DAILY GK UPDATE: 24TH JANUARY

1.    National Girl Child Day being observed today:

i. The objective of this day is to raise consciousness of the society towards the girl child so that she can be valued and respected.

ii. The Women and Child Development Ministry has been taking a multi pronged approach to address and reverse the trend of declining child sex ratio in the country.

NOTE: These initiatives aim at working towards ensuring that girls are born, loved and nurtured and grow up to become empowered citizens of the country with equal rights and opportunities.

2.    China's top science award for Dr.C.N. R. Rao:

i. Noted Indian scientist Dr C N R Rao has been conferred with China's top science award for his important contributions in boosting Sino-India scientific cooperation.

ii. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) yesterday gave its 2012 Award for International Scientific Cooperation to three scientists from India, Germany, and Russia.

iii. Rao, 79, founder of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore, shared the 2012 award with Herbert Jaeckle of Germany's Max Planck Society and Russian space physicist G A Zherebtsov.

iv. He is currently the Head of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister.
NOTE: The CAS is China's top academic and research institution for natural sciences.It has so far honoured 17 international scientists for their contributions in Sino-Foreign research cooperation, since the prize was instituted in 2007.

3.    Jaipur Literature Festival begins today:

Theme of this year’s literature festival is “Buddha in literature”….

i. 6th JaipurLiterature Festival begins today. This is an important literary festival of the Asia-Pacific region.

ii. During the five-day long event, 285 writers from India and abroad will discuss on literary and social issues.

Spritual leader Dalai Lama will be the chief guest at the festival.

NOTE: i. Writers of 16 Indian languages are participating in the festival.

ii. A range of readings, talks, debates, performances, children’s workshops and interactive activities would be organized in the festival.

iii. Jaipur literature festival is not only a writer’s conference but it provides a platform for interaction between readers and writers. During the 5 daylong event 285 writers from India and abroad will discuss on literary and social issues.

iv. This year the festival will focus on Russian Literature.

4.    RBI hikes FII limit in govt securities:

i. The Reserve Bank on Thursday hiked FII investment limits in government securities and corporate bonds by USD 5 billion each, taking the total cap in domestic debt to USD 75 billion, with a view to bridging the current account deficit.

RBI said: ii. The sub-limit of USD 10 billion for investment by FIIs and long-term investors in G-Secs stands enhanced by USD 5 billion

iii. The limit in corporate debt, other than infrastructure sector, stands enhanced from USD 20 billion to USD 25 billion.

NOTE: i.With increase of USD 5 billion in each of the two categories, FIIs and long-term investors can now invest USD 25 billion in G-Secs and USD 50 billion in corporate debt instruments, taking the total to USD 75 billion.

ii. The earlier FII investment limit in G-Secs was USD 20 billion and for corporate debt it was USD 45 billion, including sub-limit of USD 25 billion for infra bonds.

iii. In order to check outflow of foreign currency, the government recently hiked import duty on gold and also took steps to encourage mutual funds park their gold in deposit schemes offered by banks.

5.    Developing nations on top for first time in '12 FDI index: UN

The UN's trade and investment think tank UNCTAD said:

i. Developing countries overtook their traditionally wealthier counterparts in attracting foreign direct investment for the first time last year, as industrialised nations bore the brunt of an 18 per cent plunge in FDI flows.

ii. Last year, global foreign direct investments when a company in one country invests for instance in production facilities or buys a business in another country came in at USD 1.3 trillion, down from USD 1.6 trillion in 2011,

iii. In a dramatic shift on the global investment scale, developing countries reaped USD 680 billion of that, or 52 per cent of the total.

James Zhan, head's UNCTAD's investment and enterprise division said:

iv. "For the first time in history, developing countries have attracted more investment than developed countries,"

v. The US, which remains the world's largest recipient of foreign direct investment, saw its FDI inflows slip more than 35 per cent to USD 147 billion, while Germany saw its net investment level plunge from USD 40 billion in 2011 to just USD 1.3 billion last year, mainly due to large divestments there.

vi. Asia, which raked in 59 per cent of all FDI to developing countries, saw its inflow dip 9.5 per cent, with China, the world's second-largest recipient of such investments, registering a 3.4-per cent drop in 2012 to USD 120 billion.

6.    Starbucks reaches Delhi, opens outlets at IGI Airport:

i. Expanding its reach to new markets in India, coffee chain Tata Starbucks has announced opening of two outlets at the National Capital's Indira Gandhi International Airport.

ii. While one outlet will be opened at the domestic terminal, another one will be started at the international terminal of the airport.

iii. "With this launch, Starbucks forays into a new market segment and expands the number of stores, reaching more customers in the market,".

NOTE: Starbucks had entered the Indian market in October 2012 with the launch of three stores in Mumbai.

7.    U.R. Ananthamurthy in Man Booker Prize shortlist:

i. Eminent writer U.R. Ananthamurthy has been shortlisted among 10 other authors for the international Man Booker Prize for fiction.

ii. Mr. Ananthamurthy, 80, is the only Indian among to have made it to the final list of the prestigious prize announced at the DSC Jaipur Literature Festival on Thursday.

iii. Considered to be one of the most important voice of “new movement” in Kannada language, Mr. Ananthamurthy has written five novels, eight short story collections and three poetry collections that have been translated into other languages in India as well as in Europe.

NOTE: i.The author studied English literature at the University of Mysore and earned his doctorate from University of Birmingham.

ii. Other finalists of 2013 include Aharon Appelfeld (Israel), Lydia Davis (USA), Intizar Husain (Pakistan), Yan Lianke (China), Marie Ndiaye (France), Josip Novakovich (Canada), Marilynne Robinson (USA), Vladimir Sorokin (Russia) and Peter Stamm (Switzerland).

iii. Peter Stamm is the first Swiss author who has made it to the final list.

iv. The award, an offshoot of Britain’s better-known Man Booker novel-of-the-year prize, is awarded for a lifetime’s work. It is open to authors of all nationalities whose work is available in English.

v. The winner would be announced on May 22 in London, the chair of judges Christopher Ricks announced.

8.    UP 10th & 12th pass students to get free laptops:

i. In Uttar Pradesh, the cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, cleared the proposal to purchase 15 lakh laptops and tablets.

ii. These laptops are to be given free to students who have passed class 10th and 12th exams, to fulfill the iii. Samajwadi Party's election promise made in its manifesto last year.

iv. The laptops would cost Rupees 19,058 per unit and total government expenditure on the scheme will be Rupees 2,858 crore.

9.    Li Na & Azarenka will clash for Aus Open title:        

i. Li Na used the heat to her advantage and worked No. 2-ranked Maria Sharapova around Rod Laver Arena in a 6-2, 6-2 win on Thursday to advance to her second Australian Open final in three years.

ii. Sharapova was the favorite after conceding only nine games in her first five matches, a record at the Australian Open since it expanded to a 128-player draw in 1988.

iii.Victoria Azarenka beat American teenager Sloane Stephens with straight set 6-1, 6-4.

NOTE: i. Li was the first Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam final when she lost here to Kim Clijsters in 2011.

ii. Now Li will play for the Australian Open title against Azarenka.

10.  India clinch series against England:

i. India defeated England on Wednesday by 5 wickets in the fourth one day international cricket match at Mohali to clinch the 5-match series, with one game remaining. Put into bat, England compiled 257 for 7 in the stipulated 50 overs. Team India overhauled the target with 15 balls to spare and 5 wickets in hand.

ii. The next one day international will be played at Dharamshala on Sunday.

11.  India retains third spot in T20 rankings:

At fifth, Virat Kohli is the highest placed Indian in the ICC rankings for Twenty20 batsmen, while India have managed to retain their third position in the team rankings issued on Thursday.

NOTE:Among T20 teams, India, maintained their third position with 119 points while Sri Lanka stand firm at the top with 127 points, and T20 World champions West Indies at second with 122 points.