Daily GK Updates - 24th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Govt. launches ‘SHe-box’ portal for central government’s women employees: Women and Child Development ministry has launched an online platform called “SHe-box” portal. It is an online platform to enable women employees of the central government to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace.

2. Lucknow Metro to provide free water, toilets at Metro stations: Lucknow Metro stations will be the 1st in India to provide free drinking water at all 21 metro stations of North-South metro corridor. Stations will have a kiosk providing purified, chilled water to commuters free. Lucknow Metro is also going to provide free toilet facility at each of its stations.

3. A glass of water at Re.1, IRCTC: Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation plans to install 1100 water vending machines at 450 stations in 2017-2018 to ensure clean drinking water at low cost across the country. A glass of 300 ml water dispensed through these machines will cost just Re 1.

4. Amitabh Bachchan’s UNICEF Ambassadorship extended: Superstar Amitabh Bachchan’s ambassadorship for Unicef has been extended for another two years. He will be working on eradicating measles and rubella infections for children.

5. ‘Mission Football’ launched in Meghalaya: Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma launched ‘Mission Football’ at a grand ceremony at JN Sports Complex, Shillong. Mission Football is an initiative to help develop skills of football enthusiasts and develop young footballers for the country.

6. Merger of Vodafone India and Idea Cellular gets CCI approval: The mega merger deal between Aditya Birla Group firm Idea Cellular Ltd and Vodafone India Ltd on Monday crossed a major hurdle with antitrust regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) approving the proposal. The Vodafone-Idea merger will create India’s largest telecom firm, overtaking Airtel, and pose a stronger challenge to disruptor Reliance Jio

International UPDATES:

1. Spanish scientists discover novobiocin compound as anti-Zika drug: Researchers San Antonio Catholic University of Murcia, Spain have discovered novobiocin compound that could be used as a potential drug to fight the effects of a Zika virus infection.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. CCEA approves selling 51% stake in HPCL to ONGC: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved sale of government’s 51.11% stake along with management control in HPCL (Hindustan Petroleum) to ONGC. HPCL will continue as PSU after the acquisition.

SPORTS:

2. Prannoy clinches US Open title: Indian Shuttler H S Prannoy has won his maiden US Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament title defeating his compatriot Parupalli Kashyap.

3. Froome wins fourth Tour de France: Britain’s Chris Froome won the Tour de France for the fourth time as Dylan Groenewegen sprinted to victory in Paris on the 21st and final stage.

4. Siwach wins gold at Commonwealth Games: World youth boxing champion Sachin Siwach clinched a gold medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas. Siwach defeated Welsh boxer James Nathan Probert 4-1 in the final to claim the gold in the light flyweight (49kg) category.

OBITUARIES:

5. The man who launched Aryabhata satellite, UR Rao, passes away: Former ISRO chairman and renowned scientist UR Rao passed away. Rao served as the chairman of ISRO for about 10 years, was conferred the Padma Vibhushan in 2017 and was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1976. He had launched India’s first satellite Aryabhata in 1975.

Daily GK Updates - 23rd July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India 3rd largest terror target, Naxals third-most deadly terror group after ISIS and Taliban: According to data compiled by US state department, India is 3rd largest terror target in 2016. India stood at 3rd position displacing Pakistan behind Iraq & Afghanistan in terms of terror attacks.

2. NEET question paper to be same in all languages: Union HR Development Minister Prakash Javedkar has said that the question paper will be same in all languages from next year onwards.

3. Guwahati to host National Handloom Day for the first time: Guwahati will play host to the National Handloom Day celebrations on August 7 for the first time. The ceremony will display handloom products crafted by artisans from the seven north eastern states through a fashion show and an exhibition.

4. Faridabad to have the first R&D facility for high-end fuels, gas for BS VI compliance: India has launched its first petroleum R&D facility for testing high-end BS-VI quality fuel emissions. This first-of-its kind facility was inaugurated by Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Faridabad.

International UPDATES:

1. US inducts world’s largest aircraft carrier worth Rs.83000 crore: The world’s largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford weighs 1 lakh tonnes. The carrier is nuclear powered and can operate up to 20 years without refuelling.

2. China & Russia start naval drills: China and Russia have started their large-scale naval drills – “Joint Sea 2017” in the Baltic Sea. Chinese-Russian military drills have been held every year since 2012, but they are conducting them in the Baltic for the first time.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. Eurofins Scientific to buy Advinus from Tatas: Tata group has agreed to sell its pharmaceuticals and biotech research unit Advinus Therapeutics to Eurofins Scientific. Advinus was started by the Tata group in 2005 as a research outsourcing company.

SPORTS:

2. ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 – India finishes as the runners-up: England’s women cricket team has won the 2017 ICC World Cup titleby defeating India by 9 runs at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, UK. Chasing a target of 229, India being bowled out for 219 in 48.4 overs. Shrubsole of England who took six wickets was declared Player of the Match. Tammy Beaumont of England was awarded Player of the Series title.

3. Hemang Amin appointed as COO of IPL by BCCI: Board of Control for Cricket in India has appointed Hemang Amin as the Chief Operating Officer of the Indian Premier League.

4. India wins 2 high jump medals at World Para Athletics Championship: Sharad Kumar and Varun Singh Bhati clinched silver and bronze medals respectively in high jump in the championship in London.

Daily GK Updates - 22nd July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Ministry of Rural Development to launch Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana: Ministry of Rural Development will launch a new sub-scheme under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana which will be called Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana. It will provide an alternative source of livelihoods to members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) by facilitating them to operate public transport in backward areas. It will provide safe & affordable rural transport services like e-rickshaws to connect remote villages.

2. Union Government launches quality mark logo for milk and milk products: The Union Agriculture Minister ‘Radha Mohan Singh’ has launched National Dairy Development Board's (NDDB) quality logo for milk and milk products to signify safe and quality milk and milk products from dairy cooperatives. This move will reinforce the consumers' recognition that the quality mark is synonymous with good quality.

3. Less than 1 doctor per 1000 people in India - Report: This ratio is less than the WHO(World Health Organisation) Standard. 8.18 lakh doctors are available for active service, which brings the ratio to 0.62:1000. WHO prescribes a ratio of 1:1000. Arguably, the ratio in the urban areas is much better as compared to the rural area.

4. Schools on the lines of Military Schools/ Sainik Schools desires PMO: The Human Resource Development Ministry was asked by the Prime Minister’s Office to incorporate aspects of military schools in regular schools. The military schools are known for physical training regime and developing a sense of patriotism in students along with disciplining them.

5. Suresh Prabhu inaugurates round table conference- ensuring cyber security on Indian Railways: The union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has inaugurated round table conference- ensuring cyber security on Indian Railways in New Delhi. Railways keeps conducting audits to ensure safety checks and cyber security is one of the top priorities.

6. Assistance to abused Indian women settled abroad: External Affairs Ministry is implementing a scheme to provide financial assistance to Indian women abused /abandoned by their Overseas Indian spouses. It will help them in getting access to counselling & legal services with Indian Missions abroad.

7. DRDO develops nutritious and protein-rich food for armed forces deployed at high altitude: Major food products developed by DRDO include chicken biscuits, protein-rich mutton bar, tulsi bar among others. The organization may transfer the know-how to different companies to produce the food on a larger scale.

8. Kerala to host literary festival with ‘Tolerance’ as theme: Kerala state will host the fifth edition of South India Writers Ensemble (SIWE) at Chengannur, a town in Kerala’s coastal Alappuzha district from 24th July this year. The core theme of this year festival is ‘tolerance’.

9. India contributes 33% to child-brides - Report: According to ActionAid India report, India contributes 33% of the total number of child brides in the world with nearly 103 million Indians married before they were 18. Of every 28 girl child marriages occurring per minute in the world, more than two takes place in India.

International UPDATES:

1. UN selects Dubai as the data hub for the region: UN has selected Dubai as data hub for Middle East, North Africa & South Asia region for its initiatives to mine & manage its data.

2. UK Supreme Court’s first female President: UK government has appointed Brenda Marjorie Hale as the first female president of the Supreme Court, the senior-most judge of the country.

3. New giant ocean sunfish species discovered by Australian University:  The new species of giant ocean sunfish hoodwinker (mola tecta) has been discovered by an international team of researchers led by Murdoch University in Perth, Australia. The heaviest type of bony fish that can weigh over two tonnes and grow to three metres long.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. Seven Indian companies amongst Fortune 500 companies: 7 Indian companies have made it to the latest Fortune 500 list, which ranked companies by their revenues in 2016. Indian Oil tops the list of Indian companies. RIL tops the list of private sector companies in India. Walmart is at the first position in the overall list. It has topped the list with a revenue of $486 billion.

SPORTS:

2. Kamal Haasan to be brand ambassador of  Pro Kabaddi League franchise 'Tamil Thalaivas': Tamil film actor ‘Kamal Haasan’ has now been appointed as the brand ambassador of Tamil Thalaivas team in the season five of Pro Kabaddi league.

3. Karamjyoti Dalal wins bronze: Karamjyoti Dalal extended India’s medal tally to 3 at the World Para Athletics Championships 2017 by winning a bronze medal. In women’s F55 category of discus throw event, she managed 19.02m, just better than Alomari Roba (19.01m).

Daily GK Updates - 21st July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Reliance Jio launches low cost phone, to be free for users after a certain period: Reliance has released its low cost 4G phone in the price band of Rs. 1500. The co-developed phone, which Intex is making in India, will be priced by Jio through a subsidy model, and will also be marketed by the new telco, with the handset maker not involved in both aspects. A JioPhone user can use the JioPhone for 36 months, and can get a full refund of the security deposit of Rs 1,500 by returning the used JioPhone.

2. Indian Army and DRDO sign pact for development of missiles: Defence Research and Development Organisation has signed a pact with the Army for developing a medium-range surface to air missile. The missile will be produced by the DRDO in collaboration with the Israel Aerospace Industries.

3. New Pension scheme for senior citizens to be launched: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will launch a new pension scheme for senior citizens, Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana, PMVVY in New Delhi. Under this scheme, senior citizens (60 years and above) in which they will get a guaranteed interest of 8% for 10 years.

4. Railway food unfit for consumption – CAG: The food served by Indian Railways is unfit for human consumption, an audit report on catering services conducted by the CAG has found. The CAG had conducted a joint inspection of 74 stations and 80 trains selected across Zonal Railways.

5. Shankarsinh Vaghela quits Congress: Leader of the opposition of Gujarat assembly and Veteran congress leader Shankarsinh Vaghela announced to quit congress on his 77th birthday. However, it is unlikely that he will launch a new party on his own.

International UPDATES:

1. IMF approves conditional $1.8 bn loan for Greece: The International Monetary Fund’s board has approved a $1.8 billion loan to Greece but will only release the money if the country gets debt relief from its European creditors. If an agreement on debt relief is reached, IMF will join eurozone lenders in an ongoing bailout.

2. China bans Justin Bieber’s performances: China has banned Justin Bieber from performing on the mainland because of his “bad behavior” on & off the stage.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING & FINANCE:

1. Bank of Baroda signs an MoU with DGS&D for extending banking services to government e-marketplace: Bank of Baroda has entered into an agreement with Directorate General of Supplies & Disposal for extending various banking services to Govt e-Marketplace (GeM). DGS&D has been mandated to bring greater transparency and efficiency in public procurements.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

2. SEBI inks pact with ESMA: SEBI has entered into a pact with European Securities & Markets Authority for exchange of information concerning Central Counterparties. MoU establishes Cooperation arrangements, including exchange of information regarding CCPs which are established and authorised in India by SEBI and which have applied for EU recognition under EMIR.

OBITUARIES:

3. Chester Bennington of Linkin Park fame commits suicide: Chester Bennington, the lead singer of American rock band Linkin Park, allegedly committed suicide. He reportedly had a history of alcohol and drug abuse.

Daily GK Updates - 20th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Ram Nath Kovind is the 14th President of India: NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind defeated the opposition candidate Meira Kumar by a huge margin. The polling was marked by cross voting. He received 2,930 votes with a value of 7,02,044. He is the first BJP member to be elected President.

2. Rajya Sabha chairman accepts Mayawati’s resignation: The chairman of Rajya Sabha, Hamid Ansari accepted the resignation letter submitted by BSP chief Mayawati. She resigned from the house, accusing BJP and the Chair of not allowing her to raise the issue of anti-Dalit violence in Uttar Pradesh.

3. Lokmat Group honours members of Loksabha and Rajyasabha: Vice President Hamid Ansari honoured the winners at a function organized by the Lokmat Media Group. Below mentioned is a list of persons who won important honours.

Best Parliamentarian (Lok Sabha)	N.K. Premachandran (Revolutionary Socialist Party)
Best Woman Parliamentarian (Lok Sabha)	Kumari Sushmita Dev (Congress)
Best Debut Woman Parliamentarian (Lok Sabha)	Meenakshi Lekhi (BJP)
Best Parliamentarian (Rajya Sabha):	Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M)
Best Woman Parliamentarian (Rajya Sabha)	Jaya Bachchan (Samajwadi Party)
Best Debut Woman Parliamentarian:	MP Rajni Patil (Congress)

4. Union Cabinet approves 15% hike in salaries for public sector company employees: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister ‘Narendra Modi’ has cleared a 15% hike in salaries for public sector company employees. The Cabinet approved implementation of the recommendations of the 3rd Pay Commission for central public-sector enterprises' employees. The new wages are effective from 1st of January this year.

5. President inaugurates Paika rebellion commemoration day: President Pranab Mukherjee has inaugurated a function to pay tribute to the martyrs on the occasion of Bicentenary Celebration of the heroic Palika rebellion of Odisha in New Delhi. The Paika rebellion originated under the leadership of Bakshi Jagabandhu.

6. Bill introduced for Petroleum Institute in Andhra Pradesh: A bill for setting up of Indian Institute of Petroleum & Energy in Andhra Pradesh has been introduced in Lok Sabha. It is proposed to be established in Visakhapatnam district.

International UPDATES:

1. AIDS claimed 1 million lives in 2016: According to a UN report, AIDS claimed a million lives in 2016, almost half the 2005 toll that marked the peak of deadly epidemic. In 2016, 19.5 million of 36.7 million people living with HIV had access to treatment.

2. Australia joins International Solar Alliance: Australia became the 35th country to join the International Solar Alliance, an initiative launched by PM Modi in 2015 in Paris. The platform brings together countries that are keen to massively ramp up their solar power production. It is co-led by India & France.

3. Voyager spacecraft marks 40th anniversary: Voyagers 1 and 2 were launched in 1977 and are currently exploring the interstellar place. They have explored the giant planets of our outer solar system: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and 48 of their moons and the unique system of magnetic field that they possess.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. Google launches Hire: Google has officially released a new tool named ‘Hire’ to help small and medium sized businesses recruit talent. The service is built on G Suite and lets employers track candidates’ contact information, resume and allow business partners to share feedback within the candidate’s profile.

SPORTS:

2. ATP tournament “Chennai Open” renamed as “Maharashtra Open”: India’s lone ATP tournament, the Chennai Open, will now be held in Pune next year and would be henceforth called “Maharashtra Open”. The Chennai Open, owned by IMG and organised by IMG-Reliance, was being held in Chennai for the last 21 years.

3. Athletics Federation of India suspends shot putter Manpreet Kaur: Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has provisionally suspended Indian shot putter Manpreet Kaur after she tested positive for banned substances for the second time. The test was conducted by National Anti-Doping Officials during the Federation Cup National Championships held in Patiala from 1st - 4th June.

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.