Daily GK Updates - 8th August, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Sankalp Parva to be observed on August 15: Centre has decided to observe this Independence Day as ‘Sankalp Parva’ and asked the people to dedicate themselves to social causes. The centre wants to drive the people of India from ‘Sankalp’ to ‘Siddhi’ in a period of 5 years.

2. Deployment of Comprehensive Integrated Border Management Solution: The government is planning to install a 24X7 seamless virtual fence with sensors along the India-Pakistan border to curb infiltration bid. A pilot project for deployment of Comprehensive Integrated Border Management Solution which includes different types of sensors, day and night vision cameras has been taken up. The pilot project has been undertaken in 2 stretches of 5 to 6 kms each in Jammu sector.

3. Shia board proposes to build mosque at distance from the disputed Babri site: The Babri Masjid was a Shia property and only Shia Central Waqf Board is entitled to arrive at a peaceful settlement of the issue, the Shia board said.  The Board told the SC that a mosque could be built in a Musilm-dominated area at a distance from the disputed Babri site at Ayodhya.

4. Congress accuses the government and RBI of printing two types of notes: Congress leader Kapil Sibal said that government was printing two kinds of Rs.500 and Rs.2000 notes and called it as the biggest scam of the country.

5. Justice Dipak Misra to be next the Chief Justice of India: Justice Dipak Misra has been appointed as the 45th Chief Justice of India. He is known for some landmark judgements including the death sentence of Yakub Memon.

6. Assam declared a disturbed area for one more month: Centre has declared entire Assam as a “disturbed” area under controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act for 1 more month. Assam is under AFSPA since 1990.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Framework for crafting code of conduct in South China Sea being mulled: Foreign ministers of Southeast Asia & China have adopted a negotiating framework for a code of conduct in South China Sea. It seeks to advance a 2002 Declaration of Conduct of Parties in South China Sea, which has mostly been ignored by claimant states, particularly China.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING & FINANCE:

1. Axis Bank joins the bandwagon, cuts savings account interest rate: Axis Bank has cut savings account interest rate by 50 bps to 3.5% on balances of up to Rs. 50 lakh.

Axis Bank will continue to offer an interest rate of 4% per annum on savings account balances of Rs. 50 lakh and above. SBI was the first one to do so.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

2. 331 “shell companies” under SEBI’s radar: Market regulator Securities & Exchange Board of India has directed stock exchanges to initiate action against 331 firms that it suspects are shell companies & are listed on bourses. Exchanges have also been asked to appoint an independent auditor to conduct audit of these companies.

3. Amazon signs an agreement with Dept. of Handlooms, Telangana: Amazon India has said it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Telangana Department of Handloom and Textiles. It aims to educate, train and enable weavers and artisans to directly sell their products to Amazon customers across the country.

4. Health & wellness startup CureFit signs actor Hrithik Roshan as ambassador: Hrithik has been signed up for 5 years at Rs100 crore. It is said to be one of the largest endorsement deals signed by an Indian startup. Company plans to introduce HRX workout plan across all CureFit-run Cult fitness centres and on the mobile app, which is expected to rake in Rs250cr annual business in the next couple of years.

SPORTS:

5. McLeod wins IAAF World Championships in London: Omar McLeod of Jamaica won the 110m Hurdles final at the London 2017 IAAF World Championships in London.

6. India wins 8 medals at Junior Boxing Championships: India finished the Asian Junior Boxing Championships in Puerto Princesa, Philippines with two silver and six bronze medals. Satender Rawat (80+kg) and Mohit Khatana (80kg) settled for silver medals after losing their final bouts in the Asian Junior Boxing Championships.