GK DIGEST – JANUARY 2016 Ramandeep Singh WWW.BANKEXAMSTODAY.COM GK Digest – January 2016 Sr. NO. Particulars Page No. 1 International Events 2 – 7 2 National 7 – 26 3 Trade/Business 26 – 38 4 Appointments 39 – 47 5 Sports 47 – 54 6 Awards 55 – 61 7 Death 61 – 65 8 Books 65 – 66 BankExamsToday.com Page 1 GK DigestInternational– January 2016 Cabinet of Somalia agreed on Election Model services to help the entry into service and outlined by Mogadishu Declaration 2015 efficient operations of these new aircraft. Cabinet of Somalia on 28 January 2016 agreed on Election Model outlined by the Mogadishu Declaration. The declaration, which was adopted International Day of Commemoration in in December 2015, calls for the electoral process memory of the victims of the Holocaust in Somalia to establish a new, bicameral Federal observed Parliament in 2016, based on inclusivity and International Day of Commemoration in memory representation. of the victims of the Holocaust was observed on 27 January 2016 across the world. The day was The new electoral model envisioned a 275- proclaimed so by the United Nations General member lower house which maintains a Assembly. power-sharing formula among clans and a The theme for the Holocaust 54-member upper house based on equal remembrance and education activities in representation of existing, emerging and the year 2016 including the Holocaust prospective federal states plus additional Memorial Ceremony is The Holocaust and seats for Puntland and Somaliland. Human Dignity. It also requires that a minimum of 30 percent of seats be reserved for women. Iran, Airbus signed deal to buy 118 Airbus Denmark is the world’s least corrupt country planes Iran and Airbus on 28 January 2016 signed two Denmark has emerged as the least corrupt agreements covering new aircraft orders and a country in the world for a fourth consecutive comprehensive civil aviation co-operation year, according to the non-governmental package. The agreement includes purchase of organisation Transparency International. 118 new Airbus aircrafts. The agreement for 118 new aircraft It scored 91 points out of a possible 100 includes 21 A320ceo family, 24 A320neo while North Korea and Somalia remained family, 27 A330ceo family, 18 A330neo (- at the bottom with unchanged scores of 900), 16 A350-1000 and 12 A380. 8. The agreements were signed at the Elysee Finland and Sweden ranked second and Palace, Paris, during Iranian President third respectively on the 2015 Corruption Hassan Rouhani’s official visit to France Perceptions Index, while North Korea and with French President Francois Hollande. Somalia were named the most corrupt Iran Air and Airbus signed an agreement out of 196 nations. for the acquisition of the full range of new India took the 76th spot on the list. Airbus airliners (73 wide-bodied and 45 single aisles). This includes pilot and maintenance training and support BankExamsToday.com Page 2 6th National Voters’ Day observed GKwith Digesttheme – January 2016reconnaissance technologies as tensions Inclusive and Qualitative Participation rise with China over the disputed South 6th National Voters’ Day (NVD) was observed China Sea, they said. across the country on 25 January 2016 by the Election Commission of India. The theme for the 6th National Voters’ Day is ‘Inclusive and Qualitative Participation’. First Ministerial Meeting of Arab-India The Commission’s objective through NVD Cooperation Forum held at Manama is to increase enrolment of voters, The first Ministerial Meeting of Arab-India especially of the newly eligible ones. The Cooperation Forum was held Manama, capital National function of the NVD was held in city of Bahrain. New Delhi and presided over by President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. The meeting was inaugurated by On the occasion, the Chief Election Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Khalid bin Commissioner Dr. Nasim Zaidi also Ahmed Al Khalifa and was attended by released a book titled, ‘Belief in the Ballot’ representatives of 22 Arab League and presented it’s the first copy to the nations. Indian side was represented by President. Union External Affairs Minister Sushma To celebrate and recognise the contribution of Government Swaraj and also Foreign Secretary S department/Agencies to the efforts of ECI Jaishankar. for enhancing electoral participation, the election commission has introduced awards. Six newly eligible electors were given their EPICs by President of India. Germany the ‘best country in the world 25 January is the foundation day of the Commission, which came into being on this Germany is the best country in the world, day in 1950. according to new analysis unveiled at the World India to build satellite tracking station in Economic Forum in Davos.. Vietnam The United States is the most powerful India will set up a satellite tracking and imaging country in the world, with India the centre in southern Vietnam that will give Hanoi leading up-and-coming economy. access to pictures from Indian earth observation Italy is the country with the richest satellites that cover the region, including China tradition and Brazil is the top nation to and the South China Sea, Indian officials said. visit. Canada tops the list of countries with the best quality of life. The move, which could irritate Beijing, deepens ties between India and Vietnam, who both have long-running territorial Tunisia imposes curfew as unrest grows over disputes with China. lack of jobs Hanoi especially has been looking for advanced intelligence, surveillance and BankExamsToday.com Page 3 Tunisia has imposed a nationwide overnightGK Digest – January 2016The Shiite-led government in Baghdad curfew after protests and violence against rising relies on Iranian help to battle the unemployment spread across the country. extremist Islamic State group, but is also trying to repair ties to oil-rich Saudi Arabia. The curfewwas announced after The kingdom closed the embassy in 1990, skirmishes between police and protesters after Saddam Hussein ordered an invasion in the early hours of Friday in the of Saudi ally Kuwait. impoverished suburbs of Tunis. The Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari on capital is braced for mass protests this Thursday accepted the credentials of weekend. Ambassador Thamir al-Sabhan. The violence followed a week of unrest across the country, which police said had Tsai Ing-wen elected Taiwan's first female injured 59 officers and 40 protesters. The president protests carry echoes of Tunisia’s Arab spring revolution in December 2010, Tsai Ing-wen has been elected Taiwan's first which saw the downfall of the former female president.Ms Tsai, 59, leads the president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that wants independence from China. In her victory speech, she vowed to WHO declared West Africa Free from Ebola preserve the status quo in relations with outbreak China, adding Beijing must respect Taiwan's democracy and both sides must WHO has declared the end of the most recent ensure there are no provocations. outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Liberia and says China sees the island as a breakaway all known chains of transmission have been province - which it has threatened to take stopped in West Africa. back by force if necessary. Mr Chu congratulated Tsai Ing-wen and Liberia was first declared free of Ebola announced he was quitting as KMT head. transmission in May 2015, but Ebola Taiwan's Premier Mao Chi-kuo also outbreaks twice till November. This resigned. announcement has come 42 days (two 21- day incubation cycles of the virus) after the PM Modi Second most popular world leader on last confirmed patient in Liberia tested FB negative for the disease 2 times. According to a study by PR firm Burson-Marsteller, After 25 years, Saudi Embassy officially reopens PM Narendra Modi has over 31 million fans on his in Baghdad personal Narendra Modi page. Saudi Arabia has reopened its embassy in Baghdad As far as fan following on Facebook is after a closure that lasted 25 years and the concerned, US President Barack Obama is kingdom’s ambassador submitted his credentials the most popular leader in the world. The at the Foreign Ministry. US President has over 46 million likes on his Facebook page. BankExamsToday.com Page 4 GK Digest – January 2016guidance to its agency specialising in the children's causes, Kathmandu Post Sri Lankan parliament begins process to adopt reported today. new Constitution Nepal will help ensure, among other things that Unicef activities are responsive to the Sri Lankan parliament began a process to needs and priorities of the recipient formulate a new constitution with Prime Minister countries, particularly from the Ranil Wickremesinghe presenting a resolution to perspective of a country emerging from set up Constitutional Assembly of all members for conflict and reeling under the the purpose. humanitarian crisis as a result of natural disasters and the vulnerabilities of being “We will have the whole parliament least developed and land-locked country, formulating the constitution unlike the it reported. previous instances when the constitutions Nepal recently completed its terms as a were drafted outside parliament,” he said. member of the UN economic and social The new constitution will replace the council (ECOSOC) for 2013-2015 and as current executive president headed vice-president from Asia-Pacific region at constitution adopted in 1978. the executive board of President Maithripala Sirisena in his UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS for the year 2015. address said the time has come to Nepal had contributed to the Unicef by formulae a new constitution in keeping remaining in the executive board in with the demands of the 21st century. He different times including 1982 to 1985, warned that extremist elements both in 1992 to 1995 and 2002 to 2004. the south and the north may try to scuttle the process. 11th World Hindi Day observed on 10 January Nepal elected as Unicef’s executive board The 11th World Hindi Day was celebrated on 10 member January 2016.