Daily GK Updates - 16th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Citizen Services App launched by NCRB: The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) launched a mobile app called ‘Citizen Services’ on the occasion of its 33rd Inception Day. The application has been developed in-house by the NCRB. It will offer various essential police related services to the citizens. The application comprises a bouquet of 9 police related services for the citizen.

2. 105th Science Congress inaugurated in Manipur: PM Modi inaugurated the 105th Indian Science Congress (ISC) in Imphal, Manipur. Theme for 2018 is "Reaching the unreached through science and technology". He is also scheduled to lay down the foundation stones of different projects at Luwangpokpa Multi Sports Complex at Luwangshangbam and Mary Kom’s Boxing Academy in Imphal West district.

3. TDP pulls out of NDA: The Telugu Desam Party has decided to quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. The BJP and its Andhra ally TDP have been sharing a sour relationship over the issue of granting ‘Special Category’ Status to Andhra Pradesh. As the TDP quits the NDA, it has become the first party to leave the coalition since it came to power at the Centre in 2014.

4. Krishi Unnati Mela kicked off in Delhi: The three-day annual Krishi Unnati Mela began in New Delhi with a focus on doubling farmers’ income. The objective of the event is to create awareness among farmers about the latest agriculture-related technological developments. During the mela, latest agriculture and allied sector technologies will be displayed at more than 800 stalls.

5. Odisha to collaborate with RIMES for DM: The Odisha government will collaborate with Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) for strengthening its early warning services. The partnership will be forged between Odisha State Disaster Mitigation Authority (OSDMA) and RIMES in field of drought monitoring and early warning. Both entities will ink Memorandum of understanding (MoU) for collaboration and evolve institutional mechanism between them for better coordination. The RIMES is an intergovernmental body registered under United Nations. It is owned and managed by 45 collaborating countries in the Asia Pacific and Africa.

6. India’s first cloned Assamese buffalo ‘Sach-Gaurav’ born: The Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes (CIRB) claimed that India’s first cloned Assamese buffalo male calf named Sach-Gaurav was born in Hisar, Haryana. It was born to Murrah buffalo, at Hi-Tech Sach Dairy Farm, 100 km from cloning laboratory, making it first buffalo calf to be born.

7. NITI Aayog releases SATH-E: NITI Aayog released comprehensive roadmaps and detailed timelines for its initiative ‘Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital in Education (SATH-E)’ project. Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog released the forward-looking blueprints. These roadmaps, which operate between 2018 to 2020, lay out detailed interventions which will be taken by the three participating States- Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha – aiming to become ‘Role Model States’ in school education.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Oklahoma, the first US state to use Nitrogen gas for execution: Oklahoma plans to start using nitrogen gas for executions, in what would be the first such method of capital punishment in the United States. The state is turning to nitrogen after it and other states became unable to acquire drugs required for lethal injections because of opposition from manufacturers to their products being used for capital punishment. Nitrogen is an odorless and tasteless gas that makes up about 78% of the air humans breathe but causes death when inhaled without any oxygen. Oklahoma has not carried out an execution since 2015.

2. Nepal Chief Justice, Gopal Parajuli, sacked: Nepal’s Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli has been sacked for faking his date of birth in order to remain in office longer. A judicial council concluded that Parajuli should have retired 7 months ago when he turned 65, the age of retirement for official positions in Nepal. Parajuli became Chief Justice last June after his predecessor Sushila Karki – the first woman to hold the position turned 65.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. Exports grow by 4.5% in Feb 2018: India’s exports grew by 4.5% in February-2018 to 25.8 billion dollars. It was 24.7 billion dollar during the same period in February-2017. This announcement was made by the Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia. During April to February period of the current fiscal, exports recorded a growth of 11% to $273 billion. Imports also rose by 10.4% to $37.8 billion during the last month.

2. Tata group Chief Ethics Officer Rajan quits: Tata Son’s Chief Ethics Officer Mukund Rajan will leave the group to evaluate entrepreneurial pursuits in the coming months. Rajan, who was the former MD of Tata Teleservices, was appointed as the group spokesperson and brand custodian in Feb 2013. Rajan who is also the brother of ex-RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan was the youngest director to be appointed on the boards of major Tata companies.

3. Future Group signs up as an associate sponsor for Vivo IPL: Future Group has been signed as an associate sponsor with Star India for the upcoming Vivo-IPL 2018. Future Group will be an associate sponsor by joining brands like Asian Paints, Dream 11, MakeMyTrip among others taking the tally to 8 brands. Vivo IPL 2018 will be presented in 5 regional languages along with English to a never-before 700 million viewers through multiple screens & languages.

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. ‘Digital Export Import’ payments by Yes Bank: Yes Bank has launched a robotics-based ‘Digital Export Import’ payments solution as a part of its Yes Transact Smart Trade product suite. It aims to bring over 1 lakh trade transactions going entirely digital, across major geographies including China, US. The product uses robotics process automation & helps in eliminating the requirement of documents submission for import & export payments.

SPORTS:

1. Baskaran Adhiban won Reykjavik Open: India’s Baskaran Adhiban clinched the title in the 33rd Reykjavik Open with an impressive performance that saw him win five of the nine games. Adhiban became only the second Indian after Abhijeet Gupta (in 2016) to win the prestigious Reykjavik Open. He was the 2008 World Under-16 Champion and the 2009 Indian champion.

2. Nepal gains ODI status in cricket: A six-wicket win over Papua New Guinea has rewarded Nepal with One-Day International (ODI) status for the first time ever. Nepal was awarded Affiliate status by the ICC in 1988, and was promoted to Associate rank in 1996. After Afghanistan, Nepal are taking quick strides in terms of developments.

Daily GK Updates - 14th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Finance Bill passed in Lok Sabha: With the passage of the Finance Bill and the Appropriation Bill, the budget exercise is complete in the lower house. A Finance Bill is presented in Parliament along with the Annual Financial Statement in lieu of fulfilling the requirement of Article 110 (1)(a) of the Constitution. The Finance Bill also contains other provisions related to the Budget can be classified as a Money Bill. It is noteworthy that a Money Bill can originate in Lok Sabha only.

2. Belagavi hoists India’s tallest flag: India’s tallest national flag was unfurled in Belagavi (also known as Belgaum) in Karnataka. The flag in Belgaum is much larger than the one at the India-Pakistan border at Attari in Punjab. The flag is reported to be 110 m high from the base plate to the top, with a size of 120×80 ft.

3. World Hindi Secretariat building opened in Mauritius: President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the World Hindi Secretariat building in Mauritius on his visit to the country.

He also launched the World Hindi Secretariat’s logo, an Early Digital Learning Programme and laid foundation stones of a social housing project and a large ENT hospital being built with Indian assistance.

4. Delhi Energy Dialogue 2018 starts: Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, will inaugurate the Delhi Energy Dialogue 2018, on March 14, organised by Ashden India Collective (AIC) in alliance with Climate Parliament. “Delhi Energy Dialogue” is an initiative to promote sustainable solutions for better lives. Established in 2010, AIC helps to increase access to energy for India’s rural poor.

5. India’s largest wind turbine generator S128 commissioned: Renewable solution provider Suzlon Group announced the installation and commissioning of its new product “S128” claiming it to be the largest wind turbine generator in India. The first prototype of S128 has been commissioned at the Sanganeri site in Tamil Nadu. This has the country’s largest single rotor blade measuring 63 metres and reduced levelised cost of energy.

6. Foreign law firms or foreign lawyers can’t practise in India: The Supreme Court ruled that foreign law firms or foreign lawyers cannot practise law in the country either on the litigation or non-litigation side. This means overseas lawyers or firms cannot open offices in the country, appear in courts or before any authority or render other legal services. But overseas lawyers can fly in, fly out for a temporary period to give advice.

7. IOC, Tata Motors flag off country’s first hydrogen-fuel bus: Indian Oil Corporation Ltd and Tata Motors have launched the trial demonstration of the country’s first hydrogen fuel cell bus. The project is being executed with financial support from the Department of Science and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry for New and Renewable Energy. The vehicle will be fuelled at the hydrogen dispensing facility at IndianOil.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Pi Day celebrated: Google has dedicated a doodle to mark 30 years of “Pi Day”, a day first recognised by physicist Larry Shaw in 1988 to honour the mathematical constant. Pi is used in every field of science as it’s used for calculations involving the volume and surface area of spheres. The first Pi Day was held at a San Francisco Science Museum in 1988.

2. Bidhya Devi Bhandari gets second term as Nepal President: Nepal’s incumbent President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has been elected for a second term, extending the tenure of the Himalayan country’s first female head of state for another five years. With this President Bhandari is the first President of federal Nepal. She is also the first Nepali woman to be elected as the country’s president twice.

3. Saudi Arabia approves Nuclear Power Program National Policy: Saudi Arabia’s cabinet approved the national policy of its atomic energy programme as the kingdom prepares to award contracts for its first nuclear power plants. The policy insists on limiting nuclear activities to peaceful purposes and for enhanced safety measures and safe disposal of nuclear waste.

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. Newton-Bhabha Fund for arsenic research: An India-UK Joint Team has won the Newton-Bhabha Fund for a project on Groundwater Arsenic Research in Ganga River Basin. The Department of Science and Technology has undertaken the project with the Natural Environment Research Council, UK, to find solutions to the water challenges faced in the arsenic-affected Ganga River. The project will begin from Bijnor and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. BHEL secures order from NPCIL: Bharat Heavy Electricals has secured a significant order worth Rs.736 Crore for supply of Steam Generators from Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL). The Steam Generators will be used for a 700 MWe Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor to be installed at Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojna in Fatehabad district of Haryana. The Steam Generators will be manufactured at the Tiruchirappalli.

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. RBI discontinues LOUs/LOCs issuance: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has scrapped the issuance of Letters of Undertaking (LOUs) and Letters of Comfort (LOCs) for trade credit for imports with immediate effect. Banks will continue to issue guarantees and letter of credit for trade purposes which are the international norm. A letter of credit is secure because it has the details of the expiry date and the material purchase.

OBITUARIES:

1. Black Hole scientist ‘Stephen Hawking’ passes away: Stephen Hawking, the British Physicist and the black hole theorist have died on 14th March. Hawking’s redefined cosmology by proposing that black holes emit radiation and later evaporate. He is also the author of the best-selling book, “A Brief History of Time”.

Daily GK Updates - 12th December, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Vice President confers 'Yeraringan' award to M.S. Swaminathan: India’s Vice President Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu conferred 'Yeraringan’ award to Prof. M.S. Swaminathan (Father of Indian Green Revolution). M.S. Swaminathan has inspired many scientists to focus on the problem of Indian agriculture and develop progressive solutions for it.

2.  Rahul Gandhi elected Congress president unopposed: The Indian National Congress (INC) announced that Rahul Gandhi has been elected unopposed as new Congress President. Rahul Gandhi succeeds his mother Sonia Gandhi. The CEA (Central Election Authority) received a total of 89 nomination papers proposing Rahul Gandhi’s name for the top post. In January 2013, Mr. Gandhi became the vice-president of the party.

3.Union Minister J P Nadda launches new initiatives on Universal Health Coverage Day: The Union Health Minister JP Nadda has launched new initiatives including Laqshya-A Labour Room Quality Improvement Initiative and safe delivery application at a function in New Delhi. This will be implemented in Government Medical Colleges besides District Hospitals & high delivery load Sub-District Hospitals and Community Health Centres. The objective of this initiative is to reduce preventable maternal and newborn mortality, morbidity & stillbirths associated with the care around delivery in Labour room.

4. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad launches first NIC-CERT: The Union Minister of Law & Justice and Electronics & Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad has launched the “NIC-CERT” in New Delhi, a setup of National Informatics Centre, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.The objective of NIC-CERT to create a comprehensive framework that integrates world-class security components and inbuilt threat intelligence for detection, prevention & incident response.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Six diplomats felicitated with Diwali 'Power of One' award at UN: Six top diplomats have been felicitated with the inaugural Diwali "Power of One" award at the UN headquarters in New York for their contribution to help form a more "perfect, peaceful and secure world". The awards have been presented on the occasion of the first anniversary of the US Postal Service's issuing of a forever Diwali stamp last year. The awardees include Lakshmi Puri (Indian head of the UN Women), outgoing British Ambassador to the UN Matthew Rycroft and Nawaf Salam (Lebanese Ambassador to the UN), elected to the International Court of Justice.

2. Mount Hope named as UK's highest peak: Recently, Mount Hope was re-measured and found to tower above the previous title holder, Mt Jackson, by a good 50m (160ft). Mt Hope is now put at 3,239m (10,626ft) & Jackson is 3,184m (10,446ft).Mt Paget on South Georgia island is the highest mountain on a British Overseas Territory outside the Antarctic.

3. China starts world's biggest floating solar project: A unit of China (Three Gorges Corp.) is building a 1 billion yuan floating solar power plant, the world’s biggest, in the nation’s eastern province of Anhui. They started building the 150-megawatt project in July and part of the plant was connected to the grid. The project features panels fixed to floats on the surface of a lake that formed after a coal mine collapsed. The entire facility is expected to come online by May 2018.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Construction equipment industry expected to grow at 14 %: According to the Chairman of (ICECTT) International Construction Equipment and Construction Technology Trade Fair Vipin Sondhi, the construction equipment industry is expected to grow at 14% after Union Government’s decision to spend over 10 billion dollars over next few years in the infrastructure sector.

SPORTS:

1. India bags 4 Youth Olympic Games quotas, 21 Medals at Asian Championship: India bagged 21medals (six gold, eight Silver & seven bronze) at the 10th Asian Championship 10m Rifle/Pistol at Wako City Japan and also booked 4 Youth Olympic Games quotas. Saurabh Chaudhary and Manu Bhaker booked quota places for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) by winning a gold and a silver each. Chaudhary has won both the individual as well as the Team gold in the men's 10m Air Pistol Youth event, while Bhaker clinched a silver in the women's 10m Air Pistol Youth. India claimed another silver in junior women's 10m Air Pistol.