Daily Current Affairs- 25th October 2016

Dear Readers, we are presenting Daily Current Affairs for All Exams- 25th October 2016.

1. Rajeev Misra appointed as Head of Softbank Vision Fund

1. India-born Rajeev Misra in the third week of October 2016 was appointed the SoftBank Vision Fund, constituted by Japanese telecom and Internet major Softbank Corp.

2. The SoftBank Vision Fund intends to make investments in the technology sector globally. It is managed in the United Kingdom by a subsidiary of the Saudi Binladin Group (SBG). It is reportedly one of the world's largest of its kind and will be operated from London.

2. Anti-Vietnam War activist Tom Hayden died

1. Peace activist Tom Hayden, whose radical views were at the forefront of the anti-Vietnam War movement in the 1960s, passed away on 23 October 2016 following a prolonged illness in Santa Monica, California. He was 76.

2. He was a stalwart of America's New Left who served 18 years in California's State Legislature and gained a dash of Hollywood glamour by marrying actress Jane Fonda.

3. China's space lab launches micro-satellite, Banxing-2

1. Tiangong-2, the experimental space lab of China, on 23 October 2016 successfully launched a micro-satellite, Banxing-2 (the word means Companion Satellite). The micro-satellite is roughly the size of a desktop printer.

2. At present, Tiangong-2 is orbiting the Earth with two astronauts on board.

4. Hitler's Secret Nazi Base discovered in Arctic Circle

1. A team of scientists in October 2016 discovered a secret Nazi base of German dictator Adolf Hitler located 1000 kilometres from the North Pole.

2. For decades, this location of the mysterious site known as Schatzgraber or Treasure Hunter on Alexandra Land in the Arctic Circle had remained unknown.

5. North Korea wins 2016 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup

1. North Korea's women's U-17 team won the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. The North Koreans defeated Japan in penalty kicks to grab the title.

2. This is North Korea's second U-17 Women's World Cup title. The country won the first ever U-17 Women's World Cup in 2008.

3. The 2016 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup was held in Jordan from 30 September to 21 October 2016.

6. Portugal's Renato Sanches wins 2016 European Golden Boy Award

1. Portugal’s Renato Sanches on 24 October 2016 was awarded the 2016 European Golden Boy award.

2. Sanches will be handed a trophy at a Monte Carlo ceremony. He defeated Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, Bayern's Kingsley Coman and AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to bag the prize.

3. Sanches was selected following a vote by journalists from 30 newspapers across Europe to name the best player in 2016 under the age of 21.

7. G Balakrishna, Bengaluru water tanker driver, crowned Mr Asia 2016

1. G Balakrishna in October 2016 won the Mr Asia title at the 5th Phil-Asia bodybuilding championships in the Philippines. 25-year-old Balakrishna is a Bengaluru-based water tanker driver.

2. In 2013, he won Mr Universe Under-24 junior contest in Germany. In 2014, he won Mr Universe title in the same category at the world championship in Athens

8. CO2 level reaches record high in 2016: WMO

1. According to the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin level of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the atmosphere has reached a record high. 

2. The globally averaged concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere reached to 400 parts per million (ppm) for the first time in 2015. It is expected to surge again to new records in 2016 on the back of the very powerful El Niño event.

9. ISRO starts landing tests for Chandrayaan-2 mission

1. The Indian Space Research Organsiation (ISRO) has started a series of ground and aerial tests linked to the critical Moon landing of Chandrayaan-2. 

2. These tests were started as ISRO’s new site at Challakere in Chitradurga district, 400 km from Bengaluru. This site has simulated craters. ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) is the lead centre for the second Moon mission. 

3. It has artificially created close to ten craters to simulate the lunar terrain and test the Lander’s sensors. ISAC will conduct many tests including on avionics and electronics, testing the Lander’s legs, followed by a combined full test.

10. PM Narendra Modi launches Urja Ganga in Varanasi

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone of Urja Ganga, the highly ambitious gas pipeline project in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. 

2. The gas pipeline project aims to provide piped cooking (PNG) gas to residents of the eastern region of the country and CNG gas for the vehicles.

3. The project is being implemented by state-run gas utility GAIL. It envisages laying a 2,050-km pipeline connecting Jagdishpur (UP) to Haldia (West Bengal) by 2018.

Daily Current Affairs- 24th October 2016

Dear Readers, we are presenting Daily Current Affairs for All Exams- 24th October 2016.

1. United Nations Day 2016 observed across the world

1. The United Nations Day 2016 was observed across the world on 24 October 2016. The day marks the anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter (the founding document of UNO) in 1945.

In 2016, UN Day will be used to highlight concrete actions people can take to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

2. On this day, the UN also organise a concert to celebrate and reflect on the work of the United Nations through the universal language of music. 

3. This year, Korean Traditional Music Orchestra, Lang Lang, world famous Harlem Gospel Choir, the Hungarian State Opera with performances by soprano Andrea Rost and other notable artists will be organised at the UN General Assembly Hall. In 2016, the theme of the concert is Freedom First.

2. RBI eases norms for foreign investment in startups

1. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 20 October 2016 notified the amended norms for foreign investment in startups. For this, the bank amended the Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of Security by a Person Resident Outside India) Regulations, 2000.

2. Investment in India by Foreign Venture Capital Investors (FVCI), registered with SEBI, is governed by the provisions of Schedule 6 of the aforesaid Regulations.

3. Highlights of the Notifications

• Any FVCI, registered with market regulator SEBI, will not require any approval from Reserve Bank of India and can invest in unlisted Indian companies.

• FVCI can invest in following sectors- Biotechnology, IT, Nanotechnology, Seed research and development, pharmaceutical sector, Dairy industry, Poultry industry, Production of bio-fuels, Hotel-cum-convention centres and Infrastructure sector.

• FVCIs can also invest in Equity or equity linked instrument or debt instrument issued by an Indian startup irrespective of the sector in which the startup is engaged. 

3. AT&T Inc agrees to buy Time Warner Inc for 85.4 billion US dollars

1. AT&T Inc on 22 October 2016 agreed to buy Time Warner Inc for 85.4 billion US dollars in a deal that will transform the phone company into a media giant.

2. AT&T agreed to pay 107.50 US dollars a share, evenly split between cash and stock. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2017.

3. Highlights of the Deal

• The new company will be headed by AT&T Chief Executive Randall Stephenson. 

• Time Warner Chief Executive Jeff Bewkes will stay for an interim period following the close of the deal.

4. Lewis Hamilton wins 2016 United States Grand Prix

1. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton on 23 October 2016 won the 2016 United States Grand Prix. The race was held at the Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas, United States.

2. Nico Rosberg finished second while Red Bull Racing-TAG Heuer’s Daniel Ricciardo finished third in the race.

3. With this, Hamilton has now won 50 races in his career, with only Alain Prost (51) and Michael Schumacher (91) having won more than that number in the history of the sport.

5. ITBP celebrates its 55th raising day

1. The Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) celebrated its 55th raising day on 24 October. The force was raised on 24th October in 1962. ITBP is deployed on border guarding duties from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh covering 3488 kilometer of India-China Border. 

2. It is manning Border Outposts on altitudes raging from 9000 feet to 18700 feet in the Western, Middle and Eastern Sector of the India-China Border.

6. Cyrus Mistry steps down as Tata Sons Chairman 

1. Tata Sons has announced that its board has replaced Cyrus P. Mistry as Chairman of Tata Sons. The decision was taken at a board meeting held here today.

2. The board has named Ratan N. Tata as interim Chairman of Tata Sons.

3. It has constituted a selection committee to choose a new Chairman.

4. The committee comprises Ratan N. Tata, Venu Srinivasan, Amit Chandra, Ronen Sen and Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, as per the criteria in the Articles of Association of Tata Sons. The committee has been mandated to complete the selection process in four months.

Daily Current Affairs- 23th October 2016

Dear Readers, we are presenting Daily Current Affairs for All Exams- 23th October 2016.

1. Kabaddi World Cup: India beat Iran to win third consecutive title

1. India triumphed in the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup for a third straight time as they staged a remarkable fightback to overcome a tough Iran 38-29 in the title clash, maintaining their dominance in the sport.

2. This was India’s third title triumph on the trot in a sport they have dominated for long.

3. Incidentally, Iran tasted defeat to India in the last two World Cup finals and at the Asian Games.

4. Ajay Thakur was the star performer of the final, claiming 12 points.

Captain of Indian team: Anup Kumar 

Captain of Iranian team: Meraj Sheykh

Daily Current Affairs- 22th October 2016

Dear Readers, we are presenting Daily Current Affairs for All Exams- 22th October 2016.

Daily Current Affairs-21th October 2016

Dear Readers, we are presenting Daily Current Affairs for All Exams- 21th October 2016.

1. Police Commemoration Day observed across India 

1. The Police Commemoration Day was observed on 21 October . 2016 across India. The day commemorates the sacrifices of ten policemen while defending the borders with China in 1959.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh laid wreath and paid homage to the police martyrs at Police Memorial Ground, Chanakyapuri in Delhi.

Daily Current Affairs- 20th October 2016

Dear Readers, we are presenting Daily Current Affairs for All Exams- 20th October 2016.

1. Kochi becomes first Indian city to host FIFA U-17 World Cup

1. Kochi became the first Indian city to be officially declared as one of the venues for hosting the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup. The tournament will be hosted in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium of the city.

2. A 23-member high-level delegation comprising experts from FIFA and Local Organising Committee (LOC) ratified Kochi as the venue for next year's mega event. Earlier, the delegation visited the Jawarharlal Nehru International Stadium.

3. The tournament is slated to be held from September to October 2017.