Daily Current Affairs with Quiz : 10 August 2017

UP CM Yogi Adityanath flagged off ‘Namami Gange Jagriti Yatra’ from Lucknow

• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off the ‘Namami Gange Jagriti Yatra’ from his official residence in state capital Lucknow.
• The ‘Namami Gange Jagriti Yatra’ is being organised by the Uttar Pradesh Home Guards.
• ‘Namami Gange Jagriti Yatra’ will conclude on September 6.

• India has ratified the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol that commits countries to contain the emission of greenhouse gases, reaffirming its stand on climate action.
• In a brief statement, India’s Permanent Mission to the UN said that India deposited its Instrument of Acceptance of the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol under the UN Convention on Climate Change here yesterday.
• With this, India became the 80th country to accept the amendment relating to the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, the international emissions reduction treaty.
• The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which commits its Parties by setting internationally binding emission reduction targets.
• The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997 and entered into force in February 2005.

International Events

8th meeting of Regional Technical Group on Trade, Commerce and Investment CBM of the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process held in New Delhi

• The eighth meeting of the Regional Technical Group of Confidence Building Measure on Trade, Commerce & Investment Opportunities under the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process was hosted by India
• The participants shared the view that Afghanistan acted as a natural bridge in promoting regional connectivity and economic integration.
• There was consensus that economic development was an important factor in ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan and the Heart of Asia Region. In this context, the participants shared views on various measures and steps to promote transit and trade and realizing reliable and robust connectivity, with Afghanistan as the hub.
• This included the recognition of the need to make the existing transit and trade agreements more inclusive and comprehensive by expanding them both northwards and southwards to connect South Asia with Central Asia; strengthening growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and involvement of women in economic development, including through women entrepreneurship; and simplifying customs procedures.
• The initiative by India to develop a web portal, with participation of FICCI, for exchanging information on regional markets, trade and investment opportunities; and facilitating networking between businesses for the participating countries was appreciated.

Dhaka to open diplomatic station in Chennai

• Bangladesh will soon open a new diplomatic station in Chennai.
• The new post was likely to focus on medical tourism and educational centres that drew thousands of Bangladesh citizens to India every year.
• The main focus of the new diplomatic station in Chennai will be to address the needs of Bangladeshi citizens who visit India for medical and educational purposes.
• Medical treatment, especially super-specialty treatment of kidney, eye and neurological issues available in southern India, is the best in the region, which draws our citizens to India in large numbers. This has helped build a strong people-to-people bond
• Bangladesh at present has a High Commission in Delhi, two Deputy High Commissions in Kolkata and Mumbai, and two Assistant High Commissions in Guwahati and Agartala. The outpost in Agartala was the latest to be upgraded in the past decade.

Qatar offers visa-free entry to 80 countries, including India

• Qatar announced on Wednesday a programme to allow visa-free entry for citizens of 80 countries to encourage air transport and tourism amid a two-month boycott imposed on the Gulf state by its neighbors.
• Nationals from dozens of countries in Europe and elsewhere including India, Lebanon, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States will now receive tourist visas on arrival to the gas-rich country which hosts the soccer World Cup in 2022.
  

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