Daily GK Updates - 7th December, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Armed Forces Flag Day observed today: The Armed Forces Flag Day is observed every year on 07thDecember.The day observed since 1949, has become a tradition to remember the sacrifices and commemorate the honour to the soldiers, airmen and sailors.Flag Day is an opportunity for every Indian citizen to contribute most generously to the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund.

2. BR Ambedkar International Centre inaugurated in New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the BR Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi on December 7, 2017 to encourage research and original thinking among the youth. The purpose of the centre is to promote the thoughts and teachings of Dr Ambedkar. It will be an important place for research on social and economic issues. The prime minister also unveiled two statues of the Dalit icon at the centre in Janpath.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. ISA become Treaty-based International Intergovernmental organization: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has become the treaty-based international intergovernmental organization one month after Guinea became the 15th country to ratify it.Till now, 46 countries have signed and 19 ratified Framework Agreement of International Solar Alliance (ISA).It is the first treaty-based international government organisation to be based in India.Its secretariat is located on the campus of National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), Gwalpahari, Gurgaon, Haryana.

2. Taj Mahal named second-best UNESCO world heritage site: According to a survey, the Taj Mahal of Agra, India is the second-best UNESCO world heritage site in the world. The survey was conducted by the world’s largest travel portal TripAdvisor which lists the UNESCO Cultural and Natural heritage sites which are rated by travellers around the globe. Angkor Wat of Cambodia named as the Best UNESCO World Heritage Site. Taj Mahal is followed by Great Wall, China; Machu Picchu, Peru; Iguazu Falls, Argentina/Brazil; Sassi of Materia, Italy; Auschwitz, Poland; Old City of Jerusalem, Israel; Historic areas of Istanbul, Turkey; and Historic Krakow, Poland.

3. Venezuela Airlines banned from European Union skies: The Airline of Venezuela Avior has been barred from European Union skies after a committee determined it no longer meets international safety standards. The European Commission announced that Avior had been added to a list of international airlines prohibited from flying within the union because the European Aviation Safety Agency detected unaddressed safety deficiencies. Avior operates flights within Venezuela, throughout Latin America and to Miami, Florida.

4. Australia passes Marriage Equality Law: Australia’s parliament has legislated for marriage equality, passing a bill almost unanimously to allow two people, regardless of sex, to marry. Australia, which changed the law in 2004 to say that marriage is only between a man and a woman, now becomes the 25th country to recognise same-sex marriage. Four members of the House of Representatives voted against the bill and some abstained.

5. Godrej Aero gets new contract for BrahMos Missile airframes: Godrej Aerospace has won the deal from BrahMos Aerospace Pvt. Ltd. (BAPL) for supply of additional 100 units airframe fuel management systems for BrahMos Air-Launched Cruise Missile. Godrej Aerospace had recently completed the supply of its 100thairframe for the missile. Since 2000, it has been associated with BrahMos. It is a unit of Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. RBI retains GDP growth projection at 6.7% for FY'18: In its Fifth Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement, 2017- 18 the Reserve Bank retained economic growth projection for 2017-18 at 6.7 percent. Also, the central bank has retained the projection of real GVA growth for 2017-18 of the October resolution at 6.7 percent. The central bank raised the inflation forecast for the remainder of the current financial year to 4.3-4.7 percent. The 6-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), headed by Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel, kept the repo rate unchanged at 6 percent and reverse repo at 5.75 percent.

SPORTS:

1. Gurdeep creates three national records in IWF C'ships: Lifter Gurdeep Singh has created three new senior national records in +105 Kilogram weight category in IWF World Weightlifting Championships at Anaheim in USA.He created national records in snatch, clean and jerk, and the total lift.He finished at 13th rank with a total lift of 388kg (172 + 216).He advanced his own earlier national record of 171kg by one kilogramme.In the total lift also, he advanced the earlier national record of 384kg.

2. Sushil Kumar quits as National Sports Observer for wrestling: The double Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar has resigned from the post of a National Sports Observer for wrestling. He was among the 12 national observers appointed by the then Sports Minister Vijay Goel in March.Earlier, Boxing Champion Mary Kom had resigned as the national observer for boxing after Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said that active sportspersons will not be considered for this position.