Daily GK Updates - 27th October, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India-North Korea ties could act as conduit for communications - Rex Tillerson: India's diplomatic ties with North Korea could act as a "conduit for communications", US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said amidst tensions between Washington and Pyongyang over the latter's nuclear missile tests. India had informed the US that it has "minimal" trade with North Korea, and that there was a small Indian embassy in Pyongyang which should stay there so that some channels of communication remain open.

2. India, France discuss ways to ramp up strategic ties: India and France on Friday held wide-ranging talks aimed at further boosting defence and security ties, with a focus on co-development of military platforms, and enhancing cooperation in the maritime sphere.  Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her French counterpart Florence Parley deliberated on a host of key issues, including the regional security situation, transfer of critical technology for various defence projects and ways to ramp up overall strategic ties.

3. Senior journalist Vinod Verma arrested in extortion case: The police arrested the journalist from his residence in Indirapuram in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad. The case was registered against Verma at the Pandri Police Station of Raipur district under sections 384 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).  Verma, who is currently working with Amar Ujala as the Editor, had also worked with BBC for several years.

4. US Senate Committee confirms Kenneth Juster's nomination as US envoy to India: Ken Juster who has served as Under Secretary of Commerce from 2001-2005 will replace Richard Verma. The position has been lying vacant since January 20, 2017. Juster also played a key role in enhancing the India-US ties under the Bush administration.

5. Awaiting law on Buyer Safety: Government will bring in a new law to crack down on misleading advertisements and set up a central authority to fast-track redressal of consumers' grievances, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday .  The proposed law, awaiting Cabinet approval, provides for fine up to Rs 50 lakh and up to three years' ban in case of misleading endorsement by celebrities while manufacturers would face fine and jail term for similar offence.

6. Non-Aadhaar cell verification only for NRIs, visitors: Government is looking to provide non-Aadhaar based verification for mobile phones only for certain categories. It is also seeking to ease the verification process for those with Aadhaar. The government is looking to provide non-Aadhaar based verification for mobile phones only for certain categories, such as NRIs and foreign tourists. It is also seeking to ease the verification process for those with Aadhaar. Telecom secretary Aruna Sundararajan said the government had already simplified the process by providing for verification through a one-time password (OTP), app and a voice-recognition system. Using OTP, subscribers will be able to authenticate phone numbers which were not mentioned during Aadhaar registration. So, multiple phones can be verified using the mobile number registered with Aadhaar.

7. Rakesh Asthana's promotion was a unanimous decision – CVC: Chief vigilance commissioner K V Chowdary on Thursday asserted that the decision to elevate CBI additional director Rakesh Asthana as special director was taken unanimously by members of the selection committee.

8. NIA charges Zakir Naik for radicalization: NIA has chargesheeted the "televangelist" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for heading an 'unlawful association'.The agency accused him of inciting youth to take up terror acts and join global terror outfits like Islamic State. The agency has chargesheeted the "televangelist" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for heading an 'unlawful association' and accused him of inciting youth to take up terror acts and join global terror outfits like Islamic State.  Naik's NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), banned in 2016 under the UAPA, as well as private firm Harmony Media Pvt Ltd were named as co-accused for having conspired with Naik to promote enmity and hatred between different religious groups and insulting certain sects of Islam and other religions . Under the guise of preaching Islam, Zakir Naik made a fortune, receiving huge sums from within India and abroad over the years that he camouflaged as "friendly loans and gifts" and donations by "well-wishers".  In order to establish systematic money laundering by Naik, the NIA collected and analysed thousands of financial documents of 13 entities and 40 individuals, including his companies, NGOs, associated firms, directors and real estate agents, apart from scrutinising 85 bank accounts.

9. Kashmir talks: Interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma meets Mehbooba Mufti: Centre's newly-appointed special representative for holding a sustained dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir Dineshwar Sharma on Thursday met state Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and discussed broad contours of the proposed talks with all stake holders. The meeting which took place at Kashmir House on Prithviraj Road here comes two days after the Centre announced appointment of Sharma as its special representative to initiate dialogue, in a fresh move aimed at bringing peace to the troubled state.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Pentagon chief Jim Mattis accuses North Korea of threatening 'catastrophe': US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis accused North Korea today of building a nuclear arsenal to "threaten others with catastrophe" and said the Trump administration remains committed to compelling the North to accept complete nuclear disarmament.  Calling the North a threat to global order, Mattis stood inside the Demilitarized Zone that separates the two Koreas and pledged solidarity with the South.

2. Japan to propose strategic dialogue with US, India and Australia: Japan will propose a strategic dialogue among the leaders of the three countries aimed at counteracting China's expansion under OBOR. PM Shinzo Abe is expected to propose the idea to US President Trump on November 6. Japan foreign minister said the aim was to promote high-quality infrastructure investment across Asia to Africa.

3. Tillerson's visit to India highlights emerging ties between two countries: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, during his maiden visit to India, discussed strengthening India-US partnership, India's leadership on peace and security in the India-Pacific region and its vital role in Trump administration's South Asia strategy, a top US official said. Divulging the details of Tillerson's maiden visit to India, State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert here said the top Trump official met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

4. Australian court disqualifies deputy PM Barnaby Joyce for dual citizenship: Australia's High Court rules deputy PM Barnaby Joyce, four others other lawmakers ineligible. Joyce will be able to stand for re-election, having renounced the New Zealand citizenship he unknowingly inherited from his father.

5. India, US to implement HOSTAC to strengthen maritime security: To strengthen maritime security, India and the United States have agreed to implement the programme for Helicopter Operations from Ships other Than Aircraft Carriers (HOSTAC), the Pentagon has said.  A decision in this regard was taken by Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her US Counterpart Jim Mattis during their meeting in Philippines on Wednesday on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. U-17 World Cup a success but no commitment on U-20 bid-Infantino: Infantino declared India a football continent and said that FIFA will continue to work with them "Having seen the U-17 World Cup in India, I can say that it was worth allotting this to India," Infantino said Infantino refrained from giving any commitment on India's bid to host the U-20 World Cup in 2019.

2. ISSF World Cup Final - Sangram wins silver in double trap: Dahiya won India's second medal of the day, a silver in the men's double trap. Dahiya shot 76 out of 80 targets, three behind gold medallist Binyuan (79). This is Dahiya's first-ever medal in senior level, having won a gold at the Asian Shooting for juniors back in 2009.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Reliance Nippon AMC IPO oversubscribed 81 times so far: The initial public offer of Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management (RNAM) was oversubscribed 81.22 times so far on the last day of bidding on Friday.  The IPO to raise an estimated Rs 1,542.42 crore received bids for 3,47,95,79,988 shares against the total issue size of 4,28,40,000 shares (excluding anchor portion), according to NSE data till 4:15 pm.

2. Maruti Suzuki Q2 net profit rises by over 3%: Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) on Friday posted over 3 per cent growth in its quarterly profit. Net profit for the second quarter ended September 30 stood at Rs 2,484 crore registering a growth of 3.4 per cent over the same period previous year. The company said it sold a total of 4,92,118 vehicles in Q2, a growth of 17.6 per cent over the same period of the previous year. Sales in the domestic market stood at 4,57,401 units, a growth of 19.4 per cent while exports were at 34,717 units.

Daily GK Updates - 26th October, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Tech, tariff concerns weigh on Jaitapur N-plant deal: Technological and financial concerns as well as differences over taking responsibility for the construction of the proposed 10,000-mw nuclear power plant at Jaitapur in Maharashtra are weighing down efforts to fast-track the general framework agreement ahead of French president Emmanuel Macron's visit in December.  Macron will be in Delhi on December 8 for a three-day visit, primarily to adopt the legal framework for International Solar Alliance, an international band of sunshine countries to promote solar energy. Efforts are on to get the deal with EDF, French state-controlled company that is Europe's largest operator of nuclear power plants, in the bag for Macron to carry back home.

2. 1.5 lakh children to participate in International Children Film Festival: As many as 295 films from 93 countries will be screened during the 'The Golden Elephant 2017' - the 20th International Children Film Festival India from November 8-14 in the city.  The film festival is being organized by the Children's Film Society India in association with the Telangana state government. The films were selected from a total of 1,408 entries received from 108 countries.  While the main festival venue is Prasads imax where movies will be screened for delegates from across the globe, the inauguration will take place at the Shilpa Kala Vedika, Madhapur. The closing ceremony will also be at the same place. 291 child delegates from across the world will participate in the film festival.

3. Major fire outside Bandra station in Mumbai, harbour line now working: Western Railway denies any impact on services due to fire incident near Behrampada adjacent to Bandra station in Mumbai. A major fire broke out at Behrampada adjacent to suburban Bandra station in Mumbai this afternoon, forcing the railway authorities to halt train services on the harbour line, a senior railway official said.  “All lines at Bandra working including Harbour lines. No effect on Railway lines & trains,” ANI quoted the Western Railway PRO as saying.

4. Drug-resistant tuberculosis cases on rise in India: A study found over 40% of 45,076 patients, in 75 selected studies for review, suspected for resistance to any first-line anti-TB drugs, tested positive in the last 20 years. India has witnessed an alarming increase in Drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (DR-TB) in the past two decades, a study published in Bio-Med Central (BMC) Public Health journal revealed. The study found that over 40% of 45,076 patients, in 75 selected studies for review, suspected for resistance to any first-line anti-TB drugs, tested positive in the last 20 years. Comparative analysis of the studies revealed a worsening trend in DR-TB between the two study decades. It was found to be 37.7% between 1995 and 2005 and 46.1% between 2006 and 2015. A systematic review of published studies reporting prevalence of DR-TB from biomedical databases (PubMed and IndMed) was conducted.

5. 2.5 million died due to pollution in India in 2015, says Lancet study: Report published in The Lancet journal said in 2015, pollution was the reason behind nine million deaths worldwide—or about one in six. Even as national capital Delhi reels under heightened air pollution levels following Diwali celebrations, a report has said that pollution led to 2.5 million deaths in India in 2015 –the highest in the world. India was closely followed by China, which saw 1.8 million deaths due to pollution during the year. The report, published in The Lancet journal, said that in 2015, pollution was the reason behind nine million deaths worldwide—or about one in six.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Inferno at Indonesia fireworks factory kills 47:  A fire broke out at a fireworks factory next to a residential area in Tangerang, on the outskirts of Jakarta. 47 people have been killed in the fire. Police say the toll could rise further.

2. Rohingya crisis: Rex Tillerson calls Myanmar army chief, urges him to end violence in Rakhine state: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has urged Myanmar's army chief to help end the violence in Rakhine state that has forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims to flee. In a phone call with Min Aung Hlaing yesterday, Tillerson expressed "concern about the continuing humanitarian crisis and reported atrocities in Rakhine", according to a statement by State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. India thrash USA 22-0 in Sultan of Johor Cup 2017: For India three players - Vishal Antil, Dilpreet Singh, Harmanjit Singh and Abhishek - scored a hat-trick each. Harmanjit top-scored for India with five goals. There were 10 different goalscorers from India.

BANKING/ FINANCE:

1. PNB Housing board approves $1 billion masala bond issuance: PNB Housing Finance board also approves the issuance of secured and unsecured non-convertible debentures aggregating up to an amount of Rs6,000 crore in tranches. PNB Housing Finance Ltd, a housing finance company sponsored by state-owned lender Punjab National Bank and backed by private equity investor Carlyle Group, Thursday said its board has approved raising up to $1 billion by selling masala bonds. Masala bonds are rupee-denominated bonds sold in offshore capital markets. PNB Housing Finance board also approved the issuance of secured and unsecured non-convertible debentures aggregating up to an amount of Rs6,000 crore in tranches. World Bank arm International Finance Corp. (IFC) was the first to issue masala bonds in November 2014. It raised Rs1,000 crore to fund Indian infrastructure projects.

2. Rs2.11 trillion bank recapitalisation plan sufficient to tackle NPAs: SBI report: After provisioning for bad loans, SBI believes there may still be around Rs1 trillion in the bank recapitalisation outlay available for handing out loans. The government’s Rs2.11 trillion bank recapitalisation plan is sufficient to tackle the bad loan problem and will also give a push to economic growth, says an SBI research report.Finance minister Arun Jaitley unveiled the Rs2.11 trillion bank recapitalisation plan, which includes issue of recapitalisation bonds worth Rs1.35 trillion while the rest will be raised through budgetary allowances and fundraising by the banks from the capital markets.

SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY:

1. First Jurassic-era ‘fish lizard’ fossil found in India: Scientists say the Jurassic-era ichthyosaur or ‘fish lizard’ fossil — nearly 5.5 metre long and rare in Southern Hemisphere— was discovered from Kachchh area in Gujarat. In a first, a near- complete fossilised skeleton of a Jurassic ichthyosaur — large marine reptile which lived alongside dinosaurs — has been discovered in India, scientists said. Fossil records of ichthyosaurs, which means ‘fish lizards’ in Greek, have been found in North American and Europe previously. However, in the Southern Hemisphere, they have mostly been limited to South America and Australia.  Researchers including those from the University of Delhi and University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) in Germany have found what they believe to be the first Jurassic ichthyosaur in India, from the Kachchh area in Gujarat.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Sensex, Nifty close record high; metal, oil and gas stocks rally: BSE Sensex closed higher by 104.63 points to 33,147.13, while the Nifty 50 rose 48.45 points to close at 10,343.80. Here are the latest updates from the markets. Sensex and Nifty extended their record-setting run for the second session and ended at fresh lifetime highs on Thursday on short-covering following derivatives expiry amid optimism over earnings. The BSE Sensex gained 104.63 points to end at 33,147.13, while the broader Nifty rose 48.45 points to finish at 10,343.80. Both the key indices had climbed to lifetime highs yesterday as well, buoyed by the government’s massive Rs9 trillion package to boost the economy.

2. Albert Einstein’s theory of happiness fetches $1.3 million : Albert Einstein’s musings, handwritten on a note and given as tips to a bellboy in a Tokyo hotel, shed light on one of the great modern minds. While Albert Einstein’s theory of happiness may be relative, it fetched $1.3 million at a Jerusalem auction on Tuesday. The Nobel-winning scientist’s musings, handwritten on a note, may not be as famous as his groundbreaking theory of relativity, but they still shed light on one of the great modern minds. Winner’s Auctions and Exhibitions said Einstein was travelling in Japan in 1922 when he was told he would be awarded the Nobel Prize in physics. In Tokyo, Einstein scribbled the note in German to a bellboy after he did not have cash to give him a tip.

3. SpaceX, Google top list of companies techies want to work for: SpaceX, Google, Shopify and Tesla are the most appealing companies for technology workers, according to a survey by online jobs marketplace Hired. Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Shopify Inc. and Tesla Inc. are the most appealing companies for technology workers, according to a survey by online jobs marketplace Hired. While big tech names topped the list, geographical breakdowns showed more diversity. Startups like SendGrid Inc., which does marketing email, had the highest ranking in Denver, while financial services like Capital One Financial Corp. topped scores in Washington. Online real estate database Redfin Corp., which went public this year, topped the list in Seattle. Notable companies excluded from the global top-ten were Amazon.com Inc., Uber Technologies Inc., and Airbnb Inc. Amazon did come in No. 3 in hometown Seattle, however, just ahead of Microsoft Corp.

4. Vodafone launches ‘SuperWeek plan’ with unlimited calls, 500 MB data at Rs69: Vodafone says the ‘SuperWeek plan’ will enable customers to make ‘unlimited local and STD calls to any network bundled with 500 MB data at just Rs69 for a week’. India’s second-largest telecom operator Vodafone on Thursday announced a short-duration plan that offers unlimited calling and 500 MB data at about Rs69 with 7 days of validity. The move comes at a time when the Indian telecom market — the second-largest in the world after China — is witnessing an intensifying competition among telecom operators which are trying to outdo each other with newer packs and attractive bundled offers to woo consumers. Vodafone, in a statement, said its ‘SuperWeek plan’ will enable customers to make “unlimited local and STD calls to any network bundled with 500 MB data at just Rs69 for a week”.

5. GST unleashed tsunami of tax terror, says Rahul Gandhi: Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government of ‘killing’ the economy by firing the ‘double tap’ of demonetisation and GST into its heart. Launching a fresh salvo at the ruling BJP, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government of “killing” the economy by firing the “double tap” of demonetisation and GST into its heart.

Daily GK Updates - 25th October, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. NS Venkatesh has been appointed as CEO of Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI): Before joining AMFI, Venkatesh served in Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) for over 19 years, where he held several senior positions, including that of chief financial officer and executive director. He was also working as the executive director at Lakshmi Vilas Bank.

2. Kanwaljit Singh Cheema appointed principal secretary BoA-Darjeeling:  West Bengal government appointed Kanwaljit Singh Cheema as the principal secretary of Board of Administrators (BoA) in Darjeeling. Kanwaljit Singh Cheema, was the principal secretary of the Mass Education Extension and Library Service Department. The BoA is a nine-member board.

3.  Meghalaya Election Department has entered Limca Book of Records for the formation of the biggest human logo comprising young voters in the state: The logo formation was part of Mission Unite (U and I towards Enrolment) as part of the Special drive to enroll young and left out voters. A total of 2,870 students, 113 schools, three colleges participated. The logo size was 120ft x 75ft.

4. MP aggressive in digital initiatives: As per a report by Coeus Age Consulting, Madhya Pradesh has emerged as the top state in terms of digital initiatives undertaken by State Government. Coeus Age Consulting is an organisation which provides consultancy services on various aspects of digital economy. A comparative assessment of digital initiatives by 36 states and Union Territories was undertaken by Coeus Age Consulting.

5.  Paika Bidroha: Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar mentioned that from the next academic session, ‘Paika Bidroha’ of 1817 will be included in history text books as ‘the First War of Independence’. Paika Rebellion was an armed rebellion against British East India Company, which broke out in the year 1817 across Odisha. Combination of social-political-economic causes triggered the Paika rebellion.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Central American country Nicaragua has signed the Paris Agreement on climate change: Only two countries, United States and Syria are left, who have not signed this global climate pact. Till June 2017, 195 UNFCCC members have signed the agreement, 148 of which have ratified it.

2. India’s gift to Bangladesh - memorabilia of the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971: On 22nd October 2017, India gifted a memorabilia of the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 to the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. During the war, about 10 million Bangladesh people took refuge in India. India and Bangladesh fought together to drive out the Pakistani occupation army. The memorabilia includes military equipment utilized during the war, artifacts, documents etc.

3. India – Indonesia CORPAT: The 30th edition of CORPAT (Coordinated Patrol) and 3rd Bilateral exercise between the Indian Navy and the Indonesian Navy is being conducted in Belawan, Indonesia. The exercise will be held from 24th October to 5th November 2017. Indian Naval Ship Sukanya arrived at Belawan to participate in the 30th edition of CORPAT. CORPAT exercise is conducted on IMBL twice a year since 2002.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Manav Thakkar has become the first Indian to occupy the top spot with 3,455 points on the ITTF World Junior Circuit standings:  Manav Thakkar hails from Surat. He was previously placed at No. 5 position. He has reached the top position of top ITTF Junior Circuit standings after finishing runner-up at the 2017 Serbian Junior and Cadet Open, Belgrade.

2. India’s Divij Sharan and America’s Scott Lipsky won the European Open trophy in Antwerp, Belgium:  Divij Sharan and Scott Lipsky defeated Santiago Gonzalez and Julio Peralta by 6-4, 2-6, 10-5 in the finals. They won the 2017 European Open title. Divij Sharan has won his first title of the 2017 season on the ATP World Tour, and third overall, by winning the European Open trophy.

BANKING/ FINANCE:

1. RBI assigned task Force on ‘Public Credit Registry’: Reserve Bank of India has constituted a 10-member ‘High Level Task Force on Public Credit Registry (PCR) for India’. It will suggest a roadmap for developing a transparent, comprehensive and near-real-time PCR for India. The committee will be Headed by YM Deosthalee, ex-CMD, L&T Finance Holdings.

2. EEPC India - PNB Pact: Engineering Export Promotion Council of India has signed an MoU with PNB to provide easy access to finance for SMEs and merchant exporters of the council. PNB will provide finance with assurance that loans up to Rs. 10 crore would be provided within 6 to 7 weeks at competitive rates. PNB would also extend foreign currency loan facilities and provide advisory support to EEPC India members.

3. SBI ties up with Escorts Ltd: SBI announced that it has entered into a tie-up with Escorts Ltd to finance farmers for the purchase of Escorts tractors. As per the terms of the tie-up, farmers across India, who wish to purchase Powertrac and Farmtrac brand tractors manufactured by Escorts, will be provided finance facility by SBI at competitive interest rates. This will help a large number of small and marginal farmers.

4. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is set to make Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies : Companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 cr. LEI is a unique 20 digit alphanumeric code that will be assigned to corporate borrowers. Fetching loan details on basis of LEI, will prevent banks from extending multiple loans to companies against the same collateral.

5. IndusInd Bank and MobiKwik announced the launch of a co-branded wallet, “IndusInd Mobikwik”: IndusInd Mobikwik wallet allows IndusInd bank’s customers to pay at the MobiKwik merchant network using their accounts. This wallet has a ‘direct debit feature’ which allows IndusInd Bank account holders to link their accounts just once and pay using the co-branded app as and when required.

OBITUARIES:

1. Noted Malayalam filmmaker I.V. Sasi passed away: He was 69 years old. He had been ill for a while. He has directed more than 150 movies in his 40 year career. He started his career as an art director for Kaliyalla Kalyanam in 1968. He made his debut as a director with the movie Ulsavam. He has won various awards like National Film Award, Kerala State Film Awards etc.