Daily GK Updates - 11th October, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. GST lends more weight to India’s 8% growth projection as per a report by S&P: Calling GST as the most important structural reform till date by the Modi government, S&P Global Ratings said on 11th October 2016 the passage of the indirect tax law gives it additional conviction of India clocking 8 per cent growth in the next few years. “India’s GST passage gives us additional conviction around our 8%-ish GDP growth forecast over the next few years,” it said in a report titled ‘Asia-Pacific steadies while China goes silent’.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Day of the Girl Child observed on 11^th October: International Day of the Girl is observed annually on 11 October; it is also called the Day of the Girl. The theme for this year's International Day of the Girl (11 October) is "Girls' Progress = Goals' Progress: What Counts for Girls". On December 19, 2011, United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.

2. Russia and Turkey agree to intensify military, intelligence contacts: The Russian and Turkish leaders have agreed to intensify military and intelligence contacts after a meeting in Istanbul, Turkey. After his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, they have agreed on the need for aid to get to the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. The two countries have also signed a deal to construct two pipelines to send Russian gas under the Black Sea to Turkey. Ties were strained after Turkish forces downed a Russian war plane in November 2015. Speaking at a joint news conference with Mr Putin, Mr Erdogan said he was confident that the normalisation of relations would take place rapidly.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. Standard Chartered Bank forms tie-up with Uber: Foreign lender Standard Chartered Bank has announced a tie-up with Uber under which its credit cardholders, across six countries, will get a cash-back of up to 25 per cent for hailing cabs from the app.

SPORTS:

2. Virat Kohli presented with ICC Test Championship mace: Indian captain Virat Kohli was presented with the ICC Test Championship mace for leading his team to the top of the Test Team Ranking. The mace was presented by former India captain and ICC Cricket Hall of Famer Sunil Gavaskar at a ceremony following the conclusion of the third and final Test against New Zealand in Indore after the home team completed a 3-0 whitewash.