Daily GK Updates - 15th December, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.PM Modi9th most powerful person: Forbes: Prime Minister NarendraModi has ranked 9th on the Forbes list of 74 of the World's Most Powerful People.

2. Gujarat-born 1970s activist on BBC’s power women list: A Gujarat-born activist who led a campaign against low pay for women workers at a UK factory in the 1970s has made it the BBC’s most influential women of the past 70 years list released on 15th December.

3. Paytm launches ‘Each one, teach one’ to increase digital inclusion: Paytm has announced a program to increase the digital inclusion in the country where in it is calling upon consumers and merchants across India to teach others on how to use Paytm to pay and accept money.

4. Now you can listen 'Mahabharata' on AIR from Dec 19: 'Mahabharata', B R Chopra's famed tele-serial, is set to be broadcast in its radio avatar on the All India Radio (AIR) from December 19.

5. Govt announces Lucky Graahak Yojana from Christmas: The Government has announced to launch a 'Lucky Graahak Yojana' and 'DigiDhan Yojana' to encourage digital payments.Schemes will begin from 25th Dec till April 14, 2017. 7,000 weekly awards and a maximum award of Rs 50,000 each for merchants will be awarded under DigiDhan Vyapari Yojna.

6. Union Cabinet approves agreement between India and Tajikistan for avoidance of double taxation:Union Cabinet on 14 December 2016 approved the protocol for amending the agreement between India and Tajikistan for the avoidance of double taxation. Moreover, the agreement also aims at the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.

7. India to contribute $500,000 to UN emergency response fund: India will contribute $500,000 to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for the year 2016-17 announced by Indian diplomat Anjani Kumar a counsellor at India’s UN Mission at the pledging session held at UN.

8. VG Kannan appointed CEO of Indian Banks’ Association: V G Kannan has taken charge as Chief Executive of the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) on 14th December 2016. He succeeds M V Tanksale who demitted office as Chief Executive on August 9, 2016 after being at the helm for three years. 

9. A ban was imposed by the National Green Tribunal on December 14, 2016 on the procurement, sale and use of glass powder coated ‘manja’ and other dangerous strings for flying kites.

10. ‘Courts of India – Past to Present’ by Supreme Court of India – Bar & Bench:The book titled ‘Courts of India – Past to Present’ released by the Supreme Court of India.

11. e-Tourist visa extended to citizens of 161 countries:The Government of India informed that it has extended the e-Tourist Visa facility to citizens of 161 countries.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 'Brexit' and 'get your freak on' added to Oxford Dictionary: 'Brexit' and 'Grexit' (hypothetical withdrawal of Greece from the EU) are among the 1,500 new words and phrases added to the Oxford English Dictionary this week. 'Get your freak on' (sexual activity, especially unconventional) and 'glam-ma' (glamorous grandmother) have also been added. 'Bomb', a surfing term for large wave, and 'Bama', popularised by Beyoncé in Formation, are among the additions.

2.Rio Gets UNESCO World Heritage Status: The  Marvelous City or Rio de Janeiro officially has entered into the UN’s list of world heritage sites while UNESCO status was announced in 2012 in recognition of its soaring granite cliffs, urban rainforest and beaches.

3. Sochi, Russia won’t host 2017 Bobsleigh and Skeleton World Championships: The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) has announced that Russia will not host the 2017 Bobsleigh and Skeleton World Championships. 

4.Qatar abolishes controversial 'kafala' labour system: Labour Minister of Qatar, Issa bin Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi on December 13, 2016, formally announced the end of its controversial “kafala” system, which was the biggest ever labour reform in Qatar.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:                                 

1. November WPI inflation at 3.15%: he Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation for November 2016 came in at a five-month low of 3.15 %, lower than 3.39 % in the October month.

OBITUARIES:

2. Bewitched, Titanic actor Bernard Fox dies at 89:Bernard Fox died of heart failure at Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys, California on 14th December. He is best known for his roles on the ABC series Bewitched and James Cameron's Oscar-winning picture Titanic. Fox also made appearances in several British films and TV shows.