Daily GK Update - 2nd December 2016

National Affairs

1. 'Vittiya Saksharata Abhiyan' launched by the HRD Ministry

• The Union Minister of Human Resource Development Shri Prakash Javadekar has launched "Vittiya Saksharata Abhiyan" in New Delhi.
• The purpose of the `Vittiya Saksharta Abhiyan’ is to actively engage the youth/ students of Higher Education Institutions to encourage and motivate all payers and payees to use a digitally enabled cashless economic system for transfer of funds.
• The institutions of higher education in the country, faculty members and students to take the lead and act as engines of this transformational shift.

2. Team Indus to be the first private firm to land on the moon in 2018

• The Indian Startup, Team Indus has tied up with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to send its rover to moon.
• This contract is part of the firm's bid to win the Google Lunar XPRIZE.
• Google Lunar XPRIZE is a challenge involving 16 teams wherein the first team to successfully land a rover on the Moon, make it travel for 500 metres and send back HD videos and images of Earth will win $20 million.
• Team Indus in the only Indian Company among the 16 teams in the competition.

3. India's GDP grew to 7.3% in the 2nd Quarter of the fiscal year 2016 - 17 : CSO

• As per the announcement of Central Statistical Organisation (CSO), the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country for the second quarter (July - September) for the fiscal year 2016 - 2017 accelerated to 7.3% as compared to 7.1% for the first quarter.
• GDP of a country is basically the total monetary value of all the finished goods and services that are produced within the country's geographical borders in a specific time period.

International Affairs

4. World's first Water Wave Laser unveiled

• The Water Wave Laser, created by the scientists from Israel led by Professor Tal Carmon, emits a beam through the interaction of light and water waves.
• The scientists believe that this development could be used in lab-on-a-chip devices to study cell biology and test new drug therapies.

5. Yoga now a part of UNESCO's intangible Heritage List of Humanity

• Vikas Swarup, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman announced that Yoga has now been included in the Intangible Heritage list of Humanity.
• It is the 13th intangible cultural heritage from India to be included in UNESCO's list.

6. New sanctions imposed on North Korea by United Nations

• The sanction comes in response to Pyongyang’s fifth and largest nuclear test conducted in September.
• The sanctions, drafted by a 15 members council, includes a resolution to slash North Korea’s biggest export, coal, by about 60%, with an annual sales cap of $400.9 million, or 7.5 million metric tons, whichever is lower.
• The sanction also involves ban on the export of copper, nickel, silver, zinc and the sale of statues by North Korea.

7. Donald Trump to nominate retired General James Mattis for the post of Defence Secretary of US

• The announcement was made by the President - elect Trump during his victory rally in Cincinnati.
• The decision will have to be approved by US Congress for Mattis to take up the top Pentagon post.

Appointments

8. Rakesh Asthana to be appointed the new CBI Director

• He is currently serving as the Additional Director of Chief Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
• He will take up the post of CBI Director temporarily after Anil Sinha , current director retires today.

9. J. Ravichandran appointed as the interim CEO of NSE

• Ravichandran is currently serving as the President of National Stock Exchange.
• The decision comes after the resignation of NSE's chief executive officer,  Chitra Ramkrishna.

Sports News

10. Magnus Carlsen wins the World Chess Championship 2016

• He defeated Sergey Karjakin from Russia to win the competition conducted in New York.
• Carlsen, who belongs to Norway has secured his 3rd consecutive World Championship title.

Awards and Honours

11. 2nd ICCR Ideologist Award presented by President

• Prof.Yu Long Yu from China has been awarded the 2nd ICCR (Indian council for cultural Relations)Ideologist Award at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• He is a professor and Director at the Centre for Indian Studies, Shenzhen University.

Thought of the Day

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