Daily GK Updates : 17th August, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India petitions FAO for a ‘Year for Millets’ : Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers welfare has requested the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to declare an “upcoming” year as International Year of Millets.This would help garner wider global attention to millets which are not only nutritious but also resilient to climate change.India is celebrating 2018 as the national year of millets.

2. NPPA fixes ceiling price of 92 drugs : The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has fixed the ceiling price for 92 drug formulations, including those used for the treatment of cancer, hepatitis C, migraine and diabetes among others.NPPA fixes the ceiling price of essential medicines of Schedule I under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO) 2013.NPPA monitors the prices of controlled and decontrolled drugs.

3. Railways launches “Digital Screens” : The Ministry of Railway has launched digital screens to spread awareness among public about the heritage of Indian Railways.The project aims at showcasing the legacy of Indian Railways through one to two minute-long movie clips on digital LED screens.In addition, QR code based posters on Railway Heritage are also being displayed at these stations.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Paraguayan President Abdo Benítez sworn in : Right-wing former Senator Mario Abdo Benítez has been sworn in as the new president of Paraguay after defeating his liberal rival in April elections.Mr Abdo Benítez is the son of a close aide to ex-military dictator Alfredo Stroessner.He replaces Horacio Cartes.Mario Abdo Benítez got involved in politics in 2004

2. Israeli Navy to procure Barak 8 missile : The multipurpose Barak 8 missile defence system will be procured by the Israeli Navy to protect its economic zones and strategic facilities from diversified threats.The Barak 8 missile defence system is jointly developed by India and Israel.Barak-8 is an operational air and missile defense system used by the Israeli Navy as well as by the Indian Navy and air forces.

3. Qatar to invest $15 billion in Turkey : Qatar has promised to make a USD 15 billion direct investment in Turkey.The announcement came after Qatar’s emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani held talks with Turkish President Erdogan.Turkey has been badly hit by a currency crisis amid a widening diplomatic standoff with the United States.

4. China’s rover to explore dark side of moon : China has unveiled a new lunar rover as it prepares to become the first nation in the world to explore the dark side of the moon.China’s last lunar rover — named Yutu, or Jade Rabbit — ceased operation in August 2016 on the surface of the moon as part of the Chang’e 3 mission.China announced its intentions in 2015 to send a rover to the dark side of the moon.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. TCS becomes most valued company : Tata Consultancy Services on 16th August 2018 pipped Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) to regain the crown of India’s most valued company in terms of market capitalisation.RIL had on 14th August 2018 dethroned TCS to clinch the title of the most valued Indian company by market valuation.The m-cap figure of companies changes daily with stock price movement.

2. India Ratings cuts growth forecast to 7.2% : India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) has revised its FY19 economic growth forecast down to 7.2% from 7.4% earlier.It cited the headwinds emanating from elevated global crude oil prices and the government’s decision to fix the minimum support prices of all kharif crops at 1.5 times the production cost.Ind-Ra provides ratings, research and rigorous analytics of market in India.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1.Iron and Titanium found on ‘Ultrahot Jupiter’ : The astronomers carried out new observations of exoplanet Kelt-9b.Kelt-9b is the hottest exoplanet discovered and was discovered in 2017.Astronomers discovered that the atmosphere is made up of vaporized iron and titanium.The team used the Galileo National Telescope in La Palma, Canary Islands, to observe the planet.

2. ISRO’s first mission to study the Sun : Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to study the Sun through its Aditya-L1 satellite which will be inserted in a halo orbit, which is 1.5 million km from the Earth during 2019-2020.Aditya-L1 will be launched by PSLV-XL from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.ISRO had planned to use Aditya-1 to observe only the solar corona, which is the outer layer of the Sun.

OBITUARIES:

1. Atal Bihari Vajpayee passes away at 93 : Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee died on 16th August, 2018 Three-time Prime Minister, Vajpayee was the first and the only non-Congress Prime Minister to serve a full five-year term from 1999 to 2004; and for short periods of 13 days in 1996 and 13 months in 1998.He was first elected to Parliament in 1962 as a member of Rajya Sabha. In 1971, he won his first Lok Sabha seat.