10th January 2024 Daily Current Affairs
Banking & Finance
1. ‘Politically Exposed Persons’ Term to Meet FATF Norms
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) updated Know Your Customer (KYC) norms for politically exposed persons (PEPs) who transact with regulated entities (REs), seeking to comply with the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
- In the amended KYC master direction, the central bank defines PEPs as individuals who have held or are currently entrusted with prominent public functions by a foreign country.
National & International Appointments
2. Indra Mani Pandey will be the next Secretary General of BIMSTEC
- Indramani Pandey, a senior Indian diplomat has assumed the post of Secretary General of BIMSTEC for three years.
- He replaced Bhutan’s Tenzin Lekfel.
- Prior to this, Indramani Pandey had been India’s permanent representative to the United Nations.
- BIMSTEC (established in the year 1997) is an international organization of South Asian and Southeast Asian countries.
National & International Appointments
3. India’s Representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO)
- Senthil Pandian (IAS officer -2002 of the Uttar Pradesh cadre) has been appointed as India’s ambassador to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva.
- The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved Pandian’s appointment for a three-year term, effective from the date of assuming charge.
- The appointment comes as the tenure of Brajendra Navnit, India’s current ambassador to the WTO, concludes on March 31, 2024.
Defense
4. DRDO launches ‘Ugram’, indigenous assault rifle for armed forces
- The DRDO launched Ugram developed and manufactured in collaboration with a private industry partner
- The assault rifle has been designed for the operational requirements of armed forces, paramilitary and state police entities
- The rifle has an effective range of 500 m and weighs less than four kilograms and has been developed by DRDO’s Pune-based facility Armament Research and Development Establishments (ARDE) in collaboration with Dvipa Armour India Private Limited.
International Affairs
5. London is world’s slowest city to drive in
- London is the world’s slowest city for drivers owing to 20mph speed limits, a study suggests.
- A journey of 10km in central London took an average of 37 minutes and 20 seconds last year, location technology company TomTom said- making it the longest time among 387 cities in 55 countries which were analysed.
- This also marks the second year in a row that London tops the slowest city ranking.
- Top five slowest cities include Dublin, Toronto, Milan and Lima.
Important Dates
6. World Hindi Day 2024: 10th January
- Every year, World Hindi Day is celebrated on January 10.
- In 1949, Hindi was spoken for the first time in the United Nations General Assembly.
- In 2006, the first Vishwa Hindi Diwas was observed by the then Prime Minister of the country – Dr. Manmohan Singh.
- Since then, January 10 has been observed as World Hindi Day everywhere.
Obituaries
7. Hindustani classical singer Ustad Rashid Khan dies at 55
- Hindustani classical musician Ustad Rashid Khan, who was battling cancer, died in a private Kolkata hospital.
- Ustad Rashid Khan was born in Badayun, Uttar Pradesh and received his initial training from his maternal grand-uncle, Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan.
- He used to love West Bengal and settled here.
Honours & Awards
8. Odisha’s red ant chutney gets GI tag
- In Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, red weaver ants are used to make a chutney or a watery semi-solid paste known as “Kai Chutney.”
- This chutney is renowned in the region for its medicinal and nutritional properties.
- This distinctive savoury chutney was awarded the geographical indication (GI) tag.
Summits & Conferences
9. India to chair, host UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in 2024
- In a first, India is set to chair and host UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in New Delhi.
- As UNESCO’s official statement, “At its 19th extraordinary session (UNESCO, 2023), the World Heritage Committee decided that its 46th session will take place in India.
- The dates & venue of the 46th session have been announced: 21st to 31st July, 2024 in New Delhi (India).
National Affairs
10. India’s first indigenously manufactured UAV ‘Drishti 10 Starliner’ flagged
- Adani Defence and Aerospace introduced the Drishti 10 Starliner Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for the Indian Navy, manufactured within the country.
- The commencement ceremony, overseen by Admiral R Hari Kumar, the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) of the Indian Navy, took place in the presence of 75 Navy personnel.
- The UAV embarked on its journey from Hyderabad to Porbandar, marking its induction into naval maritime operations.
Summits & Conferences
11. PM Modi inaugurates Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in Gandhinagar
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 10th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in Gandhinagar.
- The three-day event is witnessing the participation of 34 partner countries and delegates from over 130 countries.
- It will also celebrate ‘20 years of Vibrant Gujarat as the Summit of Success’.
- The concept of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit was started in 2003 under the leadership of PM Modi when he was the CM of the state.
