Daily Current Affairs for SSC CGL 2016: August 22, 2016

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Government plans to set up Centre of Excellence on food security 

• The government is planning to set up a Centre of Excellence (CENEX) on food security in Delhi, on similar lines of Brazil, that would act as a think-tank and support government initiatives. 
• The centre would be set up in collaboration with the UN agency World Food Programme (WFP). 
• The WFP and Brazilian government had in November 2011 in a joint initiative launched the Centre of Excellence to fight against hunger and improve food security. 
• A delegation led by India's Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, was on a three-day visit to Brazil to study its food security policies and programmes. 
• "India is proposing to set up a CENEX on food security in Delhi," Paswan told PTI. 

BRICS Women Parliamentarians passes Jaipur declaration

• BRICS Women Parliamentarians forum has unanimously passed the Jaipur Declaration on the concluding day of the Forum’s meeting held in Jaipur. The 19-point declaration was adopted at the two-day meeting of BRICS Women Parliamentarians forum held in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
• Key highlights of Jaipur Declaration Strengthen strategic partnership between members on all three dimensions of sustainable development viz., economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.
• Parliamentarians expressed concern over the climate change on ecological systems, biodiversity and as well as food security (i.e. food production).
• Members will focus to work out integrated solutions to preserve and protect ecological systems and forests.
• It also called upon international financial institutions (FIs) to extend support to developing and least developed countries. The FIs should help developing and least developed countries gain easier access to new and affordable technologies as envisaged under UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and the Paris Agreement.
• Emphasized the need to inform, communicate and educate citizens about developmental schemes. Emphasized on plans for incorporating gender concerns and greater involvement of women parliamentarians in integrating citizens in the development process.

 Scientist develop LASER from Jellyfish proteins

• Scientists for the first time have developed LASER (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) from fluorescent jellyfish proteins that were grown in bacteria.
• The first of its kind represents a major advance breakthrough in so-called polariton lasers operating at room temperature.
• What is a Laser? A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. Major difference between laser and other sources of light is that, laser emits light coherently.
• What is Polariton laser? Polariton laser works by passing photons back and forth between excited molecules. Unlike conventional lasers, the photons in Polariton laser are released and reabsorbed within the device itself before zooming out as laser light.

Kamal Haasan bestowed with L’Ordre Arts et Lettres

Kamal Haasan (61) has been selected by France for its prestigious Chevalier de L’Ordre Arts et Lettres. It is also known as Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters. He has been chosen for this prestigious award recognition of his high level artistic excellence and distinguished career achievements.

• He will be the second Tamil actor to be chosen for this award after the legendary actor Sivaji Ganesan. Kamal Haasan Born on 7 November 1954 in Paramakudi in then Madras State. His birth name is Parthasarathy. He is film actor, director, screenwriter, producer, playback singer, choreographer, lyricist, philanthropist and dancer. He had made his film debut at age of four as a child artist in the film ‘Kalathur Kannamma’ (1959). His breakthrough as a lead actor was in the film Apoorva Raagangal (1975), in which he played a rebellious youth in love with an older woman. Awards and Honours: Till date, he has won four national awards, 19 Filmfare awards. He has been also honoured with Padmashree (1990) and Padmabhushan (2014).

• About Chevalier de L’Ordre Arts et Lettres The award is part of French Government’s premier award “the Legion of Honour.” It is aimed at honouring artists and writers of world repute. The other recipients of the Chevalier Order from India include actors Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Nandita Das.

China opens World’s largest and longest Glass-Bridge

• The world’s highest and longest glass-bottomed bridge was opened to visitors in central China. The bridge connects two mountain cliffs known as the Avatar Mountains in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province. The glass-bottomed bridge is 430 metres long and is 6 metres wide. It stands 300 metre above a canyon in the Tianmenshan National Forest Park.
• It has been paved with 99 panes of three-layered transparent glass. It has been designed by Israeli architect Haim Dotan. Construction of the bridge had completed in December 2015. So far it has set 10 world records for design and construction. Maximum 8,000 visitors will be allowed to cross the bridge every day.

IOC President N. Ramchandran awarded the Olympic OrderPresident of Indian Olympic Association (IOA), N.

• Ramachandran was awarded the Olympic Order for his outstanding services to the Olympic movement. The award was formally bestowed upon him by the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach.
• Narayana Ramachandran is an Indian squash administrator. Currently he serves as current President of WSF (World Squash Federation) since 2008.  Since February 2014 he is serving the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). He is the brother of the former Chairman of BCCI and ICC, N Srinivasan.
• Olympic Order Award Olympic is the highest award of the Olympic Movement. It is awarded in recognition of efforts worthy of merit in the cause of sport. It was established in May 1975 as a successor to the Olympic Certificate by the International Olympic Committee. The award is bestowed upon the recipient at the closing ceremony of each respective Olympic Games as per the tradition.

OIC Raises voice against Kashmir Violence

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) voiced its concern over alleged excesses of the Indian military and the paramilitary forces in Kashmir. The Issue surfaced after former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai “appreciated” PM Narendra Modi’s statement on human rights situation in Pakistan’s Balochistan province.

• It will support to Pakistan till the issue is resolved in accordance with the United Nations resolutions and wishes of the people of Kashmir. OIC’s these comments and support to Pakistan is bound to rile India as it is not for the first that OIC has spoken about the Kashmir issue against India.
• About OIC: OIC is an international organization founded in 1969. Members: It consists of 57 member states including Iran and Pakistan. Headquarters: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Objectives:

• Raise the collective voice of the Muslim world.
• Collectively work to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony. OIC has permanent delegations to United Nations and the European Union.

Issues with India: In this organisation, India is a blocked country, though it has about 12% of the world’s Muslim population. India has been blocked by Pakistan from joining the OIC over Kashmir issue. OIC regard parts of Kashmir as “occupied by India”

Here is a list of last four articles on Current Affairs and the Monthly Bullet on Current Affairs for SSC