Daily GK Updates - 22nd September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. B Sambamurthy appointed as NPCI Board’s interim-Chairman: The Board of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has appointed B Sambamurthy as the interim Chairman of the Board. He will replace M Balachandran.

2.  Ministry of Environment to hold quiz on environment ‘Prakriti Khoj’: The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change will hold a quiz on environment ‘Prakriti Khoj’ throughout the country. The quiz is aimed at increasing environmental awareness in the mind of people.

3. Himachal Pradesh becomes first Indian state to launch electric bus service: The Himachal Pradesh Govt. has launched the first electric bus service on 51km ecologically fragile between Manali and Rohtang Pass.Now, the HP state has become the first in the world to ply electric buses at an altitude of 13 thousand feet.The move was made amidst concern over increasing environmental degradation in the Rohtang Pass area due to plying of diesel taxis.each electric bus has a capacity to carry 30 passengers and can cover 200 km with the fully charged batteries.

4. Textiles Minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani inaugurates VASTRA 2017: The Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje inaugurated the 6th edition of the four-day international textile and apparel fair, 'VASTRA 2017' in Jaipur, Rajasthan. More than 50 countries and 13 Indian States are participating in VASTRA 2017.VASTRA 2017 is an all-encompassing trade fair and conference on Textiles and Apparel presenting a fusion of the finest and the latest in textiles products.

5. First Scorpene Submarine INS Kalvari delivered to Navy: The first of the Scorpene class submarines, INS Kalvari, was delivered to the Indian Navy by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL). The submarine will soon be commissioned into the Indian Navy.The delivery of a submarine means that its trials are over and the Navy has accepted the boat. Commissioning is a ceremony that officially makes it part of the Navy's fleet.

6. ‘Newton’ India’s Official Entry For Oscars 2018: ‘Newton’ will be India’s official entry for the Best Foreign Film category at the Oscars 2018, according to the Film Federation of India.The movie directed by Amit Masurkar, starring Rajkummar Rao, tells the story of a polling officer Newton Kumar who is bent on conducting free and fair elections in the conflict-ridden jungles of Chhattisgarh. 

7. Campaign to sensitise women about cancer: Union minister Anupriya Patel has launched a nationwide health campaign to sensitise women about the early screening and preventive care for cancer. Themed ‘Nurturing the Nurturer’, campaign was launched by FICCI Ladies Organisation in partnership with the Apollo Hospitals group. With cancer cases on the rise in the country, government plans to set up 27 cancer centres in the coming days.

                                               INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World’s first ‘molecular robot’ may help build new drugs: Scientists have created the world's first 'molecular robot' that can be used to build molecules and may help discover novel drugs. The tiny robots developed by researchers at the University of Manchester in the UK can be programmed to move and build molecular cargo using a tiny robotic arm. Each individual robot is capable of manipulating a single molecule and is made up of just 150 carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen atoms.

2. Britain and Saudi Arabia Sign Military Cooperation Deal: Saudi Arabia and Britain signed a framework deal for military cooperation. The agreement came after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed security ties with visiting British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah.The agreement comes as Britain seeks to explore lucrative trade deals outside Europe, including energy-rich Gulf monarchies, after voting to leave the European Union.

                                      OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Birla Group to wind up e-commerce venture ABOF: Aditya Birla Group will shut down its online shopping portal Abof.com by the end of this year, failing to sustain intense competition from the sector giants. Launched in 2015, Abof.com has portfolio across clothing, footwear besides a collection of group’s own brands like Allen Solly and Peter England, among others.

2. Dabur India joins hand with Amazon to market ayurvedic products online: Dabur India has tied up with e-commerce major Amazon for an online ayurveda marketplace which will house all ayurvedic brands and products of the country. The exclusive ayurveda e-marketplace has been hosted by Amazon India and the content is developed by Dabur India.

3. Balraj Joshi appointed CMD of NHPC: Balraj Joshi has been appointed as the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of NHPC, the country’s premier hydro power utility. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment to the post till December 31, 2019.

BANKING/FINANCE:

4. SBI launches bond index series: State Bank of India in partnership with FTSE Russell has brought out a new index series at the London Stock Exchange. This index will act as a key benchmark for Indian debt for foreign investors looking to invest in Indian debt market. This index is also an important enabler of India-focused funds and is expected to facilitate investment flows.

SPORTS:

5. Sindhu jumps to World No. 2 in BWF women's singles rankings: Indian shuttler PV Sindhu jumped two places to World No 2 (second time in her career) in the latest Badminton World Federation women's singles rankings. In the men's singles rankings, K Srikanth remained unchanged at eighth while B Sai Praneeth and H S Prannoy dropped one place each to be at 17th and 19th positions.

OBITUARIES:

6. Legendary Boxer, Jake LaMotta Passes Away: Jake LaMotta, former boxing champion whose life of violence in and out of the ring was portrayed in the movie "Raging Bull," passed away. He was in his 90s and died of complications of pneumonia. Fighting mostly as a middleweight and known as the "Raging Bull" and "Bronx Bull".

Daily GK Updates - 21st September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Cabinet approves additional investment of Rs 12,000 cr towards supplementary nutrition for children: The Union Cabinet has approved the increase of cost norms for supplementary nutrition provided in Anganwadis and for out of school adolescent girls under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). It will involve an additional investment of 12 thousand crore rupees over the next three years. Under the ICDS, children between six months to three years are entitled to a morning snack as well as a hot-cooked meal at an Anganwadi center.

2. Cabinet Approves Revamped Khelo India Program at a cost of Rs.1,756 crores: The Union Cabinet has approved the revamped Khelo India program at a cost of Rs.1,756 crores for the period 2017-18 to 2019-20. This marks a watershed moment in the history of Indian sports, as the programme aims at mainstreaming sport as a tool for individual development, community development, economic development and national development.

3. W Bengal govt. announces constitution of a panel to oversee the administration of Darjeeling hills: The West Bengal govt. has constituted a panel to oversee the administration of Darjeeling hills. The state govt. has decided to form a nine-member board of administrators (BoA) which will enjoy the same powers as members of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). Binay Tamang has been appointed as the Chairman and Anit Thapa as Vice-Chairman of the Board.

4. Centre to start Helicopter & smaller aircraft services to hilly areas: The Union govt. is planning to start helicopter and smaller aircraft services to hilly areas north-east, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, under UDAN scheme (in the second phase). The second phase of UDAN seeks to connect unserved and under-served airports as well as make flying more affordable with fares capped at Rs. 2,500 (one-hour flights).

5. Floating B4 boat labs to study the Brahmaputra River: The Union Government is planning to safeguard fast-eroding Majuli island — world’s largest riverine island using research carried out on floating Brahmaputra Biodiversity and Biology Boat (B4) labs along Brahmaputra River. The purpose of project is to study changes caused by dams, climate change, human interventions and eventual effects on river eco-system. B4 boat labs will be large barge (or boat) which will be set up on river. It will be well-equipped laboratory with cold storage facilities and other advanced research support system.

6. Centre announces Dusshera bonus for 12L Railways employees: The Centre on Wednesday approved a productivity-linked bonus for over 12 lakh non-gazetted Railways employees, to be paid before the Dusshera holidays. The bonus, equivalent to wages of 78 days, is estimated to cost the Railways ₹2,245 crore. 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Day of Peace observed today: It is dedicated to world peace and specifically the absence of war & violence such as might be occasioned by a temporary ceasefire in a combat zone for humanitarian aid access. The theme for 2017 is “Together for Peace: Respect, Safety, and Dignity for All.”

2. Zannah Mustapha wins UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award: A Nigerian lawyer, teacher and peacemaker, Zannah Mustapha, has won the 2017 UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) for his work opening school amid conflict in north-eastern Nigeria. Mustapha founded a school 10 years ago in Maiduguri (the capital of Borno State) which is the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency. The school has stayed open throughout violence, persecution, and abductions which have left over 20,000 killed and millions more displaced.

3. Protesters march against Philippine Prez's 'dictatorship': Around 8,000 people marched in the Philippines on Thursday in protest against President Rodrigo Duterte's leadership which they claim is the emergence of a "dictatorship". The protests against Duterte, who has launched a war on drugs and has threatened martial law, marked the 45th anniversary of the declaration of martial law under late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1972.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. Fino Payments Bank Launches Mobile Banking App: Fino Payments Bank has launched its mobile banking app called BPay. Fino aims to make banking easy for millions of underbanked people in India. The upgraded BPay app is available on Android at present.The mobile banking app enables simple, paperless and convenient banking that allows customers to make bill payments, recharges, fund transfers and buy insurance.

SPORTS:

2. BCCI nominates MS Dhoni for Padma Bhushan award: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has nominated MS Dhoni for the Padma Bhushan award for his contribution to the game. Dhoni is already a recipient of the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and the Padma Shri award.

OBITUARIES:

3. Liliane Bettencourt, heiress to the L’Oreal cosmetics empire and the world’s richest woman, dies at 94: Her death was announced in a statement from Jean-Paul Agon, chief executive officer at L’Oreal Group. She died on Wednesday at her home in Neuilly, a suburb west of Paris, according to a company spokesman.

Daily GK Updates - 20th September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Army takes Swachh Bharat Abhiyan at Siachen: Indian Army has taken Swachh Bharat Abhiyan at the highest battlefield in the world Siachen to maintain the ecological balance of Siachen glacier. The cleanliness drive is aimed at cleaning the areas which remain snow clad throughout the year. Siachen troops have removed and sent back more than 63 tonnes of garbage (like packing material, barrels, and perishables) to the base.

2. Advani renominated as Chairman of Lok Sabha Ethics Committee: Veteran BJP leader L K Advani has been re-nominated as Chairman of the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. Besides Advani, all other 14 members have also been given another term.

3. India appoints Ajay Bisaria New High Commissioner to Pakistan: The Indian govt. has appointed Ajay Bisaria (ambassador to Poland) as Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan. He will replace Gautam Bambaware.

4. India replaces China as the top retail destination as per India Retail Report 2017: India has replaced China as the numero uno retail destination in 2017 as part of the global retail development index. The change in ranking was an outcome of 4 factors including increased consumer spending, rising mobile and internet penetration, favourable foreign investment climate and GST.

5. The first BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise: The First ‘BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise- 2017’ (BIMSTEC DMEx-2017) will be conducted by NDRF as the lead agency in Delhi & NCR. It will be a platform for sharing Best Practices on all aspects of Disaster Risk Reduction, strengthening regional response among BIMSTEC member countries.

6. Coins released in the honour of MS Subbalakshmi: Celebrating the legacy of Carnatic music icon M S Subbulakshmi, Venkaiah Naidu released special commemorative coins of Rs 100 & Rs 10 denominations. She had many firsts to her credit, from being the first musician to be awarded Bharat Ratna, to win Ramon Magsaysay Award, and to perform at the UN General Assembly (UNGA).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. UN releases a list of countries that faced the most number of natural disasters: According to UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres, India ranked 3rd among the countries that have faced the most natural disasters in the last half century. U.S, followed by China, India, Philippines and Indonesia, have experienced most disasters since 1995 – more than 1,600 or once every 5 days.

2. Saudi Arabia to unblock internet calling: Saudi Arabia has decided to lift ban on internet calling apps as it faces criticism over censorship. All online voice & video call services like Skype & WhatsApp that satisfy regulatory requirements will become accessible.

3. WHO grants $175,000 for Rohingyas: WHO has released its first tranche of emergency funding of $175,000 to provide lifesaving healthcare to “vulnerable population” in Bangladesh. Grant will support 20 mobile medical teams to provide essential services for at least two months.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. Tata Steel, Thyssenkrupp Sign MoU: Tata Steel and Thyssenkrupp AG have signed MoU to create Europe’s second-largest steel enterprise by combining the flat steel businesses of the two companies. The proposed 50:50 joint venture would be focused on quality and technology leadership, and the supply of premium and differentiated products to customers.

SPORTS:

2. Emblem and slogan for FIFA Women’s World Cup: The official emblem and slogan for FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 has been unveiled. The emblem features the competition trophy wrapped in blue and white, with eight shards of light around football at the top of the trophy symbolising the eighth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The slogan of the tournament “Dare To Shine” reflects the development of football.

Daily GK Updates - 19th September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Assam assembly adopts two-child norm: According to the Assam’s health and family welfare minister, the service rules of the state government will be changed to give effect to two-child norm for the state government employees. The policy seeks to bar those having more than two children from being elected or nominated to panchayat and other local bodies’ elections or government jobs.

2. International Yoga Festival starts in Kashmir: Jammu and Kashmir Governor Shri N N Vohra inaugurated the second International Yoga Festival and International Yoga Sports Championship 2017 in Kashmir. Around 300 participants from various parts of India, Vietnam, Taiwan, Canada, Bulgaria, USA, and Nepal are participating in the festival.

3. Akshay Kumar appointed as the Brand ambassador for Swachh Bharat in Uttarakhand: Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat announced appointment of Akshay Kumar as the brand ambassador of Swachh Bharat Mission in the state. Akshay Kumar is the brand ambassador of the same mission for Uttar Pradesh too.

4. SSB’s new ‘intelligence’ unit set up: Home Minister Rajnath Singh has operationalised the Sashastra Seema Bal’s 1st ever intelligence wing. It will gather intelligence on terrorists, illegal immigrants, fake currency etc along Bhutan & Nepal borders.

5. Rajnikant Mishra appointed new SSB chief: Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has appointed senior IPS officer Rajni Kant Mishra as the new chief of Sashastra Seema Bal. Mishra is a 1984 batch Uttar Pradesh Cadre IPS officer, will succeed Archana Ramasundaram who is set to retire on September 30.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Iceland Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson resigns: Prime Minister of Iceland ‘Bjarni Benediktsson’ has given his resignation to the President Gudni Th. Johannesson. Earlier, Mr. Benediktsson took his office in January 2017, uniting his Independence Party, the Reform Party, and the centrists.

2. First US military base in Israel set up: For the first time in history, U.S. has established a permanent military base in Israel. The base will be located within Israel Defense Forces Air Defense School in southern Israel.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. Google Tez UPI- based Digital Payments app launched in India: The app is based on UPI platform, allows payments direct from the bank accounts. The Tez app is one of the most-simple forms of monetary transactions and is available to Android as well as iOS users.

2. Current account deficit increases to 2.4% of GDP in first quarter – RBI report: Current account deficit (CAD) of the first quarter of this fiscal widened to 2.4% of gross domestic product (14.3 billion dollars) as imports pushed the trade deficit. Last year, it was 0.1% (401 million dollars) in the same period. According to the RBI, widening of the year-on-year deficit was primarily on account of a higher trade deficit brought about by a larger increase in merchandise imports relative to exports.

3. Chuck Robbins to be appointed as the Executive Chairman of Cisco: Cisco has announced that its CEO Chuck Robbins will be appointed as the Executive Chairman of the company.

4. Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund hits $1 trillion mark, becomes the largest fund: The Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, the largest in the world, has officially hit $1 trillion for the first time. Norway’s fund was set up more than 20 years ago to invest revenue arising from oil extraction.

SPORTS:

5. Mark Beaumont breaks world record: Cyclist Mark Beaumont has broken the world record for cycling around the world in 79 days – 44 days shorter than the previous record. Beaumont arrived in Paris 1 day ahead of schedule after cycling 18,000 miles & an average of 240 miles per day.

6. India's Purnima wins pentathlon gold at Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games: Indian athlete Purnima Hembram bagged Gold in women's pentathlon event at the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Turkmenistan. Hembram broke the Indian record by scoring 4,062 points and won the event by more than 100 points.

OBITUARIES:

7. Dr. Kirpal Chugh, India’s father of nephrology passes away: Dr Kirpal Chugh, fondly called father of nephrology in India, passed away at 85. He is fondly called father of nephrology in India for single-handedly first separating this discipline from medicine & then developing this into super-specialty in India. He was awarded Padma Shri, 4th highest civilian award in the year 2000.

Daily GK Updates - 18th September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Govt. saved Rs 65,000 cr through DBT says Javadekar: According to the union Human Resource Development (HRD) minister Prakash Javadekar, the union govt. has saved 65 thousand crore rupees through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in various public schemes. DBT enables linking of Aadhar card to bank accounts and other subsidized services availed by citizens.  It is being used to plug the loopholes in the system due to which the government incurred losses.

2. Bahubali fame SS Rajamouli receives ANR award: Venkaiah Naidu, honoured SS Rajamouli with ANR National Award for his contribution to Telugu Film Industry. Bahubali franchise made SS Rajamouli a name to reckon with in the entire world.

3. YC Modi appointed as the new Director General of NIA: Senior Indian Police Service officer Y C Modi was appointed as the new director general of National Investigation Agency. He will replace Sharad Kumar, who is set to retire on Oct 30.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Indian Yoga expert Bishnu Ghosh and his family on Japanese postage stamps: Japanese postal department has released postage stamps on yoga legend Bishnu Ghosh & his family members to acknowledge the role played by them in spreading Indian postural yoga in Japan. Stamps on Bishnu Charan Ghosh, his son Biswanath, daughter Karuna & Karuna’s father in law Asutosh Ghosh were released in Japan.

2. Mercedes Araoz as the new Prime Minister of Peru: Araoz replaces Fernando Zavala, who was forced to resign under Peru’s constitution because of the no-confidence vote.

3. Tunisia lifts ban on Muslim women marrying non-Muslim men: Tunisia has abolished a 44 yr old ban on Muslim women marrying non-Muslims as president seeks to secure equal rights for country’s female population. Until now a non-Muslim man who wished to marry a Muslim Tunisian woman had to convert to Islam & submit a certificate of his conversion as proof.

4. Riz Ahmed becomes the first Asian man to win an Emmy for acting: Riz Ahmed has become the first man of Asian descent to win an acting award at the Emmys. He is a British actor of Pakistani descent. Ahmed bagged Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series award for his portrayal of Nasir “Naz” Khan in ‘The Night Of’.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. M&M enters into alliance with Ford: Mahindra & Mahindra has entered into a strategic alliance with Ford Motor to explore cooperation in the sphere of products, technologies and electrification of cars amongst other areas. Both companies will collaborate and work together for a period of up to three years.

2. Reliance’s Unlimit & IBM to collaborate: Reliance Group’s Unlimit & IBM have announced a collaboration to co-create IoT solutions for industry verticals, including automotive & industrial automation. IBM will provide its Watson IoT Platform to collect & connect data, including sensor data, from devices.

3. SEBI allows REITs, InvITs to raise funds: Market regulator, Securities & Exchange Board of India, has allowed Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvIT) & Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) to raise capital by issuing debt securities. SEBI introduced the concept of strategic investor for REITs on similar lines of InvITs.

SPORTS:

4. India at Ahmet Cormet Boxing Championships: India has  bagged one gold, four silver, and three bronze medals at the Ahmet Comert Boxing Championships for youth women boxers held in Istanbul, Turkey. India’s Soniya won the Gold in the 48kg category. The silver winners for India were Niharika Gonella (75kg), Shashi Chopra (57kg), Parveen (54kg), and Ankushita Boro (64kg).

5. Lewis Hamilton wins Singapore Grand Prix: Mercedes-AMG F1’s Lewis Hamilton claimed a stunning victory at the Singapore Grand Prix.

6. Gayle completes a century of “sixes” in T20s: West Indies opener Chris Gayle has added one more feather to his cap as he became the 1st batsman to complete a century of sixes in T20Is. Gayle reached the milestone during the lone T20I against England in his 52nd match.

Daily GK Updates - 17th September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Sardar Sarovar Dam dedicated to the nation: Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the Sardar Sarovar Dam, almost 56 years after its foundation stone was laid. The foundation stone of the dam was laid on 5 April 1961 by the country’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. The dam on the river Narmada has been described as ‘Gujarat’s lifeline’ as it aims to provide drinking water to 131 urban centres and 9,633 villages.

2. Indian Railways announces “sleeping time”: According to a circular issued by railway board, passengers in reserved coaches can only sleep between 10 pm & 6 am to allow others to sit on the seats for the rest of the time. Until the circular was issued, the existing permissible time for sleeping was between 9 pm and 6 am. The circular, however, makes an exception for sick and disabled passengers, and pregnant ladies.

3. Centre releases new Metro Rail policy: Housing & Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri released new Metro Policy for expanding the metro network across various cities in the country. The Policy empowers States to make rules & regulations & set up permanent Fare Fixation Authority for timely revision of fares. It also makes Public Private Partnership component mandatory for availing central assistance for new metro projects.

4. India-US commence military exercise Yudh Abhyas: Indian & U.S. armies have started the 13th iteration of their Yudh Abhyas series of joint military exercises at Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington. The exercise will focus primarily on counter-terrorism operations & will also included strategic consultations b/w senior armed forces officers on both sides.

5. Indigenous artillery gun sets new world record: Indigenous artillery gun, Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System has set a new world record in range by hitting targets at a distance of 48 km. ATAGS is a 155mm, 52 calibre towed artillery gun being developed in mission mode by DRDO as a part of Army’s artillery modernisation programme.

6. President’s medal for former DIG D Roopa, the only woman officer to get it: Former DIG D Roopa, who highlighted in a report alleged irregularities at Central jail in Bengaluru, including preferential treatment to V K Sasikala, was conferred the President’s Medal. The award was presented to Roopa for her meritorious service by Governor Vajubhai Vala at a ceremony at Raj Bhavan.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. AV500W – the first unmanned attack helicopter, now for sale: China has put on display its 1st unmanned combat helicopter AV500W for foreign buyers in a bid to enlarge scope to market its military drones abroad. It is capable of carrying 120 kg of weapons & equipment.

2. Iron Union 5 - US & UAE military exercise: The ground forces of the United Arab Emirates and the United States are holding a joint military exercise in Abu Dhabi. Codenamed, ”Iron Union 5,” the joint military exercise is an extension of a series of ”Iran Claw” exercises.

3. NASA’s Cassini spacecraft ends 20-year journey: NASA’s $3.9 bn Cassini spacecraft ended its 20-year-long groundbreaking journey with a fiery plunge into Saturn’s crushing atmosphere. Cassini began its mission to Saturn in 1997, reaching the ringed planet in 2004.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. PV Sindhu wins Korea Open: PV Sindhu avenged her World Championship loss in Glasgow by beating Nozomi Okuhara 22-20, 11-21, 21-18 in the Korea Open 2017 women’s singles final to clinch her 3rd Superseries title. Sindhu made history by becoming the first Indian to win the Korea Open.

2. Rashid Khan from Afghanistan – the youngest cricketer to claim 100 wickets: Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan has become the youngest cricketer to take 100 T20 wickets. Rashid Khan, who is just five days away from his 19th birthday, took 3/22 for Bamd-e-Amir Dragons during SCL 2017 game against Boost Defenders to reach the landmark.

Daily GK Updates - 16th September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Assam passes PRANAM (Parents Responsibility and Norms for Accountability and Monitoring) Bill: The Assam Employees’ Parents Responsibility and Norms for Accountability and Monitoring Bill-2017 – better known as the Assam Employees PRANAM Bill – is aimed at ensuring that employees do not neglect their loved ones in times of need. The bill has provisions for deducting 10% of an employee’s pay and transferring it to the account of the relative concerned. Another 5% would be deductible if the employee has a differently abled sibling.

2. Jaipur's National Institute of Ayurveda enters Guinness Book: National Institute of Ayurveda of Jaipur has entered the Guinness Book for 'Most people receiving Nasya Panch Kararma simultaneously'. 733 Ayurvedic practitioners performed Nasya Karma, which has been registered in the Guinness Book of records.

3. Salman Khan receives Global Diversity Award at Britain’s House of Commons: The Global Diversity Award is given to people of immense stature in terms of what they have done for diversity in the world. Salman Khan was honored for his contribution to the Indian film industry as an actor, producer, television personality, singer, and philanthropist.

4. Top athletes to get a monthly stipend of Rs. 50000: Ministry of sports & youth affairs has decided to pay a monthly stipend of Rs 50,000 to each elite athlete preparing for the coming Commonwealth & Asian Games. The govt has selected 152 athletes under the TOP scheme, stipend will be paid with effect from Sept 1.

5. India, Japan sign open sky agreement: India and Japan signed an agreement that will allow their airlines to operate unlimited number of flights between the two countries. The open sky agreement will be signed in accordance with the National Civil Aviation Policy (NACP), 2016.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Day for Preservation of Ozone Layer observed today: The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is observed every year on 16th September for the preservation of the Ozone Layer. This year, the theme for the Day is 'Caring for all life under the sun'. The day marks the commemoration of the date of signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987 on substances that deplete the Ozone layer.

2. Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon tabbed for IOC ethics chair: Former Secretary-General of United Nations (UN) ‘Ban Ki-moon’ has been elected as Chair of Ethics Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the four-year term. He succeeds Youssoupha Ndiaye of Senegal.

3. Stuggart comes out as the Least Stressed City in the world and Baghdad comes out as the most stressed one: According to 2017 Global Least & Most Stressful Cities Ranking, Stuttgart is the least stressed out city across the globe, with 4 of top 10 relaxing cities situated in Germany. Luxembourg stood at 2nd spot while Hanover was at 3rd place in the ranking.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. India Signs 76 Million Dollar with JICA to Upgrade Alang-Sosiya Shipyards: India has signed a loan deal of 76 million dollars with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for a project to upgrade the environment management plan at Alang-Sosiya ship recycling yards. The total cost of the project will be 111 million dollars and executed by Gujarat Maritime Board (completed by 2022).

2. Abanti Sankaranarayanan appointed as Chairman of ASCI: The Advertising Standards Council of India has appointed Abanti Sankaranarayanan as the chairman of its board.

3. Amazon ties up with Bank of Baroda to provide loans: Amazon has tied up with Bank of Baroda to offer micro loans to its sellers. Loans will be extended in the range of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 25 lakh at an annual interest rates b/w 10.45% & 11.5% RPT.

SPORTS:

4. A book – “Unstoppable: My Life So Far” authored by Maria Sharapova released: The book titled ‘Unstoppable: My Life So Far’ authored by Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova. The book talks about Sharapova’s rise from nowhere to tennis stardom and the unending fight to stay on top.

OBITUARIES:

5. Swami Bhaskar Das passes away: The major litigant in Ayodhya's disputed structure case Swami Bhaskar Das passed away due to cardiac arrest in Uttar Pradesh. He was the Chief of Nirmohi Akhara and main priest of Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya.

6. World’s oldest person dies aged 117: The oldest person in the world, Violet Mosse Brown, has died in Jamaica aged 117. Known as ‘Aunt V’ to friends, she was born in Trelawney on March 10, 1900 and lived there all of her phenomenally long life.

Daily GK Updates - 15th September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. National Engineer’s Day observed: Nation is celebrating Engineer’s Day to mark 156th birth anniversary of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya, one of the greatest engineers India has produced. Visvesvaraya was not only known for his contributions in field of engineering but was also called precursor of economic planning in India. It is noteworthy that he received India’s highest honour Bharat Ratna in 1955.

2. Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar announced: The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) has been awarded National level Rajbhasha Keerti Award for the third consecutive year. The award has been given to The Marine Products Export Development Authority for the best Implementation of Official language in the organisation. Vijaya Bank has bagged the first prize under the Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar (Region C) for the year 2016-17.

3. President Ram Nath Kovind launches nation-wide campaign Swacchata Hi Sewa: President Ram Nath Kovind has launched a nation-wide campaign Swacchata Hi Sewa from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh. He also administered nation-wide ‘Swachhta Hi Seva pledge’ initiating parallel action in all the two lakhs 50 thousand plus Gram Panchayats and cities in India. The objective of the campaign is to mobilize people and reinforce the public movement for sanitation to contribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of a Clean India.

4. Centre for Animal Law to be set up at NALSAR, Hyderabad: India’s first Centre for Animal Law has been established at the city-based NALSAR University of Law. Centre will create curriculum on animal welfare laws, including developing topics for research. Centre will also conduct workshops on animal laws & animal welfare issues. Humane Society International, India will work with NALSAR University to steer and coordinate the activities of the centre

5. India’s forex reserves top $400 billion: India’s forex reserves surged by USD 2.604 billion to reach an all-time high of USD 400.726 billion. The foreign currency assets, a major component of the overall reserves, increased by USD 2.568 billion to USD 376.209 billion, according to data by the RBI. The country’s reserve position with the IMF also increased by USD 21.4 million to USD 2.304 billion.

6. 10 lakh students to play football under Maha Mission 1 Million: It will not only create football players and lovers of the game, but will also help in overall development of the state. The FIFA U17 World Cup is happening for the first time in India and it being held in Maharashtra.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Democracy Day being observed today: In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolved to observe 15th September as the International Day of Democracy with the purpose of promoting and upholding the principles of democracy. This year's theme of democracy and conflict prevention focuses on the critical need to strengthen democratic institutions to promote peace and stability.

2. Indus Water Treaty talks begin in Washington: A two day high-level talk between India and Pakistan on technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty has begun in Washington. IWT was signed in 1960 after 9 years of negotiations b/w India & Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory.

3. Bank of England launches 10 pound plastic note after Jane Austen: A new plastic 10 pound note featuring renowned author Jane Austen has gone into circulation in Britain. Austen is the first female writer to feature on a British banknote, replacing a paper 10 pound note which featured a portrait of naturalist Charles Darwin.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. HDFC Bank is India’s top most brand: HDFC Bank has topped the list of the country’s top 50 brands according to a report released by WPP Plc and Kantar Millward Brown. HDFC Bank’s brand value is estimated at $17.97 billion, followed by Airtel at $10.23 billion.

2. Suzuki to set up India’s first Lithium-Ion battery unit: Suzuki Motor will invest more than Rs 1,150 cr along with Japanese partners Toshiba & Denso to set up India’s first lithium ion battery facility in Gujarat. It will cater to Maruti Suzuki as well Toyota’s range of electric vehicles of the future.

3. Hong Kong Central comes out as the most expensive office location: According to CBRE, Connaught Place has slipped one position to become 10th most expensive office location in the world with an annual rent of $111 per sq ft. Bandra Kurla Complex is at 16th rank while Nariman Point is at 30th position in CBRE’s latest report. Hong Kong’s (Central) ranked first with overall prime office rent of USD 269 per sq ft per year, followed by Beijing (Finance Street).

SPORTS:

4. Goa to host 36th National Games: The Indian Olympic Association has formally awarded to Goa the rights to host the 36th National Games.