Daily GK Updates - 23rd October, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  3rd Himachal Pradesh Science Congress begins in Mandi : The two-day Himachal Pradesh Science Congress (3rd) has begun at Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), Mandi to boost to rural innovation sector.During the event, scientists and researchers will discuss recent progress and future trends in technologies relevant for rural transformation.The theme of Himachal Pradesh Science Congress is "Rural Upliftment through Science and Technology Interventions".

2. India's first railway station inside the tunnel to come up in Himachal Pradesh :A railway station will be built inside a tunnel at a height of 3,000 meters, on the strategic Bilaspur-Manali-Leh line close to the Sino-India border.The Keylong station in Himachal Pradesh will be the first on the railway network to be inside a tunnel, Once completed. Keylong (26 km from Manali) is the administrative center of Lahaul and Spiti district and 120 km from the Indo-Tibetan border.

3. Maharashtra Govt. proposes to extend benefits of Employees Provident Fund : The Maharashtra Govt. has to extend benefits of Employees Provident Fund (EPF) as well as insurance schemes to those cutting, harvesting and transporting sugarcane.The state has around eight lakh laborers engaged in these works in 168 cooperative and private sugar factories.It has been proposed to extend benefits of EPF, insurance schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, financial assistance for children's education and housing to these laborers.

4. India’s longest bridge to be built across the Brahmaputra river : India’s longest river bridge will be built across the Brahmaputra, connecting Dhubri (in Assam) to Phulbari (in Meghalaya).The 19.3 km (four-lane bridge) will be built by 2026-27, cut road travel by 203 km as also travel time.At present, vehicles take an over-200 km-long detour using the Naranarayan Bridge.The new bridge will complete the missing link of NH127B from Assam to Meghalaya.

5. Gwalior hosts four-day International Dance Festival : Uzbekistan Ambassador to India Farhod Arziev has inaugurated a four-day international dance festival "Udbhav Utsav -2018" in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.Dance troupes from India (25 teams), Bulgaria, Turkey, and Sri Lanka are taking apart in the event.The main objective of the competition-festival is to give the opportunity to performers for creative communications, to present new talents and to facilitate acquaintance with pieces of national culture and arts in different countries.An initiative to establish peace and love in the world! One Spirit and One Religion

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. China unveils world's longest sea-crossing bridge linking Hong Kong - Macau –Zhuhai : China's President Xi Jinping has officially opened the world's longest sea-crossing bridge connecting Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China.The bridge connects Hong Kong to Macau and the mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai. The bridge spans 55km including its access roads and has cost about USD 20bn.

 About 30km of its total length crosses the sea of the Pearl River delta.To allow ships through, a 6.7km section in the middle dips into an undersea tunnel that runs between two artificial islands.

2. India 9th most valuable nation brand in the world : According to the Nation Brands 2018 report by Brand Finance, India is the 9th most valuable nation brand (last year it’s rank – 8^th) in the world.ndia's brand value is USD 2,159 billion in 2018.US topped in the list with a brand value of USD 25,899 billion.

3.'Padmaavat' officially selected at 2018 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus "Padmaavat" has been officially selected for 2018 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival 2018.The film is Bhansali's re-imagining of the story of Queen Padmavati, her king-consort Maha Rawal Ratan Singh and Sultan Alauddin Khilji.Actors Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, and Ranveer Singh featured in the movie, which was 2018's first blockbuster.

4.  India’s longest bridge to be built across the Brahmaputra river : India’s longest river bridge will be built across the Brahmaputra, connecting Dhubri (in Assam) to Phulbari (in Meghalaya).The 19.3 km (four-lane bridge) will be built by 2026-27, cut road travel by 203 km as also travel time. At present, vehicles take an over-200 km-long detour using the Naranarayan Bridge.The new bridge will complete the missing link of NH127B from Assam to Meghalaya.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. IFC launches USD 1 Billion masala bond programme in the US & Europe : International Finance Corporation (IFC) has launched its USD 1 billion masala bond programme in the US and Europe.These bonds are aimed at funding the rapidly expanding investment activities of IFC in India. Masala bonds are bonds issued outside India but denominated in Indian Rupees.IFC uses them to raise rupee funds overseas and brings the proceeds to India for investments. 

SPORTS:

1. French Open Badminton tournament begins in Paris today : French Open Badminton tournament has begun in Paris, France.Ace Indian shuttlers, including defending champion Kidambi Srikanth, PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal will be eying their first major title of the year.Srikanth and Saina along with B Sai Praneeth and Sameer Verma are scheduled to begin their Singles campaigns tomorrow.Today, The Men's Doubles pair of Arjun MR and Ramchandran Shlok will play their opening round match.

2.  Serbia wins 2018 Women’s Volleyball World Championship : The Serbian women earned their 2nd World Championship medal, and first-ever World Championship title, on in Yokohama, Japan.It claimed the title for the first time in history at the Volleyball Women's World Championship after edging Italy 3-2 here Saturday, while China hammered the Netherlands in straight sets to get a bronze.

3.  Bajarang punia bagged silver at Wrestling World Championship :Wrestler Bajrang Punia settles for silver after losing to Japanese Takuto Otoguro ((19-years) in 65 kg category in the final at the World Wrestling Championship in Budapest. Otoguro consistently attacked the left leg of Punia and emerged a comfortable 16-9 winner.Now, Otoguru became Japan's youngest World Champion at the age of 19.Sushil Kumar is the lone Indian to win a gold medal at the World Championships, achieving the feat in 2010 in Moscow in the 66kg category.

Daily GK Updates - 8th August, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.M. Karunanidhi passes away : DMK chief M Karunanidhi died on 7th August 2018 in Chennai.Muthuvel Karunanidhi was an Indian writer and politician who served as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for five terms and twenty years between 1969 and 2011.He has also made contributions to Tamil literature, having written stories, plays, novels, and a multiple-volume memoir.

2. Delhi HC decriminalises begging : The Delhi High Court decriminalised begging in Delhi, saying provisions penalising the act were unconstitutional and deserved to be struck down.The consequence of this decision would be that prosecution under the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, against persons alleged to have committed the offence of begging, would be liable to be struck down.

3. Goa gets its own app-based taxi service : Goa got its first and exclusive app-based taxi service called ‘Goamiles’.The app was launched by the Chief Minister of Goa, Manohar Parrikar.Goamiles is said to be managed by a local Goan company called Frotamiles which is a subsidiary of the parent company Pitasys Software.The app can be downloaded from Google Play Store and Apple Store.

4. Parliament passes Immovable Property Bill : Parliament passed a bill to amend the regulations governing the compensation payable for acquisition of immovable property by the Centre for defence and security purposes.The bill seeks to amend a provision to allow the Centre to re-issue the notice of acquisition to ensure that the property owner gets an opportunity to be heard.the amendments included changing the year of the Bill.

5. MHADA to rope private landowners for PMAY : The Maharashtra government to rope in private landowners to collaborate with Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) to implement the Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana (PMAY) in urban areas.Private landowners having more than 10 acres of land are eligible to participate in the scheme.The MHADA will construct houses for economically weaker sections and lower income groups.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Tokyo 2020 to use facial recognition :  A facial recognition system using artificial intelligence will be used at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.The Tokyo Olympics will be the first games to have this kind of security system using facial recognition technology.It is aimed at strengthening security and preventing terrorism, as well as shortening waiting times to lower athlete stress.

2. 3rd India-Nepal Coordination meeting in Delhi : The 3rd India-Nepal Coordination meeting was held in New Delhi on August 8, 2018.A seven-member delegation from Nepal, headed by Inspector General of Nepal Armed Police Force Shailendra Khanal will take part in the three-day meeting.Several important matters like security scenario along the border, coordination meetings at field level and training of police personnel will be discussed.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Government raises duty on textile products : India doubled import duties on 328 textile products to 20%, as the world’s largest cotton producer sought to curb soaring imports from China.The government in July had doubled import duty on over 50 textile products — including jackets, suits and carpets — to 20%.Import duty is a tax collected on imports and some exports by a country’s customs authorities.

2. Nikhil Nanda appointed as chairman and MD : Farm and construction equipment maker Escorts appointed Nikhil Nanda as the chairman and managing director (MD) of the company.The company’s board unanimously appointed Nikhil as the chairman and MD to succeed his late father, Rajan Nanda.Nikhil has been a key member of the company’s board since 1997.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1.SpaceX launches reusable rocket : SpaceX relaunched its newest version of its Falcon 9 rocket booster to send a communication satellite for Indonesia into the orbit.The so-called Block 5 booster, which SpaceX says will be able to fly as many as 10 times with routine maintenance.The booster first flew on May 11 2018, when it delivered the first Bangladeshi satellite into space.

2. New compound may reverse human cell ageing : Scientists have developed a novel compound which can reverse ageing in human cells, and may lead to “anti-degenerative” drugs.Researchers tested compounds designed to target mitochondria  the “power stations” of cells.The compounds – AP39, AP123 and RT01 – help the old or damaged cells to generate the ‘energy’ needed for survival and to reduce senescence.

SPORTS:

1. Indian Men’s hockey team rises to 5th rank : Indian men’s hockey team jump one spot to fifth in the latest FIH rankings chart.India is the only team which registered an upward movement among the top 10 teams.The Indian team, which now has 1484 points in its kitty, is above the likes of 2012 Olympic champions Germany, England and Spain.World champion Australia maintained its top spot with 1906 points.

Daily GK Updates - 7th August, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Government appoints 2 members to CBDT : The government appointed two members, Aditya Vikram, IRS (IT) 1981 batch & Pramod Chandra Mody, IRS (IT) 1982 batch, as members in the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).Their names were cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.CBDT is the apex policy-making body for income tax.

2. MoA signed for funding Irrigation Projects : A revised Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) has been signed amongst Government of India, NABARD and National Water Development Agency.The MoA was signed to fund the central share of 99 prioritized irrigation projects under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).Under PMKSY, 99 ongoing irrigation projects were identified for completion in mission mode by December​ 2019.

 3.Thermal battery plant unveiled in Andhra : India became home to the world’s first-ever thermal battery plant, that was inaugurated in Andhra Pradesh on 6 August 2018.The thermal battery facility is owned by Bharat Energy Storage Technology Private Limited.Thermal batteries use thermal energy to operate, i.e., the energy created by temperature differences.

4. Govt extends e-visa facility to 165 countries : Seeking to promote tourism, the government has extended e-visa facility for citizens of 165 countries at 25 airports and five seaports.The government has launched the ‘Incredible India 2.0’ campaign, marking a shift from generic promotions to market-specific promotional plans.

A 24X7 toll free multi-lingual tourist helpline has also been put in place as part of the efforts.

 5. 3-judge SC Bench to hear Article 35A issue : Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra orally observed that the Supreme Court will consider whether Article 35A is violative of the basic structure of the Constitution.Article 35A gives special status to the State and people of Jammu and Kashmir.The basic structure is a collective term coined by a 13-judge Bench in the historic Keshavananda Bharati case.

6. Kannada writer Sumatheendra Nadig no more : Well-known Kannada poet and critic Sumatheendra R. Nadig passed away in Bengaluru on 7th August 2018.He was an important name in the modernist literary movement in Karnataka in the 60s and 70s.He also headed the National Book Trust.His important works include ‘Daampatya Geeta’ and ‘Panchabhoota’, collection of verses, besides critical works on Da.Ra. Bendre and Gopalakrishna Adiga.

7. NGT forms panel to monitor Ganga cleaning : The National Green Tribunal (NGT) constituted a committee for monitoring the rejuvenation project of Ganga from Haridwar to Unnao in Uttar Pradesh.The committee will be headed by a former Allahabad High Court judge.NGT has asked Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court to nominate a former judge who will head the committee.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.U.S. sanctions against Iran back in effect : The first set of U.S. sanctions against Iran that had been eased under the landmark nuclear accord have gone back into effect.An executive order by President Donald Trump reimposed the sanctions on financial transactions that involve U.S. dollars.U.S sanctions targeting Iran’s oil sector and central bank are to be reimposed in early November 2018.

2. Lithium-rich giant star discovered : Chinese scientists have discovered the most lithium-rich giant star ever known.The star has a mass almost 1.5 times our sun.The star is in the direction of Ophiuchus, north side of the Galactic disk, with a distance of 4,500 light years to Earth.The findings were realised with the help of The Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) located in northern China.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1.Indra Nooyi will step down as CEO : Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyi will step down as the CEO of PepsiCo after 12 years in the position.Under her, PepsiCo began focussing on products that include fruits, vegetables,whole grains, nuts, and gave an emphasis on less sugar and fat.Ramon Laguarta will succeed Ms. Nooyi as CEO.Ms. Nooyi will step down as CEO on October 3, but will remain Chairman until early 2019.

DEFENCE:

1. Indo – Thailand Joint Exercise Maitree 2018 : Exercise Maitree is a joint military exercise between Indian Army and Royal Thai Army which started on 6 August and will end on 19 August 2018 in Thailand.It is a platoon level exercise which comprises of infantry component.The exercise will emphasize to hone the tactical and technical skills in joint counter insurgency and counter terrorist operations in rural and urban scenario.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. P is for Pie: Android’s latest version : Google launched the latest version of it’s Android operating system — Android Pie.Android Pie mostly focuses on behind-the-scenes improvements designed to make Android phones work faster while saving precious battery life.An over-the-air update to Android 9 will begin rolling out to Google’s Pixel phones.

Daily GK Updates - 9th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Facial recognition system: Varanasi airport : Varanasi’s Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport will become India’s first airport to have an automated smart facial recognition system at its entry, security and boarding points.The initiative, which is part of the DigiYatra scheme, will ensure quicker entry into airports by facilitating automated check-ins.It will be functional within the next 4 months as per Airport Director AK Rai.

2. Tree museum in Vadodara : A landfill site in Gujarat’s Vadodara has been converted into a tree museum.The municipal corporation planted over 12,000 saplings of nearly 100 varieties in an area of 50,000 square metres.ardening on the site, which is reportedly worth ₹250 crore, began in 2016 after locals complained of the bad smell emanating from the landfill.

3. HP to scrap semester system in UG courses : The Himachal Pradesh government has decided to do away with semester system in undergraduate (UG) courses and revert to annual examination system.HP Govt had set up a review committee headed by former vice-chancellor to review RUSA (Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan) and it has recommended reverting back to annual examination system.The RUSA was introduced in the state in 2013.

4. Sikkim got its longest tunnel : Minister of State for Defence, Dr, Subhash Bhamre has dedicated a highway tunnel at Theng near Chungthang in north Sikkim to the nation.The tunnel will benefit the tourism and rapidly propel the growth of the state.

The double-lane tunnel stretching about 600 meters has been constructed by the Border Roads Organisation at cost of over 42 crore rupees.

5. CRPF jawan posthumously given PM’s medal : CRPF constable Harvinder Singh has been posthumously honoured with the PM’s police medal for saving the lives of Vaishno Devi pilgrims in 2016.Singh had been helping pilgrims reach the shrine when he saw some women and children trapped under a landslide.While saving them, he was hit by a huge rock, later succumbing to his injuries.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi heads to China for SCO Summit : PM Narendra Modi departed for China’s Qingdao to attend the two-day long 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit.Modi will also hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO summit.The SCO is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation that focuses on strengthening mutual trust and neighbourliness among the member states.

2. Peace Mission 2018 : India and Pakistan will take part in a joint military exercise for the first time, courtesy the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.The exercise, which is aimed at countering terrorism and will be conducted in Ural region of Russia.Member states of the SCO will participate in the joint military drill ‘Peace Mission 2018’ to promote mutual trust, cooperation and coordination against terrorist.

3. Indonesia wins UNSC vote : Indonesia was elected a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for a two-year term.Maldives and Indonesia had contested for a seat in the UNSC.Indonesia won the seat after securing 144 votes against 46 for the Maldives.The other newly elected non-permanent members of UNSC are Germany, Belgium, Dominican Republic and South Africa.

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE:

1. 1st Indian-made artillery gun ready : India’s first indigenous, long-range artillery gun ‘Dhanush’ has cleared its final test and is ready to be inducted into the Indian Army.Earlier this month, fifty rounds of shells each were fired from six Dhanush guns, which are reportedly called ‘desi Bofors’.The gun also passed the tests in cold, humid, and hot conditions.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1.Scientists in India discover a planet : Scientists at Ahmedabad’s Physical Research Laboratory have discovered an exoplanet, propelling India into a select group of countries which have found planets outside the solar system.The ‘super-Neptune’ is about 27 times the mass of Earth and six times its radius.It is most likely ‘uninhabitable’ due to the proximity to its star, 600 light-years away from Earth, scientists found.

2. Solar car to protect Taj from pollution : Students of ACE College of Engineering & Management in Agra have developed a four-seater solar car to help reduce air pollution which is damaging the Taj Mahal.Priced at ₹50,000, the car can attain a maximum speed of 30 kmph.The vehicle can be used at night and is also sturdy enough for rural areas, college officials said.

OBITUARIES:

1.Brazilian tennis great Maria Bueno dies : Brazilian tennis great Maria Bueno passed away after a battle with mouth cancer, according to a statement by the hospital. She was 78.Bueno was a former top-ranked player who spent most of her career on the court before the professional era.She won 19 Grand Slam titles overall, seven in singles, 11 in doubles and one in mixed doubles, between 1959 and 1966.

Daily GK Updates - 5th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.India among top 5 in e-waste generation : India is among the top five e-waste generating countries in the world besides China, the US, Japan and Germany, according to a report.Among states, Maharashtra contributes the largest e-waste of 19.8% but recycles only about 47,810 tonne per annum (TPA), the report released by Assocham and NEC.Tamil Nadu with e-waste contribution of 13% recycled about 52,427 TPA

2.Tamil Nadu to ban on disposable plastic from 2019 : Tamil Nadu government announced a ban on manufacture, sales, storage and usage of disposable plastic across State with effective from January 1, 2019.However, the ban excludes using disposable plastic for packaging milk, curd, oil and medical utilities.

The ban was primarily on plastic carry bags, plastic plates, plastic cups, plastic flags, small plastic sachets used in packaging water.

3. NBFC for food processing sector : Food Processing Ministry will soon create its new financial institution which will exclusively fund food processing projects and create capacity building in the field of risk assessment and lending to food processing sector.The Agro-Processing Financial Institution will be a non-banking financial institution.The government is likely to hold a minority stake in this NBFC.

4. Heli-taxis between Shimla-Chandigarh : Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur flagged off a helicopter taxi service that will reduce the travel time between Shimla and Chandigarh to 20 minutes.The service, operated by Pawan Hans, can accommodate 19 persons and will charge ₹2,999 per person.The government is also planning to start heli-taxi service between Chandigarh and Manali and sortie service from Manali to the Rohtang Pass.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World Environment Day 2018 : World Environment Day is the UN’s most important day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection of our environment.World Environment Day is the “people’s day” for doing something to take care of the Earth.The theme for the World Environment Day 2018 is “Beat Plastic Pollution”.Every World Environment Day has a different global host country. This year it is India

2. India, US, Japan to begin naval war game : India and its two strategic partners — the US and Japan — will hold the Malabar naval exercise from next week off the coast of Guam in the Philippine Sea.It will aim to deepen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region where China has been expanding its military footprint.Malabar is a trilateral naval exercise involving the United States, Japan and India as permanent partners.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Centre to start measuring green GDP of States : The government will begin a five-year exercise to compute district-level data of the country’s environmental wealth. The numbers will eventually be used to calculate every State’s ‘green’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP).The metric will help with a range of policy decisions, such as compensation to be paid during land acquisition, calculation of funds required for climate mitigation, and so on.

2. Telangana, LIC sign MoU for life insurance : Telangana government and the LIC signed a MoU for the implementation of a Rs five lakh life insurance scheme for the benefit of farmers in the state.The scheme will be implemented from August 15.

The agriculture department alone would implement the scheme and the AEOs (Agriculture Extension Officers) should get the insurance papers filled up by farmers before August 15.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Fitch downgrades PNB on credit profile : Fitch Ratings has downgraded the Viability Rating (VR) of Punjab National Bank to ‘b’ from ‘bb-’ and maintained negative ratings.The two-notch downgrade is a reflection of the significant deterioration in its standalone credit profile.Fitch said the deterioration in its core capitalisation was caused by a sharp increase in its non-performing loans (NPLs).

2. Mahesh Kumar appointed as Dy Governor of RBI : Mahesh Kumar Jain has been appointed as Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India for a term of three years.Presently, he is the Managing Director and CEO of IDBI Bank.Before his role in IDBI, Jain was the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Indian Bank.As per the RBI Act, the central bank should have four deputy governors.