GK and Current Affairs Updates

China used its latest green rocket design to carry 20 micro-satellites into space.The Long March–6 was successfully launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in north China’s Shanxi Province.While it won’t earn a Greenpeace sticker, the Long March–6 is about as environmentally friendly as rockets get. It is fuelled by a liquid propellant made of liquid oxygen and kerosene.

Boffins at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation say it is the nation’s first rocket to use fuel that is pollution and toxin-free.The Long March–6 is a small carrier rocket. It will be mainly used to launch micro-satellites and to make China more competitive in the lucrative market for commercial satellite launches.China is largely secretive about its space programme, which is closely tied to the country’s military. It is less reticent about its scientific ambitions and its planned lunar mission.While the Long March–6 was popping out satellites, a larger Long March–5 rocket was making its way from the northern port of Tianjin ready for a rehearsal of the Chang’e–5 lunar mission scheduled for 2017.

P V Chandran of the Mathrubhumi group was  elected President of the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) for 2015-16 at its annual general meeting held here. Chandran, who succeeds Kiran B Vadodaria of Sambhaav Metro, is the Managing Editor and one of the whole-time Directors of the Mathrubhumi group looking after 'Grihalakshmi', an exclusive magazine for women. Somesh Sharma of Rashtradoot Saptahik is the new Deputy President of INS while Akila Urankar of Business Standard is the Vice President and Mohit Jain (Economic Times) is the Honorary Treasurer. V Shankaran was elected Secretary General of the Society. 

The 41-member new Executive Committee includes K Balaji(The Hindu Weekly), Vijay Kumar Chopra (PunjabKesari, Jalandhar), 

Viveck Goenka (The Indian Express, Mumbai), Mahendra Mohan Gupta (Dainik Jagran), Sanjay Gupta (Dainik Jagran, Varanasi), R Lakshmipathy (Dinamalar), Naresh Mohan (Sunday Statesman), M P Veerendra Kumar (Mathrubhumi), Hormusji N Cama (Bombay Samachar Weekly) and Ravindra Kumar (The Statesman).

About Indian Newspaper Society

The Indian Newspaper Society (INS) (formerly Indian and Eastern Newspaper Society) acts as the central organization of the Press of India, an independent body authenticating circulation figures of newspapers and periodicals in India. It is an organization which plays a major role in protecting and promoting the freedom of press in India. The society was founded in 1939. Its headquarters are at Rafi Marg, New Delhi. INS membership comprises the owners, proprietors and publishers of print media who discusses and suggest various measures to the government regarding the problems related to the newspaper industry. It is a kind of pressure group which works to protect the interest of newspaper industry in particular and print media in general.On February 27, 2014, the Society marked its Platinum Jubilee with a celebration at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. The President of India, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, was Chief Guest and gave away commemorative plaques to extant founding members - Bombay Chronicle, The Hindu, The Hindustan Times, The Pioneer, The Statesman, The Times of India and The Tribune. On this occasion, President Mukherjee was also presented the first copy of a book "Threescore and Fifteen - The Story of the Indian Newspaper Society" written by INS president Ravindra Kumar.

The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh at the inauguration of a Conference of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the State Human Rights Commissions (SHRCs), in New Delhi on September 18, 2015.

The Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Justice Cyriac Joseph and other dignitaries are also seen.Speaking after inaugurating a meeting of the NHRC and the SHRC at the National Agricultural Science Complex, the Home Minister stressed the need for strengthening of infrastructure of the Commissions.”There is the problem of lack of infrastructure which needs to be strengthened. It is necessary to solve the problem of infrastructure to make any system effective. The government will implement the recommendations of both the NHRC and the SHRC officers in this regard after reviewing it,” he said.

Referring to some people questioning the death sentence given to the 1993 Mumbai blast convict Yakub Memon, Mr Singh said, ”Few questions are being raised about the rights of the persons who threatened national security. Some people raise questions about the human rights of the 1993 Mumbai blast convict Yakub Memon, who was given death sentence by the judiciary.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi,  launched a significant financial inclusion initiative in Varanasi. A total of 101 e-rickshaws, 501 pedal rickshaws, and push-carts are being given as part of this initiative. The beneficiaries will also get bank accounts and RuPay cards under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana. The e-rickshaws are equipped with digital gadgets including GPRS and cameras.  The initiative has been synergized through various financial institutions including SIDBI, IDBI Bank, UCO Bank and the American India Foundation. Senior officials of these organizations were present on the occasion.  The Prime Minister declared that this event marked the beginning of an initiative that would bring about a change in the fortunes of the people of Varanasi. He said a lot has been said about removal of poverty, but those efforts have not brought adequate results for several decades. He said that there is a need to increase the pace and the scale of the outcomes of the initiatives to remove poverty. He said the poor are willing to work hard to improve the lives of the future generations. In this connection, the Prime Minister said that the Union Government was putting emphasis on skill development, to help make the poor self-reliant. The Prime Minister had earlier interacted with some of the beneficiaries who received rickshaws and push-carts. He shared their dreams with the gathering, which ranged from a better education for their children, to a boost in income that would result from enhanced sales with the aid of a push-cart.  

Union Minister for MSME Shri Kalraj Mishra inaugurated GUJARAT KHADI UTSAV”, Exhibition of Khadi products from Gujarat under Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme, the Union minister said that such programmes should be organized in other states also as they encourage local art and culture. Appreciating efforts of Khadi Bhavan he stated that KVIC has become a center of cultural unity of the country. The Minister further added that this will bring in more sustainability and viability to the Khadi institutions and micro enterprises working across the country. He also said that there has been positive change in the minds of youth after organizing Khadi Utsavs in Universities and colleges.  

   It may be recalled that the Election Commission of India had introduced ‘NOTA’ – ‘None of the Above’ option on ballot papers displayed on EVMs and all other ballot papers with effect from 11th October, 2013, pursuant to Supreme Court’s Order dated 27th September, 2013.    

 The Election Commission of India has now introduced a specific symbol, like other election symbols, shown below, for ‘None of the Above (NOTA)’ option, to facilitate the voters in exercising their NOTA option.  This symbol will now appear in the last panel on all EVMs and the others ballot papers against the ‘None of the Above (NOTA)’ option at all elections to be held from now onwards.  The necessary instructions have been issued to all the Chief Electoral Officers in this regard.The main objective of the ‘NOTA’ option is to enable electors who do not wish to vote for any of the candidates to exercise their right not to vote for any candidate without violation of the secrecy of their decision.

 The symbol for ‘None of the Above (NOTA)’ option has been designed by National Institute of Design (NID) Ahmedabad.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has adopted Barauliya village in Amethi, the Parliamentary constituency of Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, under Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojna.The minister has adopted the village in Gauriganj assembly segment which falls under Amethi Parliamentary constituency, BJP district unit president Durgesh Tiwari said. Former Goa Chief Minister Parrikar is also a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh. Interestingly, HRD Minister Smriti Irani, who unsuccessfully contested against Rahul Gandhi, has maintained an active relationship with the constituency with her regular visits.

Minister of Railways has made a statement in the Budget Speech 2015 that Indian Railways shall fit Vacuum toilets on trains. Development Cell of the Railway Board has come up with a design that combines the advantages of Vacuum toilets and those of Biotoilets to create a new design of “Hybrid Vacuum Toilet”. A prototype has been made by modifying the standard flushing protocol of a vacuum toilet so as to create water seal and additional post flush cycles and this concept has been converted into a working prototype by Indian Railways as a first ever system of its kind to have been developed and built by any railway system in the world. This newly developed toilet has been fitted in one coach No. 153002/C FAC that is running in Dibrugarh Rajdhani for trail. 

The prototype consists of a custom designed Vacuum toilet adapted from a commercially available vacuum toilet that is used in aircrafts which evacuates its discharge into a biodigester tank which is now successfully proven in the biotoilets of Indian Railways. The biodigester tank is fitted underneath the coach and contains anaerobic bacteria that converts human fecal matter into water and small amount of gases before discharging the same on the ground/track. 

ICICI bank CEO Chanda Kochhar is among three Indians selected for this year's Asia Game Changer awards given by Asia Society to honour "true leaders making a positive contribution to the future of Asia."Indian-American actor Aasif Mandvi, 49, and designer Kiran Bir Sethi, 49, also made it to the list besides Kochhar, 53.

Champion Boxer and Philanthropist from the Philippines Manny Pacquiao is the 2015 Asia Game Changer of the Year "for using his sport and his star power as forces for good," Asia Soceity, the leading global cultural organisation, announced.

The honorees will be bestowed the honour at the Asia Game Changer Awards dinner and celebration at the UN in October.The New York-based organisation said Ms Kochhar "not only made history" by becoming the first woman to head an Indian bank but she also transformed the entire Indian retail banking industry.

Mr Mandvi has become a powerful spokesperson for Muslims and Asian-Americans. Mumbai-born Mandvi has "challenged stereotypes" and provided a voice for Muslim-Americans, changing the game in terms of how Asians are viewed on TV.In 2015, he co-wrote, produced and acted in the web series 'Halal in the Family' for the popular comedy site Funny or Die, using the sitcom format to tackle Islamophobia.

The Asia Game Changer Awards, launched by the Asia Society in 2014, are designed to fill a vital gap, identifying and honoring true leaders making a positive contribution to the future of Asia. These awards are bestowed annually to individuals, organizations, and movements that have inspired, enlightened, and shown true leadership in areas that reflect Asia Society’s core pillars of policy and business, arts and culture, and education.Asia Society is thrilled to honor these people and their achievements, and to share their triumphs with the rest of the world, as they are each living representatives of the Asia Society mission: to promote mutual understanding and strengthen partnerships among peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia, the United States, and the world. We invite you to join us in creating the atmosphere and conditions for future Asia Game Changers to develop and thrive.

India and the US have created a "joint challenge coin" to symbolise their unique partnership in creating a next-generation aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy.One side of the coin reads "Forward Together We Go" and "Chale Chale Saath Saath" in Hindi; which is the vision statement of US President Barack Obama Prime Minister Narendra Modi, issued in their first meeting at the White House last September.The other side of this coin, which is golden in colour, has the maps of India and the United States and an aircraft carrier floating on blue water.The "joint challenge coin" was created by the joint working group at their first meeting in US last month "to symbolise partnership", Keith Webster, Director and International Cooperation Office of the Under Secretary of Defence for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.

During Obama's visit to India in January, the two countries had announced the establishment of a working group for a next-generation aircraft carrier to bolster the Indian Navy's blue-water capabilities, which held its first-ever meeting in Washington last month.