Daily GK Updates - 24th November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Vijay Kumar Dev appointed Delhi chief secretary : Senior IAS officer Vijay Kumar Dev (1987 batch from AGMUT  cadre) has been appointed as the chief secretary of Delhi.He replaced Anshu Prakash (transferred last week as the additional secretary of the Department of Telecommunications).Earlier, Mr. Dev has served as the chief election officer of Delhi

2. Cabinet clears mandatory jute packaging of 100% food grains : The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has given its approval to expand the scope of mandatory packaging norms under the Jute Packaging Material (JPM) Act, 1987.The CCEA approved that 100% of the food grains and 20% of sugarshall be andatorily packed in diversified jute bags.The decision to pack sugar in diversified jute bags will give an impetus to the diversification of the jute industry.The CCEA also approved the establishment of National Facility for Airborne Research with a financial commitment of 130 crore rupeesduring 2020-21 and beyond.

3. Malaria cases declined by 24% in India : According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), India is the only country to have recorded a substantial decline in malaria cases in 2017 out of the 11 highest burden countries worldwide.India accounted for 4% of global malaria cases in 2017.As reflected in this year's World malaria report, India registered a 24% reduction in cases over 2016, largely due to substantial declines of the disease in the highly malarious state of Odisha.

4. Tripura Governor inaugurates 7th International Tourism Mart in Agartala : Tripura Governor Prof. Kaptan Singh Solanki has inaugurated the “7th International Tourism Mart for the North-East States”.This is an annual event organised in the North Eastern region with the objective of highlighting the tourism potential of the region in the domestic and international markets.It brings together the tourism business fraternity and entrepreneurs from the eight North Eastern States.  

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Millie Bobby Brown named UNICEF’s youngest-ever Goodwill Ambassador : Emmy-nominated British actress ‘Millie Bobby Brown’ (14-year) has been appointed as UNICEF’s newest Goodwill Ambassador.She is joined by stars and leaders in entertainment, government, sport and business who are rallying for children in support of their rights.In addition to these high-profile advocates, countries around the world are appointing UNICEF Youth Ambassadors and collaborating with Youth Advocates.

2. S.P. Ganguly awarded Mexican Order of Aztec Eagle : The  Mexican government has honoured Indian academician Shyama Prasad Ganguly (first Indian Academician) with 'Orden Mexicana del Águila Azteca' (Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle), the highest civilian honour given to a foreigner by Mexico.He was awarded for disseminating Spanish language and Mexican culture to strengthen Mexico-India cultural relations.Mr. Gaguky is the former professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

3.Filmmaker Nandita Das to receive FIAPF Award : Filmmaker Nandita Das will be honoured with the International Federation of Film Producers ssociations (FIAPF) Award at the 12th Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) in Brisbane.She will be presented the award in recognition of her achievement in film in the Asia Pacific region.Nandita Das started her career as an actor in films like "1947 Earth", "Fire" and "Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa".

4. MEA Sushma Swaraj co-chaired 9th meeting of India-Lao PDR Joint Commission : The union external Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has co-chaired the 9th Meeting of India-Lao PDR Joint Commission on Bilateral Co-operation with her counterpart Saleumxay Kommasith in Vientiane.The two sides have reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations covering areas of Defence, Agriculture, Trade and Investment, Science and IT, Energy and Mining among others.

OTHER UPDATES:

OBITUARIES:

1. Noted Indian classical musician Ustad Imrat Khan passes away : Classical music stalwart Ustad Imrat Khan (83-years) passed away in the US after a brief illness.Mr. Khan dedicated his life to propagating the Sitar and the surbahar worldwide.Imrat Khan famously turned down the Padma Shri last year saying the recognition had come too late and diminished his achievements.

Daily GK Updates - 8th November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. LS Secretary General got one-year extension : The tenure of Snehlata Shrivastava has been extended by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan for one year.She was scheduled to retire on 30 November 2018 but after the extension, she will retire in  30 November 2019.She is the first woman Secretary General of the Lok Sabha.She has served as Secretary in the Ministry of Law and Justice and as Special/Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Finance.

2. Proposed Ganga bill bans ports, jetties : According to a proposed ‘Ganga Act’, the government has banned the construction of jetties, ports or ‘permanent hydraulic structures’ in the Ganga river.The Bill lays down a host of restrictions to ensure the ‘uninterrupted, ecological flow’ of the river. The proposed act is formally called the National River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Conservation and Management) Bill, 2018.

3. New record created in Ayodhya : A new world record was set in Ayodhya on 7 November 2018 with over three lakh ‘diya’ lit up simultaneously.A total of 3,01,152 diyas were lit up simultaneously for five minutes.The record was created at the Deepotsav event on the banks of the Sarayu river.The target was to illuminate a total of 3.35 lakh diya on both sides of the ghats at Ram Ki Paidi.

4. JNPT planning to host edible oil refinery : Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) is planning to host an edible oil refinery to maximise revenue and ensure captive cargo.The raw material for the refinery will be imported from abroad and a considerable part of the finished products will be sent out through the sea.The port already has a liquid cargo terminal in addition to the 4 container terminals.The port is situated in Maharashtra

5. ‘Bhubaneswar Me Wi-Fi’ launched  : Odisha Government launched the ‘Bhubaneswar Me Wi-Fi’ project in Bhubaneswar on 5 November 2018.The project is implemented by Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL).It will initially have 100 hotspots enabled locations with 275 access points.One wi-fi hotspot would be able to handle 150 users at a given point of timeBSCL is a Special Purpose Vehicle incorporated by Odisha Government.

6. Mo bus’ service launched in Odisha : Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the ‘Mo bus’ service in Bhubaneswar on 6 November 2018.The newly-launched buses feature free Wi-Fi, CCTV surveillance, public information display system and on board announcements.The bus service will come up with ‘Mo Bus’ mobile app through which citizens can book their tickets and also get to know the locations of the vehicle.

7. West Bengal to observe ‘Rosogolla Day’ : The West Bengal government will observe ‘Rosogolla Day’ on November 14.The day will be observed to commemorate the first anniversary of the State’s famous sweet getting Geographical Indication (GI) tag as ‘Bengal’s Rosogolla’.On 14 November 2017, West Bengal got the GI tag for ‘Bengal’s Rosogolla’.The GI tag is a sign that identifies a product as originating from a particular place.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. European defence coalition launched in Paris : Defence ministers from European countries met in Paris on 7 November 2018 and launched a jointmilitary force known as the ‘European Intervention Initiative’ or EI2.The military force could rapidly be deployed in response to a conflict or natural disaster.Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Portugal, Britain and Finland are part of this initiative.

2. India loses row over safeguard duty at WTO : India lost a major trade dispute at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on 6 November 2018.A dispute settlement panel upheld Japan’s complaint that India’s imposition of safeguard duty on imports of hot-rolled steel flat products during September 2015 and March 2018 violated core global trade rules.Japan launched the dispute settlement proceedings against India in 2017.

3. ASEAN member countries offer concession : Several Asian member countries of the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) have offered India a concession on the extent to which it needs to open up its markets.India can now open up 83% of its market against the earlier 92%.The RCEP is a proposed trade agreement between the ASEAN countries and the six free trade agreement partners.

4. Tesla names new chair to replace Elon Musk : Electric carmaker Tesla has appointed Robyn Denholm as the Chairman of the company’s board of directors, replacing Elon Musk.She will also be leaving her role as CFO and Head of Strategy at Telstra, Australia’s largest telecommunications company.She has been on the Tesla board as an independent director since 2014.Elon Musk will remain the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tesla.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. ECB norms for infra firms eased : The Reserve Bank of India has liberalised the norms governing external commercial borrowings (ECBs) for infrastructure creation.

The minimum average maturity requirement for ECB in the infrastructure sector has been reduced to three years from earlier five years.Additionally, the average maturity requirement for mandatory hedging has been reduced to five years from earlier ten years.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. Study finds that 3 moons orbit the Earth : A team of astronomers and physicists has confirmed that the dust clouds orbit the Earth.These dust clouds move with the Earth and Moon at a stable 4,00,000 kilometres from the Earth.The dust clouds is also known as ‘Kordylewski’ clouds. The first glimpse of the clouds was seen only in 1961 by Polish astronomer Kazimierz Kordylewski.

Daily GK Updates - 6th November. 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Naidu launched ‘Jaipur Foot’ camp in Malawi : Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated a ‘Jaipur Foot’ camp in Malawi.The camp was launched under the ‘India for Humanity’ programme, which honours Mahatma Gandhi’s service to humanity.The Indian government partnered with Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayta Samiti for ‘India for Humanity initiative’.The ‘India for Humanity’ was launched on 2 October 2018.

2. Lucknow stadium renamed after Vajpayee : The newly-built ‘Ekana International Stadium’ has been renamed after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Lucknow.The stadium will now be known as ‘Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee International Cricket Stadium’.UP Governor Ram Naik has approved the government proposal to this effect. 

3. Jayant Sawarkar to get Maha lifetime award : Noted Marathi actor Jayant Sawarkar will be honoured with the Maharashtra government’s ‘Natvarya Prabhakar Panshikar Lifetime Achievement’ award in the field of theatre.The ‘Sangeetacharya Annasaheb Kirloskar Lifetime Achievement’ award will be given to tabla artist Vinayak Thorat.Both awards comprise cash prizes of Rs 5 lakh, citation and memento each.

4. Anupam Kher got ‘Distinguished Fellow’ award : Anupam Kher was honoured as a ‘Distinguished Fellow’ by IndiaGlobal – a leading think-tank that works on issues concerning non-resident Indians.The actor was given a fellowship on November 3, 2018 at the 3rd IndiaGlobal Summit.The event was held at the prestigious MIT Sloan School of Management in Boston, and was facilitated by MIT Sloan India Business Club.

5. Ram Mohan Roy award for N. Ram : Veteran journalist and The Hindu Publishing Group Chairman N. Ram has been chosen for the prestigious Raja Ram Mohan Roy Award 2018.The award is presented by the Press Council of India (PCI) for his outstanding contribution to journalism.Ruby Sarkar, the chief correspondent of Deshbandhu, and Rajesh Parshuram Joshte of Daily Pudhari, have been named joint winners for ‘Rural Journalism’.

6. Guidelines for ‘Operation Greens’ issued : Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has approved the operationalisation strategy for Operation Greens.Operation Greens was announced in the Budget speech of 2018-19 with an outlay of Rs 500 crores.It was launched to stabilise the supply of Tomato, Onion and Potato (TOP) crops and to ensure availability of TOP crops throughout the country round the year without price volatility.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Earth’s ozone layer is finally healing : According to a new United Nations report, earth’s protective ozone layer is finally healing from the damage caused by aerosol sprays and coolants.The upper ozone layer above the northern hemisphere should be completely repaired in the 2030s and the gaping Antarctic ozone hole should disappear in the 2060s.The ozone layer had been thinning since the late 1970s.

2. UN Pledging Conference held : The 2018 ‘United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities’ was held on 5 November 2018.About 19 countries pledged a total of USD 425.69 million at the Pledging Conference.India pledged contributions of USD 13.36 million for the various UN agenciesIndia’s pledged contributions include $4.5 million to the UN Development Programme.

3. ‘Preventing the environment from War’ observed : The ‘International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict’ is observed every year on 6 November.The aim is to educate people about the damaging effects of war and armed conflict on the environment.The day was declared by the United Nations on 5 November 2001.

4. India allowed to buy Iranian oil-US : India is one of the eight countries to receive temporary exemptions from U.S. sanctions on Iran that came into effect on 5 November 2018.The other countries that have been exempted are China, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey.U.S. said that each country on the list had demonstrated ‘significant reductions’ of the purchase of Iranian crude over the past six months.

5. MoU signed between India & South Korea : A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of India and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea on 5 November 2018.The MoU was signed in the field of sports cooperation.The cooperation under this MoU may include areas like exchange of coaches, athletes, and experts.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. RBI imposed Rs 1 cr fine on Fino Payments Bank : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a fine of Rs 1 crore on Fino Payments Bank for opening new accounts despite directions not to do so until further order on 5 November 2018.This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI under the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.Fino Payments Bank started its operations in June 2017.

DEFENCE:

1. INS Arihant completes Nuclear Triad : INS Arihant, India’s first nuclear-powered submarine, successfully completed its first deterrence patrol.This means that INS Arihant is now prowling the deep seas carrying ballistic missiles.Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN) submarine is part of Indian Navy’s Eastern Naval Command.The vessel has been designed by the Indian Navy’s Submarine Design Bureau

SPORTS:

1. Elavenil Valarivan won bronze medal : Elavenil Valarivan won the bronze medal at the 11th Asian Shooting Championship in Kuwait on 6 November 2018.Elavenil shot 227.9 in the corresponding Women’s event to claim the bronze medal.Shi Mengyao of China won the gold medal while Xu Hong won the silver medal at the event. 

2. Divyansh won silver medal in men’s shooting : India’s junior shooter Divyansh Singh Panwar won a silver medal in the 11th Asian Shooting Championship in Kuwait city on 6 November 2018.Divyansh shot 251.4 in the final of 10m Air Rifle Junior Men’s event.Wang Yuefeng from China won the gold medal, who shot a Junior World and Asian record score of 252.

3. Gafur Rakhimov elected president of AIBA : Uzbek businessman Gafur Rakhimov was elected president of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Rakhimov beat his only opponent, former boxer Serik Konakbayev of Kazakhstan.The International Boxing Association (AIBA) is a sports organisation that sanctions amateur (Olympic-style) boxing matches and awards world and subordinate championships.

Daily GK Updates - 4th November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Delhi's Signature Bridge opens for public : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has inaugurated the iconic ‘Signature Bridge’ over river ‘Yamuna’. in Delhi.The Signature Bridge (675 metres long) is a cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge, spans Yamuna river at Wazirabad section, connecting Wazirabad to East Delhi.The pylon of the Signature bridge is the tallest structure in Delhi and is double the height of Qutb Minar, with 154-metre high viewing box, which acts as selfie points for people.It is the country's first asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge.

2.Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation announces Swachh Bharat World Toilet Day Contest  : The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has announced Swachh Bharat World Toilet Day Contest for districts and States.The purpose of the Contest is to encourage all districts in India to re-intensify the sanitation movement with a special focus on Open Defecation Free-ODF Sustainability. Top 10 District Collectors, top 3 State Mission Directors and State Secretary in-charge of Sanitation will be recognized and awarded by the Swachh Bharat Mission.The Contest does not apply to the five States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram

3.National Seminar on Entrepreneurship & Business Development in Ayurveda begins in New Delhi : A two-day National Seminar on Entrepreneurship and Business Development in Ayurveda has begun in New Delhi.The seminar has been organised by the AYUSH Ministry.The seminar is expected to develop awareness among stakeholders about business opportunities, encouraging young entrepreneurs to use modern technologies and highlight opportunities at the global level.

4. Noted Malayalam writer M Mukundan wins Ezhuthachan award : Noted Malayalam writer M Mukundan (76- years) has been selected for the highest literacy prize ‘Ezhuthachan Puraskaram 2018’. The award is being given for his overall contributions to the language and literature.

5. Super 30 founder Anand Kumar to be honoured with education award in Dubai : Veteran Mathematician 45-year old Anand Kumar (Super 30 founder) will be awarded for his ‘pioneering’ contribution to the field of education and illuminating the lives of many talented students (on 8^th November).Mr Anand will be honoured with 'Global Education Award' by 'Malabar Gold & Diamonds', a flagship company of Malabar Group, a leading Indian business conglomerate

6.IIT-Madras creates ‘Shakti’, India’s first microprocessor : The Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IITM) have designed and booted up India’s first icroprocessor ‘Shakti’.An open-source high-level synthesis language ‘Bluespec’ was used in making the chips.The Shakti microprocessor can be used in low-power wireless systems and networking systems besides reducing reliance on imported microprocessors in communication and defence sectors.It could be used in mobile computing and other devices.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.18th Indian Ocean Rim Association Council of Ministers Meeting Held in Durban : The 18th Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers Meeting was held in Durban, South Africa. Gen. (Dr.) VK Singh (Retd.), Minister of State for External Affairs, attended the IORA Council of Ministers Meeting.

This meeting took place during the on-going celebrations of the 150th year of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and the 100th birth anniversary of Nelson Mandela.The Indian Ocean Rim Association is an inter-governmental organisation which was established on 7^th  March 1997.

2.  Indo-French Conclave held in Nagpur : Indo-French Conclave signed 12 agreements worth 200 million euro held in Nagpur, Maharashtra.The Indo-French Conclave was organized by Indo French Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IFCCI) and the Embassy of France in India.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Kolkata leads Ease of Moving Index 2018 : The union minister Nitin Gadkari has released the Ola Mobility Institute’s(OMI), India's first Ease of Moving Index, 2018.As part of report findings, Kolkata ranks the highest in terms of affordability of public transportation with 80% of commuters finding Kolkata's public transport reasonable and affordable.Ola Mobility Institute (OMI) is the research and outreach arm of Ola.

DEFENCE:

1. Offshore patrol vessel ICGS Varaha launched : According to Defence Ministry, The Indian Coast Guard has launched a new offshore patrol vessel called ICGS Varaha from a corporate shipyard near Chennai.The vessel has been designed and built indigenously.This is the third in a series of seven similar ships to be handed over to the Coast Guard. The timeline for the delivery of all the vessels is March 2021.ICGS Varaha will soon be fitted with advanced navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machinery.

SPORTS:

1. Indian badminton player Subhankar Dey has won the SaarLorLux Open at Saarbrucken in Germany : He defeated fifth-placed Rajiv Ouseph (Britain), in straight games, 21-11, 21-14.This is Subhankar's first title of 2018.Earlier, he had finished runner-up in the Kabal International tournament at the Czech Republic.

Daily GK Updates - 1st November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Senior IPS officer S S Deswal appointed ITBP chief : Senior IPS officer S S  Deswal (IPS officer -1984 batch -Haryana cadre) has been appointed the chief of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) till 31st August, 2021.He has been appointed in place of R K Pachnanda.Shri Deswal will hold the additional charge of the post of DG, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) till further orders.

2.Anupam Kher resigns as FTII Chairman : Actor Anupam Kher has resigned as the chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) citing commitments to an international TV show in the U.S.Due to those commitments, Mr. Kher has informed the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting that he will not be present in the country for nearly nine months between 2018-19.Anupam Kher was appointed as the FTII chairman on 11^th October 2017 (replaced Gajendra Chauhan).

3. J&K State Administrative Council approves the J&K Municipal Laws (Amendment) bill, 2018 : The State Administrative Council (SAC) of Jammu and Kashmir under the chairmanship of Governor, Satya Pal Malik has approved "The Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018”.SAC has also approved honorarium for Sarpanchs and Panchs to be elected in the ensuing Panchayat elections.The SAC hoped that the provision would infuse enthusiasm among the elected Panchayat members- the election for which is being held in nine phases.

4.  Madhya Pradesh celebrates its 63rd Foundation Day today : Madhya Pradesh is celebrating its 63rd Foundation Day in all the districts of the state with traditional pride and grandeur.Madhya Pradesh was founded on November 1, 1956, and now is the second largest Indian state in size with an area of 3 Lakh 8 thousand sq. km.Madhya Governor Smt. Anandiben Patel congratulated the people of the state on the foundation day. the theme for the celebrations is the heritage of MP and all performances will revolve around folk and classical performances.

5.  J&K: Governor Satya Pal Malik flags off SAUBHAGYA RATH from Raj Bhawan Jammu : Governor Mr Satya Pal Malik flagged off ‘SAUBHAGYA RATH’ comprising 20 vehicles each for one District of Kashmir and Jammu divisions from Raj Bhawan, Jammu.The SAUBHAGYA RATH under ‘Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana’ - SAUBHAGYA shall move in each district for one month, to rule out the possibility of any household remaining un-electrified.A total of 2,26,367 households (Out of 3,57,405) were already proposed under the ongoing Deen Dayal Upadhaya Gram Jyoti Yojana -(DDUGJY)' and other allied schemes.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  Japan joins International Solar Alliance : Japan has announced to join the group International Solar Alliance (ISA).Japan will be the 71st country to sign and 48th country to ratify the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework.The primary objective of the alliance is to work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

2. Qatar sets up a support fund for migrant workers Qatar has set up a support fund for foreign workers who run into difficulties for not being paid.The fund would support and care for workers, secure their rights and provide a healthy and safe work environment for them.The changes are part of a three-year agreement signed by Qatar last November with the UN's International Labour Organization to oversee reform.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. India jumps 23 places to 77th in ease of doing the business ranking : India has jumped 23 places (now 77^th rank) in ease of doing business ranking (last year-100th place).Now, India is recognised as among top ten improvers for the 2nd consecutive year.The biggest gain was in construction permit where India climbed 129 ranks to 52nd place on the back of targeted government effort to remove hurdles

SPORTS:

1. Pankaj Advani wins the second leg of Asian Snooker Tour in Jinan, China  : World champion (19^th times) Pankaj Advani has won the second leg of the Asian Snooker Tour in Jinan, China.He has become the first Indian to win an Asian Snooker Tour event. Advani delivered a power-packed performance to outclass China's Ju Reti 6-1 in the final.

2. Sri Lanka's bowling coach Nuwan Zoysa suspended by ICC : According to an ICC release, Sri Lanka's bowling coach Nuwan Zoysa has been suspended with immediate effect by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and charged with match-fixing. Mr Zoysa has 14 days from tomorrow to respond to the charges. Zoysa has been charged with articles which relate to match-fixing and encouraging players to influence results.

Daily GK Updates - 31st October, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.PM Modi dedicates Sardar Patel’s ‘Statue of Unity’ to the nation : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the ‘Statue of Unity’ (world's tallest Statue) on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Surat, Gujarat.

The Statue of Unity (bronze statue) is the tallest statue (182-metre) in the world, taller than China's Spring Temple Buddha statue (153-metre) and almost double the height of the Statue of Liberty (93 metres) in the US.The statue of unity located on the Sadhu Bet island (near Rajpipla) on the Narmada river, located between the Satpura and the Vindhya mountain ranges.

2. 31st October: National Unity Day : The ‘National Unity day’ (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas) is being celebrated every year on 31st October in India.The objective of this event is to pay tribute to the Iron man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, on his birth anniversary by remembering his extraordinary works for the country.The Union Home Minister Raj Nath Singh has flagged off the Run for Unity from Major Dhyanchand Stadium, New Delhi.It is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who really unified the country.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Malala Yousafzai to be honoured by Harvard University : According to the Harvard’s Kennedy School, Nobel Prize Winner Malala Yousafzai (20-year) will be honoured by Harvard University for her work promoting girls' education.Yousafzai will be conferred with the Gleitsman Award 2018 at a ceremony on 6th December this year.The Gleitsman Award provides 125,000 US dollars for activism that has improved quality of life around the world.Now, Yousafzai is a student at Oxford University in England.

2. VP Naidu embarks on the seven-day visit to three South African countries :

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu embarked on a seven-day visit to three South African countries (Botswana, Zimbabwe and Malawi).In the first leg of his visit, Mr Naidu will meet his Botswana counterpart Slumber Tsogwane and hold delegation-level talks.He will also inaugurate the 13th Annual Global Expo Botswana 2018.During his visit to Zimbabwe, the Vice President will call on President Emerson Mnangagwa.On his final leg of the visit to Malawi, Mr Naidu will call on its President Peter Arthur Mutharika.

3. World's largest Airport 'under one roof' opened in Istanbul : The world's largest airport terminal "under one roof" has been officially opened in Istanbul, with a capacity to serve 90 million passengers.Overall the first phase has cost 7.5 billion Euro.The airport has been envisioned to have a total capacity of up to 200 million passengers (once all four phases are completed) in the next 10 years.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1.  IBM acquired Red Hat for USD 34 Billion in its biggest purchase : America's IBM has acquired software company Red Hat in a USD 34 billion cash and debt deal, marking its biggest ever acquisition till date.The open source, enterprise software maker ‘Red Hat’ founded 25 years ago, valued at about USD 20.5 billion at the end of trading.

2. Seychelles launches world’s first Sovereign Blue bond : The Republic of Seychelles has launched the world’s first Sovereign Blue Bond.Sovereign Blue Bond is a financial instrument designed to support sustainable marine and fisheries rojects.The bond demonstrates the potential for countries to harness capital markets for financing the sustainable use of marine resources.The bond raised USD 15 million from international investors

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. New SBI ATM withdrawal limits to come into effect from today : The Country’s largest bank SBI has reduced the daily cash withdrawal limit for Classic and Maestro debit cards to Rs. 20,000 per day (earlier, Rs. 40,000).New ATM cash withdrawal rules for SBI account holders will come into effect from today (31^st October).Now, SBI account holders having higher daily cash withdrawal requirements can apply for other debit card variants that have a higher daily withdrawal limit.

2. SBI & Hitachi payments form a joint venture : State Bank of India (SBI) and Hitachi Payment Services India (payments solution provider) has entered into an agreement to form a joint venture for establishing a card acceptance and digital payment platform.SBI will have a majority stake in the proposed joint venture.Hitachi Payment Services India is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Group, Japan.

Daily GK Updates - 30th October, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Justice Naresh Harishchandra Patil sworn-in as Chief Justice of Bombay High Court : Justice Naresh Harishchandra ‘Patil’ sworn-in as the Chief Justiceof the Bombay High Court. He was administered the oath of office by Maharashtra Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao in a ceremony held at Raj Bhawan, Mumbai. Bombay High Court is one of the oldest High Court of India located in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

2. Nitin Gadkari lays the foundation for India’s largest Dry Dock : The Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has laid the foundation for India’s largest Dry Dock at Cochin Shipyard in Kerala.The Dry Dock will give an impetus to Make in India initiative under Sagarmala and raise India’s share in global shipbuilding to two per cent.Currently, Cochin Shipyard has two dry docks, one predominantly used for shipbuilding of size 255m x 43 x 9m and capacity 1,10,000 DWT and the other one for ship repair of size 270 x 45 x 12m and capacity 1,25,000 DWT. Currently, India occupies 0.66 % share in the global shipbuilding market.

3. 5^th National Summit on Public health care begins in Assam : Sarbanand Sonowal (Assam Chief Minister) and J P Nadda(Union Health Minister) jointly inaugurated the three-day 5^th National Summit on Good and Replicable Practices and Innovations in Public Health Care Systems at Kaziranga in Assam. The main objective of the Summit is to share and learn the good practices and innovations being implemented by several states and organizations for the betterment of the health sector.

4. SC bans 15-year-old petrol & 10-year-old diesel vehicles in NCR : The Supreme Court (SC) has banned petrol (15-year-old) & diesel(10-year-old) vehicles in Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region) to curb pollution.The Supreme Court made it clear that such vehicles would be impounded if found on roads in Delhi-NCR.The apex court directed that a list of 15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel vehicles be published on the website of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and transport departments of the NCR area.

5. Gujarat’s first mega food park inaugurated in Surat : The Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Smt Harsimrat Kaur Badal has inaugurated the first Mega Food Park at Village Shah and Vasravi at Surat District, Gujarat.This Mega Food Park has been set up in 70.15 acres of land at a cost of Rs. 117.87 crore.The modern infrastructure for food processing created at Park will benefit the farmers, growers, processors and consumers of Gujarat.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Paraguayan Clara Sosa wins Miss Grand International 2018 in Myanmar : Clara Sosa (Miss Paraguay) has won the Miss Grand International 2018 title (6^th edition) of the beauty pageant in Yangon, Myanmar.Clara Sosa succeeds Miss Grand International 2017 Maria Jose Loraof Peru.FBB Colors Femina Miss Grand India 2018 Meenakshi Chaudharywas named 1st runner-up.

2.  Italian PM Giuseppe Conte arrives in New Delhi today : Prime Minister of Italy Giuseppe Conte arrived in New Delhi on a day-long official visit to India. During the visit, he will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both leaders will also attend the India-Italy Technology Summitwhich (organised by the Department of Science and Technology) in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry.

3. India, Qatar decide to establish a joint commission to strengthen relations : India and Qatar decided to establish a joint commission to strengthen their relations in various fields with a view to furthering the common interest of the people of the two countries.The joint declaration signed by Sushma Swaraj (External Affairs inister of India) and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani(Foreign Minister of Qatar) in Doha, highlights the decision to set up the joint commission.

4. 100,000 people around the world are missing which created global crisis: ICRC : According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), over 100,000 people around the world are missing, which has created a global crisis.ICRC told the UN General Assembly's human rights committee that this is the highest number they have ever had.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. RBI to inject Rs 40,000 Crore in November Via OMO : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced to inject Rs 40,000 crore into the system in November through the purchase of government securities as it looks to meet festive season demand for funds.The central bank had already injected Rs 36,000 crore into the system in October through open market operation (OMO).Open market  operations (OMO) refer to the buying and selling of government securities in the open market in order to expand or contract the amount of money in the banking system.

OBITUARIES:

1. Senior composer & lyricist Yashwant Dev passes away in Mumbai : Senior composer and lyricist Yashwant Dev passed away in Mumbai.He had composed and written many popular Marathi songs.He was honoured with many awards including Gan-samradni Lata Mangeshkar Award and Gadima puraska