General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2016

Dec 2016

Feb 19, 2019

Cyber Crime Facilities

Boosting the country's efforts in tackling cyber crimes, Union home minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a state-of-the-art national cyber forensic lab (NCFL) and the Delhi Police's cyber crime unit 'CyPAD' in the national capital.
Both cyber crime fighting units are in Dwarka, Sector 16C.
With this initiative, law enforcers will be able to proactively address cyber threats in coordination with other law-enforcement agencies, and national and international cyber security organisations.

Bhopal to Host Indian History Congress

After Savitribai Phule Pune University allegedly backed out, the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh has decided to host the 79th Indian History Congress in Madhya Pradesh beginning February 26.
The 79th session was earlier supposed to be held at the SPPU from December 28.
This cancellation was unprecedented in the history as the only time Congress session was not held was in times of national need like 'Quit India' movement in 1942 and the wars in 1962 and 1971.
In the moment of crisis, the Madhya Pradesh government has come forward to support the IHC. Bhopal's Barkatullah University will be hosting the event.
Over 1,000 delegates, including prominent historians, are expected to participate in the IHC in Bhopal.

Schedule for MLC Elections

The Election Commission announced the schedule for biennial elections to the Legislative Council as the term of five members, P. Sudhakar Reddy, Mohd. Ali Shabbir (both Congress), T. Santosh Kumar, Mohd. Saleem and Mohd. Mahmood Ali (all TRS), under the Legislative Assembly quota is set to expire by March-end.

Shiv Sena Makes U-turn

Barely 13 months after the Shiv Sena passed a resolution at its national executive to go it alone in all future polls, it made a U-turn by announcing an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
As per the agreement, the BJP will contest 25 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats, while the Sena will contest 23.
Both parties have been together for over 25 years, and even though there have been some misunderstandings in recent times, the original ideology of both parties is the same — Hindutva.

Feb 18, 2019

J&K Withdraws Security of Separatist Leaders

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has withdrawn the security of five separatist leaders including Hurriyat Conference chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
The orders come three days after the Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed in a suicide bombing.
Apart from Mirwaiz, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has also removed the security cover of Abdul Ghani Bhat, Bilal Lone, Hashim Qureshi and Shabir Shah.
The order said that no security forces or cover should be provided, under any pretext, to them or any other separatists.

Names for 26 Maharashtra Seats

The Congress Maharashtra unit has sent a final list of possible candidates for 26 Lok Sabha constituencies in the State to the All India Congress Committee.
On the list, Milind Deora (Mumbai South), Sushil Kumar Shinde (Solapur), Charulata Tokas (Wardha), Mukul Wasnik (Ramtek), Rajeev Satav (Hingoli), Manikrao Thakre (Yavatmal) and Amita Chavan (Nanded) have no competitors. Latur (Scheduled Caste reserved) has the highest number of ticket aspirants with the selection committee receiving 31 names.

India and Iran Agree to Join Forces

India and Iran, after suffering from two heinous terrorist attacks in the past few days, have agreed on close cooperation to combat terrorism in the region as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met the country's Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in Tehran.

Commercial Run of Vande Bharat Express

India's first semi-high speed train, Vande Bharat Express, began its first commercial run, a day after it broke down on its way to Delhi from Varanasi.
Vande Bharat Express left Delhi for Varanasi on Sunday on its first commercial run.

Sikkim Opposition Party Demands Seat Reservation

Sikkim's main opposition party, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) has threatened to call the state's first general strike in 26 years on February 28 if its demands for reservation of seats in the state Assembly for Limboos and Tamangs, sub-communities of the Gorkhas and other benefits for different communities are not met by February 25.
Sikkim is ruled by Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) led by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, India's longest serving chief minister. The SDF has 23 members while the SKM has nine.
The key demand in the list of 35 is the restoration of Sikkimese Nepali seats in Sikkim legislative assembly, reservation of Limboo, Tamang tribal seats in the state assembly, granting scheduled tribe status to 11 Nepali communities and regularisation of temporary jobs recently given by the state government under the one family, one job scheme.

President Kovind Lauds Farmers of Haryana

President Ram Nath Kovind praised the farmers of Haryana for adopting new methods to manage stubble and crop residue as he honoured some of them with 'Kisaan Ratna' and 'Krishi Ratna' Awards.
Stubble burning by farmers in many States has been one of the major causes for air pollution for years, prompting the governments to ban the practice and encourage the growers to adopt alternative ways to manage crop residue.
He said that the people and the government of Haryana were making efforts for the overall development of the State, including enhancing ease of doing business and improving social indicators such as the child sex ratio.

Feb 17, 2019

Rajinikanth will Not Contest LS Polls

Superstar Rajinikanth has announced that he will not contest Lok Sabha polls and added that his party Rajini Makkal Mandram (RMM) will not be fielding candidates in the general elections. RMM said that it will not support any party and added that its focus will be on next assembly elections.
Appealing to his fans, he said that he wants them to vote for a party which will solve Tamil Nadu's water issues. He also warned the media not to use his photograph or party symbol for any propaganda.

Ex Gratia for CRPF Jawans' Families Hiked

The Congress government in Rajasthan revised its ex gratia to the next of kin of five CRPF jawans from the State, who were among the 40 killed in the Pulwama terror attack, from Rs. 25 lakh to Rs. 50 lakh each.
The family members of the slain CRPF personnel will also get government jobs. The bodies of the deceased were cremated with full State honours in their villages.

Feb 16, 2019

Inter-State Frictions Are Back

Inter-State frictions have resurfaced in the northeast after a show of unity by the region's constituent States over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
Less than 24 hours after the Centre's failure in getting the Bill passed in Rajya Sabha triggered celebrations across the north-eastern States, several people, including women, were injured during a clash between the Assam police and people of Umwali village in Meghalaya.

Feb 15, 2019

Voting Through Electronic Ballots

The Supreme Court approved the Election Commission's proposal to provide electronic ballots or the internet-based voting facility to armed forces personnel who opt to vote through postal ballots.
A bench led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) that had asked for an effective mechanism to ensure implementation of voting rights for soldiers of the armed forces after recording the poll panel's decision.

Security Pact between India and Sweden

India and Sweden have concluded a security protection agreement that will enable both countries to share classified information with each other.
The two countries signed the pact in Stockholm, at a time when the Scandinavian country is eyeing projects worth billions of dollars under the "Make in India" initiative.
Swedish defence firm Saab is pursuing opportunities to build fighter jets and next-generation submarines in the country under the government's strategic partnership (SP) model that seeks to provide impetus to the 'Make in India' programme.

Puducherry CM, Cabinet Protest Intensifies

Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy continued his sit-in protest against lieutenant governor Kiran Bedi outside her residence for the second day along with his ministerial colleagues. He has been protesting against Bedi's "negative stand" towards his government's proposals awaiting her approval.
Narayanasamy and his colleagues slept on a pavement near Bedi's residence wearing black shirts in support of their demand that she sanctions 39 government proposals, including a free rice scheme.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) functionaries, too, joined the ruling Congress's protest even as Bedi left for New Delhi.

Shiv Sena Wants CM Post for BJP's Allies

In an indication that the Shiv Sena is eyeing the Chief Minister's (CM) post in Maharashtra if it enters into an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a Sena leader said that the BJP should offer the CM position to its alliance partners in their states.
The leader also said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies like Sena and Akali Dal will play a bigger role after the Lok Sabha elections.
The fresh statement from the Sena indicates that it is willing for a pre-poll tie-up provided it gets the CM post.

Suicide Attack on CRPF Convoy

At least 37 CRPF personnel were killed when a convoy in which they were travelling was attacked by a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) suicide bomber, who rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into one of the convoy's buses near Awantipora on the Srinagar-Jammu highway.
The bombing in Awantipora's Lethpora area in Pulwama district also left at least eight troops critically injured and was the deadliest attack in terms of casualties in the last three decades of militancy in the State.
Immediately after the attack, the JeM claimed responsibility and released a picture of its local operative who had carried out the attack. He was identified as Adil Ahmad Dar alias 'Waqas Commando', a resident of Pulwama's Kakapora.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

October GK, September GK, August GK, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, ENVIRONMENT, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, SPORTS, NATIONAL AFFAIRS, DEFENCE, PERSONS IN NEWS, DAYS AND EVENTS, AWARDS AND HONOURS, GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES, GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION, ART AND CULTURE, BOOKS AND AUTHORS, TOURISM AND HOTEL INDUSTRY AWARENESS, ART AND CULTURE, LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Start Discussion

On any topic

Take Tests

Compiled from GK updates

Login

Sign Up

Forgot Password

Download TCY App

Unlock All Services and Enjoy The Premium Benefits

US$ 10

US$ 13

US$ 15

US$ 17

US$ 19

US$ 20

US$ 21

US$ 22

US$ 23

US$ 24

US$ 25

US$ 26