Daily GK Updates - 6th October, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ISRO successfully launches GSAT-18 from Kourou in French Guiana: India's latest communication satellite GSAT-18 has been successfully launched by a heavy duty rocket of Arianespace from the spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana.

2. New Solar Powered Guard Van of goods train flagged off: Railways Minister Suresh PrabhakarPrabhu flags off the newly manufactured Guard Van of Goods (Freight) Train, in New Delhi. The newly manufactured Guard Van of Goods Train has been equipped for the first time with Solar powered Light, Fan, and Mobile Charging Point along with the facility of Zero discharge Bio Toilet.

3. Finance Ministry to set up public debt management cell: Union Finance Ministry has constituted a Public Debt Management Cell (PDMC). The cell was created to streamline government borrowings and better cash management with the overall objective of deepening bond markets.

4. Election Commission of India collaborates with Facebook to register young voters: Social networking site Facebook is collaborating with the Election Commission of India in five states,which are going to polls next year, to run a voter registration drive aimed at encouraging youth to participate in the democratic exercise.

5. IAF inducts renowned space scientist UR Rao in Hall of Fame: The International Astronautical Federation's renowned space scientist U.R. Rao has been inducted into its Hall of Fame for his contribution to development of India's space technology. Rao, 84, is the Chairman of the space agency's Physical Research Laboratory at Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

6. Arundhati Roy’s next novel to be out in 2017: Nearly, 20 years after her Booker prize-winning novel 'The God of Small Things' was published. Arundhati Roy has announced the release of her next novel titled "The Ministry of Utmost Happiness" in June 2017.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Former PM of Portugal, Antonio Guterres set to become the next Secretary General of UNSC: Former Prime Minister of Portugal, Antonio Guterres is poised to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations after the Security Council declared him to be the unanimous choice in the sixth straw poll.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. J&K Bank appoints Parvez Ahmed as Chairman and CEO: Union Communication and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has stated that the India Post’s payment bank will start functioning from March 2017 and serve as a wider platform to implement financial inclusion programmes.

SPORTS:

2. 1^st BRICS U-17 Football Tournament kicked off in Goa: The first BRICS Under-17 football tournament kicked off in Goa. The initiative of the Government of India aims at taking the ongoing interaction and cohesion amongst the BRICS nations.

Daily GK Updates - 5th October, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.      Sushil Chandra appointed as CBDT Chairman:The Government has appointed Indian Revenue Service officer Sushil Chandra as the next chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes. He will take over from the current CBDT Chairperson Rani Singh Nair, who will retire on October 31.   Chandra is currently posted as Member,CBDT.

2.      Important Union Cabinet approvals:Cabinet approves India-EU MoU on water cooperation, amendments to HIV/AIDS bill and setting up of country’s first Medipark. Further the cabinet has also approved rural development MoU with African-Asian Rural Development Organisation. Also the CCEA gives a nod to the acquisition of 11% stake in Russian Oil Company.

3.      IMF revises India’s economic growth upwards to 7.6% for FY17 & 18: The International Monetary Fund has raised projections for India's economic growth by 0.2 percentage points to 7.6% for 2016-17 and 2017-18.The International Monetary Fund is an international organization headquartered in Washington, DC.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.      World Teachers Day: The World Teachers’ Day (WTD) 2016 is being observed worldwide on 5th October. The theme for the World Teachers’ Day 2016 is Valuing Teachers, Improving their Status.

2.      Singapore – India sign 3 new agreements: Following delegation-level talks headed by Prime Minister NarendraModi and Singapore Premier Lee HsienLoong, India and Singapore have signed 3 agreements, including two in the area of skill development. Further a third MoU was signed in the field of industrial property cooperation.

3.      Typhoon Chaba to hit Japan: A powerful typhoon, Chaba, has barrelled toward Japan after it hit a South Korean resort island causing flight cancellations and flooding streets.

4.      Mohan Reddy appointed as Hon’ble Consul of Germany: Germany has appointed former Nasscom Chairman B.V.R Mohan Reddy as aHonorary Consul of that country in Hyderabad. Mohan Reddy will be the Consul for Germany in Telangana and Hyderabad.

OTHER UPDATES:

            AWARDS:

1.   Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to creators of tiny machines: The Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2016 has been awarded to Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Sir J. Fraser Stoddart and Bernard L. Feringa for developing the molecular machine. The three scientists will equally share the prize of 8 million Swedish kronor, or about $930,000.

Daily GK Updates - 4th October, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Reliance ties up with Dassault to execute Rafale offsets: Dassault Aviation of France has entered into a partnership with Reliance group to execute offsets for the recently concluded deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets. This is the largest offset contract to be executed by any defence company in India till date.

2. K J Yesudas appointed as the Brand Ambassador of Kerala’s Haritha Kerala Project: Playback singer K J Yesudas has been roped in by the Kerala' government as the brand ambassador of its ambitious ‘Haritha Keralam' project. ‘Haritha Keralam’ (Green Kerala) project, a massive initiative envisaged for a garbage-free and clean state.

3. Jharkhand becomes the 1^st state to launch Direct Benefit Transfer in Kerosene: Jharkhand has become the first state in the country to implement Direct Benefit Transfer in Kerosene.

4. Prasar Bharti CEO Jawhar Sircar resigns: Jawhar Sircar has resigned as the Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharati Corporation. His resignation came 4 months ahead of the end of his tenure which was about to end in February 2017.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Three researchers share 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics: The Nobel Prize in Physics for 2016 has been awarded to scientists - David J Thouless, who receives half the prize, and Duncan M. Haldane and J. Michael Kosterlitz, who share the other half. The three physicists discovered a mathematical framework in the field of topography, to explain unexpected properties of solid materials.

2. 4-10 October: World Space Week: World Space Week is an annual event that is observed from 4-10 October every year in various parts of the world including Europe and Asia. World Space Week, 2016 is being observed with the theme, Remote Sensing: Enabling our Future.

3. France confers knighthood on elephant researcher: Film-maker and elephant researcher Prajna Chowta has been appointed Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite (Knight in the National Order of Merit), one of the highest civilian recognitions of the French government.

  

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:                                 

1. RBI announces 4^th Bi-Monthly Policy Statement: RBI's 24th Governor Urjit Patel, who has been recently appointed, has announced his first and country's 4th Bi-monthly Policy Statement for the year 2016-17. The RBI has reduced the policy Repo Rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25 basis points from 6.5% to 6.25% with immediate effect.

2. SBI becomes first domestic bank to open branch in Yangon: The State Bank of India today announced its entry into Myanmar by opening a branch in the capital city of Yangon, becoming the first domestic lender to do so. The Yangon branch is the 54th foreign branch of the nation's largest lender. 

Daily GK Updates - 3rd October, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India ratifies historic Paris climate deal at UN: On 2 oct 2016 (The birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi), India formally joined the Paris Climate Change Agreement by submitting its instrument of ratification in New York (UN Headquarter)

2. Delhi Police launches mobile app for senior citizens: The Delhi Police has launched a mobile application for senior citizens to enable them to reach out to the police quickly in emergency situations.

3. R Ravindra concurrently accredited Ambassador to Guinea: Shri R Ravindra, presently Ambassador of India to the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to the Republic of Guinea.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Japan's Ohsumi wins Nobel Prize in medicine: Japan's Yoshinori Ohsumi, a cell biologist specialising in autophagy, has received the 2016 Noble Prize in Medicine. 

2.Mohammad Bin Zayed chief guest for Indian Republic Day: The Indian government has invited the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to be the next Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day parade of 2017.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1.India's GaganjeetBhullar wins Korea Open: Indian golfer GaganjeetBhullar won his 6th Asian Tour title, winning the Korea Open 2016 in Incheon,South Korea.

2.Daniel Ricciardo wins 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix: Australian racing driver, Daniel Ricciardo has won the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix held at the Sepang International Circuit in Selangor, Malaysia. 

AWARDS:

3. Young filmmaker Katyayan Shivpuri, from Maharashtra, has won the first prize at the Swachh Bharat Short Film Festival (SBSFF) for his work "Murga".

4. A 16-year-old Indian-origin South African teen has won a $50,000 scholarship, the grand prize at the annual Google Science Fair for her work using orange peel to develop a cheaper “super-absorbent material” that helps soil retain water.

Daily GK Updates - 2nd October, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Nation pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi & former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversary: The nation pays homage to Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi on his 147th birth anniversary on 02nd October, 2016. 

2. Arunachal CM flags off all-women Mt Gorichen expedition: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister PemaKhandu lagged off an all-women Mt Gorichen expedition in Itanagar.This will be the first all women team attempting to summit the second highest peak of the state, which is considered as a technical peak and only seasoned climbers can make it to the top (6,488 m).

3.Gangtok conferred Cleanest Tourist Destination honour: At a time when the Swachh Bharat Mission is in full swing, the Union Ministry of Tourism has conferred the Cleanest Tourist Destination on the Sikkim capital (Gangtok).

4. Rajeev Sharma takes over as Power Finance CMD: Rajeev Sharma has taken over as the Chairman and Managing Director of state-run Power Finance Corporation (PFC) with effect from October 1st, 2016.

5. Centre constitutes Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India: The Centre has constituted a four-member Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) under the Chairmanship of M.S. Sahoo. The oath of office was administered by Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International day for non-violence: 2nd October: The International Day of Non-Violence is marked on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Kieren Dsouza becomes the first Indian to complete World's toughest race, Spartathlon: Bengaluru's Kieren Dsouza has become the first Indian to complete the Spartathlon, widely described as the "world's toughest race". The 23-year old completed the 246.6 km distance in the 2016 edition, in 33 hours, one minute and 38 seconds. The Spartathlon is an annual run between Athens and Sparta in Greece, with a reported success rate of 50%.

Daily GK Updates - 1st October, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Somesh Sharma is INS President: Somesh Sharma of RashtradootSaptahik has been elected President of The Indian Newspaper Society for the year 2016-17.

2. Aditya Birla Retail appoints MohitKampani as CEO.

3. Government decides to raise EPFO investment in ETF: The Government has decided to raise the Employees Provident Fund ( EPF) investment in Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) from present 5% to 10%.

4. Tirupati Airport awarded as ‘Best Tourist Friendly Airport’: Airport Authority of India's Tirupati Airport has been awarded as "Best Tourist Friendly Airport" under the category for "State Annual Excellence Awards (2015-16)" by Andhra Pradesh Tourism.

5. HCL and IBM enter 15-year partnership: HCL and IBM have entered into a 15-year partnership for automation, development and operations. This partnership will enable the both companies to focus their technical teams on native cloud and cognitive solutions, as well as industry-specific opportunities.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International day of Older Persons: 1^st October: The significance of Day is to raise awareness about issues affecting the elderly and to appreciate the contributions that older people make to society. This year, the theme is "Take a Stand against Ageism".

2. SAARC Summit ‘postponed indefinitely’: Pakistan has officially postponed the 8-nation SAARC summit 2016, after 5 countries – India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka dropped out of it. The SAARC Summit was scheduled on November 9 and 10 in Islamabad, Pakistan.

2. EU Ministers approve ratification of Paris climate Agreement: The European Union (EU) ministers have approved the ratification of Paris Agreement (on Climate Change).This decision brings the Paris Agreement closer to entering into force.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:                                 

1. Arundhati Bhattacharya gets year-long extension as SBI Chief.

2. IOB gets new executive director: The Centre has appointed R Subramania Kumar as Executive Director (ED) of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB).

OBITUARIES:

1. Spiritual leader Indirabetiji passed away at the age of 78: Vaishnavacharya Goswami Indira betiji, a proponent of Sanatan Dharma known for her devotion to social causes, passed away. She was 78.

Daily GK Updates - 30th September, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Riyadh Mathew is new PTI Chairman: Riyadh Mathew, Director of Malayala Manorama, Chairman and Managing Director of Indian Express has been unanimously elected Chairman of Press Trust of India (PTI).

2. Shakti Sinha to head Nehru Memorial Museum and Library: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment of retired IAS officer Shakti Sinha to the post of director, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML).

3. Telugu author Kolakaluri Enoch bags Moortidevi Award: Telugu author and eminent scholar Prof Kolakaluri Enoch was honoured with the 29th Moortidevi Award 2015 for his novel Ananta Jeevanam.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Translation Day celebrated on 30^th September: The International Translation Day is being observed today on 30 September across the world with the theme "Translation and Interpreting: Connecting Worlds".

2. US and Vietnam navies begin 7^th annual NEA in Da Nang: The US and Vietnamese navies have begun the 7th annual Naval Engagement Activity NEA, Vietnam 2016 at TienSa Port in Da Nang. The exercise will also include Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea and search-and-rescue scenarios.

3. Facebook, Amazon, Google, IBM and Microsoft on one Artificial Intelligence Platform: Facebook, Amazon, Google, IBM and Microsoft, have joined hands to announce a historic partnership on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

4. World’s first three parent baby born: The world’s first child with genes from three people was born to a Jordanian couple in Mexico. The five-month-old boy carries not only the DNA from both his parents but also a tiny piece of genetic code from a donor in order to avoid inheriting a genetic condition that could kill him.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Rani becomes 1^st Indian woman to cross 60m in javelin: Javelin thrower Annu Rani broke her own national record and in the process became the first Indian woman to cross the 60m mark on the third and penultimate day of the 56th Open National Athletics Championships in Lucknow.

OBITUARIES:

2. Syed Haq no more: Bangladeshi author Syed Shamsul Haq passed away in Dhaka. He was 81. He was an accomplished short-story writer, novelist, playwright and a very popular poet.