Daily GK Updates - 24th February, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Union Government to sell its 5% stake in NTPC: Government will sell its 5% stake in India’s largest power producer NTPC at a floor price of Rs 122 per share to raise Rs 5029 crore. 

2. Naval Exercise IBSAMAR 2016 between India, South Africa and Brazil kicked off in Goa: IBSAMAR is abbreviated as India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime.

3. Tamil Film Kanavu Variyam wins 2016 Remi Award: Tamil film Kanavu Variyam has won the prestigious 216 Remi Award in the United States.

4. World’s first fast-acting Anti-Rabies drug to be launched in India: World’s first fast-acting anti-rabies drug Rabies Human Monoclonal Antibody (RMAb) will be launched in India very soon.

5. Rahul Taneja appointed as Chief People Officer of Jet Airways.

6. CGPDTM issues revised patent guidelines for Computer Related Inventions: The Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (CGPDTM) has issued an order excluding software patients in its revised guidelines for Computer Related Inventions (CRIs).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. US Air Force tested Minuteman missile from California: The US Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Minuteman 3 with a range of 4200 miles was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

2. Pakistan parliament becomes the 1^st in world to run entirely on solar power: Pakistan parliament became the first in the world to completely run on solar power. A venture supported by close ally China with a whopping $55 million funding.

3. Vienna is the world’s best city to live in: Survey: Austria’s capital is the best place in the world to live, according to an international survey on quality of life that has no Indian city in the top 100. 

4. Indian-origin playwright Ismail Mahomed conferred Knighthood by French Government for his lifelong devotion to the promotion of arts.  

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. Reserve Bank of India extends currency swap arrangement with SAARC Nations: In order to enhance economic cooperation and strengthen financial stability, RBI has extended the $2 billion currency swap arrangement to SAARC nations till mid-November 2017.

SPORTS:

2. India beat Bangladesh by 47 runs in the first match of Asia Cup T20.

3. Bangladesh ODI Cricket Captain Mashrafe Mortaza set to become United Nations Development Programme’s national goodwill ambassador for youth.