GK and Current Affairs Updates

The International Day of Yoga was on 21 June 2016 observed across the world with the theme Connect the Youth.
•    This year’s observance of the Day highlights the important role healthy living plays in the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals, adopted in 2015 by all 193 UN Member States.
•    In India, the Union Government organized the event titled The National Event of Mass Yoga Demonstration at the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh where Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself performed yoga.
•    The idea to celebrate 21 June as the International Day of Yoga was initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 27 September 2014 during his address to the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
•    Following this, the UNGA on 11 December 2014 adopted the resolution to commemorate 21 June as the International Day of Yoga every year.
•    This resolution was adopted under the Global Health and Foreign Policy by the General Assembly in order to provide a holistic approach to the people worldwide for their health and well-being. 
•    More than 177 countries including USA, Canada, China and Egypt supported this move including 175 nations co-sponsoring the resolution.
•    Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India and is now practiced in various forms around the world. 
•    It finds mention in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the author of the grammatical Mahabhasya.
•    The word yoga is derived from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and consciousness. 
•    Yoga balances body and soul, physical health and mental well-being.

Chinese supercomputer Sunway TaihuLight with 93 petaflop/second speed was on 20 June 2016 declared as the world’s fastest supercomputer. 
•    It was revealed in the TOP500 list of supercomputers released at the International Supercomputing Conference (ISC) in Frankfurt, Germany.
•    The list further revealed that the USA is not home to the largest number of systems. With a surge in industrial and research installations registered over the last few years, China leads with 167 systems and the USA is second with 165.
•    Asian share of 218 systems, up from 173 in November 2015, includes 8 supercomputers owned by Indian-based organizations.
•    This supercomputer can perform 93 petaflop operations per second.
•    It was developed by the National Research Center of Parallel Computer Engineering & Technology (NRCPC) and installed at the National Supercomputing Center in Wuxi.
•    It displaced the Tianhe-2, an Intel-based Chinese supercomputer that has claimed the top spot on the previous six TOP500 lists.
•    With 10649600 computing cores comprising 40960 nodes, is twice as fast and three times as efficient as Tianhe-2.
•    Sunway TaihuLight demonstrates the significant progress that China has made in the domain of designing and manufacturing large-scale computation systems as it is completely based on homegrown processors.

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi is a huge Yoga fanatic. Two years ago at the UN General Assembly, he declared the 21st of June, i.e. the longest day in the year, as International Yoga Day.
•    And this year, in commemoration of the second iteration of International Yoga Day, the PM has released a set of postage stamps, based on the Surya Namaskar.
•    The twelve stamps feature all the twelve Asanas that make up the Surya Namaskar.
•    Among the twelve, six stamps have a value of five rupees, and the other six are valued at twenty-five rupees.
•    This marks the kicking off of a worldwide celebration of Yoga as a way of life beyond just exercise.
•    Surya Namaskara is a scientific technique combining twelve asanas in a sequence. 
•    Its origins lie in India where its large Hindu population worships Surya, the Hindu solar deity.
•    This sequence of movements and asanas can be practice on varying levels of awareness, ranging from that of physical exercise in various styles, to a complete sadhana which incorporates asana, pranayama, mantra and chakra meditation. 
•    It is often the beginning vinyasa within a longer yoga series. 
•    Sūrya Namaskāra may also refer to other styles of "Salutations to the Sun". The Sun Salutation is regularly practice in many Indian schools.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed a sweeping liberalisation of rules on foreign direct investment (FDI) on Monday, saying they would make Asia's third-largest economy the most open in the world.
•    Key reform decisions were taken at a high level meeting chaired by the PM, which makes India the most open economy in the world for FDI,
•    Changes would provide a "major impetus to employment and job creation in India."
•    Government on Monday relaxed FDI norms in a host of sectors including civil aviation, single-brand retail, defence and pharma by permitting more investments under automatic route.
•    Other sectors in which FDI norms have been relaxed include e-commerce in food products, broadcasting carriage services, private security agencies and animal husbandry.
•    The decision to further liberalise FDI regime with the objective of "providing major impetus to employment and job creation in India" was taken at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today.

Aircraft (BTA) HTT-40 in BengaluruPublic sector aerospace Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on 17 June 2016 unveiled indigenous Basic Trainer Aircraft (BTA) HTT-40 in Bengaluru.
•    The aircraft made its maiden flight at HAL Airport in Bengaluru and was flown by Group Captain C Subramaniam and Group Captain Venugopal for about 10 to 15 minutes.
•    Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40) is two-seater aircraft designed and developed indigenously by the HAL. 
•    The aircraft weighs about 2800 kg and has Turbo Prop engine of 950 shp class. 
•    Almost 50 percent of the components on HTT-40 are manufactured by private players of the Indian aerospace manufacturers. 
•    The indigenous content on HTT-40 is close to 80 percent.
•    HTT-40 will be used for the first-stage training for all flying cadets of the three services. 
•    The programme aims to achieve its operational clearance by 2018.
•    Moreover, it will be used to meet the current requirement of the Indian Air Force with the provision for role expansion to attach weapons to the trainer aircraft.

History was created as the first three women fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force proudly brandished their stripes and wings, at the Combined Graduation Parade at Air Force Academy, Dundigal on the outskirts of the twin city.
•    The vanguards of the IAF roared into the sky and smeared the sky with tricolor as India joined the select few nations in the world that have women fighter pilots in their Air Forces when Flying Officer Avani Chaturvedi, Flying Officer Bhawana Kanth and Flying Officer Mohana Singh were conferred with the President’s Commission. 
•    Shri Manohar Parrikar, Hon’ble Minister of Defence, graced the solemn ceremony as the Chief Guest and reviewed the Combined Graduation Parade. 
•    The Chief Guest was received by Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vayu Sena Medal, Aide-de-camp, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal SRK Nair Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vayu Sena Medal, Mention-in-Despatch, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command, and Air Marshal GP Singh Vayu Sena Medal, Commandant Air Force Academy.
•    On this momentous occasion, a total of 130 Flight Cadets including 22 women trainees were commissioned as Flying Officers, at their alma-mater, the Air Force Academy, the ‘Cradle of Leadership’ that has procreated generations of prodigious leaders.
•    It was also indeed a proud moment for 93 young pilots and seven navigators who earned their coveted ‘Wings and Brevets’, along with nine officers of Navy and one officer of Coast Guard, on successful completion of their intricate and vigorous flying training. Hon’ble Minister of Defence gave away various awards to the Flying officers who had excelled in their training. 
•    Flying Officer Adarsh Hooda from the Flying branch was awarded President’s Plaque and the Chief of the Air Staff ‘Sword of Honour’ for standing first in Overall Merit in Pilot Course.
•    Flying Officer Narendra Kushwaha and Flying Officer Sahil Yadav were awarded President’s Plaque for being first in overall merit in Navigation and Ground Duty branches respectively. 
•    All the esteemed guests, including proud parents of the graduating trainees and various military and civilian dignitaries, were held spellbound at the grand ceremony.

The Ministry of Shipping is organizing a workshop with various stakeholders and industry representatives on 20th June 2016 between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in Indian Habitat Centre, New Delhi to discuss ways and means to promote water transportation and make it competitive to roads and railways transportation. 
•    The waterways mode of transportation is fuel-efficient, environment – friendly, and capable of easing traffic congestion on roads and railways thus preventing loss of human lives due to accidents. 
•    The Government of India is committed to promote coastal shipping and inland waterways transportation and has envisioned the increasing of the share of waterways transportation mode from the present level of 7% to 10% by 2020.
•    To optimize utilization of waterways as a transportation mode many important steps have already been taken, which include
(i)    moderating manning and technical requirements for vessels operating within Indian territorial waters through a river sea vessel notification; 
(ii)    declaring the inland vessel limits for facilitating coastal trade operations; (iii) issuing coastal shipping rules for coastal vessels operating within 20 miles off the coast; 
(iii)    advising major ports to introduce green channel for coastal cargo, priority berthing for coastal vessels and construction of exclusive coastal berths; 
(iv)    exempting customs and Central Excise duty on bunker fuels (IFO 180 and IFO 380 CST) for use by coastal vessels carrying EXIM cargo or empty containers or domestic cargo between two ports, in India; 
(v)    bringing abatement of service tax at 70% for coastal shipping at par with road and rail; 
(vi)    Simplification of customs procedures, etc. 

The government on Monday allowed 100 % FDI in aviation sector under automatic route in Greenfield Projects and 74% FDI in Brownfield Projects under automatic route.
•    As per the present FDI policy, foreign investment up to 49% is allowed under automatic route in Scheduled Air Transport Service/ Domestic Scheduled Passenger Airline and regional Air Transport Service. 
•    It has now been decided to raise this limit to 100%, with FDI up to 49% permitted under automatic route and FDI beyond 49% through Government approval.
•    However, foreign airlines would continue to be allowed to invest in capital of Indian companies operating scheduled and non-scheduled air-transport services up to the limit of 49% of their paid up capital and subject to the laid down conditions in the existing policy.
•    With a view to aid in modernization of the existing airports to establish a high standard and help ease the pressure on the existing airports, it has been decided to permit 100% FDI under automatic route in Brownfield Airport projects.

Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) have joined hands to set up a facility here to co-produce Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopter fuselages and other aero structures.
•    Defence minister Manohar Parrikar on Saturday laid the foundation stone of Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL) at the aerospace Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Adibatla on the city outskirts.
•    The facility will also deal in integrated systems in aerospace.
•    The Hyderabad production facility will eventually be the sole producer of AH-64 fuselage globally.
•    The AH-64 Apache is the world's most advanced multi-role combat helicopter and used by the US forces as well as many other countries, including India.
•    Parrikar termed the joint venture one of the initial big foreign direct investments in defence and aerospace under the government's 'Make in India' initiative.
•    He said things would be speeded up during the current financial year and hoped that there will be more such projects by the end of 2016-17.
•    Boeing and TASL last year signed a framework agreement to collaborate in aerospace and defense manufacturing and potential integrated systems development opportunities, including unmanned aerial vehicles.
•    TASL, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, is already on contract to manufacture aerostructures for Boeing's CH-47 Chinook and AH-6i helicopters.
•    TASL already has partnership with major players like Ruag, Cobham, Pilatus, Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky and Airbus.
•    Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems.
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Nico Rosberg of Germany on 19 June 2016 won the European Grand Prix Formula 1 championship in Baku, Azerbaijan.
•    To win the title, the Mercedes driver overcame Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany in the final race.
•    In this championship, Rosberg completed second career Grand Slam. Prior to him, only Lewis Hamilton, Mika Hakkinen, Jack Brabham and Juan Manuel Fangio could able to achieve this rare feat.
•    He recorded the first career Grand Slam in Russian Grand Prix in May 2016. Grand Slam in Formula One racing denotes winning a race from pole while leading every lap and scoring the fastest lap.
•    For Rosberg, it was the first European title and the 5th title in 2016 season as he stood as the champion in Austria, Bahrain, China and Russia also.
•    Overall, it was the 19th title since the beginning of his career in 2006.
•    The Formula 1 event was introduced during the mid-1980s. It was held regularly between 1999 and 2012.
•    The race was removed from the calendar in 2013. In 2016, the race returned, being run on a street circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan.
•    In earlier years, the European Grand Prix was not a race in its own right but just an honorific title.
•    The first race to be so named was the 1923 Italian Grand Prix, held at Monza and won by Carlo Salamano in a Fiat and the last one was the 1977 British Grand Prix.
•    Since its reintroduction, the European Grand Prix has usually been held in a country in Europe that also holds a national Grand Prix in that same year.