Daily GK Updates - 6th December, 2015

NATIONAL UPDATES:  DECember 6, 2015

1.   HR GOVT. TO CELEBRATE “GITA JYANTI” FESTIVAL FROM DEC19:

The Haryana Government has decided to celebrate ‘Gita Jayanti Mahotsava’ throughout the state from December 19 to 21. A district level celebration committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners concerned. Additional Deputy Commissioners would be the Vice-Chairman and City Magistrate would be the member secretary of the committee.

2.   ANDHRA PRADESH FIRST STATE TO JOIN DISCOM REVIVAL SCHEME UDAY:

Andhra Pradesh has become the first state in the country to join the Centre’s scheme for revival of debt stressed power distribution companies after the state gave in-principle nod to the Power Ministry for joining UDAY. Though many other states including Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Haryana have evinced the interest in joining the scheme, Andhra Pradesh is the first state to officially communicate its intend to avail benefits under UDAY.

3.  GOVT. IMPOSES ANTI-DUMPING DUTY ON KITCHEN WARE PRODUCTS:

Finance Ministry has imposed an anti-dumping duty of up to $1,732.11 per tonne on import of ‘melamine tableware and kitchenware products’ like dinner sets and mugs from China, Thailand and Vietnam with an aim to protect domestic industry from cheap shipments. The anti-dumping duty in the range of $582.85 – 1732.11 per tonne will remain in effect for five years, a Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) said.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.   INDO-PAK NSA MEET IN BANKOG:

National Security Advisors of India and Pakistan held talks in Bangkok on December 6. On a wide scope of bilateral ties including terrorism and Jammu and Kashmir, and agreed to take forward the “constructive” engagement. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Pakistani counterpart Nasir Janjua also discussed peace and security and other issues including tranquility along the LoC.

2.  CANADA SENT FIRST CONSIGNMENT OF URANIUM TO INDIA:

Canada has successfully sent the first consignment of 250 tonnes of uranium to India as part of bilateral civil nuclear cooperation between both countries. It was shipped by Canada’s Cameco Inc, as part of contract with Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) that was signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to Canada in April 2015.

3.INDIA- RUSSIA JOINT NAVAL EXERCISE INDRA NAVY-15 BEGIN IN VISHAKAPATNAM:

The eighth edition of India-Russia joint naval exercise-INDRA NAVY-15 has begun in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. INDRA NAVY-15 is a bilateral maritime joint naval exercise between the Indian and Russian navies for epitomising the strategic relationship between the two countries. The primary aim is to increase interoperability between the navies of two countries and develop common understanding of procedures for maritime security operations. The scope includes wide- ranging professional interactions during the Harbour phase and spectrum of maritime operations during the Sea Phase.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1.  SARITA, SIVA, DEVENDRA WIN IN CHINA:

Asian Games bronze-medallist L Sarita Devi (60kg) returned to competitive boxing after her one-year ban with a resounding victory in the opening contest of the training-cum-competition assignment in the city of Qian’an, China. World Championships bronze-medallist Shiva Thapa (56kg) beat Thailand’s Yuttapong Thong Dee 3-0, while Commonwealth Games silver-medallist L Devendro Singh (49kg) notched up a Technical Knockout against China’s Yang Yufeng in the third round of his bout.

Daily GK Updates - December 5th, 2015

NATIONAL UPDATES: 5 December 2015

1.  SCIENCTIST M.NAIR RAJEEVEN APPOINTED EARTH SCIENCE SECRETARY:

Distinguished Scientist M Nair Rajeevan has been appointed as Secretary of Union Ministry of Earth Sciences. His for appointment of this post was cleared by Appointment Committee of Cabinet (ACC) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Presently, Rajeevan is serving as Director at Pune based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM).

2.  SOIL HEALTH CARD GIVEN TO BE UNDER NATIONWIDE DRIVE:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 5 announced soil health cards will be given to farmers under a nationwide drive. This is to underline the government’s commitment to make the soil healthier. The government’s soil health card is an endeavour to improve the health of the soil and provide guidance to farmers on soil-related issues.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.AUSTRALIA PASSES ANTI-TERRERISM  TO LAW TO STRIP CITIZENSHIP:

Australia’s Federal Parliament has passed Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Bill, 2015 to strip citizenship of convicted persons on terrorism charges. The new legislation allows government to strip dual nationals of their citizenship if they are convicted of terrorism offences.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING & ECONOMY:

1.    CHINA ANNOUNCES $60 BILLION PACAKAGE TO AFRICA DURING FOCAC:

Chinese President Xi Jinping has announced a 60 billion dollars package to African nations during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Johannesburg, South Africa. The package will benefit Africa in 10 major areas (sectors) such as industry, infrastructure, agriculture, financial services, trade and investment facilitation, green development, poverty reduction and public welfare, public health, peace and security and people-to-people exchanges.

Daily GK Updates - 4th December, 2015

NATIONAL UPDATES

           1.  DECEMBER 04 – NAVY DAY:

Indian Navy Day is observed on December 4 every year to commemorate Operation Trident’s commencement, as part of the 1971 Indo-Pak war. The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee has extended greetings and felicitations to all members of the Indian Navy and their families on the occasion of Navy Day 2015.

           

           2. FIRST INDIAN INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FESTIVAL BEGINS AT IIT- DELHI:

The first India International Science Festival (IISF) has begun at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi campus. It has been organised by Union Ministry of Science and Technology. The IISF is expected to be the country’s biggest ever Technology and Industrial Expo.

           3. LOK SABHA  PASS BILL TO ESTABLISHED BIS AS NATIONAL STANDARDS BODY:

The Lok Sabha has passed a bill that provides for establishing Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) as the National Standards Body of India and enable the government to bring more products, systems and services under ambit of standardisation.

4.          HIMACHAL PRADESH BECAME FIRST STATE TO LAUNCH ROTAVIRUS VACCINATION PROJECT:

The vaccine will help in controlling the child mortality rate (under five years of age) due to diarrhoea. Rotavirus vaccines are administered orally to infants in three dose course at ages of six, ten and fourteen weeks and are part of Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP). The project was launched by the state Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh at Dharamsala in Kangra district. Singh administered the Rotavirus drops to children aged under five years.

5.   YOUTUBE OPEN FIRST VIDEO PRODUCTION IN INDIA:

  YouTube along with Subhash Ghai-owned film school Whistling Woods International, has opened its first video production studio in the country. Called YouTube Spaces, it has similar collaborations in Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, New York City, Sao Paulo, Paris and Berlin. The company said that the “watch-time” of its content in India was growing at 80 per cent on a year-on-year basis while the content uploaded to India has grown by 90 per cent.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

      1. VEGA ROCKETBLAST OFF WITH GRAVITY - HUNTING SATELLITE:

A Vega rocket bearing a European prototype satellite blasted into space on a           mission to search for ripples in space and across time, a phenomenon predicted   but never proven by physicist Albert Einstein 100 years ago. The trailblazing       Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, or LISA, spacecraft will spend about six   months testing a technique to detect ripples in space and across time.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

     1.  SAINA NOMINATEED FOR BWF WOMEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD:

     Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal has been nominated for the Woman Player of the Year Award of the Badminton World Federation. Saina, currently ranked number two, will vie for the coveted honour along with world number one Carolina Marin of Spain, 2014 winner Zhao Yunlei of China and another Chinese Bao Yixin. 

  

BANKING & ECONOMY:      

2.     NTC SIGNED INTEGRITY FOR TRANSPRENCY INTERNATIONAL INDIA:

National Textile Corporation Limited (NTC Ltd) became the 51st Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) and 49th Central PSU to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Transparency International India (TII) for adopting Integrity Pact (IP).

3.     GOI RELEASE POSTAGE STAMPS TO MARK CENTENARY YEAR

OF ZSI:

GOI has released a commemorative postage stamp to mark the Centenary year of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI). The postage stamp was released by Union Communication and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in the presence of Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar in New Delhi. They also released publications of ZSI- The Centenary Souvenir, Centenary Directory and a Glorious 100

AWARDS:

      4.     ADIDAS INDIA’S WON PRESTIGIOUS INBA AWARDS:

Pulin Kumar, group senior legal and compliance director of Adidas India, has been conferred with the Indian National Bar Association’s General Counsel of the year 2015 – Retail Award. Former law minister and senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani presented the award to Kumar at a ceremony on November.

Daily GK Updates - 3rd December, 2015

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.     T.S.THAKUR SWORNE AS CHIEF JUSTICE:

Justice Tirath Singh Thakur has sworn in as 43rd Chief Justice of India by President Pranab Mukherjee at an elegant function in Rashtrapati Bhavan. The senior-most judge of the apex court, 63-year old Justice Thakur took over from incumbent Justice H L Dattu who retired on Wednesday (December 02′ 2015).

2.     HIGHEST DROWRY DEATH IN UP AND BHIHAR:

As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, Uttar Pradesh reported 2244 dowry deaths (Sec 304 B of IPC) in 2012, 2335 dowry deaths in 2013 & 2469 dowry deaths in 2014 which is the highest in the country for that year. Bihar is placed second in dowry death cases consecutively in the last three years with number of 1275 dowry deaths reported in 2012 & 1182 in 2013, 1373 in 2014. The states of West Bengal, Rajasthan, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh reported among the highest cases of Cruelty by Husband or his Relatives (Sec 498-A IPC) during the last three years.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.     DECEMBER 03- INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSON DIABILITIES:

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3) is an international observance promoted by the United Nations since 1992. It has been celebrated with varying degrees of success around the planet. The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. 

2.     US TO SEND SPECIAL FORCES TO IRAQ FOR ISIS:

US defence secretary Ashton Carter has said that the US will send Special Forces to Iraq and Syria to intensify fight against dreaded militant group Islamic State. In full coordination with the government of Iraq, US is deploying a specialised expedition targeting force to assist Iraqi and Kurdish Peshmerga forces and put even more pressure on ISIS.

3.     INDIA IN TALK WITH MAURITIUS ON TAX TREATY ISSUE:

India is engaged in “positive talks” with Mauritius on revision of bilateral tax treaty. The government is in the process of revising the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with Mauritius. Tax treaty amendments, hanging in balance for many years, are aimed at addressing India’s concerns over the island nation being allegedly used to route illicit funds into the country.