27-28 September 2016 eng
27 September
International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons observed
26 September: International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons was observed on 26 September 2016. The Day provides an occasion for the world community to reaffirm its commitment to global nuclear disarmament as a high priority.
It also provides an opportunity to educate the public—and their leaders—about the real benefits of eliminating such weapons, and the social and economic costs of perpetuating them.
Present scenario of Nuclear Weapons
As per a report of United Nations, some 15000 nuclear weapons are available in the world. Countries possessing such weapons have well-funded, long-term plans to modernize their nuclear arsenals. More than half of the world’s population still lives in countries that either have such weapons or are members of nuclear alliances.
As of 2016, while there have been major reductions in deployed nuclear weapons since the height of the Cold War, not one nuclear warhead has been physically destroyed pursuant to a treaty, bilateral or multilateral, and no nuclear disarmament negotiations are underway.
Meanwhile, the doctrine of nuclear deterrence persists as an element in the security policies of all possessor states and their nuclear allies. This is so—despite growing concerns worldwide over the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the use of even a single nuclear weapon, let alone a regional or global nuclear war.
India wins historic 500th Test by 197 runs against New Zealand
India on 26 September 2016 defeated New Zealand by 197-run to win its historic 500th cricket test match in Kanpur. On the fifth and final day of the match at Green Park, India bowled out the visitors for 236 in their second innings, shortly after Lunch, after setting them an improbable target of 434.
The victory, which is India's 88th on home turf, gave them a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series. With this win, India has taken their unbeaten tally on home soil to 11 matches. On the other hand, New Zealand remained without a win on the Indian soil since 1998.
R Ashwin becomes fastest Indian & second overall to take 200 Test wickets
Man of the Match - Ravinder Jadeja. He was awarded for his fine all-round performance in which he captured six wickets and scored 92 runs.
Besides, the match also saw that India’s off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin became the fastest Indian and second overall to take 200 wickets in test matches. He reached the milestone in his 37th Test. Only leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett got to the double century of wickets faster than Ashwin. The Australian reached there in 36 Tests.
The scores:
• India 1st innings: 318
• New Zealand 1st innings: 262
• India 2nd innings: 377-5 declared
• New Zealand 2nd innings: 236 all out in 87.3 overs
Navtej Sarna appointed Indian Ambassador to the US
Navtej Sarna, India’s High Commissioner to UK, on 22 September 2016 was appointed the Indian Ambassador to the US.
Sarna succeeds Arun Singh, who is due for retirement.
Sarna was serving as a Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs before he was posted in London in January 2016.
On the other hand, Government of Indian has also appointed 1988-batch IFS officer Taranjit Singh Sandhu as the next High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka. He will replace Yash Sinha.
About Navtej Sarna
• Navtej Sarna is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the 1980 batch.
• He was born in Jalandhar to Mohinder Singh Sarna, a noted Punjabi writer.
• He completed his schooling from St. Joseph's Academy, Dehradun.
• Later, he graduated as a part of the 1980 Class of Indian Foreign Service.
• He holds the distinction of being the longest-serving spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs.
• He also writes short stories, and book reviews. His first novel published was We Weren't Lovers Like That in 2003, followed by The Book of Nanak in the same year, his latest, The Exile, published in 2008, is based on the life of Duleep Singh, the last Maharaja of Lahore, and son Raja Ranjit Singh.
Union Minister Radha Mohan Singh presented Antyodaya Krishi Puruskars
Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on 25 September 2016 gave away Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Antyodaya Krishi Puruskars to 12 farmers for their contribution in the agriculture sector.
They were felicitated during a function at the birth place of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay in Mathura.
Winners of the award
National Award for the year 2016: Krishna Yadav, an enterprising lady farmer from, Dinpur, Najafgarh, New Delhi for her outstanding achievements in the processing and value addition of food especially fruits and vegetables.
Zonal awardees includes
Award from Zone I: Jinder Singh, a small farmer from Roopnagar, Punjab won the award for starting a nursery of vegetable crops under the brand name ‘Chamkaur Sahib Paniri Farm’. Zone I comprises of the states of Punjab, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi.
Award from Zone II: Pooja Sharma, a small Haryana farmer won the award for her innovative ways of farming. Zone II comprises of the states of Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi
Award from Zone III: Moti, a small farmer from Saidasaunkh village in Mathura won the award for his outstanding skills in innovative ways of farming which includes production of seeds of new varieties and planting material and distributing it among the fellow farmers at reasonable rates. Zone III covers entire Uttar Pradesh.
Award from Zone IV: Deepak Kumar Singh from Bishanpur Banka, Bihar won the award for cultivation and sale of mushroom which has enabled him to earn a sizeable income from this activity. Zone IV comprises of the states of Bihar and Jharkhand.
Award from Zone V: Ashok Kumar Sarkar, Nimbudera, a small farmer from, Andaman and Nicobar Island was awarded for his outstanding entrepreneurial skill in agriculture production. Zone V comprises of the states of West Bengal, Orissa and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Award from Zone VI: Anuradha Chhetri of Pakyong, East Sikkim was awarded for diversification of agricultural activities with orchids can be a boon for the farmers having small landholding in the hilly regions of the country. Zone VI comprises of the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
Award from Zone VII: Biswajit Majumder from Sabroom, Tripura has been awarded for establishment of a farmer’s club in his village. Zone VII comprises of the eastern states of Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Meghalaya.
Award from Zone VIII: Hasam Bhai Jumabhai Musangara, an enterprising fish farmer from Gir, Somnath, Gujarat was awarded for his outstanding achievements in Agriculture especially fisheries. Zone VIII comprises of the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Daman & Diu and Dadra Nagar Haveli.
Award from Zone IX: Balaram Patidar a progressive and innovative farmer from Sarangi, in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh was awarded for cultivating horticultural and cash crops using scientific technologies. Zone IX comprises of the states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Award from Zone X: Alluri Suryanarayana Murthy, a small farmer from East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh was awarded for adopting an integrated farming system which has enabled the farmers in his surrounding areas to reap huge benefits. Zone X comprises of the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Award from Zone XI: A traditional fisherman A Baburaj from Kozhikode, Kerala won the award for successfully adopting sustainable brackish water aquaculture practices as a livelihood option. Zone XI comprises of the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Lakshadweep.
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Antyodaya Krishi Puruskar
As part of the Centenary Celebrations of Deendayal Upadhaya, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research has instituted Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Antyodaya Krishi Puruskar at national and zonal levels in 2016. The awards include one award at national level comprising one lakh rupees and 11 zonal awards comprising of 50 thousand rupees each along with a citation and certificate.
Purpose of setting the award
This award was instituted for recognizing the contributions of marginal, small and landless farmers for developing integrated and sustainable models of agricultural farming.
World's largest solar power plant opens in Kamuthi, Tamil Nadu
Adani Green Energy (Tamil Nadu) Ltd on 21 September 2016 dedicated the world’s largest solar power plant of 648 megawatts to the nation.
The plant has been set up with an investment of around 4550 crore rupees at Kamuthi in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu.
About Kamuthi Solar Power Project
• Kamuthi Solar Power Project is a solar photovoltaic power generating station at Kamuthi.
• This project has been commissioned by Adani Power.
• It has a generating capacity of 648 MW at a single location.
• It is considered the world's largest single location solar project.
• The solar plant comprises of 380000 foundations, 2500000 solar modules, 27000 metric tonnes of structures, 154 transformers and 6000 km of cables.
• It consists of 576 inverters and 154 transformer and almost 7500 km of cables.
• The panels occupy 1270 acres of land. 30000 tonnes of galvanised steel were used.
• About 8500 personnel worked on average installing about 11 MW in a day to set up the plant in stipulated time.
• The entire 648 MW is now connected to the Kamuthi 400 KV substation of Tantransco.
Google launches instant messaging mobile app Allo
Google on 21 September 2016 launched its latest mobile chat application, Allo, along with Google Assistant that can be used in online conversations with friends.
The messaging app, which is available for Android and the iPhone, has similar features to most other messaging applications.
In Allo, messages are not encrypted end-to-end by default. However, the messages can be switched to an incognito mode to do so and set how long they exist before they are deleted.
Key highlights of Google Allo
• Allo's ‘Smart reply’ function uses Google's machine learning technology to suggest a reply to the last message, which can be selected from a few options.
• The feature also analyses images sent to the user in order to suggest responses.
• Similar to the smart reply feature seen in Google's Inbox app, it learns from the user's behaviour to adapt its suggestions over time.
• It supports Google Assistant, a conversational virtual assistant.
• A feature ‘Whisper Shout’ allows the user to increase or decrease the size of a message to represent volume.
• Allo also lets users draw on photos before sending them.
• Incognito mode is an optional mode that includes expiring chats, private notifications, and end-to-end encryption.
• For encryption, the app uses the Signal Protocol.
World Tourism Day 2016 observed with theme Tourism for All - promoting universal accessibility
27 September: World Tourism Day
World Tourism Day 2016 was observed across the world on 27 September 2016. The theme of the World Tourism Day 2016 is Tourism for All - promoting universal accessibility.
The theme for the year promotes accessible tourism for all to create environments that can cater for the needs of all of us, whether we are travelling or staying at home.
The official World Tourism Day 2016 celebrations will be held in Bangkok, Thailand.
Current developments and forecasts
• International tourist arrivals grew by 4.6 % in 2015 to 1184 million.
• In 2015, international tourism generated 1.5 trillion US dollar in export earnings.
• UNWTO forecasts a growth in international tourist arrivals of between 3.5% and 4.5% in 2016.
• By 2030, UNWTO forecasts international tourist arrivals to reach 1.8 billion (UNWTO Tourism Towards 2030).
Background
• World Tourism Day is held annually on 27 September with purpose to foster awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic value.
• The first World Tourism Day was celebrated in 1980 after decision made by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly in 1979.
• The event seeks to address global challenges outlined in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to highlight the contribution that the tourism sector can make in reaching these goals.
Agriculture Minister lays foundation stone of Gokul Gram at Mathura
Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh laid the foundation stone of a Gokul Gram at Mathura in Uttar Pradesh for the conservation and development of native cattle breeds. On the occasion, he also announced setting up of 14 such Grams across the country as part of the Rashtriya Gokul Mission.
Gokul Gram will work as a centre for development of native breed cattle and will also supplement resources of cattle farmers in breeding areas.
Besides, the agriculture minister also inaugurated a waste sewage-water treatment plant and four days Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Krishi Unnati Mela - 2016, in Mathura. This plant has developed a unique indigenous technique facility for treatment & recycle of sewage water into irrigation water by Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
He also conferred Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Krishi Antyodaya Krishi Awards on 12 poor farmers identified across the country for their outstanding achievement in agriculture despite not having access to education and money.
Sathiyan Gnanasekaran wins Belgium Open title of Table Tennis
Sathiyan Gnanasekaran on 24 September 2016 won the men's singles title of the Belgium Open.
Sathiyan won his first pro title by defeating Nuytinck Cedric 4-0 in the final 15-13, 11-6, 11-2, 17-15 at De Haan in Belgium.
With this, Gnanasekaran became the second Indian table tennis player to win an ITTF event. Achanta Sharath Kamal is the first Indian to win an ITTF event in 2012.
About Sathiyan Gnanasekaran
• Sathiyan Gnanasekaran is an Indian table tennis player.
• He is ranked 160 in the world as of February 2016.
• He was a member of the Indian team that took the bronze in the 2011 Junior World Championships.
• He hails from Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
• He was educated as an engineer.
New species of ground-dwelling lizard discovered in Mumbai
A new species of a ground-dwelling lizard has been discovered in Goregaon's Aarey Colony and Thane's Badlapur forested belts. The species has been named after a Bengaluru-based scientist Varad Giri.
The species is discovered 130 years after the last such gecko was discovered.
The findings on the new species were published in the third week of September 2016 in the international scientific journal Zootaxa.
About the new lizard species
• The new species is named as Cyrtodactylus Varadgirii or Giri's Geckoella.
• The species, of the genus Cyrtodactylus known in Southeast Asia, India and Sri Lanka, is a member of the subgenus Geckoella.
• Earlier, this new species was considered as Geckoella Collegalensis. However, based on morphological characters and DNA data, it has been described as a new species.
• This uncommon species is mostly seen moving among the leaf litter on the forest floor.
• They are active during night and take refuge under rocks and logs during the day. It grows the length of around 6 centimeters.
• They are found in localities like Sanjay Gandhi National Park in north Mumbai, the Aarey Colony, a few localities in Nanded, Chandrapur and Amaravati districts and a few localities in Gujarat.
• The new species is also known to live around human-dominated landscapes and is a widely distributed species in this genus in India.
28 September
World Rabies Day observed with theme Rabies: Educate. Vaccinate. Eliminate.
28 September: World Rabies Day
World Rabies Day was observed on 28 September 2016. The theme for World Rabies Day is Rabies: Educate. Vaccinate. Eliminate. The day is annually celebrated to raise awareness about rabies prevention and to highlight progress in defeating the disease.
The theme of the day emphasises on the two crucial actions that communities can do to prevent rabies. It also reflects the global target to eliminate all human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.
In addition, 28 September also marks the anniversary of Louis Pasteur's death, the French chemist and microbiologist, who developed the first rabies vaccine.
Today, safe and efficacious animal and human vaccines are among the important tools that exist to eliminate human deaths from rabies while awareness is the key driver for success of communities to engage in effective rabies prevention.
What is Rabies?
Rabies is a zoonotic disease (a disease that is transmitted from animals to humans), caused by the rabies virus, of the Lyssavirus genus, within the familyRhabdoviridae. Domestic dogs are the most common reservoir of the virus, with more than 95% of human deaths caused by dog-mediated rabies.
The virus is transmitted in the saliva of rabid animals and generally enters the body via infiltration of virus-laden saliva from a rabid animal into a wound (e.g. scratches), or by direct exposure of mucosal surfaces to saliva from an infected animal (e.g. bites). The virus cannot infiltrate intact skin.
Once the virus reaches the brain, it further replicates, resulting in presentation of clinical signs from the patient. There are two clinical manifestations of rabies – furious (classical or encephalitic) and paralytic. Furious rabies is most common form of human rabies, accounting for approximately 80% of cases.
With the exception of Antarctica, rabies is endemic on all continents. Of the tens of thousands of deaths occurring annually due to rabies, 95% of cases are reported in Asia and Africa.
Rabies is a 100% vaccine-preventable disease. Countries embarking on rabies elimination programmes have successfully experienced marked reductions, often progressing to the elimination of rabies. Elimination programs often revolve around mass dog vaccination campaigns, where at least 70% of the dog population should be covered in order to break the cycle of transmission in dogs, and to humans.
Distribution of the disease
Human rabies is present in 150 countries and territories and on all continents, except for Antarctica. Globally, estimates indicate that human mortality (due to endemic canine-mediated rabies) is highest in Asia, with the highest incidence and deaths reported in India. This is closely followed by Africa. However estimates of burden have always been uncertain due to the absence of reliable data.
World Bank reappoints Jim Yong Kim for second term as President
Executive Directors of the World Bank on 27 September 2016 agreed unanimously to reappoint Jim Yong Kim to a second five-year term as President of the World Bank Group, beginning 1 July 2017.
The Board noted that in the first year of Kim’s leadership, which began in July 2012, shareholders endorsed two ambitious new goals for the institution. They were: Elimination of extreme poverty by 2030, and Promotion of shared prosperity. These new initiatives boosted the income growth of the bottom 40 percent of the population in every developing country.
About Jim Yong Kim
• Jim Yong Kim is a South Korean-American physician and anthropologist.
• He has been serving as the 12th President of the World Bank since 1 July 2012.
• He was formerly the Chair of the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
• He also holds the honour to become the first Asian American president of an Ivy League institution.
• He was named the world's 50th most powerful person by Forbes Magazine's List of The World's Most Powerful People in 2013.
Global Competitiveness Report 2016-2017 released by World Economic Forum; India moves to 39th spot
World Economic Forum (WEF) on 27 September 2015 released the Global Competitiveness Report (GCR) 2016-2017. The report assesses the competitiveness landscape of 138 economies.
The 2016-17 report comes out in the context of persistent slow growth and a near-term outlook that is fraught with renewed uncertainty fueled by continued geopolitical turmoil, financial market fragility, and sustained high debt levels in emerging markets.
Despite unorthodox monetary policy, global GDP growth has fallen from levels of 4.4 percent in 2010 to 2.5 percent in 2015. This fall in growth reflects not only the productivity slowdown documented in 2015-16 Report, which has continued during 2016, but also what now seems like a long-term downward trend in investment rates.
Highlights of the report
• Switzerland, Singapore and the US remain as the world's most competitive economies.
• China ranks 28 in the index.
• Among the other BRICS nations, Russia is ranked 43rd, South Africa is at 47 and Brazil at 81.
• There were no newcomers to its 2016-2017 top 10, though the order of some of the leading countries shifted in its Global Competitiveness Report.
• Top 10 countries in ranking are Switzerland, Singapore, United States, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom, Japan, Hong Kong (SAR), and Finland.
Report in Context of India
The report highlights that for second consecutive year, India has jumped 16 places in the GCI report to occupy the 39th spot. In 2015-16 GCI report, India was placed at 55th position as compared to 71st rank in 2014-15 report.
In the report, India showed biggest improvement in rankings as its competitiveness improved on several fronts including efficiency in goods market, business sophistication and innovation.
The report said, due to improved monetary and fiscal policies, as well as lower oil prices, the Indian economy has stabilised and now boasts the highest growth among G20 countries.
It said, recent reform efforts have concentrated on improving public institutions, opening the economy to foreign investors and international trade and increasing transparency in the financial system. The report also said that India still needs to cover a lot of ground in the areas like labour, financial market, tax regulations, manufacturing, infrastructure and technological readiness.
Background
The Global Competitiveness Report’s competitiveness ranking is based on the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), which was introduced by the World Economic Forum in 2004. Defining competitiveness as the set of institutions, policies and factors that determine the level of productivity of a country, GCI scores are calculated by drawing together country-level data covering 12 categories – the pillars of competitiveness – that collectively make up a comprehensive picture of a country’s competitiveness.
The 12 pillars are: institutions, infrastructure, macroeconomic environment, health and primary education, higher education and training, goods market efficiency, labour market efficiency, financial market development, technological readiness, market size, business sophistication, and innovation.
Official Emblem launched for FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017
The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 on 27 September 2016 unveiled the Official Emblem for the event. The FIFA U-17 World Cup will be India’s first international football event.
The FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 will be held in six venues across the country during October 2017.
The emblem of the first-ever FIFA tournament in India was designed as a celebration of the country’s richness and diversity of cultures. The logo includes elements of the Indian Ocean, the banyan tree, the kite and the starburst, which is an interpretation of the Ashoka Chakra, an integral part of the national identity.
Each of the elements has been selected for its deep significance in the culture of the country.
Key highlights of the emblem
• The Indian Ocean that serves as the base of the emblem is an integral part of the subcontinent.
• The banyan tree is the national tree of India, deeply rooted in the culture and ethos of India.
• The kite is the symbol of freedom and fun. Popular across the country, it represents the soaring aspirations of India’s young and vibrant democracy.
• The starburst that sits on the top of the emblem evokes festivity and celebration.
• Shaped like the FIFA U-17 World Cup trophy, the emblem combines the global look of the beautiful game with a quintessentially Indian feel.
About FIFA U-17 World Cup
• The FIFA U-17 World Cup is the world championship of association football for male players under the age of 17.
• It is organized by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
• The FIFA U-17 World Championship is a competition that was inspired by the Lion City Cup that was created by the Football Association of Singapore in 1977.
• It began as a competition for players under the age of 16 with the age limit raised to 17 from the 1991 edition onwards.
• The most recent tournament was hosted by Chile and won by Nigeria.
Indira Gandhi International Airport becomes first in Asia-Pacific region to achieve carbon neutral status
The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) on 27 September 2016 announced that the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has become the first airport in the Asia-Pacific region to achieve carbon neutral status.
DIAL is a GMR Group-led consortium which manages and operates IGI airport.
The announcement on the carbon neutral status was made by Airports Council International (ACI) during the Airport Carbon Accreditation certificate presentation ceremony held in Montreal, Canada.
The Airport Carbon Accreditation has upgraded Delhi Airport to ‘Level 3+, Neutrality’, which is the highest level of achievement available to airports across the world.
What is carbon neutrality?
• Carbon neutrality, or a net zero carbon footprint, occurs when the net carbon emissions over an entire year is zero. This means the airport absorbs or offsets the same amount of emission that was generated.
• It is used in the context of carbon dioxide releasing processes associated with transportation, energy production, and industrial processes such as production of carbon neutral fuel.
Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s 109th birth anniversary observed across India
India is observing the 109th birth anniversary of revolutionary socialist Shaheed Bhagat Singh. Born on 28 September 1907, Bhagat Singh was an influential figure in the Indian independence movement.
Some events organised to mark Bhagat Singh’s birth anniversary includes
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Bhagat Singh on his 109th birth anniversary.
• Delhi Government decided to commemorate the day by organising Shaheed Utsav.
• Hindi play Sardar Bhagat Singh was performed by artistes of the Chandigarh Art Theatre Group at the Randhawa auditorium in Punjab Kala Bhawan.
About Bhagat Singh
• The revolutionary freedom fighter, Bhagat Singh, was born in Banga village of Faisalabad district (previously called Lyallpur) in the Punjab province (now in Pakistan) in 1907.
• He was born into a Jat Sikh family which had earlier been involved in revolutionary activities against the British Raj.
• He studied European revolutionary movements as a teenager and was attracted to anarchist and Marxist ideologies.
• He worked with several revolutionary organisations and became prominent in the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA), which changed its name to the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) in 1928
• To revenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai,he assassinated John Saunders, a British police officer.
• Soon after the event, he along with Batukeshwar Dutt threw two bombs and leaflets inside the Central Legislative Assembly, and offered them for arrest.
• While being held in a jail, he gained widespread national support after undertaking an 116-day hunger strike demanding equal rights for Indian prisoners as of the European prisoners, who were imprisoned for what he believed were political reasons.
• He along with Shivaram Hari Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar was convicted and hanged in Lahore jail for his participation in the assassination, at the age of 23. They were hanged on 23 March 1931.
His legacy prompted youth in India to continue fighting for independence and he remains an influence on some young people in modern India. He has been an inspiration for several films. He is commemorated with a range of memorials including a large bronze statue in the Parliament of India.
US appoints Jeffrey DeLaurentis as first Cuban Ambassador in 55 years
The United States on 27 September 2016 appointed its first Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis to Cuba in 55. The two countries broke off relations in 1961 after the communist revolution.
He was appointed to the post by President Barack Obama, who said that it was a step towards a more normal and productive relationship. He said that there was no better qualified public servant.
but this appointment will need an approval from the Republican-led Senate, which has opposed to his dealings with the communist island.
The new ambassador DeLaurentis had been working at the new US embassy in Havana, which opened since 2014. He served in Havana during the transition period between the two nations which includes re-opening of embassies in Washington and Havana. This was followed by resuming travel and trade relations on a limited basis.
About Cuba
Cuba is a unitary sovereign state comprising the island of Cuba as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located in the northern Caribbean where the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean meet.
It is south of both the US state of Florida and the Bahamas, west of Haiti, and north of Jamaica. Havana is the largest city and capital. Cuba is governed by a communist type of government. A country with about 11.4 million people and speaks Spanish. Its currency is Cuban Peso and GDP per capita is 6790 dollar. Its land area is 41100 square miles.
Union Government approves name change of Gurgaon to Gurugram
The Union Government gave its approval to change the name of Gurgaon to Gurugram.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on 27 September 2016 announced that the city as well as the district of Gurgaon will now onwards be known as Gurugram.
Also known as the Millennium City, Gurgaon is recognized both nationally and globally as an industrial, information technology, software and corporate hub.
Background
• The Haryana Government in April 2016 had decided to rename Gurgaon as Gurugram.
• In addition, it also decided to rename Mewat as Nuh.
• State CM Manohar Lal Khattar had accorded approval to the proposal.
• The decision to change the name of Gurgaon was taken on the basis of the representations received at several forums by the people of Gurgaon.
• The city’s name change stems from a proposal by the municipal corporation in 2012. A committee had been formed to address the issue.
Uttam Singh to be honoured with Lata Mangeshkar Award for Lifetime Achievement
Veteran music director and violinist Uttam Singh on 27 September 2016 was named for the 2016 Lata Mangeshkar Award for Lifetime Achievement of the Maharashtra Government.
The award carries a citation, a trophy and 500000 rupees in cash.
About Uttam Singh
• Born on 25 May 1948, Uttam Singh has worked as a violinist, music arranger and music director for many Bollywood films.
• He worked as a music arranger for Ilaiyaraaja in numerous Tamil films before establishing himself as an independent composer.
• His big break came in 1963, when he worked as a violinist for a documentary being made by Mohammad Safi. After this, Uttam Singh played violin for major composers including Naushad, Roshan, Madan Mohan, C. Ramchandra, Sachin Dev Burman.
• Later, he became the main violinist for Rahul Dev Burman.
• His songs and score for the movie Pinjar won him much critical acclaim. It is considered to be his finest work as composer.
About Lata Mangeshkar Award
• The Lata Mangeshkar Award is a national-level award instituted to honour works in the field of music.
• Various state governments of India present awards with this name.
• The state Government of Madhya Pradesh started this award in 1984.
• The Lata Mangeshkar Award issued by the Maharashtra Government started from 1992. This is also officially known as Lata Mangeshkar Award for Lifetime Achievement.
• Krishna Kalle was the winner of the 2014 Lata Mangeshkar Award for Lifetime Achievement.