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Important News (India & World):

1. Bharatiya Janata Party wins 282 seats as the NDA bags 334 in General Elections 2014. The BJP led NDA is set to form the new Government at the Centre with a massive win in the Lok Sabha elections. The saffron party has secured an absolute majority on its own by winning 282 seats.
2. BJP wins 71 seats in UP. In Uttar Pradesh results of all 80 constituencies have been declared. Bharatiya Janata Party has 71 seats. Ruling Samajwadi Party has won 5 seats and twoseats each has been won by the Congress and the BJP ally Apana Dal.
3. India will become the world’s third largest oil consumer by 2025 according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) released its annual Energy Outlook on 7 May 2014. At present, India is the fourth largest oil consumer in the world behind the US, China and Japan.
4. Actorfilmmaker Kamal Haasan led the Indian delegation at the 67th Cannes International Film Festival inaugurated in Cannes, France on 14 May 2014.
5. The United Nations and the International Olympic Committee has signed a historic agreement to use the power of sports to promote peace and economic development.
Note: IOC President: Thomas Bach
6. European Union bans Indian Alphonso mangoes, veggies from May 1. The 28member European Union has temporarily banned the import of Alphonso mangoes, the king of fruits, and four vegetables from India from May 1, sparking protests from the Indian community, lawmakers and traders.
Note: The recent decision by the grouping's Standing Committee on Plant Health came after 207 consignments of fruits and vegetables from India imported into the EU in 2013 were found to be contaminated by pests such as fruit flies and other quarantine pests.
7. Microsoft acquires Nokia's mobile phone business for $7.5bn. The Finnish company will now focus on networks, mapping services and technology development and licences.
Note: Former Nokia chief executive Stephen Elop has become executive vice president of the Microsoft devices group
8. The Supreme Court of India appointed former judge of the High Court of Australia, Michael Hudson McHugh as the third arbitrator to resolve the dispute between the Central government and Mukesh Ambaniled Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) on KG basin.
9. SC recognizes transgender as third category of sex. In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court on Monday recognized transgenders or eunuchs as third category of gender and directed Centre and states to grant them all facilities including voters ID, passport and driving licence.
10. WHO certifies India as a poliofree nation.
11. World Meteorological Organization (WMO) panel announced that Cherrapunji in India regained the world record for highest rainfall in 48 hours with 2493 millimeters.
12. Russia suspended from G8 group: The G7 group of top economic powers have kicked out Russia from the powerful G8 over its annexation of Crimea and threatened to impose far-reaching sanctions if Moscow continued its incursion into Ukraine.
ii. The US and six other economic powers also scrapped the G8 summit to be hosted by Russia in Sochi in June to build pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin against his military action in Ukraine.
About Crimea
i. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea is an autonomous parliamentary republic within Ukraine and is governed by the Constitution of Crimea in accordance with the laws of Ukraine.
ii. The capital is the city of Simferopol, located in the center of the peninsula. Crimea's area is 26,200 square kilometers.
iii. The Crimean peninsula, the main flashpoint in Ukraine's crisis, is a pro-Russia part of Ukraine, separated from the rest of the country geographically, historically and politically. It also hosts Russia's Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine has accused Russia of invading it.
13. IFFCO gets approval to set up $ 1.6 bn urea plant in Canada.
14. Global pharma major Novartis acquire GlaxoSmithKline plc's (GSK).
15. Andhra Pradesh has recorded highest growth in terms of milk production at over 41 per cent and percapita milk availability about 36 per cent, during the period 200610.
16. A US jury ordered Samsung Electronics Co Ltd to pay $119.6 million to Apple Inc, a big loss for the iPhone maker in the latest round of their globespanning mobile patent litigation.
17. Cadbury India Limited announced to change its name to Mondelez India Foods Limited. Cadbury India Limited is a subsidiary of Mondelez International Inc.
18. Vietnam (Hanoi) decided not to host the 2019 Asian Games for financial reasons, and was exploring procedures to withdraw from staging the region's largest sporting event.
19. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (SPL) announced that it will acquire 100 per cent of Ranbaxy Laboratories in a $ 4 billion allshare transaction.
20. Deadly ‘Heartbleed’ virus arrives in Indian cyberspace.
21. Jammu and Kashmir became the first state in the country to declare all election booths in the coming Lok Sabha polls as no smoking zones.
22. IRV 2020 programme has been launched by WHOIndia, with an aim to protect and increase the population of the onehorned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis).
23. Workdays for tribals under MNREGA raised from 100 to 150. Those tribals who have received land rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 will be eligible for additional 50 days of wage employment under the rural job scheme.
24. India nominated RanikiVav located in Patan, Gujarat and the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) in Himachal Pradesh for UNESCO’s World Heritage Site Status for 2014.
25. Vandana Foundation launched AQUATM in Mumbai: The AQUATM is a water vending machine from which water can be purchased. This water wending machine will release 1 liter water at a price of 1 rupee.
26. Air India is all set to join the world's largest airline grouping, Star Alliance, this July, making it the first airline from India to be part of a global chain of carriers.
27. Gujarat state has been ranked number one in a list of India's 20 largest states in terms of “economic freedom”.
28. Google partners with Rayban for Google Glass.
29. India is Dubai’s largest non oil trading partner in 201314
30. In the biggestever deal signed at the India Aviation Show, SpiceJet has inked an agreement with Boeing for purchase of 42 737 MAX 8 aircraft costing Rs. 26,000 crore ($ 4.4 billion).
31. Kellogg’s ropes in Deepika Padukone as brand ambassador for Special K
32. Mauritius President Rajkeswar Puryaag is the chief guest at Global Ayurveda Fest in Kerala
33. National Waqf Development Corp. Limited is a new Central Public Sector Enterprise in New Delhi.
Note: It will be remain under the Ministry of Minority Affairs. National Waqf Development Corporation (NAWADCO) has been established with an authorized share capital of Rs.500 Crore.
ii. The corporation has been establishment as a followup of the recommendation of Sachar Committee.
34. Social media giant Facebook will acquire mobile messaging company WhatsApp for 19 billion dollars in a cash and stock deal, the largest acquisition by the Mark Zuckerbergled firm. Under the agreement, WhatsApp cofounder and CEO Jan Koum will join Facebook Board of Directors.
Note: WhatsApp, headquarters is in California's Mountain View.
35. Odia declared as classical language. So far, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam have been declared as classical languages.
36. Google and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) jointly launched 360degree panoramic imagery of 30 out of 100 "nationallyimportant monuments" including Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb, Jantar Mantar and Qutub Minar among others, viewable to onethird of the world's population.
37. Cheteshwar Pujara, the middle order batsman of Indian cricket team appointed as the brand ambassador of the Gujarat State Election Commission.
38. Country’s first Minority Cyber Village opened in Chandoli in Alwar district of Rajasthan.
39. Sikkim achieves over 100 percent sanitation. Sikkim has become the only state in the country to achieve more than 100 percent sanitation in rural and urban households, schools, sanitary complexes and Aanganwadi centres.
40. India’s first monorail service launched in Mumbai. The first phase covers 8.9 km long WadalaChembur section.
41. Belgium became second country to allow Mercy Killing for Children. Parliament of Belgium on 14 February 2014 legalised death to terminally ill children of any age.
Note: Other European countries that allows active euthanasia are: 1. Luxembourg, which permits active euthanasia for over 18 years in age. 2. Switzerland lets doctors to help adult patients to commit suicide
42. India is the world’s largest arms importer: SIPRI. The new data has ranked China and Pakistan second and third respectively as the largest arms importer. The report published by as Swedish Think Tank, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has claimed that India continues to be the largest buyer of arms in the world.
43. India became third largest crude oil importer in the World. World’s Top Five OilImporting Countries are: 1.China, 2.U.S.A:, 3. India 4. Japan 5.Germany
44. Facebook — with more than 1.2 billion users worldwide — is celebrating its 10th birthday on 3rd Feb 2014.
45. Six Public Sector Units (PSUs) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up the World’s largest 4000 MW ultra solar power project in Rajasthan. The project will be the largest single location solar plant spread across 19000 acres at Sambhar in Rajasthan.
46. The Ministry of Railways and the Government of Karnataka signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the setting up of a rail coach factory at Kolar in Karnataka.
47. Cabinet approves quota hike of subsidised LPG cylinders from 9 to 12.
48. Kerala wins UN award: Kerala Tourism has been conferred the United Nations Award for creating innovative initiatives for sustainable tourism, the first time India has ever won the recognition.
49. Odisha's Chilika lagoon, hotspot for biodiversity, has been named 'destination flyways' by United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) following its inclusion in a list of eight such sites worldwide.
Note: Chilika is the only site to be selected from Asia by the UNWTO.
50. Japanese PM (Shinzo Abe) is the Chief Guest at India’s 65th Republic Day celebrations on 26th January 2014.
51. The Jain community was accorded minority status by the central government, which will enable them to avail of benefits in government schemes and programmes. The Jains became the sixth community to have minority status after Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis.
52. Amul launches India’s first ‘milk ATM’ in Gujarat.
53. Sourav Ganguly conferred Doctor of Letters degree by the prestigious Bengal Engineering and Science University (BESU), Shibpur, for his great contribution to Indian cricket.
54. Delhi became first state to withdraw FDI in Multibrand Retail.
55. India has been ranked 98th in the Forbes list of world's best countries for doing business that has cited poverty, corruption and discrimination against girls among the challenges facing the country. Ireland topped the list.
56. The US Green Building Council (USGBC) has ranked India as No 3 among the list of top 10 countries for LEED outside of the United States.
57. Prince Harry has become the first British royal to reach the South Pole after a threeweek charity trek with injured military veterans from Britain, the U.S., Canada and Australia.
58. Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has been named the regional brand ambassador by the UNICEF to promote its Total Sanitation Campaign in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.
59. The Petroleum Conservation Research Association under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has selected Andhra Pradesh for the award of best performing State amongst the big states for the oil and gas conservation programmes.
60. Gorakhpur railway station entered Limca Book of Records as world’s longest platform
Note: Before the platform number one of Gorakhpur, the platform of Kharagpur railway station of West Bengal had the distinction of being world’s largest platform with length of 1072.5 meters.
61. India ranks 140 in the list of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index 2014, whereas China and Pakistan were placed at 175th and 158th position respectively.
62. India was ranked 94th out of 177 countries on Global Corruption Perception Index 2013, which was released by Transparency International. Denmark and New Zealand tied for first place.
63. India has been ranked 23rd out of 25 countries in nuclear material security index. China has been ranked at 20th spot, while Pakistan stands at 22nd place.
64. India ranked 155th in Global Environment Performance Index
65. India ranks at the bottom of the list of 25 countries in terms of its intellectual property (IP) environment. US ranked on the top followed by UK and France.
66. Cumbria University of UK became the first public university to accept fees in digital currency, Bitcoin. A system for processing the payments is already operational.
67. Dhoom 3’ has become Bollywood’s highest revenue grosser of all times in just a fortnight after its panIndia release.
68. Chile took its seat at the United Nations Security Council(UNSC) as a nonpermanent member of the international body till Dec 31, 2015.
69. Nepal and India have agreed in principle to allow circulation of Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 denomination Indian bank notes within Nepalese territory, ending a ban in place for over a decade.
Note: The decision to scrap the 2010 deal was taken nearly a year after reports surfaced that two top officials of the company had allegedly paid bribes to bag the contract. Former IAF chief S P Tyagi is one of the accused in the case, which is being probed by CBI.
70. India cancels 3,600 crore rupee VVIP choppers deal with AngloItalian firm Agusta WestLand.
71. Europe launched Gaia satellite, one of the most ambitious space missions in history.
72. Alstom bagged 125 million euro contract from BHEL for Neyveli New Thermal Power Project. The contract is to supply components and services for the 1000 MW Neyveli New Thermal Power Project (NNTPP) of Neyveli Lignite Corporation located in Tamil Nadu.
Note: Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure. It has set a benchmark for innovative and environmentally friendly technologies.
ii. Alstom builds the fastest train and the highest capacity automated metro in the world.
73. China built a new research station in Antarctica called Taishan. It was China’s fourth research station in the southern pole.
Note: Antarctica is the fifthlargest continent in area after Asia, Africa, North America, and South America.
74. China's first lunar rover named Jade Rabbit landed on Moon. The lunar rover has been named Jade Rabbit (called Yutu in Chinese).
Note: In past three decades, China is the first country to do so. Earlier, Luna 24 Probe of Soviet Union was the last space mission to land on moon in August 1976

75. Chile is the world’s top copper exporter, and its fastgrowing economy, low unemployment and stable democracy are the envy of Latin America.