Daily GK Update: 12th December, 2016

Pranab Mukherjee launches Kailash Satyarthi’s ‘100 Million for 100 Million’ campaign

i. President Pranab Mukherjee has launched a campaign, to end child labour, child slavery and violence against children.ii. He launched the '100 Million for 100 Million Campaign' organised by The Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation. 

iii. The effort to mobilise 100 million youth for shaping a better future of 100 million underprivileged children is the beginning of a change.

CM Mehbooba Mufti flags off first children special train in valley

i. Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti has flagged off the first-of-its-kind train on 11th December at Banihal that en routes from Quazigund, Anantnag, Awantipur, Srinagar, Budgam, Sopore and Baramula.

ii. The union, railway minister Suresh Prabhu tweeted that nearly 612 children of various schools will board the train. 

iii. The railway's department is planning to run the children special train every second Sunday in coordination with Jammu and Kashmir state education department, shared Prabhu.

Rajasthan govt launches mobile app for tourists

i. Rajasthan government has recently launched a mobile App that provides the latest information about tourist attractions in Ajmer and Pushkar. 
ii. The app LeZgo provides inputs in 12 prominent languages. 

iii. The App will soon be localised for Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Pali and Bharatpur.

Uttar Pradesh and Tata Trust Ties to Strengthen Public Distribution System

i. The Uttar Pradesh Government has tied up with Tata Trusts to acquire digital platforms to strengthen the public distribution system (PDS) in the state. 

ii. As per the Agreement, Tata Trusts has installed electronic Point of Sale devices (ePOS) in various urban region shops of Lucknow, to ensure operation of an Aadhaar-enabled Public Distribution System (AePDS) at a fair price.

Paolo Gentiloni named as Italy's new Prime Minister

i. Paolo Gentiloni has been named as Italy's new Prime Minister following reformist leader Matteo Renzi's resignation in the wake of a crushing referendum defeat. 

ii. Gentiloni, who served as the Foreign Minister under Renzi, was asked by President Sergio Mattarella to form a new centre-left government on 11th December that will guide Italy to elections due by February 2018.

IAMAI sets up committee to work on fighting online piracy

i. Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has constituted a committee to fight against the problem of online piracy and develop suitable business standards and best practices for the digital entertainment industry.

ii. Ajit Mohan of Hotstar will be the chairman of the committee, while it will be co-chaired by Uday Sodhi of SET India and Salil Kapoor of HOOQ. 

OPEC, non-OPEC Agree to Cut Oil Output to Boost Oil Prices

i. The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC Russia, on December 10, 2016, reached a mutual agreement on their first deal since 2001, to jointly restrict oil production to control the excess global availability of the oil and thus boost oil prices.

ii. It is the first time in 15 years that a global pact has been struck.

Cyrus Mistry removed as Director of Tata Industries

i. Cyrus Mistry was today removed as director of Tata Industries at the Tata Industries Extraordinary General Meeting. 

ii. Tata Sons claimed that his presence as director "is likely to lead to fragmentation of the Tata Group". 

iii. In October, Mistry was removed as chairman of Tata Sons.

World's longest tunnel opens regular service in Switzerland

i. The world’s longest tunnel, Gotthard Base Tunnel (GBT) in Switzerland was opened for regular rail services on 11 December 2016. 
ii. It got a ceremonial wave off in June this year with top European leaders like German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande hopping on to experience the very first ride through the marvel. 
iii. It will be carrying passengers under the Swiss Alps from Zurich to Lugano.

China launches advanced weather satellite Fengyun-4

i. China has launched the first of its new generation weather satellites Fengyun-4. 

ii. The New technology on the satellite will improve the accuracy of weather forecasts -just in time for the winter season.iii. It was China’s First second-generation weather satellites launched as well as the country’s first quantitative remote-sensing satellite in the geostationary orbit.

Dipa Karmakar's biography to be co-authored by her coach

i. Bishweshwar Nandi, coach of Dipa Karmakar who made India proud at the Rio Olympics with her performance in the field of gymnastics will co-author her memoir titled: “Dipa Karmakar: The Small Wonder”.

ii. The book will have many untold stories of struggle and triumph beside rare archival photos from the Karmakars’ private album as well as competition photos from the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.