Current Affairs: January 18th, 2018

January 18th, 2018

1.A monthly magazine titled ‘Namaste Shalom’ is been launched to mark Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Mumbai visit.

• The magazine, on bilateral relations between the two friendly nations, is launched at the Magen David Synagogue at Byculla in south Mumbai.
• The editorial board member of the magazine, Ralphy Jhirad said that President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli ambassador to India Daniel Carmon have sent congratulatory messages on the launch.

2.Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar held talks with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov in New Delhi on cooperation between the two countries in strategic areas.

• They discussed bilateral and multilateral issues of mutual interest. Both sides also had discussed their common positions on regional and global issues and cooperation against terrorism.
• Static Part: Russia:- Capital- Moscow|Currency- Russian ruble|President- Vladimir Putin.

 

3.Nirmala Sitharaman Becomes The First Woman Defence Minister To Fly A Sukhoi 30 MKI of the Indian Air Force.

• Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman donned a flying suit and took to the skies in the Indian Air Force’s frontline combat jet Sukhoi 30 MKI and she thought the experience was “eye-opening and memorable”.
• Static Part: Indian Air Force:-Headquarters- New Delhi.

4.India successfully test-fires indigenously developed Agni-5 ballistic missile.

• India successfully test-fired indigenously developed long-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile, Agni-5, off the Odisha coast. The state-of-the-art missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation DRDO, was test fired successfully from the Abdul Kalam Wheeler Island.
• The three-stage solid propellant Agni-5 missile has a strike range of over 5,000 kilometers and can carry a nuclear warhead of more than one tonne. Defence sources said the missile covered 4,900 kilometers in 20 minutes in the launch.
• Static Part: General Bipin Rawat is the present Chief of Army Staff.

5. EC announces a schedule for assembly elections in Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland.

• Chief Election Commissioner AK Joti said, in Tripura, the polling will take place on the 18th of next month, while Meghalaya and Nagaland will go to polls on 27th February.
• The counting of votes for all the three states will be held on 3rd March.
• Static Part:1.Election commission of India:-Headquarters-New Delhi.
  2.Achal Kumar Jyoti IAS is the 21st Chief Election Commissioner of India.
  3.Election Commissioners of India- Om Prakash Rawat, Sunil Arora.

6. GST Council reduces the tax rate on 29 goods and 53 categories of services.

• Goods and Services Tax Council has reduced the tax rate on 29 goods and 53 categories of services by bringing them in a lower category. The new rates will be effective from 25th of this month.
• The GST rate on tailoring service has been reduced from 18 to 5 percent and tax on entry services to theme parks, water parks, joy rides, merry-go-rounds, go-carting and ballet from 28 percent to 18.
• The tax rate on the construction of metro and monorail projects has been brought down from 18 percent to 12 percent. Besides, the rate on job work services for the manufacture of leather goods and footwear has been reduced to 5 percent.
• The GST rate on transportation of petroleum crude and petroleum products including ATF has been cut down from 18 percent to 5 percent without input tax credit and 12 percent with it. The GST rate on Common Effluent Treatment Plant services for treatment of effluents from 18 percent to 12 percent.

7. India Ratings projects economic growth at 7.1% next fiscal.

• India Ratings, a subsidiary of Fitch Ratings, said GDP is expected to grow 7.1 percent year-on-year in 2018-19.
• India Ratings and Research projected the country’s economic growth to improve to 7.1 percent next fiscal from 6.5 percent this year, buoyed by robust consumer demand and low commodity prices.
• In its outlook for 2018-19, the agency said there will be a gradual pick up in growth momentum owing to structural reforms like GST and Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code in place.
• The projection is a tad lower than 7.4 percent growth estimated by Asian Development Bank and International Monetary Fund for next fiscal.

8.Virat Kohli named ICC world cricketer of the year.

• Indian captain Virat Kohli has been named the world cricketer of the year at the ICC annual awards announced in Dubai. Kohli reclaimed the award he first won in 2012.
• This is the second time in succession that an Indian has won the overall cricketer of the year award. Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had claimed the honor last year.

9. Maharashtra cabinet has approved 1% reservation for orphans in govt jobs under general category.

• According to the state Minister for Women and Child Development Pankaja Munde, the state cabinet has approved 1% reservation for orphans in government jobs under general category.
• The provision will help in the rehabilitation of these kids and help secure their future. The state cabinet has also approved the Maharashtra State Innovation and Startup policy, to attract investment of 5,000 crore rupees.
• Static Part: Chief minister-Devendra Fadnavis|Governor-C.Vidyasagar Rao.

10.Defence expo 2018 will be held near Chennai from 11 to 14 April showcasing some of the latest technologies and products manufactured by both Indian and foreign companies.

• Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and TamilNadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami have inaugurated the expo, aimed at forging a partnership between defence and industry in Chennai.
• It will also give an opportunity for the State to showcase its strength as one the largest manufacturing hubs for defence production.
• The event, which is the largest in the defence sector in India, will attract visitors from over 80 countries, said Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

11.10th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture was started in Germany.

• The 10th edition of Global Forum for Food & Agriculture was held in Berlin, Germany from 18th -20th January 2018. The theme of this year’s event is “Shaping the future of livestock – sustainably, responsibly, efficiently”.
• Static Part: Germany:- capital-Berlin|Currency – Euro|President -Frank-Walter Steinmeier |Prime Minister -Angela Merkel.

12.Ministry of Home Affairs Planning to set up “Cyber Warrior Police Force” to tackle Internet-related crimes.

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to set up Cyber Warrior Police Force (CWPF) and Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) to tackle internet-related crimes.
• Static Part: Home Minister – Shri.Rajnath Singh.