Daily GK Updates - 20th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Girish Karnad conferred with Tata Literature Live Lifetime Achievement Award 2017: Actor-playwright Girish Karnad has been conferred with Tata Literature Live Lifetime Achievement Award 2017 for his outstanding contribution in the field of theatre. Tata Trusts' ‘Big Little Book Award' for Author in Bengali Children's Literature went to Nabaneeta Dev Sen. Book of the year in non-fiction category went to 'Age of Anger: A History of the Present' by Pankaj Mishra.

2. 48th International Film Festival of India began at Panaji: The Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has inaugurated the 48th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2017 at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium at Bambolim, Panaji (Goa). Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan will be honored with Personality of The Year award.

3. Centre hikes import duty on Edible Oils: The Centre has raised import duty on crude palm oil to 30% from 15% and on refined oil to 40% from 20%. It is done in a bid to curb cheaper shipments and boost local prices for supporting farmers and refiners, according to a notification.

4. Qaumi Ekta Week observed across country: The Qaumi Ekta Week is being observed across the country from 19th November to foster and reinforce the spirit of communal harmony and national Integration. As part of the week long programmes, 19 November was observed as National Integration Day. The last day of the Qaumi Ekta Week will be observed as Conservation Day and several meetings and functions will be organized.

5. International Congress of Military Medicine held at New Delhi: The 42nd World Congress of the International Committee of Military Medicine organised by the AFMS under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence began in New Delhi. The five-day event is being organised for the first time in India, and is the largest medical conference ever organised by the AFMS. The theme of this 42nd World Congress is “Military Medicine in Transition: Looking Ahead.”

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Qatar, the Richest Country: IMF Report: Based on the per capita income of its people, Qatar has been named the world’s richest country as per the recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report. The per capita GDP (gross domestic product) of Qatar is over Rs. 81 lakh. With per capita GDP of over Rs. 38 lakh, the United States is at No. 13. India, with a GDP of over Rs. 4 lakh per person, is ranked 126th.

2. China offers help to resolve Rohingya crisis: China has offered to help Myanmar and Bangladesh resolve the Rohingya crisis.In his official statement Chinese Foreign Minister also called for the economic development of Myanmar’s violence hit Rakhine state.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. International Conference on Petroleum held in Jaipur: The 12th Biennial International Conference & Exposition of Society of Petroleum Geophysicists (SPG) India was inaugurated by Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship at Jaipur.The theme of conference was “Energy trough Synergy”.

SPORTS:

1. Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov wins ATP finals in London: Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov has won the ATP Finals, defeating David Goffin (Belgium) in London.Grigor Dimitrov overcame David Goffin 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 to win the title.

2. Women's Youth World Boxing Championship begins in Guwahati: Chief Minister of Assam Sarbanand Sonowal inaugurated Women's Youth World Boxing Championship event in Guwahati, Assam. Around 200 players from over 30 countries are taking part in the event. Mary Kom is the brand ambassador of this event and the mascot of this event is called as “Guppy”.

3. Afghanistan wins U-19 Asia Cup (Cricket): Afghanistan won by a massive 185 runs to clinch their maiden Under-19 Asia Cup title, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ikram Ali Khil was the man of the match against Pakistan U19 in the ACC U19 Youth Asia Cup Final for his 107 not out. Mujeeb Zadran was the man of series for his 20 wickets in the tournament.

OBITUARIES:

1. Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, veteran Congress leader, passes away: Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, the veteran Congress leader, passed away in New Delhi He was on life support system after he suffered a massive stroke which left him paralysed in 2008. Mr Dasmunshi served as Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs.

Daily GK Updates - 19th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Manushi Chhillar wins Miss World 2017 title: India’s Manushi Chhillar was crowned the coveted Miss World crown for the year 2017. The win comes 17 years after Priyanka Chopra brought home coveted title in the year 2000. The winner of 2016 title, Puerto Rico’s Stephanie Del Valle passed on her crown to Ms Chhillar at a grand event held in Sanya in China.

2. India’s first mega Coastal Economic Zone to come up at JNPT in Maharashtra: The Union Government has given go-ahead for setting up India’s first mega coastal economic zone (CEZ) at Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) in Maharashtra. The first of its kind mega CEZ will stretch along north Konkan region spread across Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nashik and Raigarh. About 45 companies across auto, telecom and IT sectors will soon bid for 200 hectares of land to set up manufacturing units in zone.

3. Indira Gandhi’s 100th Birth Anniversary observed: The 100th Birth Anniversary of Ms. Indira Gandhi was observed today. A commemorative programme to mark the anniversary of Gandhi held at Shakti Sthal, New Delhi. Indira Gandhi was the only female Prime Minister of the country. She served as Prime Minister from 1966 to 1977 and from 1980 until her assassination in 1984.

4. Manmohan Singh to get Indira Peace Prize: Former prime minister Manmohan Singh will receive the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development this year for his leadership of the country between 2004 and 2014 and for enhancing India’s stature globally. The award, comprising a cash prize of Rs.25 lakh and a citation. It was instituted by the Indira Gandhi Memorial trust in 1986.

5. Karnataka passes SC/ST promotions bill: Karnataka passed ‘Karnataka Extension of Consequential Seniority to Government Servants Promoted on the Basis of Reservation Bill 2017’. Prior to introduction of this bill, SC had struck down Karnataka Govt.’s provision for providing reservation in promotion for SC/ST employees.

6. Delhi to form ‘Mahila Suraksha Dals’: Deputy CM of Delhi Manish Sisodia said that, the Delhi would form “Mahila Suraksha Dals” to curb crimes against women in the national capital. The government would constitute these teams in coordination with the Delhi Commission for Women. These MSDs will comprise representatives of the local community, both men and women, besides civil defence volunteers & will work at the grassroot-level.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. World Toilet Day observed today: The World Toilet Day (WTD) is observed every year across the world on 19 November to raise awareness and inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis. The theme for year 2017 is Wastewater. Observance of the day seeks to draw attention of people around world to raise global awareness of the daily struggle for proper sanitation which in fact is a human right along with clean water.

2. NASA launches Joint Polar Satellite System-1: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has launched a next-generation satellite called the Joint Polar Satellite System-1 (JPSS-1) into space. JPSS-1 is a joint venture between NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It was launched into orbit atop United Launch Alliance-built Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. It will be renamed NOAA-20 when it reaches its final orbit.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Swiss parliamentary panel approves automatic information exchange with India: Paving the way for India to get instant access to details on Indians with Swiss accounts, a key parliamentary panel in Switzerland has approved an automatic information exchange pact between the two countries. The Commission for Economic Affairs and Taxes of the Council of States — a key panel of the Swiss Parliament’s Upper House — approved the proposed pact with India as also with 40 other countries, but suggested strengthening the provisions for individual legal claims.

2. Anand Baiwar becomes Executive Director of SEBI: Markets regulator SEBI said Anand Rajeshwar Baiwar has taken charge as an executive director. An Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of the 1990 batch, Baiwar assumed office on November 16. Baiwar will look after the investigation department and division of foreign portfolio investors and custodians. Prior to this assignment, he was working as an income tax commissioner in Kolkata.

3. Reliance General Insurance and YES Bank ink bancassurance pact: Reliance General Insurance has signed a comprehensive bancassurance-corporate agency agreement with YES Bank. YES Bank will enable RGI to reach a large base of retail and MSME clients.

SPORTS:

1. Cheteshwar Pujara becomes third Indian to bat on all five days of a Test: Cheteshwar Pujara joined an elite list of players on Monday as he became the third Indian batsman to bat on all five days of a Test match. This was after he came out to the crease on the last day of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The two other Indians who have achieved this rare feat are ML Jaisimha and current India head coach Ravi Shastri. 

2. India to host Asia Cup of Road Racing (ACRR): Round 3 of FIM Asia Cup of Road Racing (ACRR) was held at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, India. Top bikers will participate in round three of the FIM ACRR. India will be represented by Sai Rahil Pillarisetty and Israel Vanlalhruaizela, who are fourth in the standings after the first two rounds in Thailand and Taiwan.

OBITUARIES:

1. Former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna dies at 49: Former World No 2 Jana Novotna died peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by her family, at 49 on Sunday. She had been battling with cancer for a long time. The player from Czech Republic won 17 Grand Slam titles through her career – 12 in doubles, four in mixed doubles and her solitary Slam in singles came at Wimbledon in 1998. She beat Frenchwoman Nathalie Tauziat in the final and thus became the last Czech player to win a Slam until Petra Kvitova won in 2011.

Daily GK Updates - 18th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Free Wi-Fi on Agra-Lucknow expressway: Free Wi-Fi will soon be available on the entire 302-kilometer stretch of India’s longest expressway from Agra to Lucknow. The UP government has offered to lease out space for laying an Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) along the six-lane Agra to Lucknow expressway.

2. India’s first mega Coastal Economic Zone (CEZ ) in Maharashtra: Central Government has given approval for setting up India’s first mega coastal economic zone at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Maharashtra. CEZ is an economic region comprising several districts that are well connected to the ports in the region and have a strong industrial infrastructure.

3. Namami Barak festival to begins in Silchar: The first ever three-day ‘Namami Barak festival’ has been inaugurated by Assam Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal in Silchar. Namami Barak is an attempt to pay tribute to the River Barak and to showcase of Barak's potential & possibilities to emerge as a hub of trade & commerce.

4. Stone sculptures of Mamallapuram get GI tag: The hand-crafted stone sculptures of Mamallapuram have been granted the Geographical Indications tag by the GI registry, in recognition of the art’s uniqueness to the region.

5. Chakravarthi AVPS - new ambassador of World Packaging Organisation (WPO): Chakravarthi AVPS, Hyderabad-based packaging professional, has been appointed as Ambassador of World Packaging Organisation (WPO) at the 99th board meeting of WPO in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With this, he has become the first Asian to be appointed as ambassador of WPO. Chakravarthi is the CEO and managing director of Hyderabad-based Ecobliss India.

6. ADI PEC award for Andhra Pradesh: The Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADI PEC), Excellence in Energy Awards 2017 adjudged the The Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) as the winner for the second position in the category of “social contribution in country value.” APMDC was given the award for setting new benchmarks in the particular area which would further boost the performance of the corporation.

7. Karnataka passes anti-superstition bill: Karnataka Legislative Assembly unanimously passed ‘Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2017’. This anti-superstition bill is aimed at preventing and eradicating inhuman evil practices propagated and performed in the name of black magic by a conman to exploit the common people. The bill has two categories of practices – ‘savings’ and ‘schedule’

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Students Day observed: On 17th November 2017, International Students Day was celebrated all over the world. It was observed for the first time in 1941 in London by the International Students’ Council. This day marks the anniversary of the 1939 Nazi storming of the University of Prague.

2. Indonesia's Kevin Lilliana wins Miss International-2017: Indonesia’s Kevin Lilliana has crowned Miss International 2017 (57th) by outgoing titleholder Kylie Verzosa (Philippines) in Tokyo, Japan. She is the first Indonesian to win the crown of Miss International. Miss International is a Tokyo-based international beauty pageant organized by The International Culture Association.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Paytm, ICICI tie-up for digital credit, name it Paytm-ICICI Bank postpaid: Paytm has entered into a tie-up with ICICI Bank to jointly launch ‘Paytm-ICICI Bank Postpaid’, that offers short-term credit to their common customers. ‘Paytm-ICICI Bank Postpaid’ offers instant digital credit for various transactions.

2. Patanjali group signs an MoU with Telangana: The Telangana government has signed a MoU with the Patanjali group with an aim to set up ‘Food Park’. The Patanjali Group will set up a large food park in Telangana with units for processing edible oil, fruit pulp and spices.

3. Chakravarthi AVPS becomes the first asian ambassador of WPO: Chakravarthi AVPS, Managing Director, Ecobliss India, has been appointed as global ambassador of the World Packaging Organisation (WPO). Chakravarthi AVPS is the first Asian to be appointed as ambassador of WPO.

SPORTS:

1.  Sushil Kumar wins gold at National Wrestling Championship: Olympic-medallist Sushil Kumar, Sakshi Malik and Geeta Phogat have won the gold medal in their respective categories in the National Wrestling championship in Indore. In men's 74kg freestyle, Sushil Kumar bag a gold medal as three of his rivals gave him a walkover in men's 74kg freestyle competition. In women's 62kg, Sakshi Malik finished on the top of the podium after posting a dominating 10-0 victory over Pooja Tomar.

OBITUARIES:

1. Legendary Hindi poet Kunwar Narayan passes away: Eminent Hindi poet and Jnanpith awardee Kunwar Narayan passed away in New Delhi. He was known for his poetry, stories, and critiques and first poetry collection was "Chakravyuh’.Kunwar Narayan was honored with Jnanpith Award in 2005 and Padma Bhushan in 2009.

Daily GK Updates - 17th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. National Press Day observed: National Press Day, celebrated on 16th of November is symbolic of a free and responsible press in India. This was the day on which the Press Council of India started functioning as a moral watchdog.

2. Establishment of the National Anti-profiteering Authority approved: Cabinet has given its approval for the creation of the posts of Chairman and Technical Members of the National Anti-profiteering Authority (NAA) under GST. This paves the way for the immediate establishment of this apex body. The body will ensure that the benefits of the reduction in GST rates on goods or services are passed on to the ultimate consumers by way of a reduction in price.

3. Karnataka to install WiFi in panchayats to enable villages being tech-savvy: Karnataka unveiled an ambitious project to install Wi-Fi facility in all gram panchayats across the state. At Bengaluru Tech Summit 2017, Karnataka CM, Siddaramaiah stated that the objective of this project is to bridge the digital divide.

4. First WHO Conference on Ending TB held at Russia: India reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating TB by 2025 at 1st WHO Global Ministerial Conference on Ending TB in Sustainable Development Era’ at Moscow, Russia. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is also organizing a side event on ‘Ending TB: Our Promise to Our People’. The National Strategic Plan for TB elimination in India has 4 pillars, namely- “Detect, Treat, Build and Prevent”.

5. SAMPRITI exercise ends: Joint Indo-Bangladesh Training Exercise SAMPRITI 2017, which was being conducted in Mizoram culminated. It is the seventh such exercise in the SAMPRITI series. The exercise has been aimed to strengthen and broaden the aspects of interoperability and cooperation between the Indian and Bangladesh Armies.

6. India Disease Burden Initiative Report released: As per ‘India State-level Disease Burden Initiative Report’, child and maternal malnutrition were responsible for 15 % of the total disease burden in 2016 across India. Analysis of disease burden for each Indian state from 1990 to 2016 has been presented. It is jointly prepared by the ICMR, the Public Health Foundation of India and Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

7. ‘Saubhagya’ Web-Portal launched: Ministry of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy, launched the PM Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana – ‘Saubhagya’ Web Portal. The portal can be accessed at http://saubhagya.gov.in. The Saubhagya Dashboard is a platform for monitoring household electrification progress, which would disseminate information on Household Electrification Status.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Kevin Lillian becomes Miss International 2017: Indonesia’s Kevin Lilliana was crowned Miss International 2017 by the Philippines’ Kylie Verzosa at the Tokyo Dome City Hall in Japan. This is the first Miss International title for Indonesia.

2. Climate Change Performance Index 2018 released, India ranks 14^th: India has ranked 14th out of 56 nations and European Union on Climate Change Performance Index 2018 released by environmental organisation Germanwatch. This marks an improvement from its 20th rank in CCPI 2017. CCPI keeps track of countries’ efforts in combating climate change.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING & FINANCE:

1. Urjit Patel appointed to BIS Advisory Board: RBI Governor Urjit Patel was appointed to the Financial Stability Institute Advisory Board of the Bank of International Settlement. Bank of International Settlement is a global financial organisation owned by major central banks from across the world.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. BSE to set up the first in-house Block Chain Lab in Mumbai: BSE Institute Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of BSE Ltd. has signed an MoU with DLT Labs to set up India’s first state-of-the-art Block Chain Lab in Mumbai. The objective is to provide knowledge-driven, in-class education and training in the field of financial technology. Block Chain technology has multiple utility in various sectors including global supply chains and financial transactions.

2. Moody's upgrades India's credit rating to BAA 2: US-based Major credit rating agency Moody's has upgraded India's sovereign credit rating to 'BAA 2' from 'BAA 3'. The decision to upgrade the ratings is underpinned by Moody's expectation that continued progress on economic and institutional reforms will enhance India's high growth potential. In 2004, Moody's had upgraded India's rating to 'BAA 3', lowest investment grade just a notch above 'junk' status.

SPORTS:

1. Shagun Chowdhary crowned National Women's Trap champion: Shooter Shagun Chowdhary bagged a national champion crown at the 61st National Shooting Championship in New Delhi. She overcame the challenge Rajeshwari Kumari to prevail 41-38. Now, Shagun Chowdhary will be the first Indian woman trap shooterto win an Olympic berth. Madhya Pradesh won medals both in the senior and junior women's team events.

Daily GK Updates - 16th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Bio-toilets to be installed in all trains-Bonn Conference: Bio-toilets to be installed in all Indian Railways coaches has been advanced to December 2018. Indian railways also called for a need for increasing role of renewables in the railways to achieve net decarbonisation at an event organised in Bonn.

2. NGT directs Delhi govt. to seize 10-years old diesel taxis: National Green Tribunal (NGT) headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar has directed Delhi government to seize 10-year-old diesel taxis as they cause air pollution. According to the bench, large numbers of diesel taxis are operating in the national capital contrary to the judgment and directions of the Supreme Court.

3. Govt. to introduce BS-VI grade auto fuels in National Capital Territory (NCT) in 2018: The Petroleum Ministry, in consultation with Public Oil Marketing companies, has decided to ante-date the application of BS-VI grade auto fuels in National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi from 1st April 2018 (earlier 1st April 2020). This is part of government's concerted efforts to reduce vehicular emissions and improve fuel efficiency with an aim to reduce the carbon footprints and keep a healthy environment. India has followed the regulatory pathway for fuel quality and vehicle emissions standards termed as Bharat Stage (BS).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Syria signs up Paris agreement on Climate Change: Syria has signed up to the Paris Agreement, leaving the United States as the only country to reject the global climate-rescue pact.War-torn Syria became the 169th of 196 countries that are members of the UN climate convention to take the legal step of ratification. After Nicaragua signed up in October 2017, Syria was the only country not to have adopted the pact.

2. Zimbabwe is under military control after army seizes power from Mugabe: According to the African Union (AU), Zimbabwean military's takeover of power of President Mr. Robert Mugabe seems like a coup. Last week, Emmerson Mnangagwa Vice-President was fired. Robert Mugabe has not yet been formally deposed as President.

3. US, Japan launch 10-day naval drill: The drill aims at increasing the defensive readiness and interoperability of Japanese and American forces. The exercise involves 14,000 US servicemen, the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and 3 US guided missile destroyers.

4. UK doubles visas for ‘exceptional talent’ before Brexit: The UK has doubled the number of visas available under Tier 1(Exceptional talent) route for individuals in technology, science, art and creative industries. The increase from 1000 to 2000 visas per year is intended to ensure that highly skilled people who can enhance the economy can work in the country.

                              

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Hui Ka Yen tops Forbes China Rich List for first time: He has a fortune of $42.5 billion. He is followed by Tencent’s Ma Huateng and Alibaba’s Jack Ma. Hui Ka Yen is the promoter of the Evergrande Group.

2. Mamta Suri - Newly Appointed Executive Director of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board: Mamta Suri has taken charge as the Executive Director, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI). Before joining IBBI.  Dr. Suri was serving as Chief General Manager, Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India.

SPORTS:

1. Federer becomes top prize money earner in sports: World number 2 Roger Federer took his prize money Rs.720 cr after beating Alexander Zverev in ATP finals. He has won 95 career titles including a men’s record 19 Grand Slam titles.

2. Saina and Prannoy crash out of China Open: Saina lost to Akane Yamaguchi and Prannoy lost to Lee Cheuk Yiu in their respective pre-quarterfinals.PV Sindhu will face China’s Yue Han for a place in the quarters.

Daily GK Updates - 15th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. India’s first Tribal Entrepreneurship Summit held: India’s first Tribal Entrepreneurship Summit began in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh. The event has been organized by NITI Aayog in partnership with the government of US. The event is a part of 8th Global Entrepreneurship Summit being held in India. The summit has been organized mainly with the motive to inspire, nurture and promote the spirit of entrepreneurship in tribal youth.

2. NCERT conducts largest ever survey-NAS: National Achievement Survey (NAS), the largest ever assessment survey on a national level was conducted by NCERT. NAS was conducted for the Classes 3, 5 and 8 in government and government-aided schools. The survey is to ascertain learning level of students. The inferences drawn from the analytical reports will be used to design classroom interventions.

3. Jharkhand celebrates 17th statehood day: Jharkhand is a state in eastern India carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand state accounts for 40% of the mineral resources of India. The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, visited Jharkhand and paid tributes to freedom fighter Birsa Munda at his statue at Birsa Chowk, Ranchi.

4. International Lavi Fair begins in HP: Traditional International ‘Lavi fair’ was held from 11th -14th November 2017 in Rampur, Himachal Pradesh. Lavi Fair has been an important point of trade between India and Tibet for centuries. The fair is visited by tourist and traders from distant places. It provides a good opportunity for promotion and sale of woolens, dry fruits and other traditional crafts and products.

5. India’s first offshore desalination plant to be built: Scientists from NIOT will build India’s first offshore desalination plant about 40km from the Chennai coast. The capacity of the plant will be 10 million liters of water per day. The plant will operate on Low-Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD), a low cost and environment-friendly technology to get potable water.

6. West Bengal gets GI Tag for ‘Rosogolla’: The Geographical Indications (GI) Registry announced that West Bengal has been awarded the GI status for ‘Rosogolla’. The Geographical Indications (GI) Registry has said that the ‘Rosogolla’ originated in West Bengal and not Odisha. West Bengal and Odisha have been fighting a legal battle over the origin of the sweet meat ‘Rosogolla’ since June 2015.

7. Vijay Dimri appointed as the President of 36th IGC: Scientist Vijay Prasad Dimri was appointed as the President of the 36th International Geological Congress (IGC). It is a global platform for the advancement of earth science, to be held in New Delhi in 2020.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Asgardia launched Asgardia-1 into space: The Space Kingdom of Asgardia (virtual nation) launched its first satellite ‘Asgardia-1’ into space from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The Asgardia – so-called ‘virtual nation’ is the project of Russian scientist and billionaire Igor Ashurbeyli. The Asgardia-1 satellite, which is about the size of a loaf of bread, contains half a terabyte of data

2. Borut Pahor of Slovenia’s wins second term as Prez: Slovenia’s President Borut Pahor wins Second Term in Runoff Election. He received nearly 53 percent of votes.

3. Saudi Arabia recognizes Yoga as a Sport: The Saudi Arabian government has approved the practice of yoga as a sports activity. This news came from a social media post of Nouf Marwaai, founder of the Arab Yoga Foundation in Saudi Arabia.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. CRISIL, SIDBI tie up to launch CriSidEx: Rating firm Credit Rating Information Services of India Limited (CRISIL) and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) have signed a MoU to launch CriSidEx, a sentiment Index for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). This index will provide insights into employment, business environment, and foreign trade trends in the MSME sector.

SPORTS:

1. Sebastian Vettel wins Brazilian GP: Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel won the Brazilian Grand Prix, a Formula One championship race, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Valtteri Bottas started the race at the pole position. Vettel controlled the race after taking the lead from Valtteri Bottas. The Formula One world championship title had already been decided at the Mexican Grand Prix, two weeks earlier.

2. Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal retires from all forms of cricket: Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal announced his retirement from all forms of cricket two years after a remodeled bowling action that was deemed illegal twice by the autorities. Ajmal was once celebrated as the world’s number one bowler in one-day internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 cricket, and was almost as successful in Tests.

Daily GK Updates - 14th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Children’s Day observed across India: Children’s Day is celebrated on the 14th of November in India as a tribute to Jawaharlal Nehru, who was born on November 14, 1889. Jawaharlal Nehru, who was fondly called Chacha Nehru or Chachaji, was known for his love for children. Prior to 1964, India celebrated Children’s Day on 20 November, which was observed as the Universal Children’s Day by the United Nations.

2. India to get its first ‘Air Dispensary’: Northeast is all set to get India’s first-ever “Air Dispensary” based in a helicopter. The Union Ministry of Development of Northeast has already contributed Rs. 25 crore funding for this initiative.

3. 37th India International Trade Fair begins in New Delhi: 37th India International Trade Fair (IITF) has begun at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. The 14-day annual event has been organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO). This year the theme of the fair is “Startup India Standup India”. Vietnam is the Partner Country, while Kyrgyzstan is the Focus Country.  Jharkhand is participating as a Partner State in the event.

4. Indian Railways to launch Project Saksham: Railways will launch the country’s largest time-bound “upskilling” exercise for government employees to upgrade the skill sets of its 13 lakh-strong workforce with a single drive spanning 9 months. Project Saksham will start in January 2018 and go on until September 2018.

5. Bharat Net, Phase 2 launched: Central Government launched the Phase 2 of Bharat Net project to connect 1.5 lakh gram panchayats with high-speed broadband by March 2019. Bharat Net Project, formerly known as National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) was launched by Central Government in October 2011 with an aim to deploy high-speed optical fiber cables across rural areas of India.

6. India Youth Development Index: Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore released the India Youth Development Index and Report. The objective of constructing YDI 2017 is to track the trends in Youth Development across the States. The Index enables recognizing the high and low performing states, identifies the weak domains and informs the priority areas of intervention for youth development.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. World Diabetes Day 2017: World Diabetes Day is the world’s largest diabetes awareness campaign. It is celebrated every year on 14th November. The theme of World Diabetes Day 2017 is Women and diabetes – our right to a healthy future.

2. Founding Ceremony of International Solar Alliance held in Bonn: A Curtain Raiser Event for the Founding Ceremony of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) was held in Bonn, Germany. The ISA is a treaty-based alliance of 121 prospective solar-rich Member Nations situated fully or partially between the Tropics & aims at the development of solar energy globally.

3. 10th South Asia Economic Summit begins in Kathmandu: The 10th South Asia Economic Summit (SAES) has begun in Kathmandu, Nepal. The theme of the 3-day summit is “Deepening Economic Integration for Inclusive and Sustainable Development in South Asia”.

OTHER UPDATES

BANKING & FINANCE:

1. Asian Bankers Association summit to be held in Mumbai: For the first time, Mumbai is to host the 34th annual conference of the Asian Bankers Association on 16th and 17th November 2017. Summit will be hosted by State Bank. The theme for this year’s summit is ‘Asia’s turn to transform’.

SPORTS:

1. Pankaj Advani wins his 17th title at ISBF World Billiards Championships: Indian cueist Pankaj Advani has won his 17th world title at the IBSF World Billiards Championship 2017 in Doha, Qatar. Pankaj beat Mike Russell of England by 6-2 (0-155, 150-128, 92-151, 151-0, 151-6, 151-0, 150-58, 150-21) and won his 17th world title at the IBSF World Billiards Championship 2017.

2. Rafael Nadal receives ATP World No. 1 award: Tennis player Rafael Nadal was presented the ATP World Number 1 award on court, at the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena, in London. Rafael Nadal replaced Andy Murray of Britain at Number 1 position on 21 August 2017.