DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: 29 OCT 2017

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: 29 OCT 2017
(DAILY NEWS INDIA)
                                  SHARED BY: WWW.DAILYGK.IN

1.      INDIA, US TO IMPLEMENT HOSTAC TO STRENGTHEN MARITIME SECURITY
i. To strengthen maritime security, India and the United States have agreed to implement the program for Helicopter Operations from Ships Other Than Aircraft Carriers.
ii. A decision in this regard was taken by Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her US Counterpart Jim Mattis during their meeting in the Philippines on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus. They "agreed on the importance of a rules-based international order" in which all nations are able to prosper, and the "need to work together" against the common threat of terrorism.


2.      MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS LAUNCHES “#ASKTHESPOKESPERSON” FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF FOREIGN POLICY
i. The Ministry of External Affairs launched the “#AsktheSpokesperson” initiative on Twitter, to create better awareness and understanding of foreign policy issues to general public.
ii. The inaugural session of #AsktheSpokesperson initiative was held on the External Affairs Ministry’s official Twitter handle @MEAIndia. The Spokesperson responded to selected questions, live through periscope. #AsktheSpokesperson initiative will be a regular feature to engage and educate the public about foreign policy matters in simplified terms. It will be held every 2months.
iii. The Ministry invites questions from public on India’s foreign policy and selected questions would be responded by the Official Spokesperson. It also launched its LinkedIn profile.

3.      JACINDA ARDERN OFFICIALLY SWORN IN AS PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND
i. Jacinda Ardern was officially sworn in as the PM of New Zealand. At the age of 37, Ardern is the youngest New Zealand PM in 150 years.
ii. She is also the country's third woman leader. This was the first time New Zealand adopted proportional voting since 1996.

4.      INDIA, FRANCE AGREE TO STRENGTHEN BILATERAL DEFENCE COOPERATION
i. Ms. Florence Parly, the French Minister for the Armed Forces, was on an official visit to India. During Ms Parly’s meeting with Indian Defense Minister Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman, India and France agreed to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation.
ii. Ongoing initiatives to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation between India and France were reviewed by both the ministers. Regional and international developments of mutual interest were also discussed during this meeting.
iii. Besides, a range of measures to expand military to military ties, including enhancing the scope of joint exercises, specifically VARUNA (Joint Naval Exercise between India and France – scheduled to be held in early 2018) were agreed upon.
iv. Developments in defence equipment and industry cooperation were also comprehensively reviewed by both the ministers. It is to be noted that France is India’s major supplier of defence equipments.

5.      INTERNATIONAL PEACE CONFERENCE HELD IN IMPHAL
i. International Peace Conference was held in Imphal, Manipur with an objective to promote peace and harmony in the North Eastern region of India.
ii. The conference was attended by religious leaders from various countries, including Buddhist monks from South-East Asia and Myanmar.
iii. Discussions were held on issues related to maintaining world peace, various aspects of crime and violence and finding solutions concerning human development.
iv. 14th Dalai Lama too addressed the International Peace Conference. He visited Manipur on an invitation extended by Y Khemchand, the Speaker of Manipur State Assembly.

6.     RIL, FIRST INDIAN COMPANY TO CROSS RS 6 TRILLION MARKET CAPITAL
i. Reliance Industries Ltd became the first Indian company to cross Rs 6 trillion market capitalization after its shares surged over 75% so far this year and hit a fresh lifetime high.
ii. Currently, its market cap is at Rs 6.02 trillion. The recent rally in the stock was due to tariff hike by its telecom arm Reliance Jio which, analysts expect, will improve the company’s profitability.

7.      JEFF BEZOS REPLACES GATES AS WORLD'S RICHEST PERSON WITH $90.6-BN FORTUNE
i. According to Forbes magazine, Jeff Bezos surpassed Bill Gates as the richest person in the world. The fortune of Amazon's founder reached some $90.6 billion, compared with the $90.1 billion that the online edition of the magazine attributes to Gates.
ii. This is not the first time that Bezos has outpaced Gates - it previously happened in July 2017 when Amazon shares hit a historic high, though Gates took back the lead hours later.

8.      INDIA OVERTAKES US TO BECOME SECOND LARGEST SMARTPHONE MARKET
i. India overtakes the US to become the world’s second-largest smartphone market, trailing only China, according to a new report by analyst firm Canalys.
ii. In the second quarter of 2017, India’s smartphone market recovered quickly with shipments growing 23% year-on-year in the third quarter to reach just over 40 million units. Low smartphone penetration and the explosion of long-term evolution, or 4G are the main drivers behind this.

9.      SAP LAUNCHES ASIA PACIFIC JAPAN REGION'S FIRST LEONARDO CENTRE IN BENGALURU
i. Tech major SAP announced the launch of Asia Pacific Japan region's first SAP Leonardo Center in Bengaluru. The 4th SAP Leonardo Center globally, the facility is a go-to place for SAP's ecosystem for digital inspiration and co-innovation.
ii. Other SAP Leonardo Centers locations include New York-US, Paris-France, and Sao Leopoldo-Brazil. It combines a high concentration of customers and partners with one of SAP's largest market units.

10.  ANDHRA PRADESH CM RECEIVES GOLDEN PEACOCK AWARD IN LONDON
i. Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu has received the Golden Peacock Award under the category 'Global Leadership in Public Service and Economic Transformation' at a convention in London at 17th London Global Convention.
ii. Mr. Naidu received the award for his excellence in public service. In the 1st quarter of 2017-18, Andhra Pradesh has registered a growth rate of 11.72% double the country's average.

11.  AMANPREET WINS BRONZE AT ISSF WORLD CUP FINAL
i. India's Amanpreet Singh clinched a bronze medal in his maiden appearance in an ISSF World Cup Final, in New Delhi. Jitu Rai fizzled out to finish 7th on the fourth day of competition.
ii. World Cup silver medallist Amanpreet shot 202.2 to win the bronze in the final of men's 50m pistol. Rai could manage only 123.2 to finish last in the seven-man final. This was India's first individual medal in the ongoing edition of the prestigious tournament.

OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS BASED ON TODAY’S NEWS

Q1.  FOR WHAT PURPOSE THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS LAUNCHES “ASKTHESPOKESPERSON” INITIATIVE ON TWITTER?
a)  For better understanding of foreign policy
b)  For better understanding of government policies
c)  For better understanding of import & export qualities
d)  For better understanding of employment oppurtunities
Q2. INDIA SIGNS MOU WITH WHICH COUNTRY TO STRENGTHEN THE BILATERAL DEFENCE COOPERATION?
a)  Srilanka
b)  France
c)  Malaysia
d)  Norway
Q3. WHERE DID INTERNATIONAL PEACE CONFERENCE TO PROMOTE PEACE AND HARMONY IN THE NORTH EASTERN REGION OF INDIA HELD AT?
a)  Indore
b)  Darjeeling
c)  Imphal
d)  Agartala
Q4. ACCORDING TO THE SURVEY CONDUCTED BY CAPGEMINI AND LINKEDIN, WHICH COUNTRY EMERGES AS BIGGEST SOURCE FOR DIGITAL TALENT?
a)  Japan
b)  China
c)  Myanmar
d)  India
Q5. WHO REPLACED BILL GATES AS WORLD’S RICHEST PERSON WITH $90.6 BILLION FORTUNE?
a)  Cristiano Ronaldo
b)  Jeff Bezos
c)  Mark Zuckerburg
d)  Ussain Bolt

ANSWERS: 
1 - A    2 - B    3 - C    4 - D    5 - B