GK and Current Affairs Updates

 The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today gave it’s approval for creation of a supernumerary post in the rank of Air Marshal in Indian Air Force for a period of seventeen months from 01 December, 2014 to 30 April, 2016 for abiding by the Orders of Hon’ble Armed Forces Tribunal (Principal Bench), New Delhi. The creation of the supernumerary post is over and above its sanctioned strength of Air Marshals in the Aeronautical Engineering branch, to enable the Ministry to consider seeking approval of the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet on promotion of AVM Sanjay Sharma, in accordance with the proceedings of Review Special Promotion Board -2014 in compliance with the directions of the Hon'ble Armed Forces Tribunal (Principal Bench), New Delhi.

 President Pranab Mukherjee conferred honorary ‘General of the Indian Army’ rank to Nepalese Army Chief General Rajendra Chettri who is on a six-day official visit to India. The honour was given for his military prowess and immeasurable contribution to fostering Nepal’s long and friendly association with India, at a special investiture ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

 Former Lok Sabha Speaker and veteran Congress leader Balram Jakhar passed away on Wednesday here at the age of 92. Jakhar was elected to the Punjab Legislative Assembly in 1972 and was re-elected in 1977 becoming the Leader of the Opposition.. As Speaker of Lok Sabha he was an instrument for automation and computerization of Parliamentary works. He promoted Parliament library, reference, research, documentation and information services for the knowledge and use of members of Parliament. The establishment of Parliament Museum was his contribution. He was first Asian to be elected as Chairman of Commonwealth Parliamentarian Executive Forum. He became the Central Agriculture minister in 1991 in P. V. Narasimha Rao Ministry. He was Governor of Madhya Pradesh state from 30 June 2004 to 30 May 2009.

 In a tit-for-tat, Bangladesh and Pakistan have reportedly detained each others diplomatic staff amid a spat between them over the 1971 war crimes trial. Bangladesh foreign ministry officials said the personal officer of a Bangladeshi diplomat in Islamabad went missing yesterday and returned home "unhurt" early this morning.

Dhaka-Islamabad ties have witnessed tragedy over Pakistan’s pointy reactions following executions of dual vital 1971 fight crimes convicts Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, who were found guilty of carrying out atrocities during a ransom fight opposite Pakistan.

The World Health Organization declared the Zika virus and its suspected link to birth defects an international public health emergency, a rare move that signals the seriousness of the outbreak and gives countries new tools to fight it. An outbreak of the Zika virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, was detected in Brazil in May and has since moved into more than 20 countries in Latin America, including two new ones announced: Costa Rica and Jamaica.

Zika virus is related to dengue, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, and West Nile viruses. The illness it causes is similar to a mild form of dengue fever, is treated by rest, and cannot yet be prevented by drugs or vaccines. There is a possible link between Zika fever and microcephaly in newborn babies by mother-to-child transmission, as well as a stronger one with neurologic conditions in infected adults, including cases of the Guillain–Barré syndrome.

In pursuing the gigantic task of Ganga cleaning, the Union water resources ministry has signed a joint memorandum of understanding (MoU) with seven ministries to carry forward multi-sectoral activities for minimum three years to rejuvenate the river. The HRD ministry and Ministries of shipping, tourism, drinking water and rural development are the parties to the MoU.

Some previous efforts to clean up the humungous water resource include:

The Ganga Action Plan or GAP was a program launched in January 1985 by the then Prime Minister Rajeev Gandhi, to reduce the pollution load on the river. But the efforts to decrease the pollution level in the river were unsuccessful.

National River Ganga Basin Authority (NRGBA), was established by the Central Government of India, on 20^th February 2009 under Section 3 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986. It declared the Ganga as the "National River" of India. In 2011, the World Bank "approved $1 billion in funding for the National Ganga River Basin Authority."

In the budget tabled in Parliament on 10^th July 2014, the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced an integrated Ganga development project titled 'Namami Ganga' and allocated Rs.2,037 crore for this purpose.

As a part of the program, government of India ordered the shut down of 48 industrial units around Ganga.

 The Modi government's flagship programme 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao', initially launched in 100 districts, will now be extended to 61 more districts owing to its success. The programme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Sonipat in Haryana last year, seeks to improve the declining trend of child sex ratio in selected districts from the current level of 918 by preventing gender-biased sex selection and ensuring "survival, protection and education" of the girl child. 

The Anandiben led Gujarat govt was criticized by the supreme Court of the country for failure in implementing the National Food Security Act due to some insecurities about the bill. The SC condemned the behaviour calling it unconstitutional.

The National Food Security Act, 2013 (also Right to Food Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India which aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two thirds of India's 1.2 billion people. It was signed into law on 12 September 2013, retroactive to 5 July 2013. The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA 2013) converts into legal entitlements for existing food security programmes of the Government of India. It includes the Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services scheme and the Public Distribution System. Further, the NFSA 2013 recognizes maternity entitlements. The Midday Meal Scheme and the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme are universal in nature whereas the PDS will reach about two-thirds of the population (75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas).

 The court heard a "curative petition" - meant to "cure" an earlier court order perceived as a "miscarriage of justice". Three senior judges said the 2013 ruling would be re-examined by a larger bench of judges, in a move that has been welcomed by activists.

According to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), a 155-year-old colonial-era law, a same-sex relationship is an "unnatural offence".

In deeply conservative India, homosexuality is a taboo and many people still regard same-sex relationships as illegitimate.

 Brazilian football star Neymar has appeared in court in connection with allegations of corruption and fraud surrounding his transfer to FC Barcelona.The case was brought by Brazilian third-party investment fund DIS, which owned 40% of the Brazilian player's sports rights.