Current Affairs 15th January 2016

Important Points : 

• Who is announced as Brand Ambassador of Nagjee International Club Football Tournament - Ronaldinho
• Which state government has signed four MoUs with Singapore - Madhya Pradesh Government
• Which Harry Potter actor has passed away - Alan Rickman 
• Which edition of the book titled Objective Railway Engineering-Track, Works & Others released - 3rd edition
• Which country has formed 4-member EPG to review agreements with India - Nepal
• Name the actor of movie Lagaan who has passed away - Rajesh Vivek Upadhyay
• Who has been placed into International Tennis Hall of Fame - Marat Safin
• WHO declared end of Ebola outbreak in - West Africa
• A loan agreement has been signed between the Union Government with World Bank for - Neeranchal National Watershed Project
• Name the Muslim Personal Law Board spokesman who has passed away - Mohammed Abdul Rahim Qureshi
• Name the anti-tank missile successfully test-fired by DRDO in Rajasthan - Anti-tank missile Nag

Details : 

Who is announced as Brand Ambassador of Nagjee International Club Football Tournament - Ronaldinho

Among the important International Current Affairs, On 11th January 2016, The former Barcelona and AC Milan player Ronaldinho was announced as the Brand Ambassador of the Nagjee International Club Football Tournament. 

About Nagjee International Club Football Tournament

• After a gab of 21 years, Mondial Sports Management LLP and the Kozhikode District Football Association decided to resume and revive the Sait Nagjee Trophy.
• Earlier known as Sait Nagjee Trophy it will be renamed and re-launched as the Nagjee International Club Football Tournament.
• Seven teams from South America and Europe will participate in the tournament along with an Indian club team.
• The teams which will participate in the tournament are : La Liga side Levante's U-23 team, Argentina's U-23 team, Atletico Paranaense's U-23 team from Brazil, Premier League outfit Watford's U-23 team, German team TSV 1860 Munchen's U-23 side, an I-League team, Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin's U-23 team and Romania’s Rapid Bucharest's first team.

Which state government has signed four MoUs with Singapore - Madhya Pradesh Government

On 14th January 2016, four MOUs were inked to collaborate in food processing, skill development, urban planning and clean energy between Madhya Pradesh (MP) Government and Singapore.

List of the MoUs

• India’s LT Food Ltd and Singapore-based DSM Nutritional Products digned MoU on food processing.
• Department of New & Renewable Energy and Singapore corporation unit, Sembcorp Green Infra Ltd signed the MoU to setup a 1000 megawatt wind energy plant in western part of the state.
• Department of Technical Education and Skill Development and ITE Education Services of Singapore signed MoU on capacity building and skill training.
• Directorate of Town & Country Planning and Singapore Cooperation Enterprise signed the MoU for urban planning.

Which Harry Potter actor has passed away - Alan Rickman 

On 14th January 2016, Actor Alan Rickman who has worked in Harry Potter, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Die Hard passed away at the age of 69.

About Alan Rickman

• In 1985, he started his career as the Vicomte de Valmont in the stage production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses and was nominated for Tony Award.
• He won a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award for his character in Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny.

Which edition of the book titled Objective Railway Engineering-Track, Works & Others released - 3rd edition

Among the important National Current Affairs, On 14th January 2016, a book titled Objective Railway Engineering-Track, Works & Others authored by a well known Civil Engineer MM Agarwal was released by the Minister of State (MoS) for Railways Manoj Sinha. 

Features of the Book

• The book comprise of 37 updated chapters covering the entire spectrum of Railway Engineering.
• It is designed for all the professionals of Railway. 
• This book is humiliated by all Railway Engineers and professionals in their daily work and used as referral book for all problems on all aspects of Railway Engineering.

Which country has formed 4-member EPG to review agreements with India - Nepal

On 14th January 2016, a 4-member eminent persons group (EPG) was formed by the Government of Nepal to look into India-Nepal ties. 

Members of the EPG

• Kul Chandra Gautam, former UN assistant secretary-general
• Bhekh Bahadur Thapa, a former diplomat
• Rajan Bhattarai, a CPN-UML parliamentarian
• Surya Nath Uphadhyay, a former top bureaucrat

Name the actor of movie Lagaan who has passed away - Rajesh Vivek Upadhyay

On 14th January 2016, Bollywood actor Rajesh Vivek Upadhyay passed away at the age of 66.

About Rajesh Vivek

• He was best known for his role of the Postman/Postmaster in Swades and the astrologer Guran in Lagaan.
• He started his film career with the film Junoon directed by Shyam Benegal.
• He has also played a role in the popular TV series Mahabharat.
• He played the role of villain in films like Joshilay and Veerana.

Who has been placed into International Tennis Hall of Fame - Marat Safin

Among the important Sports Current Affairs, On 14th January 2016, former World No.1 tennis player Marat Safin was placed into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

About Marat Safin

• In the year 1997, he started his professional career.
• At the 2000 US Open, he won his first Grand Slam title.
• He also won the 2005 Australian Open.

Do You Know : 

The International Tennis Hall of Fame honours players and contributors to the sport of tennis. It is located in the Newport Casino, which was commissioned in 1880 by James Gordon Bennett.

WHO declared end of Ebola outbreak in - West Africa

Among the important International Current Affairs, On 14th January 2016, West Africa was declared as Ebola free by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The announcement came after 42 days since the last confirmed patient in Liberia tested negative for the disease 2 times.

A loan agreement has been signed between the Union Government with World Bank for - Neeranchal National Watershed Project

On 14th January 2016, a loan agreement was signed by the Union Government with World Bank for the Neeranchal National Watershed Project.

The project will benefit all 28 states which implement the watershed projects. 

Features of Neeranchal National Watershed Project

• In October 2015, Union Cabinet approved the project with a total budget of 2142 crore rupees.
• Ministry of Rural Development will implement the project over a six-year period.
• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana will be supported in capacity building and monitoring and evaluation, agricultural production systems and hydrology and water management.

Name the Muslim Personal Law Board spokesman who has passed away - Mohammed Abdul Rahim Qureshi

On 15th January 2016, Assistant General Secretary and Spokesman of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Mohammed Abdul Rahim Qureshi passed away at the age of 81.

He was also the president of progressive cultural organisation, Tameer-e-Millat which works for educational and professional empowerment among Muslims.

Tameer-e-Millat works in the field of . He had headed the group for over two decades.

Name the anti-tank missile successfully test-fired by DRDO in Rajasthan - Anti-tank missile Nag

Among the important Defence Current Affairs, In Second week of January 2016, anti-tank missile Nag was successfully test-fired at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The Thermal Target System (TTS) was used as target for the missile during the test. 

Features of Nag missile

• It is a third generation fire-and-forget anti-tank missile which can be fired in both night and day time.
• It has a length of 1.90m length and weight of 42kg.
• It can be fired against both moving and fixed targets.
• The mmissile has land, air-launched and man portable (weighing 14 kg) versions.
• A Nag Missile Carrier named NAMICA has been developed by the DRDo to carry the land version.