Current Affair 14 feb 2016

Malayalam poet ONV Kurup passes away

i. Noted Malayalam poet and lyricist O N V Kurup passed away in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He was 84.

ii. He was popularly known as “ONV”, Ottaplakkal Nambiyadikkal Velu Kurup and had made significant contributions to the Malayalam film music. He was also was part of the progressive movement in Kerala.

Banaras Hindu University turns 100 years

i. Banaras Hindu University (BHU) founded by Freedom fighter Pt Madan Mohan Malviya has turned 100 years on 13th February 2016.

ii. BHU was founded as important seat of higher education in 1916. During time of its establishment it was first university in India that was the result of a private individual’s efforts.

iii. After its formation, BHU had played an important role in the freedom movement of India.

iv. It main purpose was to build a bridge between India’s past and modernising world system in the areas of social sciences, humanities particularly in evolving non colonial history as a discipline.

Motto of BHU: विद्ययाऽमृतमश्नुते/ Vidyayā’mritamașnute (Sanskrit). In English it means “Knowledge imparts immortality.”

Celebrations

To mark this occasion, University had organised a centenary seminar on higher education and contribution of BHU where Supreme Court Judge Pinaki Chandra Ghosh will be the Chief Guest.

Earlier in September 2014, Union Government had released special coins of Rs 100 (commemorative) and Rs 10 (released in the market) to commemorate the 100th year of establishment of BHU. Postal Department also had issued a special commemorative stamp to mark the occasion.

Currently, BHU has about 140 departments organised into 6 institutes besides one Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and an Institute of Medical Sciences. It is Asia’s largest residential university with more than 15,000 students from different parts of country are presently studying in it. BHU has been listed in the list of Institutes of National Importance.

Tamar Hahn appointd as Director of United Nations Information Centre

i. Tamar Hahn from Israel has been appointed as the Director of United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

ii. She took the charge of the office after she was appointed to this post by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

iii. Prior to this appointment, she was the Regional Adviser for Resource Mobilization and Partnerships at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Office for the Caribbean and Latin America in Panama City (Panama).

About United Nations Information Centre

The UNIC is also known as information services or information offices. It serves as regional couriers of information from the UN to the local public. There are at least 60 locations around the world which serve as regional couriers of information from the UN. They are operated by the United Nations Department of Public Information.

Neem extract may help treat Pancreatic Cancer: Study

i. A new study has claimed that a natural extract derived from the neem tree can potentially be used to treat pancreatic cancer without harming normal, healthy cells.

ii. The study was conducted by scientists from the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso (TTUHSC El Paso). The findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Key facts

Scientists have tested nimbolide, a compound found in neem leaves against pancreatic cancer in cell lines and mice.

The results have showed that this natural compound can stop pancreatic cancer’s growth and metastasis without harming healthy, normal cells in vitro and in vivo experiments.

In the tests, it was also observed that nimbolide was able to reduce the migration and invasion capabilities of pancreatic cancer cells by 70 per cent.

It was also found that after Nimbolide was induced cancer cells, it reduced the size and number of pancreatic cancer cell colonies by 80 per cent.

Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate among the all other forms of cancers. Around 94 per cent of patients suffering from it die within five years of diagnosis. The cancer grows quickly and there are currently no effective treatments available.

World Radio Day observed with theme Radio in Times of Emergency and Disaster

i. World Radio Day was observed globally on 13 February 2016 with the theme Radio in Times of Emergency and Disaster.

ii. To mark the occasion, various activities conducted across India celebrating importance of radio in the day to day life.

iii. In Odisha, a two-day annual international event Outreach International Radio Fair 2016 was inaugurated in Bhubaneswar.

About World Radio Day

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) annually celebrate the World Radio Day by planning activities with broadcasters, organizations and communities around the world.

The day is a global celebration of radio as a forum for entertainment and information, as a bridge of communication for remote communities and its role in empowering people.

UNESCO at its 36th General Assembly on 3 November 2011 proclaimed 13 February as World Radio Day. The first World Radio Day was officially celebrated in 2012.

World Radio Day marks the anniversary of the first broadcast by United Nations Radio in 1946. 13 February 1946 was the day when the UN Radio transmitted its first call sign.

The theme for 2015 World Radio Day was Youth and Radio.

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited India

i. Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on 12 February 2016 concluded his 3-day visit to India. He is also the deputy supreme commander of UAE armed forces

ii. He visited India on invitation of Narendra Modi who became the first Prime Minister to visit the UAE after a gap of 34 years in August 2015.

Highlights of 3-day visit

He held talks with President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on a gamut of bilateral relations.

During the visit, both countries signed 9 agreements and Memorandums of Understanding.

The agreements and MoUs covered a wide range of sectors like the sphere of cyber security, infrastructure, renewable energy and finance.

Both the countries issued a joint statement that expressed resolve to increase trade by 60 percent over by 2020.

He visited Mumbai and met Indian business leaders at the Mumbai Stock Exchange.

Pakistan Cricket umpire Asad Rauf banned for 5 years

i. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has banned Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf for five years after its disciplinary committee found him guilty of corrupt practices.

ii. It was announced by BCCI president Shashank Manohar who had headed the disciplinary committee.

iii. The BCCI Committee has found Rauf guilty of misconduct and corruption under multiple statutes of its BCCI Anti-Corruption Code. He was accused of accepting expensive gifts from bookies besides placing bets on IPL matches in the 2013 edition.

iv. Earlier Rauf had served as part of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) elite panel. He was withdrawn from panel by Pakistan after the allegations against him broke out.

69th BAFTA Awards 2016

Read more at: http://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/69th-bafta-awards-2016-02201630476.html