The Weekly Update consisting of Important News, Events, Facts and Achievements. Browse Regularly for Strengthening your General Knowledge, and staying abreast with what is happening around you.
National Political News:
1. As Delhi assembly elections D-Day is approaching AAP is finding itself in the eye of a storm over donations which its own members claim are not in accordance with law.
At the centre of the storm are four firms who gave a donation of Rs.50 lac each with no income of their own. There are 31 other donors with doubtful means in the list given by the breakaway AAP group known as ‘AVAM’.
AAP is being backed by TMC’s – Mamta Banerjee, JDU’s Nitish Kumar and CPM’s Karat.
Delhi has witness a record 67% voter turnout in the assembly election on 7th of Feb.
2. H1 N1 virus related swine flu has resulted in the death of 191 across India.
The govt. is trying to procure 60,000 capsules of oseltamivir , the anti swine flu drug.
The most affected states by swine flu are Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telengana, Maharashtra, MP.
3. Union Home secretary Anil Goswami has resigned after admitting that he had tried to dissuade the nation’s premier investigating agency the CBI from summoning and arresting a former union minister Matang Singh in Saradha scam of Calcutta. Matang Sing’s Rs.100 cr. Property has been attached by Enforcement Directorate.
International Political News:
1. In Taipei, Taiwan a Trans Asia Airways plane hit a shallow River after clipping a highway bridge overpass. At least 26 people are feared to be killed in the crash.
2. China has taken an initiative to revive its maritime silk route for conducting trade and commerce on it.
Indian borders with China in Arunachal Pradesh in North East India and LehLadakh sectors of North India fall on this silk route which are disputed by China.
Indian External Affairs minister SushmaSwaraj during her visit to the Chinese capital Beijing has emphasized on selective operation of this route which favors India.
3. ISIS in a video realise has claimed beheading of Japanese journalist, 47 year old Kenji Goto.
Kenji Goto, a free lance journalist is shown kneeling in an orange coloured dress similar to those worn by Guantanamo Bay inmates next to a man known as Jihadi John. Guantanamo Bay is a US interrogation centre in a Pacific Ocean island.
Jihadi John is an ISIS militant with a British accent covered from head to toe in a black dress and has appeared in previous executions carried out ISIS.
4. Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasasbehhas been burnt alive by ISIS militants in a video released on Feb, 2. The Jordanian pilot was captured in Dec 2014, when his plane crashed over Syria in a sortie against ISIS.
Jordan vows strong and decisive reprisals against ISIS and has executed 2 ISIS militants including a woman suicide bomber.
Business News:
1. HSBC India Purchase Managers Index, an important indicator to gauge manufacturing operations slowed to 52.9 in Jan 2015 from 54.5 in Dec 2014, thus indicating a drop.
2. GDP numbers to be used from Jan 30, 2015 onwards would be based on 2011-2012 as base year by the Central statistical organization ‘CSO’ of Govt. of India.
The new GDP growth number at 6.9% for the current year are based on the new series and signal an economic recovery.
Car sales have also risen in the month of January with Tata Motors, Honda andMaruti indicating 19%, 17% and 9% increase in sales respectively.
Science and Technology:
1. Sand rich in atomic minerals like Monazite and rare earth minerals like Limenite, Rutile, Garnet, Sillimanite and zircon is naturally available on the Indian coast line of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
This sand is processed to extract nuclear fuels like Thorium and Uranium which are used in nuclear power plants. Illegal mining of this sand has been detected and is a Rs.1 lakh Crore + racket in the state of Tamil Nadu.
Sports:
1. 35th National Games are in progress in the Kerala capital of Thiruvananthapuram.
Participants in the shooting and swimming events which have been conducted till now have beaten past national records.
