Daily GK Updates - 2nd November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Jharsuguda Airport renamed as “Veer Surendra Sai Airport, Jharsuguda” : The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved renaming of Jharsuguda Airport (in Odisha) as “Veer Surendra Sai Airport, Jharsuguda”.Veer Surendra Sai was an Indian freedom fighter and tribal leader who sacrificed his life fighting against the British East India Company.It will fulfil the long-pending demand of the Odisha Government, which reflects the sentiments of the local public of the respective area.

2.PM Modi launches Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Support and Outreach Programme : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Support and Outreach Programme in New Delhi.The MSME Outreach Programme will run for 100 days covering 100 Districts throughout the country. The Union Ministers are likely to visit these districts to appraise the entrepreneurs about various facilities being extended to MSME sector by the Government and financial institutions.

3.  The fourth NITI Aayog- DRC Dialogue held in Mumbai : The Fourth Dialogue of the NITI Aayog - Development Research Centre (DRC) of the State Council, Peoples' Republic of China was held in Mumbai.The Chinese delegation was led by Mr. Li Wei (President of DRC) and the Indian delegation was led by Dr Rajiv Kumar (Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Malayalam film Olu to be the opening film at 49th IFFI : According to Jury for the Indian Panorama, Malayalam film Olu will be the opening film at the 49th ternational Film Festival of India (IFFI) -2018 in Goa.The Feature Film Jury of thirteen members was headed by acclaimed film director and screenwriter, Rahul Rawail.July also selected the Marathi film Kharvas directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale as the Opening non-feature film.

2. Pather Panchali' is only Indian movie to feature in BBC's 100-best foreign language films : Satyajit Ray's epic masterpiece 'Pather Panchali' has been included by BBC's 100 best foreign language films (only film from India) to feature in the  list.Pather Panchali released in 1955, was placed at number 15 in the list, which has been topped by Akira Kurosawa's 'Seven Samurai'.27 of the highest-rated films were in French, followed by 12 in Mandarin, and 11 each in Italian and Japanese

3. Netherland to be partner country for 25th DST-CII technology Summit 2019 : According to Union Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Netherlands will be the Partner Country of 25th DST – CII Technology Summit to be organized in 2019.There is a great scope to explore a closer partnership between the two countries to leverage emerging digital technologies.India and the Netherlands are addressing unmet needs and opening new collaborative avenues together in areas such as water, health, agriculture, high tech systems and IT.

OTHER UPDATES:

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1.China launches the new high-orbit satellite : China successfully launched a high orbit satellite to boost its home-grown BeiDou global satellite navigation system being built to rival United States Global Position System (GPS).The satellite was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in the southwestern Sichuan Province.It is the first BeiDou-3 satellite in high orbit (36,000 km) above the Earth, meant to serve countries in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

DEFENCE:

1. India-Japan military exercise Dharma Guardian-2018 begins in Mizoram : First-ever two-week-long India-Japan military exercise ‘Dharma Guardian-2018’ has begun at a jungle warfare school in Mizoram’s Vairengte. The Japanese contingent is represented by 32nd Infantry Battalion, while the Indian side by 6/1 Gorkha Rifles.It will be to enhance tactical skills against global terrorism and increase interoperability between the two forces.

3. Decommissioned carrier INS Viraat to become a floating museum : The Maharashtra Cabinet has approved the conversion of decommissioned carrier INS Viraat into a floating museum.It will make the new generation familiar with the glorious history of INS Viraat.The carrier will be housed on a concrete foundation near Nivati Rocks in Sindhudurg in Konkan region of the state.The project worth 852 crore rupees will be implemented through public-private-partnership (PPP).

SPORTS:

1. Mary Kom named as brand ambassador of women’s world C’ship : Olympic medallists Mary Kom has been named as the brand ambassador of the upcoming 10th edition of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Women World  hampionship. The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) also unveiled the logo and anthem at the launch of the 2018 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, to be held at the IG Stadium in New Delhi (from November 15-24)

Daily GK Updates - 16th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Tamil Nadu to ban e-cigarette : Tamil Nadu is planning to ban electronic cigarettes, battery-operated inhalers that emit doses of vaporised nicotine, state Health Minister Vijaya Baskar told the assembly.An electronic cigarette or e-cigarette is a handheld electronic device that simulates the feeling of tobacco smoking.

It works by heating a liquid to generate an aerosol, commonly called a “vapor”, that the user inhales.

2. Bellandur largest septic tank of Bengaluru : A committee appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has said that the Bellandur lake in Bengaluru has become the “largest septic tank of the city”.The report states that the lake’s water-holding capacity has shrunk due to the dumping of garbage and construction waste, among other things.Agara and Varthur were the other waterbodies inspected by the panel.

3. Telangana banned plastic items in offices : The Telangana government directed all urban local bodies and civic municipal bodies to ban usage of single-use plastic in the offices.Use of plastic below 50 microns of thickness is already banned as per Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.The government plans to make Hyderabad a single-use plastic-free city by 2022.

4. NABARD releases book on Indian Crops : Shri Nitin Gadkari released a book ‘Water productivity mapping of major Indian crops’ published by NABARD.The book is based on a study of 10 important crops.The ten important crops include rice, wheat, maize, pulses, oilseeds, sugarcane, cotton and potato etc.The book suggests to realign cropping pattern keeping in view water scarcity of irrigation.

5. National Tribal Museum to be built : A National Tribal Museum along with a National Level Tribal Research Institute is proposed to be set up at Delhi by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.The Minister of Tribal Affairs Shri Jual Oram said that the Museum will showcase the rich tribal culture and heritage using state-of-the-art technologies.The proposal to set up the Museum and TRI has already been sent to the Niti Ayog.

6. New Incredible India website launched : Minister of State for Tourism Shri K.J. Alphons launched the new Incredible India website.The website showcases India as a holistic destination, revolving around major experiences, such as, spirituality, heritage, adventure, culture, yoga, wellness and more.The website follows the trends and technologies of international standards with an aim to project India as a “must-visit” destination.

7. PM dedicated expanded Bhilai Plant to Nation : PM Modi inaugurated the Integrated Command and Control Centre at Naya Raipur Smart City, Chhattisgarh.

​Prime Minister dedicated the modernized and expanded Bhilai Steel Plant, to the nation.He laid the foundation stone for IIT Bhilai.He also unveiled a plaque to mark the commencement of phase-2 of BharatNet.The Prime Minister inaugurated air services between Jagdalpur and Raipur.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Omar Al-Razzaz sworn in as Jordan PM : Former World Bank Economist Omar al-Razzaz was sworn in as Jordan’s Prime Minister after King Abdullah issued a decree approving the new government.The 58-year-old, who studied at Harvard University, was tasked with reviewing the country’s disputed tax system.Omar succeeded Hani al-Mulki who resigned following mass protests over price hikes and other government economic policies.

2. Georgia’s PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili Resigns : Giorgi Kvirikashvili, prime minister of Georgia, has announced his resignation amid a disagreement with Bidzina Ivanishvili, the leader of the ruling party.Kvirikashvili, 50, has been the country’s prime minister since 2015.The prime minister’s resignation comes amid growing popular discontent over his government’s handling of the economy and after mass protests in recent months.

3. India to host European Union Film Festival : The European Union Film Festival will premiere in New Delhi on 18th June, 2018.With a selection of 24 latest European films from 23 EU Member States, this years’ film festival will bring some unusual stories for the world cinema enthusiasts.The European Union Film Festival is organized by Directorate of Film Festivals, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India and EU.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Wholesale inflation hits 14-month high : India’s inflation measured by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) rose to a 14-month high of 4.43% in May as compared to 3.18% in April, government data revealed.Vegetable prices grew by 2.51% in May, while primary articles that account for over one-fifth of the entire WPI, grew by 3.16%.Fuel and power inflation grew at 11.22% in May.

2. WhatsApp opens UPI-based payments service : Facebook-owned messaging service WhatsApp has started the mass rollout of WhatsApp Payments feature via UPI platform in India, according to reports.The feature was rolled out to select users in February, but now, besides invite-based access, users can also access it after updating the app.WhatsApp will be able to send ₹5,000 in a single transaction, the reports added.

3. Inder Jit Singh became Secretary, Min of Coal : Dr. Inder Jit Singh, assumed charge as Secretary, Ministry of Coal at Shastri Bhawan office, New Delhi.Dr. Jit Singh took over the charge of Secretary which fell vacant after superannuation of Shri Susheel Kumar on April 30 this year.Dr. Jit Singh was posted as Secretary (Coordination) in Cabinet Secretariat, he is a Ph.D in Economics from Punjab University.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. HDFC, 5th Biggest Consumer FSC: Forbes : Housing finance major HDFC has been ranked as the 5th biggest public company globally in the ‘consumer financial services category’ on a list compiled by Forbes magazine.HDFC’s rank has moved up from 7th place last year.American Express has topped this category, while Indiabulls Housing Finance is the only other Indian company (at 13th place) on the list.

Daily GK Updates - 11th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India is 2nd highest sender of foreign student : With 1,86,000 Indian students currently studying in the United States, India is the second highest sender of foreign students to the US, next only to China.US consul general in Kolkata, Craig Hall, stated that the United States is the top destination for foreign students worldwide.The number of Indian students in the US has more than doubled in the last 10 years.

2. Saxena appointed acting UPSC chief : UPSC member Arvind Saxena has been appointed as the acting Chairman of the commission from June 20.Saxena, a 1978-batch Indian Postal Service officer, will take over the charge from incumbent Vinay Mittal who completes his term at the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on June 19.Saxena joined the UPSC in May, 2015 after he completed his stint in the Aviation Research Centre (ARC).

3. Sharad Kumar appointed vigilance commissioner : Former NIA chief Sharad Kumar was on June 10 appointed vigilance commissioner in the probity watchdog Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).Mr. Kumar has been appointed vigilance commissioner in the Central Vigilance Commission for a term of four years or till he attains the age of 65.The Commission comprises of a Central Vigilance Commissioner and two vigilance commissioners.

4. Maharashtra most vulnerable state : Maharashtra has been ranked the most vulnerable state in the draft National Disaster Risk Index, followed by West Bengal & Uttar Pradesh.States like Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh that are prone to natural calamities have been ranked relatively lower.Few factors taken into consideration were exposure of population, agriculture and livestock, environmental risk & economic vulnerabilities.

5. India to get its 1st police museum in Delhi : India will get its first national police museum in Lutyens Delhi, a senior official said.The museum, which will depict the history of central and state police forces, will come up as an underground facility in the premises of the National Police Memorial.It will be inaugurated on Police Commemoration Day, which is held on October 21.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India mulls new group in WTO : India is considering bringing together a group of 8-10 member countries of the WTO.It would be an informal group within the World Trade Organisation (WTO).The group may include nations like Brazil, China, South Africa, China, Indonesia and Columb.

2. Mauritius to host global Hindi meet : The upcoming 11th World Hindi Conference in Mauritius is likely to produce directives to increase the popularity of Hindi globally.

The World Hindi Conference is a major event organised every three years by the External Affairs Ministry.The World Hindi Secretariat (WHS) supported by India is located in Mauritius.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. SBI NPAs Surpass Rs 1 Lakh Crore In FY18 : State Bank of India, recorded its highest non-performing asset (NPAs) of Rs. 1.1 lakh crore in 2017-18, almost equal to what it had registered in the decade before.This is available through RTI and the bank’s annual report.The gross NPAs of the bank went up from Rs. 1.12 lakh crore in 2016-17 to Rs. 2.23 lakh crore in the last fiscal.

SPORTS:

1. Simran-Ritika win Mauritius Open : India’s young women’s doubles pair of Simran Singhi and Ritika Thaker won the Mauritius International title.This was just the second international tournament that Singhi and Thaker had participated in this year.Singhi and Thaker had won the All India Junior Ranking Tournament in Tirupur, which secured them a spot in India’s squad for the Badminton Asia Junior Championships.

2. India win 2018 Intercontinental Cup : The Indian national team lifted the 2018 Intercontinental football Cup by defeating Kenya 2-0.Both the goals were scored by India skipper Sunil Chhetri.Organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the quadrangular tournament also featured New Zealand and Chinese Taipei.

3. Rise in India-ASEAN naval games : India is instituting a series of bilateral and multilateral naval exercises with Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.The Navies of India and Indonesia will hold their first bilateral exercise in the Java Sea.The bilateral with Indonesia is in addition to the Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) that the two sides conduct.

Daily GK Updates - 22nd January, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  The ‘Halwa ceremony’ begins: The printing of union budget documents 2018-19 started with the traditional annual Halwa ceremony. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley performed the symbolic Halwa ceremony along with Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla and other senior officials at North Block in New Delhi. The Halwa ceremony will stay in Budget printing press until the Budget is presented in Parliament.1st of Feb 2018, Mr. Jaitley will present the Union Budget in Parliament.

2.Om Prakash Rawat appointed new Chief Election Commissioner: Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat (1977-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre) has been appointed the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).He succeeds the incumbent CEC, A K Joti (retires today).Former Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa has been also appointed as Election Commissioner to fill the vacancy created by Mr. Rawat’selevation.In August 2004, Mr. Rawat was appointed the principal secretary to then Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Babu Lal Gaur and remained in office till January 2006.

3. 63rd Jio Filmfare Awards 2018: The best of Bollywood in the year 2017 at 63rd Jio Filmfare Awards 2018, held at the NSCI Dome in Worli, Mumbai(Maharastra)'Hindi Medium' bagged honors in the categories of Best Film and Best Actor in a Leading Role (Male) for Irrfan Khan's impeccable performance.Vidya Balan won her career's sixth Filmfare award for her passionate portrayal of a middle-aged homemaker who turns into a radio jockey in 'Tumhari Sulu' as she claimed the Black Lady for the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Female).

                                               INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Eight-edition of International Conference on Wild Silk Moths begins in Assam: the three-day International Conference (eight-edition) on Wild Silk Moths has begun in Guwahati, Assam.Scientists, delegates from 15 countries have come together to discuss strategies and share knowledge on improving wild silk production and quality globally.India is holding the event for the second time with an aim to explore latest research and development.

2. Fourth India International Science Festival to be held in Lucknow: The fourth edition of the India International Science Festival will be held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.The decision was taken at the first preparatory meeting for the 4th India International Science Festival (IISF) chaired by the Union Minister for Science & Technology, Dr. Harsh Vardhan. In December, 2015, The first IISF was held at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) New Delhi.

3. First missile attack drill held by Tokyo since WW-II:Tokyo held an evacuation drill simulating a missile attack since World War II.The drill comes amid tensions over North Korea’s missile programme which had threatened to sink the country and turn it into ashes.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Richest 1% held 73% wealth generated in 2017 in India- Survey :The survey released by the International rights group Oxfam has revealed that the richest 1% in India held 73% of the wealth generated in 2017 in India.The survey also showed that 67 crore people constituting India’s poorer half increased their wealth by 1% last year . 

SPORTS:

1. Soloman Deksisa wins 15th edition of Mumbai Marathon: Solomon Deksisa (Ethiopia) has won the Mumbai Marathon (15th edition) with a time of two hours, nine minutes and 33 seconds, prize money worth USD 4 lakhs 5,000. Another Ethiopian, Shumit Akalnaw became the first runner-up, while Joshua Kipkorir (Kenya) came second.Indian Olympic athletes, T Gopi has won in the Indian Elite category, Nitender Singh Rawat came second.Sudha Singh (Central Railways) has won the Mumbai Marathon in the Indian Elite Women category.It is the largest mass participation (44,407 runners) sports event in the continent.

Daily GK Updates - 6th December, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Akash missile successfully tested: The Akash missile was successfully tested with indigenous radio frequency seeker from a test range in Odisha. The state-of-the-art indigenous missile targeting an UAV 'Banshee', was fired from the launch complex-III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur. Akash is Surface to Air Missile (SAM) with a range of 25 km and carries a 55- kg fragmentation warhead that is triggered by proximity fuse. This was the first supersonic surface-to-air missile (SAM) with indigenous seeker that has been test fired.

2. India’s first state to endorse Centre’s stand on triple talaq: Uttar Pradesh has become the first State to endorse the Central government’s draft bill that makes instant triple talaq a cognisable and non-bailable offence. The draft law, which provides for three-year imprisonment and a fine to a man trying to divorce his wife by uttering “talaq” three times, got the State government’s approval.

3. MP passes bill awarding death for rape: Madhya Pradesh assembly has unanimously passed a bill that will see rapists of girls 12 years or below being hanged till death. The development comes after the NCRB report revealed that MP recorded the highest number of rape cases in the country. The bill also proposes punishment for disrobing, stalking or sex on the pretext of marriage. The jail term increases for 2nd or subsequent offences.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. 3rd DRC-NITI Aayog Dialogue held in China: The 3rd edition of the Dialogue between the NITI Aayog and the Development Research Council of China was held in Beijing, China.The meeting was co-chaired by Vice Chairman NITI Aayog, Dr. Rajiv Kumar, and Mr Li Wei, President (Minister), DRC.The meeting provides an important platform for both sides to discuss key macroeconomic issues impacting both countries and areas of mutual interest. The 2nd Dialogue was held in New Delhi in November 2016. The next 4th NITI Aayog - DRC Dialogue will be held in India in 2018.

2. ISA to be a legal entity: International Solar Alliance which aims at increasing solar energy deployment in member countries, will become a treaty-based international intergovernmental organization. ISA is an Indian initiative jointly launched by PM Modi & President of France on 30 Nov 2015 in Paris, on sidelines of COP-21.

3. US to recognise Jerusalem as capital: President Donald Trump will recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital despite intense Arab, Muslim and European opposition. In recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, US becomes the first country to do so since the foundation of the state in 1948. Israel has always regarded Jerusalem as its capital city, while the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Akshay Kumar to promote agri-schemes: Akshay Kumar will promote govt’s flagship agriculture schemes like soil health card & crop insurance. Union Agriculture Ministry has roped in the actor for television advertisements to intensify the publicity of the agri-schemes. Besides soil health card scheme, he will promote Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana & others.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. RBI keeps key interest rate unchanged in 5th Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy statement: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced its Fifth Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy statement for 2017-18 today.The monetary policy committee of Reserve Bank of India kept interest rates (Repo Rate) unchanged at 6 percent.The reverse repo rate under the LAF remains at 5.75 percent, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 6.25 percent.The next bi-monthly monetary policy statement will be released on 07 February 2018.

SPORTS:

1. IOC bans Russia from 2018 Winter Olympics Games: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has banned Russia from the 2018 Winter Olympics Games. The decision was announced by the IOC president Thomas Bach and his board members on the findings and recommendations of a 17-month investigation on the state-sponsored doping at the 2014 Games hosted by Russia in Sochi. The 2018 Winter Olympics Games will be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

2. India wins South Asian badminton title: India has won the first-ever South Asian Regional Badminton Team Championship by defeating Nepal in the finals. Nepal started off well, winning the 1st game 21-19. However, Indians came back stronger & won the next 2 games 21-14, 21-11. Indian team, which came into the Final without losing a single match, continued their good run with Aryaman Tandon drawing 1st blood in boys’ singles competition.