 26. This year, the National Law Day was celebrated jointly by the Law Commission of India and NITI Aayog. Speaking on the occasion the Prime Minister stressed that the three arms of the government need to work together and move in the direction of New India.
• Union Cabinet has approved setting up of National Nutrition Mission. This mission will cover all districts in the country. The mission will ensure holistic development and adequate nutrition for adolescent girls, pregnant women, mothers & children. The Ministry of WCD has actively leveraged on technology to address the issue of malnutrition.
• Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh released the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) report, Crime in India for 2016. The purpose of the report is to modernise Indian police and empower them with data-driven policing. It studies the crimes falling under various sections of Indian Penal Code 1860
• Higher Education Funding Agency has approved projects worth Rs. 2,066.73 crore in six institutions with the aim of providing additional funds for research and related infrastructure. The decision was taken by HEFA at its second meeting.
• The eighth edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit concluded in Hyderabad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President’s adviser lvanka Trump had inaugurated the summit. Prime Minister said Global entrepreneurship underlined Government’s commitment to entrepreneurship innovation. Ivanka Trump praised Prime Minister Modi for bringing in transformation in India. 1500 women entrepreneurs attended the 3-day mega event.
• Backing the idea of free and open internet, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) upheld net neutrality in its recommendations. In its recommendations on principle of non-discriminatory treatment, TRAI said a Licensee providing Internet Access Service shall not engage in any discriminatory treatment of content, including based on the sender or receiver, the protocols being used or the user equipment.
• Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA) has been launched in Manipur by Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New &Renewable Energy, Shri R.K. Singh and Shri N. Biren Singh, Chief Minister of Manipur. A total of approximately 1.75 Iakh households (1.62 Iakh rural households and 0.13 Iakh urban households) of the state are proposed to be included under the Scheme.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first phase of the metro service in Hyderabad, Telangana. It boasts of a 30-km longest ever single metro track and will have 24 stations. The city’s entire metro project of 72 kms is estimated to be completed in another year’s time.
• Cautioning against the forces of radicalism and extremism, President Ram Nath Kovind has said West Bengal, being a border state, must guard against them. Speaking at a civic reception by the state government at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee felicitated him, the President said being a border state gives Bengal certain advantages and responsibilities.
• BJP has win 14 out of 16 municipal corporations in Uttar Pradesh civic polls 2017 while Opposition parties – BSP, SP and Congress have been left far behind.
• The Supreme Court has sought the responses of the government and the Election Commission on a Public Interest Litigation seeking to restrain convicted politicians from running and holding posts in political parties. A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud agreed to examine the validity and contours of Section 29A in the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
• Cyclone Ockhi has claimed 10 lives in Kerala, Tamil Nadu. Air Force and Coast Guard have launched a massive rescue operation off the Kerala coast to save hundreds of fishermen stranded in the rough sea.
• Defence Ministry launched the Armed Forces Week from 1st to 7th of December. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman appealed to the countrymen to join in this Armed Forces Week, in wearing Armed Forces flag to pay respects to the brave sons and daughters of our nation.
• President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the Hornbill Festival and State Formation Day celebrations of Nagaland in Kisama. Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the Hornbill Festival is the perfect showcase of rich Naga culture and traditions, preserved over the years in the form of music, dance and food.

International Current Affairs:

• North Korea claimed, it has successfully launched a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile, what it calls the Hwasong 15. Addressing an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting after the missile launch, the United States warned North Korea’s leadership it would be “utterly destroyed’ if war were to break out.
• Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Kolokoltsev in Moscow during his 3-day visit to Russia. Both the leaders held discussions on bilateral, regional and international matters of mutual interest. An agreement was also signed between the two countries.
• Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj attended Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit at Sochi in Russia. The Minister said that connectivity is top priority for India but there should be respect for sovereignty. She also spoke on counter terror efforts and strengthening of cooperation under SCO framework.
• The government of India has agreed to provide financial assistance of 2.87 million USD to Afghanistan’s Transport Network. The assistance would be used to procure spare parts of Millie Bus Enterprise for the refurbishment of 350 previously supplied buses under Indian government assistance.

Business & Economy Current Affairs:

• India’s economic growth bounced back in the July-September quarter to reverse a five-quarter slowdown as businesses overcame the teething troubles of the newly launched goods and services tax (GST) regime and shock demonetization of high-value currency. Gross domestic product (GDP) grew 6.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2017-18, its fastest pace in three quarters, data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showed.
• Badri Narain Sharma, a Rajasthan cadre IAS officer of 1985 batch, has been appointed the first chairman of the National Anti Profiteeing Authority (NAA), the body set up under the goods and services tax (GST) to ensure that the benefits of lower taxes under the new regime are shared with consumers.
• NITI Aayog & EU Delegation to India have released 1st ever Resource Efficiency Strategy for India. It not only ensures the security of the resources but also minimizes the environment impact.
• The government appointed former Planning Commission Member N K Singh as chairman of 15th Finance Commission, which among other things will look into impact of GST on finances of the Centre and States, said a notification. The commission will recommend devolution of shareable central taxes to the states and their inter-se distribution.

Sports Current Affairs:

• Saikhom Mirabai Chanu has become the first Indian in over two decades to claim a gold medal at the World Weightlifting Championship, exorcising the ghosts of her forgettable outing at the Rio Olympics. Chanu lifted 85kg in snatch and 109kg in clean and jerk to total an impressive 194kg in the 48kg category and in the process set a new National record in clean-and-jerk.
• India’s veteran Winter Olympian Shiva Keshavan won a gold medal at the Asian Luge Championships at Altenberg, Germany. The sole Indian participant and defending Asian champion retained his title with a time of 55.60 seconds.
• India and Australia ended their first game of World Hockey League Finals match 1-1 in Bhubaneshwar. Beginning the match on a high note, India took the lead in the 20th minute through a brilliant goal from Mandeep but Australia leveled it a minute later by converting a penalty corner.