Daily GK Updates - 4th November, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. GST Council approves 4-tier rate at 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%: GST Council approved a four-tier GST tax structure of 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%, with lower rates for essential items and the highest for luxury and de-merits goods that would also attract an additional cess.

2. India to host 7^th session of COP7 on tobacco control from Nov 7-12: 7th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP7) to World Health Organization, WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) will be held from november 7th to 12th of this month at Greater Noida.

3. Government and 3 PSUs to set up $2 billion equity fund for renewables: The Centre, along with state-run power entities NTPC, REC and PFC, will soon launch a USD 2 billion clean energy equity fund to support the government's ambitious target of adding 175 GW renewable energy generation capacity by 2022.

4. Young Indian Lawyer gets elected into UN’s top body of Legal Experts: 33-year-old Aniruddha Rajput is among the 34 individuals elected by the General Assembly as members of the International Law Commission.

5. Google ties up with ASI for virtual tour of monuments: American multinational technology company, Google has tied up with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for 360-degree virtual tour of 280-odd monuments across the country

6. Minister of Railways inaugurates International Conference on Decarbonisation of Indian Railways in New Delhi: Minister of Railways Shri Suresh PrabhakarPrabhu has inaugurated the International Conference on Decarbonisation of Indian Railways – Mission Electrification in New Delhi on November 3, 2016. It was organised by Institution of Railways Electrical Engineer (IREE) in partnership with ASSOCHAM India.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Paris Climate Agreement becomes international law: The agreement deals with greenhouse gases emissions mitigation, adaptation and finance. The Paris Agreement’s entry into force comes a month after countries representing 55% of the world’s emissions committed to joining the deal. As of November 2016, 192 states and the European Union have signed the Agreement; 97 of those parties have ratified or acceded to the Agreement, most notably China, the United States and India.

2. Saudi Arabia awards water prize to 8 scientists: Saudi Arabia has awarded eight scientists the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water at a ceremony at the United Nations headquarters in New York.The ceremony was hosted on Thursday by UN. Friends of Water and presided over by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon along with the prize committee chairman Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Abdulaziz. The bi-annual prize, established in 2002, aims to provide recognition to scientists and others whose work creatively addresses the problem of water scarcity

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. Yes Bank launches new mobile banking app: India's Private sector lender Yes Bank has launched “Yes Mobile 2.0” its new mobile banking app with multiple new features and extensive support for banking transactions on Apple and Android-based SmartWatches.

OBITUARIES:

2. Sri Lankan music legend Pandit Amaradeva passes away at the age of 88: Legendary Sri Lankan singer and composer Pandit Amaradeva, recipient of many international honours, including Padma Shri, for his contribution to music, died on 03 November 2016 after a heart attack.

3. Former J&K Deputy Chief Minister passes away at the age of 85: Former Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma died on 03 November 2016, after a prolonged illness.

Daily GK Updates - 3rd November, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India-Bangladesh joint military exercise SAMPRITI-2016 to commence from November 5: The joint military training exercise “Sampriti-2016” will be conducted between India and Bangladesh at Tangail, Dhaka, Bangladesh from 05 to 18 November 2016. Exercise SAMPRITI is an important bilateral defence cooperation endeavour between India and Bangladesh and will be the sixth edition of the exercise which is hosted alternately by both countries.

2. Sulabh founder Bindeshwar Pathak appointed as the brand ambassador for Swachh Rail Mission: Ministry of Railways on 02nd November appointed Dr.Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of Sulabh International, as a Brand Ambassador for Swachh Rail Mission. As part of the mission, Sulabh International has been assigned the task to clean some important railway stations across the country.

3. PM gives away Ramnath Goenka Awards for Excellence in Journalism: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has presented the Ramnath Goenka Awards for Excellence in Journalism at a function in New Delhi.The honour acknowledges exceptional work across 28 categories in print, broadcast and online journalism in English, Hindi and regional languages.

4. Maharashtra first to launch cyber police stations in all districts: Maharashtra is the first state in the country to have a cyber-police station in each district simultaneously. The state is converting 42 state-of-the-art cyber-crime labs into police stations.

5. Sanjiv Arora appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Lebanon.

6. LinkedIn inks MoU with government to create jobs for students: Leading global professional network LinkedIn has signed an agreement with the human resource development ministry to create more job opportunities for Indian students. As part of the MoU, LinkedIn’s ‘Placements’ product will be adopted by all Indian colleges affiliated with All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. South Korea names new PM and Finance Minister amid scandal: South Korea's presidential office on Wednesday named a new prime minister and finance minister. Kim Byong-joon, a senior former presidential secretary is expected to replace Hwang Kyo-ahn as prime minister. The Blue House named Financial Services Commission Chairman Yim Jong-yong as finance minister and deputy prime minister.

0THER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Indian badminton player Pratul Joshi wins Bahrain International Challenge title: Indian shuttlerPratul Joshi has won the men’s singles title of the Bahrain International Challenge badminton tournament. This was his maiden international title. In the summit clash played at Segayya in Bahrain, Pratul defeated Aditya Joshi.

AWARDS:

2. IFFI to honour Kwon TaekIm with Lifetime Achievement Award: Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on 2nd November 2016 announced that renowned South Korean director Im Kwon-taek will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the upcoming 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.

Daily GK Updates - 2nd November, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM NarendraModi launches ‘Saur Sujala Yojana’ in Chhattisgarh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the "Saur Sujala Yojana" in Chhattisgarh that would provide solar powered irrigation pumps to farmers at a subsidized price. Chhattisgarh would be the first state to implement the scheme. Under the scheme, solar powered irrigation pumps of 3HP and 5HP capacity worth Rs 3.5 lakh and Rs 4.5 lakh respectively would be distributed to the farmers by March 31, 2019. The beneficiaries would get the pumps at the subsidised price.

2. SEBI tightens norms for credit rating agencies: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on 01st November 2016 tightened rules for credit rating agencies, prescribing more disclosures on suspension and withdrawal of ratings. The capital markets regulator also directed agencies to disclose the nature of their compensation arrangements with rated entities, including exchange of gifts.

3. Sushil Chandra takes charge as Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairman.

4. Australia announces 19 grants worth $6.3 million for projects with India: In a bid to boost ties with India, the Australian government on 02nd November 2016 has announced 19 grants worth $6, 30,000 dollars for several projects in the field of education, science, sports, arts and culture. The successful grants include an exchange between TAFE NSW and India's Centurion University to share expertise for training indigenous learners, collaboration between University of New South Wales and Indian scientists to develop effective new water purification systems for the country's water supply.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. ICICI Bank launches overdraft facility for salaried home loan borrowers: ICICI Bank has launched a credit facility against home loans for salaried customers. The Home Overdraft facility will enable a salaried customer to seek loans up to Rs. 1 crore for personal needs against his/her property.

SPORTS:

2. M S Dhoni most valued athlete among Indians, Federer globally: Forbes Fab 40: Team India’s limited-overs cricket skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni remains the most valued Indian athlete in 2016, despite a drop in his brand value when compared with last year, shows the Forbes Fab 40 list released recently. Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer toppled golf great Tiger Woods as the most valued athlete globally. With a brand value of $36 million, Federer gained two notches from third last year, while Woods dropped four spots to stand fifth on the latest edition of the list. Among other top athletes on the list is Argentine football star Lionel Messi, ranked eighth. He was not among the top 10 last year.

3. Lewis Hamilton wins 2016 Mexican Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton outpaced Mercedes team-mate NicoRosberg to win the 2016 Mexican Grand Prix. Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo ended on the third spot in the race.

4. MiroslavKlose confirms retirement and joins Germany coaching staff: MiroslavKlose, the top scorer in World Cup history, is ending his playing career and will join Joachim Löw’s coaching staff as he studies for his pro licence, the German football association (DFB) have confirmed.

5. India’s Palpreet Singh included in 2016 NBA D-League Draft: Palpreet Singh, winner of National Finals of ACG-NBA Jump, India's first national basketball Talent search program, was selected 11th in the fourth Round of the NBA D-League Draft held in New York.Satnam Singh, who became the first Indian to be drafted into the NBA when he was selected 52nd overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2015 NBA Draft, represents the Texas Legends, the minor league affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks.

Daily GK Updates - 1st November, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM inaugurates Chhattisgarh foundation day celebrations; unveils Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated Chhattisgarh's 16th foundation day celebrations in Naya Raipur. The Prime Minister will later address people gathered on the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee ground, where the 5-day long Rajyotsava is being held. Chhattisgarh Governor B D Tandon and Chief Minister Raman Singh are also present at the site. Mr Modi unveiled the statue of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya in Naya Raipur. He also dedicate to people, 'Ekatma Path' and the Bus Rapid Transport System in the city.

2. Twitter India head Rishi Jaitly quits: Rishi Jaitly, Twitter's India head who helped popularise the adoption of the micro-blogging website among government departments to respond to citizen queries, has quit the company.

3. Kerala becomes open defecation free state: Kerala has become the third Open Defecation Free (ODF) state in the country. The announcement was made on the state’s foundation day on 01st November, 2016. Earlier, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim had declared themselves Open Defecation Free.

4. NHCP commissions 50 MW wind power project in Rajasthan: State-run NHPC has announced commissioning of a 50 MW wind power project in Rajasthan. NHPC has commissioned its 50 MW wind power project in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

5. Centre notifies rules for Real Estate Act for five UTs: The Centre notified the rules for Real Estate Act, thatseeks to regulate the housing sector besides bringing transparency and ensuring timely completion of projects, which will be applicable for five Union Territories-The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep. 

6. Finance Ministry releases Rs 1093 crore for restoration of infrastructure in J&K: The finance ministry released first installment of special assistance of Rs 1,093.34 crore for repair and permanent restoration of damaged public buildings in Jammu and Kashmir in pursuance of the announcement made by the Prime Minister last November.A total sum of Rs 2,000 crore has been provided for permanent restoration of damaged Infrastructure such as schools, colleges, hospitals, bus stations and other critical public infrastructure under Prime Minister Reconstruction Plan for J&K.

7. India and Palestine inks MoU to setup Palestine-Indo Techno Park in Ramallah: India and Palestine on 31st October 2016 signed a MoU for setting up a Palestine-India Techno Park in Ramallah, Palestine. During the visit of President Pranab Mukherjee to Palestine in October last year, the announcement for setting up of park was made.India has announced a grant of $12 million for setting up the park with payment of $3 million each on half-yearly basis for two years.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. EU and Canada sign Ceta free trade deal: The EU and Canada signed a free trade deal on 31st October 2016 that was almost derailed last week by objections from French-speaking Belgians, exposing the difficulties of securing agreement from 28 member states as Britain prepares for Brexit talks. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and top EU officials signed the comprehensive economic and trade agreement, known as Ceta, paving the way for most import duties to be removed early next year. However, the treaty needs the approval of at least 38 national and regional parliaments, including the UK’s, to take full force.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. Banks to report fraud of Rs 1 crore and above to CVC: With several high-ticket alleged frauds like Vijay Mallya loan default case coming to fore, Central Vigilance Commission has now made it mandatory for the public sector banks to report to it all such matters involving funds over rupees one crore.

Daily GK Updates - 31st October, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Benami Transactions Act to curb black money comes into effect: The new law to prohibit benami transactions will come into effect from 1st of next month (01st November 2016). Parliament had passed the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016 to curb black money. After coming into effect, the existing Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988 will be renamed as the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions, PBPT, Act, 1988. The new legislation provides for seven years imprisonment and fine for those indulging in illegal transactions.

2. 47^th International Film Festival of India to be held in Goa in November: SEVEN MARATHI films — including four feature and three non-feature films — have made the cut to be screened at the Indian Panorama of the 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa from November 20 to 29. The blockbusters like Sultan, National-award winning Baahubali and Airlift will be screened at the upcoming 47th International Film Festival of India.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Spain breaks deadlock and re-elects Rajoy as Prime Minister: Mariano Rajoy, Spain's acting prime minister and leader of its center-right Popular Party, was re-elected after winning a parliamentary vote. Mr Rajoy has led a caretaker administration since losing his overall majority in an election last December. A repeat election in June failed to end the impasse but strengthened his hand.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. World Bank appoints Kristalina Georgieva as Chief Executive: Kristalina Georgieva, a former head of EU humanitarian affairs and vice-president of the European commission, has been appointed chief executive of the World Bank.

SPORTS:

2. SaniaMirza retains world number ranking in Women’s Doubles for the 2^nd consecutive year: Ace Indian tennis star Sania Mirza will end the season as world's top doubles Tennis player for the second straight year. Sania finished this season with seven Women's Tennis Association, WTA titles, a Grand Slam and a semi-final finish in the year ending WTA Finals in Singapore.

3. India beat Pakistan in final to win Asian Champions Trophy: India celebrated Diwali by winning gold medal in the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy by beating arch-rivals Pakistan 3-2 in the final in Malaysia. This is the second time India have won the title of this tournament. India won the inaugural tournament in 2011.

Daily GK Updates - 30th October, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi pays tribute to Sardar Patel on his 141^st birth anniversary: Prime Minister NarendraModi on Monday paid rich tribute to SardarVallabhbhai Patel on his 141st birth anniversary. The day is being celebrated as ‘RashtriyaEktaDiwas’ (National Unity Day). Vallabhbhai Patel, one of the founding fathers of the Indian Republic, played a key role in the country’s struggle for independence.

2. Ease of doing business: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana top in 2016 all-India ranking: Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has released the report on State-wise Ease of Doing Business rankings on 31st October 2016. The rankings are on the basis of 340-point business reform action plan and their implementation by the States. This covers the period from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016. Andhra Pradesh and Telengana topped the all-India ranking with 98.78 per cent each, followed by Gujarat with 98.21 per cent; Chhattisgarh with 97.32 per cent and Madhya Pradesh with 97.01 per cent.

3. Vigilance Awareness Week commences on 31^st October: The Central Vigilance Commission, as part of its efforts to promote probity in public life and to achieve a corruption free society, observes Vigilance Awareness Week every year. The week in which 31st October, the birthday of late Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel falls is observed as Vigilance Awareness Week. The observance of the Vigilance Awareness Week has commenced from today (31st October 2016), with pledge taking by public servants in the Ministries/Departments/Central Public Sector Enterprises/Public Sector Banks and all other Organizations.

4. Maharashtra tops NITI Aayog’sagri marketing index: Maharashtra is the top State in the implementation of agricultural reforms and offers the best environment for doing agri-business, according to an assessment by the NitiAayog. Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are in the next three positions in the 'Agricultural Marketing and Farm Friendly Reforms Index' which is based on a number of criteria identified by NitiAayog.

5. November 1 to be observed as ‘No Tobacco Day’ in Punjab: Punjab government will observe November 1 as ‘No Tobacco Day’ in an effort to discourage tobacco use in the state. Chief MinisterParkash Singh Badal has issued directions to all the deputy commissioners in this regard.

6. Kerala CM PinarayiVijayan launches paddy cultivation in land set apart for airport: Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan has launched paddy cultivation in AranmulaPuncha near Cochin. The programme, under the HaritaKeralam project, is part of the Government’s earnest efforts to revive paddy cultivation at AranmulaPuncha that has been lying fallow for the past several years.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

2. After seven years, Jhulan Goswami becomes World No. 1 bowler again: Affectionately known as the ‘Chakdaha Express’ back home in Bengal, Jhulan Goswami is only one of two women’s national team cricketers still remaining from the 2005 World Cup squad, that finished second in South Africa. Now, seven years after reaching the pinnacle of the sport, the 33 year old has pipped England pacer Katherine Brunt to become the world number 1 bowler.

Daily GK Updates - 29th October, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. After Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh becomes India’s second open defecation Free State: The newly acquired status will entitle Himachal Pradesh to receive World Bank funding under Rs 9,000 crore projects to sustain sanitation campaign

2. Odisha Govt. comes up with a new scheme to provide legal assistance to deprived sections: The Odisha government has come up with a new scheme to provide legal assistance to the deprived sections of the society at the grassroots level in all its 6,812 gram panchayats across the state.

3.India ranks poorly in Commonwealth youth index: India has ranked very poorly at 133 in a new Global Youth Development Index compiled by theCommonwealth Secretariat on the countries' prospects for young people in employment, education, health, civic and political spheres.

4. IIID to conduct 'Design Yatra' in Kozhikode:India's first 'Design Yatra' will be conducted in Kerala's Kozhikode city between October 29-31, during which competitions, heritage walk, talks and interaction with students will be conducted. Launched by Institute of Indian Interior Designer in February this year, the yatra is aimed at spreading awareness and taking designs to the masses and is scheduled to travel to 29 Indian cities.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Bangladesh introduces temporary ban on catching Hilsa Fish: Bangladesh has arrested more than 900 fishermen and deployed the army to patrol its waterwaysafter introducing a temporary ban on catching hilsa in an effort to save the hugely popular fish.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. India Wins Its First Ever International Medal in Roller Skating at Asian Championships: The team of Indian Roller Skaters claimed their first ever International medal in the sport. Vikram Ingale, Nikhilesh Tabhane and Dhanush Babu have won India’s first ever senior international roller.