29 July 2015 Current Affairs / Gk / GA for bank exams: World Hepatitis Day observed across the world on 28 July 2015 with the theme “Prevent hepatitis. Act now”.
- The day acts as a significant global platform for raising awareness about hepatitis and influence real change in disease prevention, testing and treatment.
- The theme highlights the fact that infection through transmission can be prevented through proven and effective interventions.
- The observance of the day in 2015 focuses particularly on Hepatitis B and C.
- These two combined cause approximately 80 percent of all liver cancer deaths and kill close to 1.4 million people every year.
- In 2015, WHO’s flagship event to mark the day will take place in Egypt, which has one of the world’s highest hepatitis burdens.
- It is estimated that 10 percent of the Egypt’s population between 15 and 59 years is chronically infected with hepatitis C.
World Tiger day observed across the world on 29 july 2015.
- The day is being observed every year since 2010 to promote the protection and expansion of the wild tiger habitats and to gain support through awareness for tiger conservation.
- The day was founded at theSaint Petersburg Tiger Summit in 2010 in Russia so as to protect the tiger from becoming extinct. The summit also declared to double global tiger population by 2022.
- In last 100 years, world has lost 97 percent of all wild tigers. The tiger count has fallen from 100000 in 1913 to 3274 in 2013 to 3200 in 2014.
- Tigers lost 93% of their natural habitat due to the expansion of cities and agriculture by humans.
- Besides, human-wildlife conflict and climate change also has been responsible for decline in tiger population and loss of habitat.
- Among the 13 tiger-range countries, India with 2226 has the highest number of tiger population. India is followed by Malaysia with 500 tigers.
- Bangladesh, which was at third with 440 tigers in 2004, saw the tiger population decline to 106 in Tiger Census 2015.
Gujarat became the first state to have a provision for compulsory voting in local body polls.
- In this regard, a notification was issued by the state government on Monday.
- Besides making voting mandatory in the local body polls, the communiqué, dated July 17, announced the reservation of 50 per cent seats for women in municipal corporations, municipalities, and village panchayats.
- With the government notifying the Gujarat Local Authorities Act(Amendment) 2009, a voter in the state would now invite punitive action in case he or she fails to vote in the local body elections without any acceptable reason.
Ramon Magsaysay award winners for 2015 announced: 2 Indians in the list.
- Whistleblower bureaucrat Sanjeev Chaturvedi and human rights activist Anshu Gupta to receive Asia’s coveted Ramon Magsaysay award.
- The 2002-batch IFS officer, who is currently embattled in a protracted battle with the Centre over alleged harassment for his tough stance on graft, was the former Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) at the AIIMS in New Delhi.
- According to the foundation, Mr. Chaturvedi has been awarded for “his exemplary integrity, courage and tenacity in uncompromisingly exposing and painstakingly investigating corruption in public office, and his resolute crafting of program and system improvements to ensure that government honorably serves the people of India.”
- Anshu Gupta, the founder of NGO Goonj, the statement said, is being recognised for “his creative vision in transforming the culture of giving in India, his enterprising leadership in treating cloth as a sustainable development resource for the poor, and in reminding the world that true giving always respects and preserves human dignity.”
- The other awardees are Kommaly Chanthavong, from Laos who is being recognised for her efforts to develop the ancient Laotian art of silk weaving, Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa from the Philippines for “her single-minded crusade in preserving the endangered artistic heritage of southern Philippines”.
India’s foremost HIV/AIDS researcher Dr. Suniti Solomon passes away at 76.
- She documented the nation’s first HIV case before setting up the first voluntary testing and counseling center for the disease.
- In 1986, her discovery of the infection in six blood samples collected from female sex workers in southern India generated headlines internationally.
- Trained in the U.K., the U.S. and Australia, Solomon won a string of awards for her HIV/AIDS work.
Former South African all-rounder cricketer Clive Rice passed away in Johannerburg, South Africa. He was 66 and was suffering from brain tumour.
- He was one of the best all-rounders of his era alongside Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, Ian Botham and his county team-mate Richard Hadlee.
- Rice started his cricket career in 1969 with Transvaal (first-class cricket team).
- He had played most of his cricket during South Africa’s 2 decade long isolation from the international games.
- He mostly had played for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club from 1975 to 1987 and was captain of the club from 1979 to 1987.
General Motors to invest $1 billion in india, double market share by 2020.
- it will invest Rs. 6,400 crore ($1 billion) in India to strengthen its market here over the next five years.
- The India investment is part of the announcement made yesterday by the company to make investment of $5 billion to strengthen its business in global growth markets.
- Through such investments, the company will develop all-new vehicle family that will meet rapidly changing demands of customers in Brazil, China, Mexico and India, Mary Barra, Chief Executive Officer, GM, told reporters here.
President Pranab Mukherjee rejected the Yakub Memon’s fresh mercy plea
- He will hang till death tomorrow 30/07/2015 at 7:00 Am in the Nagpur Central Jail.
- In 2007, Yakub was found guilty of both plotting the terror attack and executing it. His brother Ibrahim Memon, also known as Tiger Memon, is the main accused in the case along with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, and is missing since 1993.
