Daily GK Updates - 28th February, 2017

                     NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Hyperloop One asks Indian public to vote for preferred route: High-speed transport system developer Hyperloop One on Tuesday launched a poll asking the Indian public to vote for their preferred route from among the proposed five. The proposed route from Mumbai to Old Delhi will have a travel time of 80 minutes, while the one from Chennai to Bengaluru will take 20 minutes.

2. India's first dedicated heliport opens in Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju on Tuesday inaugurated India’s first integrated heliport in Rohini, New Delhi. The ₹100-crore project, built by Pawan Hans Limited, will feature nine parking bays, and an air-conditioned passenger terminal which can hold up to 150 people. The heliport is expected to reduce congestion at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.

3. India's largest paramilitary force without a regular chief: India's largest paramilitary force, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), has been rendered without a regular chief after its Director General (DG) K Durga Prasad retired without a successor being named. However, the Home Ministry has issued an order giving CRPF Additional DG Sudeep Lakhtakia an additional charge of the post of DG till the appointment of a regular successor.

4. February 28: National Science Day : The National Science Day (NSD) i.e. Rashtriya Vigyan Diwas is celebrated every year on February 28 in India. The 2017 theme is “Science and Technology for Specially Abled Persons”. This day marks the epoch-making discovery of Raman Effect by Indian physicist Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (CV Raman) on February 28, 1928. This discovery was awarded with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930. This day is celebrated as science festival in the entire nation by organising science exhibitions, seminars, workshops, symposiums and many other activities.

5. Nand Kumar Sai takes charge as Chairperson of NCST : Senior tribal leader from Chhattisgarh and ex-parliamentarian Nand Kumar Sai (71) took charge as Chairperson of National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) in Delhi. He succeeds Rameshwar Oraon, whose tenure had ended on October 31, 2016. He will have tenure of three years and has been given the rank of Union Cabinet Minister.

6. INS Viraat to be decommissioned on March 6: INS Viraat, the second aircraft carrier in the Indian naval fleet, will be decommissioned on March 6, Vice Admiral Girish Luthra said on Monday. INS Viraat holds a Guinness world record for being the oldest surviving aircraft carrier. It was first commissioned in the Indian Navy in 1987 after serving the United Kingdom's Royal Navy for 27 years

7. Gopal Baglay replaces Vikas Swarup as MEA Spokesperson:The Ministry of External Affairs on Monday appointed the 1992 batch Indian Foreign Service officer Gopal Baglay as the new MEA Spokesperson. Baglay has replaced Vikas Swarup, who has been appointed as the Indian High Commissioner to Canada. Prior to this appointment, Baglay served as the Joint Secretary of Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan division of the ministry.

8. Prabhu flags off Humsafar express between Sriganganagar and Tiruchirapalli: The union Railways minister Suresh Prabhu has flagged off via video conferencing new 'HumsafarExpress' between Sriganganagar and Tiruchirapalli.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Saudi king brings 459 tons of luggage, 2 limos on Asia trip: Saudi Arabia's King, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is heading to Indonesia with 459 tonnes of luggage, 2 Mercedes-Benz limousines and his own private electric elevator on his month-long Asia trip. He is also to bring 1,500 people in his entourage including 10 ministers on his Indonesian visit. The trip is aimed at strengthening economic cooperation between Asia and Saudi.

                      OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. 15-year-old Indian para shooter sets junior world record: India's 15-year-old para shooter Avani Lekhara shot a junior world record score of 244.4 at the World Shooting Para Sport World Cup in Al Ain, UAE, winning a silver medal at the competition last week. Another Indian shooter, Pooja Agarwal, also won a silver medal at the tournament. Notably, both Indian shooters were making their international debuts at the competition.

2. Govt felicitates Dipa Karmakar, 6 Olympians from NE states: The Union Government on Tuesday felicitated Dipa Karmakar, besides six other Olympians from northeast states, as part of their outreach to sportspersons from those states. The athletes, who were awarded ₹2 lakh each, included women's hockey team captain P Sushila Chanu, archer Bombayla Devi and boxer Shiva Thapa. Union ministers Kiren Rijiju and Jitendra Singh were present at the event

BANKING/FINANCE:

4. Over 10 lakh bankers go on nationwide strike:Banking operations across the country came to a halt today as over 10 lakh bankers went on a nationwide strike against the government's "anti-people banking reforms". Around 85,000 branches of commercial banks and over 1 lakh branches of co-operative banks are on strike. Clearance of 40 lakh cheques totalling around ₹22,000 crore is expected to be affected.

6. Reserve Bank of India sets up panel to review cyber threats: Reserve Bank of India on Tuesday announced setting up of the inter-disciplinary standing committee on cyber security to review the threats inherent in existing and emerging technology. The 11-member committee will study the adoption of various security standards and protocols, and suggest appropriate policy interventions for strengthening cyber security and resilience, the central bank said.