Daily GK Updates - 13th April, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India to notch up to 7.5% growth in 2016-17: IMF: International Monetary Fund has declared the India’s growth is projected to notch up to 7.5% in 2016-17 and as per IMF prediction India will overtake the China’s GDP by more than 1%.

2. India and US ‘agree in principle’ on sharing military logistics: India and the United States announced an in-principle logistics exchange agreement to enable their militaries to use each other’s assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies.

3. India ranks 44 in 2016 Global Connectivity Index, Digital India seen as driver of growth: Huawei has announced its third Global Connectivity Index report during the Global Analyst Summit 2016 in Shenzhen, China. US, Singapore and Sweden topped the rankings.

4. Cabinet announces Mufti Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme to supplement NFSA.

5. India and Germany signed agreement on NamamiGange Programme: The project will closely cooperate with other national and international initiatives including Indo-German bilateral projects like Support to National Urban Sanitation Policy (SNUSP) and Sustainable Environment-friendly Industrial Production (SEIP).

6. Haryana Government decided to rename Gurgaon and Mewat as Gurugram and Nuh respectively.

7. MeeranBorwankar appointed as the new DG of Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D).

8. Woman biker VeenuPaliwal died in a road accident in Vidisha district, Madhya Pradesh.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. G7 Foreign Minister’s meet held in Hiroshima.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. Federal Bank launched Campus Wallet for Students: This is a student identity card integrated with banking technology. The ID card facilitates students to make petty payments within their school/college campus without opening a bank account with an aim to streamlining and easing the administrative tasks.

SPORTS:

2. India’s SSP Chawrasia, who clinched the Hero Indian Open last month, has been named the Hilton Asian Tour Golfer of the Month for March.

3. England batsman James Taylor retired from International Cricket.

AWARDS:

4. AishwaryaRai won Global India of the Year Award at a function held in Mumbai. 

5. Former Army General J J Singh conferred Highest French Civilian honour ‘Officier de l Orde national de la Legion d Honneur’ (Officer of the Legion of Honour).

6. Padma Sachdev selected for SaraswatiSamman 2015 for her autobiography titled Chitt-Chete, written in Dogri language.

Daily GK Updates - 12th April, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. President presents Padma Awards to 56 eminent personalities: The names who were honoured with Padma Bhushan are Rajnikant, classical singer Dr Girija Devi, journalist RamojiRao. Singer Udit Narayan and tennis player SaniaMirza have been honoured with the Padma Bhushan. Actor Priyanka Chopra, writer DhirendraNathBezbaruah got the Padmashree.

2. PM to inaugurate 3^rd Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation in Delhi: In this conference, more than 700 tiger experts, scientists, managers, donors and other stakeholders are gathering to discuss issues related to tiger conservation.

3. Panama Papers: India to attend OECD meet in Paris: India will take part in a special meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris on 13^th April to firm up cooperation between countries in the wake of the ‘Panama Papers leak’.

4. India and Maldives sign six agreements to boost ties: The agreements were signed in the fields of double taxation, exchange of information, defence cooperation, space research, tourism cooperation, conservation and restoration during the visit of Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

5. Shan-e-Punjab Express becomes India’s first train fitted with CCTV cameras.

6. Tata starts U.K Steel sale: Tata Steel, the country’s largest steel producer, has signed an agreement to sell the loss-making 4.5 million tonne long-product Scunthorpe Steel Plant in Britain to UK-based investment firm Greybull Capital for a nominal consideration, with the latter taking assets and relevant liabilities.

7. Fairfax India to invest $300 million in Sanmar Chemicals.

8. BhartiAirtel first entity to get Payments Bank licence from RBI: It has partnered with Kotak Mahindra Bank for the licence through AMSL.

9. LAVA International announces MS Dhoni as its Brand Ambassador.

10. Varanasi Kathak dancer SoniChaurasiya breaks the Guinness World Record for longest dance performance by continuously dancing for 123 hours and 30 minutes.

11. ViratKohli named as Brand Ambassador of Premier Futsal Football League: Futsal is the newer and shorter five-a-side variant of Football.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. G7 Foreign Minister’s meet held in Hiroshima.

2. Ukraine PM ArseniyYatsenyuk to resign: Yatsenyuk’s government has been besieged by war, corruption and economic struggles. His cabinet survived a no-confidence vote in February, but two parties left the governing coalition in protest that the prime minister wasn’t ousted, a move that deprived the coalition of a majority in Parliament.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. Federal Bank and Phillip Capital tie-up announced at Singapore: The Indian bank major Federal Bank has entered into a strategic partnership with Phillip Capital (India) Pvt Ltd; a subsidiary of the Singapore headquartered Phillip Capital Group, for managing NRI Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS).

SPORTS:

2. Indian teams clinch Asian Kho-Kho Championship Title: Both Men’s and Women’s teams have won the category’s championship titles at the Asian Kho-Kho Championship held in Indore.

3. WTA Rankings: Serena Williams maintains top spot while Polish AgnieszkaRadwanska returned to the second place.

Daily GK Updates - 11th April. 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Centre recommends Rs 1304 crore for drought relief to UP: The centre has recommended 1304 crore rupees for drought relief to Uttar Pradesh under National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF).

2. Centre to issue universal ID-card for Differently-Abled People: Union Government is set to issue universal identity cards to the physically challenged with the objective of providing them easy access to various benefits being extended by the government.

3. BSNL testing Wi-Fi technology to connect 1 Lakh panchayats in a year: The state-run company in connection with Vihaan Networks has started testing the sustainability of Wi-Fi networks in three villages-Karenda, Phalsa and Bahadiri in Alwar district of Rajasthan.

4. India offers to invest $20 billion in Iran: India was also keen to set up a gas cracker unit and a liquefied petroleum gas extraction unit in Chahabar and ways of transporting gas to India from Iran including through a planned Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline were discussed during Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas DharmendraPradhan’s visit to Iran.

5. ‘Green UP-Clean UP’ programme; five crore trees to be planted in UP: The Uttar Pradesh Government has directed all the district magistrates for plantation of 5 crore trees at 6,500 sites in 24 hours on a date fixed in month of July under the programme.

6. PriyadarshiniChatterjee crowned FBB Femina Miss India World 2016.

7. Sachin Tendulkar named as the brand ambassador of ‘Skill India’ campaign.

8. Centre constitutes B BTandon Committee to monitor Government Advertisements.

9. Fire accident a Puttingal Temple in Kerala; at least 110 people died.

10. Jharkhand Government announced to reserve 2% employment for meritorious sportspersons.

11. Union Government exempted housing finance companies from XBRL (Extensible Business Reporting Language) filing.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. China successfully launched retrievable satellite: It has launched a retrievable scientific research satellite in a bid to aid scientists to study micro-gravity and space life science.

2. Pakistan successfully test fired anti-ship ‘Zarb’ missile: On this day the Roma from all over the world pay respect to the Roma victims during the World War II.

3. Investigative Journalist from Azerbaijan, Khadija Ismayilova chosen for 2016 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.

4. UN-backed Yemen ceasefire came into force.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Danny Willet won US Masters Golf 2016 Championship held at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.

2. Anthony Joshua won International Boxing Federation title for the year 2016 by defeating Charles Martin in the heavyweight category.

3. Lee Chong Wei has won Malaysian Open 2016 Men’s title.

4. Japan’s shuttlerKentoMomota axed from Rio Olympics over illegal gambling.

AWARDS:

5. Priyanka Chopra to be awarded with DadasahebPhalke Film Foundation Award 2016 in the best actress category 

OBITUARIES:

6. Former Member of Parliament from Mizoram C Silvera died at the age of 81.

Daily GK Updates - 10th April, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Justice (retd) PermodKohli took over as Chairman of Central Administrative Tribunal.

2. Union Government approved country’s first Metrino Pod Taxi project for Gurgaon: The pilot project will span a 13 km stretch from the Gurgaon-Delhi border to Badshapur Mod on Sohna Road and is estimated to cost 850 crore rupees.

3. SajibuCheiraoba celebrated with religious fervour in Manipur: The festival marks the New Year of the Meiteis (majority ethnic group) of Manipur.

4. Haryana Government appointed two-member inquiry panel to probe into Jat quota stir: The panel is headed by former J&K High Court Chief Justice S N Jha, to probe conspiracy behind violent incidents during Jat agitation.

5. ITC Limited renewed 40-year partnership with Starwood Hotels.

6. Mumbai to host BRICS Cities Conclave on April 14.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 400-year-old Shakespeare’s ‘First Folio’ found in Scotland: A copy of the first edition of the original ‘First Folio’ published in 1623 authored by William Shakespeare was found at the Mount Stuart House on the Isle of Bute, off the western coast of Scotland.

2. International Roma Day celebrated on April 8: On this day the Roma from all over the world pay respect to the Roma victims during the World War II.

3. World Bank Group adopted Climate Change Action Plan: The plan was designed to help countries meet their Paris COP21 pledges and manage increasing climate impacts. It sets target for 2020 in high-impact areas, including clean energy, green transport, climate-smart agriculture and urban resilience.

4. French lawmakers passed a bill banning paying for sex.

5. American aerospace company SpaceX successfully landed its Falcon 9 rocket on a floating drone ship for the first time.

6. Atom becomes UK’s first digital-only bank to start offering products.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. FIFI released Coca-Cola World Rankings 2016: Argentina topped the list pushing back Belgium to the second spot.

AWARDS:

2. Mother Teresa conferred with Founders Award posthumously in UK. 

BOOKS AND AUTHORS:

3. Book titled ‘A State in Denial-Pakistan’s Misguided and Dangerous Crusade’ authored by B G Verghese was released in New Delhi.

Daily GK Updates - 9th April, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India tops credit Suisse Emerging Consumers Scorecard 2016: Indian consumers remain optimistic, among nine nations surveyed by Credit Suisse, about their current and future finances and relatively lower inflation expectations. China and Saudi Arabia shared the second position.

2. Centre releases Rs 12.230 crore to states for MGNREGA.

3. Union HRD Minister SmritiZubinIrani launches ISBN Portal: She launched the portal for registration and allotment of International Standard Book Number (ISBN) at a function held in New Delhi.

4. Textile Minister ShriSantosh Kumar Gangwar inaugurates Apparel and Garment making unit in Agartala, Tripura.

5. Uma Bharti inaugurates 4^th Water Films Festival as a part of the India week celebrations in New Delhi.

6. Rajasthan becomes the first state in India to clear land title bill.

7. Airtel buys Aircel’s 4G spectrum in 8 circles for Rs 3500 crore: It has announced the acquisition of 20 MHz spectrum in eight circles from Aircel for Rs 3500 crore.

8. TausifMonif joined Lambda Therapeutic Research as its new President.

9. Lamborghini India appointed SharadAgarwal as its new head.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. $200 million pact inked to study TAPI Project: Shareholders of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) Pipeline Company Ltd signed an agreement to invest $200 million in studies and engineering for the $10 billion project to transport natural gas to energy-hungry countries like India.

2. Saudi Arabia and Egypt to build bridge across the Red sea: King Salman of Saudi Arabia has announced an agreement with Egyptian President Abdul-Fattah-al-Sisi to build a bridge over the Red Sea connecting the two countries.

3. Maharaj Ranjit Singh’s statue to be installed in France’s Saint-Tropez Town.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. Federal Bank and Phillip Capital tie-up announced at Singapore: The Indian bank major Federal Bank has entered into a strategic partnership with Phillip Capital (India) Pvt Ltd; a subsidiary of the Singapore headquartered Phillip Capital Group, for managing NRI Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS).

SPORTS:

2. Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd (KNPL) tied up with Gujarat Lions for IPL 2016.

AWARDS:

3. Mother Teresa conferred with Founders Award posthumously in UK.

Daily GK Updates - 8th April, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. North East ASEAN Business Summit inaugurated in Imphal: The first ever two day summit has been organised by Manipur Commerce and Industries Department (MCID) in collaboration with the Union Ministries of External Affairs and Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Indian Chamber of Service Industries (ICSI).

2. Government inaugurates ‘Namma Toilet’ in Delhi under Swachh Bharat Mission: To promote the Swachh Bharat Mission, Union Urban Development Minister Venkiah Naidu inaugurated ‘Namma Toilet’ in the national capital Delhi.

3. Petroleum and Natural Gas Minster dedicates 36 new CNG stations in Delhi and NCR.

4. Asia’s 50 most powerful businesswoman list topped by Nita Ambani: Reliance Industries Director Nita Ambani and State Bank of India chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya have been ranked top two in Forbes’ ‘Asia 50 Power Businesswoman 2016’ list, which acknowledges the inroads women are making in the business world, despite gender inequalities.

5. CCEA approved Andrew Yule proposal to convert Bank of Baroda’s loan into equity.

6. Snapdeal launches donation program ‘Sunshine’: It has partnered with 9 NGO’s to launch Snapdeal Sunshine, a platform where users can make donations to causes under education, health, sports, woman empowerment, disaster relief and old age care.

7. Rudy launches Transnational Skill Standards aligned to UK: Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy launches Transnational Skill Standards benchmarked to the United Kingdom across 82 identified job roles, aiming to support international mobility of Indian workforce.

8. Debraj Pradhan appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Norway.

9. Tamil Nadu Cricket Association has appointed D Vasu as its new director for a period of two years.

10. GoJavas appointed Amitabh Coomar as its new CEO.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. HP unveils World’s Thinnest Laptop: The American multinational information technology company HP Inc (Hewlett Packard) has launched eight new personal products including the world’s thinnest laptop having 10.4 mm thickness. 

2. HashimThaci sworn in as new President of Kosovo: The capital city of Kosovo is Pristina.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. India men win Asia Nations Cup Chess Tournament by defeating Vietnam in the finals played at Abu Dhabi.

OBITUARIES:

2. Veteran Journalist Yogendra Bali died at the age of 85 years.

3. American country music legend Merle Haggard died on his 79^th birthday.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS:

4. Book titled ‘The Kiss of Life: How a superhero and my son defeated cancer’ co-authored by Bilal Siddiqi and EmraanHashmi launched by ArvindKejriwal.