IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF OCTOBER 1st, 2017

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF OCTOBER 1st,  2017

1.   On 1st October is World Vegetarian Day.

a.   It is a day of celebration established by the North American Vegetarian Society in 1977 and endorsed by the International Vegetarian Union in 1978, To promote the joy, compassion and life-enhancing possibilities of vegetarianism."

2.   On 1st October(1st October) is International Day of Older Persons.

a.   The year 2015 observes the celebration of the 25th anniversary of International Day of Older Persons (IDOP).

b.   Theme of International Day of Older Persons 2017 : “Stepping into the Future : Tapping the Talents, Contributions and Participation of Older Persons in Society.”

3.   On 1st October(1st October) is National Voluntary Blood Donation Day.

a.   The objective of this day is to share the need and importance of the blood in the life of an individual.

b.   This day was first observed in the year1975 by the Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology. 

4.   To celebrate and promote women entrepreneurs and farmers in the organic sector from across India, the Ministry of Women and Child Development is hosting the 3rd annual ‘Women of India Organic Festival’ from 1st October 2017 to 15th October 2017, in New Delhi. 

a.   The Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, inaugurated the festival.

b.   Theme of this festival : ‘Good for Women; Good for India; Good for You’.

5.   To reduce road accidents, the Andhra Pradesh state government On 1st Octoberintroduced a 'No helmet, No petrol' rule for two-wheeler riders.

6.   Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has inaugurated the Pratham-Shyok bridge inLeh, connecting the region to Karakoram in northeastern Ladakh.

a.   Sitharaman, who is on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, called the construction of roads and bridges at such high altitudes a "miracle". The bridge will enhance travel of locals and the Army in the region, she added.

7.   Meeran Chadha Borwankar retired as Director General, Bureau of Police Research and Development today.

a.   She oversaw the executions of both 26/11 accused Ajmal Kasab and 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon.  

8.   The State Bank of India (SBI) has slashed base rate on home loan by 0.05%. 

a.   Bank of Baroda (BoB), Andhra Bank and Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) have also reduced the base rate on home loans by 0.35%, 0.15%, and 0.05%, respectively. 

b.   New base rates after reductions :

       i.    SBI - 8.95%

      ii.    BoB - 9.15%

    iii.    Andhra Bank - 9.55% 

    iv.    OBC - 9.45%

9.   The All India Radio (AIR) has announced plans to expand its global operations andlaunch new services in Japan, Germany, Canada and Maldives, among other countries. 

a.   These services are aimed at supplementing government's diplomatic efforts and outreach programmes to the Indian diaspora. 

10.      India's largest telecom operator Bharti Airtel is going to launch a 4G enabled smartphone in the first week of October, with its price set at around ₹2,000. 

a.   The new smartphone by Airtel will have a 4-inch screen, 1GB RAM, VoLTE calling and Android 7.0 operating system.

11.      The US Federal Reserve fined banking giant HSBC $175 million (₹1,142 crore) for "unsafe and unsound practices" in its foreign exchange trading business. 

a.   HSBC had failed to monitor chat rooms where traders swapped information about investment positions. 

12. US-based researchers have developed a computer security system using heart's dimensions as the identifier, which they describe as safer, more effective alternative to passwords and other biometrics. 

a.   The system needs about 8 seconds to scan a heart the first time, and thereafter it can continuously recognise that heart. 

13.      BJP's national spokesperson Sambit Patra was On 1st Octoberappointed as a Non-official Director on the board of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC), a public sector undertaking. 

14.      World number 133 Ukrainian tennis player Kateryna Bondarenko On 1st Octoberbecame thefirst mother to win a WTA singles title since former player Kim Clijsters won the 2011 Australian Open. 

a.   Bondarenko, who had become a mother in 2012, defeated Hungary's Timea Babos in the final of the Tashkent Open.