Latest Current Affairs for SSC & BANK Exams 2016

Parliament passes Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2016

The Parliament has passed the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2016 to remove given to Sahjdhari Sikhs to vote in the elections to members of the Board and the Committees. The amendment bill first was passed in the Rajya Sabha in March 2016 and later in the Lok Sabha in April 2016. Key facts The amendment bill removes exception given to Sahjdhari Sikhs in 1944 to vote in the elections to members of the Board and the Committees constituted under the parent Act. It will disentitle Sahjdhari Sikhs, who trim or shave their beard or hair, from casting their votes in elections to the Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC).`

Lok Sabha passes Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2016

The Lok Sabha passed the Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2016 to provide statutory status to the existing Regional Centre for Biotechnology in Faridabad, Haryana. The Bill seeks to provide legislative backing to the Regional Centre and also confers upon it the status of an institution of national importance.

Mairaj Ahmed Khan wins silver medal at ISSF World Cup of shooting

India’s Mairaj Ahmed Khan has won the silver medal in the men’s skeet event at ISSF World Cup held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In the final, Mairaj lost gold medal to Sweden’s Marcus Svensson and the bronze medal was won by Tamarro Casandro of Italy. With this victory, he becomes first Indian shooter to win skeet medal for India at a World Cup. Earlier in September 2016 he had qualified for his maiden Olympics after finishing in sixth place at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup. He is the first Indian to qualify in the skeet event at the Olympics. In the 2010, Commonwealth Shooting Championship he had won a team gold medal which was his best international performance earlier.

25 April: World Malaria Day

l malaria burden over the next 15 years and is aligned with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Goals of the strategy are: (i) Reduce rate of new malaria cases by at least 90% (ii) Reduce malaria death rates by at least 90% (iii) Eliminate malaria in at least 35 countries (iv) Prevent a resurgence of malaria in all countries that are malaria-free.

Rafael Nadal wins 2016 Barcelona Open

Ace tennis player Rafael Nadal (World No 5) from Spain has won the 2016 Barcelona Open title of Tennis. It was Nadal’s overall 9th Barcelona Open title and 69th win from 101 finals on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) World Tour. He also has now won his first 10 matches of the European clay-court 2016 season. In the final match played at in Barcelona, Spain he defeated Kei Nishikori (World No 6) of Japan in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5. With this victory, Nadal has equalled Guillermo Vilas’ decade’s old record of 49 clay-court titles. Guillermo Vilas from Argentina had bagged 49 clay-court titles in 1970s and early 1980s. In tennis Nadal is famously known as the King of Clay. So far, Rafael Nadal has won 14 Grand Slam singles titles, 28 titles in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events and 16 ATP World Tour 500 tournaments. He also had won 2008 Olympic gold medal in singles.

24 April: National Panchayati Raj Diwas

Every year April 24 is being observed as National Panchayati Raj (PR) Diwas across India. Significance of the day: It marks the passing of the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from 24 April 1993. Significance of Amendment Act: It had led a defining moment in the history of India which helped in decentralization of political power to the grassroots level. In turn it had led to institutionalization of Panchayati Raj (PR) through the village, Intermediate and District level Panchayats. Every year on this day Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj organises National Conference to commemorate the National Panchayati Raj Diwas. Best performing Gram Panchayats are conferred with Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Purskar by the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

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President nominates 6 eminent members to Rajya Sabha

President Pranab Mukherjee has nominated of six eminent members to Rajya Sabha as per the provisions of Article 80 of the Constitution. These nominated members are Mary Kom: Legendary boxer and Olympic bronze medallist. She belongs to the Sino-Tibetan speaking Kom tribe of Manipur. She is five-time World Amateur Boxing champion, and the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the six world championships. In 2014, she became the first Indian woman boxer to get a gold medal in the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

175 nations sign historic Paris Climate Agreement on Earth Day

175 nations including India have signed the historic Paris Climate Agreement at United Nations Headquarters in New York along marking a significant step to combat global warming. On behalf of India, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar signed the agreement at a high-level ceremony hosted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the occasion of Earth Day (22 April). The ceremony was attended by heads of governments, foreign ministers, corporate leaders and artists from across the world. The agreement will come into force 30 days after at least 55 Parties to the UNFCCC, accounting for at least 55 per cent of global emissions ratify the agreement.

Bhupendra Kainthola appointed FTII Director

Indian Information Service (IIS) officer Bhupendra Kainthola has been appointed as Director of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Kainthola will replace Prashant Pathrabe and shall have tenure of three years. He is a 1989 batch IIS officer. Prior to this appointment he was serving as Director (News Room) with DD News since January 2015. He was responsible for ‘management of news operations and output’. Previously, he has worked with PIB, Directorate of Audio Visual Publicity (DAVP), Directorate of Film Festival (as Director, National Film Awards and Indian Panorama) and also with the Lok Sabha Television. Kainthola holds a Masters in International Relations from the University of Mumbai’.

India ratified Trade Facilitation Agreement of WTO

India on 22 April 2016 ratified the new Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of World trade Organisation (WTO). WTO ambassador of India, Anjali Prasad, handed over the country’s instrument of acceptance to WTO’s Director-General Roberto Azevêdo.

The ratification of the TFA will help India further boost economic growth by reducing trade costs and supporting its integration into the global economy.

Hollywood movie director Guy Hamilton died

Veteran Movie director Guy Hamilton, who directed four hugely popular James Bond films, passed away on 20 April 2016 in a hospital on the Spanish island of Mallorca. He was 93.

He was popularly known for raising the profile of the Bond movie brand through his work with actors Sean Connery and Roger Moore.

Time Magazine released list of 100 most influential people in the world

Time Magazine on 21 April 2016 released a list of 100 Most Influential People in the World.

RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, tennis player Sania Mirza, actress Priyanka Chopra, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and founders of Flipkart, Binny Bansal andSachin Bansal have been named by Time magazine in its list.

The TIME 100 is not a ranking, but a combination of public figures from various different fields. The list includes the public figures who have had some kind of significant impact on the world.

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April 7: World Health Day

Every year World Health Day (WHD) is being observed on 7 April to disseminate knowledge and awareness about human health. The day focuses on increasing life expectancy by adding good health to the lives of people and promoting healthier living habits across the globe.

India wins 2016 Asian Nations Cup Chess tournament

Indian men have won the 2016 Asian Nations Cup Chess tournament by defeating Vietnam in the final round by 3-1 score played in Abu Dhabi. In the final round match, Indian Grandmasters S P Sethuraman and K Sasikiran won on the 2nd and 4th boards while, B Adhiban and Vidit Santosh Gujrathi drew their respective matches on top and 3rd boards. With this win India gained 17 points, two more than World and Olympiad champions China. India drew Mongolia and beat the rest of the teams in a 22-team tournament. It was overall third time, Indian men won the event earlier they had won at Esfahan, Iran in 2005 and Kolkata 2009. In the women’s section, top seed China won the title with 15 points followed by Uzbekistan (14 points) at second Kazakhstan (13 points) at third position respectively. Indian women finished fourth position with 12 points.

PM Narendra Modi launches Stand up India scheme for SC/ST, women

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Stand-up India scheme aimed at providing credit to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and women borrowers in the non-farm sector. The scheme is intended to promote entrepreneurship among SC/ST and women and further give a push to government’s financial inclusion programme.

MHA constitute Madhukar Gupta committee to suggest ways to tighten security along Indo-Pak border 

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has constituted high-level committee to suggest ways to tighten security along India-Pakistan border. The committee will be headed by former Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta. It will suggest (i) ways to strengthen the security along the India-Pakistan Border and (ii) address the issue of gaps and vulnerability in border fencing.

National Summit on Family Planning 2016 concluded in New Delhi

The summit was held for two days with the theme New Choices, New Horizons.

§  Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson named as Iceland Prime Minister

§  World Health Day 2016 observed globally with the theme Halt the rise: beat diabetes

§  SIPRI released Trends in world military expenditure, 2015 report

§  International Conference on Zero held in Paris

Current Affairs of 4th and 5th April for Competitive Exams

First semi-high speed train Gatiman Express flagged off from Delhi

India’s First Semi-High Speed Train (SHST) Gatimaan Express was flagged off between New Delhi and Agra. It was flagged off by Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu from Nizamuddin Railway station in New Delhi and reached Agra on time in 100 minutes. It is faster than Shatabdi Express which takes 117 minutes between two destinations. Key facts

IISc ranked India’s top university in first NIRF Survey

The Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc), Bangaluru was adjudged as the best Indian university in the first National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). NIRF Survey was the first of its kind of indigenous ranking framework for higher education institutions in the country. It was launched by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development in  September 2015. It outlines a methodology to rank institutions across the country based on the parameters broadly covering Teaching, Learning and Resources, Research and Professional practices, Graduation Outcomes, Outreach and inclusivity and Perception. The NIRF ranking covers six categories of institutions including universities, engineering, management, pharmacy, architecture and colleges.

World’s first public dengue vaccination programme launched in Philippines

The world’s first public dengue vaccination programme was launched in the Philippines with a French drug Dengvaxia (world’s 1st dengue fever vaccine) to combat mosquito-borne disease. Several hundred children aged between 9 and 10 were vaccinated with the injections in front of government health workers at a public school in eastern Manila. Mexico was first country in the world to approve first-ever Dengvaxia Dengue fever vaccine for the public use and Philippines was the first county in Asia to allow it. However with the launch of first public dengue vaccination programme, Philippines became first country to introduce, adopt and implement the first-ever dengue vaccine through the public health system and under public school settings. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Dengue or haemorrhagic fever is the world’s most common mosquito-borne virus. It infects an estimated 390 million people in more than 120 countries each year, killing more than 25,000. Asia is home to some 70% of cases worldwide and in the Philippines 200,000 cases were reported in 2013.

World’s first White Tiger Safari opens in Madhya Pradesh

World’s first White Tiger Safari was inaugurated at Mukundpur in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh. It was inaugurated and opened to public by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The first of its kind safari is situated adjacent to the Mukundpur Zoological Park. It is spread over an area of 25 hectares and has been built at cost of 50 crore rupees. The safari houses three white tigers, including two females named Vindhya and Radha and one male named Raghu.

Mehbooba Mufti sworn in as first woman Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir

Mehbooba Mufti Sayeed (56) took oath as the first woman Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, bringing to an end the three-month Governor’s Rule in the state. She was administered oath to the office by Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan in the winter capital city of Jammu. Along with her 22 member council of ministers from BJP-PDP alliance also took oath. BJP leader Nirmal Singh took oath as Deputy Chief Minister of the state. Mehbooba Mufti succeeds her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in the role who had died in January 2016. She is also second Muslim woman to become the Chief Minister of a state in India after Syeda Anwara Taimur who had served as the first Muslim woman CM of Assam from 1980 to 1981.

West Indies wins 2016 ICC T-20 Cricket World Cup

West Indies has won the ICC Cricket World Men’s T-20 Cup 2016 by defeating England by 4 wickets in the final match played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. In the final match, England batting first had scored 155 runs for 9 wickets. West Indies successfully chased the target by scoring 161 runs in 19.4 over at the loss of 4 wickets. With this win, West Indies became the only team to win the ICC World Twenty20 title twice. Earlier it had won its first title in 2012 by defeating Sri Lanka.

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PM Narendra Modi unveils Asia’s largest optical telescope ARIES at Nainital

Asia’s largest and first of its kind optical telescope Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) was unveiled at Devasthal in Nainital District, Uttrakahnd. It was remotely activated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Belgian counterpart Charles Michel from Belgium. Key facts Aries telescope was joint collaborative technological effort between Indian and Belgian scientists.

India’s first indigenously developed sonar dome flagged off

India’s first indigenous composites sonar dome, a ship’s underwater eyes and ears, was flagged off by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. The sonar dome was dedicated to the nation dedicated to the nation and will be delivered to Mazgaon Docks, Mumbai for use in the warships of Indian Navy.

Htin Kyaw sworn in as first elected President of Myanmar

Htin Kyaw (69) sworn in as the first elected civilian (non-military) President of Myanmar after 53 years of military rule. Myanmar’s Army was in power since 1962 coup. He belongs to National League for Democracy (NLD) Party and succeeds Thein Sein, who had stepped down after end of five years of army-backed rule. Apart from him, Military backed Myint Swe and NLD member Henry Van Thio were sworn in as first vice-president and second vice-president of the country along 18 Cabinet ministers.

Russia approves OVL’s deal to acquire 15% stake in Vankor oilfield

The Russian Government has approved a deal of ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) to acquire 15% stake in Vankor oilfield from Rosneft. The deal was signed between the OVL and Rosneft in September 2015 and is worth 1.3 billion US dollars. Vankor is Russia’s second biggest oil field with capacity of total 2.5 billion recoverable reserves barrels (or 500 million tonnes). As per the deal OVL’s stake in Vankor will raise to 26% from 15% and will give it about 3.5 million metric tonnes of oil a year Consequently, Rosneft will retain the remaining 50.1 per cent and also retain full control of infrastructure of the Vankor cluster.

China launches 22nd BeiDou navigation satellite

China has successfully launched 22nd new generation satellite into space as part of its domestic BeiDou Navigation System (BDS). It was launched using Long March-3A carrier rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center located in the south-western province of Sichuan. It was the 225th launch of the Long March carrier rocket. About BeiDou Navigation System (BNS) BNS is 2nd generation of the Chinese navigational system seen as rival to the US’s Global Positioning System (GPS). BeiDou is Mandarin means magnetic Compass which was one of the Chinese major invention in the history which had revolutionized the sea voyages.

Faustin Archange Touadera sworn in as new President of Central African Republic

Faustin Archange Touadera (58) took the oath of office as the new President of Central African Republic (CAR). With this he becomes first elected leader of CAR since Muslim rebels had overthrown the government in early 2013. His presidency puts an end to a two-year transitional government that came into force in early 2014. Touadera is well respected former mathemathics Professor. He had served as Prime Minister as former Prime Minister of ex-president Francois Bozize from January 2008 to January 2013.

Ebola outbreak in West Africa no longer poses global risk: WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared that Ebola outbreak in West Africa is no longer constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. WHO, a specialized agency of the United Nations has officially declared an end to a nearly 20-month Ebola outbreak emergency that has killed about 11,300 people. The declaration was made by WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan after accepting the recommendations of a committee of independent experts. The committee also has called for the lifting of any travel and trade restrictions affecting Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Current Affairs for SSC & Bank Exams

Synonyms

1.     Hegemony

(a)   Domination

(b)  Externation

(c)   Protection

(d)  Patrimony

2.     Terrestrial

(a)   Celestial                (b) Moral

(c) Practical                (d) Earthly

3.     Vociferous

(a)   Violent                  (b) Loud

(c) Secret                    (d) True

4.     Fictional

(a)   Genuine                (b) Authentic

(c)Fanciful                  (d) Real

5.     Trivial

(A) Crucial                  (b) Significant

(c) Vital                (d) Ordinary

6.     Impudent

(A) Vigilant                 (b) Astute

(c) Insolent                 (d) Arrogant

7.     Pompous

(a)   Pretentious                        (b) Supportive

(c) Demanding            (d) Flashy

8.     Prerogative

(a)   Privilege                     (b) Protective

(c) Formative                    (d) Prevention

9.     Aggravate

(a)   Angry                          (b) Intensify

(c) Increase                       (d) Big

10.  Sycophants

(b)  Servants sadists          (b) sadists

(c) Advisors                      (d) Flatterers

Ans. 1 (c) 2. (c)  3. (a)  4. (d)  5. (b)  6. (a)  7. (c)  8. (a)  9. (d) 10. (b)

Latest Current Affairs for SSC and Bank Exams

March 22: World Water Day

Every year World Water Day (WWD) is observed globally on 22 March to preserve and ration consumption of water. Significance of the Day: WWD is observed to make a difference for the members of the global population who suffer from water related issues. It marks a day to prepare for how we manage water in the future. 2016 Theme: “Better Water, Better Jobs”. It focuses on the central role that water plays in creating and supporting good quality jobs.

HS Prannoy wins 2016 Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold badminton title

Ace Indian shuttler HS Prannoy (World no 13) has won the prestigious 2016 Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament in the men’s single category. In the final match played at Basel, Switzerland, he defeated Marc Zwiebler (World no 7) of Germany 21-18, 21-15 score. It was his second Grand Prix Gold title after the Indonesia Open Grand Prix Gold won in 2014.

21 March: International Day of Forests

Every year 21st March is being observed as International Day of Forests to raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests and of trees outside forests. The observance of the day is also used to communicate the vital role forests play in to sustain and protect us i.e. in environmental sustainability, food security and poverty eradication. Theme for 2016: “Forests and water”. The theme highlights importance of forests as key factor to the planet’s supply of freshwater, which is essential for life. It also marks the joint celebration of the International Day of Forests and World Water Day (22nd March).

Yogeshwar Dutt wins Gold medal in Asian Olympic Qualification tournament

Star Indian grappler Yogeshwar Dutt has won a Gold medal in the Asian Olympic Qualification tournament in the 65 kg freestyle category. In the final match held at Astana in Kazakhstan, he defeated Katai Yeerlanbieke from China in the 65 kg freestyle category. With this victory he secured an Olympic quota place for India. He is second Indian wrestler after Narsingh Yadav to secure berth in the 74 kg freestyle category for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. In the 2012 London Olympics, Yogeshwar had won bronze in men’s 60kg freestyle category. But later he had moved up to 65kg category after the international governing body FILA had re-jigged the weight classes at the end of 2013.

March 20: World Sparrow Day

The world sparrow day is being observed every year on March 20 to raise awareness of the house sparrow and other common birds to urban environments and threats to their populations. The day was celebrated globally by carrying out different activities and events like awareness campaigns, art competitions and the sparrow processions. The rationale for celebrating the Day is to use it as a platform to underscore the need to conserve sparrows as well as the urban biodiversity. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on the occasion of this day inaugurated a sparrow conservation programme at school levels. The sparrow, especially the common house sparrow is one of the oldest companions of human beings. But its population is declining for various reasons such as destruction of its habitat, lack of insect food for the young and the increasing microwave pollution from mobile phone towers.

PM Narendra Modi launches Kisan Suvidha mobile app

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched Kisan Suvidha mobile application for farmers to provide agricultural relevant basic information quickly. Kisan Suvidha is an omnibus mobile app that will provide basic information on subjects such as market prices, seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, weather and agriculture machinery. Key Features The app has a simple interface and the information will be available in Hindi and English. It will provide information on five critical parameters weather, market price, input dealers, plant protection and expert advisories.

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10th Asian Film Awards announced; The Assassin won maximum awards

The 10th Asian film awards were presented on 17 March 2016 in Macau, China. 'The Assassin', a movie about a highly trained female assassin bagged prizes for, best actress and best director.

The movie took home more than half of the prizes, eight out of 15 trophies, at one of Asia's leading film awards.

Hong Kong Action Choreographer-director Yuen Wo-ping and Japanese Actress Kiki Kirin received the Lifetime Achievement Award on the occasion.

Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan launched FCI’s Depot Online System

Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan on 17 March 2016 launched the Online Depot System in New Delhi to automate all the operations of Food Corporation of India (FCI) depots.

The key objective of the Depot Online System is to align with Digital India vision for transformation of food distribution supply chain in India.

The system, which efficiently captures data online on a real time basis, will bring total transparency in the working of FCI. Besides, it will also help in better monitoring and supervision to reduce leakages and losses.

Punjab Government notifies swine flu under Epidemic Disease Act

Punjab Government has notified swine flu (H1N1) under the Epidemic Disease Act to prevent the spread of disease in the state. In the regard, Health and Family Welfare Department of state has issued notification based on recommendations of state advisory committee headed by Dr. D Behera.

India inks $35 million loan agreement with WB for MP project

India has signed loan agreement of 35 million dollars with the World Bank for Madhya Pradesh citizen access to responsive services project. The loan has been sanctioned by the World Bank’s concessionary lending arm International Development Association (IDA). Key facts The project size is 50 million dollars, of which 35 million dollar will be financed by the World Bank and the remaining amount will be funded out of State Budget. The objective of the project is to improve access and quality of public services in the state through implementation of the Public Service Delivery Guarantee Act, 2010.

Union Government launches FCI’s Depot Online System

Union Government has launched Depot Online System of state run Food Corporation of India (FCI) to bring transparency and minimise storage losses of foodgrains. It was launched by Union Food and public Distribution Minister Ram Vilas Paswan in New Delhi as part of Digital India initiative of Union Government. Key facts Depot Online System will help real time monitoring of FCI operations and enhance transparency and efficiency. The project is being implemented in the FCI owned 553 depots and subsequently FCI hired godowns will be also brought under the ambit of the project later.

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India became second biggest investor in London

London & Partners, the official promotional company for London, on 15 March 2016 announced that India has emerged as the second biggest investor in London after the US.

The company revealed that there has been a 117 per cent increase in Indian companies across all business sectors investing in London since 2005. Also, there has been a 133 per cent increase in tech companies investing in the city, which accounts for 46 per cent of all projects.

Software testing service Cigniti Technologies and customer support company Kayako and many others invested majorly in technology sector.

The figures were released at the inaugural India Emerging 20 (IE20) event that brought together leading entrepreneurs from India and Britain.

British mathematician SirAndrew Wiles won 2016 Abel Prize

British mathematician Sir Andrew Wiles on 15 March 2016 was named as the winner of the 2016 Abel Prize by the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters in Oslo.

Wiles won the award for solving a centuries-old hypothesis, Fermat's Last Theorem.

Crown Prince Haakon will present the award to Wiles in May 2016 for an achievement that the academy described as an epochal moment for mathematics.

Rajya Sabha passed SikhGurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2016

Rajya Sabha on 16 March 2016 passed the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2016 to exclude Sehajdharis from voting in Sikh body polls. The Bill envisages amending certain provisions of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 retrospectively with effect from October 2003.

India ranks 118th on UN’s World Happiness Index 2016

India ranked 118th out of 157 countries on the United Nations’ World Happiness Index (WHI) 2016. It was revealed by the fourth World Happiness Report 2016 published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), a global initiative for the UN. Key Highlights of Report Top 10 countries: Denmark (1st), Switzerland (2nd), Iceland (3rd), Norway (4th) and Finland (5th), Canada (6th), Netherlands (7th), New Zealand (8th), Australia (9th) and Sweden (10th).

Shehnai exponent Ustad Ali Ahmad Hussain Khan passes away

Eminent Shehnai exponent Ustad Ali Ahmad Hussain Khan passed away following prolonged illness in Kolkatta, West Bengal. He was 77. He was one of the best-known players of the instrument after the legendary Bismillah Khan. He hailed from a family of renowned Shehnai exponents from Benaras.

US President Barack Obama nominates Merrick Garland for US Supreme Court

President Barack Obama has nominated veteran appeals court judge Merrick Garland (63) to be the next US Supreme Court Justice. His nomination comes to vacancy in the US Supreme Court which was created after the death of SC Justice Antonin Scalia. The Supreme Court vacancy follows the death of Antonin Scalia last month. This appointment now has to be ratified by the Senate. Judge Garland is viewed as a centrist and moderate. He is highly regarded by the legal fraternity and lawmakers. India-born Srikanth Srinivasan was also one of the contenders for the nomination. Currently he is serving as US Circuit Judge of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

AAHAR 2016 kicked off at New Delhi

The largest fair on Food and Hospitality Sector in India, AAHAR 2016 has kicked off at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. It is the 31st edition in this series of the fair and was inaugurated by Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Key facts AAHAR is largest show of its kind in South Asia. It is organized by India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) under aegis of Ministry of Commerce and 

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Union Government imposes anti-dumping duty on Plastic-Processing imports

Union Government has imposed anti-dumping duty of up to 44.7 per cent on import of plastic-processing machines from Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam for five years. The anti-dumping duty will be levied on imports of all kinds of plastic-processing or injection-moulding machines, also known as injection presses. The move is aimed at protecting the domestic industry from cheap in-bound shipments from these 4 countries. Background The Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) during its investigation had found that the cheap in-bound shipments of ‘Plastic Processing Machines or Injection Moulding Machines’ from these countries at dumped prices are hampering performance of the domestic industries.

Rajya Sabha passes Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2016

Rajya Sabha has passed the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2016 without any discussion. The Bill proposes to amend the some provisions of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 retrospectively with effect from October, 2003. Key facts The amendment bill removes exception given to Sahjdhari Sikhs in 1944 to vote in the elections to members of the Board and the Committees constituted under the parent Act. The proposed amendment was carried out by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA) Notification dating October 2003 that had debarred Sahjdhari Sikhs voting rights.

Lok Sabha passes The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2016

Lok Sabha has passed Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2016 to include certain communities in the list of Scheduled Castes (SC) from 4 states. The bill seeks to amend Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 to include certain communities from Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Kerala and West Bengal in the list. It also has provisions for exclusion of certain communities from Odisha and removal of area restriction in respect of certain communities.

Union Government imposes anti-dumping duty on Plastic-Processing imports

Union Government has imposed anti-dumping duty of up to 44.7 per cent on import of plastic-processing machines from Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam for five years. The anti-dumping duty will be levied on imports of all kinds of plastic-processing or injection-moulding machines, also known as injection presses. The move is aimed at protecting the domestic industry from cheap in-bound shipments from these 4 countries. Background The Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) during its investigation had found that the cheap in-bound shipments of ‘Plastic Processing Machines or Injection Moulding Machines’ from these countries at dumped prices are hampering performance of the domestic industries.

15 March: World Consumer Rights Day

Every year World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) is being observed on 15 March for celebration and solidarity within the international consumer movement. Significance of Day: It provides (i) an opportunity to promote the basic rights of all consumers (ii) demand those rights that must be respected and protected and (ii) for those  protesting against the market abuses and social injustices. 2016 Theme: “Antibiotics off the menu”. The theme is a campaign to stop the sale of meat raised with the use of antibiotics important to human medicine.

Union Government fixes Maximum Sale Price of Bt Cotton Seed

The Union Government has notified maximum sale price (MSP) of Bt cotton seed for the year 2016-17. It was announced by the Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Radha Mohan Singh. In this regard, Union Government has issued notification as per the Cotton Seed Price (Control) Order, 2015 under the Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

Renowned British author AnitaBrookner passes away

Renowned British author and art historian Anita Brookner passed away. She was 87. Brookner had won the Booker in 1984 for her novel Hotel du Lac and was a bestselling author who had written around 25 books. About Anita Brookner Born on 16 July 1928 in London, United Kingdom. She was the first woman to hold the prestigious Slade Professorship of fine art at Cambridge University. She also taught at the Courtauld Institute of Art.

Palestinian Hanan Al Hroub wins 2016 Global Teacher Prize

Palestinian teacher Hanan Al Hroub from a refugee camp has been awarded prestigious one million dollar 2016 Global Teacher Prize. She was presented with the award at a ceremony held in Dubai for her outstanding contribution to the profession. She beat nine other finalists to bag the award including India’s Robin Chaurasiya, who runs a not-for-profit school in Mumbai for girls from the city’s red light district of Kamatipura

Kakrapar nuclear plant shut down after coolant system develops leak

Power Station (KAPS) in Gujarat was shut down for indefinitely period after leakage of heavy water. The reactor was shut down as per design provisions after a small leak in the Primary Heat Transport (PHT) System of the plant was detected. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), operator of KAPS has confirmed that there was no harmful, radioactive leakage and the backup safety mechanisms for emergency situation are working as intended.

Nuclear-capable surface-to-surface Agni-I ballistic missile test fired

Indigenously developed nuclear capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile Agni-I was successfully test-fired off the Odisha coast. Test: It was conducted as part of training exercise by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of Indian Army. The missile was fired from mobile launcher at launchpad-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Abdul Kalam Island (Wheeler Island) off the Odisha coast.

STUDY MATERIAL FOR COMPETITIVE EXAMS

Directions: In these questions, out of the four alternatives, choose the one which can be substituted for the given words/sentence.

1.  A person who devotes his/her life for the welfare of others

(a)  Altruist                       (b) Hermit

(c) Volunteer                    (d) Martyr

2. A person who shows off his learning

(a) Pedant                         (b) Educationist

(c) Exhibitor                     (d) Researcher

3. Written law of a legislative body

(a) Statute                         (b) Stature

(c)  Static                          (d) Statue

4.  To segregate persons with an infectious disease

(a) Quarantine                  (b) Isolate

(c) Demarcate                   (d) Separate

5. One who loves his fellow men

(a) Misanthropist              (b) Philanthropist

(c) Geologist                     (d) Anthropologist

    6.  That which cannot be conquered

(a) Invulnerable              (b) Invincible

(c) Impregnable              (d) Impenetrable

7. Fond of company

(a) Social                         (b) Socialist

(c) Sociable                     (d) Socialite

8.  The absence of Government in a country

(a) Anarchy                     (b) Dictatorship

(c) Democracy                (d) Theocracy

9.  A round or cylindrical container used for storing things such as food chemicals or rolls of film.

(a) Tankard                     (b) Canister

(b) Vessel                                    (d) Casket

10. A Place of Permanent residence

(a) Abode                                    (b) Dormitory

(c) Domicile                    (d) Apartment

        11.  That cannot be altered or withdrawn

            (a) Irrevocable                        (b) Irretrievable

            (c) Irresistible             (d) Arrears

       12.  Money paid to employees on retirement

            (a) Gratuity                 (b) gift

            (c) pension                  (d) Arrears

     

      13. A place where clothes are kept

            (a) closet                     (b) Drawer

            (c) Wardrobe              (d) cupboard

      14. One who hates women

            (a) Altruist                  (b) Celibate

            (c) Misogynist                        (d) Polyandrist

      15. A feeling of fondness, mixed with some sadness , something in the past

(a)   Oblivon                 (b) Noxiousness

(c) Nostalgia               (d) Nausea

      16. One who looks at the bright side of things in life

            (a) Optimist                (b) Pessimist

            (c) Misanthrope          (d) Altruist

      17. Dying without making a will

            (a) Premature              (b) Intestate

            (c)  Posthumous          (d) Bequeath

     

      18. Having infinite power

            (a) Impotent                (b) Omnipresent

            (c) Omnipotent           (d) Omniscient

      19. One who loves books

            (a) Bibliophile                        (b) Bibliographer

            (c) Bibliophoebe         (d) Bibligrapher

      20. Speaking without preparation

            (a) Delhiberate           (b) Fluent

            (c) Loquacious            (d)  Extempore

Ans.     1. (a) 2 (a)  3. (a) 4. (a) 5. (b) 6. (b) 7. (c) 8. (a) 9. (b) 10. (c)

            11. (a) 12 (a)   13, (c) 14. (c) 15. (c) 16. (a) 17. (b) 18. (c) 19. (a) 20. (d)