Daily GK Updates - 31st October, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Run For Unity on National Unity Day:  PM Modi Flags Off 'Run For Unity' On Sardar Patel's birth anniversary. Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) is being celebrated to mark Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary (142nd), who has played a huge role in unifying the country. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the ‘Run for Unity’ from Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi. In 2014, Rashtriya Ekta Diwas was introduced by the Government of India and inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India in 1947. Vallabhbhai Patel was born on October 31, 1875 in Nadiad village of modern day Gujarat to Zaverbhai and Ladbai. He was a lawyer & a political activist and played a leading role during the Indian Independence Movement. After independence, he was crucial in the integration of over 500 princely states into the Indian Union.

2. PM Modi inaugurated Bidar-Kalaburagi new railway line in Karnataka: PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bidar - Kalaburagi New Railway track (110-KM) to the Nation by unveiling a plaque at Bidar Railway Station, in Karnataka. Bidar-Kalaburgi railway track is in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region. The distance between Bengaluru and New Delhi by 380km (travel time by six to eight hours). PM Modi also flagged off the DEMU (Diesel Electric Multiple Unit) Service between Bidar and Kalaburagi.

3. India to host UN wildlife summit CMS COP13 in 2020: India will host the next United Nations (UN) global wildlife conference in 2020. According to the official announcement, India to be the host of the next CMS Conference of the Parties CMSCOP13. CMS COP is a triennial summit that brings together States through which migratory animals pass through held once in three years.

4. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale launches Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana in Mumbai: The Union Minister of state for social justice and empowerment, Ramdas Athawale has launched the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana in Mumbai. The Objective of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana, making quality medicines available at affordable price to all, particularly to the poor and underprivileged through exclusive outlets. Jan Aushadhi Medical store is set up with an aim to reduce out of pocket expenses in healthcare. This will be a revolutionary step in healthcare and they will also urge doctors to prescribe for generic medicines.

5. India tops list of new TB cases in 2016: According to the Global TB Report 2017 released by WHO, India has topped the list of seven countries, accounting for 64% of the over 10 million new tuberculosis (TB) cases worldwide last year. India was followed by Indonesia, China, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria and South Africa. Last year, an estimated 1.7 million people died from TB. India along with China & Russia accounted for almost half of around 5 lakh multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases registered in 2016.Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Tuberculosis is spread through the air when people who have active TB in their lungs a cough, spit, speak, or sneeze.

6. Delhi HC asks Navy to consider transgender for alternate job: During the course of the hearing, the bench said, "the mindset should change. In today's situation, a medical condition like this cannot be suppressed." The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Centre to consider giving an alternate job to a transgender sailor who was removed from service after sex change, terming it an “out of the box situation”. “You can punish her for indiscipline, but at the same time you can accommodate her,” a bench of Justices G S Sistani and V K Rao suggested to Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, who appeared for the Centre and Navy. Calling for a change in mindset, the bench said the instant case was probably the only one of its kind in the armed forces and asked the Navy to consider the transgender for some other job.

7. Removal of Article 370 only viable solution to J-K issue-BJP:  Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram's remark on Saturday that "when the people of Jammu and Kashmir ask for "azadi", most of them mean greater autonomy" had invited sharp criticism from the BJP. Amid a raging debate over autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP’s state unit on Monday said removal of Article 370, which grants special status to the state, was the only viable solution to the decades-old problem. “Removal of Article 370 and bringing Jammu and Kashmir on par with other states is the only viable solution to the issue,” BJP state spokesperson Professor Virender Gupta said in a statement in Jammu. He said this would be a befitting reply to separatists and Pakistan who are supporting and nourishing terrorism in the state and will pave the way to bring the people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly those of the Valley, into the national mainstream.

8. India, Pakistan DGMOs discuss LoC firing: Lt Gen A K Bhatt emphatically stated that retaliatory firing by Indian troops has only been carried out in response to unabated support given by Pak Army to armed terrorists. In an unscheduled hotline conversation requested by Pakistan army, Indian Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen A K Bhatt spoke to his Pakistani counterpart on Monday afternoon and discussed firing along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. According to an official statement released by the Defence Ministry, “Pak DGMO alleged that Indian security forces had resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control. Lt Gen A K Bhatt emphatically stated that retaliatory firing by Indian troops has only been carried out in response to unabated support given by Pak Army to armed terrorists who infiltrate across the border and target Indian Army posts with heavy calibre weapons.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  World Cities Day being celebrated today: The World is observing Cities Day on 31^st Oct with the commitment to work together for a planned and sustainable urban life in the wake of rapid growth of population and problems. This year, the United Nations (UN) has selected the theme ‘Innovative Governance, Open Cities’ to highlight the important role of urbanization as a source of global development and social inclusion. The general theme of World Cities Day is Better City, Better Life.

2. Saudi Arabia to allow women into sports stadiums from 2018: According to the Chairman of the General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia ‘Turki Al-Asheikh’, Saudi women will be able to attend sports events in stadiums starting from 2018.

Now, the authority will start the repair works at three main stadiums in Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah to accommodate families starting in 2018. Restaurants, cafes and monitor screens will be set up inside the stadiums. The move is aimed at empowering and engaging women in the society as an integral part of the development process. In September 2017, the General Sports Authority allowed women to enter King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh for the first time to celebrate Saudi Arabia's National Day.

3. India sends the first shipment to Afghanistan via Iran’s Chabahar port: India has flagged off a shipment of wheat from Kandla port (Gujarat) for Afghanistan through Chabahar port (Iran). It was flagged off by Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani through video conferencing. It paves way for operationalization of Chabahar port as an alternate, reliable connectivity for landlocked Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan. Chabahar port is strategically located in Sistan-Balochistan province on energy-rich Iran’s southern coast in Gulf of Oman near its border with Pakistan and can be easily accessed from India’s western coast.

4. Uhuru Kenyatta wins controversial Kenyan poll rerun: Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has been declared the winner of a controversial re-run of the Presidential election. According to country's Election Commission, Uhuru Kenyatta has won 98% of the votes with a turnout at just under 39% - less than half that was recorded in August's vote. Earlier, Mr. Kenyatta was also declared the winner in August which was annulled because of irregularities. Now, The Opposition has seven days to mount a legal challenge.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Indian Junior team win the bronze medal of Johor Cup Hockey: Indian Junior Men’s Hockey team beat hosts Malaysia 4-0 in the Bronze medal match of the 7th Sultan of Johor Cup 2017 at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium, in Malaysia. Goals from Vishal Antil (15’, 25’), Vivek Prasad (11’) and Shilanand Lakra (21’) were enough for India to finish their tournament with the Bronze medal.

2. India & Tunisia agreed to jointly combat terrorism: India and Tunisia have agreed to jointly combat terrorism while ramping up co-operation in the field of security. A review of bilateral ties was undertaken at the 12th India-Tunisia Joint Commission Meeting in New Delhi. A roadmap for India-Tunisia partnership has been also initiated by Mrs. Swaraj and Mr. Jhinaoui to give a new impetus to bilateral relations. Six agreements in the fields of judicial co-operation, co-operation in youth issues, information and communications technology, trade and business, were signed.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. India and World Bank signed USD 200 Million loan agreement for Assam: The World Bank and Government of India have signed a USD 200 million loan agreement for the Assam Agribusiness and Rural transformation project. The Project will support the state to facilitate agri-business investments, increase agricultural productivity and market access. Over five lacks farming households will directly benefit from the Project in over 16 Districts of Assam.

Daily GK Updates - 30th October, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India, UAE discuss security, defence ties at 2nd strategic talks: India and the UAE have discussed measures to deepen cooperation in a range of areas including defence, security, terrorism and trade as the two countries held the second round of their strategic dialogue in Abu Dhabi. The Indian delegation at the talks held yesterday was led by Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar while the UAE side was headed by its Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash.
During the talks, the two delegations expressed satisfaction at the "great progress" achieved in the bilateral relationship, a statement said.

2. Piyush Goyal & Jharkhand CM inaugurates 3 days Jharkhand Mining Show: The Union Minister Piyush Goyal and Chief Minister of Jharkhand Raghubar Das have inaugurated a three -day "Jharkhand Mining Show" at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi. There are proposals for auctioning of 23 mines during this period. More than two thousand delegates have enrolled for this show.

3. Death brings home the reality of Indian workers' life in Gulf: Govt figures show there are some 6 million Indian migrants in the six Gulf states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Oman. According to official data, more than 30,000 Indian nationals died in the Gulf states between 2005 and 2015.

4. Govt extends date to claim GST transition credit till Nov 30: The union govt. has extended the deadline for businesses to claim credit of transitional stock in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime till 30th of next month. TRAN-1 is to be filed by those businesses that are keen to claim credit for taxes paid before the launch of GST on 1st July. It also allowed businesses to revise the form once in case of any discrepancy. The Central Board of Excise and Customs had ordered a scrutiny of all such claims above 1 crore rupees.

5. Sushma Swaraj calls on Italian PM: External Affairs Minster Sushma Swaraj on Monday called on visiting Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni and discussed issues of mutual interest. Gentiloni arrived here on Sunday. This was the first Italian prime ministerial visit since the last one in February 2007 by then Prime Minister Romano Prodi.

6. Tushar Gandhi moves SC opposing reopening of Mahatma's assassination case: Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, today moved the Supreme Court opposing a plea seeking reopening of the 70-year-old assassination case of the Mahatma. A bench of Justices S A Bobde and M M Shantanagoudar questioned the locus of Tushar Gandhi in the case. Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for Gandhi, said she will explain the locus if the court moves ahead with issuing of notice. The bench said there were several ifs and buts in the case and will like to wait for the amicus curiae (friend of the court) Amrender Sharan's report.

7. Indian Army team to bring back remains of World War I soldiers: The decision came after the French government recently found the remains of four soldiers, including two unnamed Indian soldiers, at a construction site near Laventie, about 70km from Dunkirk, in France. A team of the Garhwal Rifles will travel to France in November to identify and bring back the remains of its two soldiers killed during the First World War, an Army official said. 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM of Italy Paolo Gentiloni to meet PM Modi today: Today, The Prime Minister of Italy Paolo Gentiloni meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hold a delegation level talks. The visit is aimed at strengthening the bilateral political and economic relations between the two countries. Over 600 Italian companies are active in India covering various sectors such as fashion, garments, textile and textile machinery, automotive, automotive components industry, infrastructure, energy, and insurance.

2. Pakistan to host next Asian Cricket Council Emerging Nations Cup in April: According to the Pakistan will host the next Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Emerging Nations Cup in April next year. Six ACC teams including five full members will play in the tournament. In March 2009, Militants had attacked the Sri Lankan team in Lahore which led to international teams refusing to tour Pakistan and the PCB was forced to hold its home series away from home in the UAE.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Kidambi Srikanth wins men's singles French Open badminton title: India’s shuttler Kidambi Srikanth (8th seeded) lifted the men's singles title of the French Open Super series badminton in Paris, France. Srikanth defeated Kenta Nishimoto (Japan) 21-14, 21-13 in the final. This is his fourth title (earlier Denmark Open, Indonesia Open and Australia Open) in the fifth super series final. Greysia POLL and Apriyani Rahayu won the Women's doubles title, defeating Lee Sottee and SHIN Seung Chen 21-17, 21-15. The Mixed Doubles title went to Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana NATSIR who beat Zheng Siwei and Chen.

2. India beat New Zealand by 6 runs in 3rd ODI to take series 2-1: India beat New Zealand by six runs in the third and final one-day international (ODI) Cricket, in Kanpur to take the series 2-1. Rohit Sharma has been named Man of the Match while winning captain Virat Kohli won Man of the Series award. India set up the total of 337 for six in their 50 overs, with New Zealand replying with 331 for seven. Now, India and New Zealand will also play three Twenty20 matches.

3. Bopanna wins Erste Open, Myneni-Prashanth clinch Vietnam Open trophy: Rohan Bopanna has won the Erste Open title in Vienna with Pablo Cuevas while the team of Saketh Myneni and Vijay Sundar Prashanth clinched the Vietnam Open trophy at the Ho Chi Minh City. Unseeded Bopanna and Cuevas beat Sam Querrey and Marcelo Demoliner 7-6, 6-7, 11-9. Earlier, Rohan Bopanna has won the Chennai Open with Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Monte Carlo Masters with Cuevas. Myneni and Vijay Prashanth beat the Japanese combination of Go Soeda and Ben Mclachlan 7-6, 7-6 in the summit clash.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. SIDBI Revamps Portal for Easy Credit Access: Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has revamped its portal “udyamimitra.in” to provide easy access to credit and hand-holding services for micro small medium enterprises (MSME). The portal is mobile-enabled and provides a self-assessment module. It sends various information on registered MSMEs from time to time and also allows loan applications to be perused and picked up by multiple lenders.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Railways to invest over 150 billion Dollar create one million jobs in 5 years: According to the Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, Railway is looking to invest over 150 billion Dollar over the next five years which would help create one million additional jobs. Ministry was also compressing the time taken for complete electrification of rail lines to four years from the earlier plan of 10 years, which would help cut costs by around 30 per cent for the loss-making Railways. This electrification initiative would help save the national transporter around 10 thousand crore rupees per annum on fuel bill.

2. Employment growth has not kept up pace with economic growth, says rating agency Care: The rating agency said the services sector has extended some relief, but manufacturing has failed to create jobs in recent times and called for proactive measures from the government. Confirming fears of a ‘jobless growth’, domestic rating agency Care Ratings said employment generation had not kept pace with GDP expansion,  terming it a “major concern”. Such a scenario called for “proactive measures” from the government and the recent infrastructure building efforts would help, it noted and said, “employment growth has not kept pace with economic growth”.

Daily GK Updates - 29th October, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Govt. approves Rs. 7,000 crore for 6 New IIT Campuses: The Union Cabinet has approved over Rs 7,000 crore for construction of permanent campuses of six new IITs across the country. Campuses will be built at Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Palakkad (Kerala), Dharwad (Karnataka), Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir), Bhilai (Chhattisgarh) and Goa.

2. Assam launches “Assam Darpan” portal: Assam Chief Minister launched a web portal ‘Assam Darpan’ where details of government schemes and projects would be available to the people. The platform has been developed as a part of the Digital India Programme.

3. A coffee table book on the Department of Defence Production released: Nirmala Sitharaman released a coffee table book on the Department of Defence Production, titled ‘A journey towards self-reliance’. “A journey towards self-reliance” is the first ever coffee table book on DDP. It narrates the post-independence years of development, production of arms, ammunition and defence equipment, with a view to achieve self-reliance for the Armed Forces of India.

4. OPV Vikram handed over to the Indian Coast Guard: An offshore patrol vessel (OPV), entirely developed in-house by Larsen and Toubro and the country’s first-ever such defence craft to be built in a private shipyard, was handed over to the Coast Guard. The vessel is named as “Vikram”. This is the first of the seven vessels for which the Rs 1,432-crore contract was made.

5. Shipping Ministry offers grant to JNPT: Shipping Ministry announced that it has sanctioned Rs 25 cr to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and another Rs 50 cr to the Karwar port in Karnataka. Funds are given for development of coastal berth under the flagship Sagarmala project. Sagarmala project was launched by Union Shipping Ministry in 2015, with an aim to modernize India’s Ports which will contribute in country’s economic growth.

6. New initiative named #AsktheSpokesperson launched: The Ministry of External Affairs launched the “#AsktheSpokesperson” initiative on Twitter, to create better awareness and understanding of foreign policy issues to general public. It is launched on Twitter handle @MEAIndia. Initiative will be a regular feature to engage and educate the public about foreign policy matters in simplified terms.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Catalonia gets independence from Spain: Catalonia declared independence from Spain after lawmakers in the autonomous region voted to declare independence.

The decision was made during a secret vote in Barcelona on 27th October 2017. After the declaration, the Spanish government dismissed the Catalan President Carles Puigdemont and his cabinet. It allowed Madrid to directly administer the region.

2. World’s first hydrogen-based tram becomes operational: The world’s first hybrid electric tram powered by hydrogen fuel cells has started running in China. With water being its only emission, the tram emits no pollutants. No nitrogen oxides will be produced as the temperature of the reaction inside hydrogen fuel cells is controlled under 100 degrees Celsius.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. India is the second largest smartphone market in the world now: India has overtaken the United States and become the 2nd largest smartphone market in the world, according to independent analyst Canalys. Canalys has released a report recently that states, India has become the second largest smartphone market in the world. The 1st position is occupied by China.Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, and Lenovo are considered the top five vendors in India

2. First Insurance Policy for Cancer patients:  Star Health and Allied Insurance (SHAI) has introduced first-ever health insurance cover for people already diagnosed with cancer. This insurance policy has been named ‘Star Cancer Care Gold’. It covers the risk of recurrence, the spread of cancer (metastasis) and second cancer (second malignancy). Policy has two sum-insured options – Rs. 3 lakh and Rs. 5 lakh.

SPORTS:

1. Patna Pirates won Pro Kabaddi Title: Pardeep Narwal scored incredible 24 points to steer Patna Pirates to third consecutive Pro Kabaddi title. Pardeep, who had scored 76 points in three playoffs, helped Patna come from behind and thump Gujarat Fortunegiants 55-38 in the summit clash of Pro Kabaddi season 5.

2. England wins first-ever FIFA U-17 title: England won the 2017 FIFA U17 World Cup for the very first time after a 5-2 win over European U17 champions Spain. The final was held in Kolkata.

Daily GK Updates - 28th October, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Infantry Day celebrated by Indian Army: On 27th October 2017, Infantry Day was celebrated by the Indian Army. Wellington Military Station celebrated the 70th Infantry Day on 27th October 2017. A wreath laying ceremony was organized at the war memorial of the Madras Regimental Centre. October 27 is celebrated as Infantry Day by the Indian Army as it was on this day that an Infantry Company of the First Battalion of the Sikh Regiment was airlifted from Delhi to Srinagar to liberate Kashmir from the invading tribals who were supported by Pakistan Army.

2. Chandrababu Naidu receives ‘Golden Peacock Award’: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu received the Golden Peacock Award, at the 17th London Global Convention, held in London. Chandrababu Naidu received the ‘Golden Peacock Award’ under the category, Global Leadership in Public Service and Economic Transformation. The Golden Peacock Award was instituted by the Institute of Directors (IOD) of India in 1991.

3. EDII bags AICTE award for supporting start-ups: Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) has received an award from All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for supporting start-ups. The premier Institute received the award for its contribution towards promoting and mentoring technology start-ups. The award was given during the International Science Festival’s Start-up Summit 2017 at Chennai.

4. Ram Gopal Bajaj selected for Kalidas Samman 2017: Actor-director Ram Gopal Bajaj is selected for Kalidas Samman 2017 for his work in the field of theatre. The award is instituted by the Madhya Pradesh government.

5. Vrindavan and Barsana declared sacred sites by UP government: Vrindavan and Barsana towns in Mathura district has now become the sacred pilgrimage sites. Recently, the Uttar Pradesh government issued an order notifying Vrindavan and Barsana district as “sacred pilgrimage sites”. No meat and liquor shops will be allowed in these towns anymore. The state government has recently merged Vrindavan, a former Nagar Palika Parishad, with the Mathura municipal board to create Mathura Nagar Nigam.

6. India to build houses in Sri Lanka: India and Sri Lanka signed two agreements for construction of 1,200 houses through 50 model villages in Sri Lanka. 1200 houses will be constructed with Indian grant assistance of 600 million rupees. Indian Government had committed 50000 houses for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the war-affected Northern and Eastern part of Sri Lanka.

7. Karnataka approves transgender policy: Karnataka cabinet approved a policy which seeks to provide legal protection to transgender community and thereby safeguard them from social and sexual exploitation. The objective of this policy is to remove the stigma attached to the community and integrate them into mainstream of the society.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Jacinda Ardern becomes the PM of New Zealand:  Jacinda Ardern was officially sworn in as the Prime Minister of New Zealand. At the age of 37, Ardern is the youngest New Zealand PM in 150 years. She is also the country’s third woman leader and says she will lead a government that is active, focused, empathetic and strong.

2. Burundi becomes the first country to leave International Criminal Court: African country Burundi has withdrawn from International Criminal Court (ICC) with effect from October 27, 2017 and has thus become the first nation to do so. International Criminal Court is an international tribunal located in Hague, Netherlands. It has authority to prosecute individuals for the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. RIL crosses Rs. 6 Trillion market capitalization: Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) became the first Indian company to cross Rs 6 trillion market capitalization after its shares surged over 75% so far this year and hit a fresh lifetime high. Currently, its market cap is at Rs 6.02 trillion. The recent rally in the stock was due to tariff hike by its telecom arm Reliance Jio which, analysts expect, will improve the company’s profitability.

2. Jeff Bezos becomes the world’s richest person: According to Forbes magazine, Jeff Bezos surpassed Bill Gates as the richest person in the world. The fortune of Amazon’s founder reached some $90.6 billion, compared with the $90.1 billion that the online edition of the magazine attributes to Gates.

3. First SAP Leonardo Centre launched in Bengaluru: The Leonardo Centre in Bengaluru is the first in Asia Pacific Japan region and the fourth SAP Leonardo Center globally. The Leonardo Centre in Bengaluru will consist of digital transformation elements like IoT, Blockchain, Analytics, Machine Learning, Big Data, Data Intelligence and SAP Cloud Platform.

4. ADB signs $65.5 mn loan with Indian Government: Asian Development Bank has signed a USD 65.5 million loan agreement with Government of India for checking coastal erosion on the western coast of Karnataka. This is the second tranche of a USD 250 million financing facility under the Sustainable Coastal Protection and Management Investment Programme. Funds procured through this loan will be deployed for immediate coastal protection needs.

SPORTS:

1. Sangram & Amanpreet won medal at ISSF World Cup: Sangram Dahiya and Amanpreet Singh won a silver and a bronze each in the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup Final in New Delhi on October 27. Sangram shot 76 out of 80 targets, three behind gold medallist Hu Binyuan of China. Amanpreet finished behind gold medallist Damir Mikec of Serbia and silver winner Oleh Omelchuk of Ukraine.

2. Gokul becomes the second player to be signed by NBA G-League Side: Gokul Natesan is the 97th pick in the NBA draft. He became the second Indian-origin player to be signed by an NBA G-League side. Natesan, 23, was picked by Canton Charge, a minor league affiliate team of Cleveland Cavaliers, completing a remarkable journey of the computer science graduate, who shuffled between playing college basketball and designing apps.

3. Puducherry becomes an associate member of BCCI: Puducherry has now become the associate member of BCCI. The Committee of Administrators (COA) selected Cricket Association of Puducherry (CAP) as an associate member of the BCCI. Now, Puducherry can also now host both international matches and the Board’s domestic games.

OBITUARIES:

1. Malayali writer, Punathil Kunjabdulla, passes away: Eminent Malayalam writer Punathil Kunjabdulla passed away in Kozhikode. He was a doctor by profession. He was a well-known Malayalam writer. He had published more than 45 books, including 7 novels, 15 short story collections, memoirs, an autobiography and travelogues.

2. Manikchand Group’s Chairman passes away: Rasiklal Dhariwal, an industrialist popularly known as the ‘gutkha baron’, died due to parotid gland cancer, at Ruby Hall Clinic, in Pune. He was the Chairman of Manikchand Group.

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.