Current Affairs daily Updates: 07 April 2014

Current Affairs daily Updates: 07 April 2014

1) World Health Day observed: World Health Day was observed across the globe on April 7. The Theme for 2014 is vector-borne diseases. Vectors (mosquitoes, flies, bugs etc) transmit diseases like malaria, dengue, yellow fever etc. The theme for the last year was 'Control your blood pressure'. The World Health Day is celebrated every year on April 7, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO).In 1948, the WHO held the First World Health Assembly. The Assembly decided to celebrate 7 April of each year, with effect from 1950, as the World Health Day. The World Health Day is held to mark WHO's founding, and is seen as an opportunity by the organization to draw worldwide attention to a subject of major importance to global health each year.

2) First phase of Lok Sabha election began in Assam, Tripura; High turnout: The first round of elections on Monday in the six parliamentary constituencies of the North-East recorded a high turnout. In Assam where five constituencies went to the poll, the Election Commission described the turnout as above average with over 72.5 per cent voters casting their vote. The turnout was well above the 69.60 per cent voting registered for the entire State in the 2009 polls. The Tripura West constituency also recorded an overwhelmingly high turnout of 84 per cent. According to the Election Commission, the final figure could go up by 1-2 per cent.

3) Dhoni named captain of World T20 Team of Tournament: His side may have lost in the final but Mahendra Singh Dhoni was on Monday named captain of the 2014 ICC World Team of the Tournament that figures four Indians, including star batsman Virat Kohli. Opener Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin are the other two Indian players who feature in the team that was announced by the ICC. Kohli was adjudged Player of the Tournament for amassing 319 runs with the help of four half centuries, including knocks of 72 and 77 in the semifinal and final of the showpiece event.

Men's Team of the Tournament (in batting order): Rohit Sharma (India) - 200 runs, Stephan Myburgh (Netherlands) - 224 runs, Virat Kohli (India) - 319 runs,

JP Duminy (South Africa) - 187 runs, Glenn Maxwell (Australia) - 147 runs, MS Dhoni (India - captain, wicketkeeper) - 50 runs, six dismissals, Darren Sammy (West Indies) - 101 runs, Ravichandran Ashwin (India) - 11 wickets, Dale Steyn (South Africa) - nine wickets, Samuel Badree (West Indies) - 11 wickets, Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) - five wickets, 12th Player: Krishmar Santokie (West Indies) - eight wickets.

4) Sun Pharma to buy Ranbaxy in $3.2 billion all-share deal: In a landmark transaction for the Indian pharmaceutical industry, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (SPL) on Monday announced that it will acquire 100 per cent of Ranbaxy Laboratories in a $ 4 billion all-share transaction. The transaction has a total equity value of $ 3.2 billion and a net debt of $ 800 million on Ranbaxy’s books will also be part of the transaction. The combined entity will create the fifth-largest specialty generics company in the world and the largest pharmaceutical company in India with leadership in 13 specialty segments.

5) Shooter Heena Sidhu becomes world No.1: By virtue of consistent performances, shooter Heena Sidhu has now become world No.1 in the 10 metres air pistol event, according to the recent rankings released by International Shooting Sport Federation. Last month in Kuwait, she won a gold medal in the Asian Air Gun Championship and also recently finished with a silver at the ISSF rifle/pistol World Cup in Fort Benning, USA. At the World Cup, 2013 in Munich, Sidhu shot a world record score to win the gold medal.

6) Kingfisher airline brand up for sale: The erstwhile 'king of good times', Vijay Mallya, may now lose his Kingfisher brand. Lenders have started the process of selling brands associated with the grounded Kingfisher Airlines (KFA). And the ones up for grab include 'Kingfisher', 'fly the good times' and 'flying models'. The sale will not directly impact Mallya's flagship beer brand by the same name. That's because the airline and the beer brands are registered under different categories. However, Dutch giant Heineken, which is the largest shareholder in United Breweries, makers of Kingfisher beer, has reportedly expressed concern about the sale of the surrogate 'Kingfisher' (airline) brand.

7) Lok Sabha Elections 2014: BJP Released Manifesto: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 7 April released its "Election Manifesto 2014" in New Delhi, emphasising that it will strive for the revival of growth and job creation in the country. However, the party said that it will not allow Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail trade. The 52-page election manifesto was released at a function at the BJP headquarters. BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, party president Rajnath Singh, veteran leaders LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj and others were present at the event. The manifesto also said that BJP will ensure equal opportunities for all minorities.

8) Jhumpa Lahiri’s Lowland shortlisted for top UK prize: Pulitzer Prize-winning Indian American novelist Jhumpa Lahiri’s “Lowland” has been shortlisted for this year’s Baileys Prize, the UK’s only annual book award for fiction written by a woman. “The Lowland”, which is about the lives of brothers Subhash and Udayan, their choices and their fate, was described by Helen Fraser, Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction 2014 Chair, as “Moving and vivid, an unforgettable story of two brothers and the different paths they take. A novel about how political passion can destroy lives.” Earlier known as the Orange Prize, the winner will be announced on June 4 in London and presented with a cheque for USD 30,000.

9) Cinematographer VK Murthy passed away at 90 in Bangalore: The veteran cinematographer breathed his last at his residence in Bangalore. He was the first cinematographer to receive Dada Saheb Phalke award in 2008. Cinematic masterpieces like Pyaasa and 'Kagaz Ke Phool' gave him an iconic status for his camera work.

10) Koyal Rana wins Miss India 2014 title: Koyal Rana won the coveted Miss India 2014 crown at the 51st edition of the pageant, on Saturday, April 5. She was crowned winner among 24 gorgeous contestants from across the country. Miss India 2013 Navneet Kaur Dhillion, and Miss World 2013 Megan Young felicitated Rana with the crown at the beauty pageant. Jhataleka Malhotra, was crowned first runner-up by Sobhita Shulipala, and Gail Nicole Da Silva was crowned second runner-up by Zoya Afroz. Koyal Rana hails from Jaipur, Jhataleka from Mumbai, and Gail from Goa. Rana will represent India at the Miss World 2014 beauty pageant this year.

11) Army successfully test-fired BrahMos missile: Army on Monday successfully test-fired an advanced version of 290 km range supersonic cruise missile BrahMos as part of a user trial at Pokhran test range in Rajasthan.