Daily GK Updates - 23rd September, 2015

NATIONAL UPDATES:

   I.            CCS clears Military helicopters deal with US aviation giant Boeing: The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has given its approval to a multi-billion dollar deal to purchase Military helicopters from United States aviation giant Boeing. Under this deal India will purchase 22 Apache Attack helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy lift choppers from Boeing.

II.            Union Cabinet gives nod to amend MoU on Indo-German Partnerships in Higher Education: Indo-German partnership in higher education will help to strengthened education relationship between both countries through the Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI).

III.            Union Cabinet gives nod to set up India Sign Language Research and Training Centre: ISLRTC will be set up as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and initially will be located at the Institute for Physically Handicapped, New Delhi.

IV.            Korea Caravan 2015 organised by Korea-Andhra Pradesh Friendship Forum held at Vishakhapatnam: During this, the forum called upon the Koreans to join hands with the Indians to set up various industries in the state and in building the capital Amravathi. 

V.            MoU for Swavlamban Health Insurance Scheme for Disabled Persons signed: The Trust Fund for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, under the Department of Empowerment of People with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, signed anMoU with the New India Assurance Company Ltd.

VI.            CCEA approves four laning of Cuttack-Angul section of NH-42.

VII.            Google, Tata Trusts announced the launch of Android Developer Nanodegrees programme: As a part of the programme, 1000 scholarships will be offered to deserving students by Google and Tata Trusts. The students will be awarded with Android Developer Nano degrees.

VIII.            P V Chandran elected President of Indian Newspaper Society 2015-16.

IX.            Two bills on reservation to specially and economically backward classes passed in Rajasthan assembly: The purpose of the bills is to ensure advancement of backward communities and financially weaker sections of unreserved categories in the state.

X.            Haryana Government decided to develop Gurgaon as Smart City.

XI.            Odisha Government decided to implement 5 sub-schemes for transgender: The state government’s newly created Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities will implement the sub-schemes. The department will provide the transgender with certificates as third gender.

XII.            Consultative workshop on Climate Change Mitigation in Urban Sector held in New Delhi.

XIII.            Union Government released National Health Profile 2015: The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda released the National Health Profile (NHP) prepared by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence. This is the 11^th edition of the NHP and the 1^st edition of e-version NHP.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 I.            Cisco’s John Chambers elected as new US India Business Council (USIBC) chairman.

II.            Indian Author Samanth Subramanium in UK Non-Fiction longlist: An account of Sri Lanka’s civil war by Indian author Samanth Subramanium has been longlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize, one of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious awards for non-fiction.

III.            World Rhino Day observed across the world: The World Rhino Day 2015 was observed on September 22^nd across the world.

IV.            Researchers developed SafePay prototype system to prevent mass credit card fraud: The research was led by Yinzhi Cao, assistant professor of computer science and engineering at Lehigh University.

V.            9^th Regional PravasiBharatiyaDiwas (RPBD) to be held in Los Angeles: The theme for RPBD Los Angeles will be ‘The Indian Diaspora: Defining a New Paradigm in India-US Relationship.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

  I.            CANBANK Venture Capital Fund Ltd appointed as implementation agency of EDF Policy: The CVCFL was appointed as the implementation agency of the Electronics Development Fund (EDF) Policy. The EDF is set up as a Fund of Funds to participate in Daughter Funds which in turn will provide risk capital to companies developing new technologies in the area of electronics, nano-electronics and Information Technology.

II.            Asian Development Bank lowered India’s Growth Forecast for 2016 from 7.8% to 7.4%.

SPORTS:

III.               Zyan Khan elected as President of Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India.

 IV.               Bermuda cricketer Jason Anderson has been banned for life after ugly on- field brawl.

AWARDS:

 V.            Indra Nooyi, ShobhanaBhartia awarded 2015 Global Leadership Award: Hindustan Times Group chairperson ShobhnaBhartia and PepsiCo Chairman IndraNooyi have been awarded 2015 Global Leadership Award of the US-India Business Council (USIBC).

VI.            Lalita Prasida Sripada Srisai of Odisha won Community Impact award at Google Science Fair: A class 9^th student from Koraput district of Odisha bagged the prestigious Community Impact Award at the 5^th Google Science Fair held in California.

VII.            24^th Vyaas Samman conferred on eminent Hindi writer Dr Kamal Kishore Goenka: He was awarded for his work ‘PremchandkikahaniyonkakaalkramanusaarAdhyayan’.

IX.            Famous American fantasy drama television series, Game of Thrones, created by HBO won an unprecedented 12 awards at the 67^th Primetime Emmy Award function held in California.

OBITUARIES:

   

 X.            Odia Lyricist Nizam died in Bhubaneswar at the age of 62.

Daily GK Updates - 22nd September 2015

NATIONAL UPDATES:

   I.            EMI-EMC and NFTR test facilities inaugurated at BEL-Ghaziabad: Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI)-Electro Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) test facility and Near Field Test Range (NFTR) were inaugurated at the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) – Ghaziabad by Chairman Chief of Staff Committee (COSC) Arup Raha.

II.            Supreme Court issued notice to Telangana Government on omission of 26 castes from state BC list: It was done followong a petition filed by SettiBalija Youth Association.

III.            Union Government released Draft National Encryption Policy: The Department of Electronics and Information Technology (Deity) released the policy to encourage use of encryption technologies and product among governmental agencies, businesses and citizens for more secure communications and financial transactions in the cyber space.

IV.            Indian Coast Guard commissioned indigenously built vessels Apoorva and C-421: They were commissioned at the Naval Dock in Mumbai by Flag Officer Commanding in Chief of Western Naval Command SPS Cheema.

V.            Rajasthan Assembly passed Rajasthan Vexation Litigation Prevention Bill 2015: The objective of the bill is to prevent filing of baseless cases and to check the misuse of law for personal benefits. With this Rajasthan became the 5^thstate in India after Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and Madhya Pradesh.

VI.            VikramPawah appointed as Managing Director of Harley Davidson’s India operations.

VII.            Aditya Birla Group announced sale of Australian copper mine for 10.75 million US dollars: Aditya Birla Mineral Limited (ABML) announced the sale of its closed Birla Mt Gordon (BMG) copper mine in Queensland, Australia to Lighthouse Minerals Holdings Pvt Ltd.

VIII.            Bharat Dynamics ties up with Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL): Two public sector units have joined hands to develop missile electronics and weapon support systems for major defence projects.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

   I.            Cow declared as National Animal of Nepal: Cow was declared as the National animal of Nepal as per the new secular constitution of Nepal unveiled by Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav at a special ceremony held in Parliament at Kathmandu.

II.            UN Broadband Commission released State of Broadband Report 2015: As per the report the global broadband growth is slowing down sharply as 4 billion people are still offline.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

I.               Richie Richardson appointed to Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees: He will replace Sri Lanka’s RoshanMahanama who stepped down from the position.JavagalSrinath is the only Indian in the 7 member panel.

II.               Indian Wushu team won 12 medals at Pars International Cup in Tehran: The tally of medals comprise of one gold, four silver and seven bronze medals. India’s Budhachandra Singh won the gold medal.

OBITUARIES:

   I.            British-born author Jackie Collins died of breast cancer at the age of 77.

Daily GK Updates - 21st September, 2015

NATIONAL UPDATES:

   I.        Election Commission releases NOTA symbol for all polls: The Election Commission of India has introduced a symbol for ‘None of the above’ (NOTA) option to facilitate voters in exercising their NOTA option in elections. The symbol for NOTA option was designed by the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.

II.            Housing.com acquires Plat and BigBHK: Housing.com has acquired Plat, an online network for agents and BigBHK, property management software targeted at rental suppliers, to strengthen its supply side product portfolio.

III.   P Siva Kumar, CVRDE Director, elevated as Distinguished Scientist: CVRDE stands for Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment. It is located at Avadi in Tamil Nadu.

IV.     National Tourism Awards 2013-14 presented: President Pranab Mukherjee presented the awards at VigyanBhawan in New Delhi. Gujarat was awarded the best state for Comprehensive Tourism Development. Gwalior was adjudged as the Best Heritage City. Department of Tourism of Kerala received the award for most innovative use of Information Technology.

V.            Jammu and Kashmir government banned sale of Ambuja Cement in state: There were complaints of malpractices against the company. The initial enquiry found that the company sold underweighted cement bags (upto 400 to 600 grams) at two different MRP rates in the region.

VI.            Four new Isotopes discovered by researchers at Manipal University: Researchers from the Manipal Centre of Natural Sciences at Manipal University, Karnataka in collaboration with researchers at GSI, Germany claimed to have discovered four new atomic nuclei to be added to the chart of the Nuclides. The paper was published in the journal Physics Letters B by H M Devaraja. The nuclei are one isotope each of the elements Berkelium (Bk-97) and Neptunium (Np-93) and two isotopes of Americium (Am-95).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

   I.            International Day of Peace observed globally: The International Day of Peace was observed on 21^st September 2015 across the world to recognise the efforts of those who have worked hard to end conflict and promote peace. The International Day of Peace is also a day ceasefire.

II.            Nepal adopts new Constitution: Nepal has adopted new Constitution marking the country’s transition to a secular and democratic republic. The new Constitution was unveiled by Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav at a special ceremony held in Parliament at Kathmandu.

III.            Egypt’s president swears in new government: The new government sworn in by President Abdel Fattah-el-Sissi is headed by former petroleum minister Sherif Ismail, who has been appointed as the Prime Minister.

IV.            China launches newly­-developed smaller version Long March-6 carrier rocket: China has successfully launched a newly developed smaller version of carrier rocket Long March-6 as part of the country’s space program. It was launched from the base in the Northern Province of Shanxi and was carrying 20 micro satellites into the space.

V.            Alexis Tsipras led Syriza party won Greece Elections: It secured 35% of total votes resulting in 144 seats in the 300 seat parliament. It is expected to form a coalition government with Independent Greeks Party, a partner in the previous government as well.

VI.            India, UN ESCAP tie up to boost Disaster Warning Systems: India signed a USD one million partnership with UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific to support disaster risk management in the Asia Pacific region, with a key focus on strengthening early warning systems for coastal hazards like Tsunamis, floods and cyclones.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

I.               Mariko Kipchumba of Kenya won 2015 Beijing International Marathon.

II.          Ajay Jayaram wins silver medal in 2015 Korea Open Badminton tournament.

III.    Sebastian Vettel wins 2015 Singapore Grand Prix of Formula One.Earlier, he had won Malaysian GP and Hungarian GP.

IV.  After Ajinkya Rahane, SaniaMirza also conferred with Cricket Club of India’s honorary lifetime membership.

AWARDS:

   I.     Urdu Scholar ShamimHanfi awarded with JnangarimaManadAlankaran Award by BhartiyaJnanpith in New Delhi.

II.     Viola Davis becomes first African-American to win best actress Emmy award for her role as a defence lawyer in ‘How to get away with murder’.

OBITUARIES:

   I.      Renowned Malayalam playback singer RadhikaThilak died of cancer at the age of 45.

II.        British-American romance novelist Jackie Collins died of cancer at the age of 77.

III.     BCCI President JagmohanDalmiya passed away in Kolkata at the age of 75.

       Veteran Communist Leader Sadhan Gupta died at the age of 98.

Daily GK Updates - 20th September 2015

NATIONAL UPDATES:

   I.            ‘E-Vidyavahini’ computer literacy vehicle launched: Taking forward the ‘Digital India Mission’, Faridabad Deputy Commissioner launched ‘E-Vidyavahini’, a computer literacy vehicle that will travel to the urban and rural belts of the district.

II.            ISRO gets Sri Lanka’s approval for SAARC satellite project: Sri Lanka has given its approval for SAARC satellite project, one of the mandatory requirements for ITU registration before the launch even as the ISRO waits for nod from other countries.

III.            ASTROSAT, India’s first astronomical mission, set for September 28^th launch: ASTROSAT, satellite for the first dedicated Indian astronomy mission aimed at studying celestial objects is scheduled for launch on 28^th September 2015.

IV.            Gujarat Government to set up new SRP battalion to boost security: In a bid to strengthen security at critical installations like power plants, ports and dams, Gujarat Government has decided to create an additional battalion of the State Reserve Police of 1200 armed personnel.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

   I.            21^st International Day for Prevention of Ozone Layer celebrated: The 21^st International Day for the prevention of Ozone layer was celebrated on 16^th September.

II.            India was ranked 34^th, gaining 14 positions compared to last year in the Grant Thornton Global Dynamism Index (GDI): The GDI ranks the business growth of 60 leading countries.

III.            8.3 magnitude earthquake jolts Chile; Tsunami warnings issued: In Chile, an 8.3 magnitude earthquake hit Illapel, the capital of Choapa province. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued Tsunami warnings for Chile, Peru and Hawaii.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

  I.         LIC to infuse Rs 143 crore in Corporation Bank: State owned Corporation Bank said LIC will infuse 143 crore rupees into the bank by way of preferential equity. The capital infusion into the bank by LIC will be by way of issue equity shares on preferential basis to the country’s largest insurer.

SPORTS:

II.               Mandeep receives Arjuna Award: Commonwealth Games and Asian Championship silver medallist boxer MandeepJangra received his Arjuna Award from the Union Sports Minister SarbanandaSonowal.

AWARDS:

   I.       ChandaKochar to get Asia Game Changer Award: ICICI Bank CEO ChandaKochar is among the three Indians selected for this year’s Asia Game Changer Award given by Asia Society to honour true leaders making a positive contribution to the future of Asia.

Daily GK Updates 19th September, 2015

NATIONAL UPDATES:

   I.            PM launches Rs 45K crore scheme to strengthen power distribution from Varanasi: He has launched the Rs 45000 crore Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) which will strengthen distribution networks and ensure 24 X 7 power supply to all by 2022.

II.            64 Netaji secret files released, Mamata wants centre to follow: 64 secret files relating to NetajiSubhash Chandra Bose that could help throw light on his mysterious disappearance- an enduring enigma for seven decades- were released by the West Bengal Government with CM Mamata Banerjee asking the centre to follow the suit.

III.            Union Government presented VishwakarmaRashtriyaPuraskar and National Safety Awards 2013: 28 VishwakarmaRashtriyaPuraskarwere shared between 132 individuals and 98 individuals were given the NSA 2013.

IV.            Sunil Duggal has been appointed as the new CEO of Hindustan Zinc.

V.            Academician SachidanandaMohanty nominated as UNESCO member: The Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Orissa has been nominated as a member for Commission on Education for UNESCO by the president of India. The tenure for this membership is for 4 years.

VI.            Indian Railways developed prototype of Hybrid Vacuum Toilet: It is hybrid because the design is based on both vacuum toilets and bio-toilets. It was developed by the Development cell of the Indian Railway Board and is considered as the 1^st of its kind to be used in any railways in the world.

VII.            Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare banned sale of Diclofenac in multidose vial for human use: From now on, it will be sold only in single dose vial packaging. The decision was based on the recommendation of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and is aimed at protecting vultures from extinction.

VIII.            Metro man E Sreedharan to serve UN High Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport: He has been invited by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to serve on his HLAG-ST for a period of three years.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

   I.            8^th Edition of Global Innovation Index 2015 released: The 8^th edition of the Global Innovation Index was released jointly by Cornell University, INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). The index is topped by Switzerland. India’s ranking slipped to 81 compared to 76 in 2014, but it has remained at the top of the regional ranking of Central and Southern Asia.

II.            President and PM of Burkina Faso ousted in a military coup: Members of the Regiment of Presidential Security (RPS) detained the transitional President Michel Kafando and PM Y. Isaac Zida in the capital Ouagadougou.

III.            Japan’s Diet removed restrictions on overseas deployment of Self Defence Forces for military use: The remilitarization bills passed by Japan’s parliament can be termed as historic as they allow Japan to be militarily proactive after 70 years.

IV.            India and Laos ink two MoUs to strengthen bilateral ties: Both the countries have inked two key MoUs on Air Services and Quick Impact Projects under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) programme to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations. The MoUs were signed in the presence of Vice President Hamid Ansari and his counterpart President of Laos C. Sayasone in the capital city of Vientiane. VP Hamid Ansari is on a four day visit to Cambodia and Laos. It was the 1^st visit of an Indian VP to Laos.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

I.               Ajinkya Rahane honoured with life membership by CCI: Ajinkya Rahane, India’s most consistent batsman in the last couple of years, has been conferred with the Honorary Life Membership by the Cricket Club of India (CCI).

AWARDS:

   I.            Senior Journalist Shekhar Gupta feted with V Krishnamurthy Award: He was presented the award for excellence by Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah.

OBITUARIES:

   I.            Veteran Marathi Cricket Commentator and writer BalPandit died at the age of 86.