Daily Current Affairs Updates: 24 January 2015

1) National Girl Child Day observed on 24 January: National Girl Child Day is observed on 24 January 2015 across the nation. This celebration was started to offer more supports and new opportunities to the girls in the country. It is celebrated to increase the awareness among people about all the inequalities faced by the girl child in the society. This day is being observed every year on 24 January since 2008.

2) 49th Death Anniversary of Homi Jahangir Bhabha observed: 49th Death Anniversary of Homi Jahangir Bhabha was observed on 24 Jnauary 2015. He is the Father of Indian Nuclear Programme. He was born on 30th October 1909 and died on 24th January 1966.

3) Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu to inaugurate 35th National Games in Kerala: The 35th National Games, to be hosted by Kerala from January 31 to February 14, will be inaugurated by Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs Venkaiah Naidu. The opening ceremony will be held at the newly-built Greenfield Stadium at Karyavattom on the evening of January 31. Cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar, the Goodwill Ambassador of the event, will handover the games flame to sprint queen PT Usha and international long-jumper Anju Bobby George, beginning the much-awaited gala.

4) Hockey India League began on Jan 22: On January 22, 2015, the Hockey India League started for the year at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar with inaugural match between Kalinga Lancers and Ranchi Rays. Kalinga Lancers defeated Ranchi Rays by 6-3.

5) Pankaj Advani wins his seventh National title, Amee is women’s champ: Pankaj Advani won his seventh senior National snooker title beating Varun Madan by six frames to three in a well-fought final of the BRC Gloster National billiards and snooker championship at the BRC on 24 January 2015. The victory also gave Advani a fourth double, having won the billiards and snooker crowns in 2007, 08 and 2009 also. In women's event, Amee Kamani won her maiden senior snooker title defeating defending champion Vidya Pillay of Karnataka 63-39, 21-59, 60-47, 57-32, 32-64, 45-44.

6) TRAI issued draft rules for full mobile number portability: Telecom regulator TRAI has issued draft regulations to facilitate full mobile number portability which is set to start from May 3. The full or nationwide mobile number portability (MNP) will allow consumers to change service provider in any part of the country while retaining their existing number. At present, mobile number portability allows consumers to change their service provider within a telecom circle which in most cases is limited to a state.

7) India observed national mourning to condole death of King Abdullah: India on 24 January 2015 observed day-long national mourning the death of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, of Saudi Arabia. The national flags were flown at half-mast throughout the country as mark of respect to the King, who was also the custodian of two holy mosques.

8) Arundhathi Subramaniam  won inaugural Khushwant Singh Memorial Prize: Poet Arundhathi Subramaniam on 24 January 2015 won the inaugural Khushwant Singh Memorial Prize for Poetry for her work When God is a Traveller. The winner was announced at a prize ceremony at the ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival, attended by over 2,500 poetry lovers.

9) Queen Elizabeth is world's oldest monarch after death of Saudi king: The death of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia , at age 90, leaves British Queen Elizabeth II as the oldest living reigning monarch in the world. The queen is 88, and will turn 89 on April 21, although her birthday is typically celebrated in June when the weather is better.

10) RBI lifted ban on carrying 1000, 500 bank notes via Bhutan, Nepal: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has lifted a ban on carrying Indian bank notes of Rs 1,000 and 500 denominations to and from Nepal, Bhutan. In this regard RBI has issued a circular that eased the restriction on export and import of bank notes of 1,000 and 500 denominations for Nepal and Bhutan. However, RBI has put a limit of carrying such notes at Rs 25,000 per person. Earlier in May 2000, RBI had imposed ban following the request of Union government to curb smuggling of counterfeit currency. It will provide a great relief to workers from both nations as well as Indian tourists travelling to Nepal and Bhutan.