Current Affairs 17th November 2017

Current Affairs 17th November 2017 - Important Points

• World Philosophy Day 2017 observed across the world on - 16th November 2017
•  NGT directs Delhi Government to seize 10-year-old diesel taxis directed by - NGT
• INS Sarvekshak reaches Dar-Es-Salaam to conduct Joint Hydrographic Survey with Tanzanian Navy on - 15th November 2017
• Oldest evidence of life discovered in -  Australia
• Union Cabinet approves MoU between India and Poland for promotion of Civil Aviation Cooperation on - 16th November 2017

Current Affairs 17th November 2017 - Details

World Philosophy Day 2017 observed across the world on - 16th November 2017

The World Philosophy Day was celebrated across the world on 16th November 2017 that is the 3rd Thursday of November 2017. The Day is observed to renew the national, regional, sub-regional and international promise to philosophy and to foster philosophical analysis, research and studies on big contemporary issues, so as to reply more effectively to the challenges that are confronting humanity these days.

The Day also focuses to raise public awareness regarding the importance of philosophy and its major use in life. The Day supports academic exchange and highlights the contribution of philosophical knowledge in directing global issues.
Did you know?
In the year 2005, the UNESCO General Conference proclaimed to observe every 3rd Thursday of November as the World Philosophy Day with an objective to underline the importance of philosophy teaching for the coming generations.

 NGT directs Delhi Government to seize 10-year-old diesel taxis directed by - NGT

National Green Tribunal has instructed the state government of Delhi to ban 10-year-old diesel taxis without any delay because they cause air pollution.
The decision was finalized by a bench lead by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar. The bench found that a large number of diesel taxis are operating in the Delhi- NCR, which is the violation of the judgment and instructions issued by the Supreme Court.
The green tribunal also instructed the Environment and Forest Ministry, Road and Transport Ministry, Delhi Government and the state pollution control boards in the NCR to fully coordinate and take effective measures to control the pollutants in the environment of Delhi NCR.
Did you know?

• The tribunal issued the instructions after hearing a plea on the worsening air quality in the Delhi.
• The bench earlier showed concern over the alarming increase in pollution level in Delhi-NCR, terming it as an "environmental and health emergency".

INS Sarvekshak reaches Dar-Es-Salaam to conduct Joint Hydrographic Survey with Tanzanian Navy on - 15th November 2017

INS Sarvekshak, a hydrographic survey ship of Southern Naval Command, reached Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania on 15th November 2017 for conducting Joint Hydrographic Survey with the Tanzanian Navy.
The Joint Hydrographic Survey is being held with an objective to boost bilateral friendly relations with foreign countries and navies in the Indian Ocean.

Key Highlights-

• The joint survey will be held with the Naval personnel of Tanzania who got their training in India in National Institute of Hydrography, Goa.
• During the survey, training of Tanzanian Naval employees will also be undertaken on advanced hydrographic equipment and practices.
• The ship will go to Dar-es-Salaam harbour in Tanzania for refueling and replenishing stores.
  Joint training exercises with Tanzanian Navy will also be held during the period of deployment.
• The ship will handle pioneer survey of Pemba Island which will have detailed surveys of Port of Wesha and Kiuyo and Pemba Channel in Tanzania.
• After completing the survey, the ship will move to Port Louis in Mauritius in December 2017 for survey of Grand Port.

More about INS Sarvekshak-

• INS Sarvekshak is a specialized survey ship of the Indian Navy currently based at Kochi and is loaded with up to date survey equipment like Deep Sea Multi beam echo sounder system, Side Scan Sonar and a fully automated digital surveying system.
• It is the 2nd ship of the Darshak category of ships and has addition of 15 officers and 175 sailors and is currently commanded by Captain Peush Pawsey, who earlier commanded INS Darshak.
• It is carrying an integral Chetak helicopter which will be positioned during the survey.

Oldest evidence of life discovered in -  Australia

Researchers have find out rare, living samples of stromatolites, the oldest evidence of life on Earth, deep in a remote and protected World Heritage Area in Australia.
The discovery was completed by a group of researchers including those from the University of Tasmania in Australia. They made the discovery while surveying peat- bound karstic wetlands, an unexpected type of swamp, which occurs only in peaty soils underlain by limestone and same carbonate rocks.
The stromatolites were earlier unknown. According to Bernadette Proemse, a researcher from Tasmania University, “The ecosystem has formed around spring mounds where mineral-rich groundwater is pushed to the surface by geological formations in underlying limestone rocks.”
"The discovery has proved doubly interesting because deep examination revealed that these spring mounds were partly formed of living stromatolites," he said.

Stromatolites

• Stromatolites are laminated formations of micro- organisms which have formed layers of minerals using elements dissolved in the water in which they live.
• Fossil stromatolites are the oldest proof for life on Earth. They first appeared 3.7 billion years ago.
  Significance of the discovery
• These are remarkable because of more advanced life forms like aquatic snails feed on the micro-organisms needed to form them.
• DNA investigations explain that the Tasmanian stromatolites are micro-organism communities which vary from all other known stromatolites.
• The discovery provides indications on to why stromatolites thrived for millions of years but then virtually lost from all but a few exceptional places on Earth.
• The researchers suppose that the extremely mineralized water flowing from spring mounds is an important factor in the ability of the stromatolites to live in the Tasmanian wilderness because it dares other forms of life.
• The mounds were discovered to be littered with the shells of dead freshwater snails.
• These 'living fossils' are sheltered by the Tasmanian World Heritage Area and the sheer remoteness of the spring mounds.

Union Cabinet approves MoU between India and Poland for promotion of Civil Aviation Cooperation on - 16th November 2017

The Union Cabinet on 16th November 2017 approved the Memorandum of Understanding between India and Poland for the advancement of Civil Aviation Cooperation. The MoU will be for a term of 5 years.
The MoU will be focused at recognizing the mutual benefit of cooperation in the field of Civil Aviation to establish and upgrade the Regional Air Connectivity in India.

Highlights of the MoU-

• It will provide help in the civil aviation market by reviewing any legal and procedural problems which may adversely affect cooperation between India and Poland.
• It will provide exchange of information related to regional air operations, aviation regulations, airworthiness requirements and safety standards to amplify safety and security of air transport.
• It will enable collaboration on organization of training programs on aviation safely on topics such as flight operations, licensing, safety oversight, airworthiness, legislation and enforcement.
• It will provide aviation associated consultations, workshops, conferences and professional seminars, talks and other such activities on aviation safety.
• It will allow systematic meetings for exchange of information, expertise and experiences, knowledge between Ministries and respective Civil Aviation safety.
• It will also provide collaboration on research and studies on aviation safety interest subjects and issues of mutual interest.