Daily GK Updates - 7th January, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Logistics performance index to be released: The commerce ministry will come out with a Logistics Performance Index (LPI) on January 8, ranking states in terms of the logistical support they provide to promote trade. The index will act as a dynamic tool for the ministry to identify bottlenecks in this area. The ranking is based on about eight parameters such as transportation facilities available in states and documentation procedures.

2. Lalu jailed for 3.5 years in fodder scam: RJD chief Lalu Prasad was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail and fined Rs 1 million by a special CBI court in a fodder scam case relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh. This is the second time that he has been jailed in the fodder scam. Prasad faces another three scam cases for illegal withdrawal from three other treasuries.

3. Chandigarh records the highest GER for girls: Chandigarh has recorded the highest Gross Enrolment Ratio or GER for females in all categories of higher education at 68.8 percent. Across India, according to the report, of the total number of colleges, only 9.3 percent are exclusively for girls and 15 universities for women. The overall GER of the country has increased from 24.5 percent in 2015-16 to 25.2 percent in 2016-17.

4. Mission Indradhanush - Over 2.55 crore children vaccinated and 68.7 lakh pregnant women reached: The four phases of Mission Indradhanush have enable the govt. to reach 2.55 crore children and around 68.7 lakh pregnant women in 528 districts across the country. MI is a vaccination programme to ensure that children under the age of 2 and pregnant women are immunised against seven life-threatening diseases. The word ‘Indradhanush’ represents 7 vaccines that are currently included in the Universal Immunisation Programme.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. NASA unveils 60th anniversary logo: NASA has released its logo for use in observing the 60th anniversary of its establishment. It has said that the logo represents its quest for knowledge. A crescent moon, a ringed planet and a field of stars amid a nebula of light blue represent the agency’s scientific underpinnings.

2. Pakistan blacklists Hafiz Saeed’s JuD: Pakistan interior ministry has blacklisted 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed’s organization Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD). The move comes a day after the US suspended about $2 billion in security aid to Pakistan for failing to clamp down on the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network. Pakistan’s financial regulatory body has also banned Saeed’s organizations from collecting donations.

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE/ TECHNOLOGY:

1. Chemical ban closes up ozone layer hole: With the declining levels of ozone-destroying chlorine, scientists have for the first time observed less ozone depletion. The findings showed that an international ban on chlorine has resulted in about 20% less ozone depletion during the Antarctic winter from 2005 to 2016.

2. NASA to scan the border of Earth and Space: A new NASA mission, GOLD, will examine Earth’s upper atmosphere to see how the boundary between Earth and space changes over time. GOLD stands for Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk, and the mission will focus on the temperature and makeup of Earth’s highest atmospheric layers. Another spacecraft, ICON (Ionospheric Connection Explorer) will also be launched later in 2018.

BANKING/ FINANCE:

1. As many as 1,463 accounts owe PSU banks Rs100 crore: As many as 1,463 entities account for bad loans of Rs100 crore or more in 21 public sector banks (PSBs), finance ministry data has shown. In State Bank of India (SBI) alone, 265 accounts had bad loans of more than Rs100 crore each, totalling Rs77,538 crore. Punjab National Bank topped the chart with 143 non-performing assets (NPA) accounts carrying over Rs100 crore each.

2. Centre introduces 7.75% savings bonds: The Centre has announced the introduction of 7.75% savings bonds designed to help citizens invest in a taxable instrument, without any monetary ceiling. The bonds are open to investment by individuals, including joint holdings and HUFs. The bonds will be issued at par, that is, at ₹100 and would be issued for a minimum amount of and in multiples of ₹1,000.

3. Android Trojan targets Indian bank apps: An Android Banking Trojan/Malware that targets around 200 apps, including those offered by Indian banks, has been detected. The malware is designed for stealing login credentials, hijacking SMS messages, uploading contact lists and SMS messages to malicious servers. The malware has targeted banking apps of Axis Bank, HDFC, ICICI, IDBI and Union Bank.

BUSINESS/ ECONOMY:

1. Venezuela to issue $5.9b cryptocurrency: Venezuela would issue 100 million units of its new oil-backed cryptocurrency in coming days. The announcement was made by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Each unit of the currency would be pegged to Venezuela’s oil basket, which this week averaged $59.07 per barrel.

SPORTS:

1. Gilles Simon wins Tata Open title: Gilles Simon of France has lifted the inaugural Tata Open Maharashtra Tennis trophy. He defeated Kevin Anderson in straight sets 7-6, 6-2. This tournament is India’s only ATP event. For the past 22 years, the tournament had been associated with the big metro cities, New Delhi hosting the inaugural edition in 1996.