Daily GK Updates - 9th August, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.DNA Technology Regulation Bill introduced : The government introduced DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill 2018 in the Lok Sabha.The Bill seeks to provide regulation for the use and application of DNA Technology for establishing the identity of certain categories of persons including the victims, offenders, suspects, under trials, missing persons and others.

2. MoU signed between Tribal Affairs & AYUSH : Ministries of AYUSH and Tribal Affairs inked a MoU to promote Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and forest produce for livelihood development of tribal people.National Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Board will identify potential medicinal plant species of the tribal areas.The MoU will support training and awareness program on Good Agricultural Practices & Good Field Collection Practices.

3. 650 branches of IPPB to be launched on Aug 21 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch 650 branches of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) on the 21st August, 2018.The IPPB has been setup under the Department of Post, Ministry of Communication with 100% equity owned by the Indian government.The IPPB will leverage the vast network of the Department of Posts with 1.55 lakh access points, three lakh postmen and Grameen Dak Sewaks.

4. Harivansh elected new RS Deputy Chairman : Harivansh Narayan Singh has been elected as the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman by defeating the joint Opposition candidate BK Hariprasad.Elections for the post of the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman were held on 9th August 2018.Harivansh, a journalist by profession, has worked as additional media adviser of former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar.

5. AIIA signs MoU with IIT : All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Technology to boost research in traditional medicine and streamline hospital care facilities in the country.The MoU is aimed at upgrading the national institutes of traditional medicine at par with the IITs and IIMs.AIIA is a public Ayurveda medicine & research institution located in New Delhi.

6. S Gopakumar joins UIIC as Director & GM : Public sector non-life insurance firm United India Insurance Company announced the appointment of S Gopakumar as its Director and General Manager.Prior to taking up the new role, Gopakumar was serving GIC Housing Finance Ltd as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.Gopakumar began his career with public sector National Insurance Company.

7. Khangchendzonga in list of Biosphere Reserves : The Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve has become the 11th Biosphere Reserve from India that has been included in the UNESCO designated World Network of Biosphere Reserves.Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve in Sikkim is one of the highest ecosystems in the world.The core zone – Khangchendzonga National Park was designated a World Heritage Site in 2016 under the ‘mixed’ category.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Supreme Court finalises new BCCI Constitution : The Supreme Court relaxed some of the key recommendations made by Justice Lodha panel relating to reform cricket administration in the country.Crucial modifications have been brought about in the ‘One State-One Vote’ policy and interpretation of the cooling-off period for BCCI office bearers.The Court also accorded full membership to Railways, Services and Association of Universities

2. Oscars introduces new ‘popular film’ category : The Academy which runs the Oscars ceremony has added a new category to honour popular films.The Academy also plans to set an earlier air date for the Oscars in 2020 — February 9 — and will be making that broadcast more “globally accessible.”The award show will also be capped at three hours long.

3. Ivan Duque sworn in as new Colombian prez : Colombia’s conservative Ivan Duque Marquez took oath as the country’s 60th president, succeeding Juan Manuel Santos, who had been in power since 2010.Duque defeated Petro, in a presidential run-off in June with 54% votes.Duque who formerly served as a senator was the presidential candidate for the Democratic Centre Party for the election in 2018.

4. Michelle appointed as Next UNHR Chief : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the appointment of Michelle Bachelet as the Chief of United Nations Human Rights.Bachelet also served in 2010 as the first director of UN Women, the UN agency promoting gender equality worldwide.Also, she was Chile’s first woman president and served the post twice- 2006-10 and 2014-18.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. RBI to pay ₹ 50,000 crore dividend to govt  : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will transfer ₹50,000 crore of its surplus money to the government, the highest since 2015-16.The Reserve Bank, which follows July-June financial year, has paid about 63% higher dividend than the previous year (2016-17).Under the RBI Act, 1934, the Reserve Bank of India is required to pay the government its surplus fund.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1.Most distant radio galaxy discovered : An international team of astronomers has detected the most distant radio galaxy ever observed.The researchers determined that the galaxy is about 12 billion light-years away.This radio galaxy has been named ‘TGSS J1530+1049’, and it was initially discovered using the Giant Meter-wave Radio Telescope (GMRT) in India.

2. Forty-four new exoplanets discovered : Scientists have found 44 planets beyond our solar system in one go.Astronomers pooled data from NASA’s Kepler and the ESA’s Gaia space telescopes.The findings will improve existing models of solar systems, and may help researchers investigate exoplanet atmospheres.Four of the planets orbit their host stars in less than 24 hours,