7th January 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

• California Governor Jerry Brown has declared a Los Angeles-area gas leak an emergency and vowed to protect public health and safety.

National Affairs

• In a move that will benefit a large number of people struggling with the nursery admission of their children, the Delhi government has scrapped management quota and all other quotas except for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS).
• 'Operation Dhangu' was the codename given to the mission to eliminate the terrorists from the Pathankot airbase after heavily-armed Pakistani terrorists stormed the Air Force base, triggering a fiece gunbattle in which 7 security men were martyred and all the 6 infiltrators were gunned down.
• • The exercise was given the name -  'Operation Dhangu' - as Dhangu is the name of the village where the airbase has been established.
  • Note : The entire operation went on for three days because the area was difficult and close to the family quarters of IAF officials.
• The Union Government has launched Ganga Gram Yojana to develop 1600 villages in Uttar Pradesh (UP) situated along the banks of Ganga River.
• • The scheme was launched by the Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti at Puth village in Hapur district of UP. 
• The Kerala Cabinet has decided to implement the ‘Sampoorna Arogya Keralam’ project announced in the 2015-16 State budget.
• • The project aims to bring all major government health services under one umbrella. 
  • With this, people will not be required to visit multiple offices or agencies for medical care.

Business & Economy

• In order to boost entrepreneurship, the Cabinet has approved 'Stand Up India' scheme to promote entrepreneurship among Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Women Entrepreneurs.
• • The Stand up India Scheme will be a refinance window through Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) with an initial amount of Rs 10,000 crore.
  • Under this scheme, Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore will be provided as loan for greenfield enterprises in the non-farm sector set up by SC, ST and women borrowers.
  • The Scheme is intended to facilitate at least two such projects per bank branch, on an average one for each category of entrepreneur.
• The World Bank has projected a robust 7.8% growth for the Indian economy in the current year.
• • In its Global Economic Prospect report released yesterday, the World Bank cited strong investor sentiment in India and the positive effect on real incomes of the recent fall in oil prices.

• World-renowned French conductor-composer Pierre Boulez, one of the most influential voices in modern classical music passed away.
• Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed (79) passed away. 

New Appointments

• Ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti‬ is set to be the first woman CM of Jammu and Kashmir. 
• • She will succeed her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who passed away today in New Delhi.
  • Party MLAs unanimously elected her as their leader.
• Dr Achyuta Samanta has been elected as President of Indian Science Congress for 2017-18.
• • Dr Samanta, who is a well-known educationist for setting up renowned institutions like KIIT University and KISS, is currently serving as a member of ISCA's executive committee.
• Sam Pitroda, former chairman of the National Knowledge Commission and ex-adviser to the prime minister, has been appointed Technology Advisor of Odisha.

• Sri Lanka and Pakistan have signed Eight (8) important Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) to enhance the cooperation between the two countries in several fields. They are,
• • • MoU between the Ministry of Science, Technology and Research of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Research of Pakistan on Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation.
    • MoU for Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the National Science Foundation (NSF) of Sri Lanka and Pakistan Science Foundation.
    • Agreement on Cooperation in the field of health between the governments of Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
    • MoU between the Financial Intelligence Unit of Sri Lanka and Financial Monitoring Unit of Pakistan on the cooperation in the exchange of financial intelligence related to money laundering and terrorism financing.
    • MoU between the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development and Cultural Affairs of Sri Lanka and Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage of Pakistan on cultural cooperation.
    • MoU between the Export Development Board (EDB) and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) regarding trade cooperation.
    • MoU on sharing of statistical census data between the Department of Census and Statistics of Sri Lanka and the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
    • MoU on cooperation between the Gem and Jewelery Research and Training Institute of Sri Lanka and Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design.
  • Note : These MoUs were signed in the presence of Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Awards & Honors

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor, Dr. Raghuram Rajan has been conferred with the Central Banker of the Year Award (Global and Asia Pacific) for 2016 by The Banker, a monthly publication of the Financial Times Group focussing on banking. 
• • The Central Banker of the Year 2016 awards celebrate the officials that have best managed to stimulate growth and stabilise their economy.
• Bollywood Priyanka Chopra became the 1st Indian to bag an award at the American awards show as she won the Favourite Actress in a New TV Series award at People’s choice awards. 
• • She won this award for her American show Quantico.

Science & Technology

• INS Kadmatt, second Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Corvettes commissioned into the Indian Navy by the Chief of Naval Staff Robin K Dhowan at a glittering ceremony held at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam today.
• • Note : INS Kadmatt has been indigenously designed by Indian Navy's in-house organisation, Directorate of Naval Design and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited, Kolkata. 

People in News

• 45 Indians and Indian-origin people made it to the Forbes 5th Annual List of 30 under 30.
• • This list features 600 men and women,  who are America’s “most important young entrepreneurs, creative leaders and brightest stars” and are “changing the world” across 20 varied sectors such as consumer technology, education, media, manufacturing and industry, law and policy, social entrepreneurs, science and art and science.
  • Indians in the list including, Ritesh Agarwal, the founder and CEO of OYO Rooms, Karishma Shah, Gagan Biyani, Neeraj Berry, Lily Singh etc. 

• Indian Shooter Apurvi Chandela emerges as the 'Shooter of the Tournament' in Swedish Cup Grand Prix.
• • She won second successive gold medal  in the final to clinch the top prize in women's 10-metre Air Rifle tri-series event in Savsjo, Sweden.
  • She won her first gold medal of the tournament on Tuesday with a world record score of 211.2, to surpass the feat of Chinese Olympic gold medallist Yi Siling.
  • Note : Chandela had already secured a quota for the Rio Olympics.
• South Africa captain Hashim Amla resigned as immediately after his side drew the second Test against England.
• • AB de Villiers will lead South Africa in the third Test in Johannesburg, which starts on 14 January.

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