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!!!
AWARDS AND HONORS
Indian-American Rupa Iyer awarded highest teaching award in US
An Indian-American biotechnologist has received University of Houston’s highest teaching award for her sustained and significant contributions to education. Rupa Iyer, an Indian-American Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies at the University of Houston’s College of Technology, has been presented the “Distinguished Leadership in Teaching Excellence Award“. It is the highest award given in teaching and the only one given in this category by the varsity.
The award is given to a previous recipient of the varsity’s ‘Teaching Excellence Award’, presented to a person who has ten or more years of teaching experience and has made sustained and significant contributions to education. As the founding director of the biotechnology programme in the College of Technology since its inception, Ms Iyer is well regarded for her strong commitment towards impacting students who benefit from her efforts to incorporate hands-on experience with problem-based learning and lectures.
Quick Link – Rupa Iyer awarded
APPOINTMENTS
Ratan P Watal appointed as Niti Aayog’s Principal Adviser
Former Finance Secretary, Ratan P Watal has been appointed as the Principle Adviser for social sector in Niti Aayog. He has been appointed to the post for three years. The new appointment for Watal comes a fortnight after his two-month extended tenure ended in April. He was to retire in February. However, Watal later got a two-month extension as the Finance Secretary. Watal, a retired IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, had been Finance Secretary between August last year and April this year.
Quick Link – Ratan P Watal as Principal Adviser
INDIAN AFFAIRS
Union Cabinet approves ordinance to keep state boards out of NEET ambit for one year
Government has approved promulgation of an ordinance to keep state boards out of the ambit of uniform medical entrance examination, NEET, for one academic year. The executive order is aimed at “partially” overturning the Supreme Court verdict which said all government colleges, deemed universities and private medical colleges would be covered under NEET. The next phase of the exam is scheduled for July 24. Nearly 6.5 lakh students have already sat for the first phase of NEET held on May 1.
Once the ordinance is issued, students of state government boards will not have to sit for NEET on July 24. They, however, will have to become part of the uniform entrance exam from next academic session, government sources clarified.
Quick Link – NEET
India, China home to one-third of mentally ill people: Lancet study
According to a recent study, China and India together account for one-third of global burden of mental illness, but only a tiny fraction of the patients receive medical help. The study is one of the three papers that mark the launch of the China-India Mental Health Alliance, a long-term project bringing together experts from China and India to look at the current status of mental health and mental health services in both countries.
There are more people in the world’s two most populous nations coping with mental, neurological and substance use problems than in all high-income countries combined, the research found. The new analysis by the Alliance of Global Burden of Disease data revealed that the burden of mental illness will increase more rapidly in India than in China over the next ten years.
Quick Link – Lancet study
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Tsai Ing-wen sworn-in as first women President of Taiwan
Tsai Ing-wen has been sworn in as the new president of Taiwan, becoming its first female leader and calling for “positive dialogue” with Beijing. Ms Tsai, seen as an unassuming but determined leader, led the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to a landslide win in elections in January. The DPP has traditionally leaned towards independence from China, which sees Taiwan as a breakaway province. In the past, it has threatened to take the island by force if necessary. It still has hundreds of missiles pointing towards the island.
Ms Tsai, 59, swore the presidential oath in front of the national flag, before being presented with the official seal. She and outgoing President Ma Ying-jeou then came out to wave at the crowds watching on screens outside the presidential building. In her inaugural speech, she said Taiwanese people had shown they were “committed to the defence of our freedom and democracy as a way of life”.
Quick Link – First women President of Taiwan
Nokia name to return to mobile phones after licensing deal
The Nokia name will return to the mobile phone market after a company backed by one of its former executives teamed up with manufacturer Foxconn to buy the rights to the brand for mobile devices. Nokia, once the world’s biggest maker of mobile phones, was wrong footed by the rise of smartphones and eclipsed by Apple and Samsung. It sold its entire handset business to Microsoft Corp in 2014 and now focuses on telecoms network equipment. But it held on to its phone patents with a view to eventually striking a licensing deal, though it had to wait due to a non-compete deal with Microsoft.
Nokia had signed an exclusive 10-year licensing agreement for newly formed Finnish company HMD global Oy to create Nokia-branded smartphones and tablets. HMD is owned by Smart Connect LP, a private equity fund run by former Nokia executive Jean-Francois Baril, and its management.
Quick Link – Nokia name to return to mobile
First World Conference on Tourism for Development held in Beijing
The First World Conference on Tourism for Development was held in Beijing, China from 18-21 May 2016 with a specific view to advancing the contribution of tourism to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The event was jointly organized by the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
The conference, which coincided with the China Tourism Day, was addressed by the Head of Governmentof China and brought together leaders in the areas of tourism and development to spur dialogue and create a better understanding of tourism’s contribution to development, including poverty alleviation and peace.
Quick Link – UNWTO
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Indigenously developed fecal incontinence management system ‘Qora’ launched
The indigenously developed fecal incontinence management system ‘Qora‘ was launched by Minister of State for Science & Technology Y.S.Chowdary in New Delhi. Aimed to train the next generation of medical technology innovators in India to develop innovative and affordable medical devices to augment unmet clinical needs of India, an innovative medical device has been developed under Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology supported Bio design Programme by M/s. Consure Medical, New Delhi.
A spin-off from the Program Bio design is a Med-Tech innovation Program of DBT. This Program is implemented at AIIMS and IIT, Delhi in collaboration with International partners such as Stanford University, USA, Queensland University of Technology, Australia and Tottori University and Japan.
Quick Link – Qora
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