Daily GK Updates - 10th February, 2017

                     NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. National Women’s Parliament begins in Amaravati: Today, India’s first a-political three days National Women’s Parliament (NWP) has begun in the new capital of Andhra Pradesh -Amaravati.

The theme of the conference is 'Empowering Women - Strengthening Democracy'.

2. Union Commerce Ministry approves Revenue Insurance Scheme for Plantation Crops: The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has launched pilot Revenue Insurance Scheme for Plantation Crops (RISPC) for protecting the growers from the risks such as pest attacks, yield loss and income decline caused by fall in prices. It was announced by Union Minister of State (MoS) Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

3. HRD ministry constitute sub-committee of CABE on issues of girl’s education: The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has constituted a sub-committee of Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) to look into issues of girl’s education. It will be headed by Telangana’s Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Kadiyam Srihari. It will submit its report to the Union government within one year.

4.  Govt. decides to open 56 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras:The union Government has decided to open 56 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSK) at different locations in many states for delivering passport related services to the public. The states include Delhi, Assam, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana and West Bengal.

5. Kerala’s Nilambur teak to get GI tag: Kerala’s Nilambur teak known internationally for its superior timber quality and elegant appearance will be added to the list of Kerala produces with the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. In this regard, IPR Cell of the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) with the support of the Nilambur Teak Heritage Society, the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) and the Department of Forests have applied for GI tag.

Darjeeling tea was the first product to be accorded with GI tag in India.

6. Dr. Harsh Vardhan releases Braille Atlas for visually impaired persons in New Delhi: The Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan released Braille Atlas for visually impaired persons in New Delhi.

The Atlas will be distributed free of cost to various schools across the country for educating the students with visual challenges.

7. National Deworming Day 2017 observed in India: The National Deworming Day was observed on 10 February 2017 in India with an aim to tackle worm infections in children.

                  INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  Paris to erect wall of bulletproof glass around Eiffel Tower: The Mayor of Paris (France) has announced the erection of a 5 meter wall of bulletproof glass around the Eiffel Tower due to security reason.

Eiffel Tower is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower.

Other updates:

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

1. Nokia to acquire Comptel Corporation to advance its software strategy: Nokia Corporation 9 February 2017 announced to acquire Comptel Corporation to advance its software strategy. The acquisition will also provide service providers with a comprehensive solution to design, deliver, orchestrate and assure communications and digital services across all the networks.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS:

2. Veerappan, Chasing the Brigand authored by K Vijay Kumar: The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh released the book titled - Veerappan, Chasing the Brigand. The book was written by K Vijay Kumar, Senior Security Adviser in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

3. ISRO develops Telemetry and Telecommand Processor: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has indigenously developed Telemetry & Telecommand Processor (TTCP) and its production will be initiated with the help of Indian industry. The processor development was undertaken up by ISRO as part of ‘Make in India’ campaign to replace the expensive imported equipment necessary for uplinking and downlinking to satellites.

SPORTS:

4. Virat Kohli becomes first Test batsman to score four double centuries in four consecutive series: Indian Skipper Virat Kohli has become the first batsman to score double centuries in four successive Test series surpassing legendary Donald Bradman and Rahul Dravid.

OBITUARIES:

5. Nobel laureate Sir Peter Mansfield passes away: Renowned physicist and Nobel laureate Sir Peter Mansfield passed away on 8 February 2017 in London, England. He was 83.Mansfield, along with Paul Lauterbur, had won the 2003 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for developing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).