Current-News-26-July-to-1-August-2015-For-Exams

02 Aug 2015

Current-News-26-July-to-1-August-2015-For-Exams

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26 July 2015 Current Affairs
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PM Narendra Modi Launched Deendayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25 July launched the ‘Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana’ for power sector reforms in rural areas.  The main aim is to ensure the proper electricity supply to farmers and rural households. The earlier scheme for rural electrification, Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY), which was launched by previous UPA government, has been subsumed in the new scheme as its rural electrification component.

UN awards First Nelson Mandela Prize
Helena Ndume of Namibia and Jorge Sampaio of Portugal were awarded with the first-ever Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize by the United Nations (UN) at the UN Headquarters in New York. The prize was established in June 2014 by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to recognise the achievements of those who dedicate their lives to the service of humanity by promoting the UN purposes and principles.Ndume, a female ophthalmologist, has been treating blindness and eye-related illnesses in Namibia and throughout the developing world. Sampaio, the former president of Portugal from 1996 to 2006 and also the former mayor of Lisbon from 1989 to 1995, has been awarded for his contribution to his country. The UNGA set up the Nelson Mandela Prize as a tribute to the late South African leader, known for his legacy of reconciliation, political transition and social transformation.

Sebastian Vettel Won 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix
Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel (Germany) won the Hungarian Grand Prix on 26 July. This was his overall second victory of the season after Malaysian Grand Prix and first of Hungarian Grand Prix.

Former Union Minister Bijoy Handique Died
Bijoy Krishna Handique, a former union minister and a Congress leader from Assam, died on 26 July in Jorhat, Assam. He was 80. Handique was the senior politician from Assam and was elected to Lok Sabha from Jorhat for 6 consecutive terms from 1991. He was also a member of Rajya Sabha from 1980 to 1985 and has served as a member of several parliamentary committees. In the UPA-I government led by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he had held the portfolios of Union Minister of State (MoS) for Defence, Parliamentary Affairs, Mines, and Chemicals and Fertilisers. In the UPA-II government, he had served as Minister for Mines and Development of North-Eastern Region.


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27 July 2015 Current Affairs
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R.S. Sharma Appointed as new TRAI chairman
IT Secretary Ram Sevak Sharma has been appointed as the chairman of telecom regulator Telecom Regulator Authority of India (TRAI) on 27 July. He will take place of  Rahul Khullar who had retired in May 2015.

Former President APJ Abdul Kalam Died
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the 11th President of India and a pioneer of the country’s space and missile programmes, passed away on 27 July in Shillong (Meghalaya). Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen (A.P.J) Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 in Rameswaram, Ramanathapuram District of Tamil Nadu. In 1960, he had joined Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as a scientist and started his career by designing a small helicopter for the Indian Army. In 1969, he had joined India Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as the project director for India’s first indigenous satellite launch vehicle programme. In 1980, he was appointed Chairman of Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) and was brain behind developing Agni and Prithvi missiles. Thus he came to be known as the ‘Missile Man of India’ for his work on the development of ballistic missile. He was Chief Project Coordinator of Pokhran II Nuclear Test i.e. Operation Shakti which was conducted on 11 May 1998. He was Chief Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister and Secretary of the DRDO between 1992 and 1999. He served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007 and was awarded the nation’s top civilian awards, including Padma Vibhushan(1990), Padma Bhushan (1981)  and Bharat Ratna(1997). He also wrote 14 books on various topics including India 2020 and Wings of Fire and Ignited Minds.

Britain’s Chris Froome Won 102nd Tour de France
Chris Froome, a cyclist from Team Sky of Britain, has won the 102nd edition Tour de France, an annual three-week multiple stage bicycle race at Champs Elysees in Paris.  This is second time Froome has won Tour de France title and for the first time he had won it 2013.With this victory, he became the first cyclist from Britain to win the Tour de France for the second time. Tour de France is the name of the annual cycling event primarily held in France since 1903. It is the most famous and one of the toughest cycling races in the world.


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28 July 2015 Current Affairs
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Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan To Be renamed as APJ Abdul Kalam Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan
The government has announced that the Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan will be renamed as APJ Abdul Kalam Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan in memory of the former president, who passed away on 27 July 2015. Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan is a unique concept developed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development that aims to inculcate a spirit of  inquiry, creativity and love for Science and Mathematics in school children.Under Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan, the government schools will be mentored by Institutes like IITs/ IIMs/ IISERs and other Central Universities and reputed organisations through innovative programmes, student exchanges, demonstrations, student visits, etc to develop a natural sense of passion towards learning of Science and Maths.

U.N.O Declares Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam‘s Birthday as the “World Students Day“
United Nations Organisation(U.N.O) announced, Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s Birthday on 15th October as the “World Student’s Day”. Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 in Rameshwaram, Madras Presidency, British India.

India’s HIV research Pioneer Dr Suniti Solomon Died
Dr Suniti Solomon, pioneer of Human immunodeficiency virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) research and treatment in India passed away on 28 July in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Her team was the first to document evidence of HIV/AIDS infection in India in 1986 and had successfully led research into the treatment of the deadly virus. Dr Solomon had set up the first voluntary HIV/AIDS testing and counselling centre named as Y R Gaitonde Center for AIDS Research and Education (YRG CARE) in Chennai. She has bagged several other awards like the Mother Teresa Memorial Award for education and humanitarian services.

Former South African Cricketer Clive Rice Died
Clive Rice, South Africa’s first post-apartheid international cricket captain was died in Johannerburg, South Africa. He was 66. Rice had started his cricket career in 1969 with Transvaal (first-class cricket team). He had played most of his cricket during South Africa’s 2 decade long isolation from the international games. He mostly had played for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club from 1975 to 1987 and was captain of the club from 1979 to 1987. Under his captainship, South Africa had won County Championship title twice in 1981 and 1987. In November 1991, after South Africa was allowed in international games, he captained and played debut one-day internationals (ODIs) against India.

World Hepatitis Day Observed Across The World On 28 July
World Hepatitis Day was observed across the world on 28 July 2015. The theme for this year’s World Hepatitis Day is “Prevent hepatitis. Act now”. The day is observed to raise awareness and influence real change in disease prevention and access to testing and treatment. World Hepatitis Day is an annual event that is observed on the 28 July. For the first time, it was launched in 2008 by the World Hepatitis Alliance in concern of chronic viral hepatitis. In May 2010 the World Health Assembly passed resolution WHA63.18 on viral hepatitis which provides official endorsement of World Hepatitis Day. Since 2010 World Hepatitis Day has been coordinated by the World Hepatitis Alliance in collaboration with the WHO.28 July was chosen as a date for observing the World Hepatitis Day to mark the birthday of Professor Baruch Blumberg, the person who discovered hepatitis B virus. For his work on hepatitis B virus, Blumberg was awarded with the Nobel Prize.

 

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29 July 2015 Current Affairs
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International Tiger Day 2015 Observed Across The World

The World on 29 July 2015 observed the International Tiger Day. The day is celebrated as an awareness day. The goal of the Tiger Day is to promote protection and expansion of the wild tiger habitats and also to gain support awareness for tiger conservation. In last 100 years, world has lost 97 percent of all wild tigers. The tiger count has fallen from 100000 in 1913 to 3274 in 2013 to 3200 in 2014. Tigers lost 93% of their natural habitat due to the expansion of cities and agriculture by humans. Besides, human-wildlife conflict and climate change also has been responsible for decline in tiger population and loss of habitat. Among the 13 tiger-range countries, India with 2226 has the highest number of tiger population. India is followed by Malaysia with 500 tigers. Bangladesh, which was at third with 440 tigers in 2004, saw the tiger population decline to 106 in Tiger Census 2015. The day was founded at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in 2010 in Russia so as to protect the tiger from becoming extinct. The summit also declared to double global tiger population by 2022.

Sanjiv Chaturvedi, Anshu Gupta Won Ramon Magsaysay Award 2015
Sanjeev Chaturvedi and Anshu Gupta from India were among the 5 winners of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for 2015 as announced by the Board of Trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) on 29 July. Chaturvedi is a whistleblower bureaucrat who is currently embattled in a protracted battle with the Centre over alleged harassment for his tough stance on graft. He is a 2002-batch Indian Forest Service officer and is posted at the AIIMS in New Delhi as its Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO). Anshu Gupta is the founder of NGO named “Goonj”, and has shown his creative vision in transforming the culture of giving in India. The other awardees are Kommaly Chanthavong (Laos), Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa (the Philippines) and Kyaw Thu (Myanmar). This year’s Magsaysay Award winners will each receive a certificate, a medallion bearing the likeness of the late President, and a cash prize to be conferred upon them during a formal Presentation Ceremony to be held on 31 August 2015. The Award established in 1957 is Asia’s highest honour and is widely regarded as the region’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize. The Award honours those individuals whose lives are characterized by selfless service which impacts the lives of the greater many – the same ideals and achievement for which the Philippines third President Ramon Magsaysay is remembered.Till date 307 persons have received the award which was first given in 1958.

Microsoft Launched Windows 10
US Software giant Microsoft has launched globally its first new operating system in almost three years which is designed to work across laptops, desktop and smartphones. Windows 10 is basically a amalgamation of the goodness of Windows 7 and Windows 8 because it retains the desktop of Windows 7 and fuses the live tiles of Windows 10 onto the Start Screen.

 

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30 July 2015 Current Affairs
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India To Become World’s Most Populous Country By 2022

United Nations (UN) released the report title World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision at the UN Headquarters in New York. According to the report, India is going to become the most populous nation in the world by surpassing China in 2022.In the forecast issued by UN in 2013 India was expected to surpass China’s population by 2028. It should be noted that China and India are the two largest countries in the world, each with more than 1 billion people, representing 19 and 18 percent of the world’s population.In 2030, India would be home to 1.5 billion and a staggering 1.7 billion in 2050. The current world population of 7.3 billion is expected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion in 2100.

1993 Mumbai Blast Convict Yakub Memon Hanged

1993 Mumbai serial blasts lone death row convict, Yakub Memon was executed on 30 July 2015 at the Nagpur Central Jail. This is India’s third execution since it lifted its informal eight-year moratorium on executions in December 2012, when it hanged Ajmal Kasab,the lone surviving gunman from the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. In early 2013, Afzal Guru was hanged for his role in the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament. Yakub Memon, a chartered accountant with profession was accused for planning the Mumbai blasts that occurred on 12 March 1993. The 1993 bomb blasts led to death of 257 people and injured at least 712 people.

David Taylor Appointed as new CEO of Procter & Gamble (P&G) 

The world’s largest household products maker Procter & Gamble (P&G) has appointed its company veteran David Taylor as it’s new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

TATA is the Most Valuable Brand In India

According to the study conducted by Brand Finance India, Tata remains the most valuable brand in India. The brand value has exceeded US$15 billion for the first time. Tata is the world’s 65th most valuable brand.

 

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31 July 2015 Current Affairs
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Beijing Selected To Host 2022 Winter Olympics
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has selected Beijing, China as the host city of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Beijing will be the first city to host both the Summer and the Winter Olympic Games.Beijing and Almaty, Kazakhstan, were the only two candidates in the voting by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on 31 July.

RBI decided To Issue 10 Rupees Coins To Mark International Yoga Day
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to put into circulation 10 rupees coins to commemorate the International Day of Yoga. The coins have been minted by the Government of India. The coin bears the logo of the International Day of Yoga, with the inscription Saamanjasya evam shanthi ke liye yog “ in Devnagri script and “yoga for harmony and peace” around the logo. At the bottom of the logo the date June 21 is inscribed. It also bears the Rupee symbol and denominational value “10″ in the international numerals below the Lion Capitol.

Gates Foundation World’s Wealthiest Private Charitable Organisation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has topped the list of the world’s wealthiest private foundations established by living Ultra High Net Worth (UHNW) individuals, according to a Wealth-X report followed by  Li Ka Shing Foundation by Hong Kong business magnate Li Ka-Shing with USD 8.1 billion in assets and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (USD 6.4 billion) stood 3rd and Bloomberg Philanthropies (USD 5.4 billion) in fourth place. Ultra high net worth (UHNW) individuals are defined as those having $30 million and above in assets.

 

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1 August 2015 Current Affairs
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First National Handloom Day To Be Celebrated On 7 August
The Union government has decided to declare 7th August as National Handloom Day every year beginning from this year 2015, throughout the country. The first National Handloom Day will be launched by the Prime Minister in Chennai on 7th August, 2015. The Sant Kabir Awards and National Awards for the years 2012, 2013 and 2014 will be awarded and a new ‘India Handloom’ brand for better market positioning of quality handloom products would be launched on this occasion. Observance of this day aims at development of handloom weavers in the country. It also seeks to promote genuine, global quality handloom in international market. August 7 was chosen to mark launch day Swadeshi Movement which was officially proclaimed on 7 August, 1905. It was proclaimed after the passage of Boycott Resolution in a massive meeting held in Calcutta Town hall. Swadeshi movement was proclaimed to boycott British products and revive domestic products and production processes.

India’s First Harbour Defence System Commissioned In Kochi
India’s first Integrated Underwater Harbour Defence and Surveillance System (IUHDSS) was commissioned in Kochi, Kerala. First of its kind system in the country is part of initiatives to strengthen and beef up coastal security in the western coastline.

Ganga Ram Agarwal Appointed as new Railway Board Secretary
Ganga Ram Agarwal, an officer of Indian Railway Services of Electrical Engineering (IRSEE) has been appointed as the new Secretary of the Railway Board. Ganga ram Agarwal succeeded who has  attained the age of superannuation.He was an officer of Indian Railway Services of Electrical Engineering (IRSEE).

ISRO and NASA Jointly Working On NISAR mission
ISRO and NASA are jointly working on the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission to codevelop and launch a dual frequency synthetic aperture radar satellite. The NISAR mission is a dual frequency (L & S Band) Radar Imaging Satellite. In this joint mission,JPL/ NASA will be responsible for design & development of L-band SAR, 12m unfurlable antenna, GPS system and data recorder. ISRO will be responsible for design & development of S-band SAR, Spacecraft Bus, data transmission system, Spacecraft integration & testing, launch using GSLV and on-orbit operations.

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