17th October 2014 - Daily Current Affairs

17th October 2014 - Daily Current Affairs


National Affairs

• Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar today launched a tool called national Air Quality Index (AQI)
• This tool aims to create awareness among people about the quality of air they breathe as well as its likely health impact.
• It proposes six AQI categories, namely good, satisfactory, moderately polluted, poor, very poor and severe and is likely to be operational initially in the country's million plus cities by mid-December. 
• The Centre today told the Supreme Court that it is unable to disclose all information on black money received from foreign countries with which India has a double taxation avoidance agreement (DTAA) because doing so would violate confidentiality terms in those pacts.
• In a big relief to former Tamil Nadu (Ex) Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, the Supreme Court today ordered her release on bail in the Rs. 66.65 crores disproportionate assets case in which she was sentenced to undergo four years' simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 100 crores.
• External Affairs Ministry will organise a country-wide passport Seva camps from tomorrow to provide passport services to the people residing away from passport seva kendras as part of extending public services at door step.
• Bikaner will soon become the first Open Defecation Free (ODF) district of Rajasthan. Authorities have launched a unique scheme Banko Beekano aimed at making the district free of open defecation.
• The former Telecom Minister, A. Raja, has decided to write his version of the events in the dramatic 2G case that created a political storm during the second term of the UPA government.

International Affairs

• Today is the "International Day for the Eradication of Poverty".
• It was officially recognized by the United Nations,
• It promotes people’s awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution worldwide.

Science & Technology

• India's indigenously developed nuclear capable sub-sonic cruise missile Nirbhay, which can strike targets more than 700 kms away, was successfully test fired from Chandipur range in Odisha.
• Argentina launched its first domestically built communications satellite, ARSAT-1 today. 
• It helps to  improve phone, internet connections, including for scientists working in Antarctic.

Sports

• West Indies Cricket Board has called off remaining part of India's tour owing to pay dispute with its players.