Daily GK Updates - 14th October, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Dharmendra Pradhan launches National Seismic Programme in Mahanadi Basin: Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State (with Independent charge) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, on 13 October 2016 launched the National Seismic Programme (NSP) on Mahanadi basin (onshore) in Odisha.

2. Amrit Lugun concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to the State of Eritrea:Shri Amrit Lugun, presently Ambassador of India to the Republic of the Sudan, has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to the State of Eritrea, with residence in Khartoum(Sudan).

3. R.A. Mashelkar conferred award by Centre for Organisation Development:R. A. Mashelkar, former Director-General of CSIR, has been conferred the V Krishnamurthy Award for excellence by the Hyderabad-based Centre for Organisation Development.

4. CCEA approves revision of ethanol prices for supply to Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies:Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 13 October 2016 approved the mechanism for revision of ethanol price for supply to Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to carry out the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.World Standards Day: 14 October: World Standards Day is observed annually on 14 October.The theme for World Standards Day 2016 is “Standards Build Trust". 

2. Antonio Guterres appointed UN Secretary-General: The 193 member states of the General Assembly adopted the resolution by acclamation, appointing 67-year-old Mr. Guterres as the 9th U.N. Secretary-General to take over from Ban Ki-moon, whose tenure will end on December 31, 2016.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. British Olympics icon Jessica Ennis-Hill announces retirement from athletics: Jessica Ennis-Hill has announced her retirement from athletics. Ennis-Hill, 30, who won a gold medal for heptathlon at London 2012, hinted after winning silver at Rio 2016 that she could leave the sport.

  

OBITUARIES:

2. Hailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej - the world's longest-serving monarch – has died aged 88.

3. Renowned writer and litterateur from Uttarakhand, DayanandAnant, passed away today at his residence in Bhowali near Nainital.

4. The Nobel prize winning playwright and actor Dario Fo, famous for his cutting political satire in plays such as The Accidental Death of an Anarchist, has died aged 90.