Daily GK Updates - 19th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. mAadhaar app launched by UIDAI: mAadhaar, a new app for syncing Aadhaar data on mobile phone, has been launched by the UIDAI. It will allow users to carry their Aadhaar demographic information, i.e. name, date of birth, gender, address and the photograph linked with their Aadhaar number, on their smartphones.

2. TR Zeliang appointed as the new CM of Nagaland: TR Zeliang former CM of Nagaland, has been appointed to the post of CM by the State’s Governor PB Acharya.

3. Odisha’s longest bridge dedicated to the nation: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik dedicated to the nation Odisha’s longest bridge and named it after Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The 2.88 km bridge over the river Kathajodi will connect Bhubaneswar with Cuttack reducing the distance b/w the 2 cities by 12 km.

4. Telangana Government puts cap on weight of school bags: Telangana govt. has put a cap on the weight of bags carried by school children from primary to Class X. According to the order maximum weight of a school bag with textbooks and notebooks should not exceed 1.5 kg for Class 1 and II and 2 to 3 kg for Classes III to V.

5. Gujarat government canteens to offer meals at Rs.10 to labourers: Pilot program of Gujarat government to offer meals to laborers for Rs.10 was launched by Vijay Rupani, under CM’s scheme ‘Shramik Antoday Yojana’. This meal will be served through 83 stalls at various labor markets.

International UPDATES:

1. Indonesia bans militant “Hizbut” group: The Indonesian government banned Hizbut Tahrir, an organisation that wants to establish a global caliphate. The decree signed last week by President Joko Widodo gives the government almost absolute power to ban organisations deemed against the constitution.

2. World’s first drone destroyer laser gun tested: U.S. Navy successfully tested world’s 1st laser gun system that has been designed to target drones. Laser Weapons System gun was tested by the USS Ponce, an amphibious transport ship on a mock enemy drone.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING & FINANCE:

1. New Rs. 20 notes to be issued by RBI: Reserve Bank will shortly issue bank notes of denomination Rs 20 in Mahatma Gandhi series 2005 that will be similar in design to those currently in circulation. The new notes will be bearing inset letter ‘S’ in the number panel and signature of Governor Urjit R Patel.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

2. AIR earns Rs10 crore from ‘Mann Ki Baat’: PM Modi’s monthly radio address Mann Ki Baat has generated revenue of about Rs10 crore for All India Radio in last two fiscals.

3. Gujarat retains top slot for the state with maximum “investment potential”: According to a report by economic think-tank NCAER, Gujarat has retained the top position in the list of 21 states and UTs with most investment potential. Ranking were based on 6 pillars – Labour, Infrastructure, Economic Climate, Governance & political stability, perceptions & land.

Daily GK Updates - 18th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Smriti Irani gets additional charge of Information and Broadcasting: Textile minister Smriti Zubin Irani has been given the additional charge of information and broadcasting. he gets the additional charge as Venkaiah Naidu resigned from the post following his nomination as National Democratic Alliance’s vice-presidential candidate.

2. Mayawati resigns from Rajya Sabha: Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has resigned from Rajya Sabha. Decision came after the chair of the upper house asked her to restrict her impromptu speech on anti-Dalit violence in Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh.

3. J& K government launches weekly festival at Dal Lake: Jammu and Kashmir (J-K) govt. has organized first ever weekly cultural program ‘Culture of Cruise' at Dal Lake to bring artists from various fields on one stage. In the festival, the organizers would hold regular interactions with cross sections of the society and tourists who visit the lake to ensure broader discourse on cultural moorings of the state.

4. Tata Motors develops India’s first Bio-methane bus: Tata Motors has developed India’s first Bio-CNG (bio-methane) bus which was unveiled recently at a bio-energy programme, ‘Urja Utsav’. Tata Motors has designed and developed bio-methane engines (5.7 SGI & 3.8 SGI) for LCV, ICV & MCV buses.

5. Low-cost “Made in India” microwave printed circuit boards developed: The Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), Thrissur, has developed low-cost microwave printed circuit boards. The boards are required in strategic applications such as space, defence, and atomic energy.

6. SOHUM, low-cost indigenously developed hearing screening device for new borns, launched by the Government: The science & technology ministry has launched a low-cost indigenously developed hearing screening device ‘Sohum’ for newborns. ‘Sohum’ uses brain-stem auditory evoked response technology which is recommended as best screening choice.

7. Abdul Kalam’s memorial by DRDO to be inaugurated on July 27^th: PM Modi will open the national memorial for former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam at Peikarumbu near Rameswaram on July 27. The national memorial is set up by DRDO in 2.11 acres at a cost of Rs 20 crore. 27^th July is the death anniversary of Dr. Kalam.

International UPDATES:

1. Nelson Mandela International Day observed globally: ‘Nelson Mandela International Day’ celebrated every year on 18thJuly in honour of Mandela's birthday. Nelson Mandela was the first elected president of a free South Africa. The day is observed annually with the slogan ‘Take Action! Inspire Change’.

2. LG unveils device that disinfects handrails of escalators: South Korean company LG designed a steriliser that uses ultraviolet light to continuously disinfect the rubber handrailing of escalator. The device charges itself by converting escalator movement into electricity.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING & FINANCE:

1. SBI launches SBI Realty to assist home buyers: State Bank of India (SBI) has launched a one-stop integrated website 'SBI Realty' (www.sbirealty.in) for home buyers. Customer will choose their dream home from 3,000 SBI approved projects spread across 13 states and Union Territories covering 30 cities including metros, semi metro, and towns.

2. HDFC bank launches national “digital-only marketing campaign”: HDFC Bank has launched a national digital-only marketing campaign, reinforcing its position as ‘India’s No. 1 Bank’ in products like credit cards, personal loans. It aims to connect with customers by asking them to #StartDoing and talk to India’s No. 1 Bank, to fulfill all their needs.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

3. RIL joins TCS’ league, crosses Rs 5 lakh crores market-cap: Reliance Industries has attained a market valuation of over Rs 5 lakh crore, becoming the 2nd firm after TCS to achieve this milestone. Market capitalisation of RIL stood at Rs 5,04,458.09 crore, making it the most valued company in the country.

SPORTS:

4. In the under 15 category, Neel Joshi & Ananya Dabke win Dutch Open: Neel Joshi and Ananya Dabke bagged the under-15 (boys & girls) titles in the Dutch Open Junior Squash Championship in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

5. Bharat Arun to be Team India’s new bowling coach: BCCI has named former Indian cricketer Bharat Arun as the Indian cricket team’s bowling coach. He will join Indian team on a 2 year period until end of the 2019 ICC World Cup.

Daily GK Updates - 17th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India’s Presidential Poll today: The secret ballot vote that took place today will decide India’s next President by 20th July,2017. Ram Nath Kovind is likely to sweep the elections with 70% of Electoral College backing him.

2. Air-dropping of food packets in Rayagada, Odisha: Odisha government started air-dropping food packets in the flood hit regions of Kalyansinghpur and Rayagada blocks. The government has also set up free kitchens for flood affected people. The State Health Department are keeping a close watch for the outbreak of contagious diseases.

3. SGPC announces to set up a Memorial for Sikh ‘Dharmi Faujis’: The Shiromani Gurudwara Parbhandak Committee has announced that it would set up a memorial in the memory of ‘Dharmi Faujis’ – Sikh soldiers in the Indian army who committed mutiny during Operation Blue Star. Operation Blue Star was conducted between 1–10 June 1984.

4. 50-odd protected monuments across Gujarat will soon be visually-impaired-friendly: Archaeological Survey of India, Gujarat circle, is set to install Braille signboards at around 50 monuments in the state for explaining their historical and cultural significance to the visually-impaired visitors.

5. Fellowship awarded to Nandakishore Kapote: Internationally-acclaimed senior Kathak dancer Pandit Nandakishore Kapote was conferred with a fellowship by the Department of Culture, Government of India. His contributions include launching a Kathak University in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune.

           

International UPDATES:

1. World Day for International Justice: World Day for International Justice is an international day celebrated throughout the world on July 17 as part of an effort to recognize the emerging system of international criminal justice. July 17 was chosen because it is the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the International Criminal Court.

2. Chinese Army conducts live-fire drills in Tibet: The People’s Liberation Army conducted five live fire exercises in South West China’s Tibet Autonomous Region

The live fire drills included quick delivery of troops.

3. Scientists create strong and super-stretchy artificial silk: Scientists from the University of Cambridge have developed super-stretchy and strong artificial spider silk, almost entirely composed of water. The fibres of the synthetic spider silk are spun from hydrogel, a soupy material which is 98% water & remaining 2% of the hydrogel is made of naturally available silica and cellulose.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING & FINANCE:

1. IBBI notifies new rules for bankruptcy probe: The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India has powers to start probe against service providers registered with it without intimating them, according to new regulations. IBBI, which is implementing the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, has notified the regulations.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

2. Uber suspends ride sharing services in Macau: As it has not been able to fully unlock the benefits of ride sharing in Macau, Uber will suspend its operations. Uber said on its website “We are already exploring ways to serve the city again, and have had initial discussions with partners, including transport operators and hotels”.

3. 18th IIFA Awards 2017: International Indian Film Academy Awards were held recently. Important awards have been listed below:

Best Film: Neerja

Best Actor (Male): Shahid Kapoor (Udta Punjab)

Best Actor (Female): Alia Bhatt (Udta Punjab)

Best Director: AnirudhRoy Chaudhary (Pink)

Best Playback Singer (Male): Amit Mishra (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil)

Best Playback Singer (Female): Kanika Kapoor (Udta Punjab) and Tulsi Kumar (Airlift)

Best Music Direction: Pritam (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil)

SPORTS:

4. Harinder Pal Sandhu wins Victorian Open squash title: Harinder Pal Sandhu won the Victorian Open squash tournament held in Melbourne, Australia. He defeated Rex Hedrick.

5. Martina Hingis claims mixed doubles title at 2017 Wimbledon: Martina Hingis clinched her 23rd Grand Slam title as she and her partner Jamie Murray beat Henri Kontinen and Heather Watson in the Wimbledon mixed doubles final.

Daily GK Updates - 16th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Prasar Bharti to distribute free set-top boxes in naxal-hit areas: Prasar Bharati is likely to distribute around 10 lakh free of cost DTH set-top boxes in naxal-hit areas of the country. It would enable people in naxal-affected states to connect with various schemes of government.

2. Chitraveen Maestro N. Ravikiran selected for Sangit Kalanidhi award: Noted Chitraveena Maestro N. Ravikiran has been selected for Sangit Kalanidhi award of this year. The awards are given every year by Madras Music Academy.

3. Soldiers exempted from toll tax in Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced exemption for soldiers from paying toll-tax on highways in the state. Jawans will be provided with the relief in Madhya Pradesh after they present their official identity cards.

4. Vijay Goel flags off Slum Yuva Daud: Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel flagged off Slum Yuva Daud to mark the beginning of the Adopt Slum Campaign. Run started from Delhi University’s Shankarlal Hall and ended at the Rugby Stadium with participation of about 5000 youngsters from various slums of Delhi.

5. IIFA Awards 2017: 18th edition of International Indian Film Academy Awards was held in New York. Alia Bhatt won Best Actress Award for Udta Punjab while her co-star in the film, Shahid Kapoor, won the Best Actor Award. Neerja won the Best Film Award, while Pink director Aniruddha Roy was awarded the Best Director.

International UPDATES:

1. Indonesia renames a part of South China Sea as “North Natuna Sea”: Indonesia has renamed northern parts of its exclusive economic zone of South China Sea as ‘North Natuna Sea’. The move is considered as an act of defiance against Beijing’s territorial ambitions in the region.

2. San Miguel de Allende of Mexico named as the world’s best city by T&L Magazine: Mexican city San Miguel de Allende is named as world’s best city by Travel and Leisure Magazine. Only one Indian city could make it for Top 15. The city Udaipur is ranked 14th.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

1. Raymond to launch khadi range on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti Day: Textile & apparel major Raymond will launch Khadi by Raymond on October 2. Raymond was 1st to forge the first partnership with Khadi & Village Industries Commission and will promote fabric in India & global markets.

2. Singapore Airline rated as the best airline in the world: Singapore airline has been rated as best airline in the world by Travel and Leisure. While Emirates and Qatar airways secured second and third place respectively.

3. MobiKwik partners with Samsung Pay: Digital payments company MobiKwik has partnered Samsung Pay under which consumers will be able to make payments with a single tap using select Samsung handsets. MobiKwik wallet is now integrated with Samsung Pay Mini to enable one-tap payments at more than 1.4 million MobiKwik-powered merchants across the country.

4. India tops the world in spam calls according TrueCaller: According to a report by Truecaller, India tops the list of countries most affected by spam calls. India is ahead of countries like US, Brazil, Chile & South Africa with an average user receiving over 22 spam calls a month.

SPORTS:

5. Roger Federer wins record eighth Wimbledon title: The 35-year-old Swiss champion became the tournament’s oldest winner with a straight-sets victory over his opponent Marin Cilic.

6. Muguruza wins first Wimbledon title in the women’s singles category: Garbine Muguruza won a maiden Wimbledon title after defeating 5 time champion Venus Williams under the roof on Centre Court.

7. Lewis Hamilton wins fourth consecutive British Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton cruised to a fourth successive British Grand Prix victory on Sunday as he cut Sebastian Vettel’s lead in the championship to a single point.

OBITUARIES:

8. Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman to win Fields Medal, dies at 40: Maryam Mirzakhani, an Iranian- born mathematician who was the first woman to win the coveted Fields Medal, has died of cancer. She had won the Fields Medal, the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for Mathematics, in 2014.

Daily GK Updates - 15th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Railways Launches ‘SAARTHI’ App: Railways has launched an integrated mobile application to cater to various passenger requirements, including ticket booking, inquiry and ordering meal on a single platform. The app, called as Rail SAARTHI has been developed by CRIS and was unveiled by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.

2. Gujarat govt forms Saputara Area Development Authority: The Gujarat govt. has formed the Saputara Area Development Authority (SADA) for “comprehensive development” of its only hill station in tribal populated district of Dang. The authority will carry out planned development in 419-hectare area of ‘Saputara’ for tourism purpose.

3. Government relaxes FDI norms in various sectors to attract investment: The union govt. has relaxed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) norms in over a dozen sectors, including defence, civil aviation, construction and development, private security agencies, real estate and news broadcasting.

International UPDATES:

1. Lilly Singh appointed as UNICEF’s Global Goodwill Ambassador: UNICEF has appointed Indian-origin Canadian YouTube Lilly Singh as its newest Global Goodwill Ambassador. Lilly who has around 11.9 million subscribers on YouTube, will use her channel to showcase the organisation’s work and urge millions of her followers to work for children’s rights. She has also started a new initiative on social media #GirlLove – which aims to end girl-on-girl hate.

2. Bill on defence co-operation with India passed in US: US House of Representatives has passed a $621.5 billion defence policy bill that proposes to advance defence cooperation with India. The National Defense Authorisation Act, 2018, was passed with 344 to 81 vote.

3. World Youth Skills Day is being observed today: The World Youth Skills Day is observed globally on 15th July every year to raise awareness about the importance of investing in youth skills development. In 2014, The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) had established World Youth Skills Day.

4. Tougher conditions for defence funding to Pakistan - US: US House of Representatives has voted for 3 legislative amendments to impose tougher conditions for reimbursement of defence funding to Pakistan. Pakistan will now have to show satisfactory progress in fight against terrorism.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

1. ICICI Lombard files for IPO, becomes the first non-life insurance company to do so in India: ICICI Lombard General Insurance, the non-life insurance joint venture of ICICI Bank and Fairfax Financial Holdings has filed the draft red herring prospectus for its IPO. It is the first non-life insurance company to file for a public offering.

2. Apps contributed Rs 1.4 lakh cr to Indian GDP – ICRIER study: According to a study conducted by ICRIER along with the Broadband India Forum, Internet-based applications have contributed Rs 1.4 lakh crore to the country’s GDP in 2015-16. The contribution is estimated to grow to nearly 16% of the country’s GDP by 2020, the figure can grow to Rs 18 lakh crore by 2020.

3. TCS to close its Lucknow operations, says staff will be unaffected: Tata Consultancy Services has decided to close its operations in Lucknow after 33 years  & shift to Noida.

4. Mukesh Kumar Jain appointed MD & CEO of Oriental Bank of Commerce: Mukesh Kumar Jain has been appointed as the managing director(MD)and chief executive officer (CEO) of Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) for a period of three years.

SPORTS:

5. Sundar Singh Gurjar wins gold in World Para Athletics Championships: Sundar Singh Gurjar has opened India’s account at World Para Athletics Championships by clinching gold in the men’s javelin throw event. In the F46 category, Sundar recorded his personal best effort of 60.36m and took the top honour.

6. BCCI retains IMG as IPL service provider: BCCI has renewed a 5 year deal with International Management Group as the service provider of IPL. IMG has been the service provider for IPL for last 10 years.

Daily GK Updates - 14th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Indian astrophysicist discovered galaxy super cluster, names it Saraswati: Astrophysicist at Pune based IUCAA and IISER have discovered one of the most massive large-scale structures in the universe. A cluster could have galaxies ranging from 40 to 43. This galaxy super cluster, named as Saraswati is 4 billion light-years away.

2. Indian Railways launches India’s first Solar DEMU Train: The Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu the dedicated country's first solar powered DEMU train to the nation at an event in New Delhi. There are 16 solar panels of 300 watts capacity each in a coach. The train will run from Sarai Rohilla (Delhi) to Farukh Nagar(Haryana).

3. AIIMS to be set up in Gorakhpur too: Uttar Pradesh government has signed Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Centre for setting up of an All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital in Gorakhpur. The OPD of the new AIIMS will start by September 2018 and trauma centers will be established by 2020.

4. Book “President’s Lady” by Sangeeta Ghosh released: President Pranab Mukherjee received the first copy of a book on his late wife, Suvra Mukherjee. The book, ‘President’s Lady’ (Pranaber Preyosi), was released by the Vice President Hamid Ansari on a day that marked President’s wedding anniversary.

5. The book has been written by Sangeeta Ghosh: Maharashtra Social Boycott Bill gets the Presidential nod. Maharashtra is the first Indian state to formulate a law to punish social boycott. The Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention Prohibition and Redressal) Act prescribes a maximum punishment of three years in jail and a fine of Rs.1 lakh.

6. PETN explosives found in UP Assembly: Highly explosive PETN was found in Uttar Pradesh Assembly. Explosive powder Pentaerythritol tetranitrate was kept in a plastic bag near the seat of leader of the opposition, Ram Govind Chaudhary. It is one of the most powerful explosives and is hard to detect since it is non-metallic. 150 gm of PETN was found, 500 gm of PETN is enough to blow the whole UP Assembly.

7. 73% Indians have trust in Modi’s government: According to findings of OECD’s Govt at a Glance report 2017, India is at 3rd position on “Trust in government” chart with 73% people having faith in Modi govt. Switzerland with 80% leads the index followed by Indonesia and India.

8. Greece is at the bottom of the table with 13% of people’s confidence: Odisha govt to set up Haj House in Bhubaneswar. The Odisha government will set up a ‘Haj House’ in Bhubaneswar for the welfare of Haj pilgrims. A total number of 1,133 applicants evinced interest to go for Haj this year scheduled for 2nd Sep, 2017.

9. India ranks 116 on SDG index: India is ranked 116th out of 157 nations on a sustainable development goal index with a score of 58.1. India is behind Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan & China. Sweden topped the list followed by Denmark & Finland.

10. J P Nadda launched National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22): The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda has launched the National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22). The Strategic Plan gives year wise elimination targets in various parts of the country depending upon the endemicity of malaria in the next 5 years.

International UPDATES:

1. Indians the second-highest to migrate to other countries: UN Report: According to a report by the UN migration agency, India has the second highest number of adults planning to migrate to other countries. Most popular destination for those planning to migrate is US followed by UK, Saudi Arabia, France, Canada and Germany.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

1. Baba Ramdev launches security firm Parakram Suraksha Pvt Ltd: Looking beyond FMCG, Patanjali group founder Baba Ramdev launched a private security firm called ‘Parakram Suraksha Private Limited’ in Haridwar. Baba Ramdev has hired retired police and army officials to train young recruits.

2. Google acquires Bengaluru-based Artificial Intelligence start up Halli Labs: Google has acquired Bengaluru-based artificial intelligence Startup 'Halli Labs' for an undisclosed sum. The firm was founded with the goal of applying modern artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to solve old problems.

3. India overtakes US in number of active Facebook Users: India has overtaken US to become Facebook’s largest country audience with 241 million active users, compared to 240 million in US. Active users in India are up 27% in past 6 months alone, compared to growth of 12% in US over the same period.

4. Tata Sons name Aarthi Subramanian as Chief Digital Officer: TCS Executive Director Aarthi Subramanian has been named as Chief Digital Officer by Tata Sons.

SPORTS:

5. Brand ambassador of Indian Indoor Cricket Team: Former Indian batsman Sandeep Patil has been named as the brand ambassador of the Indian Indoor Cricket Team. He will be the face of the team in the lead-up to the 10th edition of World Indoor Cricket Federation World Cup to be held in Dubai.

OBITUARIES:

6. Chinese Nobel Peace laureate passes away: Chinese activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo has died at the age of 61. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison in December 2009 for “subversion”.

Daily GK Updates - 13th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma launches LIFE program at Songsak: Meghalaya Chief Minister ‘Dr. Mukul Sangma’ has launched a flagship program ‘Livelihood Intervention and Facilitation of Entrepreneurship’ (LIFE) at Songsak in East Garo Hills. It is a program of the State Rural Livelihood Society, which is implementing the Centre's flagship program National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM). NRLM promotes livelihood through women Self Help Groups (SHGs) and their Federations.

2. Delhi Police to get ‘super cop’ belts, first state police to do so: Delhi police will be the 1st state police who will get ‘super cop belt’. These belts will help cops to keep things like Gun, Security Batten, Wireless Set Pouch & ammunition pouch.

3. Selling old jewellery will attract 3% GST: Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia announced that selling of jewellery will attract 3% GST on value realised. A jeweller buying old jewellery from someone will charge 3% GST under reverse charge.

4. High-speed rail training centre to be set up Gandhinagar, Gujarat: India’s 1st high-speed rail training centre will be soon setup at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. While India’s 1st bullet train is proposed to hit the track in 2023, the training centre would begin its operations by 2020.

5. Cabinet approves establishment of International Rice Research Institute at Varanasi: The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of the International Rice Research Institute, South Asia Regional Center at the campus of National Seed Research and Training Center in Varanasi. This will include a modern and sophisticated laboratory with the capacity to determine quality and status of heavy metals in grain and straw.

6. Mohan Bhagwat releases coffee table book on PM Narendra Modi's life authored by Bindeshwar Pathak: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat has released a coffee table book "The Making Of A Legend" on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's life in New Delhi. The book is authored by Bindeshwar Pathak.

International UPDATES:

1. Smallest star in the universe discovered by Cambridge’s astronomers: Astronomers from University of Cambridge have discovered the smallest star in the universe. It is located around 600 light years away in the Milky Way galaxy and has been as EBLM J0555-57Ab.

2. China to downsize army to under 1 million: China will downsize its 2.3 million-strong military to under 1 million as a part structural reform in the military. People’s Liberation Army will increase numbers of other services, including navy and missile forces.

3. Overseas navy base for China in Djibouti: Chinese troops are headed to Djibouti to set up China’s first overseas military base. China says the support base will be used for peacekeeping and humanitarian aid in Africa and West Asia.

OTHER UPDATES

BANKING AND FINANCE:

1. SBI reduces NEFT and RTGS charges to promote net banking: State Bank of India has reduced charges for National Electronic Funds Transfer and Real Time Gross Settlement transactions upto 75%. Reduced charges will be applicable on the transactions done through internet banking and mobile banking.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

2. IPSOS Survey- India’s top 10 ‘most influential’ brands: According to a new study by global research firm Ipsos, Google is the most influential brand in India followed by Microsoft & Facebook at 2nd and 3rd position respectively. Patanjali & Jio have entered the top 10 ranking at 4th and 9th place respectively.

3. Skoda rolls out new Octavia with a price tag of close to Rs. 15 lakhs: Czech carmaker Skoda has rolled out a new version of its best-selling sedan Octavia priced at Rs15.49 lakhs in India.

SPORTS:

4. Vijay Goel inaugurates Oorja CRPF U-19 Football talent hunt tournament: The Sports Minister Vijay Goel has inaugurated Oorja CRPF Under-19 Football Talent Hunt Tournament in New Delhi. This Tournament is being organized as a run up to under 17 FIFA World Cup by CAPF, BSF, SSB, ITBP, CRPF, CISF and Assam Rifles.