Daily GK Updates - 24th November, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Bank deposits with RBI hit record high after demonetization: In the wake of demonetisation, bank deposits with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have reached a record high of Rs. 4.3 trillion, beating the earlier record of Rs. 1.7 trillion in May 2009. The RBI accepts money from various banks by offering government securities as collateral. The Indian banking system had collected deposits worth Rs. 5.12 trillion as of 18 November.

2. IIT Kharagpur named top university in India for jobs: For the second time in a row, IIT Kharagpur has been named the top university in India in terms of jobs and placements, by QS Employability Ranking of top 200 universities across the world. IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Delhi and Delhi University also feature on the list. Stanford University in the US has topped the list globally.

3. Government appoints new NHAI Chairman: The government has appointed Yudhvir Singh Malik as the Chairman of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Malik, an 83 batch Haryana cadre IAS officer, was earlier posted as special secretary in Niti Aayog.

4. BHEL commissions 93 MW unit at RIL’s Hazira Power Plant: State-run power equipment maker BHEL has commissioned a 93 MW steam turbine-based captive power plant (CPP) at Hazira in Gujarat for Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Turkey to chair 2017 Energy Club of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation: Turkey will chair the Energy Club of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2017. With this, it became the first non-full member country to be the chairman of a club in the organisation. Ankara's proposal for non-SCO member countries to host the term presidency of the Energy Club was accepted in a meeting on 22 November 2016.

2. China launches Tianlian I-04 satellite: China has successfully launched the Tianlian I-04 satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in Sichuan province of Southwest China. This data satellite was launched on a Long March-3C carrier rocket. The launch of the Tianlian I-04 marks the 241st mission of China's Long March series of rockets.

3. Donald Trump picks Indian-American Nikki Haley as UN Envoy: US President-elect Donald Trump has chosen South Carolina's Indian-American Governor Nikki Haley as US ambassador to the United Nations. Haley will be the first woman to join Trump's administration. She would replace Samantha Power as the next US Ambassador to the UN.

4. ITU International Telecommunication Union released Measuring the Information Society Report 2016: UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU) released the 2016 edition of the Measuring the Information Society Report. The report was launched on 22 November 2016 during the World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Symposium (WTIS). WTIS was held in Botswana, South Africa from 21 November to 23 November 2016.

Daily GK Updates - 23rd November, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Zydus Cadila CMD Pankaj Patel becomes new FICCI President: Pankaj R Patel, chairman & managing director of Cadila Healthcare Ltd (Zydus Cadila) has been elected as the new President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) for the year 2017.

2. Government asks NABARD to disburse Rs 21,000 crore to farmers: The Government has allowed NABARD to disburse Rs 21,000 crore to cash-starved farmers, helping them sow winter crops like wheat ahead of the sowing season, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta said today.The government’s demonetisation move, which swept away 86% of currency in circulation, has badly hit farmers leaving them without cash just ahead of the sowing season.

3. SEBI officials to chair IOSCO Panels: Two officials of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), Parmod Kumar Nagpal and Amarjeet Singh are elected as chairpersons of two committees set up by IOSCO (International Organisation of Securities Commissions) announced by IOSCO’s Asia-Pacific Regional Committee chairman by Mr. Ashley Ian Alder.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Thai Princess Sirindhorn to be conferred first ‘World Sanskrit Award’: Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Princess of Thailand, on 21 November 2016 was conferred with the first World Sanskrit Award. She was honoured for her exemplary contribution for the promotion of Sanskrit language for the year 2015.

2. Switzerland to share Information on Indians Holding Swiss Bank Account from 2018: In a big step towards fighting black money stashed overseas, Switzerland has agreed to automatic sharing of information with India on Swiss bank accounts of Indians as of September 2018 and onwards. The Joint Declaration was inked by Chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes Sushil Chandra and Deputy Chief of Mission of Swiss Embassy in India, Gilles Roduit.

3. Barack Obama awards his last Presidential Medals of Freedom: U.S. President Barack Obama has bestowed the nation's highest civilian honour for the last time as president. The awards have honour the work of Americans ranging from global philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates to legendary athletes, artists, activists, scientists and others.

  

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. Airtel Payments Bank starts pilot services in Rajasthan: Airtel Payments Bank Ltd (Airtel Bank), a subsidiary of the country’s largest telecom operator Bharti Airtel, has rolled out a pilot of its banking services in Rajasthan. Customers in towns and villages across Rajasthan will now be able to open bank accounts at Airtel retail outlets, which will also act as Airtel banking points and offer a range of basic, convenient banking services.

AWARDS:

2. Indian journalist gets International Press Freedom Award: Indian Journalist Malini Subramaniam has been conferred with the International Press Freedom Award for her reporting from Chhattisgarh's Naxal-infested Bastar area.

OBITUARIES:

3. Acclaimed Physicist and Ex- ISRO Chief Prof MGK Menon dies at 88: A recipient of the Padma Vibhushan, Menon had also served as Director of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research at the age of 35.

4. Padma Vibhushan awardee musician M Balamuralikrishna dies at 86: He started learning music at the age of three and has composed over 400 songs in different languages including Sanskrit, Kannada and Tamil.

5. Renowned Hindi and Bhojpuri writer Dr. Viveki Rai passes away at 92.

Daily GK Updates - 22nd November, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Sangai Festival 2016 begins in Manipur: The 10-day-festival ‘Sangai Festival 2016’ inaugurated by Manipur CM OkramIbobi Singh on November 21, 2016. It will continue till November 30, 2016, with the theme: ‘Destination Manipur’. The main aim is to celebrate the festival to promote Manipur as a potential tourist destination.

2. India joins CERN as Associate Member: India became an associate member of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), the world’s largest nuclear and particle physics laboratory. Becoming Associate Member of CERN, will enhance participation of young Indian scientists and engineers in various projects.Presently, CERN has 22 member states, four associate member states.

3. India test fires Agni-I ballistic missile from Odisha coast: The Intermediate-range missile is capable of hitting a target 700 km away. It is designed to carry a payload of more than one tonne. Agni-I missile is equipped with the sophisticated navigation system which ensures it reaches the target with a high degree of accuracy and precision.

4. Mahesh Bhalla appointed as Chief Mentor of Startups Club of India: Mahesh Bhalla, former Executive Director of Dell’s Consumer & SMB business in India, has been appointed as Chief Mentor of Bengaluru based Startups Club India.

5. Naidu inaugurates multimedia exhibition on theme of ‘Azaad 70 Saal, Yaad Karo Kurbani’: Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu has inaugurated a multimedia exhibition on the theme of ‘Aazadi 70 Saal, Yaad Karo Kurbani’ to commemorate 70 years of India’s Independence and its depiction through films. The multimedia exhibition has been organised by National Film Archives of India, NFAI at the International Film Festival of India, IFFI in Goa.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Bhullar wins Indonesia Open, Jeev Milkha Singh tied-second: Indian golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar has won the $300,000 BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open for the second time in his career. Two-time Asian Tour number one JeevMilkha Singh finished tied-second in the tournament, which was his best result since 2012.

AWARDS:

2. Akshaya Mukul wins Shakti Bhatt prize: Senior journalist AkshayaMukul has been awarded the Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize for his book "Gita Press and the Making of Hindu India".

3. Radhika Menon awarded IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea: Captain Radhika Menon on 21 November 2016 was bestowed with the 2016 International Maritime Organization (IMO) Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea at IMO Headquarters in London, United Kingdom. Menon was honoured with the prestigious award for her role in the rescue of seven fishermen from a sinking fishing boat in the Bay of Bengal in June 2015. iii. With this, Captain Menon became the first female to receive the IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea.

OBITUARIES:

4. Ex- Governor of Madhya Pradesh Ram Naresh Yadav died at the age of 89.

5. Irish Novelist William Trevor died at the age of 88: Trevor won the Whitbread Prize thrice and was nominated five times for the Booker Prize.

Daily GK Updates - 21st November, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Manohar Parrikar commissioned destroyer ‘INS Chennai’: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on 21st November commissioned ‘INS Chennai’, the third indigenously designed guided missile destroyer in the Kolkata class. With an overall length of 164 metres and displacement of over 7,500 tonnes, ‘INS Chennai’ is one of the largest destroyers in the Indian Navy’s fleet.

2. India successfully conducts test-fire of nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile: India today successfully test fired the nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile.ii. The twin trial was conducted from a test range in Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha. The Prithvi-II missile has a payload capacity of 500 kg to 1,000 kg and a strike range of 350 km.

3. Nat Geo Magazine cover features Mangalyaan’s Mars photo: An image of the planet Mars taken by ISRO's Mars-orbiting spacecraft Mangalyaan has found a place on the cover of the November edition of the National Geographic magazine.

4. 47^th International Film Festival of India begins at Goa: The 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), considered to be Asia's oldest film festival, began in Goa on Nov 20, 2016. The Republic of Korea is the focus country of IFFI 2016. Legendary singer S P Bala Subrahmanyam was honoured with 'Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the year' at the opening ceremony of the 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

5. Jagadish Singh Khehar appointed Executive Chairman of National Legal Services Authority.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. NASA launches ‘next generation’ weather satellite: The National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) on 20 November 2016 launched the highly advanced geostationary weather satellite Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R). The Satellite was launched by NASA on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It was launched on board of Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. Siby Sebastian appointed as CEO of SBM Bank (Mauritius), India: The State Bank of Mauritius (SBM) Group has appointed Siby Sebastian as Chief Executive for its India operations. The SBM Group operates four branches in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Ramachandrapuram.

AWARDS:

2. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar gets International Peace Prize: Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was honoured with an International peace prize for his efforts in ensuring world peace. The 'Dr Nagendra Singh International Peace Award' was given to him by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.The award has been instituted in the memory of Dr Nagendra Singh, an Indian judge at International Court of Justice, The Hague.

3. Al Nayhan conferred with prestigious Mother Teresa International Award:Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan was awarded the prestigious Mother Teresa International Award by the Mumbai-based NGO Harmony Foundation. Shaikh Abdullah, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, was conferred with the award for his contribution in promoting peace and stability in the West Asia.

Daily GK Updates - 20th November, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Pradhan Mantri Grameen Awas Yojana to provide 3 crore affordable housing units across country: Designed entirely for the rural masses, the ambitious scheme aims to provide affordable houses to all those living below the poverty line by the year 2022. In addition, the prime minister distributed allotment letters to 50 beneficiaries of the scheme, which aims to provide about 3 crore new housing units countrywide.

2. India and Cyprus ink new tax pact to replace 2 decade-old treaty: India and Cyprus has signed a new double tax avoidance pact under which capital gains tax will be levied on sale of shares on investments made after April 1, 2017, bringing the island nation at par with Mauritius in terms of tax treatment. The latest pact would replace the existing Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA), which was in place since June 13, 1994.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Universal Children’s Day observed on November 20: United Nations Universal Children’s Day was established in 1954 and is celebrated on November 20th each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children's welfare. November 20th is an important date as it is the date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. It is also the date in 1989 when the UN General assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

2. World’s first Bollywood theme park opens in Dubai: Bollywood Parks, Dubai has opened with fanfare, fireworks, dance, music and simulator 4D shows based on hit Hindi-language movies. Visitors were greeted by ­performers dancing to thumping Bollywood music across the park with some atop a mock-up of a suburban Mumbai railway train and others outside the ­Rajmahal theatre, which will stage live musicals.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. Catholic Syrian Bank to appoint CVR Rajendran as MD & CEO: The Reserve Bank of India has granted approval for appointment of C.V.R.Rajendran as the Managing Director & CEO of Catholic Syrian Bank for a period of three years from the date of his taking charge. Rajendran is currently holding the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Mutual Funds of India.

2. PV Sindhu wins maiden Super Series Premier Title: Olympic silver medallist P.V. Sindhu clinched her maiden Super Series Premier title after edging out Sun Yu of China in the finals of the USD 700,000 China Open badminton tournament in Fuzhou, China. She continued her rampaging run as she lifted the prestigious title after beating Sun 21-11 17-21 21-11 in the summit clash that lasted an hour and nine minutes.

3. R Ashwin 1^st bowler ever to take 50 wickets in consecutive years: Ravichandran Ashwin, with his 5-wicket haul against England in the Visakhapatnam Test, became the first bowler ever to complete 50 wickets in two consecutive calendar years. The off-spinner took 62 wickets in 9 Tests in 2015 and has so far claimed 52 wickets in 9 Tests in 2016. Notably, Ashwin was the top wicket-taker in Tests last year.

OBITUARIES:

4. World’s first Heart Transplant doctor passes away: Renowned heart surgeon Denton Cooley, who performed the world`s first artificial heart transplant in the United States, has passed away at the age of 96 in Houston, Texas.

Daily GK Updates 19th November, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. TCS and Vedanta wins ACES Awards: Two leading Indian companies, Tata Consultancy Services and Vedanta have been awarded for their leadership in sustainability, corporate social responsibility, eco-consciousness and community care at the third annual Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability Awards (ACES). TATA Consultancy Services (TCS) was named Industry Champions in the Leadership category. India’s Vedanta Limited was named “Top Companies to Work for in Asia.”

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World Toilet Day: 19^th November: World Toilet Day is observed on 19 November every year with an aim to motivate millions across the world on issues of sanitation. The theme for 2016 World Toilet Day is ‘toilets and jobs’.

2. Donald Trump picks Michael Flynn as NSA: United States president-elect Donald Trump has named Michael Flynn, an ex-army general as his National security adviser. Flynn served as Mr Trump's top military advisor during the Presidential campaign.

3. Ami Bera re-elected to US Congress for third consecutive term: Ami Bera has been re-elected to the US House of Representatives for a 3rd consecutive term in a close election. This is the first time that the House would have 4 Indian-American members. Another Indian-American Kamala Harris has been elected to the US Senate.

4. 3^rd World Internet Conference 2016 concludes in Wuzhen, China: The theme of the 3rd World Internet Conference, which commenced on 16 November 2016, was Innovation-driven Internet Development for the Benefit of All – Building a Community of Common Future in Cyberspace.

OTHER UPDATES:

AWARDS:

1. Latin Grammy Awards 2016: The 17th annual Latin Grammys has been announced at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, US.Latin Grammy Award is given by The Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. List of Winners: Record of the Year-Carlos Vives& Shakira, "La Bicicleta 2. Best Rock Album-Los FabulososCadillacs, La Salvación De Solo Y Juan 3. Best Pop/Rock Album-Julieta Venegas, AlgoSucede 4. Best Singer-Songwriter Album-Manuel Medrano, Manuel Medrano 5. Best Regional Song-"Ataúd," Erika Ender, Manu Moreno &MónicaVélez, songwriters (Los Tigres Del Norte).

2. Pt. Hari Prasad Chourasia gets Lifetime Achievement Award for classical music: Noted flutist Pt. Hari Prasad Chourasia has been conferred this year’s Sumitra Charat Ram Award for lifetime achievement in the field of Indian classical music.

Daily GK Updates - 18th November, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Make in India in Defence: Navy inducts 4 indigenous sonars: The Indian Navy on 18th November formally inducted four types of indigenously developed sonars that will boost its underwater surveillance capability. The systems included Abhay, which is a compact hull mounted sonar for shallow water crafts; Humsa UG, which is an upgrade for the Humsa sonar system; NACS, or the Near-field Acoustic Characterisation System; and AIDSS, or the Advanced Indigenous Distress sonar system for submarines.

2. Sachin Tendulkar to adopt another village in Andhra Pradesh: Indian Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar inaugurated projects worth Rs 6 crore at his adopted village of PuttamrajuvariKandriga in Andhra Pradesh (AP).

3. India-China Joint Military Exercise ‘Hand-in-Hand’ begins in Pune: The 6th Indo-China joint training exercise Hand- in- Hand 2016 commenced at the parade ground in Aundh Military Camp, Pune. The exercise will finish on 27 November 2016. The joint exercise intends to acquaint both the Armies with each other’s operating procedures in the backdrop of counter-terrorism environment.

4. Patel most common Indian surname in UK: Dictionary: Patel has emerged as the most common Indian surname in the UK, according to a new Oxford dictionary. The ‘Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland’ has put together the origins of nearly 50,000.

5. Rishi Jaitly named CEO of Times Global Partners: Times Internet, the digital arm of The Times of India group appointed former Twitter India head Rishi Jaitly as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Times Global Partners, a group initiative that supports the launch and expansion of emerging global digital companies in India.

6. Airtel announces merger with Axiata in Bangladesh: Telecom operator Bharti Airtel has announced the completion of the merger of its subsidiary unit in Bangladesh with Robi Axiata. This entity will now be the second-largest mobile operator in Bangladesh.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. BBC World Service announces biggest expansion ‘since the 1940s’: BBC World Service will launch 11 new language services as part of its biggest expansion “since the 1940s”, due to the funding boost. The new languages will be Afaan Oromo, Amharic, Gujarati, Igbo, Korean, Marathi, Pidgin, Punjabi, Telugu, Tigrinya, and Yoruba.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. HDFC Bank’s Aditya Puri ranked 36^th in Fortune’s top businessmen list: HDFC Bank's Aditya Puri has been ranked 36th in the US magazine Fortune's top 50 business persons list for 2016. He is the only Indian among three persons of Indian origin in the global rankings. Facebook's Mark Zuckerburg topped the list by the US magazine.

2. Oxygen Partners Federal Bank for Cash Management Services:Federal Bank has tied up with Oxigen to expand the bank’s e-collection facility to the about 3 lakh- retail outlets of Oxigen.

SPORTS:

3. Sprinter Dharambir handed eight-year ban: Haryana sprinter Dharambir Singh, who was barred from representing the country in the Rio Olympics at the last minute for failing a dope test, has been slapped an eight-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Agency.

AWARDS:

4. TCS awarded Digital Innovator of the Year: India's IT majorTata Consultancy Services has been awarded 'Digital Innovator of the Year' in the Ecosystem Excellence category at GE's Minds + Machines event.