Daily GK Update : 12th November 2016

National & International Appointment

1. Narinder Batra elected president of international hockey federation

• Hockey India president Narinder Batra (59-year) has become the first Indian to be elected the President of the International Hockey Federation(IHF).
• He has defeated David Balbirnie of Ireland and Australia's Ken Read to become the 12th FIH President and also the first Asian to grab the post.
• Batra succeeds Spaniard Leandro Negre, who has been the FIH chief since 2008.

Note:

• The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is the international governing body of field hockey and indoor field hockey.
• Its headquarters are located in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• FIH is responsible for field hockey's major international tournaments, notably the World Cup.

2. Meng Hongwei elected as the Interpol President

• A Chinese security official  Meng Hongwei (first Chinese official) has been elected as the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) at the closing ceremony of Interpol’s 85th General Assembly held in Bali, Indonesia.
• Hongwei will take over the position from his predecessor Mireille Ballestrazzi (France).
• He has been elected for a period of four years.

Note:

• INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 190 member countries.

Important Dates

3. World Pneumonia Day : 12th November

• World Pneumonia Day is annually held on 12th November to raise awareness of pneumonia, promote prevention and treatment, and generate action to fight the illness.
• The theme of this year is "Keep the Promise, Stop Pneumonia Now".
• The United Nations (UN) first celebrated the day on 12th November, 2009.

4. Public Service Broadcasting day being observed today

• Today, Public Service Broadcasting Day is being observed  to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi's first and the last visit to All India Radio (AIR).
• The day is observed every year on 12th of November.

Obituaries

5. Legendary singer and poet Leonard Cohen passed away 

• Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen (82-year) who seamlessly blended spirituality and sexuality in songs like Hallelujah, Suzanne and Bird on a Wire has passed away .
• He also wrote novels such as The Favourite Game (1963) and Beautiful Losers (1966).
• In 1967 he released Songs Of Leonard Cohen and followed it with Songs From A Room in 1969 and Songs Of Love And Hate (1971).

6. Noted geophysicist Janardhan Negi passes away

• Noted geophysicist Janardhan G Negi (81-year) has passed away in Hyderabad.
• Negi was the former Director-grade scientist at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI).
• He was also known for making the outstanding contribution in understanding earthquakes, mass extinctions, especially dinosaurs and the movement of the Indian sub-continent plates.

National Affairs

7. 1st Indian National Open Accuracy Paragliding takes off in HP

•  Today, 107 pilots from 15 countries took part in the first Indian National Open Accuracy Paragliding Championship at Bir-Billing Dharamsala(Himachal Pradesh).
• Nine women paragliders (Indians-3) will also compete in the four-day international meet.
• One has to complete at least three of a total of four tasks assigned during the course of the competition.

8. India pledges USD 10.95 mn for UN development activities

• India has pledged about 10.95 million Dollar for development activities across several UN (United Nation) bodies for the year 2017.
• It including 4.5 million Dollar for the UN Development Programme, 1.92 million Dollar for the World Food Programme, 1.25 million Dollar for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Near East and a million dollars towards UN Women.

Sports

9. Punjab National Bank beat Army XI to win Surjit Hockey

• Punjab National Bank (PNB) of Delhi has won 33rd IndianOil Servo Surjit Hockey Tournament for the first time by beating Army XI with a 6-5 at Burlton Park in Jalandhar (Punjab).
• The decision of the match came from penalty shootouts.

10. Indian women's team wins gold at World Carrom Championship

• India's women's carrom team has defeated Sri Lanka to win the gold at the 7th World Carrom Championship in Birmingham (UK).
• S. Apoorwa and  Kajol Kumari brought the first gold medals in the women's doubles event of the World championship.

11. Sydney to host Invictus Games in 2018: Prince Harry

• Britain's Prince Harry  has  announced Australia will host the 2018 Invictus Games for wounded military personnel.
• More than 500 serving and former personnel from 17 nations will compete in the multi-sports competition in Sydney(Australia).
• Athletes, who have been wounded, injured (become ill in service) will compete in both individual and team sports including swimming, archery, cycling, track and field and wheelchair rugby.

"Thought of the day"

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”

“शिक्षा किसी घड़े को भरने जैसा नहीं है, यह तो अग्नि प्रज्ज्वलित करने जैसा है।”

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