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January 08, 2019

8th January 2019 Daily Current Affairs - PDF Download

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Dear Great Ambitionists, here are today's (8th January 2019) Important Current Affairs updates. You can download the pdf version of these current affairs from below link. Happy Reading :)

Daily Current Affairs of 8th January 2019

International Current Affairs
  • The 4th edition of the Raisina Dialogue began today evening in New Delhi.
    • Norway Prime Minister Ms Erna Solberg will deliver inaugural address in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
    • Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with Observer Research Foundation is organizing the flagship annual geopolitical and geostrategic conference. 
    • The Dialogue will bring together over 600 delegates from 93 countries, including influential political leaders, strategic thinkers, policy practitioners, technology innovators, business representatives and academics. 
    • The discussions will seek to address issues arising from ongoing global transitions and changes to the world order, triggered by unique leaders, innovative partnerships and new technologies.
    • Theme of 4th Raisina Dialogue 2019 :  "A World Reorder: New Geometries; Fluid Partnerships; Uncertain Outcomes”.
  • North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is on a visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
    • This visit is significant, because it occurred only days after warning he may take an alternative path if the United States  does not ease sanctions and pressure on his country. 
    • Kim held three summits last year with Xi before and after summits with US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
  • China has passed a new law that seeks to "Sinicize (make Chinese in character or form)" Islam within the next five years, the latest move by Beijing to rewrite how the religion is practised.
    • Important Points to Note
      • There are over 20 million Muslims in China. 
      • Islam is one of the five officially recognised religions in atheist China. 
        • The other four are Taoism, Buddhism, Catholicism, and Protestantism.
National Current Affairs
  • The Union Cabinet has approved a 10% reservation for economically backward section in the General category in jobs and educational institutions. 
    • This reservation will be over and above the existing 50% reservation.
    • People with annual family income below ₹8 lakh and those with agricultural land below five acres will likely benefit from this reservation. 
    • Those who have residential property below 1,000 sq ft may also avail the quota. 
    • People with residential plot below 100 square yards in a notified municipality will also benefit.
  • The Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre, today announced that Women constitute 13% of the IAF's workforce, the highest among the three armed services
    • Women comprise 3.80% of the Army's workforce and 6% of the Navy's personnel
  • The Kerala government has decided to bring an ordinance to prevent the damage of private property in the name of hartals and communal violence.
    • The ordinance will have provisions to punish the guilty with five years of imprisonment and fine. 
  • The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified the Draft National Policy on Domestic Workers
    • This policy aims to provide social security benefits to an estimated 39 lakh people employed as domestic workers by private households, of which 26 lakhs are female domestic workers.
  • The Lok Sabha today passed the Personal Laws (Amendment Bill), 2018, which seeks to remove leprosy as a ground for divorce via a voice vote.
    • The draft law seeks to remove the disease as a reason for divorce in five personal laws – Hindu Marriage Act, Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act, Divorce Act (for Christians), Special Marriage Act and the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act. 
  • The Lok Sabha today passed the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019 by voice vote after a brief discussion.
    • This bill seeks to provide regulation for the use and application of DNA technology for the purpose of establishing the identity of certain category of persons including the victims, offenders, suspects, under trials, missing persons and others.
    • The bill also seeks to establish a National DNA Data Bank and Regional DNA Data Banks
Science & Technology
  • American automotive and energy company Tesla' CEO Elon Musk today formally began the construction of the automaker's Shanghai Gigafactory.
    • This is Tesla's 1st factory outside the United States.
    • The factory will produce "affordable versions" of Tesla Model 3 and proposed Model Y vehicles for the Greater China region.
Awards & Honors
  • Jayanta Kumar Ghosh, a professor at the civil engineering department of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Roorkee, was conferred the National Geospatial Award for Excellence-2017 (Lifetime Achievement Award) at the Space Application Centre in Ahmedabad.
Banking, Business & Economic Affairs
  • Bandhan Bank is going to acquire mortgage lender Gruh Finance via a share swap, in a bid to cut the bank's promoter holding. 
    • Shareholders of Gruh Finance, in which HDFC has 57.83% stake, will receive three Bandhan Bank shares for every five shares held in the home financier. 
    • HDFC will also cut its stake further by 5.5%.
Deaths
  • Veteran Kannada actor C H Loknath (91) passed away.
    • Loknath ,popularly known as 'Uncle' in the industry has acted in about 650 movies and performed in over 1,000 plays in his  career spanned almost six decades.
    • He acted in several notable movies like 'Samskara' 'Naagara Haavu', 'Bangarada Manushya', 'Pushpaka Vimana' and 'Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu, which was based on Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar's short stories 'Vayyari.'
MoUs & Agreements
  • Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IMHCL) and leading Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) like BPCL, HPCL and IOCL signed an MoU for sale of FASTags through their petrol pumps.
    • FASTag is an electronic toll collection system operated by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). 
    • FASTag enables automatic deduction of toll charges and lets you pass through the toll plaza without stopping for the cash transaction.
People in News
  • The President of World Bank, Jim Yong Kim today announced that he will be leaving his post on 1st February 2019, more than three years ahead of the end of his term. 
    • World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva will take over as interim President on February 1.
  • The Supreme Court has overturned the Centre's decision to send CBI Director Alok Verma on indefinite leave, giving him back the charge of the investigation agency.  
    • But the top court ruled that Alok Verma cannot take any major policy decisions till the selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviews the probe report against him and decides on his continuation.
    • Note : Verma was asked to proceed on leave following his fallout with CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana.
New Appointments
  • India-born Harvard University professor Gita Gopinath has joined International Monetary Fund (IMF) as its 1st woman Chief Economist
    • She has replaced Maurice Obstfeld, who retired on December 31. 
  • Sheikh Hasina today sworn in as Bangladesh's Prime Minister for a 3rd consecutive term.
    • President Abdul Hamid administered the oath of office.
    • Note : This is Hasina's fourth term in office overall.
  • Justice Cholendra Shamsher J B Rana took over as the new Chief Justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court.
    • President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath.
  • Justice Asif Saeed Khosa appointed as the new Chief Justice of Pakistan. 
    • He will take oath of his office on January 18 a day after incumbent CJP Justice Saqib Nisar retires on January 17.
Sports Current Affairs
  • Maharashtra is all set to host the 2nd edition of Khelo India Youth Games which will officially begin tomorrow in Pune.
    • More than 9000 players from different states will participate in 18 different games at Khelo India Youth Games. 

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