Daily GK Updates - 9th September, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  Rajasthan CM announces a 4-pc reduction in VAT on petrol, diesel : Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has announced a 4% reduction in valueadded tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel (around 2.50 Rs. Per liter) VAT on petrol will be reduced from 30 to 26 percent and on diesel from 22 to 18 percent.The decision will cost the exchequer 2,000 crore rupees.

2. Iconic 'Hazratganj Chauraha' of Lucknow city to be renamed as 'Atal Chowk' :The Iconic 'Hazratganj Chauraha' of Lucknow city (Uttar Pradesh) will be renamed af bter former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as 'Atal Chowk'.The State Government has also announced to convert Vajpayee's ancestral house in Bateshwar (Agra) into a memorial and develop a tourist circuit there.

3. Bengaluru to host Aero India 2019 in February : According to Defence Ministry (MoD), The 2019 edition of Aero India will be held in Bengaluru, Karnataka from 20 to 24 February next year.This five-day event will combine a major trade exhibition for the aerospace and defense industries with public air shows.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Nepal won’t join 1st BIMSTEC Military Exercise : The Nepal Government has confirmed that they will not join the first ever BIMSTEC military exercise in Pune, Maharashtra.The field training exercise will be conducted between September 10 and 16 at the Foreign Training Node at Aundh in Pune.The BIMSTEC is a regional group comprising of Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, and Nepal.

2.  Switzerland planning to install a statue of veteran Hindi film actor late Sridevi : The Switzerland authorities are planning to install a statue of late Sridevi (Hindi film actor) whose superhit movie "Chandni" was shot at the country's picturesque locations.The statue of the renowned filmmaker, Yash Chopra is already there.1989 blockbuster 'Chandni' had also put Switzerland on center stage as almost half the song and dance sequences in the film had a Swiss backdrop.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1.  Axis Bank appoints HDFC’s Amitabh Chaudhry as MD & CEO :Amitabh Chaudhry  has been appointed as its managing director & CEO of the Axis bank for a period of three years (from 1^stJanuary 2019).Mr. Chaudhry has been associated with HDFC Life since January 2010.He will take the charge at India’s third largest private sector bank after incumbent Shikha Sharma steps down on December 31, 2018.

SPORTS:

1.  Novak Djokovic wins 2018 US Open men's title : Serbia’s Novak Djokovic  defeated Argentine’s Juan Martin del Potro 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 to claim US Open Men’s tennis tournament - 2018 in New York (USA).It was Djokovic's 14th Grand Slam title and the third US Open title.Japan’s Naomi Osaka  has lifted the Women's singles title of US Open 2018.She won the Grand Slam defeating Serena Williams of US in straight sets 6-2, 6-4.It was the first time a Japanese tennis player claimed the Grand Slam title. 

2.  Triple jumper Arpinder Singh has become the first Indian to win a medal in IAAF Continental Cup : Triple jumper Arpinder Singh (25-year) has become the first Indian to win a medal (bronze medal) in the IAAF Continental Cup at Ostrava in the Czech Republic.No Indian has ever won a medal in the Continental Cup which was known as the IAAF World Cup before 2010.Two top athletes from the four regions of Europe, Americas, Africa, and Asia-Pacific were taking part in each of the 36 events in men and women sections taken together.