Daily GK Updates - 16th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Citizen Services App launched by NCRB: The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) launched a mobile app called ‘Citizen Services’ on the occasion of its 33rd Inception Day. The application has been developed in-house by the NCRB. It will offer various essential police related services to the citizens. The application comprises a bouquet of 9 police related services for the citizen.

2. 105th Science Congress inaugurated in Manipur: PM Modi inaugurated the 105th Indian Science Congress (ISC) in Imphal, Manipur. Theme for 2018 is "Reaching the unreached through science and technology". He is also scheduled to lay down the foundation stones of different projects at Luwangpokpa Multi Sports Complex at Luwangshangbam and Mary Kom’s Boxing Academy in Imphal West district.

3. TDP pulls out of NDA: The Telugu Desam Party has decided to quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. The BJP and its Andhra ally TDP have been sharing a sour relationship over the issue of granting ‘Special Category’ Status to Andhra Pradesh. As the TDP quits the NDA, it has become the first party to leave the coalition since it came to power at the Centre in 2014.

4. Krishi Unnati Mela kicked off in Delhi: The three-day annual Krishi Unnati Mela began in New Delhi with a focus on doubling farmers’ income. The objective of the event is to create awareness among farmers about the latest agriculture-related technological developments. During the mela, latest agriculture and allied sector technologies will be displayed at more than 800 stalls.

5. Odisha to collaborate with RIMES for DM: The Odisha government will collaborate with Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) for strengthening its early warning services. The partnership will be forged between Odisha State Disaster Mitigation Authority (OSDMA) and RIMES in field of drought monitoring and early warning. Both entities will ink Memorandum of understanding (MoU) for collaboration and evolve institutional mechanism between them for better coordination. The RIMES is an intergovernmental body registered under United Nations. It is owned and managed by 45 collaborating countries in the Asia Pacific and Africa.

6. India’s first cloned Assamese buffalo ‘Sach-Gaurav’ born: The Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes (CIRB) claimed that India’s first cloned Assamese buffalo male calf named Sach-Gaurav was born in Hisar, Haryana. It was born to Murrah buffalo, at Hi-Tech Sach Dairy Farm, 100 km from cloning laboratory, making it first buffalo calf to be born.

7. NITI Aayog releases SATH-E: NITI Aayog released comprehensive roadmaps and detailed timelines for its initiative ‘Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital in Education (SATH-E)’ project. Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog released the forward-looking blueprints. These roadmaps, which operate between 2018 to 2020, lay out detailed interventions which will be taken by the three participating States- Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha – aiming to become ‘Role Model States’ in school education.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Oklahoma, the first US state to use Nitrogen gas for execution: Oklahoma plans to start using nitrogen gas for executions, in what would be the first such method of capital punishment in the United States. The state is turning to nitrogen after it and other states became unable to acquire drugs required for lethal injections because of opposition from manufacturers to their products being used for capital punishment. Nitrogen is an odorless and tasteless gas that makes up about 78% of the air humans breathe but causes death when inhaled without any oxygen. Oklahoma has not carried out an execution since 2015.

2. Nepal Chief Justice, Gopal Parajuli, sacked: Nepal’s Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli has been sacked for faking his date of birth in order to remain in office longer. A judicial council concluded that Parajuli should have retired 7 months ago when he turned 65, the age of retirement for official positions in Nepal. Parajuli became Chief Justice last June after his predecessor Sushila Karki – the first woman to hold the position turned 65.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. Exports grow by 4.5% in Feb 2018: India’s exports grew by 4.5% in February-2018 to 25.8 billion dollars. It was 24.7 billion dollar during the same period in February-2017. This announcement was made by the Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia. During April to February period of the current fiscal, exports recorded a growth of 11% to $273 billion. Imports also rose by 10.4% to $37.8 billion during the last month.

2. Tata group Chief Ethics Officer Rajan quits: Tata Son’s Chief Ethics Officer Mukund Rajan will leave the group to evaluate entrepreneurial pursuits in the coming months. Rajan, who was the former MD of Tata Teleservices, was appointed as the group spokesperson and brand custodian in Feb 2013. Rajan who is also the brother of ex-RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan was the youngest director to be appointed on the boards of major Tata companies.

3. Future Group signs up as an associate sponsor for Vivo IPL: Future Group has been signed as an associate sponsor with Star India for the upcoming Vivo-IPL 2018. Future Group will be an associate sponsor by joining brands like Asian Paints, Dream 11, MakeMyTrip among others taking the tally to 8 brands. Vivo IPL 2018 will be presented in 5 regional languages along with English to a never-before 700 million viewers through multiple screens & languages.

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. ‘Digital Export Import’ payments by Yes Bank: Yes Bank has launched a robotics-based ‘Digital Export Import’ payments solution as a part of its Yes Transact Smart Trade product suite. It aims to bring over 1 lakh trade transactions going entirely digital, across major geographies including China, US. The product uses robotics process automation & helps in eliminating the requirement of documents submission for import & export payments.

SPORTS:

1. Baskaran Adhiban won Reykjavik Open: India’s Baskaran Adhiban clinched the title in the 33rd Reykjavik Open with an impressive performance that saw him win five of the nine games. Adhiban became only the second Indian after Abhijeet Gupta (in 2016) to win the prestigious Reykjavik Open. He was the 2008 World Under-16 Champion and the 2009 Indian champion.

2. Nepal gains ODI status in cricket: A six-wicket win over Papua New Guinea has rewarded Nepal with One-Day International (ODI) status for the first time ever. Nepal was awarded Affiliate status by the ICC in 1988, and was promoted to Associate rank in 1996. After Afghanistan, Nepal are taking quick strides in terms of developments.