Daily GK Updates - 29th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Shaktikanta Das named India’s G20 Sherpa: Former economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das has been appointed India’s G20 Sherpa for the Development Track of the grouping. The Department of Economic Affairs will provide necessary support to the Sherpa. A Sherpa is a personal representative of the leader of a member country at an international Summit meeting such as the G8/G20 or the Nuclear Security Summit. Finance Track is managed by the Economic Affairs Secretary (Ministry of Finance), as India’s Deputy to G-20 and the Development Track is coordinated by the Sherpa.

2. Pradeep Singh Kharolam - the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Air India: Pradeep Singh Kharola, a 1985 batch IAS officer of Karnataka cadre, has been appointed as the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Air India. He will succeed Rajiv Bansal, who has been serving as the interim CMD for a little over 3 months. Currently, Mr. Kharola is the Managing Director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.

3. Union ministry has launched India Hypertension Management Initiative (IHMI): The India Hypertension Management Initiative (IHMI) has been launched by Preeti Sudan (Secretary of Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)) and Dr. Soumya Swaminathan (Director of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)) in New Delhi on November 28, 2017. The purpose of IHMI is to reduce disability and death related to Cardio-Vascular Disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in India. The initiative seeks to improve control of high blood pressure (hypertension), cut salt consumption and eliminate artificial trans-fats regarded as leading risk factors for CVD.

4. Badri Narain Sharma appointed the Chairman of the newly constituted National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA): Badri Narain Sharma, the 1985 batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, has been appointed the chairman of the newly constituted National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA) under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. Prior to this appointment, Sharma was an Additional Secretary in the Department of Revenue. The NAA has been set up for a two-year period and is mandated to ensure that the benefits of input credit and the reduction in tax rates effected by the GST Council are passed on to the consumers.    

5. India’s first rooftop solar carport: Tata Power Solar Systems has commissioned India’s first rooftop solar carport at 70000 sq. meter Unity One Mall, in Rohini, Delhi.

Tata Power Solar Systems is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power Company. Solar carports are overhead canopies (mounted with solar panel) built to cover parking areas. This solar carport will make the mall self-sufficient in terms of energy requirement.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1.  Aung San Suu Kyi stripped of Freedom of Oxford award: Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been stripped of the Freedom of Oxford award over her "inaction" in handling the raging Rohingya refugee crisis.Oxford City Council in London voted unanimously to permanently remove the honor given to her in 1997.The Rohingya Muslims have fled to the neighboring country following a military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine state, creating one of the world's most dire refugee crisis.

2. India & Greece sign Air Services Agreement: India and Greece have signed Air Services Agreement and MoU on Cooperation in the field of New and Renewable Energy in New Delhi.The pacts were inked after talks between Sushma Swaraj (External Affairs Minister) and visiting Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece Nikos Kotzias.The two leaders have also re-affirmed commitment to further expand cooperation in mutually beneficial spheres.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Amazon India launches 'Saheli Store' for Women Entrepreneurs: E-commerce website Amazon India has launched a new programme “Amazon Saheli” to empowering and enabling women entrepreneurs across the country to sell their products on its marketplace. ‘Amazon India’ has collaborated with organizations that work with towards encouraging women entrepreneurship, including Self-employed Women's Association and Impulse Social Enterprise.

2. Air India Express gets CAT-III-B: Air India Express (AIE), the wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India, has secured the Category III-B certification. By gaining this certification, Air India Express flights can now land and takeoff in low visibility conditions even up to an RVR (runway visual range) as low as up to 50 meters. This certification is mandatory to operate during fog season which sets in Northern India.

SPORTS:

1. 7th world military games to be held at Wuhan in China: The 7th international military games will be held in Wuhan city in the central China's Hubei Province. The Military World Games is a multi-sport event for military sportspeople, organized by the International Military Sports Council (CISM).It contains 329 competitions in 27 categories, expected to attract around 8,000 participants from more than 100 countries and regions. The slogan is of the games is "Military glory, world peace".

2. Pankaj Advani wins World Snooker Championship: Ace Indian cueist Pankaj Advani secured his 18th World Championship title with 8-2 win over Amir Sarkhosh (Iran) at Al-Arabi Sports Club, Doha, Qatar.The best-of-15 frame final witnessed Amir pocketing the first frame rather comfortably. Earlier, Advani had won his 17th world title at the same venue when he won the IBSF World Billiards Championship defeating Mike Russell of England.