9th, 10th, 11th January 2016 Gk / GA Update

To improve LPG customer service, Oil Ministry launched two e-initiative.

• Two online discussion forums – Citizen-Friendly Services and Increasing LPG Coverage in the Country – have been launched.
• The forums are available on myGov.in and mylpg.in.

For first time, French soldiers will march down Rajpath on Republic Day 2016 Celebrations.

• It will be first time that foreign army will participate in 26^th January Republic Day Parade.
• Hollande is the Chief Guest for 26 January 2016 celebrations.

President Pranab Mukherjee promulgated Enemy Property(Amendment and Validation) Ordinance 2016.

• The bill was implemented to make amendments to the Enemy Property Act, 1968.
• These amendments will help is dealing with the loopholes of the Enemy Property Act, 1968.

PM Narender Modi to be chief Guest at Sustainable agriculture meet in Gangtok.

• The conference is being held in Sikkim.
• 43^rd New Delhi World Book Fair inaugrated by Smriti Irani.
• HRD minister Smriti Irani inaugrated the 43^rd Edition of new Delhi World Book Fair.
• China was conferred with Guest of Honor and a theme presentation of cultural heritage of India.

New Constitution adoption process begins in Sri Lanka.

• Sri Lankan parliament today began a process to formulate a new constitution with PM Ranil Wickremesinghe presenting a resolution to set up Constitutional Assembly of all members for the purpose.

Sania Mirza – Martina Hingis wins Brisbane International Title.

• Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis won their sixth consecutive title by lifting the WTA Brisbane trophy.

Daily GK Update – Current Affairs – 10th and 11th January 2016

11^th World Hindi Day Celebrated on 10^th January

• Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) marked the occasion through its missions/posts abroad and the Department of Official Language (Rajbhasha) conducted special events to spread the greatness of the language.
• The day was first observed on 10 January 2006.
• The day is in addition to the National Hindi Divas that is being celebrated annually on 14 September.

14^th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas hosted by New Delhi.

• The event was inaugurated by the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and attended by Priti Patel, MoS for Employment, United Kingdom.
• Apart from the main event in New Delhi, the day was celebrated by the MEA, across the world, through its missions/posts abroad.

Urjit Patel gets a second three year term as Deputy Governor of RBI.

• Patel is the fourth deputy governor and the other three are HR Khan, R Gandhi and SS Mundra.
• The re-appointment of Patel assumes significance as in recent past, none of the deputy governors got a second term.

88^th Annual Conference of Nikhil Bharat Banga Sahitya Sammelan inaugrated by President of India.

• President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the 3 day long 88th annual conference of Nikhil Bharat Banga Sahitya Sammelan today (January 10, 2016) at Ranchi, Jharkhand.
• Speaking on the occasion, the President said he had been closely involved with the organization for the last three decades.

A Book titled “MARU BHARAT SARU BHARAT| authored by Jain Acharya Maharaj released.

• MARU BHARAT SARU BHARAT (My India Noble India) is written by Jain Acharya Ratnasundersuriswarji Maharaj.
• This is the 300th book of Ratnasundersuriswarji Maharaj. The book release function was organized by Sahitya Satkar Samiti of Ratnatrayee Trust in Mumbai.
• The book, My India, Nobel India, will be available in four languages – English, Hindi, Gujarati and Marathi.

Nepal elects executive board members of UNICEF for 2016-2018.

• Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Durga Prasad Bhattarai, was also unanimously elected vice-president to the Bureau of the Executive Board of the UNICEF for 2016.
• Nepal recently completed its terms as a member of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for 2013-2015 and as vice-president from Asia-Pacific region at the executive board of United Nations Development Programme/United Nations Population Fund/United Nations Office for Project Services for the year 2015.

28^th edition of International Kite Festival inaugurated by Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel.

• The Kite festival of Gujarat marks Uttarayan, the day when winter begins to turn into summer, according to the Indian calendar.
• The five-day annual event saw participation of about 98 foreign kite flyers from 28 different nations and 55 participants from 8 different states and 28 kite flyers from Gujarat.

Renowned Hindi writer Ravindra Kalia passes away.

• He was 78. Kalia had been suffering from liver cirrhosis.
• The writer is known for his works like Nau Saal Chotti Patni and Ghalib Chutti Sharab.
• The former Bharatiya Jnanpith director, Kalia was also the editor of several literary magazines, including Naya Gyanodaya.

David Bowie, renowned British Singer passes away.

• He was 69 and died after battling cancer for 18 months.
• The musician, whose full name was David Robert Jones, was born in Brixton, UK on January 8, 1947.

73^rd Annual Globe Awards announced  at Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, the US.

• These annual awards honour the best in Motion Pictures and Television for the year 2015.
  • Best Motion Picture (Drama) – The Revenant
  • Best Actor – Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant
  • Best Director Awards – Alejandro Inarritu for The Revenant
  • Best actress award – Brie Larson for ‘The Martian’ Movie.

International Cricket Council (ICC) signed 8 year deal with MoneyGram.

• ICC announced MoneyGram as Event Partner ICC events from 2016-2023.
• ICC and MoneyGram recently completed a successful five-year partnership, which began with the ICC World Twenty20 West Indies 2010, concluding with the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.

First female formula one driver maria teresa passes away in Italy. She was 89.

• De Filippis participated in five World Championship Grands Prix; however, she scored no championship points.
• She is remembered as a pioneer in motor racing, a sport dominated by men.

Chennai Open Title won by Stanilas Wawrinka.

• He defeated Croatian Borna Coric 6-3, 7-5 in the final clash at the Nungambakkam tennis stadium of Chennai.
• This is the fourth Chennai Open title for the Swiss player and the third consecutive win, who first won it in 2011.