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Quick Gyan is just the glimpse of Today’s Updates. We recommend you study the detailed news at the Current Affairs Section.
CURRENT AFFAIRS – OCTOBER 29/2015
1. Indian Air Force (IAF) to Commence Exercise-Livewire
The Indian Air Force is commencing its annual exercise, Exercise Livewire, on 31 October 2015. The exercise involves utilization of air assets of all types available with the IAF. The aim of the exercise is to validate the full spectrum of IAF capability in undertaking operations in response to likely future threats and operational contingencies, and also to exercise its latest acquisitions effectively in a network centric environment. The latest operational concepts and preparedness would be checked out.
2. Google’s Internet-beaming balloons to take off in Indonesia
Google’s Internet-beaming balloons are ready to take off on the next phase of their mission to deliver online access in regions where most people live offline. The balloons will begin hovering in the stratosphere above Indonesia in an expansion of the project. About 250 million people live on 17,000 islands in that part of Southeast Asia, although only 42 million have Internet access.
Google’s 2-year-old program “Project Loon” aims to change that by transmitting high-speed Internet signals from clusters of balloons floating about 60,000 feet above the Earth.
3. GOI appoints 5 members committee to review research grants offered by UGC
As per the Union Ministry of HRD’s official notification, the Review Committee will submit its report to the Ministry by December 2015. The ministry also has directed the UGC not to implement its decision to discontinue the non-NET fellowships and continue all existing fellowships.
The students, who have been protesting since last eight days, termed the government’s notification an “eyewash” and said they will continue with their agitation till the “review” is done.
The committee has been asked to,
i) Determine the feasibility of enhancing the coverage of NET fellowships which are merit based
ii) Establish a transparent system of transfer of fellowship amounts every month to non-NET fellows
iii) Considering economic and non-economic criteria for eligibility for the fellowship
4. Pakistan loses UN human rights council election
Pakistan failed to win a re-election to the top UN human rights body, gathering just 105 votes in the 193-member General Assembly. The General Assembly on October 28 elected 18 members of the UN Human Rights Council through a secret ballot. Pakistan’s current term at the council is set to expire on December 31 and it was seeking re-election to the 47-member Human Rights Council.
Pakistan also lost the seat in the Asia-Pacific category in which five seats were vacant.
5. India recorded largest number of TB cases in 2014
India is the country with the highest burden of TB, with World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics that said 1.5 million people died in 2014 from the disease which ranks alongside HIV as a leading killer worldwide. According to the World Health Organisations Global Tuberculosis Report 2015, released on October 28, of the 9.6 million new TB cases in 2014, 58 per cent were in the South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions.
India(23%), Indonesia(10%) and China(10%) had the largest number of cases respectively of the global total in 2014. Nigeria, Pakistan and South Africa also had high numbers of TB cases last year. Nearly 1.5 million people died from the disease last year, including 140,000 children.
6. Asia Pacific region most disaster prone part of the world: UN Report
According to the United Nations report, the Asia Pacific region is the most disaster-prone part of the world. The region has suffered 1,625 disasters in the decade through 2014 and needs to spend more on adapting to climate change and preparing for more extreme weather. The region’s disasters – 40 percent of the global total – claimed half a million lives over the decade, affected 1.4 billion people and caused $523 billion in economic damage.
The world body urged the region’s governments to invest more in adapting to climate change and preparing for disasters as the risks the region faces are worsened by its rapid economic growth and mushrooming population.
7. Tommy Hilfiger Model Sam Sarpong dies at 40
British-American actor-model Sam Sarpong has died of an apparent suicide, was 40. Sarpong, who was a model for Tommy Hilfiger and the face of the brand for several years on October 27, died after jumping off a bridge in Pasadena, California. Sarpong was a co-host on MTVs “Yo Momma” alongside Wilmer Valderrama.
The circumstances surrounding his death are currently under investigation and no additional details are known.
8. Wars’ sound mixer Bob Minkler dies at 78
Bob Minkler, a veteran sound mixer who won an Academy Award for his work on the 1977 blockbuster Star Wars, died of respiratory failure Oct. 11 at his home in Oregon. He was 78.
During a Hollywood career spanning 20 years, Minkler worked on films including The Black Stallion, Easy Rider, Bull Durham,Caddyshack, Jaws 3-D, Urban Cowboy, Rocky II, and Tron. The latter movie earned him an Oscar nomination alongside his brother Lee Minkler and nephew Michael Minkler. His filmography consists over 50 movies between 1957 and 1992.
9. India and France ink MoU on preserving Written Heritage at National Library
The Union Ministry of Culture and National Library of France have entered into an MoU under which the two countries would cooperate in conservation, development and publicity of written heritage at the National Library of Kolkata. The signing was attended by the National Library of France President Bruno Racine. Under the MoU, the two countries would collaborate in preserving, identifying and publicising written heritage and iconographies heritage.
The two countries would also share expertise such as description of Indian manuscripts in Sanskrit and Tamil.
10. GOI inaugurated Games Secretariat of 12th SAF Games in Shillong
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs & Sports, Sarbananda Sonowal has inaugurated Games Secretariat of the 12th South Asian Federation (SAF) Games 2016 at Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex, Polo Ground in Shillong, Meghalaya. The Secretariat would oversee the smooth functioning of the SAF Games.
This is the first time that such a mega event of International level is taking place in North East India. The 12th SAF Games will be held in Guwahati and Shillong from 6 February to 16 February 2016. Out of 23 sports disciplines in the 12th South Asian Games 2016, 8 disciplines will be held in Shillong while the other 15 disciplines will be held at Guwahati.
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