Daily GK Updates - 31st March, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Prime Minister Modi and Belgian PM Charles Michel launch Asia’s biggest telescope: This is built by the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) with the assistance of Belgium.

2. India-US to sign MoU for building LIGO Project: India and the US will sign a MoU for building a state of the art Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) Project in the country.

3. J P Nadda launches GIS-enabled HMIS application, self-printing of e-CGHS Card.

4. LIC increases stake in Andhra Bank and Dena Bank to 14.39% and 14.5% respectively. 

5. European Investment Bank to loan 450 million euros for Lucknow Metro: It will lend India around 3300 crore rupees for constructing a 23-km long Lucknow Metro rail line and for purchasing a fleet of new trains.

6. Adani ties up with Elbit-ISTAR of Israel and Alpha Design Technologies Ltd for Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

7. Star India to launch Hotstar service overseas.

8. Kachhabali becomes 1^st liquor-free village in Rajasthan.

9. Jitendra Jagota appointed as the Chairman of Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Faustin Archange Touadera took oath as the President of Central African Republic.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. Vijaya Bank to get Rs 220 crore capital infusion from government.

SPORTS:

2. Virat Kohli rose to the No. 1 rank in the ICC T20 World Rankings defeating Aaron Finch of Australia.

OBITUARIES:

3. Oscar winning actress Patty Duke passed away at the age of 69.

Daily GK Updates - 30th March, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Prime Minister reaches Brussels for India-EU Summit: PM Modi arrived in Brussels on the first leg of his three-nation tour to Belgium, the US and Saudi Arabia. During the course of the visit Modi will attend the India-EU summit and the global nuclear summit in the US.

2. ISRO to launch 22 satellites in single mission: The Indian Space Research Organisation is set to script history by launching a record number of 22 satellites in a single mission in May 2016. In this mission 18 satellites are being launched for foreign agencies including those from the US, Canada, Germany and Indonesia.

3. India ranks 3^rd globally in financial Trojan infections: India ranks 3^rd among countries with high number of financial Trojan infections, where cybercriminals defraud customers of online banking services, security solutions firm Symantec said.

4. Arun Jaitley launched ‘Make in India’ conference in Sydney. 

5. 11 unilateral Advance Pricing Agreement signed by CBDT: The Advance Pricing Agreements programme was introduced by the Finance Act, 2012 to provide a predictable and non-adversarial tax regime and to reduce litigation in the Indian transfer pricing regime.

6. Manohar Parrikar flags off India’s first indigenous Sonar Dome: India’s 1^st indigenous composites sonar dome, a ship’s underwater eyes and water, was today flagged off by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar from here to be delivered to Mazagaon docks in Mumbai.

7. Government permits 100% FDI in Online Marketplaces.

8. GVK sells 33% stake in Bangalore International Airport to Fairfax.

9. Reliance Defence, Israel’s Rafael to set up missile, air defence joint venture.

10. P Susheela Mohan enters into Guinness World Records: The playback singer entered the Guinness World Records book for singing the most number of songs in Indian languages.

11. Union Government launched Innovative Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Programme of MANAS: Union Minister for Minority Affairs Najma Heptullah launched innovative entrepreneurship and skill development programme of Maulana Azad National Academy for Skills (MANAS) through leading national and international experts in different skill sets.

12. Tata Motors signed agreement with Maharashtra Ex-Servicemen Corporation for creation of employment opportunities for ex-servicemen of Indian Army.

13. BHEL commissions 250 MW unit at Nabinagar Thermal Power Plant of Bhartiya Rail Bijlee Company Ltd in Aurangabad district of Bihar.

14. Haryana Government launched Project Salamati for injectable contraceptive in Chandigarh: The project seeks to maintain a healthy balance between the births of children by using injectable contracepitve.

15. IIT-Patna organised first International Symposium on 5G.

16. Wipro appoints PayPal executive Patrick Dupuis to Board.

17. SEBI approved Mrugank Paranjape as MCX Managing Director.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Japan’s NTT Data has acquired Dell Services, the IT services arm of PC maker Dell.

2. Htin Kyaw sworn in as Myanmar President.

3. China launched 22^nd BeiDou navigation satellite: The satellite was launched on board a March-3A rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Centre.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. Registration of 22 NBFCs cancelled by RBI: The RBI said in a statement that it has cancelled registration of 22 non-banking financial companies including Amazon Capital and Mascot Commerce.

2. RBI signed currency swap agreement with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

SPORTS:

3. England beat New Zealand by 6 runs to enter the finals of the World Cup T20 2016.

Daily GK Updates - 29th March, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Prime Minister to launch ‘Stand Up India’ scheme on 5^th of April: The scheme aims to creating jobs and promoting entrepreneurs among SC, ST and women. The scheme will offer loans to these segments at cheaper rates.

2. India sends 1^st ever direct box vessel MV Harbour-1 to Bangladesh: The 1^st direct container vessel between India and Bangladesh has been send from Krishnapatnam port. The container vessel was carrying cotton set. This step is a part of coastal shipping agreement between the two countries to facilitate easy trade.

3. Government to launch ‘Gram Uday to Bharat Uday Abhiyan’ from 14^th to 24^th April 2016: The campaign aims to generate nation-wide efforts to increase social harmony across villages, strengthen Panchayati Raj, promote rural development and foster farmers’ growth.

4. Government plans to infuse Rs 5,050 crore in PSU Banks for meeting additional expenditure on recapitalisation of public sector banks. 

5. BHEL commissions 40 MW hydropower plant at the Teesta low dam hydroelectric project (HEP) in West Bengal.

6. Pallavi Fauzdar becomes 1^st solo woman to ride across Mana Pass: Agra Biker Pallavi Fauzdar became the 1^st solo woman to ride across the Mana Pass in Uttarakhand and made a record in the Limca Book.

7. Rakesh Mohan joins Nestle India Board as Independent Non-Executive Director.

8. Telecom Commission approved 112 as single ‘Emergency Number’ for India.

9. Tata Motors signed a contract with Indian Army to supply another 619 High Mobility Vehicle (HMV) trucks.

10. Union Government unveiled Defence Procurement Procedure 2016: The aim of the DPP is to ensure timely procurement of military equipment, systems and platforms as required by the armed forces through optimum utilization of allocated budgetary resources.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. US museum returns 10^th century Rama statue to Cambodia.

2. US Agency for International Development (USAID) and Asian Development Bank signed a MoU to facilitate USD 848 million in funding to develop solar parks across India.

3. Myanmar gets its first public listing: After a delay of more than 20 years, Myanmar’s stock exchange opened for its first day of business, with the trading of a single company.

4. Bangladesh Supreme Court upheld Islam as state religion.

5. Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd, Japan signed agreement with global investment firm KKR to acquire Alliance Tire Group.

6. UNICEF launched animated film series ‘Unfairy Tales’ on refugees and migrant children: The series seeks to help frame positive perceptions towards the tens of millions of children and young people on the move globally.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. India to host 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup.

2. Sergey Karjakin won 2016 World Chess Candidate tournament held in Moscow.

3. Zaheer Khan appointed Captain of Delhi Daredevils for 2016 IPL season.

OBITUARIES:

4. Renowned American author Jim Harrison passed away at the age of 78.

Daily GK Updates - 28th March, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Padma Award has been presented by President Pranab Mukherjee: He has presented 8 Padma Bhushan and 43 Padma Shri awards at the RashtrapatiBhavan in New Delhi.

2. President’s rule imposed in Uttarakhand: The decision has been come up a day before the crucial trust vote in the state assembly for the Harish Rawat government.

3. National Film Awards: Amitabh Bachchan, KanganaRanaut, Baahubali won big: Amitabh Bachchan and KanganaRanaut won the Best Actor and Best Actress awards for Piku and Tanu Weds Manu Returns respectively. Baahubali won the Best film award while Sanjay LeelaBhansali won the Best Director award for BajiraoMastani.

4. Rotavirus vaccine launched by the Union Health Minister: The Government launched the vaccine for Rotavirus as a part of Universal Immunization Programme to prevent child mortality due to Rotavirus diarrhoea.

5. Madhya Pradesh to get its first ITBP Modern Weapon Training Centre: It will have its first Indo Tibetan Border Police weapon training centre at Batiagarh, Damoh.

6. Haryana launched Scheme for the differently abled: It has launched a new scheme ‘Adapting Homes for the Differently-abled’, under which pension of 6 months would be given in advance to such persons for adapting their homes as per their requirement.

7. Maharashtra gets its first set women commanders to protect forest: A batch of 20 women is likely to become the first women commandos of the state forestry department.

8. Haryana Cabinet has approved Jat Reservation Bill.

9. Himachal Pradesh Government released Sixth Economic Census report.

10. World Bank approved $250 million loan to support Electricity Distribution Sector Reforms in Rajasthan.

11. CAG report can’t be sole basis for any liability or prosecution: Karnataka HC.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. China launches first Cyber Security Organisation: It has launched its first cyber security public organisation aimed at better safeguarding national cyber security and guiding Internet companies in perform their duties.

2. Syrian Army recaptures historic city of Palmyra from ISIS: Syrian Army and popular defence forces have regained control of the ancient city of Palmyra from Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group. 

3. Republic of Singapore Navy’s (RSN) Ingapore Corvette test fires Barak missile.

4. Indian origin law professor Surya Deva appointed as UN Human Rights Commissioner. 

5. Indo-American NanditaBakshi appointed as the President & CEO of Bank of the West.

6. World Theatre Day 2016 observed globally on 27^th March 2016: The theme for this year is ‘Theatre and a Culture of Peace’. 

7. World Bank approved $100 million loan to Jordan for creating jobs for Jordanians, Syrian refugees.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. Federal Bank to open Startup Incubation Centres: It is all set to open an incubation centre for startups in Bangalore and Ernakulam.

SPORTS:

2. Hockey India Annual Awards: Shreejish and Deepika won DhruvBatra Player of the Year award for men and women categories respectively.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS:

3. Book titled ‘Anything but Khamosh: The ShatrughanSinha Biography’ authored by Bharathi S Pradhan released.

Daily GK Updates - 27th March, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Scientists at Lucknow based CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) have found that mint plant has medicinal value that can cure cancer.

2. Union Government releases self-regulation Code of ethical business conduct for industry.

3. Union Cabinet approved World Bank’s $1500 million support to Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin: The approval seeks to provide for the mechanism of incentivisation of States under the SBM-G through World Bank credit.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India and China led investments in Renewable Energy in 2015: UN report: It was revealed by the ‘Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment’ Report published by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

2. Pakistan and Iran signed 6 MoUs to strengthen bilateral relations: The MoUs were singed in the fields of health, commerce, finance and foreign services during the visit of Iranian President Dr Hassan Rouhani to Pakistan. 

3. UNSC extended mandate of UN Assistance Mission in Somalia until March 2017.

4. International Day for the right to the truth concerning gross human rights violation observed on 24^th March 2016 across the world.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. India beat Australia by 6 wickets in a do or die match to enter the semi-final of World Cup T20 2016.

2. Germany’s NicoRoseberg won 2016 Australian Grand Prix.