Current Affairs - September 9, 2017 Current Affairs

On 8th September 2017, 51st International Literacy Day was celebrated at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The theme was 'Literacy in a digital world'. International Literacy Day is celebrated in India every year since 1988. On this day, public awareness is created to eradicate illiteracy and spread the importance of adult education programs.

State-run Bharat Petroleum Corporation(BPCL) is all set to become a Maharatna company. The oil marketing company is at present a Navratna firm. The decision to elevate BPCL to Maharatna status was taken by a panel headed by the Cabinet secretary and an announcement to this effect is likely soon, according to official sources. Maharatna and Navaratna state-owned units operate in strategic fields such as coal, petroleum, steel, heavy engineering, power supply, telecommunications and transportation services.

Sjoerd Marijne appointed as the new Chief Coach of India Men's Senior Hockey team, replacing the sacked Roelant Oltmans. World Cup-winning Junior team coach Harendra Singh was appointed High Performance Specialist coach of the senior women's team.

Tottenham's new stadium will include the world's first retractable pitch, which is due to open in 2018, allowing the venue to hold both football and NFL matches. Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, referred simply as Tottenham or Spurs, is an English football club located in Tottenham, Haringey, London.

The Unique Identification Authority of India's (UIDAI) chief executive officer (CEO) A.B. Pandey was appointed interim chairman of the goods and services tax network (GSTN)-the firm providing information technology (IT) backbone and portal for registration and tax returns under the GST regime. GSTN is a section 8 (under new companies Act, not-for-profit companies are governed under section 8), non-government, private limited company. It was incorporated on 28 March 2013 with the Government of India holding 24.5% equity.

The Women & Child Welfare Department of the Gujarat Government, Gujarat Milk Marketing Federation and three leading dairies have signed tripartite MOU to save the children of anginawadi from malnutrition. The MoU was signed in the presence of Gujarat Chief Minister, Vijay Rupani in Gandhinagar. According to the MOU, under the 'Take Home Ration' district dairies in cooperation with the milk marketing federation will provide nutritive foods to more than 42-lakh children of 53029 anaganwadies, pregnant-mothers, foster mothers and young girls.

The World University Rankings 2018 was published by the Times Higher Education (THE).Oxford University have topped the world rankings. IISc, Bangalore has been named the top university in India followed by Cambridge University.

According to "Manufacturing Excellence and Emergence in India: The state level analysis" which was conducted by ASSOCHAM's Economic Research Bureau, Karnataka stands at top among the Indian states in terms of manufacturing excellence.

CSIR scientists have developed an artificial leaf that absorbs sunlight to generate hydrogen fuel from water. It is an advance technology that may provide clean energy for powering eco-friendly cars in the future. The ultra-thin wireless device mimics plant leaves to produce energy using water and sunlight. The device consists of semiconductors stacked in a manner to simulate the natural leaf system.

Telangana State Home Minister Naini Narasimha Reddy has inaugurated 'Any Time Water' kiosk, known as water ATM near Nalgonda X Roads which is joint initiative of Safe Water Network, an international NGO and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). Purified water will be made available at a payment of 2 per litre and 20 per 20 litres of water. A total of 200 ATMs will be set up to reach a targetted 150,000 people. In the first phase 50 water ATMs will be operationalised by 2018.

James Anderson became the third pacer, sixth bowler overall and first Englishman to take 500 Test wickets when he clean bowled West Indies' Kraigg Brathwaite for four on Day 2 of the third Test at Lord's. Windies' pacer Courtney Walsh was the first fast bowler to achieve the feat, followed by Australia's Glenn McGrath.

Magnitude 8 powerful earthquake hit offshore 120 kilometres southwest of the town of Tres Picos in the state of Chiapas, southern Mexico.

Assam Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Google India, to provide Internet connection to 26,000 villages and 1,500 tea garden areas in Assam to increase digital literacy. Information Technology Secretary Nitin Khare and Google India Country Head (Policy) Chetan Krishnaswami signed the Memorandum of Understanding in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.