IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF SEPTEMBER 10th, 2017

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF SEPTEMBER 10th, 2017

1.   On 10th September (10th September 2016) is World Suicide Prevention Day.

a.   This day is organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP).

b.   The World Health Organization (WHO) has been co-sponsor of the day.

c.   Purpose of this day : To raise awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented.

d.   Theme of World Suicide Prevention Day 2017 : ‘Take a Minute, Change a Life’

2.   Prince Charles On 10th September became the Longest-serving Prince of Wales, breaking the record of Queen Victoria's eldest son Albert who held the title for more than 59 years before becoming king. 

a.   Note : The 68-year-old, who has held the title for 59 years, one month and 15 days, is the heir to Britain's throne.

3.   Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe will lay the foundation stone of the proposed High Speed Rail Network, or Bullet Train, between Mumbai and Ahmedabad on September 14. 

a.   The project, partially funded by Japan, will cost over ₹1 lakh crore.

4.   To patrol Noida and Greater Noida, the Police launched two bike squads.

a.   They are :

         i.    Shakti - The female squad. This squad would be responsible for ensuring women's safety.

        ii.    Garuda - The male squad. This squad would monitor traffic. 

5.   Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman On 10th September flagged off NavikabSagar Parikrama in Goa, a circumnavigation programme by women naval officers.

a.   A team of 6 woman officers of the Indian Navy On 10th September began this 6-month-long circumnavigation of the globe, 

b.   Note : This is the the first Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew.

6.   Senior advocate and former Law minister Ram Jethmalani announced his retirement from legal practice On 10th September, after practicing the profession for over 70 years. 

7.   The government is going to deactivate SIM cards not linked to Aadhaar number by February 2018. 

a.   The Supreme Court had passed an order in February this year asking the government to link all SIM cards with Aadhaar within a year to remove fictitious subscribers to crackdown fraudulent activities. 

8.   The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has inked Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru for Development of ground water flow models and preparation of aquifer management plans for parts of Karnataka.

9.   Indigenously developed third-generation Anti Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) Nag was successfully flight tested by the Defence Research and Development Organisation On 10th September. 

a.   The missile had successfully hit both the targets at different ranges and conditions with very high accuracy.

b.   The test, along with trials conducted in June, mark the completion of the missile's development trials.

10.      Canada's CHIME radio telescope, which aims to survey the largest volume of the observable universe has started operations.

a.   Made of four 100-metre-long U-shaped cylinders, the telescope will detect signals from when the universe was between 6-11 billion years old. 

11.      Jordan, a water-poor country that is 90% desert, has launched Sahara Forest Project near the southern port city of Aqaba to turn desert land into farming land to produce food using sun and sea water.

12.      Swati Mahadik, wife of Colonel Santosh Yashwant Mahadik, who lost his life fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir in 2015, has been commissioned as Army OfficerOn 10th September. 

a.   Swati, a graduate from the University of Pune, cleared the Service Selection Board (SSB) examination in 2016 and has joined the Indian Army as Lieutenant.

13.      State-run oil marketing company Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) is all set to become a Maharatna company.

a.   Presently BPCL is having Navratna status.

14.      The GST Council On 10th September announced that GST rates on as many as 30 items have been reduced. 

a.   These include goods such as custard powder, idli/dosa batter, dried tamarind, raincoats, and rubber bands, among others. 

b.   Further, khadi products sold through Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) stores have been exempted from GST.

15.      India has imposed an additional 18.95% import tax on certain stainless steel products from China for five years in order to curb influx of cheaper foreign imports.

16.      World number 83 Sloane Stephens clinched her maiden Grand Slam title On 10th September, defeating fellow American Madison Keys in the first all-American US Open women's singles final since 2002.

17.      American boxer David Benavidez became the youngest fighter to win a world super-middleweight title, after claiming the vacant World Boxing Council belt at the age of 20 years and nine months.

18.      I ndia wins 2nd SABA U-16 Zone Basketball Championship by defeating Bhutan by 131-50 in its last league match.  0