Daily Current Affairs Update of 11 April 2015 | General Knowledge

Daily Current Affairs Update of 11 April 2015 | General Knowledge

1. Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), the retirement fund body suspended the 1000 rupees minimum monthly pension scheme from April 2015. This scheme came into effect from September 2014. The end of the minimum monthly pension provided under Employee Pension Scheme (EPS)-95 will hit about 32 lakh pensioners. The decision to suspend the scheme was taken because, as per EPFO circular, there was no communication or direction from the Union Government to continue this scheme beyond 31 March 2015.

2. World Football's governing body FIFA released world football rankings. In the rankings India ranked 147th. Germany held the pole position (first place), Argentina was placed second and Belgium at third place in the rankings released by FIFA.

3. Pharma major Cipla announced that its UK subsidiary Cipla (EU) will acquire Brazilian firm Duomed Produtos Farmaceuticos for about Rs. 2.6 crore. Cipla (EU) Ltd, UK, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cipla, has entered into a definitive agreement for acquisition of 100 per cent stake in Duomed Produtos Farmaceuticos Ltd, for a cash consideration of Brazilian Real (R$) 1,293,600 (about Rs 2.6 crore).

4. Rajasthan is soon going to have a second special Japanese industrial zone that will focus on sectors such as ceramics and electronic systems design and manufacturing. After the resounding success of the first Japanese zone in Neemrana Rajasthan Government will develop a second industrial investment zone in Ghiloth on nearly 500 acres of land. This zone will soon become a hub for the Ceramics and ESDM industries.

5. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and US Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in New Delhi for deepening partnership in the area of transport between the two countries. This MoC covers areas like highway transportation, urban transportation, safety and environmental protections, vehicle and behavioral safety, fuel efficiency, rail transportation, maritime shipping and intermodal transportation

Daily Current Affairs Update of 11 April 2015 | General Knowledge

6. India was placed at 101st place in the 2015 Social Progress Index (SPI) ratings that were released globally. Norway topped this list. Social Progress Index (SPI) is a comprehensive rating of countries based on indicators of well-being such as health, water and sanitation, personal safety, access to opportunity, tolerance, inclusion, personal freedom and choice. The SPI, which gives data for 133 countries, is also an alternative to GDP.

7. Gabon has been chosen to host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals. The 2012 co-hosts won a vote by the Confederation of African Football's executive committee in Cairo ahead of Algeria and Ghana.

8. Firebrand writer Jayakanthan, who is a legend in Tamil writing and literature passed away on Wednesday night after a prolonged illness. He was 81.

9. Videocon D2h became the first Indian private company since the year 2000 to list overseas as it recently made its debut on US stock exchange NASDAQ. Videocon D2h is a private company from the stable of Videocon Group and is engaged in providing direct-to-home services across India. It made its debut on New York-based NASDAQ by raising $ 325 million through issuance of American Depository Receipts (ADRs).  VideoconD2h also became the first sizeable Indian listing on US exchanges and the first Indian media company to be listed at NASDAQ.

10. Kamarajar Port Ltd (KPL), Ennore (Tamil Nadu) recently upstaged Chennai Port Trust (CPT) in car handling volumes to become the largest car-exporting port of India for the year 2014-15. Kamarajar Port Ltd (KPL) at Ennore handled 2.15 lakh cars of five carmakers during 2014-15 while Chennai Port Trust (CPT) handled 22,000 less while working with just three carmakers during the same period.

11. India successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable Dhanush ballistic missile with a strike range of 350 km from a naval ship off the Odisha coast. The surface-to-surface Dhanush, a naval variant of India's indigenously-developed Prithvi missile, was test fired from a ship in the Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the defence force.

12. Actor-comedian Eddie Murphy has been chosen for 2015 Mark Twain Prize for American comedy. The 54-year-old "Dr Dolittle" actor would receive the top prize for performing arts by John F. Kennedy Center this year on October 18.