New human ancestor species discovered[ALL]:

• Scientists have discovered fossils of a new species in Afar region of Ethiopia.
• The species is called as ‘Australopithecus deyiremeda’ .
• Analysis reveal that it is around minimum and maximum ages of 3.3 and 3.5 million years.
• It should be noted that Lucy’s species (which was discovered in 1974) also lived  at the same time and in the same Afar region of Ethiopia.
• The  Australopithecus deyiremeda species differed from Lucy’s species in terms of the shape and size. It had thick-enamelled teeth and the robust architecture of its lower jaws.
• Its anterior teeth are also smaller as compared to Lucy species which shows that it probably had a different diet.

 Tripura government decides to revoke AFSPA[All]:

• Tripura government has decided to withdraw the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 from the state.
• The Act was enforced in the state by the Union Government in 1997 in 40 police station areas of the state,  due to relentless violence and bloodshed.
• What is AFSPA?
• The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), is an Act of the Parliament of India which was passed on 11 September 1958. It is a law that grants special powers like shoot at sight, to the Indian Armed Forces in the disturbed areas.
• Besides Tripura, AFSPA is also in force in Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur (excluding the Imphal Municipal Council area), Assam and Nagaland and in the Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Manipur’s human rights activist Irom Sharmila has been on an indefinite hunger strike for over 15 years, demanding the withdrawal of the act in her home state.

Himachal Pradesh government has set up a satellite tracking system to check forest fires[All]:

• It will help to protect the precious forest cover in Himachal Pradesh which is its main wealth.

Mary Ellen Mark, the famous Documentary photographer, passes away[Non-UPSC]:

Forbes world’s 100 most powerful women revealed[All]:

• 4 Indians in the list.
• Arundhati Bhattacharya: Chairperson of State Bank of India (SBI) at 30th position.
• Chanda Kochhar: Managing Director (MD) and CEO of  ICICI Bank at 35th position.
• Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw: Founder, Chairman and MD of Biocon Limited  at 85th position.
• Shobhana Bhartia: Chairperson and Editorial Director of the Hindustan Times Groupat 93rd position. She has appeared on the list for the first time.
• The list was topped by German Chancellor Angela Merkel (1st) followed by Hillary Clinton (2nd) and Melinda Gates (3rd).

Committee  formed to revisit PPP infrastructure model[All]:

• The committee will be chaired by former finance secretary Vijay Kelkar.
• It will submit its report within a period of 3 months from the date of its Constitution.

India’s first television channel dedicated to farmers, DD Kisan,  launched[All]:

Ajanmi Beti Ke liye Daud organised in Himachal Pradesh[State]:

• The objective of this Marathon is to create awareness to save girl child and check the declining sex ratio in the hill state.
• Himachal Pradesh has a child sex ratio of 906  and is in the Top 10 states having lowest child sex ratios.
• The districts of Himachal with worst sex ratio are Una (875), Kangra (876), Hamirpur (887), Solan (899) and Bilaspur (900).

Lt General Nirbhay Sharma appointed as Governor of Mizoram[Non-UPSC]:

• He will succeed West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi who was given additional charge of Mizoram in April 2015.

 Sloth Habitat Project started in Gujarat[UPSC]:

• Gujarat Government has  started Sloth Habitat Project in Jessore wildlife sanctuary to provide better habitat to sloth bears.
• The aim of the project is to plant fruit trees and remove unwanted plant species that have intruded in the habitat of Sloth Bears.
• Facts about bout Sloth bears: Sloth bear is a nocturnal insectivorous species of bears found in India. It is included as vulnerable species in International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list.
• It is black and dark brown in colour with yellowish patch on the chest and has large feet and claw.
• Sloth bear is omnivorous animal and mainly eat honey, termites, fruits (mangoes and figs) and grass.

Manoj Mishra is appointed as CMD of National Fertilizers Ltd [Non-UPSC]:

Trevor Bayliss appointed as head coach of England Cricket Team[Non-UPSC]:

• Bayliss becomes the first Australian to coach England.