GA UPDATE - 3.12.2016
1. UAE-based Indian girl wins International Children's Peace Prize
A 16-year-old Indian environmental activist, Kehkashan Basu based in the UAE has won this year's prestigious International Children’s Peace Prize for her fight for climate justice and combating environmental degradation.
Kehkashan Basu was presented the award by Bangladesh's Nobel peace laureate Mohammad Yunus at a glittering ceremony in The Hague.
Yunus, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his efforts for economic and social development, underlined the urgency and importance of Kehkashan’s work, as more than three million children under the age of five die every year from environment-related diseases and many more suffer deeply from environmental issues.
2. J&K Tourism gets one of best emerging destination award
Jammu and Kashmir Tourism has been adjudged as one of the best emerging destination for adventure by a leading US-based travel magazine Conde Nast.
The award was presented by Union Tourism Secretary Vinod Zutshi at an event here, according to a release from the J&K Tourism department.
The said award is an internationally recognized one and is given after thorough evaluation of different factors and criteria, it said. While receiving the award, Secretary, Tourism and Floriculture of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq A Shah showcased the huge potential of the state for adventure tourism. He said work was on to equip the state with international standard infrastructure in all kinds of tourism, the release said.
3. PV Sindhu Achieves Career-Best Rank of 7, Saina Nehwal Back In Top-10
Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu jumped two places to achieve her career-best ranking of seven in the world while Saina Nehwal was also back in the top 10 in the latest BWF World Ranking.
Sindhu, who clinched the China Open and then reached the finals at the Hong Open, has 68,699 ranking points. She will carry India hopes at the Dubai Super Series Final, a prestigious tournament she qualified for the first time.
Former World No.1 Saina, who is on a comeback trail after recovering from a serious injury, improved a spot after slipping five places to 11th place last week.
K Srikanth, who is out of action since undergoing an injury, slipped a place to World No. 13, while Hong Kong Finalist Sameer Verma jumped 13 places to be World No. 30.
Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy slipped a place to World No. 23rd.
4. World champion Rosberg announces shock retirement
Nico Rosberg quit Formula One, just five days after winning the world title for Mercedes in a move that stunned motor racing.
The 31-year-old German, who beat off teammate Lewis Hamilton in the finale, is the first reigning champion to quit since Alain Prost in 1993.
Rosberg made the bombshell revelation in Vienna ahead of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) annual awards ceremony.
5. India Ratings lowers GDP forecast to 6.8% post demonetisation
India Ratings lowered its GDP forecast for 2016-17 to 6.8 per cent from 7.8 per cent earlier, stating that the demonetisation drive will lead to an erosion of Rs 1.5 trillion this fiscal.
"We have revised GDP growth forecast for 2016-17 to 6.8 per cent, 100 basis points lower than earlier projection of 7.8 per cent. The downward revision is a fallout of the disruptions caused at various levels in the economy due to the de-legalisation of banknotes from November 9, which according to our analysis can cost economy a Rs 1.5 trillion," it said.
It said the measure, which the government claims root out black money, is likely to destroy Rs 4.004 trillion worth of cash held in black money and fake currencies.
6. Bolt is IAAF athlete of year; Ayana wins women's award
Usain Bolt is track and field's male athlete of the year, winning the award from the sport's governing body for a sixth time.
Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia won the women's award, after her world-record run to win Olympic gold in the 10,000 meters.
The awards were handed out yesterday by the IAAF at a gala ceremony here.
The winners were chosen by athletics officials, athletes, journalists and an online public poll.
Bolt won gold’s in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 4x100 meters at the Rio Olympics, repeating his feats of the 2012 London Games and in Beijing in 2008.
Ayana smashed the world record in the Olympic 10,000m. Her time of 29:17.45 shaved more than 14 seconds off the previous best.
GA UPDATE - 2.12.2016
1. India grabs 2nd spot in emerging markets university rankings
India was ranked second in a list of 300 top universities in emerging economies, "making great strides" in the compilation topped by China.
China ranked first with 52 universities while India was on the second spot with 27 universities in the ranking -- BRICS and Emerging Economies University Rankings 2017 -- compiled annually by Times Higher Education which released its report today.
"India is making great strides. Its flagship university, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), breaks into the top 15 for the first time this year in 14th place, thanks to improved scores for its teaching environment and research influence.
"The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) climbs three places to 26th, its highest ever rank, due to improved scores across all of the five pillars underlying the methodology," said Phil Baty, editor of the rankings.
Peking and Tsinghua universities in China held on to the two top spots for the fourth year running and China has a further four universities in the top 10.
Lomonosov Moscow State University in Russia, University of Cape Town and University of Science and Technology of China complete the top five rankings.
The other Indian universities to make the cut this year include IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur at joint 32; IIT Madras at 35; IIT Roorkee at 62; IIT Kharagpur at 71; Jadavpur University at 99; IIT Guwahati at 106; Tata Institute of Fundamental Research at 107; University of Delhi at 109; Panjab University at 135; Tezpur University at 140; Savitribai Phule Pune University at 143; Aligarh Muslim University at 157; University of Calcutta at 179; Sri Venkateswara University at 186; National Institute of Technology Rourkela at 195; and Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, at 196.
2. UAE's Omar Abdulrahman named Asian player of 2016
Omar Abdulrahman, arguably Asia's biggest star, was crowned AFC player of the year in a glittering ceremony in his home country of United Arab Emirates.
3. Crown prince proclaimed Thai King, new era begins
Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn was proclaimed the new Thai King, heralding a new chapter in the country's monarchy after the passing away of his revered father who was the world's longest reigning monarch.
4. Yoga in UNESCO's Representative List of intangible heritage
In a diplomatic triumph for India, an intergovernmental committee of the United Nations has inscribed yoga in UNESCO's Representative List as the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
"This declaration of yoga as a Human Treasure enjoyed the unanimous support of 24-member Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which overturned the decision of an Evaluation Body of technical experts, seeking to defer the case to the next session of the Committee in 2017," MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
The tag emphasises yoga's role as a social practice, an oral tradition and a system of ancient and scientific knowledge, facilitating an enhanced harmony and peace across caste, creed, gender, age and nationality, he said.
The eleventh session of the Intergovernmental Committee is being held in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, from November 28 to December 2.
5. India projected to grow 7.6 per cent in 2017: UN report
India's economy is projected to grow at 7.6 per cent in 2017 as investment regains momentum and manufacturing base strengthens on the back of structural reforms in the country, a UN study said, crediting India and China for steady growth of the Asia-Pacific region.
"India's economy is projected to sustain a 7.6 per cent growth rate in both fiscal years 2016-17 and 2017-18," according to the year-end update of the flagship report Economic and Social Survey for Asia and the Pacific 2016 of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
The report said India's economic growth is expected to remain at 7.6 per cent in 2017 as investment regains momentum and the manufacturing base strengthens on the back of structural reforms.
The ongoing structural reforms are also expected to benefit private investment in India.
It said in India while growth in the first quarter of the current fiscal year (April-June 2016) moderated due to a contraction in fixed investment, a rebound is expected.
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