29th January 2015 - Important Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

• The Malaysian government has officially declared the disappearance of Malaysian Airline flight MH370‬ an accident and has said that there were no survivors.
• No trace of the Beijing-bound aircraft has been found since it disappeared on 8 March 2014.
• Officials said that the recovery operation is ongoing but that the 239 people on board are now presumed dead.
• Cuba has demanded the US hand back the Guantanamo Bay military base before relations with Washington are normalized.
• President Raul Castro also called for the lifting of the US trade embargo and Cuba's removal from a terror list.

National Affairs

• The World Bank's Report "Scaling the Heights: Social inclusion and sustainable development" on Himachal Pradesh was released by Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dhani Ram Shandil in Shimla today.
• This was first of its kind report prepared by the World Bank for Himachal Pradesh.
• The report reveals that the state has effectively balanced economic growth with social inclusion.
• Smt. Maitreyi Das, lead Social Development Specialist, who has prepared this report, said that Himachal stood apart from many other states with its strong track record of poverty reduction, service delivery and human and social development outcomes.
• Social Activists Anna Hazare is planning to launch fresh agitation on Lokpal issue;
• The Supreme Court today restrained the Google, Yahoo and Microsoft search engines from carrying advertisements or links relating to sex determination tests, which are banned in India.
  
• Section 22 of the Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994, prohibits advertisement of pre-natal tests in any form or medium, including the Internet. Violation could lead to three years in jail.
• In a step that could significantly push the bar for quality online education in the country, IIT Bombay has embarked on a commendable mass online education programme that will provide free online courses and give access to high quality, IIT-style education to Indian students in Indian languages.
• On the Republic Day, Prof Devang Khakhar, Director of IIT Bombay, launched three Mass Open Online Courses (MOOC) in computer programming, thermodynamics, and signals and systems from the institute’s IITBombayX platform developed in collaboration with edX, a not-for-profit initiative by MIT and Harvard.
• The Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha is planning to install the statues of Nathuram Godse in the premises of temples across India. 
• Initially, the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha has planned to build a temple to Mahatma Gandhi's assassin, Nathuram Godse, in Sitapur district. 
• But it's attempts were foiled by Uttar Pradesh  state Police. 

New Appointments

• Newly appointed Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar takes charge today.
• He replaces Sujatha Singh (she had sought early retirement from service).
• Eminent singer and theatre director Shekhar Sen has been appointed the new chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, the country's premier institution for the performing arts.
• Important Note : Mr. Sen was recently awarded the Padma Shri on Republic day for his contribution to the arts.

Science & Technology

• Scientists have developed a new way of monitoring how much ice is being lost, as global temperature rise by listening to icebergs.
• The researchers from Poland and Britain found that different types of iceberg generate unique sounds as they breakaway from glaciers into the sea.
• The scientists say, listening for acoustic signals could help detect the formation of smaller icebergs.

Business & Economy

• Telecom major, Bharti Airtel, is planning to enter the banking space by converting its existing prepaid payment service Airtel Money into a payments bank. The company will apply for a licence soon.

Sports

• India has been confirmed as host for the 2016 Twenty20 World Cup, scheduled to be held from 11th March 2016 to 3rd April 2016, the ICC announced today.
• The board also approved the dates for the 2017 Champions Trophy in England, which will be held between June 1-19.
• England will also host the 50-over World Cup in 2019 from May 30 to June 15.
• The 2017 Women’s World Cup will be held in England between Aug 4-27, and the 2018 Women’s World Twenty20 will be organised in the West Indies between Nov 2-25.
• Andy Murray enters the final of Australian Open Tennis.
• The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has revised the Scheme of Special Awards to medal winners in international events and their coaches.
• In the revised scheme, the award money have been enhanced.
• The amount of award money for medal winners in Olympic Games (summer and winter) has been enhanced from existing Rs. 50 lakh (gold medal), Rs. 30 lakh (silver medal) and Rs. 20 lakh (bronze medal) to Rs. 75 lakh, Rs. 50 lakh and Rs. 30 lakh respectively. 
• The amount of award money for medal winners in Asian Games and Commonwealth Games has been enhanced from existing Rs. 20 lakh (gold medal), Rs. 10 lakh (silver medal) and Rs. 6 lakh (bronze medal) to Rs. 30 lakh, Rs. 20 lakh and Rs. 10 lakh respectively.
• Amount of award money for medalists of Paralympic Games (summer & winter), Para-Asian Games and Commonwealth Games (Para-Athletes) have been fixed at par with medalists of Olympic Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.

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