GK and Current Affairs Updates

The United Nations Security Council on Saturday welcomed a ceasefire in the Syrian civil war, but rebel groups threatened to abandon the two-day-old truce if violations persisted.
●    A resolution welcoming the ceasefire, the third truce this year seeking to end nearly six years of war, was adopted unanimously by the 15-member Council, meeting in New York.
●    The deal, brokered by Russia and Turkey, which back opposing sides, reduced violence, but firefights, airstrikes and shelling went on in some areas.
●    A twin suicide bombing killed at least two people in the Syrian coastal city of Tartous in an area under government control and in President Bashar al-Assad's coastal heartland shortly after midnight on Sunday, state media and monitors reported.
●    The attack killed at least two security officers and wounded several other people when two suicide bombers blew themselves up after being stopped, Syrian state media reported, in the first targeting of the area for several months.
 

The world heritage site, Mahabodhi temple, a Buddhist temple in Gaya district of Bihar which has became completely cashless.
●    The new cashless system became fully operational from Saturday. 
●    After the new cashless system became operational, devotes both domestic and foreign would be able to donate money for the temple using their debit or credit cards. 
●    The new cashless system was inaugurated by the Gaya District Magistrate Ravi Kumar.
●    The Mahabodhi temple management has installed several swipe machine at all the cash counters in the temple to facilitate devotees. 
●    Once the cashless system started to function, Buddhist monks donated Rs 500 to the temple using the credit card.

Rafael Nadal ended an injury-plagued 2016 on a high by lifting the Mubadala World Tennis Championship title for a fourth time on Saturday.
●    The 30-year-old Spaniard defeated 11th-ranked Belgian David Goffin 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) in their first meeting after world number one Andy Murray earlier ousted Canada's Milos Raonic 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) to take third place.
●    Nadal's 2016 campaign had been ruined by a wrist injury that forced him out of Roland Garros after the second round and saw him miss Wimbledon.
●    But he looked in form throughout the exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi, beating Czech Tomas Berdych in the quarter-final and Raonic in the semi-finals.

Nepal rejected India’s ‘open sky’ proposal at a meeting held at New Delhi on 20 December 2016. The proposal was to allow unlimited flights between the two countries.
Nepal explained its decision by saying that it was not ready for the agreement and might consider it two years later. Currently, airlines of both the nations are allowed to operate only 30000 seats from each side.
●    The committee would convene in the first week of February 2017 to check the feasibility of the requested routes.
●    Nepal has been looking to ease congestion on its existing air routes since long to save time and cost for its passengers. 
●    To enable the same, the nation is building a major international airport at Bhairahawa in Lumbini, western Nepal. Another airport at Pokhara is also being developed to reach up to international standards. 
●    The topic of increased air routes and service was raised in the joint statement issued by India and Nepal during the visit of Nepal’s Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
●    According to the National Civil Aviation Policy, which was approved by the Union Cabinet earlier this year, India plans to initiate the ‘open sky’ agreement with all the SAARC countries and even those located beyond 5000 km radius from New Delhi.
●    Generally, countries sign air agreements to decide the number of flights that airlines can fly between them. 

The United States on Wednesday announced it was adding the student wing of the Pakistan-based militant organization, Lashkar-e-Taiba, to its list of "foreign terrorist organizations."Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), or Army of the Pure, is an anti-Indian militant group with historical ties to Pakistan's top spy agencies. 
●    It has been accused of orchestrating numerous attacks, including a 2008 assault in Mumbai that killed 166 people, six of them Americans.
●    The State Department announced that it amended the designation of LeT as a "foreign terrorist organization" to include what it called the group's student wing.
●    "Since the original designation occurred, LeT has repeatedly changed its name and created front organizations in an effort to avoid sanctions," the State Department said, adding that the student group aided senior LeT leaders in recruiting and other activities.
●    The State Department action subjected the student group to sanctions, including a ban on Americans providing or attempting to provide it with material support.
●    The Treasury Department said it was adding Muhammad Sarwar and Shahid Mahmood to the U.S. list of "specially designated global terrorists," freezing any U.S. property or other assets they hold and banning Americans from doing business with them. 
●    Both are involved in fund-raising activities, it said.
●    Sarwar, the department said, is the LeT leader in Lahore and Mahmood is a senior LeT leader in Karachi and has routinely traveled outside Pakistan on the group's behalf.
 

Colombia’s Congress passed a law on Wednesday offering amnesty to thousands of demobilizing Marxist guerrilla fighters accused of minor crimes in the country’s decades-long civil war.
●    The move is a key part of a revised peace deal between the government and the FARC rebels. 
●    It sailed through Congress after the right-wing opposition abstained from voting.
●    It means that the path is clear to guarantee the demobilization and disarmament of FARC members in the first half of next year,” said Interior Minister Juan Fernando Cristo. 
●    It’s no more and no less than the end of a 52-year conflict with the FARC. 
●    The FARC’s abandonment of arms is now in the hands of the United Nations so that the entire process of implementing the accords can begin.
●    Those found guilty of war crimes will not be eligible for the amnesty.
●    After four years of talks, the government and FARC agreed on a revised peace deal late November after the last one was rejected in a referendum. 

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has inaugurated a nuclear power facility built with the assistance of China.
●    The plant at Chashma, in Pakistan's Punjab province, adds 340 megawatts to the national grid. Beijing has already constructed two other nuclear reactors, with a combined capacity of more than 600 megawatts.
●    The three power plants at Chashma are known as C-1, C-2 and C-3 respectively. They are are part of broader plans to overcome long-running crippling power shortages in Pakistan.
●    Pakistan built its first nuclear power plant of 137 megawatts at Karachi in 1972 and it is still in operation, though at a much reduced capacity.
●    China is the only country helping Pakistan build nuclear power plants because Western nations have put a moratorium on the supply of these facilities citing Islamabad’s nuclear weapons program.
●    Under a multi-billion dollar cooperation agreement, Beijing is also helping Pakistan construct a network of roads, rails, communication and power projects to boostties between the two traditionally close allies.

Andy Murray received a knighthood in Queen Elizabeth II’s New Year’s Honors list yesterday, recognition from the monarch for reaching the pinnacle of tennis by winning his second Wimbledon and Olympic titles on his way to topping the rankings.
●    The 29-year-old Murray was previously named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, or OBE, in 2012 after becoming Olympic champion for the first time.
●    Joining Murray in being knighted in British sports is Mo Farah, who retained his 5,000- and 10,000-meter titles at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August, becoming the first British track and field athlete to win four Olympic gold medals.
●    Lee Pearson, who won his 11th Paralympic gold in equestrian in Rio, was also knighted. He already held the MBE, OBE and CBE for services to equestrianism and to disabled sport.

Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment launched the ‘Mobile App and Facebook Page’ of the National Trust at a function to mark the ‘National Trust Foundation Day’  on the theme “Celebrating Inclusion” here today. Ministers of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Krishan Pal Gujjar and Shri Ramdas Athawale, Secretary, DoEPwD Shri N.S. Kang, Shri Kamlesh Pandey, Chairman National Trust  and Shri Mukesh Jain, CEO of the Trust also graced the occasion. The objective of the function was to create awareness amongst various professionals and stakeholders and also the creation of support network for these persons with disabilities by sensitizing unreached section of society.
 
●    Addressing on the occasion, Shri Thawarchand Gehlot said that the National Trust Act for the welfare of persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities was passed in the Parliament on 30th December 1999 and it is working for the welfare of Divyangjans with commitment. He said that the National Trust is having 10 schemes for overall development of persons with disabilities which have been revised and launched last year and it has reached more than 74000 PwDs through its schemes. The Government is working on providing “Universal Identity Cards” to all Divyangjans which will be valid in all States for all schemes, he added.
●    Shri Ramdas Athawale in his address said that the objective of National Trust is to create the support network for the persons with disabilities by sensitizing unreached section of society. Shri Krishan Pal Gujjar addressing on the occasion said that the Government is committed to the objectives set for the welfare of persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities. Shri Kamlesh Pandey dwelt upon the various schemes and programmes of the National Trust for the welfare of the Divyangjans.
●    On this occasion many cultural performances were presented by Divyangjan children, viz. Group performed by Cheshire Homes India Delhi Unit; All religion Prayer by  Manovikas Charitable Society; Dance performance on ‘Maa’Song by Akshaya Pratisthan; Dance performance on  ‘Raghupati Raghav Rajaram’ song by Tamanna; Music performance on “Char Kadam” by Sense International and Anthem of “Vishwaas” by Vishwas.     
●    The National Trust is a Statutory Body under Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. The National Trust Act for the welfare of persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities was passed in the Parliament on 30th December 1999. Thus-30th December- the Foundation Day of National Trust- is a day on which National Trust re-commits itself to the objectives set before it for the welfare of persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities.

General Dalbir Singh, the Chief of Army Staff, after an illustrious career spanning over four decades, handed over the baton to General Bipin Rawat  in a ceremony held at South Block today. 
●    Amongst numerous achievements, the tenure of Gen Dalbir Singh was operationally significant wherein a high tempo of operations was maintained  in J&K and North East. Gen Dalbir Singh laid a wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti and was accorded a guard of honour  at South Block Lawns prior to relinquishing as COAS.
●    General Bipin Rawat took over as the 27th Chief of the Army Staff. The General Officer was tenanting the appointment of the Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) of the Indian Army from 01 Sep 2016.
●    General Bipin Rawat was commissioned in the Fifth Battalion of the Eleven Gorkha Rifles in December 1978, from Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, where he was awarded the ‘Sword of Honour’.  The General Officer has vast experience in high altitude warfare and counter insurgency operations.  
●    He commanded an Infantry battalion, along the Line of Actual Control in the Eastern Sector; a Rashtriya Rifles Sector and an Infantry Division in the Kashmir Valley, a Corps in the Eastern theatre and the Southern Command. He has tenanted instructional appointments at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and at Army War College, Mhow.