Current Affairs Daily Updates: 25th and 26th February 2017

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Current Affairs Daily Updates: 25th and 26th February 2017

APPOINTMENTS
Somali president names Hassan Ali Khaire prime minister
  • Somalia's new President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed has chosen political newcomer Hassan Ali Khaire, a former oil company executive, as the country's prime minister.
  • The appointment was announced shortly before Mohamed, also known as Farmajo, departed to Saudi Arabia for his first foreign trip since his election.
  • The president has requested Somali citizens to work with the prime minister.
PV Sindhu set to be Deputy Collector
  • Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu, who is the first Indian woman athlete to win a silver medal at the Olympics, has accepted a government job which was offered by the Andhra Pradesh Government following her Rio de Janeiro triumph.
  • The 21-year-old shuttler has been working with Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) since 2013 and is currently an assistant manager (sports) at its Hyderabad office.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
Indian-Origin British MP Receives Stya Paul Memorial Award
  • Virendra Sharma, an Indian-origin British MP was conferred with the first Dr Stya Paul Memorial Award on February 22, 2017 for his outstanding contribution to India-UK ties.
  • The Labour party MP from Ealing Southall received the award at the third annual Indo-UK Thought Leadership Awards in London  from NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul, the younger brother of Indian educationist Dr Stya Paul.
  • The event was organised by Great Place to Study (GPTS) Research Institute which is an international auditing firm for Indian colleges jointly with UK-based consultancy Sterling Media.
Vivek Chaand Sehgal named Ey. Entrepreneur of the year 2016
  • Vivek Chaand Sehgal, the 60-year-old Chairman of auto parts maker Motherson Sumi systems Ltd, has been named Indian Entrepreneur of the year 2016 by EY, the consulting firm formerly known as Ernst & Young.
  • Infosys Ltd co-founder Nandan Nilekani was honored with a lifetime achievement award for spearheading India’s Aadhaar project as head of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
BANKING AFFAIRS
Dena Bank rolls out RFID-enabled cards to serve valued clients better
  • Dena Bank has introduced Radio Frequency Identification Card (RFID) enabled banking cards whereby a branch manager can identify a valued client entering a branch with the card.
  • Once the client enters the branch, complete information about customers will pop up on the manager’s desktop.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
CBEC launched a mobile application for Goods and Services Tax
  • The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) launched a mobile application for Goods and Services Tax (GST). The app will inform the taxpayers of the latest updates on GST among others.
  • The mobile application for GST was launched in-line to the Union Government’s Digital India Initiative. The application will provide latest updates on GST to the taxpayers.
Microsoft for first time to deploy Azure Stack in Andhra Pradesh
  • Andhra Pradesh Government has signed a MoU with technology giant Microsoft to utilise Microsoft Azure Stack for its state data centre.
  • Under the MoU, Microsoft Azure Stack will be used to migrate live applications currently hosted in Hyderabad State Data Centre (SDC) to Vishakhapatnam (Vizag) data centre.
  • The Microsoft has tested its Azure Stack in its lab but it has not yet been physically delivered or commercially used anywhere in the world.
  • This will be for the first time in the world, Microsoft doing proof of concept (POC) with Government of Andhra Pradesh to prove capability of Azure Stack.
Delhi Government Approves 37 Percent Hike in Minimum Wages
  • The Aam Aadmi Party led Delhi government approved a hike of around 37% in the minimum wages for unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled persons on February 24, 2017 in New Delhi.
  • The Cabinet Committee chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sanctioned the increase based on the recommendation of a 15-member committee set up by former Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung in 2016.
  • The minimum wages for unskilled persons has been raised to Rs. 13,350 per month from the existing Rs. 9,724 per month.
UBI ties up with IRCTC to launch railway booking facility
  • Kolkata-based United Bank of India (UBI) has launched a railway ticket booking facility by having a direct tie-up IRCTC.
  • The facility was launched on February 21.
  • Post the introduction of this facility, UBI customers can now book railway tickets seamlessly through IRCTC website using the bank’s debit card.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Pakistan army launches nationwide military operations 'Radd-ul-Fasaad'
  • Pakistan army has launched nationwide military operation 'Radd-ul-Fasaad' to eliminate terrorists and consolidate gains of its counter-terrorism operations, days after a wave of suicide attacks that killed more than 88 at a Sufi shrine in Sindh.
  • 'Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad' — an Arabic word which translates roughly to 'elimination of discord' - has been launched across the country, the army's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement.
  • According to the statement, the operation aims include the elimination of the residual and latent threat of terrorism, consolidating gains of operations made so far and ensuring the security of Pakistan's borders.
Venezuela & Libya Suspended from voting in UNGA over Dues Debts
  • Venezuela and Libya have been suspended from voting in the UN General Assembly in for the second time in two years due to huge sum of unpaid dues by the nations to the UN Body.
  • The UN General Assembly has barred six countries from casting votes in the 2016-2017 session because they are over two years in indebtedness.
  • Dues vary according to factors including national income. As of January, the most recent figures available,
  • As per the data, Venezuela would have to make a minimum USD 24 million payment to get under the two-year threshold for getting its voting rights restored. On the other hand Libya has to make a minimum payment of USD 6.5 million.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
Rajasthan 2nd largest crude oil producer in country
  • Rajasthan has become the second largest crude oil producer in the country after the offshore field Bombay High, Governor Kalyan Singh said in the Assembly, highlighting the achievements of the state government.
  • Delivering his speech on the first day of the Budget Session, Singh said oilfields in the state were producing nearly 90 lakh tones oil annually, which is 24 per cent of the total domestic crude oil production.
National Folk Festival of Kerala 2017 Begins in Thiruvananthapuram
  • The first of its type festival, the National Folk Festival of Kerala (NFFK 2017) has been organized in Kerala starting from February 24, 2017 to be held for three days in three different locations in the capital city Thiruvananthapuram.
  • The NFFK 2017 has been organised by the state Youth Welfare Board, in association with Bharat Bhavan and the Vyloppilli Samskrithi Bhavan.
  • The event will see over 500 artists showcasing the centuries old folklore culture and tradition of the country through different art forms.
  • Some of the major performances may feature artists from Kashmir to showcase dance and music programmes, performance by noted Bengal folk music band ‘Sahajiya.
Former Nagaland CM Zeliang appointed as Finance Advisor to state government
  • TR Zeliang, the former Chief Minister of Nagaland, was appointed as the finance advisor to the state government on 25 February 2017. He was appointed as the finance advisor in the rank of a Cabinet Minister.
  • An official releases said, ‘Zeliang, appointed by the Governor PB Acharya, will receive the pay and allowances and all other facilities admissible to a cabinet minister’.
NITI Aayog to organize high level workshop for advancing Innovation in Passenger Mobility and Transportation
  • NITI Aayog has organized a two day long high level workshop on advancing passenger mobility and transportation on February 27-28, 2017 in the national capital.
  • The workshop in association with Rocky Mountain Institute, an international non-profit organization, will explore technologies and business models to help India leapfrog traditional approaches to passenger mobility and transportation.
  • The workshop will follow a unique‘design charrette’format, whereby participants will collaborate in working groups to develop actionable steps to achieve an advanced mobility future.
  • CEO NITI Aayog, Shri Amitabh Kant said that NITI Aayog  is excited to partner with leading organization to advance next generation mobility solutions. Mobility affects all sections of society and the transformative solutions now emerging will enable India to fulfill its aspirations for growth for all.
SPORTS AFFAIRS
1st Gramin Khel Mahotsav to be held in Delhi
  • India’s first Gramin Khel Mahotsav will be held in New Delhi from 25th to 31st March 2017. The games will be held in five sports disciplines Athletics, Volley Ball, Wrestling, Kabaddi and Kho-Kho.
  • This festival will help participation of rural youth in large numbers in popular sports and encourage them to achieve excellence and adopt healthy life style.
  • These games are intended to act as a catalyst to promote sports in rural areas across the country and will be replicated in other States/UTs as well.
ISSF World Cup: Pooja Ghatkar clinches bronze
  • In International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), Indian shooter Pooja Ghatkar secured India’s first medal in New Delhi.
  • She finished third in the 10 meter Air Rifle event. Ghatkar clinched bronze with a score of 228.8 in the final round.
  • China’s Mengyao Shi secured gold with a score of 252.1 - setting a new world record in the event.
  • The silver went to China’s Lijie Dong for a score of 248.9.
India Bags All Three Medals At 6th Asian Para-Road Cycling Championship
  • India made historic start at the sixth Asian Para-Road Cycling Championship by winning all the three medals in the 12.8 Km Individual Time Trial on the opening day of the tournament at Bahrain on February 25, 2017.
  • Abhishek from Chandigarh won the gold medal, Divij Shah from West Bengal won silver and Harinder Singh from BSF bagged the bronze medal.
  • Total nine members of Indian Para Cycling team are participating in the event under the aegis of Cycling Federation of India.
  • The players has been trained and sponsored by Aditya Mehta Foundation, Hyderabad.
67 Athletes to run in IDBI Federal Life Insurance New Delhi Marathon 2017
  • The IDBI Federal Life Insurance New Delhi Marathon will be held tomorrow. The marathon will feature some of the biggest track & field and distance runners, with a total of 67 elite athletes on the starting line.
  • The race will be flagged off by iconic cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and will start at 5am in the morning.
  • Rio Olympian Gopi T is aiming to break his record and win the title in the men's category of full marathon. Among the other top Indian elite athletes in the men's section are: G Lakshmanan, Bahadur Singh Dhoni and Rashpal Singh.