Current Affairs Updates - 10th January 2018

Current Affairs Updates - 10th January 2018

Today we have brought to you all the important Current Affairs Update for 10th of january 2018. The important points have been marked in red and bold whereas the rest of the information have been given in bullet points. These are very crucial for the upcoming exams and so make sure you go through all the points carefully. From Today onwards we have changed the Scheduled Timings for the benifits of our users. In Morning You will Get Uptodate News based on Oneliner and Note down points. But in the evening you will get Updated news of Daily Current Affairs Update which we generally posted in the Morning. 

Important Days

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is a celebratory day observed annually on 9 January by the Republic of India to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community towards the development of India.

• Established in 2003, it is sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Confederation of Indian Industries and the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. 

Brand Ambassador

Akshay to promote ‘Swachh Survekshan 2018’ for civic body

• To improve the ranking of Mumbai city on the clean cities matrix of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan survey which is being done by the centre between January 4 to March 10, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is trying hard to reach on top most position of clean cities matrix. 

Rankings

Gujarat tops logistics performance index chart as per the new Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) index developed by the commerce and industry ministry along with Deloitte. 

• Gujarat has topped a perception-based index of mobility of goods and efficiency of logistics chain, closely followed by Punjab and Andhra Pradesh. 

National Affairs

Free treatment for Hepatitis C in new scheme National Programme for Control of Viral Hepatitis from the 2018-19 financial year to be launched this year

• Hepatitis C is caused by a blood-borne virus which affects the liver. It could spread through use of injectable drugs, unsafe injection practises, unsafe health care, and transfusion of unscreened blood and blood products.

The Central government has sanctioned the raising of a Territorial Army (TA) battalion comprising ex-servicemen of the Army as part of its mission to clean the Ganga by 2020.

• This battalion will be raised in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, next month as a Composite Ecological Task Force (CETF) battalion of TA for National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
• The government has allocated Rs 167 crore for the battalion under NMCG, the nodal agency for cleaning the Ganga. 

The provisional figures of Direct Tax collections up to December, 2017 show that net collections are at Rs. 6.56 lakh crore which is 18.2% higher than the net collections for the corresponding period of last year. 

• The net Direct Tax collections represent 67% of the total Budget Estimates of Direct Taxes for Financial Year (F.Y.) 2017-18 (Rs. 9.8 lakh crore). Gross collections (before adjusting for refunds) have increased by 12.6% to Rs. 7.68 lakh crore during April to December, 2017. Refunds amounting to Rs.1.12 lakh crore have been issued during April to December, 2017. 

India unveils Pratyush, its fastest supercomputer .

• According to a statement by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pratyush is the fourth fastest supercomputer in the world dedicated for weather and climate research, and follows machines in Japan, USA and the United Kingdom.

International Affairs

Iran Bans English in Primary Schools to Block ‘Cultural Invasion’

• Iran has banned the teaching of English in primary schools, a senior education official said, after Islamic leaders warned that early learning of the language opened the way to a Western “cultural invasion.”

Defence & Railway

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today launched a common card for rides on public buses and the metro, terming it a big step in the city's transport sector. 

• Delhi is the first city in the country to have a common mobility card, which can at present be used on 200 DTC and 50 cluster buses plying on different routes, apart from metro trains. 

Drones will now monitor railway projects, aid in crowd management and oversee maintenance work across its zones.

• Cameras (UAV/NETRA) will be used for various railway activities especially project monitoring and maintenance of tracks and other railway infrastructure, the national transporter said in a statement. 

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced the release of 20 crore to the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (Codissia) for setting up a defence innovation centre here.

• The proposed centre will help the micro, small and medium enterprises and start-ups engaged in the manufacture of components for the defence sector conduct tests and trials of the components, the Minister said at an interactive meeting on ‘Defence Park in Coimbatore’, organised by Codissia on Sunday. 

Summit /Conference / Events / Host

World’s largest Ice Festival 'International Ice and Snow Festival' was held in Harbin, China.

• This is one of China’s coldest cities in the winter. It is the 34th annual Ice Festival in Harbin, north-east China. 
• It features sculptures of Moscow’s Red Square and Bangkok’s Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurate the first Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) Parliamentary Conference in the 'Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra' at Chanakyapuri.

• While 124 MPs from the UK, Canada, Fiji, Kenya, Mauritius, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and other countries are slated to take part in today's conference, 17 mayors from US, Malaysia, Switzerland, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago will also participate in it.

Awards & Honours

Nitish Kumar to receive 1st Mufti M Sayeed Award for Probity in Public Life.

• Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has been selected for the 1st Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Award for Probity in Public Life. He will be conferred the award at an official function of Jammu & Kashmir government to be held at Jammu on Monday.

Sports: Awards & Honours

Nick Kyrgios takes Brisbane crown

• Nick Kyrgios was at his brilliant best as he downed American Ryan Harrison to claim the Brisbane International in straight sets on Sunday. The 6-4, 6-2 win was the third-seeded Australian’s fourth title on the ATP tour and his first on home soil.

Julia Goerges will enter next week's Australian Open in hot form after claiming a third-straight WTA title with victory over Caroline Wozniacki in the Auckland Classic final.

• In a final delayed by this week's persistent Auckland rain, Goerges was dominant against the top-seeded Dane, slamming numerous unplayable winners to triumph 6-4 7-6 (7-4).