We are here for you to provide the important current affairs January 15 2018 which have unique updates of all daily events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, India Today, Indian Express, Business Standard, all Government official websites. Our complete current affairs helps you to get more marks in Banking, insurance, UPSC, SSC, CLAT, Railway and all other competitive Exams.
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INDIAN AFFAIRS
Chhattisgarh HC Makes Aadhaar Mandatory for Bail
Chhattisgarh High Court has issued a directive to all trial courts in the state to mandatorily obtain Aadhaar Cards of accused persons and sureties before issuing release warrant of a prisoner/accused.
i. The order is an attempt to curb the rampant practice of obtaining bail on the basis of forged revenue papers or by impersonating the real surety.
ii. Chhattisgarh High Court has also instructed that trial courts should verify the genuineness of Aadhaar card and revenue papers. In case if these documents are found to be forged, a First Information Report (FIR) should be lodged against such person.
iii. However, some legal experts are of the opinion that this directive may hamper the rights of the prisoners/common people who have yet not enrolled for Aadhar card.
Quick Facts about Chhattisgarh:
♦ Capital – Naya Raipur
♦ Current Governor – Balram Das Tandon
♦ Current Chief Minister – Raman Singh
♦ Important National Park – Guru Ghasidas National Park
Union Home Minister inaugurates IWDRI 2018 in New Delhi
On January 15, 2018, Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh inaugurated the International Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (IWDRI) in New Delhi.
Highlights of International Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (IWDRI):
i. This workshop was organised by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in collaboration with United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR)
ii. Experts from about 23 countries, representatives from multilateral development banks, the United Nations, academia and other stakeholders participated in the workshop.
iii. Deliberations at the workshop focused on global cooperation for developing Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. The workshop also served as a platform for exchange of experiences, lessons and solutions in the area of Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
Ministry of Petroleum launches Saksham 2018 Campaign
Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) has launched a month-long ‘Saksham-2018’ campaign. PCRA (established in 1978, under the aegis of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas) is engaged in promoting energy efficiency in various sectors of Indian economy.
Highlights of Saksham 2018:
i. Saksham (Sanrakshan Kshamta Mahotsav) is an annual flagship event of PCRA aimed at creating focused attention on fuel conservation through people centric activities. Activities undertaken under Saksham also create awareness among masses about conservation and efficient use of petroleum products, which consequentially leads to better health and environment.
ii. People centric activities under Saksham 2018 would include Training Programs for Drivers,Fleet Operators, Group Talk with Ladies, Cooks, Maids on fuel saving & benefits of LPG/PNG over biomass, Fuel Efficient Driving Competitions, Educational Programs for Schools/Colleges/Universities, Awareness Programs for Farmers, Walkathons, Concerts, Exhibitions, etc.
iii. PCRA has also planned to observe Cycle Day on January 21, 2018 throughout India and will organise Cyclothon events in various cities.
UIDAI allows face recognition for Aadhaar authentication
On 15th January 2018, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) approved authentication based on facial recognition in combination with fingerprint or iris scan for Aadhaar users.
Facial recognition based authentication for Aadhaar users:
i. This move will benefit persons who have difficulty with other biometric authentications like fingerprint and iris. The facial recognition-based authentication will come into act from 1st July 2018.
ii. The facial recognition-based authentication will be allowed only in fusion mode combined with fingerprint or iris or OTP (One Time Password) to authenticate Aadhaar user.
iii. Also, this facial recognition based-authentication will be permitted “on need basis”. Since photos of users are already available in the UIDAI database collection of new data is not required.
About Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI):
♦ Chairman – J. Satyanarayana
♦ CEO – Dr. Ajay Bhushan Pandey
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Indian peacekeepers rebuild Akoka bridge in record time in South Sudan
Indian peacekeepers in UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) have re-built a key bridge in record time in strife-torn South Sudan’s Akoka village.
Details about bridge rebuilt by Indian Peacekeepers:
i .In June 2017, heavy rains washed away a 300-metre-long road segment across a river in Akoka village.
ii. Indian Peacekeepers rebuilt it in record 10 days in collaboration with the local government.
iii. This bridge will enable people to cross the river and reach a town to access basic services. Besides it will also enable faster aid delivery and will smoothen other critical road repairs in the region.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange granted Ecuadorian citizenship
On January 11, 2018, Ecuador’s Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa announced that the country has granted citizenship to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
i. In 2012, Assange, an Australian-Ecuadoran, had sought refuge at Ecuadorian Embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faced an investigation over rape allegations. He was granted asylum, and has been staying at Ecuadorian Embassy in London since then.
ii. The Swedish case against Assange has been dropped but Assange has not moved out as he may be arrested in Britain for jumping bail. Besides, he also fears a possible extradition to US as he has been involved in leaking of classified State Department documents.
iii. Ecuadoran officials are trying to arrive at an agreement with British authorities for finding a way through which Assange can leave the Ecuadorean embassy in London without facing legal action.
Quick Facts about Ecuador:
♦ Capital – Quito
♦ Currency – United States Dollar
♦ Current President – Lenin Moreno
♦ Important Rivers – Guayas, Curaray
India, Sri Lanka sign four agreements for collaboration in ICT sector
On January 15, 2018, India and Sri Lanka signed four agreements for collaboration in Information and communication technology (ICT) sector, connecting of National Knowledge network (NKN) for collaboration among universities and academics and setting up of e-office system.
Details about Agreements signed by India & Sri Lanka:
i. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) for cooperation was signed by Union Minister for Information Technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad with his Sri Lankan counterpart in Colombo.
ii. With this agreement, Sri Lanka has become the first country to be connected to NKN.
iii. NKN will be connected to Sri Lanka’s Education & Research network (LEARN) through a Gigabyte optical fibre network. Owing to this, universities in India and Sri Lanka will be able to share research ideas and best practices.
iv. A model E-office system for Sri Lanka, set up by India’s National Informatics centre (NIC) has also been formally inaugurated.
Quick Facts about Sri Lanka:
♦ Capital – Colombo
♦ Currency – Sri Lankan rupee
♦ Current President – Maithripala Sirisena
♦ Important Rivers – Mahaweli, Kelani
BANKING & FINANCE
Brazil regulator bans funds from buying cryptocurrencies
On January 12, 2108, Brazil’s securities regulator prohibited local investment funds from buying cryptocurrencies.
i. The prohibition has been imposed, citing the reason that Cryptocurrencies cannot be considered financial assets.
ii. Owing to this decision, Brazilian funds cannot directly invest in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. However, funds considering to indirect investment in cryptocurrencies by acquiring a stake in foreign funds have been advised to await further clarification from the regulator.
iii. In the context of this news, it is important to note that crypto currencies including Bitcoin are decentralised digital currencies which are not backed by any Sovereign Government, Central Bank or monetary authority.
Quick Facts about Brazil:
♦ Capital – Brasilia
♦ Currency – Real
♦ Current President – Michel Temer
♦ Important Rivers – Amazon, Parana
BUSINESS
Punjab inks MoU with IOC to set up biogas, bio-CNG plants
On January 15, 2018, Punjab State Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to set up bio-gas and bio-CNG plants in the state.
Details about Punjab-IOC MoU:
i. The MoU with IOC was signed by Punjab Bureau of Industrial Promotion (PBIP) and Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) in presence of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.
ii. This agreement is in line with Punjab State Government’s efforts to find sustainable solutions to paddy straw burning, which has emerged as a major cause of air pollution in North India.
iii. Initially 42 plants will become operational in 2018. Over the next 3-4 years, total 400 such plants will become operational.
iv. Setting up these plants would entail investment of Rs 5000 crore, and will generate 4000 employment opportunities for people of Punjab.
Quick Facts about IOC:
♦ Founded in – 1964
♦ Headquarters – New Delhi
♦ Current Chairman – Sanjiv Singh
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Actor Sudhir Dalvi gets Janakavi P Sawlaram award
On 12th January 2018, actor Sudhir Dalvi was presented the Janakavi P Sawlaram award at a function in Thane, Maharashtra.
Sudhir Dalvi – Janakavi P Sawlaram award:
i. Sudhir Dalvi was handed over the Janakavi P Sawlaram award along with a citation by Meenakshi Shinde, Thane Mayor.
ii. The Janakavi P Sawlaram award is instituted by Thane Municipal Corporation in association with the Janakavi P Savlaram Kala Samiti.
iii. Dancer Jaishree T was awarded the Ganga Jamuna award. This award is awarded in memory of a popular song written by Sawlaram.
Some national parks of Maharashtra:
♦ Gugamal National Park – Amravati
♦ Sanjay Gandhi National Park – Mumbai
♦ Tadoba Andhari Tiger Project – Chandrapur
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS
Vijay Kumar appointed as MD & CEO of NCDEX
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has approved appointment of Vijay Kumar as Managing Director and CEO of National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX).
i. Earlier, Mr. Vijay Kumar was chief business officer at NCDEX.
ii. He is regarded as a veteran of agro-industry and has worked for Cargill and National Bulk Handling Corporation.
iii. Mr. Kumar will assume the office next week and will succeed Samir Shah who was appointed as MD & CEO of NCDEX in 2013.
Quick Facts about NCDEX:
♦ Founded in – 2003
♦ Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
NASA discovers farthest known galaxy in the universe “SPT0615-JD”
NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) scientists have discovered “SPT0615-JD”, the farthest known galaxy in the universe.
SPT0615-JD:
i. “SPT0615-JD” galaxy is a cluster of 500 million year-old stars. The image of SPT0615-JD was captured by NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes.
ii. The images were captured through gravitational lensing. SPT0615-JD was found in Hubble’s Reionization Lensing Cluster Survey (RELICS) and companion S-RELICS Spitzer programme.
iii. According to preliminary analysis SPT0615-JD has a weight of 3 billion solar masses. It is nearly 2,500 light-years away.
Some NASA field centers:
♦ John F. Kennedy Space Center – Florida
♦ Ames Research Center – Moffett Field, California
♦ Armstrong Flight Research Center – Edwards, California
SPORTS
Assam wins 8th Sub-junior National Hockey Championship
On 14th January 2018, Assam Hockey won the 8th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship 2018 (B Division), at Hojai Hockey stadium, in Assam.
Assam Hockey won 8th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship 2018 (B Division):
i. Assam Hockey beat Hockey Rajasthan 3-2 in the final and won the 8th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship 2018 (B Division).
ii. Hockey Rajasthan had a good start by scoring five goals. Assam Hockey recovered in the second half of the match. The Championship was hosted by Assam.
About International Hockey Federation:
♦ Headquarters – Lausanne, Switzerland
♦ President – Narinder Batra
♦ Membership – 125 national associations
Hyderabad Hunters claim maiden title in Premier Badminton League 3
On 14th January 2018, Hyderabad Hunters won the 3rd edition of the Premier Badminton League championship at Gachibowli Indoor Stadium, in Hyderabad.
Hyderabad Hunters won Premier Badminton League championship:
i. Hyderabad Hunters won over Bengaluru Blasters 4-3 in the final and emerged as winners of the 3rd edition of the Premier Badminton League championship.
ii. The matches were tied three all. In the mixed doubles finals Hyderabad Hunters’ R. Satwiksairaj and Pia Zebadiah defeated Bengaluru’s Kim Sa Rang and N. Sikki Reddy 15-11, 15-12 and Hyderabad Hunters won the Premier Badminton League championship.
About Hyderabad Hunters:
♦ Owner – Agile Entertainment
♦ Head coach – Fernando Rivas
♦ Captain – Carolina Marin
OBITUARY
Veteran journalist and writer Gnani Sankaran passes away
On 15th January 2018, Gnani Sankaran, Tamil writer and journalist passed away at his residence in Chennai.
Death of Gnani Sankaran:
i.Gnani Sankaran was 64 years old. He had been suffering from kidney ailment for a long time.
ii.He was also a dramatist and political analyst. He was the editor of Dheemtharikida, a Tamil magazine. He also worked with the drama troupe Pariksha.
About Gnani Sankaran:
♦ Books – Pazhaya Paper, Marupadiyum, Media UravugaL etc.
♦ Subject – Society, culture, politics
Sarod maestro Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta passes away
On 15th January 2018, Sarod maestro Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta passed away following cardiac arrest at his home in south Kolkata.
Death of Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta:
i. Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta was 84 years old. He had been suffering from respiratory problems for a brief period of time.
ii. He is survived by his wife and two sons. He is a recipient of Padma Bhushan award. He was also awarded Sangeet Mahasamman and Bangabibhusan awards.
About Buddhadev Dasgupta:
♦ Genres – Hindustani classical music
♦ Instrument – sarod
♦ Highlights – Nimbus Records
Ex-Union minister Raghunath Jha passes away
On 14th January 2018, Raghunath Jha, former Union minister, passed away at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, in Delhi.
Death of Raghunath Jha:
i. Raghunath Jha was 78 years old. He was suffering from kidney ailment. He is a former Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprise.
ii. He was associated with various political parties like the Indian National Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Socialist Party and Samajwadi party.
About Rashtriya Janata Dal party:
♦ President – Lalu Prasad Yadav
♦ Founded – 1997
♦ Headquarters – New Delhi
IMPORTANT DAYS
70th Indian Army Day – January 15
On 15th January 2018, Indian Army Day was celebrated in several places of India.
Indian Army Day:
i. Indian Army Day is celebrated on 15th January every year. On 15 January 1949, General K M Cariappa became the first Commander-in-Chief of Indian armed forces after independence.
ii. Indian Army Day is celebrated to honour Indian soldiers who fought and sacrificed their lives for India.
iii .Army chief General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba and Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa paid tribute to soldiers at Amar Jawan Jyoti, in New Delhi.
About India Gate:
♦ Designed by – Edwin Lutyens
♦ Type – war memorial
♦ Formerly called – Kingsway
