Dear Friends,
Welcome to the Quick Gyan (QG) Section of D2G. QG is just a glimpse of what happened today all over the world.
Only For Serious Candidates : We strongly recommend you to read the Current Affairs in detail. For your convenience, we have provided quick links under the updates. Make use of it.
Always Keep Yourself Updated!!!
APPOINTMENTS
PayU appoints Laurent Le Moal as new global CEO
PayU, one of the world’s largest payment services platforms, has appointed Laurent Le Moal as its new global CEO. PayU has operations in 16 countries and is part of the leading global media and internet group, Naspers. LeMoal would be reporting directly to Naspers’ Group CEO, Bob Van Dijk. Le Moal joins the team with an 11 year experience with rival company PayPal and would be building the company’s position in growing markets around the world and developing payment solutions which meet market needs for both consumers and merchants.
Quick Link – Laurent Le Moal as new CEO
BANKING AND FINANCE
India and UK to cooperate in infra financing
India and UK have agreed to strengthen their economic cooperation in infrastructure and financial services as they vowed to address cross-border tax evasion and avoidance. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley held talks with his UK counterpart George Osborne as part of the 8th India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue and had a series of meetings with UK-based investors and fund managers.
Quick Link – India & UK in infra financing
India starts anti dumping probe on rubber import from EU, South Korea
GOI has initiated a probe into alleged dumping of rubber variants used for leather goods by the EU, South Korea and Thailand. The Govt initiated after complaints from Reliance Industries and Indian Synthetic Rubber. The move is aimed at protecting domestic players in the sector against cheap imports. The Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), an arm of the Commerce Ministry, has begun investigating imports of Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) of 1,500 series and 1,700 series from these three regions.
Quick Link – Anti dumping probe on rubber import from EU
INDIAN AFFAIRS
Six laning of Aurangabad – Bihar/Jharkhand Border – BarwaAdda section
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval for development of the six laning of Aurangabad – Bihar/Jharkhand Border – BarwaAdda section on National Highway-2 in Bihar and Jharkhand. This work will be under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase-V. The approval is in BOT (Toll) mode on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (BOT/DBFOT) basis.
Quick Link – Six laning
Seven Ancient Buddhist Caves Discovered In Mumbai National Park
A team of experts discovered ancient Buddhist caves at Mumbai National Park in India. They found a total of seven caves that they assume to be at least 2,000-years old. The caves are possibly dated between the 1st century B.C. and 5t to 6th century A.D. These caves are believed to be Buddhist viharas or monk residences, that were used by the monks as a shelter during the monsoons. The report says that even though the site still awaits a formal approval from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for more detailed exploration and documentation with regards to these new caves, they are believed to have been constructed way before the nearby Kanheri Caves, between 1st century BC and 5th-6th century AD.
Quick Link – 7 Ancient Buddhist Caves in NP
L&T bags Rs 3,115 crore order for New Ganga Bridge Project
The heavy civil infrastructure business of L&T Construction, along with its joint venture partner, Daewoo E&C of South Korea, has won an order worth Rs 3,115 crore from the Bihar State Road Development Corporation Limited (BSRDCL) for the Ganga Bridge Project.
Quick Link – Ganga Bridge Project
GOI to start developing three new ports in 2016
As part of its plan to develop ports and boost maritime trade, GOI would develop three major ports in the country in 2016. GOI will start three new major ports. One is at Colachel in Tamil Nadu, the second at Sagar in West Bengal and third at Dahanur, Wadhwad in Maharashtra. The announcement was made by Union Minister Nitin Gadgari at the second convocation of Indian Maritime University. The Road Transport and Highways minister said the plan to set up new ports would definitely add to the economic growth.
Quick Link – New ports in 2016
Nitin Gadkari to inaugurate 19th National Conference on e-Governance
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate the 19th National Conference on e-Governance to be held in Nagpur from January 21, 2016. The two-day conference is being jointly organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Department of Electronics and Information Technology and Maharashtra government.
Quick Link – National Conference on e-Governance
India ranks 89th in Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2015-16
In the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) for the year 2015-16, India ranked at the 89th position in the list of 109 countries. The list has been compiled by the INSEAD business school, in partnership with Adecco and Human Capital Leadership Institute of Singapore (HCLI). The objective of the report is finding and linking a significant correlation between the movement of talent and economic prosperity. The List is dominated by the European countries. Among the 109 countries, Switzerland ranked at the first position in the list
Quick Link – India ranks 89th in GTC
Ratan Tata invests in online coupons venture CashKaro.com
Ratan Tata has invested in online cashback and coupons venture CashKaro.com. The amount of investment hasn’t been revealed as yet. The e-commerce company will utilize the funding for expanding its business to international markets, build brand awareness and hire senior-level talents. Similar to the likes of CouponDunia and CouponRaja, CashKaro offers customers cashbacks along with coupons and discounts. The e-commerce company has partnerships with about 1,000 online retailers, and claims to have more than 10 lakh registered users. It claims to have more about 25,000- 300,000 transactions every month. The company is now aiming at gross merchandise sales of about Rs 1,000 crore in the near future.
Quick Link – Cashkaro.com by Tata
Nasscom Inaugurates T-Hub Startup Warehouse in Hyderabad
Nasscom has partnered with the Telangana government and other entities to create a “startup warehouse” that will provide an affordable co-working space to the young entrepreneurs. T-Hub Nasscom Startup Warehouse would take care of young entrepreneurs’ concerns of building right product in the market and give them a platform to emerge as stronger players, said Nasscom chairman BVR Mohan Reddy in a statement.
Quick Link – T-Hub in Hyderabad
India home to 2.36 lakh millionaires: Report
India is home to the fourth largest population of millionaires in the Asia Pacific region, with 2.36 lakh high net worth individuals (HNWIs), while Japan topped the list with 12.60 lakh people. According to the Asia Pacific 2016 Wealth Report, by New World Wealth, India ranked among the top five Asia Pacific countries in terms of number of HNWIs. HNWIs were defined as those with net assets of $1 million or more.
Quick Link – 2.36 lakh millionaries
Uttarakhand allows heli-taxi for tourists
Tourists travelling to Uttarakhand will now be able to enjoy the aerial view of the Himalayas as the first helicopter service between the city of Haldwani and Munsiyari town started from January 19, 2016. The tourism authority of Kumaon region of Uttarakhand will run the service, known as heli-taxi, and will offer an aerial view from a height of 8,000 to 10,000 feet. The journey would give an opportunity to international and domestic tourists to enjoy the scenic view.
Quick Link – Heli-taxi in UP
DD’s freedish to provide 112 channels by March
DD Direct Plus, which is now FreeDish, is India’s only free to air digital direct-broadcast satellite television. Encouraged by the increasing viewership and reach, Doordarshan is now planning to make a major expansion for FreeDish. Doordarshan will increase the channels available under FreeDish to 112 by March end. Right now, there are 64 channels available for FreeDish users, which includes Aaj Tak and Big Magic, which are otherwise paid channels under private DTH services.
Quick Link – DD’s freedish from March
Cairn to seek $600 mn from India in damages
British oil explorer Cairn Energy said it would seek over $600 million from India in damages for the loss of value of its holding because of a retrospective taxation claim of Rs 10,247 crore. Using a retrospective legislation, the income tax department had in January 2014 issued the draft tax assessment order to Cairn over its internal business reorganisation in 2006 and barred it from selling its 9.8 per cent stake in Cairn India.
Quick Link – $600mn from India in damages
Maharashtra inks MoU with Tata Trust for skill training of youth
The Maharashtra government and Tata Trust has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a skill training programme for the youth in the state. The programme has been undertaken under the state government’s “Kushal Maharashtra, Rojgaryukt Maharashtra” initiative. Under the programme, skill development and vocational training centres will be set up in 10 districts in the state. Virtual classrooms will also be set up in 100 ITIs in Maharashtra. The Trust will improve infrastructure in Industrial Training Institutes.
Quick Link – Skill Training programme for youth
Bihar Government approves 35 per cent job reservation for women
Fulfilling a key election promise of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the Bihar cabinet gave the green signal to 35 per cent reservation for women in state government jobs. The decision marked Nitish’s first big step in this direction in nearly 10 years after unveiling 50 per cent reservation for women in panchayat and local body polls in 2006.
Quick Link – 35% job reservation for women by Bihar govt
Important Cabinet Approvals (MUST READ)
- MoU between India and UK in Public Administration and Governance Reforms
- Six laning of Aurangabad – Bihar/Jharkhand Border – BarwaAdda section
- Cabinet approves amendments in Power Tariff Policy
- Cabinet approves setting up of over 5,000 MW of Grid-connected Solar PV Power Projects
- Cabinet approves policy on Promotion of City Compost
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
IS holds 3500 slaves in Iraq : UN
The United Nations has revealed details of the “staggering civilian death toll in Iraq” over the past two years and estimated some 3500 Iraqis continue to be held captive as “slaves”, since the Islamic State’s insurgency flared at the beginning of 2014. In a new report this week, the UN said the jihadists’ captives included many women and girls from the persecuted Yazidi sect who have been abducted and forced into sexual slavery. The report found nearly 19,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed in the last two years, while some 3.2 million Iraqis have been displaced.
Quick Link – 3500 slaves in Iraq
UN signs up Lionel Messi to help beat poverty
Lionel Messi was recently named the best footballer on the planet. The Barcelona star Lionel Messi has set his sights on an even bigger prize – the end of poverty. The Argentine and Colombian singer Shakira head a list of 17 well-known names recruited by the United Nations to promote its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The world body’s objectives include the eradication of poverty by 2030, the fight against climate change and universal access to education and health. Messi and Shakira are already goodwill ambassadors for UNICEF, the UN Children’s Fund.
Quick Link – Messi help poverty
FOREIGN RELATIONS
Naseem Al-Bahr – India-Oman joint naval exercise from January 22
India and Oman will hold a joint naval exercise in the Arabian sea, focusing on greater interoperability to counter maritime security challenges. The 10th edition of the exercise ‘Naseem Al-Bahr’ will take place from January 22 to January 27. It began first in 1993 and aims to increase interoperability among the two navies and develop common understanding and procedures for maritime security operation. An Indian Navy ship had last year visited Oman in a goodwill visit as part of India’s strategy to develop relation with the countries in the region.
Quick Link – India-Oman naval exercise
MoU between India and UK in Public Administration and Governance Reforms
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in November, 2015 between India, and United Kingdom for Cooperation in Public Administration and Governance Reforms. The form of co-operation under the MoU will be in areas like sharing good governance practices in public administration, User led service design, Reducing bureaucracy in service delivery, Government Process Re-engineering, Building and developing staff capability, Public Grievance Redress Mechanism, Local Government Reforms, Reforms towards strengthening of social security, Collaboration in strategies for promotion of ethics in Government, Collaboration between Government and Industry on staff management, Mechanisms for public engagement, Crisis and Disaster Management and Digital transformation of Government.
Quick Link – MoU between India and UK
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
PSLV-C31 launched successfully from Sriharikota
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched PSLV-C31 rocket successfully. Launched from Sriharikota space centre, near Chennai, the rocket is carrying the fifth satellite of India Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), the IRNSS-1E. As scheduled, the rocket blasted off from the second launch pad at 9.31 am (January 20, 2016). This was the first rocket launch of 2016. The fifth navigation satellite in the IRNSS space system, a constellation of seven satellites, would be at par with US-based GPS once the full complement of spacecraft is launched. The satellite’s life span is 12 years.
Quick Link – PSLV-C31 launched successfully
Global Ocean heat doubled in last two decades
According to a new study, half of the global ocean heat content increase since 1865 has occurred over the past two decades. In recent decades the ocean has continued to warm substantially, and with time the warming signal is reaching deeper into the ocean. The findings were published in the journal Nature Climate Change. Changes in ocean heat storage are important because the ocean absorbs more than 90 percent of the Earth’s excess heat increase that is associated with global warming.
Quick Link – Global Ocean heat
Microsoft donates cloud computing ‘worth $1 billion’
Microsoft has announced that it will donate cloud computing resources worth $1 billion to global nonprofits over the next three years. The move is aimed at ensuring that benefits of technology were not limited to the wealthy. The U.S. tech giant, which stepped up its charity efforts under the banner of “Microsoft Philanthropies” last month, has been trying to aggressively expand its cloud computing services amid rising competition.
Quick Link – Microsoft donates $1 billion
OBITUARY
Senior journalist Aroon Tikekar passes away
Senior journalist and scholar Aroon Tikekar, 72, who authored over 20 books, including The cloister’s pale: A Biography of the University of Mumbai, passed away due to breathing-related complications. Born in a renowned family of litterateurs and journalists in 1944, Dr. Tikekar worked as a college teacher before working with the US Library of Congress Office, South Asia Division, in New Delhi. He joined The Times of India as the chief of its archive and reference section where he was given the responsibility of writing the official history of the 150-year-old newspaper.
Quick Link – Aroon Tikekar passes away
ISIS confirms death of ‘Jihadi John’
ISIS has confirmed the death of “Jihadi John” — aka Mohammed Emwazi, aka Abu Muharib al-Muhajir — in the latest issue of its Dabiq magazine. In November the US military said it was “reasonably certain” it had killed him in the IS-stronghold of Raqqa. Emwazi appeared in beheading videos of victims including UK aid worker David Haines and taxi driver Alan Henning.
The confirmation in Dabiq was the first time ISIS addressed the militant’s death. The magazine told the story of his journey into ISIS in a two-page article and reported that he was killed instantly by the drone strike. As the masked face of ISIS, Jihadi John was featured in a series of hostage videos, dressed head-to-toe in black — his eyes and voice his lone revealing features — and holding a knife.
Quick Link – Jihadi John
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