Current Affairs-GK February 2-3, 2016

Borehole Geophysics Research Laboratory (BGRL) is being set up at Karad, Maharashtra

The Union Minister for Science, Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhan led the Bhoomi-Pujan ceremony for construction of the Borehole Geophysics Research Laboratory at Hazarmachi, Karad of Maharashtra.

Key Points:

ü  To find solutions to possible problems of the people due to natural calamities through scientific researches.

ü  To understand Earthquakes Mechanism in the Koyna Region of Maharastra.

ü  This Borehole Geophysics Research Laboratory (BGRL) is being established by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.

ü  To address challenging seismological problems of societal relevance through drilling investigations. BGRL was conceptualized as part of the Ministry’s programme of Scientific Deep Drilling in the Koyna Intra-plate Seismic Zone.

MGNREGA completes 10 years of implementation

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which was initially called National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005, completed ten years of its implementation.

ü  Union Ministry of Rural Development had organised the MGNREGA SAMMELAN in New Delhi to highlight the achievements of MGNREGA.

ü  Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was Chief Guest at the Sammelan.

The basic objective of the Act is to enhance livelihood security in rural areas.

Major General Jai Shanker Menon appointed as UNDOF head

ü  Major General Jai Shanker Menon has been appointed as the Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). He was appointed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and succeeds Lt Gen Purna Chandra Thapa of Nepal.

ü  Prior to this appointment, Maj. Gen. Menon was serving as Additional Director General (ADG) Equipment Management in the Indian Army.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Balram Jakhar passed away

ü  Balram Jakhar was the Lok Sabha Speaker for two consecutive terms from 1980 to 1989.

ü  He was MP ( Lok Sabha ) four times.

ü  Served as the Union Agriculture Minister in 1991 in P. V. Narasimha Rao Ministry.

EU Commission and United States agreed on framework for transatlantic data flows

ü  The European Commission (EC) and the USA agreed for a new framework for transatlantic data flows.

ü  Known as the EU-US Privacy Shield.

ü  The government agencies will be able to transfer data relied on by Facebook and Google across the Atlantic.

üThis agreement will replace the 16-year old Safe Harbour arrangement that was ruled illegal by the European Court of Justice in October 2015.

Kerala won 61st National School Athletics championship

ü  The National School Athletics championship was held at Olympian Rahman Stadium in Kozhikode, Kerala from 29 January 2016 to 2 February 2016.

ü  This is for the 19th consecutive time Kerala becomes the champions in the event.

ü  Kerala got 306 points winning 39 gold, 29 silver and 17 bronze medals.

ü  Tamil Nadu stood at second position with 116 points winning 11 gold, 8 silver and 13 bronze medals. Maharashtra with 101 points gained the third position.

Bharat Biotech makes a breakthrough in developing Zika vaccine: Zikavac

ü  Bharat Biotech, a Hyderabad-based vaccines and bio-therapeutic manufacturer, today claimed to have achieved a breakthrough in developing a vaccine to fight the dreaded mosquito-borne Zika virus, which causes serious birth defects in children.

ü  The company has two candidate vaccines in development. One of them is an inactivated vaccine that has reached the stage of pre-clinical testing in animals.

India and Afghanistan inked pact for visa-free travel by diplomats

ü  India and Afghanistan inked a pact for visa-free travel by their diplomats.

ü  Besides, both the leaders of the countries discussed the role of international community to ensure peace and stability in Afghanistan.

India, Brunei ink three MoUs

ü  India and Brunei have signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate in the fields of defence, health and youth affairs & sports.

ü  These MoUs were signed the representatives of both the countries in presence of the visiting Vice President Mohd Hamid Ansari at capital Bandar Seri Begawan.

Vietnam removed ban on import of Indian Groundnut

ü  In December 2015, during the visit of Vietnam delegation to India, the lifting of ban has come in the wake.

ü  After inspecting the fumigation facilities, export procedures and export certification system for export of groundnuts export from India, as per the Standard Operating Procedure developed by Directorate of plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage, Faridabad, the delegation was satisfied.

Infosys to build the world’s tallest clock tower taller than Big Ben in Mysuru campus

ü  The proposed clock tower will be built in the Infosys Global Education Center in Mysore.

ü  The proposed 135 meter-tall tower will stand approximately 19 floors and will also house a boardroom on the 7th level.

ü  Taller than Big Ben (96m )in London, Hoover Tower (87m) in California and the McGraw Tower (53m) in Cornell.

WHO concerned by report of sexual spread of Zika virus

ü  World Health Organisation (WHO) voiced concern over a report that the Zika virus had been sexually transmitted in the United States and called for further investigation into the mosquito-borne virus linked to birth defects.

ü  The first known case of Zika virus transmission in the United States was reported in Dallas, Texas by local health officials, who said it likely was contracted through sex and not a mosquito bite.