Current Affairs 18th and 19th October 2015

Current Affairs 18th and 19th October 2015 - Important Points

• Who has been conferred Harvard University’s 2015 Humanitarian of the Year Award - Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi

• Who is appointed as CFO of Housing.com - Mani Rangarajan

• Which Football Association has been suspended by FIFA - Kuwait Football Association

• Who is appointed as AIFF’s Advisor - Baichung Bhutia

• Who has won 2015 Shanghai Rolex Masters tennis title - Novak Djokovic

• Sultan of Johor Cup Hockey tournament won by - Great Britain

• Swadhar Greh scheme approved by - Haryana Government

• Smita Patil: A Brief Incandescence by Maithili Rao launched

• Who has won 2015 Vietnam Open Tennis Trophy - Saketh Myneni of India

• National Cadet Corps National Games 2015 concluded

• India among top ten investors in the USA in 2015: Baker & McKenzie

Current Affairs 18th and 19th October 2015 - Details

Who has been conferred Harvard University’s 2015 Humanitarian of the Year Award - Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi

On 16th October 2015, Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel Peace Prize winner of 2014, was conferred with the 2015 Humanitarian of the Year Award for his continuing contribution to the cause of child rights and abolition of child slavery.

In September 2015, Satyarthi was successful in getting the issue of child protection included in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that was adopted by the UN General Assembly (UNGA).

Do You Know :

The Humanitarian Award is presented every year by the Harvard Foundation of Harvard University to an individual whose works and deeds have served to improve the quality of our lives and have inspired us to greater heights.

Earlier, this award had been connferred to Kofi Annan, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Martin Luther King Sr, Javier Perez de Cuellar; Bishop Desmond Tutu and John Hume among others.

Who is appointed as CFO of Housing.com - Mani Rangarajan

On 18th October 2015, Mani Rangarajan is appointed as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Realty giant Housing.com.

Earlier, Rangarajan has served various executive level roles in companies such as Yahoo! and Citigroup and holds over 20 years of experience.

About Housing.com

It was founded by a group of 12 students from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay in June 2012 and works as a Mumbai-based real estate search portal. The website allows the users to search for housing based on location, number of rooms, budgets and various other filters.

Which Football Association has been suspended by FIFA - Kuwait Football Association

On 16th October 2015, Zurich-based Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) suspended Kuwait Football Association (KFA) for interference of the government officials in the running of the sports by the KFA.

The suspension will only be removed if the KFA and its members (the clubs) are able to carry out their activities and obligations independently.

Who is appointed as AIFF’s Advisor - Baichung Bhutia

On 18th October 2015, the former India Football captain Baichung Bhutia has been appointed as the advisor for overall issues of the game and the Federation by All India Football Federation (AIFF).

He will be advising the Federation on improving the National Team's performance and will also help in the development of the squad for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He will also advice on the licensing criteria of State FAs, development of Clubs and all other domestic Competitions, both men and women and across all age groups.

About All India Football Federation (AIFF)

On 23rd June 1937, All India Football Federation (AIFF) was established to manage the game of association football in India. It also oversees the running of the India national football team and controls the I-League, India's premier domestic club competition.

Who has won 2015 Shanghai Rolex Masters tennis title - Novak Djokovic

On 18th October 2015, the 2015 Shanghai Rolex Masters tennis title in the men’s singles category was won by Novak Djokovic by defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final match held in Shanghai, China.

In four years, this was the third Shanghai title for Djokovic.

Apart from the Grand slam titles in Australia, the UK (Wimbledon) and the USA, he won six other titles in the 2015 season that include Shanghai Open, Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Italian Open, Miami Open, China Open and Indian Wells Masters.

Sultan of Johor Cup Hockey tournament won by - Great Britain

On 18th October 2015, Great Britain captured Sultan of Johor Cup (SOJC) by defeating Indian junior men's hockey team.

Other Awards

• Best Goalkeeper: Chris Wyver of Great Britain
• Best Player: Harjeet Singh of India
• Fair Play Award: Australia (finished fifth in the tournament)
• Top Goal Scorer: Luke Taylor of Great Britain (10 goals)

Participating countries in the 2015 edition of the tournament were: Malaysia, Australia, Great Britain, India, Argentina and Pakistan.

Swadhar Greh scheme approved by - Haryana Government

On 18th October 2015, Swadhar Greh scheme was approved by the Haryana Government, to ensure economic and social security to women in distress.

Basic amenities, such as shelter, food, clothing and health along with economic and social security to women in distress will be provided under the scheme.

Highlights of the scheme

• It will enable them to regain their emotional strength.
• It will provide the women with legal aid and guidance to enable them to take steps for their readjustment in family or society.
• Under the scheme, Swadhar Greh will be set up in every district with capacity to accommodate 30 women.
• Women above 18 years of age can take benefit of the component.
• Children accompanying the women can also avail the benefit of the component.
• The Greh will cater to the needs of shelter, food, clothing, medical treatment and care of the women in distress.
• More than one Greh will be established in big cities and districts with over 40 lakh population or those districts where there is a need for additional support to women.

Smita Patil: A Brief Incandescence by Maithili Rao launched

On 18th October 2015, The book titled Smita Patil: A Brief Incandescence authored by Maithili Rao was launched on her 60th birth anniversary.

The book familarize the readers with a remarkable journey of the short-lived actress. The book also focuses on her several unfortunate forays into mainstream commercial cinema.

Who has won 2015 Vietnam Open Tennis Trophy - Saketh Myneni of India

On 18th October 2015, the Vietnam Open tennis trophy in the men’s singles category was won by India's tennis player Saketh Myneni.

Tristan Lamasine and Nils Langer of France and Germany respectively won in men’s doubles category whereas Indian Sanam Singh and Saketh Myneni ended up at the second position.

For Myneni, this is his first singles ATP Challenger title of the 2015 season and the second overall singles title at the Challenger level.

National Cadet Corps National Games 2015 concluded

On 17th October 2015, The National Cadet Corps-National Games 2015 was concluded with a spectacular finale in Delhi.

Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab NCC Directorates won the Raksha Mantri Overall Champions trophy.

Directorate General of NCC Lt. General Aniruddha Chakravarty conducted the games and around 2000 cadets from 17 states and UTs directorates took part in it.

India among top ten investors in the USA in 2015: Baker & McKenzie

On 18th October 2015, Cross Border Merger & Acquisition Index of Baker & McKenzie revealed a report in which India was among the top 10 investors in the USA in 2015.

As per the report, Indian companies invested around 1.7 US billion dollars in the US companies in 2015 alone.

Further, majority of these investments were in the health care sector totaling 1.5 billion US dollars making it the fourth largest investor in the sector behind Germany with 2.8 billion US dollars investment.

Regarding future, the report was also optimistic that Indian companies will continue to invest in the coming months as they are cash rich and, hence, less immune to fluctuations in the global economy.