Daily GK Potion – 28th December 2014

  1. China launches Yaogan-26 remote sensing satellite
    • China today launched a remote sensing satellite into the preset orbit from a launchpad in northern part of the country.
    • Yaogan-26 was launched from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in north China’s Shanxi Province.
    • The satellite will mainly be used for scientific experiments, land surveys, crop yield estimates and disaster prevention.
    • China launched the first satellite in the ” Yaogan” series, Yaogan-1, in 2006.
  2. Raghubar Das sworn in as CM of Jharkhand
    • BJP’s Raghubar Das was sworn in as the state’s 10th chief minister by Jharkhand Governor Syed Ahmed today morning.
    • He becomes the first non-tribal leader to rule the state.
    • The 59-year-old will also head the first of Jharkhand government, since the state’s formation on November 15, 2000, to be formed with the support of only two political parties.
    • BJP and AJSU Party have a total of 41 legislators, one more than the required majority.
  3. Ankita Raina wins maiden ITF singles title
    • India’s Ankita Raina overwhelmed British teenager Katy Dunne in straight sets in a one-sided final to lift her maiden USD 25,000 ITF singles title at the Deccan Gymkhana.
    • This was the India no.1 woman singles player’s maiden USD 25,000 title.
    • “I am happy to win in Pune and become the first Indian to win after 14 years here. It just proves that Indian players can do it,” said Ankita.
  4. Sebi to set up panel to push MF sales via internet, mobiles
    • To re-energise the mutual fund industry, regulator Sebi plans to set up an expert panel to suggest measures for increasing distribution of MF products through digital modes such as internet and mobiles.
    • The panel, a sub-committee of Sebi’s Advisory Committee on Mutual Funds, will look into various options and steps required to boost the penetration of mutual fund products through use of digital channels for their sale.
    • The sub-committee, to be headed by M N Gopinath, will submit a report to the Sebi Advisory Committee, which comprises of representatives of the industry and independent experts.
    • Gopinath, a member of the Sebi Advisory Committee, is Chairman of the Board of Trustees at ICICI Prudential MF.

  5. AirAsia plane carrying 162 lost
    Surabaya-Singapore

    • An AirAsia plane disappeared today with 162 people on board in airspace possibly thick with dense storm clouds, strong winds and lightning.
    • Aircraft searching for AirAsia Flight 8501 called off the effort for the night and will resume on Monday morning.
    • The plane took off Sunday morning from Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, and was about halfway to its destination, Singapore, when it vanished from radar.
    • The last communication between the pilot and air traffic control was at 6-13 a.m. (2313 GMT Saturday), when the pilot “asked to avoid clouds by turning left and going higher to 34,000 feet (10,360 meters).” It was last seen on radar at 6-16 a.m., and a minute later was no longer there, Djoko Murjatmodjo, Indonesia’s acting director general of transportation, told reporters.
    • Indonesia and Singapore launched a search and rescue operation for Flight 8501 near Belitung island in Java Sea over which the jetliner lost contact with ground traffic control