TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS 1-7, 2016 (English)
WORLD
1. Google Acquires startup “Synergyse” of Varun Malhotra
- The Google has acquired business technology startup Synergyse founded by an Indian-origin entrepreneur Varun Malhotra. With this acquisition, Synergyse will be joining the Google Apps team and help it to accelerate its mission and build Google Apps.
- Synergyse was launched in 2013 with an aim to teach users how to use Google Applications.
2. United Nations launches Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Zika Virus Response
- The United Nations has launched UN Zika Response Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) to finance critical unfunded priorities in the response to the Zika outbreak.
- The fund was launched by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York, United States.
3. 2015 Crony-Capitalism Index: India Ranks Ninth
- India is Ranked Ninth in 2015 Crony-Capitalism Index with crony sector wealth accounting for 3.4 % of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
- The index was based on new study by The Economist which had used data from a list of the World’s Billionaires and their worth published by Forbes.
4. First Muslim Mayor of London is Sadikh Khan
- Sadiq Khan of the British Labour party has been elected the New Mayor of London. Sadiq Khan became London’s First Muslim Mayor.
- Sadikh Khan is the son of bus driver, immigrants from Pakistan who settled in London in the 1960s.
INDIA
5. New Chief of the Naval Staff is Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba
- Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba has been appointed as next Chief of the Naval Staff. He will be 23rd chief of Indian Navy and 21st as an Indian.
- He will assume the charge on 31 May 2016 and shall have full three-year-term in office till 31 May 2019. He will succeed incumbent Navy Chief Admiral Robin K. Dhowan, who will superannuate from the post on 31 May 2016.
6. The Central Government launches Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)
- The Central Government launched Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) for providing free of cost LPG (Cooking Gas) connections to women from BPL Households.
- It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Maldepur Morh, Ballia in Uttar Pradesh.
7. Now RM Lodha to oversee the functions of the Medical Council of India (MCI)
- The Supreme Court has appointed a 3 member high-powered committee headed by former Chief Justice of India (CJI) RM Lodha to oversee the functions of the Medical Council of India (MCI).
8. The Central Government launches UJALA Scheme
- The Union Government has launched National LED programme. Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA).
- It was launched by Union Minister for State (IC) for Power, Coal and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
9. Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra top 2015 Road Mishap Chart
- Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra are among five states that recorded the highest number of road mishaps for the second consecutive year but Uttar Pradesh has reported the highest number of fatalities in 2015, provisional data compiled by the Transport Research Wing (TRW) of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways indicates.
- TRW’s provisional data for 2015 showed an increase of 4.6% in Nationwide road mishap fatalities, from 1,39,671 in 2014 to 1,46,133 deaths in 2015.
- In 2015, Tamil Nadu reported the highest number of road accidents followed by Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. These states contributed 29.66 per cent of total accidents and also the highest number of injuries at 2,75,873.
10. Asia’s first Rice Technology Park at Gangavati in Karnataka
- Karnataka Government has decided to go ahead with the establishment of Asia’s first Rice Technology Park at Gangavati in Koppal district.
- Apart from it state government has decided to set up a Maize Technology Park at Ranebennur in Haveri district.
11. The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2015
- The Lok Sabha passed the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2015 for the establishment of funds under the public accounts of Centre and each State towards compensatory afforestation.
- It also provides for additional afforestation and penal compensatory afforestation to regulate collected funds.
12. 34 Satellites are Operational in India
- The Central Government has announced that currently 34 Indian satellites are operational in the space.
- It was announced by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.
13. Number ‘112’ Single Emergency Number to be operational throughout India
- The single emergency number ‘112’ will be operational throughout India from January 1, 2017 to help people reach immediate services of police, ambulance and fire department.
- In this regard, Union Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad approved the provision of a single number for various Emergency Services.
14. The Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill, 2016
- The Parliament has passed Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016. The Bill amends the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.
- The amendment Bill was first passed in the Lok Sabha in March 2016 and later in the Rajya Sabha in May 2016.
15. The Gujarat Government accorded Minority Status to the Jain Community
- The Gujarat Government has accorded Minority Status to the Jain community in the state. In this regard state government has issued a government resolution (GR) giving minority status to the Jain community.
- President Pranab Mukherjee has conferred 63rd National Film Awards for the year 2015 in various categories at the function held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
17. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2015
- The Lok Sabha has unanimously passed Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2015 by a voice vote. The code seeks to ensure time-bound settlement of insolvency, faster turnaround of businesses and create a unified database of serial defaulters.
18. The Union Cabinet approves India-UAE Currency Swap Agreement
- The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Central Bank of United Arab Emirates (UAE) on co-operation concerning Currency Swap Agreement.
- The Decision in this regard was taken at the Union Cabinet Meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The Agreement was signed in February, 2016 during the official state visit of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India
19. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016
- The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 came into force on 01 May 2016. In this regard, Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) had notified 69 of the total 92 sections of the Act to bring it into force from 1 May 2016.
SPORTS
20. Mark Selby won 2016 World Snooker Championship
- Ace snooker player Mark Selby from England has won the 2016 World Snooker Championship title of Snooker. In the final match played in Sheffield, Selby defeated China’s Ding Junhui by 18-14 score.
21. Seven Indian Badminton players qualify for 2016 Rio Olympics
- Seven Indian Badminton players have officially earned the qualification for the forthcoming Rio Olympics scheduled to be held in August 2016 in Brazil.
- They are Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, K. Srikanth, Jwala Gutta, Ashwini Ponnappa, Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy.
22. ISSF Junior World Cup: Indian wins 3 Gold, 1 Bronze medals in
- Indian shooters have won three Gold medals and one Bronze on the opening day of the ISSF (International Shooting Sport Federation) Junior World Cup held in Suhl, Germany.
- Indian shooters won two Gold medals in the team events of men’s 25m standard pistol and women’s 50m rifle prone competitions respectively.
- The men’s team comprised of Rituraj Singh, Shivam Shukla and Arjun Das. The women team comprised of Gaayathri Nithyanadam, Sonika and Ayushi Podder.
23. Two Indian women wrestlers Qualified for 2016 Rio Olympics
- Two Indian women wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik have qualified for 2016 Rio Olympics scheduled to be held in August 2016.
24. Asia Kabaddi Championship Cup 2016: Pakistan Champion
- Pakistan has won the 3rd edition of the Asian Kabaddi Championship 2016 (Circle Style) by defeating India.
- In the final match held at Pakistan Ordinance Factory Sports Complex in Wah Cantonment, Pakistan defeated India by 50-31 points. This is Pakistan’s second successive win in the Asian Kabaddi title as they had won it in 2012.
25. Leicester City wns English Premier League Champion
- Leicester City FC was win the championship of the of English Premier League title for 2015-16 season without playing as nearest challenger Tottenham Hotspur FC.
- This is the first time in the Leicester City FC’s 132-year history it became the champion of the England.
26. Archery World Cup India wins 1 silver, 2 bronze
- Indian women’s team has won silver medal in the recurve team final of Archery World Cup held at the Yuanshen Stadium in Shanghai, China. Women’s team comprised of Deepika Kumari, Bombayla Devi Laishram and Laxmirani Majhi.