Current Affairs Updates - 9 December 2017
New Appointments: International
Azar A.H.Khan appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Turkmenistan
- Shri Azar A.H.Khan, presently Consul General in the Consulate General of India, Istanbul has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Turkmenistan.
- He is expected to take up his assignment shortly.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has named noted Indian businessman, Deepak Parekh, as International Ambassador who will be tasked with championing the UK capital across the globe.
Banking/Economic Affairs
According to global financial services major Morgan Stanley, The Indian economy is expected to witness cyclical growth recovery, with real GDP growth likely to accelerate from 6.4 per cent this year to 7.5 per cent in 2018 and further to 7.7 per cent in 2019.
- "This sets the stage for a fully fledged recovery in 2018, and we expect real GDP growth to accelerate from 6.4 per cent in 2017 to 7.5 per cent in 2018 and further to 7.7 per cent in 2019," Morgan Stanley said in a research note.
Rankings
Kerala’s Alappuzha among 5 global cities in UN Environment report lists to successfully manage solid waste
- The UN Environment report lists Alappuzha, also called Aleppey, alongside cities like Osaka in Japan, Ljubljana in Slovenia, Penang in Malaysia and Cajica in Colombia.
National Affairs
Kacheguda Becomes India's 'First' Energy-Efficient Railway Station
- Kacheguda has earned the distinction of being the first energy-efficient 'A1 Category' railway station in the country, the South Central Railway (SCR) said.
- Kacheguda railway station in Hyderabad division of the SCR, has achieved 100 per cent energy efficiency by replacing 1,312 conventional lights with light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, 370 ceiling fans with Brushless DC Electrical (BLDC) motors energy-efficient fans and 12 air conditioners with energy efficient inverter type ACs, the SCR statement said.
International Affairs
The United Nations today announced the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) to mobilize the scientific community, policy-makers, business and civil society around a programme of joint research and technological innovation.
- The announcement of this Decade consolidates efforts by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) to boost international cooperation in ocean sciences. It will enable better coordination of research programmes, observation systems, capacity development, maritime space planning and the reduction of maritime risks to improve the management of ocean and coastal zones resources.
Japan to acquire air-launched missiles able to strike North Korea, a controversial purchase of what will become the longest-range munitions of a country that has renounced the right to wage war.
- Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera did not refer to North Korea when announcing the planned acquisition and said the new missiles would be for defence, with Japan still relying on the United States to strike any enemy bases.
Summit /Conference / Events / Host
First International Conference on Sports Medicine & Sports Sciences SAICON 2017 inaugurated in Delhi
- In modern sports, the secret behind performance enhancement lies in the application of science & technology in the training of athletes. In the race towards the medals podium, the gap between the victor and the vanquished lies in millimeters, milligrams and microseconds. Sports Medicine & Sports Sciences can bridge this gap and help the athletes to reach the podium.
The Wassenaar Arrangement (WA), a multilateral export control regime, decided to admit India as its new 42nd member during its two-day plenary session in Vienna, Austria.
- The Plenary meeting of the Wassenaar Arrangement held on December 6 - 7 in Vienna, Austria, has decided to admit India, which will become the Arrangement's 42nd participating state. The necessary procedural arrangements for India's admission will be completed shortly," India's Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said during a press briefing here.
Kumbh Mela, the mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith, has been inscribed on the UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
- The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage under Unesco inscribed Kumbh Mela at its 12th session at Jeju in South Korea, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday.
India Center Foundation (ICF) brings to India for the first-time ever the Global Partnership Summit (GPS) 2017 which is scheduled to be held at Aerocity, New Delhi from 11th to 14th December 2017.
- The GPS will focus on clean energy, healthcare, infrastructure and logistics, energy, tourism, art and culture, agro economy, banking and finance, education and skill development and information communication technology.
Sports: Awards & Honours
Kanchanmala Pande Becomes First Indian to Win Gold at World Para Swimming Championship taking place in Mexico.
- Pande stood first in the in 200 meters medley event in S-11 category. After the win, Pande said that even though she was expecting a medal at the Championship, the top-finish came as a surprise.
Cristiano Ronaldo wins fifth Ballon d’Or to equal Lionel Messi’s record
- Cristiano Ronaldo was in Paris to collect the Ballon d’Or at the foot of the Eiffel Tower on Thursday evening, another grand night to go with those he had in Madrid, Málaga and Munich, and in Cardiff especially.
Gurdeep Singh created three new senior national records in +105 kg weight category in the just-concluded IWF World Weightlifting Championships at Anaheim in USA.
- Singh finished 13th overall with a total lift of 388kg (172 + 216) but created national records in snatch, clean and jerk, and the total lift.
- In snatch, he bettered his own earlier national record of 171kg by one kilogramme while in clean and jerk, he broke the earlier national record of 215kg which was in the name of Sarabjit Singh by clearing 216kg.
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