Daily GK Updates - 7th December, 2015

NATIONAL UPDATES: 7 DECEMBER 2015-

1.     MODI PAHAL HITS GUINNESS WORLD RECORD:

Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan presented the certificate received from Guinness Book of World Records to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The certificate is in recognition of PAHAL as the largest cash transfer programme in the world. Modi’s Pahal cash transfer scheme is providing subsidy for LPG to 14.62 crore households. The government launched the `PAHAL’ scheme in 54 districts of the country on November 15, 2014, and in remaining districts of the country on January, 2015.

2.     KAHER KAZEM APPOINTED GM INDIA HEAD:

General Motors (GM) has appointed Kaher Kazem as President and Managing Director of its India operations, effective January 1. Kazem, who is currently chief operating officer (COO) of GM India, will be replacing Arvind Saxena who has decided to retire after leading the company since early 2014. 

3.     WORLD’S LARGEST PRACTIVAL SCIENCE LESSON ATTEMPETED AT IIT:

Students from schools across the national capital have assembled at the sprawling lawns of Indian Institute of Technology to conduct ‘world’s largest practical science lesson. Northern Ireland is the current record-holder with 1,339 students.

4.     NIRMA UNIVERSITY  AWARDED EXCELLENCE  IN TECHNOLOGY FOR EDUCATION BY FICCI:

Nirma University has been awarded under the category of ‘Excellence in Technology for Education Delivery’ during the FICCI Education Awards 2015, as a part of the Eleventh FICCI Higher Education Summit 2015. The event was organized at FICCI Federation House, New Delhi, by FICCI in association with the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.

5.     BABRI-MASJID ANNIVERSERY: DAY OF “VICTORY” AND “SORROW”:

Muslims in the twin town of Ayodhya-Faizabad observed black Sunday on December 6. Incidentally, the mosque was demolished on a Sunday on December 6, 1992. Muslim groups observed ‘day of sorrow’ while Hindu outfits celebrated ‘shaurya divas’ on the 23rd anniversary of Babri mosque demolition day, which passed off peacefully amid tight security in Ayodhya, as well as in other parts of the country.

6.     NATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL IN CHATTISGARH FROM JAN 12:

Chhattisgarh will host the 20th National Youth Festival next month at its upcoming capital Naya Raipur. The 20th edition of the National Youth Festival will be held from January 12-16, 2016. For National Youth Festival necessary preparations have started,” state sports and youth welfare secretary Dinesh Shrivastav said. The festival also coincides with the 153rd birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.     VENENZULA OPPOSITION PARTY WIN PARLIAMENTRY MAJORITY:

Venezuela’s opposition party has claimed the majority of seats in the National Assembly in elections, the first major shift in power in the legislative branch since the late President Hugo Chavez took office in 1999.

2.     LATVIA’S PRIME MINISTER LAIMDOTA STRAUJUMA RESIGNED:

Latvia’s first female Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma announced her resignation. Straujuma’s resignation came after she fired the transport minister in November 2015, sparking rumours of discontent within the centre-right Cabinet that took office in January 2014.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1.     HOCKEY WORLD LEAGUE FINAL: AUSTRALIA BEAT BELGIUM TO LIFT TITLE:

World champions Australia stamped their authority and defeated Belgium 2-1 to clinch the title of the second edition of Hockey World League (HWL) Final at the Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Stadium. Australia, who finished fourth in the last edition of the tournament two years back, showed why they are considered as the most consistent team in world hockey as they took control of the match from the word go to dominate the world number seven Belgians.

2.     BUBBA WATSON CROWNED HERO WORLD CHALLENGE CHAMPION:

Two-time Masters Winner Bubba Watson carded a six-under 66 in the final round to clinch the Hero World Challenge even as India’s Anirban Lahiri put on a disappointing show to finish last at tied 17th, at the Albany Golf Club. Watson, one of the few left-handers on the PGA Tour, registered his sixth top-five finish in last 10 worldwide starts.

BANKING & ECONOMY:

3.     SINGAPORE REPLACES MAURITIUS AS TOP SOURCE OF FDI INTO INDIA:

Singapore has replaced Mauritius as the top source of FDI or foreign direct investment into India during the first half of the current fiscal. During April-September 2015, India has attracted $6.69 billion (₹43,096 crore) FDI from Singapore while from Mauritius, it received $3.66 billion (₹23,490 crore), according to data from the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).

4.     DELHI & TOKYO MAY IMPACT FOR INDIA’S FIRST BULLET TRAIN:

India and Japan are set to firm up an agreement on highspeed train services, widely referred to as ‘Bullet Trains’, during Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit next week. The first train is planned between Mumbai and Ahmadabad. The project will cut travelling time between Mumbai and Ahmadabad from seven to two hours.

5.     IBM SIGN SECURITY PACT WITH FEDERAL BANK FOR FEDMOBILE APP:

IBM has signed a deal for an undisclosed amount with Federal Bank to provide a security layer on the Federal Bank’s mobile application.The app, called FedMobile, which can be used to transfer funds, make utility bill payments and utilize services such as top-up or recharge of mobile phones and payment of school fees, was developed on IBM’s Mobile First platform.

AWARDS:

6.     HYDERABAD POLICE GET EXPRESS IT EXCELLENCE AWARD:

Union Telecom and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today presented ‘Express IT excellence award’ to Hyderabad City Police in recognition of IT initiatives launched by them in last one year, at a event organised in Bangalore. Hyderabad police is the only police organisation in the country, which received the ‘Express IT Excellence award’ that was given in recognition of various IT initiatives and IT applications launched by them in the last one year.

Daily