28 August 2015 Current Affair Updates | Daily GK Download

1. India has 2.87 million people who have no faith in any religion — 0.24% of the country's population of 1.21 billion — according to the religious data of 2011 census, which was the first to include a 'non-faith' category. The figure includes atheists, rationalists as well as those not interested in any religion but believe in some 'unknown' force. A majority of people (1,643,640) who ticked the non-faith category live in rural areas as compared to those in urban areas (1,223,663). Uttar Pradesh accounts for the most people registered as 'non-faith' (582,000) than any other state.

2. Seychelles President James Alix Michel arrived in New Delhi on a three-day State Visit to India. During his visit five agreements including an information exchange agreement with respect to taxes, a Memorandum of Understanding for the supply of a Dornier aircraft, an air services agreement, a protocol on framework of cooperation in the field of the blue economy and a MoU relating to agriculture research and education have been signed between the two countries. The Indian Prime Minister also announced the gifting of one more Interceptor Coastguard boat to Seychelles, in addition to the Dornier aircraft.

3. UNICEF appointed reigning World No. 1 Novak Djokovic as goodwill ambassador for the UN Fund for Children. In his new role, he will focus on children's rights and development. The 28-year-old Serbian was first associated with UNICEF in the year 2011. At that time he was appointed as UNICEF ambassador in Serbia. He has already worked to help vulnerable children through his role as UNICEF Serbia ambassador.

4. Kenya's policeman Nicholas Bett made history in China becoming the first Kenyan to win a gold medal in a short distance race at world stage. Bett won the men’s 400m hurdles race at the 15th IAAF World Championships in Beijing in 47.79 world leading time, beating Russia’s Dennis Kudryavsten. Kudryavsten finished in 48.05, while Geffrey Gibson of Bahamas won the bronze medal in 48.17.

5. Largest private lender ICICI Bank launched the country's first mortgage guarantee-backed home loan product that will expand the credit amount and increase the tenure for an additional fee as well. According to ICICI Bank MD and CEO Chanda Kochhar it will help customers raise the eligible amount by up to 20 percent and increase the tenure by up to 7 years. ‘ICICI Bank Extraa Home Loans’ can be availed only after paying a one-time mortgage guarantee fee to be paid at the start.

6. Neerja Mathur has assumed the charge of Member of Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) for Goa and UTs. Mathur was administrated the Oath of Office by Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy. She was the Chairperson CEA from November 2013 to December 2014. JERC is the electricity regulatory body for all Union Territories except Delhi.

7. Dr. Girish Sahni assumed charge as the Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Additionally, Sahni will also serve as Secretary, Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR), Union Ministry of Science & Technology. Previously, Sahni had been the Director of CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (CSIR-IMTECH), Chandigarh.

8. Indian-American teen Perry Alagappan received the 2015 Stockholm Junior Water Prize (also known as the Nobel Prize for Water). While Rajendra Singh, popularly known as "waterman of India" was honoured in the senior category. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden presented the prize at an award ceremony during the World Water Week in Stockholm.

9. The Research Centre Imarat (RCI), the avionics laboratory of the DRDO missile complex received the PSU summit award 2015. RCI director G. Satheesh Reddy received the prestigious award during the Elets Technomedia 2nd annual PSU summit in New Delhi. RCI was chosen for the award for its seminal contributions towards IT enablement of Organisation through ERP and promotion of ICT.

10. For the first time in the history of Weightlifting India has got the hosting rights of an international tournament. India will host the Commonwealth Youth, Junior and Senior Weightlifting Championship from 11 to 15 October in Pune. From India 40 weightlifters, including 11 youth, 16 junior and 13 seniors will participate in this championship.